cooking Archives – www.jocajic.com

THE “LAZY WAY” TO LIVING YOUR BEST LIFE: 3 SIMPLE HABITS

February 5, 2026 2 Comments

Hello Everyone,

I hope you’re having a wonderful week and finding little pockets of joy every day. We all want that feeling of having our life together, right? We see the perfectly curated routines online, but let’s be real—sometimes life happens. For me, trying to stick to a rigid schedule usually ends with me giving up entirely. If you read my posts on decluttering, you know I’m all about finding the most efficient path to happiness. It’s about consistency over perfection.

Here are three simple mindset shifts and habits that have helped me feel more organised and less stressed, without having to rearrange my life:

1. The 5-Minute Daily Tidy

You don’t need a huge “Spring Cleaning” session every week. The secret is chipping away at the mess before it becomes a mountain. First things first, pick a moment every day right before you sit down for dinner, or while the kettle boils and dedicate just five minutes to cleaning one small zone. I don’t mean clean the whole house! Focus on hotspots like clearing the kitchen counter, emptying the bathroom bin, or putting away the laundry pile on that chair or bed, in my case. By the end of the week, you realise you’ve spent 35 minutes cleaning in total, but you never felt overwhelmed. The overall atmosphere stays calm, which is a huge win for your mental space.

HOME, LIFESTYLE

SIMPLE TIPS FOR STRESS-FREE COOKING AND LESS CLEANUP

January 22, 2026 No Comments

Hello Everyone!

I hope you’re all having a great week and finding ways to make the most of your time amidst the busy days.

If you’re anything like me, you absolutely love eating great food, but sometimes the actual process of cooking—the chopping, the timing, the endless cleanup—feels like too much work. I want delicious, wholesome meals without the effort of a professional chef! I deserve comfort food that doesn’t lead to hours of scrubbing. I’m all about finding the easiest path to a good result. I’ve figured out that the secret to cooking more often is just making it less messy, less intimidating, and less complicated. It’s about efficiency, not fancy techniques! Here are four simple kitchen tips and mindset shifts for making weeknight dinners stress-free:

HOME, LIFESTYLE

8 KITCHEN GADGETS FOR EASIER COOKING

January 1, 2026 4 Comments

Happy New Year,

If you’re currently reading this while surrounded by leftover holiday snacks and a slightly exhausted Christmas tree, please know: you are my people. While the rest of the world seems to be shouting about “New Year, New Me,” I’m over here just trying to remember what day of the week it is.

The truth is, big changes don’t have to happen overnight. If you aren’t feeling that “grand transformation” spark just yet, don’t worry, you aren’t behind. Today’s post is all about easing into the year at your own pace and finding joy in the small, messy and wonderful beginnings. So, how about checking out these 8 clever kitchen gadgets for easier cooking?

1. The Multi-blade Vegetable Chopper

If you find yourself procrastinating on cooking because of the “mountain of onions” standing in your way, this is your new best friend. These choppers allow you to dice, slice, and spiralize an entire onion or bell pepper in one swift motion. It cuts prep time and keeps the onion vapours away from your eyes. Usually best when used for batch cooking, salads, and homemade salsas.

2. Smart Wireless Meat Thermometer

No more cutting into a steak to “see if it’s done” or hovering over the oven. A wireless thermometer (like the Meater) syncs to your phone and alerts you the second your meat reaches the perfect internal temperature. It eliminates the guesswork and ensures you never serve dry chicken or overcooked roast again. Great for Sunday roasts, grilling, and thick-cut steaks.

3. Clip-On Pot Strainer

Bulky colanders take up half the dishwasher and even more space in the cabinet. A silicone clip-on strainer (often called a Snap N’ Strain) attaches directly to the edge of almost any pot or pan. You can drain pasta or grease with one hand, and it’s small enough to tuck into a drawer. Useful during pasta nights and browning ground beef.

HOME, LIFESTYLE

NEW YEAR NEW WAYS TO COOK

January 9, 2024 46 Comments

Happy New Year,

Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing great and had a wonderful holiday season. I took a break and decided to regroup and come back in the new year and here I am with my first post of the year. I probably should be coming back to you with all about goal setting, but not today my people. Instead, I am going to give you new ways to cook and all the lovely gadgets that come with it. There are many great gadgets out there for a lighter and more efficient way to cook your breakfast, lunches and dinners. Here they are:

FOOD, HOME

HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL FLAPJACKS

October 3, 2023 No Comments

Breakfast on the go

What comes to mind when you hear “Breakfast on the go” for me, it’s either sandwiches, a cereal bar, or maybe a smoothie. For a long time, I used to call anything made from oats an oat bar, it doesn’t matter to me, if it has oats it’s just an oat bar to me. Then I heard about flap jacks which I call granola bars now and I think will I stick to that because it just doesn’t matter. So today I have for you this recipe on how to make traditional flapjacks. For the ingredients you will need;

FOOD, HOME

ROASTED SWEET POTATO & BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

September 24, 2023 No Comments

Did Anyone Say Soup?

Well, hello once again, I hope you’re all having a great day so far. As you can tell from the title, today we are diving into a more comforting recipe. With the weather changing and all, soup always seems to come to mind to offer some warmth along the way. So for today, I am sharing with you my delicious roasted sweet potato & butternut squash soup recipe. Lightly spiced, flavourful and just screams comfort. For this recipe you will need;

FOOD, HOME

SPICY LEMON GARLIC KENYAN MASALA CHIPS RECIPE

September 22, 2023 No Comments

When I think of this Kenyan chips masala recipe, It takes me back home and reminds me of my college days and how much I used to stuff myself with them. If you’ve been following my blog for a while now, then you know I am Kenyan and I love sharing my Kenyan recipes with you and most of you seem to like them. From my samosas, chapatis, beef pilau, mandazis and kachumbari. Chips masala/ masala chips whichever way you say it, makes no difference. I still crave them from time to time and making them at home is even more satisfying. If you try this recipe, please don’t come and complain to me that you can’t stop having them because they are that good. Perfectly spiced fries with a touch of lemon for good measure, for this recipe you will need;

HOME, LIFESTYLE

5 HEALTHY KITCHEN ACCESSORIES TO ACHIEVE YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS

February 17, 2023 31 Comments

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing fine and ready for the weekend. January is already underway and very soon it will be over. If one of your goals this year was to maintain good health or even achieve some weight loss goals, then this post is just for you. I am also trying to take care of myself and avoiding sugar is one of them so far, I can’t complain. Today I am here with 5 healthy kitchen accessories to achieve your weight loss goals this year and hopefully, none of you has given up already. Also, save yourself some money with these few tips.

FOOD, HOME

SIMPLE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE PUDDING

August 5, 2022 No Comments

Hey there,

Another day, another fabulous recipe for you. This time I am calling out all the chocolate lovers out there who just need a chocolatey treat without lots of fuss and takes care of the craving real quick. It’s my simple homemade chocolate pudding recipe, what’s not to love, perfect on its own, topped up with some cream and more chocolate shavings or just add in more flavours if you like but for me, simple is better. There was a debate around my house when it came to the crust forming and no crust and who preferred what, personally I love both and don’t mind at all but if you get a tad bit squeamish then no crust for you then.

This is also a very nice and convenient dessert if you’re entertaining since you can make them ahead and let them refrigerate for a while before serving. Also depending on what type of chocolate you prefer, you can choose to go for a fancy chocolate bar or normal milk chocolate will do too. For this homemade chocolate pudding, you will require;

FOOD, HOME

HOW TO MAKE CROATIAN CEVAPI/ CEVAPCICI

January 24, 2022 No Comments

If you missed my previous post, then this is a follow up on what you could make to eat with ajvar. How to make Croatian cevapi/ cevapcici is what I have for you today. Grilled flavoured minced meats that pair well with the ajvar recipe I gave you earlier and is just glorious to have any time. As much as I would like to eat cevapi the authentic way with all the dips and bread, I tend to also make them and eat them on their own because they are that good and just makes you want more. Before I continue, let me just explain a bit more what cevapi/ cevapcici are.

So, what exactly is cevapi?

Plainly put, cevapi is a grilled dish of minced meat found traditionally in Serbia and Croatia. Hand-mixed and formed into kebab shaped meat from two to three types of minced meat. For my recipe, I used two and preferably prepped a day before to let it marinate. For this recipe you will need;