Diverse Meal Ideas Volume II – Potato pavé, Whole wheat sandwich and more

Hey! Welcome to the second volume of Diverse Meal Ideas aka what to eat when you don’t know what to eat.

For this edition, I played around with some classics like plantain, except I tossed it in an air fryer to see if I’d still get that crispy texture with less oil.

I also experimented with a new style of potatoes and tried balsamic vinegar for the first time. It has a subtle sweetness compared to other vinegars, and just mixing it with Greek yoghurt was good enough for me. It’s now a staple in my kitchen when I want a little sweetness in my dressings. I used to reach for honey, but this is perfect because it does the job while making the flavour brighter.

Diverse meal ideas from my experimental kitchen

Jollof rice, spicy tofu and apple lettuce salad

Background

I was craving spicy jollof rice and a salad that wasn’t coleslaw but still hit the spot. Since I had some tofu, I tried another saucy tofu pairing.

Ingredients

For the jollof rice:

• Jollof base (tomato, pepper, ginger, onions, garlic)
• Bay leaf
• Rice
• Spices

For the spicy tofu:

• Tofu
• Jollof base
• Chilli oil

For the salad:

• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Green apple
• Dressing (Greek yoghurt, balsamic vinegar, dill, pinch of salt)

Effort level: Medium. Making three different things takes some time.

Prep steps

Step 1: Cook the jollof rice

• Heat oil in a pot and sauté the jollof base (blended tomato, pepper, ginger, onions, and garlic) until thickened.
• Add bay leaf, salt, and spices, then stir.
• Pour in rinsed rice and mix well with the base.
• Add water or broth, cover, and cook on low heat until the rice is fully cooked.
• Stir in some butter (optional), fluff the rice, and set aside.

Step 2: Prepare the spicy tofu

• Press and slice the tofu to remove excess moisture.
• Heat chilli oil in a pan and add a portion of the jollof base.
• Add the tofu and let it simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly crisp.
• Remove from heat and set aside.

Step 3: Make the apple lettuce salad

• Chop the lettuce, dice the cucumber and green apple.
• In a bowl, whisk together Greek yoghurt, balsamic vinegar, and dill to make the dressing. Add little by little and adjust to taste.

Taste test

The salad was perfect. It was crunchy, with a nice balance of sweet and tang from the apples, balsamic vinegar, and Greek yoghurt.

If you nail the jollof and tofu, you’d love the whole thing. Mine was a bit dry, though. I’m still figuring out how to make saucy tofu without using too much oil or a starchy slurry. The flavours, however, were solid.

Rating: 7/10
Will I make it again? Yes, I need to redeem myself.

 

Whole wheat French toast and pork patties

Background

After my avocado toast fail, I decided to go back to the basics for a more enjoyable sandwich.

Ingredients

For the toast:

• Whole wheat sliced bread
• 2 eggs
• Milk
• Oil or butter

For the pork patties:

• Pork mince
• Italian seasoning herbs
• Red onion (finely chopped)
• Garlic (minced)
• Seasoning cubes
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• 1 egg

Effort level: Easy peasy. The pork patties need to be prepped the night before.

Prep steps

Step 1: Prepare the pork patties

• Mix pork mince with Italian seasoning, finely chopped red onion, minced garlic, a seasoning cube, black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and a beaten egg.
• Shape into patties and stack them in a bowl with parchment paper in between to prevent sticking.
• Cover and freeze overnight.

Step 2: Cook the patties

• Heat a pan over medium heat and lightly oil it.
• Cook patties for about 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
• Set aside and keep warm.

Step 3: Make the French toast

• In a bowl, whisk together eggs and milk.
• Heat butter or a small amount of oil in a pan over low heat and pour in the egg mixture.
• Place two slices of whole wheat bread side by side directly onto the egg mixture to coat the bottom.
• Immediately flip the bread slices so the other side absorbs the egg, then turn up the heat to medium.
• Once the eggs begin to set, carefully flip the entire egg-and-bread layer so the toast is on the bottom and the cooked egg faces up.
• Place your cooked pork patties on one slice of bread, then fold the other slice over to create a sandwich.
• Let it cook for another minute until golden and crisp.

Taste test

It’s everything you’d expect from a breakfast sandwich, both comforting and rich in flavour. The only thing I’d do differently is add some sweet tomatoes and lettuce for freshness. Sinon, c’est parfait!

Rating: 9.5/10
Will I make it again? I already did. And I will again.

 

RELATED: Diverse Meal Ideas Volume I – Dried fruit oats, sticky tofu and more.

Potato pavé and tuna

Background

Clearly, I was feeling fancy. I love potatoes and gourmet food, so when I saw this beauty on Pinterest, I put on my imaginary chef de cuisine hat and got to work.

Ingredients

• Irish potatoes
• Salt
• Black pepper
• Oil
• Tuna flakes
• Greek yoghurt & balsamic vinegar sauce

Effort level: Hard. You have to peel, slice with a mandoline, layer, chop to shape, compress, then chill overnight.

Taste test

It’s crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside. I know it would’ve been even better if I’d followed the original recipe and added some cream. However, the sauce(greek, yogurt, balsamic vinegar, dill) was a good add, and the tuna brought the umami.

Rating: 6/10. It was good, but a lot of effort for potatoes. Plus, I had to eat akara after this to help my life.

Will I make it again? Not any time soon.

Air fryer plantain and scrambled veggie eggs

Background

No long talk. Fried plantains and eggs are a classic, but I used an air fryer for less oil.

Ingredients

• Plantain
• Eggs
• Green pepper
• Green onions
• Chilli pepper
• Carrots
• Onions
• Garlic

Effort level: Easy.

Prep steps

Step 1: Prepare the plantains

• Peel and slice the plantain into diagonal pieces.
• Lightly brush each piece with oil to help with crisping.
• Arrange in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
• Air fry at 180°C for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crispy.

Step 2: Make the scrambled eggs

• Heat a small amount of oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Season and sauté chopped green pepper, green onions, chilli pepper, carrots, onions, and garlic until softened.
• In a bowl, whisk eggs and season with salt, pepper, and any preferred spices.
• Pour the whisked eggs over the sautéed vegetables and gently stir until cooked through.

Taste test

It’s your classic sweet and savoury breakfast. Plus the plantains were as good as though I deep fried them.

Rating: 10/10
Will I make it again? Of course!

There you have it. If you’ve got questions or requests for a video recipe, let me know in the comments.

Thank you for reading. See you next week Tuesday!