The Single Parent Guide to Quick and Healthy Cooking
Written By: Faaizah Asmal Laher Being a single parent is tough! You’ve […]
Written By: Faaizah Asmal Laher
Being a single parent is tough!
You’ve got to manage being the sole bread winner, take care of household chores, get the kids to school on time and make sure that the food you’ve served up is nutritious, delicious, edible and quick!
I spoke to a group of single parents not too long ago (both male and female), and one wish they all had was a stay at home shopper-chef just so that they could come home to a ready-cooked, healthy meal. The majority of single parents felt that time was an issue – they needed to do so many things at once that cooking (but also cooking something healthy) was just not a priority! Yet, it was still something they wanted to change, so I showed them how to cook healthy meals, without breaking into a sweat!
Time is the enemy when it comes to preparing healthy meals. A long day at the office, exhaustion from the previous night of sleepless or ill children – it is so easy to reach into the freezer for a prepackaged pizza or a takeaway meal. Sure, that’s OK every once in a while but being able to prepare quick, healthy meals is really as easy as A, B, C!
Always have a plan
Planning in advance will make sure that you are always prepared for the week ahead. Plan a menu for a week to a month in advance. Make sure each meal (breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner) are on the menu, and each contains a protein, a vegetable, a starch – and don’t forget about fruit for snacks. Include theme nights, for example Italian, Indian, vegetarian or kids night; and don’t forget all those favourite family meals.
Once your menu is set, make a corresponding shopping list. Include items such as long-life milk, cheese (in bulk is cheaper), canned goods like fish and beans; spices, oils and condiments; and dry goods like pasta and rice.
While shopping, stick to your list and shop early in the morning or late in the evening – try to avoid peak traffic times which will just add to wasted time.
Knowing what staple foods you have in your pantry can help you plan a menu that your family will enjoy.
Trawl the internet for recipes that can be cooked in under 30 minutes. Keep a chalk board behind the kitchen door for a weekly menu, and keep a monthly menu and shopping list in your diary. Retain all the menus, shopping lists and recipes – once the wheel is going there is no need to reinvent it. Just repeat favourite dishes every once in a while.
Budget eating can be healthy too
Buying in bulk can save you money! Team up with a friend so that you can split the petrol, and share the babysitting cost for that one big shopping trip once a month. Use retailers that allow you to buy in bulk for a saving, then split the shopping with a friend.
Use methods like canning or freezing summer goods to be used in winter. Frozen vegetables are just as good (some say even better) than fresh vegetables. Stock up on frozen goods if you live far away from a grocer.
Get the kids involved in the kitchen
Among the recommendations made by the American Heart Association for overweight and obese children was the importance of involving kids in the planning, shopping, preparing and serving up of meals at home.
The kitchen can be a fascinating place for children, and it is so important to spend time with them there! It does take extra effort and patience allowing kids to help in the kitchen. Initially they might make a lot of mess and mix up the wrong ingredients, but when they are older and leave the nest, it will be worth it! Cooking with kids can help them get interested in healthy foods they might not try on their own.
Allowing kids into the kitchen not only encourages them to try healthy foods, but it also gives them a sense of encouragement at accomplishing a task that helped contribute to the functioning of their family unit. They will be more likely to sit down to a family meal if they have had a part in its preparation, and this also allows them to spend less time in front of the TV or computer, and have more quality time with the family.
Younger kids can lay the table, older kids can clear up. Young kids can get out ingredients from the pantry and older kids can help slice up veggies, or measure out liquids for a recipe.
Use your freezer
Certain meals can be cooked in bulk and frozen in advance to be used on rainy days – for example, lasagna, Bolognese, pasta sauces, soups, breads, calzones, pizza bases, pancakes and cookies.
Frozen fruits can make a delicious smoothie for breakfast, frozen berries make a coolie (just like a pro!) and stale French baguette makes the best French toast!
Appliances make work easy
Investing in a good food processor or pressure cooker will make preparing and cooking healthier food easier and faster! Do preparation for the week in advance; if you know you will use chopped up onions most days of the week, chop extra onions at the start of the week so that you don’t have to prepare that vegetable again, and it will also save on the washing up! Just 10 minutes on a Monday will give you enough preparation for the rest of the week.
A pressure cooker will allow you to cook a meal quickly while seeing to homework or chores. You will be surprised at how advanced pressure cookers have become since our mums used them. The newer versions are safer, easier and even have timers!
A slow cooker can also be a lifesaver. Throw in a seasoned chicken and vegetables, set the timer and you have a meal waiting for you when you get back home.
Organise Organise Organise!
Yes I know! Most single parents are in their own ways organised already without having me to say it again, but organising your kitchen can cut cooking time by half! Keep utensils you use often close to your stove, clear clutter off the counters so that you can just cook and not have to clear up first. Sort through your ingredients and equipment you will use. Donate or make some extra cash from all those appliances you don’t use – this will help add funds for an appliance you know will actually make your life easier.
Try using the effective suggestions above to make life easier and more fun for you and your children. Meals don’t need to be complicated and elaborate or take hours to prepare. Often the meals that are simple and quick are often the best! You can do it – and you can do it the healthy way!
Faaizah Asmal Laher is a registered dietician in Johannesburg, South Africa. Faaizah’s great passion in life is assisting others to feel and live healthier by showing them how to shop, cook and eat more healthily and to embrace the wonderful benefits of mental and physical wellbeing. Contact her for all your nutrition related queries: email@example.com or visit her blog www.faaizahsnutritionlab.wordpress.com .


Yikes, it has been a long time since I’ve last posted. To make up for my long absence, I am sharing with you a recipe I found in a cookbook I picked up in England this summer. I baked these brownies on a rainy English June day and decided immediately that these are, without a doubt, the best chocolate brownies I have ever baked – and possibly the best brownies I’ve ever eaten anywhere.
They are perfectly fudgey in the middle with a delightful crinkly top and intense chocolate flavour (make sure you use good quality dark chocolate!).
Humming Bird Bakery’s Traditional Brownie
200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
325g caster sugar
Preheat oven to 325F.
Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Leave until melted and smooth.
Remove from the heat. Add the sugar and stir until well incorporated. Add the flour and stir until incorporated. Stir in the eggs and mix until smooth.
Spoon the batter into a 9×13 pan and bake for 30ish minutes. The top should be flaky but the centre should still be soft. DO NOT OVER BAKE.
Try out this awesome brownie and make sure you check back here again in the next couple of weeks – my niece’s 2nd birthday party is this coming weekend and I will have lots of fun recipes to share (plus it’s almost Thanksgiving!).


작성일 : 06-04-18 15:34
데이브 스코트 (Dave Scott)
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|미국 운동선수. 철인 3종경기 6번 제패
Dave Scott, "the Man," defined the sport of triathlon. A six-time winner of the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon (1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, and 1987), he was the first man to break 11 hours for the Ironman, the first to break 10 hours, the second to break 9, and the first to break 8:30. In 1994, at age 40, he finished second; in 1996 at age 42, he finished fifth in a time faster than any of his winning efforts.
Q: What is the best source of protein for a vegetarian?
A: Protein is comprised of amino acids. There are 23 different amino acids present in nature. However, Vegetarians need not be concerned about having a complete compliment of amino acids at each meal. Our bodies require just ten of them, in the right amounts and combinations in our diet to maintain proper health and vitality. Simply, mix up your vegetarian protein sources and consume protein at each meal. Following is a list of recommended protein-rich plant-based foods that contain 10 -20% protein by volume in addition to some samples of protein-rich meal combinations:
Protein-rich plant-based foods: Soybeans, Split Peas, Kidney Beans, Dried Whole Peas, Lima Beans, Black-Eyed Peas, Black Beans, Lentils, Navy Beans, Wheatgerm, Garbanzo Beans, Chick Peas, Amaranth, Quinoa, All Peas, Corn, Millet, Oats, and Wheat.
Sample protein-rich meal combinations:
Black bean tacos, burritos, tostadas, tofu
Lentils & rice
Peanut butter & whole wheat bread
Hummus & sesame paste
Split pea soup & sesame crackers
Macaroni & cheese
Boca Burgers, Garden Burgers, Power Dream (Soy Energy Drink)
Here is my favorite protein loaded ?nut mix.? Have one to two small handfuls a day. This mix also provides a perfect blend of essential fatty acids (EFA):
1 Cup Almonds
1 Cup Walnuts
1 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 Cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 Cup Peanuts
1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries or Apricots
Q: Can you recommend a high-quality source of complex carbohydrates?
A: Foods that are nutrient dense are your best carbohydrates. There are hundreds of compounds and micro-nutrients that exist in plant foods. Working synergistically, a wide variety of foods each day is optimal in maintaining superior health. By mixing and matching foods from the following groups in your daily diet, you can be assured that you?re providing your body with the nutrients it needs to maintain a healthy, active lifestyle:
Group 1 Kale, Sweet Potato, Winter Squash, Spinach, Carrots, Broccoli, Brussel Sprouts, Cabbage, and Greens.
Group 2 Guava, Pink Grapefruit, Cantaloupes, Oranges, Lemons, and Pineapples.
Group 3 Soy, Flaxseed, Avocado, Eggplant, Hot Peppers, Bell Peppers (red, yellow, gold), Green and Black Tea, and Red Wine.
Group 4 Cherries, Tomatoes, Red Grapes, Watermelon, and Radish.
Group 5 Garlic, Leeks, Chives, Shallots, and Onions (red and yellow).
Group 6 Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, and Strawberries.
Other Other sources: Soybeans, Kidney Beans, Lima Beans, Black Beans, Navy Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Amaranth, all Peas, Oats, Split Peas, Dried Whole Peas, Black-Eyed Peas, Lentils, Wheatgerm, Chick Peas, Quinoa, Corn, Millet, and Wheat.
Dave Scott's Pre-Sport Shake
1 tbs peanut butter, smooth
1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
4 fresh strawberries
1/2 cup orange juice
Blend. Drink. Race.


A long time family favorite has been a visit to the 'Sage' Restaurant for fresh bread & their signature 'Creamy Broccoli Soup.'
Since she was little, my 9 year old granddaughter has asked to go to the Sage for soup. Since going gluten free this summer, we haven't gone there, though we could still have one of their awesome salads, or a soup made without flour to thicken it. (& no bread - sniff!) We have the recipe, which includes grated cabbage & carrots, plus a 'rouix' made with milk & wheat flour.
Last week's CSA share included 3 heads of Broccoli & one of cauliflower - & a suggestion from 'one of last years subscribers for broccoli/cauliflower soup: 'Chop up broccoli and/or cauliflower (and possible some onions and/or garlic) and toss evenly with oil. Roast at 400° until tender. Meanwhile, heat up some good quality broth (we use homemade chicken stock) on the stove. Add the roasted broccoli/cauliflower to the soup pot and simmer for a few minutes. Transfer about half the soup to a blender and blend smooth. Return to the pot and also stir in some grated cheddar cheese and/or cream. Salt and pepper to taste and serve hot with crusty bread. Easy, warming, and delicious!"
Can I just say yum??
This recipe is open to interpretation - I usually make my own broth by simmering trimmings (onion & garlic skins & ends, carrot tops, pepper & tomatoe ends, aspargus, mushrooms, etc) that I've stored in the freezer (keeps them from getting slimy in the veggie drawer!) for ~ 20 minutes while chopping the cauliflower & etc.
I don't add cole (cabbage, broccoli, etc) crop trimmings to stock - tends to make it too strong.
I do add a piece of Kombu (kelp) a bay leaf & fresh or dried herbs. Cheese can be added (or not) at the time of serving - I don't add it to the 'basic soup.'
I use coconut oil to spoon over the veggies, & I used that hot oven to roast a delicata squash & a beet or two (seperate pans) at the same time. I could see doing a beet soup using the roasted beets.
I added a grated carrot to that first soup; a sweet potato & about 1/4 of a small squash to the second batch. I chop the pieces of broccoli & cauliflower left whole pretty small, as that's a feature of the Sage version. That recipe also calls for Lowery seasoned salt (gluten & colour free, so my daughter has a jar), or I've used Hawaiian Alaea salt.
This makes a lovely curry as well - I add coconut milk to the blended soup, & a bit of curry paste (gluten free :) when I'm reheating a bit. Today I heated & curried some for lunch, adding squash slices, fresh red pepper, beet tops, fresh (uncooked) garlic, & a sprinkle of kelp.
This week our share included a fat cabbage & exotic broccolini or some such - doesn't it look too pretty to cook!!
Over on Suzie's blog she raises the question 'what is homemade?' - I tend to do a lot 'from scratch' - but like her sense of food made in your kitchen with love & care!
A friend who's Choktaw, Cherokee & Celtic (Welsh) told me her mom & aunties always sang while cooking, & chased her out of the kitchen when she was in a bad mood! I love that image, & remind myself to sing more when I'm cooking!
While blogging around, I found this delightful idea for a pumpkin smoothie!!
Pumpkin Smoothie* (* recipe from Chris Freytag, via 'journey to fitville)
½ cup canned pumpkin
1 small container Greek yogurt (1/4- 1/2 C)
Approximately 1 Tbsp agave syrup
Dash of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
6 oz (3/4 cup) almond milk
6-8 ice cubes
I made this a couple of times yesterday, scooping out pieces of the delicata Squash I'd baked the other day, & my favorite 'Greek Gods' Yogurt! Last night, I added ~ 1/4 C frozen blueberries - & it still tasted GREAT, plus having more antioxidents. Lee added a 'scoop of french vanilla whey protein,' & I tried that in the second batch.
I am going to experiment with sweet potatoes, as I have some of those from my share. I enjoyed this, as I love pumpkin/squash etc, but don't really care for the sweetness of pumpkin pie. This was just right!
& looking for a beet soup recipe, found one in The Sustainable Kitchen that calls for rhubarb! That would be good for a spring soup, thought of trying it with cranberries for the fall!
It calls for roasted beets, rhubarb, onion, garlic, ginger, 1/2 c red wine plus a bit of balsamic vinegar, stock & a bay leaf. It's heated & blended, with some of the beets cut into match sized slivers for garnish.


The Dining Hall
Great care is taken to ensure that students are provided with a healthy diet and food of high quality. The Dining Hall is managed by CulinArt Group, a dining services company with clients in 17 states.
CulinArt Group is excited to be your dining services partner at Keio Academy. We provide innovative dining solutions to help students eat and live well. Fresh, handcrafted food is always the CulinArt way.
CulinArt Group is a boutique dining services provider with a regional focus and national presence. We joined the Compass Group family of companies in 2016 as an independent niche sector maintaining our brand, identity, infrastructure, culture, and distinction.
Our management team at Keio Academy represents the upper echelons of our company’s culinary talent and expertise.
The Keio Dining Experience
Since Keio Academy is affiliated with Keio University in Japan, students and families considering Keio Academy of New York might expect an all-Japanese food menu. While CulinArt strives to provide authentic Japanese cuisine, we embrace the Academy’s mission to “combine the best of Japanese, American and Keio cultures” with a dining services program and menus that do the same. We also incorporate cuisines and flavors from cultures around the world to provide an immersive and comprehensive culinary experience.
For example, at Keio Academy:
· The Chef’s Table features comfort-style hot entrees with hearty side dishes.
· We showcase international micro concepts, such as Noodle Bowls, Bibimbap, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Cocina Fresca Mexican cuisine.
· Our Salad Bar is stocked full of the freshest seasonal produce with a variety of colors, flavors, and local ingredients.
· The Market is open mornings and afternoons, offering a variety of packaged snacks, power packs, bottled beverages and quick bites. Students make purchases using the Eatify app, which keeps foot traffic to a minimum and provides the convenience students crave.
· Our Kettle Soup is always made from scratch. Both Miso Soup and rice, with Japanese toppings, are offered at every meal period.
Hashim Abdel is the Director of Dining Services for CulinArt here at Keio Academy of New York, a position he has held for 16 years.
Born in Egypt, Hashim grew up working in a family-owned food business and earned a bachelor’s degree from Helwan University at Cairo. He emigrated to the United States 40 years ago and has over 30 years of experience in various food service hospitality environments, including hotels, colleges, and businesses in the local area.
Hashim’s vision at Keio Academy is to provide authentic cuisine as well as excellent service to the Keio family, all with the utmost safety in mind. In pursuing this vision, he has received the Extraordinary Continuous Service and Dedication Award from the Keio Academy Board of Trustees.
Menus and Events
CulinArt offers a wide variety of rotating concepts so guests will never experience menu fatigue. Our action stations are inspired by global and regional tastes and culinary trends to keep Keio Academy’s program fresh, engaging, and on-trend.
We have a strong commitment to honor and celebrate the local colors and produce of the season. The fresh harvest from spring to fall is a daily highlight of our food selections. This concept elevates the Keio student experience by presenting restaurant-quality plates with local, sustainable ingredients during the harvest months.
CulinArt’s mission is to constantly evolve our culinary, social, and environmental practices, and to exceed your expectations, every day. By preparing delicious, high-quality food that meets ever-changing needs, we offer the best of all worlds: mouthwatering dishes that are exceedingly nutritious and present the least amount of negative impact to our planet.
CulinArt’s team of chefs, registered dietitians, and wellness consultants present Keio Academy students with exciting and engaging educational moments throughout the school year:
- On “Try It Tuesdays” we not only challenge students to taste something new and different, but we let them know how and why it is beneficial to their health. On “Wellness Wednesdays” we focus on timely nutrition trends and themes.
- To keep the dining program fresh and on-trend, we host special events, including PopUp Cafés, Guest Chef Series, Teaching Kitchens, and Smoky Roads Traveling BBQ.
- We celebrate diversity through food with special menus in recognition of cultural heritage months.
- We like to have fun! Our dining services team celebrates theme days such as National Meatball Day, International Falafel Day, and National Noodle Day; and holidays/celebrations like the Lunar New Year, Diwali, Cinco de Mayo, and many more.
Be on the lookout for special health and wellness promotions throughout each month. Be sure to say hello to our friendly wellness experts the next time they visit Keio Academy!
Health and Wellness
CulinArt encourages students to maintain a healthy lifestyle—one that incorporates wholesome, balanced food choices, regular exercise, and an overall attention to living well.
Our signature “Eat Well” menu program comprises recipes that incorporate whole, naturally flavorful, and nutritious foods prepared with healthful cooking methods. We use spices and herbs so that Keio Academy students get more of what they need—necessary nutrients, fabulous flavor, and pleasing presentation.
Our “Eat Well” from-scratch creations contain:
· Beneficial sources of fat
· Less than 10% of calories from saturated fat and no artificial trans fat
· Less than 800mg of sodium per serving
· Less than 8g of added sugar
· At least 3g of dietary fiber per serving
CulinArt’s team members complete Food Allergy and Celiac Disease training, which is reviewed and certified by Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with food allergies, through its FARECheck program. Our goal is to provide every Keio Academy student, faculty, and staff member an exceptional and safe dining experience. If you have an allergen concern, always feel free to contact our dining services team.
We also make it easy to choose menu items that are right for you! Look for our vegetarian, vegan, Eat Well, and locally-sourced icons on menus and printed signage.


Gina’s BBQ is located in Market City Shopping Center. We’re a family-owned restaurant serving traditional & Hawaiian-style Korean meats, soups & noodles.
About Gina's BBQ
Established in 1991, Gina’s B-B-Q is owned and operated by two sisters, Gina Song and Yong Hae Han. Ever since, Gina’s has built a loyal following of customers from near and far. We do our best to provide mouth-watering Korean food, and treat all of our customers as our family.
We provide generous portions of delicious food at a very reasonable price. Our typical plate lunch comes with a main entree, 4 choices of side dishes and 3 scoops of rice. This typical plate lunch will easily feed more than one person.
We also serve a variety of other dishes from cold noodles (Bi Bim Kook Soo with or without Kimchee) to piping hot stews and soups which are very popular with local people.
For your special events big and small, we offer Family Pack which is very economical and tasty. The Family pack includes 6 BBQ Kalbi, 6 BBQ Chicken, 6 BBQ Beef, 12 Fried Mandoo, 12 Meat Jun, 10 scoops of rice with all the vegetables/salads (usually 9 items) and a large drink! The Family Pack will easily feed 4-6 adults.
If your needs are on a grander scale, we also cater parties, birthday celebrations, wedding receptions, tailgates or company picnics. We do them all! Just give us a call and we can help you to organize a menu to fit your needs. When it comes to food, we will cater to your every need.
So if you are hungry, don’t feel like cooking, or just want to come see what all the buzz is about, come and stop by to get some GINA’S!


By Kerry Gallagher
The American Academy of Pediatrics reports that “screen media consumption is inversely correlated with fruit and vegetable intake and directly correlated with energy-dense, nutrient-poor snacks, drinks, and food.” More fast food, sugar beverages, candy and cereals are advertised in African American, Hispanic, and low-income communities. Overall, unhealthy food advertising in 13- to 17-year-olds is also correlated with development of media-driven norms that supersede healthier family norms. Social media influencers can sway teenagers toward unhealthy choices.
Parents can have consistent conversations with their children about:
- their nutritional needs and how to meet them each day to ensure they are feeling their best
- the motivations of the advertisers and how to use their media literacy skills to critically consider advertisements


If you’ve ever been to India, you’ll know about Chai. Its not the uber sweet drink that we’ve come to expect from many Indian restaurants across Europe, but the deliciously fragrant tea, brewed from loose black tea leaves, fresh herbs, spices, and milk. Yes, Milk is a very essential part of the Chai, and the fact that the Tea leaves are brewed with milk, is what differentiates Chai from Tea.
Chai is an Indian staple that you’ll find not only bubbling away on the stove in every home, but also sold on every second street corner, by the ubiquitous ‘Chai wallahs’. ‘Chai pe Charcha’ (literally translates as Discussion over Tea) is the Indian equivalent of ‘Wine and Chat.’ Infact, the concept of a Library Bar originates from places in Eastern India called as ‘Addas’ (hangouts) where Politicians, Journalists, Businessmen, and Dignitaries used to gather for a cup of chai and discuss state affairs. ‘An invitation for Chai’ is a term colloquially used in an Arranged Marriage set up, to initiate a first formal introduction between the Girl’s and the Boy’s families. A glass of Chai and some Pakoras is a go-to mood enhancer on a rainy day.
Any dedicated Chai imbiber would agree that a glass of Chai served at one of the street corner stalls is more aromatic than the one brewed at home. And the reason for this is Aeration. You may have seen in some videos where chai is been tossed from one jug to another, in a long stream. This is nothing but aerating the tea. The phenomenon is pretty much the same as that of decanting wine, where the oxygen in the air accentuates the subtle notes of the beverage, to bring all the flavours in harmony.
We at Barsolution obviously knows our chai better than most Poles, which is why it’s so important to us that Chai tastes like the real deal. Luckily, we have discovered a few blends of Indian tea leaves, herbs and spices available in Poland, ready for us to brew an aromatic cup of deliciousness. Are you ready to try it?