FIT &FAB: Try out nutritious ‘Mushenye’ to gain weight

The nutritious Mushenye and beans. PHOTO| MARION MAINA

What you need to know:

  • The next day while working on a report at the office, I got a call from my mother.
  • “My darling daughter, how are you? Are you having a good day?”
  • “Yes mom. It’s going great. Did you need me to pick something for you on my way home?”

I count myself blessed because my parents allow me to live under their roof even after graduation.

My mother is particularly very pleased that I come home to her every day.  Last year, I announced over dinner that I was thinking of renting an apartment close to my workplace. I got no reaction, not even a batted eyebrow.

Chitchat around the table continued uninterrupted that for a second, I thought I had made that statement in my head.

I cleared my throat ready to repeat the announcement but right at that moment, my niece’s fauvorite advert came on TV and everyone sang along with her. I couldn’t beat them so I joined in singing about Indomie noodles.

The next day while working on a report at the office, I got a call from my mother.

“My darling daughter, how are you? Are you having a good day?”

“Yes mom. It’s going great. Did you need me to pick something for you on my way home?”

“No dear. I was wondering, what do you want to have for dinner today?”

“Huh? Well I do miss having chicken with.. “

“Got it! I will make chicken with that thick gravy you like so much. See ya!”

DRIPPING WITH LOVE

I hung up in a puzzled daze as I fumbled to wrap my mind around what had just happened.  My mother’s tone was exceptionally sweet and since when did they start consulting me on the menu?

When I got home, more lovely surprises awaited me. My flat-tummy water pitcher was already filled and set for overnight soak with fresh ingredients (cucumbers, lemon, ginger and lemons), my clothes were already folded and arranged in the wardrobe and not piled on my bed as usual after laundry and to top it all, that chicken gravy was exceptionally good.

As I scooped up the last spoon of thick tasty chicken gravy, my mother dropped the other shoe of this special treatment that had begun with a sweet phone call earlier in the day.

“So, what was that you were talking about yesterday? Moving? Would you really want to go back to a cold lonely apartment after such a tiresome day at work? You would probably eat dinner from a box of takeout of leftovers because you are too tired to fix supper?” she pointed out calmly.

I burst into laughter and everyone else joined in. At that point, my mouth still awash with a burst of spicy chicken flavors, I realised I did not want to move out anymore. Later that evening, I made her understand that I was grateful for their support in letting me to continue staying at home.

She waved it off, saying that she was so glad to have a fellow live-in chatterbox and dreaded the day I would have to leave home.

NO TIME TO COOK

The only downside to staying at home is that I hardly get time to cook. We have such an efficient help who has dinner ready latest by 6.00pm. By the time I get home at around 8.00pm, hot meals are usually in dishes and the table set for dinner.

On Saturdays, she makes a lot of chapatis which are eaten on Sunday, her day off. I love her, despite the fact that she has totally displaced me from the kitchen.

What’s more, I overheard my brother tell my mother that she is such a great cook and that I may have met my match.  I planned on spending my off days with Millicent because there was some element of truth in my brother’s claim.

Last Friday, I was a bit under the weather so I took a day off from work.

After helping Millicent with the less glamorous kitchen chores like dusting the shelves and washing utensils, I suggested we make dinner together and she readily accepted, much to my pleasure.  

I have been reading a bit on healthy weight gain as promised two weeks ago. I learnt that like losing weight, those looking to gain weight need to eat food that is high in calories but also nutritional.

Gaining weight is not a hall pass to indulge in sugar and fat fest as this would lead to lifestyle acquired disease such as obesity and type two diabetes. I learnt that beans, for example, was high in

calories and hence a great food choice for weight gainers.  Millicent and I decided to make a beans recipe which I now dedicated to all the fitness enthusiasts out there who are struggling to gain weight.  Enjoy.

Mushenye

Ingredients

½ Kg of  Beans

5 large pieces of   sweet potatoes

2 tablespoons of margarine/ butter

Salt to taste

Method of Preparation

Boil the beans until well cooked

In a separate pot, wash and peel the sweet potatoes then boil them till cooked

Mix beans with the sweet potatoes, add salt and butter then mash everything together.

Serve hot with a stew of your choice.

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Fit&Fab is a blog series by Marion Maina who lost 30kg during her weight loss journey that started two years ago and is now in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Do you have feedback on this story? E-mail: [email protected]