Red Split Lentil Akara & A Lesson in Courage (Plus a Special Gift for You!)

 

Hey guys, welcome to Maryam’s Joyful Life blog!

Today is a beautiful day, and I’m so happy to share something amazing with you—a recipe, a story, and a little encouragement if you’re feeling stuck.

Let’s start with the food (because YES please 🙌🏽).

I made akara with red split lentils—and let me tell you—it turned out absolutely amazing! 😍

My big sister Aisha, who I’ve been visiting in London, shared her special recipe with me. She’s not just a BAWSE businesswoman, she’s also one of the best home cooks I know. She whipped up this version of akara using red split lentils, and it blew my mind. I had to try it for myself back in the kitchen.

So the day I decided to make it, my Sweetman stood beside me, clearly excited but also lowkey checking in like, “Did you remember everything Aisha said?” 😂

I know he meant well, but it made me feel like I needed to prove to myself (and maybe a little to him too!) that I could do it—and do it well.

Guess what?

It turned out beautifully.

Golden brown on the outside, fluffy on the inside, and full of flavor. Everyone who tried it loved it, and I felt SO proud—not just because I made something delicious, but because I didn’t let fear stop me from trying.

We all have those moments—where we wonder if we’re “ready enough” or “good enough” to try something new. But sometimes, the breakthrough is on the other side of just doing it anyway.

So if you’re reading this and have a goal or dream you’re hesitating on—go for it. The goodness you’re imagining might be waiting for you just beyond the fear. 💛

🍽️ 

Red Split Lentil Akara Recipe (My Sister Aisha’s Version)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup red split lentils
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• 1 scotch bonnet (optional, for spice)
• 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
• Seasoning cube (optional)
• Water (for blending and soaking)
• Oil (for deep frying)

Instructions:

1. Soak the lentils in water for 1–2 hours, then drain completely.
2. Blend the soaked lentils with onion, scotch bonnet (if using), and just a small amount of water to help it blend. You want a thick, spoonable batter.
3. Add salt and seasoning, and mix the batter well to incorporate some air for fluffiness.
4. Heat oil in a deep frying pan on medium heat.
5. Scoop spoonfuls of the batter into the oil and fry until golden brown, turning halfway through.
6. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve with pap, custard, or on its own as a delicious, protein-packed snack! 😋

🎁 

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Thank you for reading and being part of this joyful journey with me. Whether it’s in the kitchen or in life, let’s keep growing, creating, and believing in the power of taking that first step.

With all my love,

Maryam 💕

MY HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK BISCUIT RECIPE

 

Hey guys, thanks for checking out my blog today. I am happy to share my latest recipe with you all.

I love cooking for my family and whenever I learn a new recipe, I get very excited to share it with you all.

In today's blog post, I am sharing my homemade buttermilk biscuit recipe with you! Yay!!

I have also filmed a video of how I combine all of the ingredients for your viewing pleasure.

The video will guide you in the way to combine all of the ingredients for this recipe.

What you will need:

2 cups of all purpose flour

2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 a cup of butter milk

Preheat oven at 445 degrees Fahrenheit.

Watch video for how to combine ingredients!

The kids and my sweetman enjoyed their meal.

Thanks for checking out my post today.

Come back for more later!

Don't let anyone steal your joy!

Maryam!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLING RECIPE

 

Good morning wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. It is Friday. Thank you for checking out my blog today. As you all already know, I love food and enjoy sharing my favorite recipes with you all. Before we get to the recipe, I hope you have all had an amazing week and are ready for the weekend.

Remember to protect your joy from killjoys and yourself.

For more recipes, please get my new cookbook available on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Dinner-Recipes-Plus-Dessert/dp/B097VX15BP/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1627046304&sr=8-1 or get the e-book here: https://www.maryamsjoyfullifeapparel.com/listing/12-easy-dinner-recipes?product=1451

Thank you for your support. Lets get to the Chicken and Dumpling recipe.

SIMPLE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

What you will need:

2 cups of pillsbury southern homestyle biscuits( 8 count)

A 32 ounce box of chicken stock

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground black pepper

2 cups of half and half milk

2 cups of chopped roasted chicken breasts or shredded rotisserie chicken

A soup pot

½ cup all purpose flour

DIRECTIONS:

Set stove at medium high heat

Add chicken stock to soup pot

Let boil

On a cutting board

Dust board with all purpose flour

Open biscuits, separate them and place on floured surface

Cut each biscuit into 9 small sizes

Open pot with boiling chicken broth 

Throw cut biscuits into pot

Stir lightly

Turn heat down to medium

Let dumplings cook for 5 minutes

Add half and half milk

Add your chicken

And stir in salt and pepper

Stir lightly

Cover pot and let cook thoroughly for about 15 minutes

Turn stove off

Set pot aside to cool for 10 minutes

Enjoy!

Don't let anyone steal your joy!

Maryam

cashapp $maryamsjoyfullife

paypal maryamsjoyfullife@gmail.com

Photo is from https://tornadoughalli.com/homemade-chicken-and-dumplings/

MY CHICKEN MEATBALLS RECIPE

 

Good morning wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. I hope this post meets you well. It is a good morning and I am feeling extra delighted to share a new recipe with everyone of you. Before we get to the recipe, I hope you had a fantastic night. Always remember that your joy is under your control even when it seems like it is not. With that being said, "Don't Let Anyone or yourself Steal Your Joy!"

CHICKEN MEATBALLS RECIPE

What You Will Need

1/2 pound ground chicken

1/2 a cup Italian bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon Knorr chicken seasoning

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 cup whole milk

1 egg

1/4 cup crushed saltine crackers

A jar of any Marinara sauce you like

Directions

Set your oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

In a mixing bowl

Add ground chicken

Add all ingredients except Marinara sauce to the mixing bowl

Hand mix with your hand

Mix until all ingredients are combined and become a mound

Mold chicken mound into bite size balls

Place bites into a baking pan (I prefer a medium sized pie pan) 

Make sure balls are 1/2 apart in the pan

Place in oven

Cook for 12-15 minutes

Remove out of oven

Empty marinara sauce into a sauce pan 

Add 1/4 water and mix

Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and stir.

Add your meatballs to it and make sure meatballs are covered in marinara

 Turn on oven at medium high

Cook for 5-6 minutes or until marinara sauce starts to boil

Turn off stove and let content cool

Now you are ready to serve over pasta of your choice or rice

Thank you so much for stopping by again. I have a recipe book that has amazing recipes like. Order your copy here:https://www.maryamsjoyfullifeapparel.com/listing/12-easy-dinner-recipes?product=1451

Don't Let Anyone Steal Your joy!

Maryam

MY CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE

 

What's up wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. I hope this blog meets you well. Happy new month and may this month of July bring you a lot of blessings and joyful memories. 

I would like to share my go-to Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe with you. I hope this inspires your culinary curiosity. Also to get more simple recipes like this, please visit my store: https://www.maryamsjoyfullifeapparel.com/listing/12-easy-dinner-recipes?product=1451

for digital copy of my simple recipe book.

Here’s What You Will Need:

Egg Noodles(I crushed lasagna noodles for this particular one because I was out of egg noodles)

1 box Chicken broth 

1/4 cup chopped onion 

1 tbsp chopped

garlic

1/2 a cup chopped celery 

1 cup chopped carrots

2 medium sized roasted chicken breasts

 ½ a yellow, an orange and a green bell peppers

½ a tbsp ground black pepper

½ tsp of salt

4 cups of water

3 tbsp olive oil

1 teaspoon Knorr chicken bouillon

Directions: 

In a blender, blend celery and bell peppers together

In a medium sized pot 

Add 3 cups of water 

Turn on stove to medium high heat 

Place pot on the stove and let boil 

Add pasta 

Cook pasta for 9 minutes covered(make sure to stay close to take  lid off when it starts boiling over)  

Drain pasta and  set aside

Set stove to medium heat

Place empty pot back on stove 

Add your olive oil

Let oil heat up for 2 minutes

Add chopped onion and garlic

Let content cook until onion is translucent

Add chopped carrots

Add liquified veggies and stir

Add salt and pepper

Add Knorr seasoning

Stir content

Add chicken broth and let cook for 5 minutes

In a separate bowl, shred or chop chicken breasts to bite size

Add chicken to broth content

Let boil for about 6 minutes

Add your pasta and stir

Let cook for 5 minutes on medium heat

Turn off stove and let soup cool for 5-10 minutes

Now you are ready to enjoy your soup!😼

For a paperback copy of my cookbook, please visit: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097VX15BP

Don't let anyone steal your joy!

Maryam

Soup picture was taken from google.com

MY EASY MEAT SAUCE RECIPE FOR PASTA

Hello wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are y'all doing today? I hope you're all having an amazing day today and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day. Thank you for being a part of my world.

I love food! Food is good to me. Do you love food? Is food good to you? I hope so. I love cooking and enjoying my food too. 

Today's post is about food. I love food and I love sharing my food.

My Easy Meat Sauce for Spaghetti is a win anytime in my kitchen. My kids love it and I believe yours will too. There are days I want to spend a whole lotta time in the kitchen and then there are days when I want to spend only a few minutes in the kitchen. This Sauce is very time-saving and delicious.

What You Will Need:

A Jar of Spaghetti Marinara Sauce

2/3 Cup of Chopped Onions

1 tablespoon Chopped Garlic

A pinch of Salt

A sprinkle of Italian Seasoning

1/2 tablespoon Sugar(optional)

1 pound ground beef

1/2 cup water

Get a saucepan,  place on stove at medium high heat

Put  your ground beef in the pot and stir for about 5 minutes.

Then add your onions and garlic. Stir pot's content until onion is translucent and ground beef is fully cooked. Then drain the grease out. Some people like to rinse meat to remove all excess grease from meat but I don't because you lose the flavor. In stead, I drain the grease out.

Place pot back on the stove at medium heat and add your seasoning. Stir until all of your seasonings have blended in. 

Next add your marinara sauce and stir until ingredients are perfectly combined. Then add your sure and water. Stir once again and cover pot and let cook for 10 minutes or until the oil is bouncing at the top.

Turnoff stove and let sauce sit for 5 minutes and you are ready to serve on your favorite pasta.

I hope this was helpful. Please enjoy and come back for more recipes.

With gratitude,

Maryam

BAKED TILAPIA AND FRIED RICE RECIPE

 

Hello wonderful, amazing, sweet and lovely people. How are y'all doing today? I hope you are all having a great day and are not letting anyone steal your joy. Welcome to Maryam's Joyful Life. Today is a beautiful day! Thank you for checking out my blog today.

I love food! Food is an essential part of my life. I don't know what I would do without food. Food keeps you alive. Food also brings joy to my heart and life lol.

Do you love food or are you one of those who count calories before eating a meal? I am an active woman and for most people, my body may look like I count calories, but I DON'T. I eat what I love and what looks appealing to me. I love food from different cultures and I plan on doing a series of posts featuring different foods on my channel and here on the blog. So, make sure you subscribe to get notified.

Here we go! Today's recipe is pretty easy.

 

Here is my list of ingredients:

1 1/2 cups of Jasmine Rice

A pound of skinless boneless tilapia

2 cups of frozen mixed stirfry veggies

1 teaspoon Weber's Kick'N Chicken Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Garlic salt

1 1/2 teaspoon Chef Merito's Steak & Meat Seasoning

1/2 a teaspoon table grind black peppers

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup of chopped onion

Direction:

Turn your oven on 360 Degree F.

On a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, place your washed tilapia fillets 1 inch apart.

Sprinkle your black pepper lightly on your Tilapia fillets.

Next sprinkle your Weber's Kick'N Chicken Seasoning on them. Making sure that they are coated nicely with the seasoning.

Lastly, sprinkle a tablespoon of olive oil on them and place them in the oven(top rack) to cook for 15 minutes.

Jollof Rice:

Get a deep sauce pan or your favorite pot. Place it on your stove top at medium high, to heat for about 2 minutes. 

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot. Let heat up about 2 minutes.

Add your chopped onions and stir for about 2 minutes or until onions become translucent.

Add your dry rice to the content and stir. Fry(stirring the pot content the whole time) the rice for about 4 minutes or until parts of the rice is golden brown. That should be about 4 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium not high and not low just right.

Next, add your seasoning. Add your Weber's Kick'N Chicken(1 1/2 teaspoons), 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt and 1 1/2 teaspoon Chef Merito's Steak & Meat Seasoning and stir content. Then add your frozen veggies. Stir pot content together and then add 2 1/2 cups of water. Stir until all content have mixed completely to a beautiful symphony. Lol... Remember to taste and then cover pot and let cook until water content has been absorbed by your rice. This should take about 15-18 minutes.

Your food is ready! Dish on to a plate and let cool for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Note that you can see the step by step application on this video:

I hope you enjoyed this post. Make sure to come back for more and remember to subscribe to my blog so you don't miss a thing.

With gratitude,

Maryam