Okra is one of my favorite vegetables. I have to give my Dad credit for this delicious recipe.

Ingredients:
1 kg approx of frozen, chopped okra
2 tomatoes
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of tumeric
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp of coriander powder
1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
1/2 tsp of mustard seeds
1/8 tsp of citric acid
1 tsp of chopped garlic
1 tsp of chopped ginger
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder if you want it spicy (optional)

1) Put okra on a baking sheet.
2) Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of oil, 1/2 tsp of salt and 1/4 tsp of tumeric powder.
3) Bake for approx. 1/2 hr on 450 degrees F.

While okra is in the oven, make the curry.
4) Heat oil in saucepan and add cumin and mustard seeds.
5) When mustard seeds pop, add garlic and ginger and saute for a couple of mins.
6) Chop tomatoes (fine/small pieces) and add to pan.
7) Drop heat to medium to low and simmer until all the water has gone.
The curry should be quite dry like picture above.

8) Remove okra from oven. They should be a little crispy and not so sticky.

9) Mix okra into curry paste and stir in the citric acid.
10) Garnish with cilantro (optional)

Serve with chapati/roti or rice.

Makes 4-6 servings
Calories per serving: 103, Carbs: 13g, Fat: 5g, Protein: 3g, Sugar: 6g, Sodium: 405 mg

This chutney/relish is super easy and works well with chicken tikka or any other indian meat dish. It tastes really good with rice pilaf too.

Ingredients:
approx 6 sprigs of cilantro
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp of maple sugar
1/2 to 3/4 of an onion
1/4 tsp of salt

1) Add all the ingredients in a chopper/blender.
2) Chop/blend well.
3) Serve with Chicken Tikka, any other indian meat dish or rice pilaf.

Approx 6-8 servings of chutney
Calories for chutney: 20, Carbs: 1g, Fat: 2g, Protein: 0g, Sugar: 1g, Sodium: 75 mg

Chicken Tikka doesn't have to be high in calories. You can make a tasty version that is low fat. It's great on the grill/barbeque and perfect for summer. Here is my version.

Ingredients:
0.8 kg or 2 pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breast. I used the prime chicken strips that come cut up already so it saves me a bit of time.
1 cup of yogurt ( i use a no fat, organic, balkan/greek style)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
7 to 8 sprigs of cilantro
1/2 tsp of tumeric
1/2 tsp of cinnamon
1/2 tsp of ground ginger or freshly grated ginger
2 tsp of garlic
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of corriander powder
1/2 tsp of cumin powder
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder if you want to make it spicy (OPTIONAL)

1) Add yogurt to mixing bowl along with all the spices and lemon juice. Leave cilantro and oil for step 2.
2) Add cilantro and oil in chopper/blender and blend into a fine paste.

3) Add cilantro paste to yogurt mix.

4) Mix yogurt mixture well.

5) Wash chicken in warm water and then add chicken to the mixture. If you have skinless, boneless chicken breasts then cut into strips..
6) Refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is ideal.

7) Soak wooden skewers for a few minutes in warm water.

8) Remove chicken marinade from fridge.
9) Skewer chicken.

10) Grill on barbeque or oven for approx. 7 to 10 mins per side or until chicken is cooked.

11) Serve with rice pilaf and cilantro onion chutney.
TIP: If you have left over marinate then you can cook it as extra sauce.
1) Add 1 tsp of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan on low heat.
2) Add marinate and cook/simmer for about 10 mins.

7 skewers in total with approx. 3 pieces of chicken on each skewer
Calories per skewer: 164, Carbs: 2g, Fat: 3g, Protein: 30g, Sugar: 1g, Sodium: 425 mg

This is a traditional East African dish and not only is it super easy to make, It's nutritious, healthy and filling. Sukuma wiki literally means "push the week". This is such an appropriate name for this dish as it provides lots of sustenance on a low budget.  You can use kale, collard greens or spinach and you can make spicy or plain. It's usually served with Ugali.

Ingredients for Sukuma Wiki:
1 bunch of kale /collard greens or spinach (choose whichever you prefer. I used kale in this recipe). You can also use frozen versions.
1 tsp salt
2 tomatoes
1 onion
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp tumeric (optional)
1/2 tsp ground corriander (optional)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (optional)
1/2 tsp ground red chillies (optional - if you want it spicy)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (optional)

Ingredients for Ugali:
1 cup of white corn flour/corn meal
4 cups of water
1/2 tsp of salt
1 tablespoon of butter (optional)
TIP: You can use 3 cups of water if you like it more solid. I like it to be a mashed potatoes consistency and so i use a bit more water.

Sukuma Wiki:
1) Chop the onions, tomatoes and kale finely.
2) Heat oil in saucepan and add chopped onions.
3) Add garlic.
4) Saute until golden brown and there isn't much liquid left.

5) Add chopped tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes.
6) Add salt and optional spices next.

7) Add chopped kale/collard greens/spinach.
8) Cook for a few minutes.
9) Add two cups of water and simmer with the lid covered for about 5 to 10 mins covered or until it looks like a stew/curry.

Ugali:
1) Boil water with salt.
2) When water starts to simmer start adding the corn flour slowly and stir at the same time.

3) Use a whisk to get rid of the lumps and turn heat to medium/low.

4) Keep stirring until you get a mashed potato like consistency.
5) Cover and turn heat to low.
6) Cook for a few minutes.
7) Once the flour doesn't stick to the sides of the pot, it's done.
8) Add butter and mix well if you want to.
TIP: Ugali is usually eaten by hand. Take a small bit of ugali and roll it into a ball. Make a dimple in the ball and scoop some sukuma wiki with it.

Serves: 4-6
Calories for Sukuma Wiki: 65, Carbs: 9g, Fat: 3g, Protein: 3g, Sugar: 2g, Sodium: 417 mg

Calories for Ugali without butter: 73, Carbs: 15g, Fat: 1g, Protein:1g, Sugar: 0g, Sodium: 203 mg

These scones are so easy to make and delicious! I used to make them with whole wheat flour but since we are trying to avoid GMOs we now make them with rice flour instead. We stuff them with shredded mozzarella cheese and the rest with raisins. They turn out great!

Ingredients:
3 cups of flour (all purpose, whole wheat, rice. I use rice flour)
1/3 cup of maple sugar (brown, white sugar would work as well)
1 cup of buttermilk (I use 3/4 cup organic yogurt and 1/4 cup of water)
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp of baking soda
2.5 tsp of baking powder
1/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil (if you use all purpose or whole wheat flour you will need 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup of grated low fat mozzarella cheese
24 raisins
11 pistachios/almonds/any other nuts you like

Before you start, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
1) Add all your dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl or mixer (I use the Cuisinart Mixer with the dough hook to mix).
2) Add all the wet ingredients and start mixing on low speed until it stop sticking to the sides and forms a dough. If you are not using a mixer you can use your hands until you get a crumbly texture that eventually binds into a dough.

3) Transfer dough to a rolling mat/board.

4) Pinch a little bit of dough, even to form a small ball.
5) Make a little dimple in the middle of the ball.

6) Add what ever you wish to stuff in the little dimple. In this case we added some shredded low fat mozzarella cheese into 11 balls and then 2 raisins in the rest (about 8 balls).

7) Close the ball and add some cheese on the top. We also added 1 pistachio to the top to the cheese ones. For the raisin ones, we added 1 raisin to the top

TIP: Dip your pistachio/raisin in water and then add to the top so it will stick and not fall off while baking.

8) Place on baking sheet and bake for 10-15 mins until golden brown on top.

Makes approx 20 scones depending on how large you make them.
Calories per scone: 115, Carbs: 21, Fat: 2, Protein: 3, Sodium: 8, Sugar: 2

These burgers are so easy to make. I usually serve them with cassava/mogo baked fries.

Ingredients:
1 pound of extra lean ground chicken
1/2 an onion
1 avocado
1/2 cup of rice bread crumbs or regular bread crumbs
1 tablespoon of garlic
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
black pepper to taste

1) Add all your ingredients together in a mixing bowl
2) Mix well

TIP: Cut the avocado into chunks and don't mix completely where the avocado is mush. It's nice to have chunks of avocado in the mixture

3) Form mixture into patties and place on baking sheet.
4) Grill for 15-20 mins until brown and cooked.

5) Serve with mogo/cassava fries. I usually have my patti in romaine lettuce leaves topped with condiments.

Serves: 6-8 depending on size of patties:
Calories: 161, Fat: 10g, Carbs: 9g, Sugar:0g, Protein: 11g, Fiber: 1g, Sodium: 103 mg

So easy, simple and yet so yummy! My kids can eat quite a few of these mini donuts in one go.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of rice flour (i've used coconut flour too in the past. You can use all purpose flour as well).
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk (you can use regular milk as well)
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup of maple sugar (you can use regular sugar as well)

TIP: If you use rice or coconut flour you may need to add about 2 tablespoons of water to your mixture to ensure it's the correct consistency.

OPTIONAL: you can add nutmeg (1/4 tsp), cinnamon (1 tsp)

For the glaze:
1/2 cup of icing sugar or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons of water

1) Add all your dry ingredients to a mixing bowl.
2) Make a hole in the middle and add your wet ingredients (milk, eggs, oil).
3) Mix well with a whisk until you get a consistency similar to pancake mixture/ cake batter.

4) Plug in electric donut maker and heat for 5 mins.
2) Once heated, take 1 tablespoon and pour into the mould or use the donut baking trays for the oven. (I use the mini electric donut maker)
TIP: Do not overfill. Fill just below the lip of the mould.

5) Close the lid and bake until golden brown (about 3 mins per batch) or bake in the oven for about 10 mins or until golden brown at 400 degrees F.

6) Open lid and remove from the donut maker/oven and cool for about 5-7 mins.
8) Mix the icing sugar with water and whisk well to make glaze.

9) Dip the face of each donut in the glaze for a few seconds.
These are now ready to melt in your mouth.
OPTIONAL: You can top these with sprinkles or cocoa powder or powdered sugar