Friday, November 2, 2012

Fish & chips - with a twist

We were surprised with a public holiday last week. So I gave our house-help a day off and went into the kitchen to have a little fun. Thankfully, Mwagala behaved herself and I was able to get lunch ready quicker than usual.

My dear hubby recently had a tooth extracted and had been taking a lot of soup so I decided to make his 'first' meal a special one. I made grilled fish and chips. With a bit of a twist on the chips. So I'll let you in on the recipe. (I forgot to measure but I will estimate.)

Ingredients for fish (Serves 2)

  • Fish fillet (4)
  • Unsalted Butter/ Olive oil 
  • White pepper
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt 
Pre-heat the oven grill to 210C

With Butter 
Melt butter in pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

With Olive Oil
Pour olive oil in a pan and add salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. 

Rub the oil/ butter mixture on both sides of the fish fillet and place on baking tray.
Place in the oven grill for about 20 minutes on one side and then turn to the other side. 
Reduce the heat and leave to cook through. You could cover with foil to allow them to cook through without drying out. 

Fish fillet in the oven. I forgot to take a before or during photo :( 
Ingredients for chips (Serves 2)

  • 6 large potatoes
  • 4 large onions
  • 2 large green pepper
  • Salt
  • White Pepper 
  • Sunflower oil/ vegetable oil

Peel, wash and chop the potatoes into chips/ fries. 
Slice the onions into rings and the green pepper longitudinally.
Pour about 2 tablespoons of oil into the frying pan and place on high heat. 
Add two handfuls of potatoes.

Add salt to taste.
Fry potatoes until they begin to brown. (Do not stir them too much as this will make them break up.)
When slightly brown, add some onions and green pepper. 
Add salt and white pepper to taste. (Easy on the salt since you already put some in the beginning.)

Add salt and white pepper to taste. 
Fry for about 2 more minutes and place on a kitchen towel to drain out the oil. 
Serve hot.

So yummy :)
I hope you enjoy it as much as we did :)

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lovelace Files' 30 Day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge


So the mighty organised Kathy over at Lovelace Files has set up a 30 day Home Routine and Schedule Challenge for the month of November. And I have decided to join in. I need this challenge. Did I mention that Kathy is super organised? Maybe you didn't get it - she is SUPER ORGANISED! So I know that she is the best person to help whip me into shape.

So every week for the month of November we will have a particular area of our lives to organise and I will blog about my progress each week.

  • Week 1: Meal Planning
  • Week 2: Cleaning schedule
  • Week 3: Good Morning & Good night routines
  • Week 4: Exercise routine
I'm looking forward! Let's do this :)

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Formula - to be or not to be?


Until a few days ago I was all for breast feeding Mwagala until she’s a year old without supplementing with formula. I’m rethinking this plan. Sure breast is best and I don’t want to stop completely but I’d really like to get some relief from nursing once in a while. The problem is that formula doesn’t come cheap- which is the very reason why I wanted to avoid it in the first place. But it really does come in handy. Formula would allow me to leave her with the nanny without having to worry about whether I've pumped enough milk. I also think that the breast milk isn’t filling her enough anymore. And she’s not yet enjoying her solids so it’s more breast milk than anything else really.
 I love my baby but sometimes I just want a little space to spontaneously get out of the house without her. I need some me time. I’m fully aware how selfish that sounds. But it’s the truth. I love watching her nurse. She looks so content and it has really helped us create a bond. I’ve thought long and hard about the decision to introduce formula and I think I’m going to try it. Mwagala is quite opinionated so when she doesn’t like something she will let me know so I’m counting on her to tell me if I’ve made the right decision.
Hopefully the fact that she will still be nursing will keep the formula cost down. Here’s hoping. I’m taking the leap. *fingers crossed*

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Oh Sleep, where art thou?



Today I woke up feeling drained. Mwagala kept waking up last night. She had started sleeping through the night but these days it's getting harder for her to make it through one night. And that is exhausting. Mostly because she doesn't sleep well during the day. (That also explains why I'm finding it hard to find time to blog).
Anyway, I woke up exhausted. And feeling overwhelmed. So I went into complaining mode. I complained about not getting enough sleep. About her crying for no good reason (as if). About my weight. About her being too clingy. The list went on and on. After a few hours of feeling sorry for myself. I looked at Mwagala as she nursed and my heart melted. She looked so peaceful. So beautiful. I think it's her way of making me fall in love with her all over again :-)

I stopped my complaining and began to thank God. I thanked Him for my beautiful baby girl. For her health. And for her smile. Her smile makes me feel better. It's like a slice of sunshine on a gloomy day.

I know that there are a lot of things that I would like to be able to do. Like sleep through the night, or not feel  hungry all the time because I'm still nursing. I would love to have my pre-pregnancy body back so that my clothes can fit again. But for now I'll let all those feelings take a back seat. You can't be a mother without making some sacrifices and the love I feel for her is worth every single sacrifice. I love being her Mama. Even though I can't plan my day and expect it all to go as planned she is still the apple of my eye. And she has taught me to be selfless.

So today I may have woken up feeling drained, exhausted and overwhelmed but I will keep reminding myself that I'm blessed to be a mum. Blessed to have a beautiful, happy, energetic little girl who steals my heart each time she calls out 'Mama'.

I'm in love. It's an exhausting kind of love but it's worth it and I'm blessed. One day she'll be all grown up so I'm going to take the good and the bad days as they come and purpose to enjoy them.




Monday, October 8, 2012

50 Years of Independence. I choose to celebrate!

The National Flag of Uganda (source)
Tomorrow my country, Uganda, will celebrate 50 years of independence. I am proud to be Ugandan. Some Ugandans have chosen to use this time to complain about what the government isn't doing - which is a lot. But I choose to celebrate my country's independence. The government may be messed up but that's not the point here. Like my dad says; "We're not thanking the NRM, we're thanking God.'

And God has been good to us. This year, after 40 years, a Ugandan won a gold medal at the Olympics. It was exciting. What was even better was that at the Olympic closing ceremony our national Anthem was sung. It was absolutely glorious! I was so proud to be Ugandan.

I know that a lot of things in my country are a far cry from what they should be but I'm thankful that I have a place to call home. A place that has such a rich culture and the friendliest people I know. I've not travelled much but I've not yet been to a country where I can strike up a conversation with anyone I meet on the road side. And I don't just mean saying 'Hello'. In Uganda you can start talking to a stranger and actually exchange life stories and jokes- without even telling them your name. It keeps amazing me how when I get into a taxi many times the person I sit next to will greet me. Not with a smile but with actual words. Ugandans are so relational.

I'm proud to be Ugandan not because it is perfect but because it is home. You don't say you're proud of your family because they are perfect. You're proud of them because they are your family. My country is my identity.

I'll just list a few things I'm thankful for when it comes to my country:

  • I'm thankful that we are a God-fearing state (generally). That is something I do not take for granted. 
  • I'm thankful for the different tribes that make our nation what it is. Each of them make our country richer with their cultures and languages. 
  • I'm thankful for the climate. It's summer all year round :) Sometimes I complain that it's too hot but honestly our climate is just right. Not too hot and not too cold. Just perfect.
  • I'm thankful for the  fertile soils. As a farmer's wife this is something we thank God for often. That we can plant crops almost anywhere and reap a harvest. 
  • I'm thankful that morals are still pretty important in Uganda. They are in short supply elsewhere in the world. 
  • I'm thankful that we have some peace in our country. 
My country is not perfect. I know that very, VERY well. But I love it. I know that God will slowly get us to where He wants us to be.

Today, as I watched the National Prayer Breakfast they stood up to sing the national anthem- all 3 stanzas- and I sang along with all my heart, proud to be Ugandan and meaning every word. Here it is:


Oh Uganda! may God uphold thee, 
We lay our future in thy hand. 
United, free, 
For liberty 
Together we'll always stand. 




Oh Uganda! the land of freedom. 
Our love and labour we give, 
And with neighbours all 
At our country's call 
In peace and friendship we'll live. 




Oh Uganda! the land that feeds us 
By sun and fertile soil grown. 
For our own dear land, 
We'll always stand: 
The Pearl of Africa's Crown. 




source: Source
HAPPY 50TH INDEPENDENCE UGANDA!!!!! May God continue to lead you. I look forward to the next 50 years! 
For God and my country.

The Coat of Arms (source)

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