OMUSHENYE

I'm so excited about today's recipe because it has been ages since I made this dish. I'm sure you are wondering what Omushenye is, so let's get to it. Omushenye is a traditional Kenyan meal that is most famous in the Western parts of Kenya. It is a dish made by the Luhya community in Kenya. Omushenye is just basically cooked Sweet Potatoes and Beans mashed together to form a healthy and filling dish that is both sweet, delicious and Vegan. It is so easy to make and you only require two ingredients. From this Omushenye dish you get your portion of Carbohydrates from the Sweet Potatoes and Proteins from the Beans. It has no additives so you won't have to worry about salt or sugar, you get the seasoning from mashing the Sweet Potatoes and Beans.I'm sure there are some variations with flavorings or even spices and herbs added, but this is the traditional method that my grandmother used, my mother taught me and I will definitely teach my kids, pass down the recipe if you will. This is such a great way to use up any left over Beans and Sweet Potatoes, and you will have a complete meal. You can have Omushenye with Tea or even eat with other meals like Stews, or, just stick with Tea, the authentic way of having Omushenye. Why not try it? I guarantee you will get hooked on this local Luhya delicacy!

SWEET POTATO - VEGETABLE OF THE WEEK

Sweet Potatoes are great vegetables that you can do so much with. You can eat them raw, they make a great snack. You can boil them and eat with tea, fry them up and make Sweet Potato Fries, bake them into pies, bread and even cake. You can add them to salads and even mash them up for a great dip. Being a vegetable, the sweet potato should not be overcooked as it will loose its flavour and nutrients. Many varieties of sweet potatoes are available, but three can usually be found in any local supermarket. The first type is called the Covington sweet potato, which is a favorite for mashing or roasting. This particular variety has rose-colored skin, with very sweet orange flesh. The second one is the O’Henrysweet potato. This one is a little unusual in that it more resembles an Irish potato, with a pale copper-colored skin and white flesh, which tastes sweet and creamy, making it a perfect candidate to be used in soups and stews. Third type we have the Japanese sweet potato, with its prominent red skin and dry white flesh. This type of potato is commonly roasted and used as a side dish or a snack. Sweet potatoes are High in Manganese.