“Leftovers have a reputation”

As I delve into Nadiya’s life story, I find myself captivated by her journey – a beautiful blend of resilience, creativity, and raw emotions. Her experiences echo a familiar tune for many women who juggle their roles as mothers, wives, and trailblazers in their respective fields.

Add Nadiya’s Cook Once, Eat Twice to your watchlist

Nadiya Hussain admits that she has developed an unusual addiction – one that isn’t cause for alarm: “It’s hard to believe, but not wasting food can become quite addictive,” she says with a smile. “And it’s a good kind of addiction. Cleaning out the fridge and using up all its contents can trigger a burst of dopamine.

If you’re still unpersuaded, spending a mere 30 minutes in the sparkling presence of the ex-Bake Off champion could change your perspective. After all, discussing creative uses for potato peels, limp vegetables, and even the goopy water from a canned chickpea that we often waste by throwing it away or pouring it down the drain might make you see things differently.

39-year-old Nadiya aims to demonstrate innovative methods for utilizing leftovers and maximizing food in her six-part series, titled “Nadiya’s Cook Once, Eat Twice“. As a mother of three, she will showcase these techniques to help families make the most of what they have, even when searching the darker recesses of their refrigerators.

It’s not surprising to those who have seen Nadiya in action that the series (and its accompanying book) is packed with practical suggestions and quick solutions. Yet, as she tackles tasks like fermenting, preserving, grinding, and crushing ingredients such as breadcrumbs and peelings, it’s also evident that this program is fueled by a deeply personal enthusiasm.

She clarifies that frugality has played a significant role throughout her life. Raised in an immigrant family, they often lived paycheck to paycheck and were always mindful of saving and using every resource they had, as waste wasn’t an option. This thrifty mindset has deeply influenced her, instilling a habit of finding ways to reuse items and never discarding anything unnecessarily.

Raised in Luton as part of a large, second-generation British Bangladeshi household, our resources were limited and nothing was squandered. However, this frugality extended beyond our immediate circumstances; each year we made trips to Bangladesh, which served to underscore the profound bond between humanity and the food cycle.

She explains, “In Bangladesh, people used to grow their own rice and vegetables. Nowadays, it’s not always the case. If someone doesn’t grow their food, they might not understand its origins. This lack of understanding can lead to apathy when food gets wasted because it has no personal impact on them. This is where the disconnection arises.

Today’s society often relies on immediate satisfaction, such as pressing a button to have food delivered right to your doorstep. With our program and literature, we aim to fill this gap by encouraging mindful consumption. As you learn to save resources, you develop a newfound appreciation for the worth of each ingredient.

I grew up in an immigrant household, we were always saving, waste wasn’t an option

Her energy is contagious, yet it’s accurate to acknowledge that even energetic Nadiya faces a substantial challenge on this particular topic: despite the financial strain we’re experiencing, coupled with a clear understanding of the impact industrial food production has on the environment, many individuals, truthfully, seem disinclined to make much more effort than tossing leftovers into the trash and discarding the wilted carrots in the crisper drawer.

She nods in understanding, “Indeed, leftovers often get overlooked. They’re tucked away in the fridge, covered in cling film or in Tupperware, and before you know it, a week has passed, and you think, ‘I guess I’ll have to throw them away.’ I can relate. However, what I’m proposing is proving that leftovers can be exciting and transform into something fantastic with minimal effort. It doesn’t have to be a chore.

Nadiya demonstrates creating a crispy potato skin gratin, a twist on a classic, as well as providing directions for making sugar from clementine peels and instructions for preparing meringues utilizing leftover chickpea liquid. In the Hussain household, nothing is discarded; instead, everything finds a tasty new role, eliminating the need for compost bins in her kitchen, as she cheerfully states, “There’s always a use for everything.

Nadiya also expresses doubts about the common British practice of doing a “large weekly grocery run”. She questions if one truly considers what’s already at home and uses those items before heading to the store every week. Instead, she prefers to extend the life of her ingredients beyond just a week, even up to 14 days or more. She finds joy in this challenge, as it allows her to be creative with her remaining ingredients and keep the fridge stocked for longer periods. When the fridge is nearly empty and her husband suggests shopping again, she’s still thinking of ways to use leftover items. This game of resourcefulness excites her!

Whenever she visits the grocery store close to her family’s home in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, she goes with a strict shopping list and rarely strays from it – except for snatching up items with reduced prices near their expiration date. “I have a soft spot for yellow sticker deals,” she says gleefully. “I usually grab broccoli, carrots, and similar produce, prepare them all ahead, then freeze them. Bread also freezes well; you can simply toast a slice or grind it into breadcrumbs.

Make no mistake, though, while Nadiya is militant about not wasting a morsel she’s also a mum of three teenagers – she and husband Abdal have Musa, 18, Dawud, 17, and 13-year old daughter Maryam bringing up the rear. That means the odd takeaway and the odd bit of junk food, although she confides that her boys in particular, would happily eat their mum’s homemade rice and curry every day. ‘‘My daughter likes it, too, although we get to three days and then she’s like, ‘It’s not curry again tonight, is it?’ Which is when I tell her if she doesn’t want the curry, she knows where the kitchen is and she can go and make some pasta.’’

As her youngest children are nearing adulthood, she’s been contemplating what lies ahead when they eventually leave home. “Since they enjoy spending time in their rooms, I find myself with more personal time, which is wonderful and opens up possibilities for me, such as traveling,” she shares. “However, I must admit that I’m also feeling a bit anxious about the emptiness that will come with them leaving – it’s starting to feel like an empty nest.” Interestingly, she has suggested a potential remedy to alleviate some of this void. “I’ve told my husband that I really want to get a macaw,” she says. “I absolutely crave a beautiful macaw.

Nadiya has recently taken up archery but admits that she tends to dabble in various hobbies without fully committing. She confesses, “I really enjoy archery, but I often start something and then lose interest, so we’ll see.” Abdal responds by saying he finds it challenging to keep up with her diverse ideas, but laughs about it.

Absolutely, he’s accustomed to his wife’s unpredictable behavior – they’ve been married for 19 years now, and it was Abdal who stood by Nadiya’s side after she won Bake Off in 2015, propelling her into nationwide fame.

I’m not Taylor Swift, I don’t need to reinvent myself

In 2020, she was honored with the MBE, which she described as a significant milestone for her. Her grandfather, who faced severe racial abuse upon arrival in the country, was left for dead three times but chose to stay because he believed his family would have a better life here than in Bangladesh. His sacrifice allowed her to achieve this recognition, and she feels certain that he would be immensely proud, knowing that his granddaughter now holds an MBE, symbolizing acceptance and belonging.

Throughout her journey, Nadiya has also shared her experiences with panic attacks and ongoing anxiety. She admits to initially feeling hesitant about disclosing such personal details, but now views her decision to be open as “absolutely one of my best choices.

She’s sharing that she now has a clearer grasp of her personal limits. As she puts it, “It boils down to knowing my body.” She explains, “Whenever I sense I’m not quite at my best or feeling a bit vulnerable, and I’m having a tough time, I avoid certain things; I take proactive steps to shield myself. This is something I’ve realized over the past decade – that I can’t control all external influences, but if I focus on managing myself, it makes a world of difference.

This year on Christmas Day, she reaches the age of 40, a significant moment in her life that she previously felt hesitant about but has decided to face with enthusiasm according to her preferences. She expresses, “When you reach a milestone birthday, you feel like you must instigate major alterations, which only amplifies the self-imposed pressure. Then I considered, ‘Why am I forcing this? I just want to visit Mexico.’ I’m not Taylor Swift, I don’t need to undergo a personal transformation.

In an action that many people her age are likely to identify with, she’s opting for a kitchen renovation. “I’m finally getting the kitchen I’ve always wanted,” she says. The new kitchen will feature a spacious 22-seater dining table and a sleek water dispenser – no compost bin, however.

2024-09-11 16:04

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