Manifestation, Business & Health (Featuring tips from House of Brave CEO on business and his daily routine)

CEO of Brave Group Musa Kalenga pictured above :

Welcome back to another edition of The Skinny Chef Diaries weekly blog! This week, I’m thrilled to explore the dynamic combination of manifestation, business, and health.

Manifestation: The Secret to Success

We all have dreams and goals we’re eager to achieve. But how powerful is manifestation in turning those dreams into reality? Let's dive into how imagery and visualization can sharpen your focus and elevate your performance.

• Better Performance: Imagery helps you enhance performance by vividly imagining yourself carrying out a task. It’s like a mental rehearsal that primes your mind for success.

• Increased Mental Clarity: Visualization improves mental focus, helping you better control and direct your thoughts. The best time to practice is either first thing in the morning or right before bed when your brain is in a relaxed alpha state, making it more receptive to these techniques.

Visualization vs. Meditation vs. Mindfulness Meditation

• Visualization: Focuses on specific images to induce relaxation and calmness.

• Mindfulness Meditation: Involves bringing full attention to the present moment, observing thoughts, emotions, and sensations, and cultivating awareness and acceptance.

The Olympic Secret to Success

Top athletes, like Noah Lyles, who won the 100m men’s final in Paris, use visualization and manifestation techniques to boost their confidence and performance. Lyles’ confidence before the event is a testament to how these practices can make a difference.

Noah lyles winning gold at Olympics Source: Getty Images

Here are four effective visualization techniques to incorporate into your routine:

Goal Visualization:

Clearly define your goal and focus on achieving it through meditation. Picture the best possible outcome, and after your meditation, you’ll have greater clarity on how to reach your objectives.

Color Breathing:

A calming meditation technique.

Follow these steps:

• Identify the emotion you're currently feeling.

• Imagine a color that represents that emotion.

• Identify the emotion you want to feel.

• Visualize a color that represents this desired emotion.

• Focus on your breathing while imagining the color spreading throughout your body.

• Rest in this feeling for as long as possible.

Future Self Visualization:

Visualize your future self with a healthier mindset and improved well-being. This technique is especially helpful when stressed, as it boosts your sense of self and overall mood.

Gratitude Visualization:

Linked to better mental and physical health, this technique involves visualizing the things you’re grateful for—people, possessions, experiences—and intentionally feeling deep appreciation and joy.

Business & Health: Insights from Musa Kalenga

Musa Kalenga pictured above holding his insightful novel "The Brave code"

Today, we have a special guest who inspired me to finish writing my first book—Musa Kalenga, author of "Ladders and Trampolines" and "The Brave Code."

Skinny Chef: “Thanks for joining us, Musa. Let’s dive right in—how does one stay successful and relevant in business?”

Musa: “Great question! To stay successful and relevant, two things are crucial: a healthy sense of paranoia and a strong curiosity. The paranoia I’m talking about is positive—it’s the drive to keep yourself on top of your game, knowing that there’s always someone out there aiming to be bigger, better, and faster. This energy is what fuels reinvention and keeps you plugged into your purpose.”

“Secondly, curiosity is key. We live in a world where information is readily available, and it’s easy to think you know everything after a quick Google search. But true knowledge comes from diving deeper, applying what you learn, and evolving your business with that insight. That’s how you continue to stay successful.”

Skinny Chef: “Wow, that’s insightful! Can you share your daily fitness routine and how it impacts your day?”

A visual snippet of Musa Kalenga's Fitness routine :

Musa: “My daily fitness routine is a non-negotiable part of my life. About a year and a half ago, I realized that the best time for me to focus on fitness without compromise was early in the morning. So, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I hit the gym at 5 a.m. for an hour. This sets the tone for my entire day. Reflecting on it, I’ve never regretted a workout—no matter how painful it is in the moment, I always feel better afterward. The discipline to wake up and get moving clears my mind and puts me in the right headspace to perform at my best throughout the day.”

Skinny Chef: “That’s awesome! Finally, what does your diet look like? What’s your favorite food?”

Musa: “Ah, favorite food is tricky! I love harvest tables with a bit of everything—grapes, strawberries, cheese, cold meats, crackers, preserves. It’s practical, healthy, and offers a nice variety. I also enjoy Mediterranean diets, which work well for me. Depending on the season, Imight indulge in a hearty beef stew or lamb during winter—my wife makes those exceptionally well. And I’m a big fan of fresh water fish, especially when paired with roasted garden vegetables.”

Skinny Chef: “Thanks, Musa, for sharing these insights with our readers! That wraps up this week’s blog. Thanks for reading, and Happy Women's Day to all the ladies! To celebrate, I’ll be sharing a healthy fish dish with a Sicilian caponata from my book—something you must have your other half cook for you today!

Whole Baked Kabeljou, with Sicilian Caponata 

This dish is definitely one of my top 10 dishes that I love to cook. The fresh whole white fish, kabeljou, is rich in nutrients, omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Red peppers are rich in vitamin B6 and folate, which both play an important role in the prevention of anaemia. Courgettes are full of pectin, vitamin C and beta-carotene, which assist in eye health and lowering cholesterol. Courgettes will also assist with weight loss, as they have a high water content and are therefore low in calories. 

Ingredients

Whole Baked Kabeljou 

• 800g – 1.2kg whole white fish, ideally kabeljou 

• 2 whole garlic cloves 

• 1 sprig fresh rosemary 

• 1 sprig fresh thyme 

• 1 sprig fresh dill 

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 

• Serves 4 – 6 

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. 

2. Season whole kabeljou (gutted and scaled) with salt and pepper, place on a baking tray. Fill gut with fresh aromatics (that is the garlic and fresh herbs). Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. 

3. Once fish is cooked, one is able to pull out the back middle bone with ease. Serve with caponata, recipe below:

Caponata

• 1kg large aubergines (eggplant), cubed 

• 1 white onion, finely sliced 

• 300g celery, roughly cubed 

• 200g green pitted olives 

• 150g roasted red bell peppers, skin removed 

• 50g toasted pine nuts 

• 150ml tomato passata (blended tinned tomatoes) 

• 100g capers 

• 150ml olive oil 

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

• 60ml white wine vinegar 

• 2 teaspoons sugar 

• Salt and pepper to taste 

• Serves 6 

Method

1. First prepare all the ingredients. Cut the eggplant into small cubes and place them in a colander. Sprinkle a handful of coarse salt over the eggplant and let it stand for about 1 hour. This will allow the eggplant to release water, removing its slightly bitter taste. 

2. Cut the celery into cubes and put it into a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. 

3. De-salt the capers. I am sure that you have chosen excellent quality capers. Wash them to remove the salt in plenty of cold water, dry and set aside. 

4. Toast the pine nuts for a few minutes in a pan. 

5. Meanwhile, make the sweet and sour sauce: in a bowl mix vinegar with sugar. Set both aside. 

6. Now it’s time to cook the cubed eggplants. Rinse them with plenty of cold water. Then dry using a kitchen towel. 

7. Put the 150ml olive oil in a high-rim frying pan and heat it, then add a few eggplant cubes at a time and fry them for a few minutes. Once browned, drain with a slotted spoon and lay them on a tray lined with absorbent paper to remove excess oil, then set aside. 

8. Now that the ingredients are all ready, we can start cooking the Sicilian caponata. Pour a generous amount of olive oil into a large saucepan, heat it and then add the onion. Sauté until the onion is soft and golden, then add the celery

9. Stir and cook for a few minutes then add capers and olives. Now add pine nuts and tomato passata. 

10. Stir, cover with the lid and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. After this time, add a pinch of salt (if necessary) then add the sweet-sour sauce. Increase the heat and stir until the vinegar scent has evaporated (about 2 to 3 minutes) 

11. Turn off the heat, add the fried eggplants, and roasted pepper. Mix everything well. Sicilian caponata is ready! Now place the caponata in a baking dish and let it cool at room temperature or put it in the fridge.The peculiarity of caponata is that it must be served cold. Even better if cooked the day before and eaten the next day!

Stay healthy, stay safe, same time same place!”