Amazing uses for banana peels

I hate to take food from goats, pigs and cows but I have to. PS, am not the kind of person who uses the whole goat after slaughter, including the voice and hooves, but I have to be that person when it comes to banana peels for the following reasons;

They whiten teeth

Are your teeth stained from drinking too much coffee? Or have they just lost their luster and shine? The potassium in banana peels helps in whitening teeth. For best results, choose a banana that looks just ripe which is when the potassium levels are highest.  Wash the banana thoroughly and wipe it before you peel it. Rub the inside of the banana on your teeth until they are completely coated in banana paste. Take time to rub it to make sure your teeth are well coated and leave it for about ten minutes. Brush your teeth with toothpaste and save money you could have used to whiten teeth.

Soothe skin irritations

Rubbing fresh banana peels on bug bites, stings and other skin irritations helps ease the pain and the irritation. The minerals, vitamins and fruit acids are super great for your skin too so go all out.

Remove warts

Tired of warts that won’t go away? Don’t worry, nature has your back. Just rub a piece of ripe banana on the warts every night before bed and watch them fade.

Add it to your juice blend

Banana peels are full of vitamins and minerals and adding them to your juice means boosting your vitamins and minerals intake. To do that, make sure you choose bananas with fresh looking skin and wash them well preferably with water that has some vinegar in it.

Polish your shoes and silverware

To do this, simply rub the banana peel on the shoes or the silverware the n rub with a soft cloth.

Treat acne and improve your complexion

Just like with all the above fixes, rub the inside of the banana peel to help improve the appearance of acne and to give your skin a glow.

Feed your flowers and plants

If all the above is not for you, you could always let your flowers and house plants soak in all the minerals and vitamins from the banana peels  but maybe shred the peels into small pieces to make it look good and intentional and not like you just littered your flower bed.

 lastly, if you are starving, and your neighbor wants to throw banana peels away, volunteer to help throw them for him/her then go to your house and eat them. They are totally edible so don't worry

Simple Secrets for Healthy and Fast Breakfasts

Have you ever wondered about those doctors and nutritionists who insist on preaching the breakfast gospel? As in, do they have normal lives with kids to get ready in the morning, missing/undone homework, last minute wardrobe malfunctions, traffic and the like? Do they know what time I have to wake up and what time I went to bed? Well, I am one of those people who preach the breakfast gospel and I do because food is the fuel for the body.  For adults it gives us energy to do everything from blinking to lifting heavy objects. For children, food provides energy, helps them grow, gives them the ability to learn and pay attention etc.

For anyone who is trying to manage their weight, eating breakfast helps you prevent having a sugar crush at around mid morning which would cause you to crave unhealthy food and devour the first thing you see which is not good because the first thing you see is almost always unhealthy.

Some people are willing to try the whole regular breakfast thing but they just don’t know where to start; if you are one of those people, don’t worry because we got you. Below are ways to make breakfast making simple and less time consuming.

The secret to simple and fast breakfasts is early planning. This saves you time and a headache.

For example;

Ø  The next time you make chapatis, make extra for two breakfasts

Ø  Make enough pancakes for two breakfasts and keep them in the fridge

Ø  Boil root tubers e.g. nduma (arrow roots) and ngwaci (Sweet potatoes) as you watch TV in the evening or as you help your kids with their homework.

Ø  Make your own cereal. During the weekend or when you have time, make your own granola. It is simple and the best part is you decide what goes into it. Check out this link for a simple granola recipe. http://kabubaaa.blogspot.co.ke/2016/05/simple-granola-recipe.html

Other simple breakfast ides include:

Ø  Store bought cereal with milk and a fruit. When buying cereal, make sure it’s the kind that is full of fiber and not the kind that is all sugar and color.

Ø  Bread. When buying bread, I recommend whole grain bread. Whole grain bread is superior to white bread in that it has fiber which is associated with many health benefits. Whole grain bread also is high in Vitamin B6 and E, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, copper and manganese. It also helps you stay full for longer which is good especially if you are trying to manage your weight.

Ø  Oatmeal

Ø  Leftover food. Other than saving you time, it also helps you prevent food wastage.

Ø  Sandwiches. These are especially good for kids because they find them fun and you can add fillings to make them super healthy. E.g. nut butter, banana and sesame (simsim) toast. 

  Eggs. Good thing with eggs is that you can prepare them in numerous ways and most of the various ways to make them are not time consuming.

Simple Granola Recipe

Breakfast is a tricky meal especially for working mothers. All nutritionists and doctors will tell you to make this meal the heaviest and the healthiest and you want to give the best to your family; but who has time to make all that with the morning hustle?! If you are in a situation where the heart is willing but time is not on your side don’t worry, we got you!

Ever heard of granola? This is a breakfast cereal made of very healthy and nutritious ingredients and all you have to do is add milk to it and you have a healthy, nutritious breakfast. Good news is that you can buy granola from most major supermarkets. Bad news is that it will cost you a small fortune! Before you get sad, remember that we got you! So, below is a simple granola recipe. What I love most about granola is it you get to use the fruits and nuts you love. It also saves lots of time and energy as it keeps for long.

Ingredients

ü  3 cups rolled oats (not instant)

ü  3 tablespoons brown sugar

ü  1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ü  1/4 teaspoon salt

ü  1/3 cup honey

ü  1/4 cup vegetable oil

ü  1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

ü  1/2 cup dried fruit (use any fruit but make sure it is diced or in small pieces)

ü  1/2 cup coarsely crushed groundnuts.

Tip

To coarsely crush groundnuts put them on a clean chopping board and roll with a rolling pin. You get best results if you use roasted groundnuts and if possible use them with the skin on.

Directions

ü  Pre heat the oven at 180°C

ü  Place the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine; set aside. 

ü  Place the honey, oil, and vanilla in a small bowl and stir to combine. Pour over the oat mixture and mix until the oats are thoroughly coated. 

ü  Spread the mixture on a thin, even layer baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir and continue baking until the granola is very light golden brown, about 5 to 15 minutes more. 

ü  Cool the granola to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. (Note: It will harden as it cools.) 

ü  Add the fruit and nuts or seeds to the baking sheet and toss to combine.

ü  Keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

 ENJOY