How To Make Pancakes

Pancakes are a tasty and versatile breakfast food made from a batter of flour, eggs, and milk, cooked on a griddle or frying pan. They can be sweet or savory, topped with fruits, syrups, whipped cream, or even meats and vegetables.

Health Benefits

1. Energy boost: Pancakes provide carbohydrates, which give you energy for daily activities.

2. Nutrient-rich: Depending on ingredients, pancakes can contain essential nutrients like protein, fiber, and vitamins.

3. Mood booster: The tryptophan in pancakes helps produce serotonin, regulating mood.

4. Customizable: Pancakes can be made healthier with whole wheat flour, fruits, and nuts.

Easy Pancakes Recipe for Beginners

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups milk
1 egg
3 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil
Optional: vanilla extract or other flavorings (e.g., cinnamon)

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt until well combined.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg and then add the milk and melted butter (or oil). If desired, add a splash of vanilla extract or other flavorings for extra taste.

Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spoon or whisk until just combined. It’s okay if the batter is slightly lumpy. Let the batter rest for about 10-15 minutes.

While the batter is resting, preheat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Once the skillet is hot, adding a little more butter or oil to the skillet then scoop 1/4 cup of batter onto the skillet for each pancake. Use the back of the measuring cup or a spoon to spread the batter slightly into a round shape.

Cook the pancakes until bubbles start to form on the surface, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes. This indicates it’s time to flip the pancakes.

Carefully flip each pancake with a spatula and cook for another 1-2 minutes on the other side, or until both sides are golden brown.

Remove the cooked pancakes from the skillet and keep them warm. You can place them on a plate in a low-temperature oven (around 200°F or 95°C) while you cook the remaining batter.

Adding a little more butter or oil to the skillet and repeat the process with the remaining batter

Serve the pancakes warm with your favorite drinks.

News

UNICEF Tasks Bauchi Youths on Tree Planting

The United Nations Children’s Fund, Bauchi Field Office, has renewed its commitment towards imbibing tree planting culture among the younger generation in the state.

The Chief of UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, made this known during a tree planting campaign to mark World Environment Day 2025 at the College of Education Technical Dass on Thursday.

Rafique, who stressed the importance of involving youths in environmental sustainability, noted that they are the leaders of tomorrow and needed a safe and healthy planet to inherit.

“Our land is our future. So are the generations our future. They need to be restored,” she said, emphasising the need for the youth to be actively engaged in tree planting and environmental conservation.

According to Rafique, “Climate change poses a significant threat to children and the environment, and it is essential to involve youth and communities in sustainability efforts.

“Youth are the pillars of communities and nations.

“If youths are involved, everything will go well. They are the energy of the future, and they must be well-aware, engaged, and on the right path to reach their full potential.”

She added that the UNICEF works with youths through various engagements, including WASH activities and climate change initiatives, to promote environmental sustainability and tree planting culture among young people.

Rafique further stressed the need for continuous tree planting and environmental conservation efforts, saying, “We want youth and communities to grow plants every day, and that should continue for years to come.”

Also speaking, the Chairman Dass Local Government Council, Mohammad Jibo, who acknowledged the support of UNICEF, RUWASA, and ACRESAL on the campaign.

He noted that the campaign marked a significant milestone in the community’s efforts to promote environmental conservation.

Jibo maintained his dedication to environmental conservation, saying, “We must work together to protect our environment and ensure a livable future for generations to come.

“I commend the efforts of Dass College of Education and our development partners for organising this initiative,” he concluded.

Tips & Tricks

TODAY IN FOOD HISTORY ( JULY 8 )

July 8, 1886

It rained snails in Cornwall, England. July is one of the best months for raining all sorts of living creatures.

July 8, 1881,

Edward Berner of Two Rivers, Wisconsin, supposedly invented the Ice Cream Sundae when he served a customer ice cream topped with chocolate syrup (used to flavor ice cream sodas). It was a Sunday, and flavored soda water was not served on Sundays to respectable people.

July 8,1870,

Congress enacted the Federal Trademark Act of 1870, the first federal act permitting registration of trademarks.

• National Salad Week (July 7-13, 2025 – 4th week in July)

Source – www.foodreference.com

News

Nigerian Firm Unveils $5bn Cooperative Trust Fund to Boost Agriculture Investment

As part of measures towards boosting Agriculture, a $5 billion Assured Invest Cooperative Trust Fund has been launched by a company known as Mechanized Agricultural Investment and Services (MAIS) Limited to “unlock the full economic potential of our people, farmlands, small businesses, and national future”.

The fund is described as one of the most transformative financial vehicles ever created for the cooperative sector in Africa.

While speaking at the launch in Abuja over the weekend, Chief Vision Officer, MAIS, Mr. Benjamin Aduli, said the fund remained,“A bold declaration that cooperative capital—when properly structured, transparently governed, and purposefully deployed can unlock the full economic potential of our people, our farmlands, our small businesses, and our national future.”

He observed that for decades, the Nigerian cooperative system had been treated as an afterthought—underutilised, underfinanced, and underestimated.

He said, “Today, that era ends. With this Fund, we are shifting from marginalisation to mobilisation.”

He said the fund was particularly historic given that it is demand-driven.

“Unlike traditional financing models that are supply-driven—flooding the market with unsolicited capital, this fund responds only to verified cooperative demand – It is tailored to the real, structured needs of cooperative members—whether that’s a rice farmer in Lokoja, a housing cooperative in Enugu, an MSME cluster in Kaduna, or a youth cooperative in Abeokuta” he said.

Aduli further explained that the fund is backed by institutional capital, governed by cooperative law, not securities law, and driven by clear cooperative use-cases: food production, mechanisation, housing, education, clean energy, and digital inclusion.

He said, “It is not a public investment scheme. It is a secured cooperative financing framework, created by members, for members, and through members.

“The fund will be administered transparently with the oversight of trustee banks, insurance underwriters, and cooperative federations—including our partners.”

He listed the partners to include,

Cooperative Financing Agency of Nigeria (CFAN), National Agricultural Cooperative Organisation (NACO), Cooperative Housing Federation of Nigeria (COHFON), and Akilaah National Cooperative Federation (Akilaah).

Aduli also said the company would begin onboarding verified cooperative societies nationwide to participate in the fund subject to its terms and conditions.

He said, “We encourage federations, unions, primary cooperatives, and affiliate networks to engage with the Maistrade Ecosystem, access onboarding kits, and take advantage of this generational opportunity.Together, we are building more than a financial fund—we are building a new era of economic justice, where membership equals access and contribution guarantees returns.

“Let me thank every single partner—especially our banking allies, technology partners, and the leaders of Nigeria’s cooperative renaissance—for believing in this vision and walking this journey with us.Let history remember this day not just as a launch, but as the day Nigerian cooperatives stood up—not to beg, but to build.”

News

Cross River Boosts Coffee Farming as UK Grants Duty-Free Access to 3,000 Nigerian Products

Over 3,000 Nigerian products, including cocoa and cashew, can now enter the UK market either duty-free or at reduced tariffs. This is according to the United Kingdom.

The Country Director for the UK Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, announced this move, which is part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), in a recent video released by the UK in Nigeria.

Smithson in a statement said, “Up to 3,000 products from Nigeria qualify for low tariff or no tariff access to the UK through the Developing Countries Scheme, one of the most generous trading schemes in the world,”.

Speaking further, he said the UK has simplified the process for Nigerian exporters by making it easier to trade a variety of goods, including cocoa and textiles, among others. He encouraged Nigerian exporters to take advantage of the opportunity.

“The UK is open and looking to do business with Nigeria. So why don’t you go to the website and find out more about the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and begin to trade with us?”

The DCTS, which was introduced in 2023, replaced the UK’s previous Generalised Scheme of Preferences. It is designed to cut tariffs and simplify trading rules for over 60 developing countries, including Nigeria.

In a related development,Cross River State government, in partnership with a leading agribusiness firm, JR Farms, has launched an ambitious project to cultivate 30 million coffee seedlings across the state.

A statement to the media on Monday noted that the initiative, which was flagged off in Calabar on Thursday, signals a renewed national drive to position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global coffee market. With its focus on job creation, rural development, and climate resilience, the project is expected to become one of the largest coffee cultivation projects in West Africa.

In his speech at the event, Governor Bassey Otu described the initiative as a strategic move to reintroduce and reposition Cross River as the coffee capital of Nigeria and an emerging player in the international coffee market.

“With 30 million robust and climate-appropriate seedlings being distributed across our 18 local government areas, this project offers much more than cultivation. It is about creating jobs, generating wealth, building sustainable livelihoods, promoting agro-industrial development, and restoring our ecological balance.

“We are particularly proud of the strategic partnership with JR Farms, whose global footprint in the agrifood space and expertise in coffee value chains bring tremendous value to this initiative. Through their involvement, we are assured of technical support, market access, and international best practices in every aspect of implementation,” Otu said.

In his remarks, Olawale Rotimi-Opeyemi, JR Farms CEO and founder stressed the significance of the project, noting that after nearly a decade of working in the coffee value chain across East Africa, engaging over 4,000 farmers, his company was excited to bring that experience home to support Nigeria’s coffee industry transformation.

Olawale, who commended the Cross River state government’s commitment to agricultural development, said the 30 million coffee seedling cultivation project would engender prosperity for the people, ensure rural development, create jobs for youth and women, and place the state on the global map of coffee production.

The JR Farms CEO disclosed that with years of operations in Nigeria, Rwanda, France, and Zambia, his company would deploy its extensive wealth of experience in coffee production and global marketing to ensure the long-term success of the project and help Cross River become a major player in the international coffee market.

He explained that farmers across the state would be trained through a “Train-the-Trainer” model covering agronomic practices, ethical production, and the economics of coffee farming. According to him, 11,000 coffee farmers across the state have been onboarded under the project.

Olawale added that JR Farms would work with the State Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation Development to establish coffee washing stations in different parts of the state for post-harvest processing and also open communication channels for real-time technical support for farmers.

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