Who would have ever imagined a bean sauce being a treasured dish in one of the array of cultures in Uganda?
Firinda is a special dish with its roots in the far west specifically in the Batooro and Banyoro culture. This dish was served to special guests in a home and is a dish that cannot be missed on their wedding ceremonies. Because of it’s rather tedious procedure of preparation that includes soaking beans overnight, this dish was and still is one that is prepared rarely and highly anticipated by everyone. It was a dish that was always served with millet bread (kalo) which was a staple food in these culture. Lately this has changed and this sauce is accompanied by different foods like matooke and potatoes although for special occassions like weddings, the staple food (millet bread) is maintained.
The beauty about this dish is that it does not involve frying therefore it is one of the healthiest foods one can consume. This sauce is also very good for weaning infants (introducing solid foods) and also for children who are malnourished too. It can also be used for recuperating patients as well as a post surgery dish. Did I mention that it is very inexpensive too yet it will leave your taste buds yearning for more?
Below I take you through the steps of preparing this dish.
Step 1; Remove the testa of beans that have been soaked over night remaining which sparkly white beans
Step 2; In clean water boil the beans until soft. Add salt, onions, garlic and garden eggs (entula) as the beans are about to get ready.
Step 3; Remove the beans from fire and drain the water. ( do not pour the water away, save for later) Remove the garden beans (entula) and keep them aside. Mash the beans until you get a smooth paste. You can also use a blender or food processor if you have one.
Step 4; Pour the mashed beans back to the pan and return on very low heat. Add some of the water we removed from the beans if the paste is too thick. Add the garden beans (entula) back too and bring to a slow boil for a few minutes. Add cow’s ghee or butter (optional) to increase the nutrition value of the beans and to enhance the taste too.Step 5; Once satisfied with the outcome, served in a dish and eat with a preferred accompaniment.
This is a dish worth trying out. Do not be discouraged by the first step. The results are amazing. Share with us your experience.
For a long time I have had a great desire to have granola as a part of breakfast given my limited options of food I have. Much of the options that surround me are wheat products. Me and wheat products for some reason have a parallel relationship. No I am not allergic to wheat if you are wondering but I find myself having a strong dislike for wheat products. When I tried to find granola in the different supermarkets, it’s price was one I could not consistently keep up with. I decided I would prepare it myself although many of the recipes I found required me to bake something I was not up for. Thanks to quarantine I was finally able to prepare granola and my excitement was through the roof.
Granola is a breakfast food and snack consisting of rolled oats, nuts, honey or other sweeteners such as brown sugar, and sometimes puffed rice, that is usually baked until it is crisp, toasted and golden brown. During the baking process, the mixture is stirred to maintain a loose breakfast cereal consistency. My recipe does not require you to bake so even one without an oven can enjoy this recipe. Granola contains calories, fat, sodium, fiber, carbohydrates, protein and sugar all in one product.
My freshly made granola
Health Benefits of granola
Granola can provide a quick and convenient source of carbohydrate. Many hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts like to carry granola to fuel their activity when they have a long day of exercise.
Granola can also provide a boost of protein if you include nuts, like ground nuts or almonds.
The fiber from whole grain rolled oats in granola can help you to feel full for a longer period of time.
Granola can also provide a significant number of calories from the added dried fruit or added sugar.
Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups Whole grain (rolled) oats
1 tbsp honey
1/2 cup groundnuts (or any other nut of your choice)
1/2 cup raisins (or any other dried fruit)
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional)
1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
2 tsp of coconut oil (or olive oil)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar ( I used regular sugar)
Pinch of salt
Sheet of paper to spread the oats on
Procedure
Heat up a large pan and add the oil
Put the 2 cups of oats in. Make sure the oats are evenly coated with the oil. Cook his on medium to medium low heat until they are golden brown. This should take 8 – 10 minutes. Stir often to avoid them from burning. When they are ready you should definitely smell them.
Pour the oats onto a sheet of paper or baking sheet spreading them and leave them aside.
In the same pan on low to medium heat, add the butter, sugar and honey. Melt it and when it starts to bubble, add the oats.
To the mixture add the nuts and raisins and stir and make sure they are coated with the melted sugar and butter.
Add the vanilla, cinnamon and salt then keep stirring
Taste this after 5 minutes and the oats and nuts should taste toasted and a little crispy, not chewy. If they taste chewy, cook for a few minutes until they are a little crispy.
Cool the granola on you sheet of paper, separating the lumps there might be.
Store in an air tight container.
Store Granola in an air tight container
I love the wonderful toasted flavor of granola. Kids love it and you may want to explore with them. This is perfect breakfast option for all the members of your family. It is a great snack by itself, on top of yogurt, on top of fruits or as a cereal with milk.
Try out this recipe and share with me your experience.
Are you the kind of parent who is the high control freak? You will decide when and how much your child eats, the force feeder, the stick is not far away during meal time. Are you the type who leaves the child to feed themselves. The parent who believes that the child will eat if hungry and he or she stops eating, it means they have had enough to eat even if very little food was consumed. Or are you the type of feeder who feeds in response to the child’s cues or signals using encouragement and praise?
Responsive care refers to the behaviors and practices of the parents and family that provide the stimulation and emotional support as well as food and health care necessary for the child’s healthy growth and development. Infants are dependent on a caregiver to provide all their food. With age, the infant gradually develops the skills for relatively independent in eating as a young child such as picking up pieces of food and moving it to the mouth, choosing foods, and using feeding utensils. Similar to many other skills that the young child develops, responsive care practices related to eating can help, or hinder, the development of these skills and behaviors. While feeding a child, they might show they are ready for another bite by opening their mouth, leaning forward, or gazing at you. It is important to note that the pace of feeding should be driven by the child and not the feeder.
Responsive feeding is the reciprocal relationship that involves:
The child giving cues or signs or signals for hunger or fullness;
The parent noticing the child’s cues, the accurate interpretation of that sign, and responding to the sign in an appropriate way;
The child perceiving there is a response to his/her cue and that this response is predictable.
Non-responsive feeding may include a parent controlling the feeding and deciding when and how much is eaten, or a parent ignoring the child’s cues and limited interaction. Both types of non-responsive feeding can result in stressful mealtimes and overall family relationship difficulty.
Another form of non-responsive parenting may occur when child cues are misinterpreted and food is seen as the solution. Have you seen mothers who say, the breast is the solution to every cry for the baby. Once the child begins to cry, without even thinking about it, the latch them onto the breast. This parent thinks the infant is not getting enough breast milk because the infant is crying soon after a feed. Some will give a tired toddler in the late afternoon who wants a cuddle and a rest some sweet biscuits and tell them to go off and play until it is family dinner time. Infants or young children need assistance that is appropriate to their age and development needs to support adequate nutrition.
Non-responsive feeding practices where the parent controls the feeding may result in overeating if, for example, children learn to eat when they are not hungry or that they should always continue eating until the bowl is empty. Eating until the bowl is empty at every meal may be beyond satiety and may be over-fullness. Finishing all the food in the bowl at every meal may mean that the parent does not respond to the child’s signs that he/she has had enough to eat. The baby or child learns to ignore the inborn mechanism for satiety and a new level is set where eating to over-fullness becomes the expected feeling. This exposes the child to over eating and may gain weight rapidly there by increasing the risk of lifelong obesity.
Steps to Responsive Feeding
Pay attention to the infant’s or child’s communication
Respond warmly and promptly
Feed the right food for the infant’s or child’s age and stage
Let the infant or child stop when they are full
Focus on being affectionate and nurturing
Benefits of Responsive Feeding
Responsive feeding helps to keep your levels of breast milk high and consistent, which naturally decreases any chances of painful feedings or blocked ducts. Oddly enough, the more milk your baby eats, the more milk you will produce—it’s part of the beautiful circle of life.
Babies who are fed using responsive feeding establish much better eating habits that carry into adulthood. When a strict schedule is implemented, babies are often fed past the point of fullness, which carries into toddler, teen, and adult eating habits which are using detrimental to their health.
I cannot begin to exhaust the bond that is created between you and the child. Unknown to you, mealtimes are an important learning environment where socialisation and language development takes place the most.
In conclusion responsive feeding only means that the parent observes, interprets accurately and responds appropriately to the signs or signals that the baby or young child gives. It is time to uncover the baby’s face as you feed them, pay extra attention to your toddler as they feed and enjoy the benefits of responsive feeding.
As we all strive to stay strong and fight this fast spreading pandemic of COVID19, the question on everyone’s mind is, Can you boost your immune system to fight COVID-19?
WHO defines the word pandemic loosely – “the worldwide spread of a new disease”. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a pandemic is a disease that has spread in multiple countries around the world, usually affecting a large number of people.
Aside the top preventative measures against COVID19 which are to wash your hands regularly for 20 seconds, with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub, covering your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze, avoiding close contact (1 meter or 3 feet) with people who are unwell, and staying home and self-isolating from others in the household if you feel unwell; there is one other thing that experts are recommending which is to boost your immunity. Positive immune response can be essential to staying healthy. While the following suggestions are not ways to prevent you from contracting the virus, they are easy ways to keep yourself as healthy as possible. Please note there is no magic pill or a specific food guaranteed to bolster your immune system and protect you from the new coronavirus.
Here are some of the simple things you can do to boost your immunity to give your body a better fighting chance.
Eat a balanced diet, exercise and skip unproven supplements.
A healthful diet and doing exercising are very important to maintain a strong immune system. However, no single food or natural remedy has been proven to bolster a person’s immune system or ward off disease. But that hasn’t stopped people from making specious claims. A recipe circulating on social media claims boiled garlic water helps. Other common foods touted for their immune-boosting properties are ginger, citrus fruits, vegetables. There are small studies that suggest a benefit to some of these foods, but strong evidence is lacking. Zinc supplements are also a popular remedy for fighting off colds and respiratory illness. If you enjoy foods touted as immune boosters, there is no harm in eating them as part of a balanced diet. Just be sure that you don’t neglect proven health advice like washing your hands and not touching your face when it comes to protecting yourself from viral illness.
Lower your stress.
Worries about the COVID19, the closure of schools, suspension of contracts and the general disruption of life have added stress levels, but we know that stress also can make you more susceptible to respiratory illness. Your body does a better job fighting off illness and healing wounds when it’s not under stress. Learning techniques for managing stress, like meditation, controlled breathing or talking to a therapist are all ways to help your immune system stay strong.
Improve your sleep habits.
A healthy immune system can fight off infection. A sleep-deprived immune system doesn’t work as well. Focusing on better sleep habits is a good way to strengthen your immune system. The sweet spot for sleep is six to seven hours a night. Stick to a regular bedtime and wake-up schedule. Avoid screens, night-eating and exercise right before bedtime.
Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
So many studies over time have found a link between excessive alcohol consumption and immune function. Research tends to indicate that people who drink in excess are more susceptible to respiratory illness and pneumonia and recover from infection and wounds more slowly. Alcohol alters the number of microbes in the gut microbiome, a community of microorganisms that affect the immune system. Excessive alcohol can damage the lungs, and impair the mucosal immune system, which is essential in helping the body recognize pathogens and fight infection. And it’s not just chronic drinking that does damage. Binge drinking can also impair the immune system. A cocktail or glass of wine while you are sheltering in place during coronavirus is fine. But drinking to excess will put you in a tricky place.
Vitamin D
While more study is needed on the link between vitamin D and immune health, some promising research suggests that checking your vitamin D level and/ taking a vitamin D supplement could help your body fight off respiratory illness. Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish, milk or foods fortified with vitamin D. In general, our vitamin D levels tend to be influenced by sun exposure.
My friend (let us name her Grace) walks into her salon, gasping for breath like she just finished an olympic marathon and throws her weight in the red fluffy chairs she finds in the lobby. Grace cannot believe that just two flights of stairs could get her this weary, but when you are pregnant and in the final lap, even a stroll in the backyard will leave you feeling like a hike to the top of the hill.
As soon as she is settles her now enormous weight that she carries around like a drum, the hunger pangs begin to dig in. They bite so hard that she muffles a silent groan as she asks her stylist to get her the waiter from the built-in restaurant. At this moment in time her taste buds are craving for liver, so she orders for french fries and liver.
As if not sure whether to say it or not, the waiter leans in and whispers to Grace, “I would not advise you to take liver in your state’ and briskly walks away like his job is on the line for this one statement he has made. Grace eventually changes her order but she is greatly disturbed because no one has ever warned her against eating liver especially when she is pregnant. Grace quickly sends me a text telling me the whole ordeal and asks me to clarify.
LIVER and PREGNANCY
From time memorial Liver is generally considered a healthy food that is rich in minerals, vitamins and protein, but it contains high amounts of preformed vitamin A. (A more scientific name is called retinol). Preformed vitamin A is found in animal products like eggs, milk, and liver. Too much of this type of vitamin A in your pregnancy diet can cause birth defects in your developing baby, especially during the first months of pregnancy. The other type of vitamin A is called provitamin A (carotenoids), which are found in fruits and vegetables. There’s no limit to the amount of carotenoids an expectant mother can safely consume, so you don’t have to worry about getting too much vitamin A from fruits and vegetables.
Benefits of eating Liver during pregnancy
Liver contains some vital elements that are considered essential for a mother and her baby during pregnancy, which makes consumption of liver quite a beneficial choice. (This is done with caution like we have discussed above)
Liver is a good source of proteins which are the core source of energy every pregnant woman must have in good amounts through out pregnancy, and she can get enough of them from the liver.
A child’s neurological development is one of the first things that happen as soon as conception takes place. Liver contains folic acid which plays a key role in the protection of the child within the womb as well as boosting the child’s neurological development.
Vitamin A directly impacts the development of eyesight and immunity of a developing child and there is no doubt that liver has plenty of this.
The mere fact that liver has an overwhelming presence of iron, is one of the major reasons why pregnant women need to consume liver since it reduces risks of anemia and keeps the blood healthy.
How much liver is safe for consumption?
If I told you, this is how much of the liver you can eat in a day, I would be telling a lie. There is no benchmark at how much proportion of liver is considered safe in which form for a pregnant woman. The proportions of vitamin A in it are quite substantial so it is quite easy to overdo them if one has regular consumption of liver. Therefore, it is generally advisable to keep its consumption restricted to once a week or twice a month.
The ball is now in your court, take that bite in your liver with caution the next time you are pregnant
