Months ago, I wrote How To Eat To Live: 107 Foods That Will Feed Your Melanin and received a lot of positive feedback. The problem with the whole concept is practical application: its hard to adopt different eating habits!
But by using delicious and visually appealing recipes, the transition can be made a lot easier. With that, I give you 7 recipes that you can try today. These recipes will help you to:
– Eat better
– Live longer
– Become more intelligent
– Prevent cancer and degenerative disease
– Be happier
Sounds ridiculous? Medical research has proven that foods like salmon, pomegranate, moringa, cacao, and sea moss support all of the above claims.
All of the recipes are either vegetarian or pescatarian – that means they include fish. Fish is the only meat condoned for melanin diets, and it was an important part of Ancient Kemetic diets, too. If you are a vegan, feel free to modify some of the recipes to suit your needs.
And if there is any group of people in America that need those benefits, its we Black Men and Women!
I encourage you to pick up some ingredients and try these recipes for yourself.
Table of Contents
Fonio Balls in African Peanut Sauce
Fonio is a seriously important grain grown indigenously on the west coast of Africa. It can be found in Senegal, Ghana, Nigeria (where it is called acha), Sierra Leone, Liberia, and other nearby nations.
Our Ancestors have been cultivating fonio more than 5,000 years, making it one of Africa’s oldest cultivated cereal crops.
Fonio has a rich, nutty flavor that is so good it is called “food for royalty” and served to guests of honor in Senegal. And because the seeds are so small, it has the texture of couscous or grits.
Fonio Health Benefits
Because it is plant based, fonio is naturally vegan. And unlike many other grains (including Kamut), fonio is gluten free – an important fact since gluten can be responsible for inflammation, and we know that inflammation is a major source of disease.
Aside from the fact that it is vegan and gluten free, fonio grain is packed with vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. Here are 8 ways that eating fonio could could lead to a longer, healthier, and more energetic life.
How To Make Fonio Balls in African Peanut Sauce
If you need the ingredients, just click the links below.
Ingredients
1 cup fonio
2 and 1/2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup quick oats (or rolled oats)
1/2 tsp harissa paste
1/2 onion, diced
1 clove of garlic
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground chili
1 tsp each: paprika and coriander
1/2 tsp fenugreek
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp tomato paste
Coconut Peanut Sauce
1 tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp freshly grated ginger
1 carrot, finely sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup water (you might have to use 3/4 cup)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp coconut sugar
1/2 tsp ground chili
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
Yield: 12-14 balls (about 4 servings)
Instructions
Step 1: Heat a teaspoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the fonio and toast for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the water and salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until no liquid remains, about 7-8 minutes.
Step 2: Transfer the cooked fonio to the bowl of a food processor. Add the oats, harissa paste, onion, garlic, spices, and tomato paste. Process for 20-30 seconds, scraping down the sides regularly until everything is well combined and the mixture is sticky enough to form balls. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
Step 3: Using your hands, form balls (about 3 tablespoons of the mixture per ball). Transfer to a large plate or dish lined with parchment paper and set aside. You should get about 12 balls.
Step 4: Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the balls and rotate the skillet to coat the balls with oil. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring regularly until the balls are golden brown on each side. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Making The Peanut Sauce
Step 1: Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onion, garlic, and grated ginger. Cook for 1 minute. Add the carrot and red bell pepper, and cook for 5-8 minutes, or until the carrots are soft.
Step 2: Pour in the coconut milk, peanut butter, water, tomato paste, coconut sugar, ground chili, and salt. Stir well to combine everything. For a thinner sauce, use 3/4 cup water instead of 1/2 cup.
Step 3: Taste and adjust salt, or sugar if needed. Cook for another 3-5 minutes.
Transfer the fonio balls to the sauce and stir to coat. Cook for 2 minutes. Top with peanuts, red pepper flakes, and fresh parsley. Serve immediately on top of rice, or simply with a green salad.
Kale Salad with Pomegranate, Sunflower Seeds and Sliced Almonds
Ingredients
1/2 pound kale
1 1/2 cups pomegranate seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/3 cup slivered almonds
5 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Directions
1.Wash and shake off extra water from the kale. Remove the center ribs and stems; discard. Chop the leaves until fine but still a little leafy.
2.Combine the chopped kale, pomegranate seeds, sunflower seeds, and sliced almonds in a large bowl; toss to combine. Drizzle the rice vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and olive oil over the kale mixture while continuing to toss. Season with salt to taste.
Health Benefits of Pomegranate
Pomegranates have gotten a lot of attention lately, and with good reason!
- Pomegranates are rumored to help reduce the possibility of having premature babies.
- Pomegranates appear to help expectant mothers avoid having low birth weight babies.
- Pomegranates may help support the body’s normal defense in the prevention of certain cancers.
- Pomegranates may help reduce the risk of having a heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Studies show that pomegranate juice daily may help support the normal blood flow to the heart.
- Because of its antioxidant properties, pomegranate keeps bad cholesterol from forming, and thus, may help keep the arteries clear of clots.
- Pomegranates are prized in some countries for the belief that it might help in achieving and maintaining a clear skin with youthful glow, and it is believed to help soothe skin inflammation.
- Pomegranate is a good, natural source of vitamins A, C and E as well as folic acid.
In other words, start eating pomegranates!
Oysters with Serrano Chile, Avocado, and Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
1 dozen fresh oysters, scrubbed, shucked, and left on the half shell
1 serrano chile, very thinly sliced
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 cherry tomatoes, quartered
Directions
1.Arrange oysters on a bed of crushed ice. Top each with a piece of chile, avocado, and tomato, and serve.
Health Benefits of Oysters
For men, oysters can be key in the proper development and maintenance of their hormones. These sea creatures are rich in zinc, a key element in the production of testosterone.
Zinc also aids in energy production, DNA repair, and cardio-respiratory functioning. Zinc deficiencies can lead to a loss of appetite, slow growth, decreased ability to heal wounds, and hair loss.
Lower levels of zinc can also increase risk of infections, and decrease your senses of both smell and taste.
Moringa Salmon Delight
Ingredients
1 c. pure coconut milk
1 small pc ginger
1/3 c. pure coconut milk reserve
3 pcs bell pepper, green & red, quartered
5 pcs fish, preferably salmon
1/2 c. moringa leaves
1 onion bulb, sliced
1-2 T. cooking oil
1 head garlic, crushed
1 tsp crushed black pepper
3 tomatoes, quartered 1/2 c. pigeon or Congo peas
8-10 winged beans or string beans
1 c. cubed yellow sweet potato
Direction
Saute garlic in oil until brown. Add onion. Transfer to unglazed cooking pot, then add 1 c. pure
coconut milk, winged beans, pigeon or Congo peas, yellow sweet potato, fish, and ginger. Let it boil until halfdone.
Add bell peppers and tomatoes. Season with salt and crushed pepper. Add the rest of the coconut milk
and moringa. Boil for 5 minutes, and serve.
Health Benefits of Moringa
Among the health benefits of moringa, its leaves are said to be effective in improving the digestive system, aiding nutrition booster and helping those looking to lose a few pounds. Moringa leaves are especially beneficial for nursing mothers as they significantly increase the quantity of breast milk. Moringa has anti-bacterial properties, prevents damage to the liver and kidney and can also be used to purify water.
Moringa also has non-medicinal uses as a biofuel, a cattle feed, a cooking oil similar to sunflower oil, an ingredient in cosmetics and perfumes and an herbal tea. If you cant find moringa leaves in your area, try this 100% Unblended (Hi-Potency) Kosher Certified African Grown Moringa Tea.
Sea Moss Smoothie
Ingredients
1 Pound Sea Moss
1 Lime
Angostura bitters
Coconut Milk
Sweeten To Taste
Cinnamon Stick garnish
Directions
Soak sea moss with lime juice overnight (to get rid of the “fishy” taste). Wash thoroughly and broil for 20-30 mins, or until the sea moss becomes gelatinous. Cool, add milk, sugar to taste and blend in food processor. Flavor with Angostura bitters and serve with a cinnamon stick.
Health Benefits of Sea Moss
Men in Trinidad are not bashful to claim how much an elixir and aphrodisiac the sea moss drink is. It is believed to be an excellent reviver and energizer or as they say in Trini “it good for de back”.
If you want the full list of health benefits of sea moss, check out our article here:
Forget Viagra – Why Black Men Should Be Drinking Sea Moss Instead
And for a list of sea moss recipes, check out this article
6 Of The Best Dr. Sebi Approved Sea Moss Recipes Of All Time
Cacao Drink
You can replace your morning cup of coffee with a traditionally made cacao based drink: mix a large spoonful of 100% organic cocoa powder with some espresso, organic unsweetened soy milk, cinnamon, and a sprinkle of cayenne red pepper.
The website Brain Ready suggests that “if you want the real stuff, the best bet is to either use 100% organic non-alkalized cocoa powder from a high-quality maker who minimally processes the cocoa to ensure that the health properties are retained.”
Try starting off with Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Chocolate Nibs and some Certified Organic, Raw Cacao Powder
Health Benefits of Cacao
Perhaps the most marketed quality of cacao is that it offers powerful antioxidants, with more flavonoids than red wine, green tea, or blueberries. This is what gives chocolate — especially dark chocolate — its high ORAC score.
ORAC stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity. Free radicals cause all sorts of damage to the body. Antioxidants are able to “absorb” or eliminate free radicals, so getting plenty of them is important.
Mango Breakfast Smoothie
Before I started my melanin diet ascension, I would eat the standard American breakfast of cereal with milk or dairy yogurt. Since then, I replaced my dairy yogurt (dairy is death?) with a Mango Coconut Chia Pudding every morning.
I prep a few containers early in the week so they will be ready when I want them. The blend is good for about 4 days. Here is how I make it, but feel free to experiment.
The following recipe comes from our article titled 9 Reasons Why West African Mango Is The Perfect Alkaline Fruit.
My Breakfast Mango Recipe
1/2 lb mango chunks
13oz coconut milk
6 Tbsp chia seeds (buy them cheaper than at the store here)
Chop up the mango into cubes and blend half of them into with the coconut milk until smooth.
While you are blending half the fruit, take the other half and divide the remaining chunks between 4 containers. I use glass mason jars. Add 2 spoonfuls of chia seeds to each container.
When the mango/milk blend is ready, pour it into the containers evenly between all four. Stir until the seeds are evenly mixed. Put a lid on the containers and refrigerate.
Thats it! If you have any questions or recipes you would like to add, leave a comment below!
