African-Inspired Menu and Recipes

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Time to Read: About 3 minutes
MealMenu
Breakfast
  • Banana Millet Breakfast Porridge *
  • Boiled egg
  • Black tea or coffee
Snack
  • Banana Orange Yogurt Smoothie *
Lunch
  • Herb-Crusted Tilapia *
  • Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad *
Snack
  • Harissa hummus tartine
Dinner
  • Chicken Yassa *
  • Yellow rice
  • Braised collard greens
Snack
  • Vanilla custard
  • Fresh mango
Banana Millet Breakfast Porridge

Makes 2 servings.

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Soaking time: 7 to 8 hours

Ingredients

  • ½ cup millet
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup milk (or non-dairy milk of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon sweetener of choice (such as agave, brown sugar, or honey)
  • 1 large ripe banana

To serve:

  • 1 tablespoon almond butter or nut butter of choice (optional)
  • Extra milk or non-dairy milk (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place ½ cup millet in a bowl and add enough water to cover. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and let the millet soak overnight.
  2. Drain the millet and place it in a 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the millet is golden brown and has a nutty smell (about 5 minutes).
  3. Add the cinnamon, water, milk, and sweetener. Mix well and raise the heat to medium-high.
  4. Once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat to medium-low and cover the saucepan. Let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes or until it looks creamy.
  5. Mash the banana and add it to the cooked millet mix. Serve.

Optional: Serve with extra milk and nut butter.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1 cup

  • Calories: 373 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 56 grams
  • Protein: 11 grams
  • Fat: 12 grams
  • Sodium: 78 milligrams
  • Potassium: 478 milligrams
  • Added sugar: 1.5 grams

Herb-Crusted Tilapia

Makes 4 servings.

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cooking time: 15 minutes
  • Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

  • ½ cup spinach
  • ½ cup dry plain breadcrumbs
  • 1½ teaspoons salt-free seasoning blend
  • 4 tilapia fillets
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C).
  2. Finely mince the spinach. You can also add it to a food processor and process it until it’s finely minced.
  3. Place the minced spinach in a mixing bowl. Add the breadcrumbs and salt-free seasoning blend. Mix well.
  4. Lightly oil a baking pan or dish with the olive oil. Place the tilapia fillets on the pan or dish. Season them with salt and pepper on both sides.
  5. Place the spinach and breadcrumb mixture over the seasoned tilapia fillets.
  6. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until you can easily flake the fish with a fork.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1 fillet

  • Calories: 180 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 10 grams
  • Protein: 22 grams
  • Fat: 6 grams
  • Sodium: 154 milligrams
  • Potassium: 349 milligrams
  • Added sugar: 0 grams

Avocado and Hearts of Palm Salad

Makes 4 servings.

  • Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce) can hearts of palm, drained
  • ½ head of green lettuce
  • 1 small red onion
  • 1 Hass avocado
  • Other vegetables, such as shredded carrots and fresh chopped tomatoes (optional)

For vinaigrette:

  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Slice the hearts of palm into 1-inch pieces. Place them in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Thinly slice the lettuce, onion, and avocado. Add them to the bowl with the hearts of palm.
  3. In a small bowl, mix the vinegar, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper with a whisk or fork. While mixing, add the olive oil. Stir until creamy.
  4. Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables. Mix well.

Optional: Add other vegetables, such as shredded carrots and fresh chopped tomatoes.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1 cup

  • Calories: 158 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 11 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams
  • Fat: 13 grams
  • Sodium: 331 milligrams
  • Potassium: 375 milligrams
  • Added sugar: 1 gram

Chicken Yassa

Makes 4 servings.

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cooking time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 45 minutes
  • Marinating time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced

For marinade:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 teaspoons ginger powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Cut each chicken breast in half lengthwise so you have 4 even-sized fillets. Set them aside.
  2. In a medium or large mixing bowl or other container with a lid, mix the olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, chicken broth, garlic, ginger, salt, and red pepper flakes to make a marinade.
  3. Add the chicken breasts to the marinade, cover the bowl or container, and place it in the refrigerator. Let the chicken breasts marinade for 30 minutes or overnight.
  4. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (204 °C). Heat an oven-proof skillet on a stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is heated, take the chicken breasts out of the marinade and place them on the skillet. Sear for 1 minute on each side.
  5. Pour the marinade over the chicken breasts. Place the sliced onions on top. Move the skillet to the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Nutrition information

Serving size: 1 fillet

  • Calories: 186 calories
  • Carbohydrates: 3 grams
  • Protein: 27 grams
  • Fat: 7 grams
  • Sodium: 321 milligrams
  • Potassium: 263 milligrams
  • Added sugar: 0 grams

Last Updated

Friday, July 12, 2024

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