Magical Lactation-Boosting Recipes for Breastfeeding Moms

 

No breastfeeding mum need to be told that breastfeeding is a hard work and also by now you already know that your body needs to be nourished properly in order to keep your milk supply flowing for your baby.

At this stage eating healthy may be the last thing on your mind but still it is important to take care of yourself and stomach so that you can feel your best.

Luckily, there are many easy recipe packed with lots of nutrients that may help provide your milk supply as a breastfeeding mother.

Below are some tasty recipes that can help keep you energized and may give your milk supply a boost.

1. Herbal nursing mom tea

Staying hydrated while breastfeeding is important. This homemade tea blend can help you get the job done. It uses herbs and spices like fennel, which has been trusted to help boost milk secretion. 

Recipe 

Ingredients

½ cup red raspberry leaf

¼ cup alfalfa leaf

½ cup nettle leaf

¼ cup fenugreek seeds

¼ cup fennel seeds

¼ cup chamomile flowers

¼ cup dandelion leaf

Instructions

Mix herbs and store in a glass jar. To brew, add 1 Tablespoon herb mix to 2 cups of boiling water and simmer on stove for 10-15 minutes.

2. Strain and serve.

2. Healthy lactation cookies

Let’s face it, everyone needs a cookie now and then. Especially breastfeeding parents! This recipe combines nutritious ingredients like oats, flax, brewer’s yeast, and spices to create a delicious and nourishing cookie. 

Recipe 

INGREDIENTS

2 1/4 cups quick cooking oats

3/4 cup oat flour

3 Tablespoons brewer’s yeast

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup melted coconut oil

1 cup coconut sugar (organic brown sugar works too)

2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed + ⅓ cup water*

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chocolate chips (dairy-free, if needed)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make flax eggs by whisking together ground flaxseed with water. Set aside.

Spray two baking sheets with cooking spray or line with parchment or Silpat and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together oats, oat flour, brewer’s yeast, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl mix together oil, sugar, flaxseed eggs and vanilla until smooth. Add dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips. 

Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Press each cookie down with a fork a bit.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. The cookies may seem a little soft, but do not over bake or they’ll get too crisp. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for about 5 minutes or until they start to harden up a bit. At this point you can transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

3. Nursing omelette

Don’t be afraid to eat plenty of healthy fats while breastfeeding. This omelette combines multiple sources of healthy fats like avocado, cheddar cheese, and eggs. Throw in some greens for an extra nutrition boost.

Recipe 

2 free range eggs

1 tablespoon of organic butter

1 tablespoon of organic whipping cream

1 diced organic turkey sausage

½ an avocado sliced

¼ cup chopped chives & cilantro

¼ cup grated sharp cheddar

Sea salt and pepper to taste

Salsa to garnish

Instruction 

 

Chop and sauté sausage in a cast iron skillet until soft.

While sausage cooks, crack eggs into a bowl & add cream & a touch of salt (Cream protects the fragile nutrient in the egg, and the fat in the cream aids absorption of vitamin A from the yolk and butter).

Whisk eggs & cream lightly  (Do not too long or omelet will be tough).

Add butter to skillet and coat entire surface, tip skillet and add in egg mix slowly.

Reduce heat to medium and wait for underside to lightly brown.

When cooked add chives, cilantro, avocado slices and cheese to top, switch temperature to low.

With a spatula flip omelette in half. Allow one side to cook and flip. Beware to not overcook.

Slide omelet on to plate and enjoy.  You may garnish with salt and pepper, salsa or eat with sprouted grain toast, don’t forget the butter.

4. Turmeric and kale chicken soup

Your whole family will enjoy this hearty, nourishing soup. It’s full of nutritious ingredients like chicken and fresh veggies that will give you the energy boost you need to breastfeed.

Recipe 

Ingredient

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

½ cup pearled farro

6 cups roast chicken bone broth (see Instant Pot recipe here)

½ tsp fresh thyme

1 1x1 inch piece of rind for good quality parmesan cheese (optional)

½ tsp ground turmeric

2 loosely packed cups kale, stemmed and chopped

Salt & pepper to taste

Direction 

Set Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add chicken and sauté in pot for until browned on both sides (does not need to be cooked through).

Remove chicken from pot and place on a plate.

With Instant Pot still on “Sauté” add the second tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onions, celery and carrots until soft, about five minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for one minute more.

Add chicken back into pot along with farro, bone broth, parmesan rind and turmeric. Lock the lid in place and cook soup on high pressure for 12 minutes.

When cooking time ends, natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then quick release.

Set Instant Pot to “Warm.” Remove lid and discard parmesan rind. Use a fork to shred chicken into bite sized pieces. Stir in kale and allow the soup to sit for 2 minutes to allow the kale to soften. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

By: Firdausi musa dantsoho

DISCOVER TUMERIC AS A SKIN GLOW INGREDIENT

 

Turmeric manages microorganism growth on the skin, helping ward off acne-causing acne bacteria, and it prevents other infections from spreading, It also contains powerful antioxidant properties, balances sebum secretion, and helps clean out pores. Not only does this spice have amazing healing properties but it’s also a great beauty product.  

It turns out kanuri and some Hausa brides often use turmeric as a head-to-toe body scrub and face mask to brighten skinbefore their wedding ceremony. It's generally known in this part of Nigeria as ''gairan jiki

Turmeric beauty benefits

-Turmeric is high in antioxidants that slow down cell damage

-It’s widely used as a skin exfoliate and improves the texture of skin

-It helps with inflammatory skin conditions, such as ache dry skin, psoriasis, and eczema

-It helps reduce pigmentation and even out the skin tone

-It is also said to diminish wrinkles

-Turmeric’s texture provides excellent exfoliation, and it helps regulate skin’s oil production, making it great for acne-prone skin.

 

BY: STEPHANIE E. HEMEN

SLEEP PARALYSIS / DANNAU

 

My mum always talks about a very scary incident that happens to her most night when she is asleep.  It's somewhat a kind of a sleep disorder that she had been experiencing almost every night. In the Hausa tradition is known as "Dannau" and it's believed that it caused by the jinn’s.  It’s an unimaginable and confusing situation to those that experienced it. It feels like someone you can't see is strangling and pressing your neck down at night/day during your sleeping hours. Although you cannot see or feel the person presence but you feel the weight and you sometimes struggle to wake up but difficult, it goes after minutes or seconds of struggle. It always leaves you confused as to what just happened to you!  It kind of wired feeling!    Being that my mum is half Igbo and Edo, my siblings and I were always making jests of her that is the demons in her village that have come to visit her at night.   What started as a joke, overtime, started to make sense to her after the continues attack in her sleep.  She started to believe that some demons are really after her life.  She began to pray seriously about it   but the attack like feeling continues - She often feels when sleeping as if someone is choking her neck at night. Whenever that happened, she won’t be able to move, shout, and speak during that period until someone touch her. The touch usually brings her back from the dark journey.    As time goes by without much solution to my mum's problem, one day I stumbled upon a documentary that narrates exactly what my mum was experiencing and I was so marveled and I needed to know more about it so that I can share the knowledge with my mum. I couldn't wait to tell her that her night /sleep experience had nothing to do with any demons or bad dreams, rather it is called "Sleep Paralysis"   Sleep paralysis is a feeling of being conscious but unable to move. It occurs when a person passes between stages of wakefulness and sleep. During these transitions, you may be unable to move or speak for a few seconds up to a few minutes. Some people may also feel pressure or a sense of choking. Sleep paralysis may accompany other sleep disorders such as narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is an overpowering need to sleep caused by a problem with the brain’s ability to regulate sleep. Sleep paralysis usually occurs at one of two times. If it occurs while you are falling asleep, it’s called hypnagogic or predormital sleep paralysis. If it happens as you are waking up, it’s called hypnopompic or postdormital sleep paralysis. As you fall asleep, your body slowly relaxes. Usually you become less aware, so you do not notice the change. However, if you remain or become aware while falling asleep, you may notice that you cannot move or speak. Hypnopompic Sleep Paralysis is when your body alternates between REM (rapid eye movement) and NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep. One cycle of REM and NREM sleep lasts about 90 minutes. NREM sleep occurs first and takes up to 75% of your overall sleep time. During NREM sleep, your body relaxes and restores itself. At the end of NREM, your sleep shifts to REM. Your eyes move quickly and dreams occur, but the rest of your body remains very relaxed. Your muscles are “turned off” during REM sleep. If you become aware before the REM cycle has finished, you may notice that you cannot move or speak.   Up to as many as four out of every ten people may have develop sleep paralysis. This common condition is often first noticed in the teen years. But men and women of any age can have it. Sleep paralysis may run in families.  Other factors that may be linked to sleep paralysis include the following: •       Lack of sleep •       Sleep schedule that changes •       Mental conditions such as stress or bipolar disorder •        Sleeping on the back •       Other sleep problems such as narcolepsy or nighttime leg cramps •        Use of certain medications such as those for ADHD •       Substance abuse If you find yourself unable to move or speak for a few seconds or minutes when falling asleep or waking up, then it is likely that you have isolated recurrent sleep paralysis. Often there is no need to treat this condition. Check with your doctor if you have any of these concerns: •       You feel anxious about your symptoms •       Your symptoms leave you very tired during the day •       Your symptoms keep you up during the night Your doctor may want to gather more information about your sleep health by doing any of the following: •       Ask you to describe your symptoms and keep a sleep diary for a few weeks •       Discuss your health history, including any known sleep disorders or any family history of sleep disorders •       Refer you to a sleep specialist for further evaluation •       Conduct overnight sleep studies or daytime nap studies to make sure you do not have another sleep disorder It is important to note that most people need no treatment for sleep paralysis. Treating any underlying conditions such as narcolepsy may help if you are anxious or unable to sleep well. To help control sleep paralysis, start by making sure you get enough sleep and always do what you can to relieve stress in your life especially just before bedtime. Try new sleeping positions if you sleep on your back. And be sure to see your doctor if sleep paralysis routinely prevents you from getting a good night’s sleep. BY MAIMUNA BAGUDU

 

Mr. Eazi Sets Eyes on Arewa Talents

The Nigerian sensation, Mr.Eazi is hitting the skies; betting heavy with the northern artists, transiting and expanding his reach with his outstanding initiative geared towards nurturing African talents through "emPawa Africa." Recently, northern musicians DJ Abba and Namenj joined emPawa Africa's family.

DJ Abba is a native of Kaduna and has been on the emPawa Africa's watch for quite some time now. Starting his musical career in 2011, the singer, rapper, producer and songwriter has rose to become one of the most sought after artistes in the northern part of country because of his hit songs, namely "Su Baba ne,Yar Boko and Babarsa". 

Abba has numerous awards including the 2019 northern Nigeria Best Singer of the year and Arewa Artiste of the year.

On same limelight, the discovery, Namenj who have had a geographic adventure across Jos, Maiduguri and Kano have also registered his personality and presence in the Arewa music industry in 2015 with a soul mending cover to Adekunle Gold's "Orente" . He had also released his debut single "Rayuwa" in July 2020 with visuals directed by the avid Adasa Cookey. Namenj is a clear manifest of Mr.Eazi's emPawa30 Artiste Talent Program.

 The signing of DJ Abba and Namenj is geared to give Arewa music a massive pace and transition into global entertainment. The emPawa Africa remains Mr. Eazi's forte and catchment strategy channelled towards discovering rising Africa artistes hidden in the nook and crannies of northern Nigeria.

 

 

NIGERIAN FISH ROLL

Fish roll is a popular snack in Nigeria that no one can resist. Delicious Nigerian Fish Roll is crispy, crusty, flavourful and filled with fish

 

INGREDIENTS

* Flour

* Sugar

* Salt

* Baking powder

* Butter

* Egg 

* Water

* Vegetable oil

* Onion

* Pepper

* Ginger

* curry

* seasoning cubes 

* Sardines

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR FISH ROLL

1. In a clean bowl add your flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and stir together.

2. Then add your butter to the flour mix and add your egg and mix.

3. Add water and knead to get a smooth dough, then keep aside to rest for 10 minutes.

4. In making your fish roll fillings add vegetable in to a hot sauce pan, add your diced onion and pepper then stir.

Add ginger, curry, seasoning cubes stir then add your sardines stir to break your sardines into pieces.

5. Add water and salt, allow it to cook for few minutes. When your fillings is done,  allow it to cool for 5 minutes. 

6. Roll out your dough and cut it into square shapes, flatten and add your fish fillings then roll up your dough repeat same step for all the dough.

7. Put your vegetable oil and allow it to heat up, deep fry your fish roll  till golden brown. Your Nigerian fish roll is ready to be serve . It's usually a snack that's is serve at occasions . 

By: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho

How to make chicken and shrimps fried rice

Delicious chicken and shrimps fried rice is a known dish in this part of the world . Although it's not  originated from  here but our chefs have taken the recipes and personalized it to soothe our test buds. 

Today we would be teaching you how to make delicious chicken and shrimps fried rice. JUST like the name suggest , this food consist of chicken, shrimps and rice which are also the basics in making this delicious meal.

So let get started, make sure you wash your hand thoroughly before you start cooking.

INGREDIENTS

*Oil

*Cooked Rice 

*Green chilli 

*Peas

*Carrots 

*Seasoning cubes

*Shrimps

*Chicken breast chunks

*Sweet corn 

*Ginger and garlic paste

*Salt

*Black pepper

*Onions

*Eggs

*Soy sauce

*Fried rice spices

*Spring onion

DIRECTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE SHRIMPS AND CHICKEN FRIED RICE

1. Cook your rice, until it is well cooked and set aside.

In a pot add oil and heat it up then add chicken breast , ginger, garlic and seasoning cubes then stir fry until your chicken breast is cooked then remove from the oil and set aside.

2. Using the remaining oil you use in frying your chicken add your shrimps, salt and black pepper and fry  your shrimps both side then set aside.

3. In the same pot add more vegetable oil, chopped onions, ginger and garlic paste and fry for one minute. 

Then add your chopped green chills, carrots, peas and sweet corn then stir.

4. Add your scrambled eggs stir then add your cooked rice, seasoning cubes, soy sauce, fried rice spices and stir until everything is well combine.

5. Add your cooked chicken , shrimps, and stir

Finally add your green pepper and spring onion, and then allow it to cook for 2 minute.

6. Your chicken and shrimps fried rice is ready. Serve it with orange juice or fresh juice of your choice for lunch . 

By: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho

Easy Scotch egg

Today we would be teaching you how to make easy and delicious Scotch egg and also we would teach you how to substitute bread crumbs for cornflakes as a binding agent for the Scotch egg.

INGREDIENTS

*sausages

*oil

*curry and thyme

*seasoning cubes

*eggs

*onion 

*flour

*cornflakes as a substitutes for bread crumbs

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE YOUR EASY SCOTCH EGG

1. Start by boiling your eggs.

Then finely process your cornflakes to have your binding agents.

2. Process your sausages till it is broken down a bit, then add your onion, seasoning cubes, thyme curry  to the sausages and process until it is smooth.

3. By now your eggs are boiled, put them inside cold water and peel the shell.

4. In a separate bowl break one egg whisk and set aside for binding.

5. Start by picking one of your boiled egg roll in flour, cover it up completely with the sausage, roll it up in your whisked egg then finally roll it in your processed cornflakes.

6. Repeat this process till all your boiled egg is finished.

Heat your oil until it is hot then put  your Scotch egg,  fry till it is golden brown.

7. Bring out your scotch egg and allow it to cool down.  Serve with tea for breakfast or as a starter . 

 

By: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho

GARDEN EGG SAUCE

Although garden egg sauce is not a so common food but it's easy to make and very healthy because of it high vegetables content . That's why we picked for this week Tozali food. Garden egg sauce is simple to make and delicious food . Garden egg has a lot of nutritional value.

Not everybody knows how healthy eating garden egg is, the fiber, potassium, vitamin c, vitamin B-6 and antioxidants in it, support heart health.

Garden egg has a lot of magic and it taste delicious. It can be eaten like that or use to make sauce.

Below is how to make a perfect garden egg sauce.

INGREDIENTS 

Garden egg

Pepper

Onion

Garlic

Tomatoes

Dry fish 

Smoke fish

Cray fish

Cooked meat

Palm oil

Seasoning cubes

Salt

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE GARDEN EGG SAUCE

1. Wash and cut your garden egg into smaller pieces then blend.

2. Wash your pepper, onion, garlic; tomatoes and then roughly blend it.

3. Wash your dry fish.

4. Start by adding palm oil in a pot to heat up.

5. Once the oil is hot, add your roughly blended pepper mix which is your tomatoes and pepper then stir fry for 5min.

6. Add your seasoning cubes stir then cover and allow it to cook for another 5 min.

7. After 5min stir then add your grounded Cray fish and some salt.

8. Add your blended garden egg,  stir then add your meat stock water, dry fish, smoked fish and cooked meat stir and cover to cook for 10 min.

9. After 10min your garden egg sauce is ready.

10. Serve with semovita,  tuwon shikafa, boiled yam, boiled plantain or white rice enjoy.

By: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho

HOW TO MAKE AWARA TOFU

In making awaran waken soya also known as tofu we need soya beans, like we all know soya beans is rich in vitamins, minerals, and protein also, regular intake of soya beans reduce the risk of breast cancer and prostrates cancer.

INGREDIENTS

*Soya beans

*Pap fermented water

*Water 

STEPS ON HOW TO MAKE AWARA TOFU

1. Wash your soya beans thoroughly to remove stones and dirt.

2. Take it to the dry mill or use your blender to grind it till its smooth.

3. Add water to the smooth soya beans paste and sieve then discard the shelf.

4. Put the soya milk in a pot and boil in a high flame.

When your milk start boiling add some pap fermented water, stir a bit  and allow it to boil properly.

5. Then you pass it through the sieving clothe and allow the excess water to drain.

6. Cut your awara into desired shapes, season and fry.

7. Enjoy with yaji or pepper sauce.

BY: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho

WOMANCRUSHWEDNESDAY

Our woman crush today is a  policewoman who is currently serving as the commissioner of police, and head of Nigerian police force animal branch, Abuja. 

CP Aisha Abubakar Abdulwahab also known as Aisha Baju, from Taraba state but born 1971 and brought up in Adamawa state.

Aisha joined the Nigerian police force in 1995. She attended Ahmadu Bello University Zaria from 1984 to 1994  where she graduated with a degree in 

veterinary medicine. In 2007, she completed her PhD from the University of Plymouth in the United Kingdom. 

She joined the Nigeria Police Force as an ASP, after her national youth service year in 1995. She past through the ranks and was promoted to the rank of commissioner of police in 2016.

Aisha has worked in so many places; she also serves as a role model to young police women . 

In 2005 she won a UNESCO fellow award for her proposal to use DNA to identify the link between human and bovine tuberculosis. By taking samples from cows and people she could evaluate the risk that Nigerians made when they drank unpasteurized milk. The award enabled her to complete the research at the University of Plymouth.

 Aisha is a  mother of two beautiful children.

By: Firdausi Musa Dantsoho