Nutrition
Kokonte and hot pepper
Kokonte is a staple food eaten in many parts of Ghana, Togo and other West African countries. It is primarily made of dried cassava flour.
The method of preparation is similar to that of banku and tuo zaafi. It has a unique brown colour which differentiates it from banku, fufu, akple or tuo zaafi.
Kokonte or konkonte is mostly taken as lunch or dinner and served with groundnut soup, okro stew, light soup, palm nut soup or ground pepper.
Kokonte also known as ‘face the wall’ is sold in local eateries (chop bars) in Ghana and can also be prepared at home.
Ingredients
Dried cassava flour Water
Ingredients for hot pepper
Three large tomatoes
Three peppers
Two large onion
Two tablespoonfuls of salt
Preparation
-Pour two cups of water into a metallic cooking pot
-Place it on the source of heat and boil
-Whiles boiling, fetch some of the hot water and set aside.
-Add two and half cups of cassava flour to the boiling water in bits
-Stir with the wooden spatula whiles adding to ensure there are no lumps formation.
-Knead the mixture with the wooden ladle to form a thick and consistent paste.
-Continue kneading till you get the texture you need with no lumps.
-When cooked, use a small bowl to scoop and mould into desired sizes.
-Serve whiles hot with groundnut soup or palm nut soup.
-Store the remaining into a refrigerator or food container.
-Wash tomatoes, pepper and onion under running water.
– Grind pepper and onion and add salt to taste.
-Add tomatoes, when ready and serve with kokonte.
Source: Recipejoint
Nutrition
Khebab
Khebab, popularly known as kyinkyinga in Ghana, is a very popular street food.
With meat variations ranging from beef, gizzards, chicken, guinea fowls, sausages and others, this spicy meat threaded on skewers and grilled over a gentle heat is usually served with sliced onions and spicy pepper powder.
It is very popular among the Hausa people in northern Ghana. The people that sell them are referred to as Abochi.
Ingredients
Kyinkyinga powder
●1 cup of ground peanuts (You can also use peanut butter powder )
●1 tablespoonful of onion powder
Salt to taste
●1 tablespoonful of paprika
●1 tablespoonful of ginger powder
●1 tablespoonful of cayenne
pepper
●1 tablespoonful of black pepper
Beef / meat on skewers
●5 Pounds diced beef /meat/ gizzard
●1/2 bulb of onion
Oil
Preparation
-Mix all the spices in a bowl together to get the kyinkyinga powder.
-Dip a cooking brush in oil and quote your beef on skewers with oil
– Generously rub your kyinkyinga powder mix on the meat and place them on a baking dish
-Place the baking dish of kebabs in a 350 degree Fahrenheit pre-heated conventional oven.
-Bake it for about 20 minutes and your beef / meat kebabs will be ready.
Nutrition
Overcoming urinary tract infections with our diet
Infections of the urinary tract (UTIs) are the second most common type of infection in the body. You may have a UTI if you notice pain or burning sensation when you urinate, an urge to use the bathroom much more often than usual, pain at the lower back, urine that smells bad, looks cloudy or reddish, and symptoms of fever, tiredness, or shakiness.
Bacteria are the villains behind UTIs. In fact, harmful bacteria from our stool sometimes manage to sneak into the urethra, the opening where urine exits the body. From there, they may spread to the bladder. Urinating helps wash/ flush these bacteria out of the urinary tract.
UTIs are more common in females than males, and particularly common in diabetics, people undergoing chemotherapy, people on steroids, people living with HIV/AIDS, among others. Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment, however the following tips will go a long way toward helping you avoid UTIs:
Food to include
• Proanthocyanidins rich foods such as Cranberries, blueberries, and grapes.
• Probiotic bacteria rich foods such as fermented milk or yoghurt.
• Vitamin C rich foods such as oranges, tangerines, pineapples, and bell peppers.
• Drinking about 8 glasses of water a day to increase urination and hence flush out bacteria.
Lifestyle modification
• Avoid unnecessary usage of steroids.
• Adherence to medication if you are diabetic or a person living with HIV/ AIDS.
• Observe very good personal hygiene.
• Drink alcohol in moderation.
• Avoid sedentary lifestyle and incorporate exercise in your daily lives.
In conclusion, to avoid the uncomfortable and painful situation of living with a UTI, there are many ways and means that are well within our reach. Our diet and lifestyle play a major role which should not be underestimated, and with careful adherence to these tips, we will avoid UTIs completely.
The writer Dr. Bernice Korkor Asare is the CEO of Holistic Health Consult
“Your diet your health, your health your wealth”
E-mail: holistichealthconsultgh@ gmail.com
