Womens' Lounge

No compromise on cooking

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 02:18:00 +0000

Many of my friends and colleagues keep asking me questions as to how I manage to cook fresh food and bring. I always keep telling them the same answer. I love good tasting food and if it means that I have to spend few minutes to get that, I would rather cook. I do like to eat outside every now and then but cannot do it on daily basis.

Once we start to work, our priorities in life tend to change and we concentrate so much on our work. Life is much more challenging for the present day women who wants to prove their self worth both at home as well as at office place. At times, things get out of balance and when that happens, most of the time it is the family that is compromised as we tend to give more weightage to work. We get so busy that we do not enjoy the great aroma of a fresh coffee or freshly prepared breakfast. Life run so fast that we do not even know what we eat and just rush to catch the bus or the train to be at work in time.

For me work is part of life and not the only thing in life. There is more to life than just work. As i said, I am a food enthusiast and love good food. I make sure that I do not compromise in this area. Yes, I too feel tired when I get back home. But, when I see the happiness in my kids and husbands face when I cook good food and also enjoy the taste of that food, all my tiredness just flies away. I do get tired of cooking continuous and eat out at times, but cannot eat out not on daily basis. At the end of the day, one should hit the bed satisfied and this gives me satisfaction and happiness in life. What about you folks? Do let me know your comments.

Today, I want to cook bhindi / okra / vendakai fry since its been a long time since I made this favorite this of mine. I will post the recipe very soon.

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 01:44:00 +0000

Simple Bitter gourd / Karela / Paavakkai Fry with minimum bitterness

This is a simple, yet a delicious tasting recipe.
Ingredients:

Bitter-gourd - 4 Medium sized
Turmeric - a pinch
Chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
Amchur powder/Dry Mango powder - 1 teaspoon
oil-1 tablespoon
Salt to taste.

Method:
Wash the bitter-gourd and slit them into half lengthwise and remove all the seeds inside them. Now cut them into thin slices. Mix all the above ingredients and leave it for 15 mins. Heat a Pan and add 1 tablespoon of oil. Now add the mixture in the pan and fry it in medium flame for 10-15 mins until it is cooked and it is ready to be served. You may sprinkle some more Amchur/dry mango powder optionally and serve.

Nutrition Benefits:

Good source of various vitamins like B1, B2, and B3 and C
Excellent source of various minerals like magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber.
Has great benefits for insulin dependent diabetic patients
rich in iron, contains twice the beta-carotene of broccoli, twice the calcium of spinach, and twice the potassium of a banana.

Healthy sprays for cleaning veggies and Fruits

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 03 May 2012 03:05:00 +0000

Many of us are very much aware that the produce nowadays we eat contains lot of pesticides. Eating Organic food is the safest way for pesticide free produce. But buying everything organic is not budget friendly.This cost-effective spray will help remove the pesticides from the produce. Follow this simple recipe to have healthy produce.

Ingredients :

Water - 1 cup

White distilled vinegar - 1 cup

Baking soda - 1 tbsp

Lemon - 1/2

Preparation :

Combine all the above ingredients in a container.Transfer them to a spray bottle with a pump. Spray this liquid on the produce. Let it sit for 5 min.Then scrub and rinse.

This is the best and cost effective way to remove pesticides from the produce. Since Vinegar has anti bacterial properties and Lemon is a natural astringent,the combined mixture works well to remove pesticides.

Picture Courtesy:public-domain-image.com

To prevent milk from sticking/burning at the bottom of the sauce pan

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:51:00 +0000

When boiling milk in a sauce pan, add 2 tablespoons of cold water at the bottom of the sauce pan before adding milk, this way you can prevent the milk from getting burnt at the bottom of the pan.

Fish 65

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Mon, 02 May 2011 16:08:00 +0000

This is a very simple recipe yet a delightful tasty snack. But this recipe can be applied to any variety of fish. I used a variety named Tilapia which is available throughout United States. Fish is very rich in protein and they are considered to be very healthy. Consuming fish atleast twice a week has numerous health benefits. Each and Every variety of fish is healthy in its own way. They are very low in saturated fat and an excellent source of omega3 fatty acids.

Ingredients:

Fish - 500 gms
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 Tablespoon
Chilli powder - 3 Tablespoons
Turmeric - 1 Teaspoon
Corn flour - 1 Tablespoon
Maida or All purpose flour - 1 Tablespoon
Lime juice - 2 Teaspoon
oil as per the requirement
Salt to taste

Method:

Clean the fish,cut them into the sizes you desire and drain all the water. Mix all the above ingredients to the fish. Make sure the masalas are well blended to the fish. Cover them and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Now add oil to a hot pan or kadai,wait till the oil is hot enough to fry and then drop them one by one. Fry them till they are golden brown and drain the oil in the paper towel. Fish 65 is ready to serve.

Beauty Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 19:29:00 +0000

To have a glowing skin :

Mix a teaspoon of turmeric powder with some milk cream, apply it on the face and wash after 20 minutes.
Mix equal quantity of honey and lemon, apply them on the face. Wash it after 15 minutes.
Mix equal quantity of honey and tomato juice, apply them them on the face.Wash it after 15 minutes.

To remove blackheads from nose :

Mix almond paste with rose water and apply them . Wash it after 20 minutes.
Mix Mint juice and turmeric and apply them. Wash it after 20 minutes.
Mix the paste of turmeric and neem powder. Apply them and wash it after 30 minutes.
Apply the fresh lemon juice on the nose for 2 to 3 times a day.
Mix equal amount of cinnamon powder and lemon juice and apply them.Wash after 15 to 30 minutes. Do this frequently to get rid of blackheads.

Best home made scrubs for face :

Prepare a scrub with lemon,salt and honey. Scrub the face for 10 minutes and then wash it.

Ease your Menstrual Cramps

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:41:00 +0000

Menstrual cramps are scientifically known as Dysmenorrhea. Severity of these cramps usually vary from one woman to another. The pain usually occur in the lower abdominal and pelvic areas as a result of these cramps. Sometimes the pain can be felt in the thighs and lower back too. Popping up a pill is not recommended as it as many side effects. It is always good to ease the pain with natural home remedies,which has no side effects.These are few home remedies which can be followed to ease menstrual cramps.

Increase your liquid consumption to prevent dehydration as dehydration aggravates menstrual cramps.
Place a hot water bag on the stomach to ease the stomach cramps.
Ginger is a wonderful herb that has tremendous health benefits. Boil some ginger pieces in water and sip it through out the day.
Drinking more hot liquids promotes blood flow to the pelvic area and helps relaxing pelvic muscles. Consuming green tea and herbal teas helps in relieving stomach cramp.
Women whose bodies are weak, tends to suffer menstrual cramps in greater severity. It is advisable to pop up some vitamin pills to ease the menstrual pain.

Perfectly Boiled Eggs

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:13:00 +0000

Place eggs in a bowl filled with cold water. Allow them to come to a rolling boil for 3 minutes. Switch off the flame and cover with a lid. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Remove the eggs from the bowl and fill them with cold water. Next step is to remove the shell from the egg. Perfect boiled egg is ready.

Organic and Non-Organic Food for Healthy Life

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:29:00 +0000

Nowadays almost everyone are more cautious about their health and the food they consume or eat. I am always concerned that the food we eat is safe or not. Organic foods are the most healthiest and environment friendly. Organic food is grown in natural conditions without using any harmful chemicals or pesticides. Use of chemicals and pesticides which is used nowadays (in non organic food), lead to lot of health problems for us when we consume those food. Because of growing demand of organic food and its awareness, now we can find many stores having a separate aisle for organic food.

Whenever I go for shopping in the grocery store, I keep thinking when are we suppose to go for organic and when it is okay to consume the regular(non organic) food. While organic food is always safe and healthy to consume, it is expensive (sometimes 2 to 3 times the non organic food) at the same time which makes it impossible to consume only organic food. So, I started researching to know when we should consume organic and when we should go the non organic way. Some of the findings are given below:

. Milk, Meat and egg is very essential to be considered for Organic food. Eggs can be brown or white. Both have the same benefit, except that the brown egg are from brown colored chicken and white from the white colored chicken.

. It is not important for all fruits and vegetables to be organic. There are specific fruits and veggies which will not affect us even though they are grown with pesticides. But some fruits and veggies (those that are prone to absorb pesticides) should to be considered for organic produce. They do not have any outer layer to protect themselves from the pesticides.

Consider buying Organic for these Fruits and Vegetables :

Strawberries
Spinach
Blueberries
celery
peaches
nectarines
sweet bell pepper(capsicum)
cherries
potatoes
imported grapes
lettuce

Those foods that has outer skin which is less prone to absorb the pesticides can be considered for non organic.

Non-organic fruits and vegetables safe to consume :

Onions
Bananas
Cabbage
Avocado
Sweet corn
Pineapple
Mango
Sweet peas
Kiwi
Eggplant (Brinjal)
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Sweet Potatoes

The bottom line is spend your money wisely by buying Organic only when it matters the most. This way you can live healthy well within your monthly grocery budget. Also, this helps in protecting our environment too.

Please let me know you comments or any additional information so that all can benefit.

Murungaikeerai Poriyal(Drumstick leaves Poriyal)

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:29:00 +0000

Murungai keerai is one variety of greens(keerai in tamil) which is very popular in Tamilnadu. These drumstick leaves are very healthy and known for their medicinal values. They are packed with calcium, which is essential for growing kids. These leaves are especially very good for pregnant women and lactating mothers. These leaves are not frequently found in the Indian Bazaar in U.S. When I found these, I remembered my mom's recipe and tried it. This is my favorite keerai after all, so prepared it as poriyal. It tastes good when mixed with hot rice and a tablespoon of ghee.

Ingredients :

Drumstick leaves - 3 cups

Onion - 1 medium

Red Chillies - 2 numbers

Mustard - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Urad dal - 1 tablespoon

Garlic cloves - 2 or 3 pods

Asafoetida - 1 pinch

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry coconut flakes - 2 tablespoon

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Method :

To prepare this keerai, remove the leaves from the stalk and discard all the stalks. This can be slightly time consuming, but I think its worth it. Wash the leaves and keep it aside.

Heat a wide pan and add oil. Once the oil is warm, add mustard seed and let it splutter. Now add cumin seeds, urad dal and red chillies and fry them for a minute. Add Onion,garlic cloves,turmeric powder and asafoetida. Saute them till the onions are slightly translucent.

Now add the drumstick leaves, sprinkle some water and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook for just five minutes and open the lid. Wait for all the water to evaporate. Just add the dry coconut flakes at this stage and mix it thoroughly. Switch off the flame. Healthy Murungai keerai poriyal is ready to serve.

Nutritional Benefits :

Drumstick leaves are rich in iron and Vitamin C.
They are a good source of calcium and carotene.
It is high in protein and potassium too.

To store ginger fresh for a longer time

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:21:00 +0000

Peel the ginger, store them in a Ziploc and keep it in the freezer. Whenever ginger paste is required, use the stored ginger and grate them.

Stuffed Mirchi Bajji or Milaga Bajji

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 01:34:00 +0000

Milaga bajji is a mouthwatering spicy snack. In my childhood, we never use to miss this favorite snack whenever we go to beach in Chennai. The variety in Chennai comes without any stuffing. Even though it is a bit spicy,we love to have it. After moving to Hyderabad, I happened to taste stuffed mirchi bajji . You get this almost everywhere in Hyderabad. Hyderabadis prepare delicious stuffed mirchi bajjis. I tried preparing this at home, which turned out to be a big hit in my family. They love to have it as a evening snack. There are variety of mirchi or milaga to choose from, but I always stick to Bajji milaga(in tamil) called as Banana peppers(in U.S).

Ingredients for Batter:

Besan flour - 2 cups

Riceflour - 2 tablespoon

Asafoetida - a pinch

Baking soda - a pinch

Water as per the requirement

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Ingredients for stuffing :

Potato boiled - 2 medium

Onion - 1 tablespoon

Chat masala - 1 teaspoon

tamarind pulp - 1 tablespoon

coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash the mirchi and slit them using a knife. Make sure the stem is intact to the mirchi. If you want it to be mild, you may remove some of the seeds. Now for the stuffing, add all the ingredients mentioned for stuffing in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Start stuffing the potato mixture to the mirchi bajji and keep it aside.

To prepare the batter just mix all the ingredients (for batter) and add enough water. For stuffed mirchi, the batter should be little thick in consistency when compare to your regular batter for bajjis.

Heat the kadai with enough oil. Dip the stuffed mirchi in the batter and deep fry them in the oil. Let it cook on both sides. Remove them when they are golden brown. Hyderabadi stuffed mirchi bajji is ready to serve.

Try this delicious snack and let me know your comments.

Health benefits of Cinnamon and Honey

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 19:59:00 +0000

Cinnamon is a wonderful aromatic spice which is known for its medicinal properties. Cinnamon is a natural preservative like few other spices. Cinnamon is a powerful anti oxidant, it not only burns the fat but also prevents the fat being accumulated. Few studies shows that smelling this spice boosts memory. Cinnamon when added with honey gives numerous health benefits.

Honey and Cinnamon for weight loss :

Mix honey and cinnamon powder in a cup of water. Let it boil, cool the mixture. Have it in an empty stomach everyday.

Honey and Cinnamon for good immune system :

Daily intake of this mixture increases our immune system and prevents from bacterial and viral infections.

Honey and Cinnamon for cold :

People who are suffering from cold can take a tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder for 3 days. This will be effective for cough, cold and sinusitis too.

Honey and Cinnamon for upset stomach :

Having equal amount of honey with cinnamon powder relieves gas and stomach ache .

Honey and Cinnamon for tooth ache:

Prepare a paste made of 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder to 5 teaspoon of honey. Apply the paste and the pain is reduced within 15 minutes. This can be done 3 times a day.

Honey and cinnamon aids in digestion:

Having this mixture after a heavy meal helps in digestion.

Honey and cinnamon for healthy heart:

Consuming 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon everyday lowers LDL cholesterol thus provides a healthy heart.

Bagara Baingan

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:43:00 +0000

Bagara Baingan is a very popular Hyderabadi dish. This unique recipe has a sour and a sweet taste to it. Hyderabadi Biriyani is not complete without this wonderful side dish. Biriyani and Bagara baingan complement each other in its own unique way. Being a vegetarian dish, this is ideal for any occasion.

Ingredients:

Peanut - 3 tablespoon

Dry coconut - 3 tablespoon

Sesame seed - 2 tablespoon

Tamarind pulp - 3 tablespoon

Jaggery - 1 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fennel seeds - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli paste - 1 tablespoon

chilli powder - 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Onions - 1 medium

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Brinjal(medium size) - 8 nos

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Method :

First dry roast peanut, coconut and then sesame seeds separately and grind them to a smooth paste adding enough water. Keep this paste aside. Wash and slit the brinjal from both sides without cutting them completely. Make sure the stem is intact to the vegetable. Dry the brinjal using the paper towel and deep fry them.

Heat a wide pan, add mustard, fennel seeds and fenugreek seeds. Add in the chopped onions and some salt (adding salt to onions helps in removing moisture from the onions faster), fry them until it is golden brown .Then add ginger garlic paste, saute them till the raw smell disappears. Now add green chilli paste, some curry leaves and the tamarind paste, cook for a miute or two. The oil will be oozing out at this stage.

Now add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and then pour in the groundmasala to the mixture. Mix them thoroughly, add the jaggery at this point and add some water to the masala.Cover the pan with a lid to avoid splattering liquid. Let the mixture cook in low flame for at least twenty minutes. The mixture has a tendency to stick to the dish and get burnt. Stir them often, so that the mixture is not burnt. The oil will ooze out, when the masala is completely cooked. Now add the deep fried brinjal, simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes. Let all the masala get incorporated into the brinjal. Switch off the stove. Delicious Bagara baingan is ready to serve. Mirchi ka salan is also prepared in the similar way, except that mirchi is fried and added instead of brinjal.

 Nutrition Facts :

Brinjal is rich in calcium, fiber and folic acid
It is very rich in potassium
It is a good source of Vitamin A, B & C
It has high water content, almost 92% of moisture

A whole grain snack - Popcorn

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:07:00 +0000

Contrary to the belief, popcorn is one of the healthiest snack, yet the tastiest. Movies are not complete without popcorn to enjoy. This whole grain snack has lot of nutritional benefits. But the health benefits of this wonderful whole grain may turn otherwise, if it prepared in an unhealthy way. It is also a great snack for sporting event and shopping malls. It is always better to prepare pop corns using stove top or air popped. Bagged microwaveable pop corns are not always healthy,with the amount of trans fat included in the bag. They are very high in sodium too. So,why not try the traditional way, which is much simple to prepare and healthy to eat. Air popping the kernels using microwave is also a healthy way of preparing popcorn.

Air popping method:

In a brown paper bag, add 2 to 3 tablespoon of popcorn kernels. Just fold the bag and tape them. Let it cook for a minute or 2 in the microwave. Once all the kernels are popped, add some flavorings and seasonings.

Method to prepare popcorn using stove top:

Heat a heavy bottomed pan (like prestige pan) with a tablespoon of butter or oil. Add a cup of popcorn kernels, cover the lid in such a way that the air can escape while popcorn pops. After a few minutes, kernels would start popping, shake them a bit, ensuring kernels are not burned and wait till the popping sound slows down. Switch off the stove when popping frequency is lesser than 1 pop in 2 seconds and add some favorite seasonings along with salt.

Nutrition Facts:

It is rich in protein than any other grains.
It is a good source of iron and vitamin E.
It is high in dietary fiber.
It has no cholesterol.
It is very low in calories and fat.

An egg a day keeps belly fat away

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 01:32:00 +0000

Egg plays an important role in reducing stomach fat. Most of us are more conscious nowadays in burning calories through diet or exercise, but the combination of both may yield more effective results.

Mostly the fat gets deposited in the waistline, which sometimes is not easy to get rid off even with our regular exercise. So, in addition to the routine exercise, we should also concentrate in consuming fat burning food to our diet to help burn fat around the waistline.

Egg is considered to be one of the best fat burning food. They are very high in protein which helps to burn the unwanted belly fat. Food which is high in protein consumes lot of energy to digest them. So, the more protein our body consumes, the more calories we burn. It is a good source of vitamin B12 as well, which is a great supplement for breaking down the fat cells. At the same time, I know that eating too many eggs may increase the cholesterol levels as well. If you are really more concerned about the cholesterol levels, get rid of the yolk. You will still benefit from the high protein, by consuming just the white ones because egg whites have more fat burning properties.

An egg a day keeps belly fat away!!!!!

Nutrition facts:

Egg is very rich in protein
It is a good source of Vitamin B12
Egg yolk contains Vitamin D
Egg contains Choline which helps brain development
It also contains lutein which is good for our eyes.

Fun facts about Eggs:

Egg color does not matter. Both White and brown eggs have the same benefits
White eggs are produced by white hens and brown eggs by red hens
Uncooked egg has 70 calories and cooked ones have 77 calories
Even eggs are 'Made in China'. They are biggest producer of eggs in the world
Eggs shells have around 17000 pores through which it breathes. The longer you keep the egg it dehydrates more.

Instant Dosa

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:07:00 +0000

Instant dosa, as the name suggests is the simplest dosa recipe ever. As you know, every Indian (specially South Indians) love to have dosa for their breakfast everyday. But it definitely requires some amount of effort and time to prepare the batter. First you need to soak rice and dhal and then grind them and let them ferment. I always wanted to have dosa without much effort but at the sametime not compromise on the flavor and taste. I've been trying different proportions for instant dosa and finally I got the right way to do it. This comes in handy whenever you would like to have one but do not have time to soak and grind. This tastes similar to the regular dosa.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 2 cup

Urad flour - 1 cup

Rava - 1 cup

Methi seeds or Methi powder(venthayam) - 1 teaspoon

Water as per the requirement.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl, you can use your blender to make sure all the ingredients are mixed well, just blend the batter by adding water to dosa consistency.Transfer the batter to an airtight container and place it in the oven overnight. Next day, dosa batter is ready to use. Enjoy a simple recipe for a wonderful breakfast and let me know the results.

Chole Masala or Chana Masala

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 00:51:00 +0000

Chole Masala is a popular Punjabi food. It is a nutritious dish packed with protein and fiber. This mouth watering dish is favorite of everyone. You can simply have this with anything like naan, bature, poori, paratha, chapati, samosa, cutlet and even bread. This chole masala is used as additional ingredient in many chat items. This is one of my favorite Indian dish .

Ingredients :

Chole - 2 cup

Onion - 1 large

Tomatoes - 2 medium

Green chillies - 3 nos

Ginger Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Chana masala - 2 tablespoons

Chat masala - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds -1 teaspoon

Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch
Oil -3 tablespoons

Coriander leaves to garnish

Salt to taste

Method :

Wash and soak chole overnight. Pressure cook chole along with the soaked water for 2 whistles. Switch of the stove and let it cool down. In the other side, heat a pan with oil, wait till the oil is ready, add cumin seeds. When cumin seeds splutter, add onions and salt, fry them till golden brown. I added salt along with the onion so that the moisture in the onion is absorbed quickly, which helps in the process of frying the onions faster.

Now add minced ginger garlic paste, saute them till the raw flavor disappears. Add green chillies, saute them for 2 minutes. Now add chilli powder, turmeric powder, chole masala and saute for a minute. Pour in the cooked chole in to the pan. Mix them thoroughly so that the masalas are well incorporated. Let the gravy simmer in low heat for at least 20 minutes. Switch of the stove. Add in some chat masala, garnish it with coriander leaves and onions. Yummy!!!! Restaurant style Chole Masala is ready to serve.

Nutritional Facts:

It is low in saturated fat, very low in cholesterol and sodium.
It is a very good source of protein, dietary fiber and folate.

Healing Properties of Ginger

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 19:37:00 +0000

Ginger is a popular home remedy used for centuries in Asia for variety of ailments. Ginger is a natural spice known for its aromatic smell and pungent taste. When used in food, it enhances the flavor of the food. There are numerous health benefits associated with ginger. So, incorporating ginger in our daily routine will definitely result in wholesome effects. Few health benefits of this natural medicine are:

Ginger for digestion : It is used to treat indigestion. Consuming two to three pieces of ginger after a heavy meal aids in digestion of fatty foods.

Ginger for nausea and motion sickness : It can cure nausea because it is believed that ginger root can relax and soothe stomach wall muscles, thereby giving relief from nausea. It also helps in motion sickness. Chew an inch of ginger to treat vomiting and motion sickness.

Ginger for cold and cough treatment : Ginger helps in soothing the muscular wall of respiratory tract. This gives relief to cold and cough. In a glass of water, add pepper powder, ginger,basil. Allow them to boil. Strain the liquid, add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink thrice a day. Simple home remedy using ginger.

Ginger for menstrual relief : This helps in giving relief to menstrual cramps. Prepare ginger tea, by slicing them and allow them to boil in a glass of water for few minutes and drink them.

Ginger for upset stomach : Chew a piece of ginger to calm an upset stomach.

Ginger for reducing pain and inflammation: Regular consumption of ginger in our food helps in treating inflammation and pain because of its natural anti inflammatory properties.

Ginger lowers LDL cholesterol : Ginger extract helps in lowering the levels of LDL or bad cholesterol by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the blood and the liver.

Ginger for heartburn : Consume a piece of ginger about half an hour before a meal will help in preventing heartburn.

Tips to select fresh ginger :

It is always better to choose fresh ginger over dried one as it has high level of ginger ole as well as anti inflammatory properties.
Always look for a ginger root which is firm, having a smooth skin, with few twists and joints as possible.
Always peel the outer skin of the ginger.

Are Diet Sodas Dangerous????

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 18:03:00 +0000

Friends, today I saw this on TV which was very shocking to me. I know that, sharing this information would be much helpful to people who consume sodas in huge amount. Even though we are all health conscious, we get carried away by the advertisements from the manufacturers. One such example is diet sodas.

Everyone of us love sodas especially flavoured ones. People who really want to shed their pounds off, tend to look for something which works for their diet. Diet sodas come in handy for them. But, do you know that the recent study shows that drinking diet soda may actually increase the risk of stroke and heart attack by 48%? It also increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms that includes high levels of belly fat, blood sugar and cholesterol.

Generally we think diet soda has no calories and we can consume as much as we want. But studies have shown that when we drink any sweet beverages, it leads to sweet craving and you start looking for those calories elsewhere, resulting in consumption of more calories. It is always better to go for natural healthy alternative like lemon juice, buttermilk and fresh juices. Our body actually requires more water and milk. Because of the consumption of soda, we often forget to drink them, which results in other serious diseases. The studies are still ongoing and not proven yet.

You can view the video here for more information.

So say No to Diet Sodas from now on.

Sabudana Vada(Jawarisi vada)

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:04:00 +0000

Sabudana Vada is a new twist to our regular traditional vadas. A Maharashtrian dish known for its taste and texture. This is yet another nutritional snack from Maharashtra,India. An easy recipe,very simple to prepare for an evening snack. I really love the texture of this vada, very crispy outside and soft inside. Like all vadas, it tastes great when served hot. Lets start with the recipe.

Ingredients :

Sabudana - 1 cup

Potato - 2 medium

Rice flour - 2 tablespoon

Green chillies - 4 nos

Red chilli powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Onion - 1 small

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Chat masala - 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida (Hing) - 1 pinch

Salt to taste

Oil for frying.

Method :

Wash and soak sabudana for at least 3 hrs.After 3 hours of soaking ,remove the excess water from sabudana and keep it aside. Now peel the skin of potatoes and grate them in a bowl. I use raw potato instead of boiled one as the boiled ones tends to absorb more oil. Now add Sabudana, rice flour, red chilli powder, green chillies, onion, coriander leaves ,asafoetida, chat masala and salt to the potato mixture. Now mix till it becomes like a dough and make small dumplings like vada. Fry them in oil in medium heat until golden brown like all vadas.

Adai Dosa

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 01:47:00 +0000

Adai Dosa is a simple delicious South Indian recipe.It is a very nutritious and healthy breakfast which is packed with proteins. Adai dosa can be eaten with any chutneys or aviyal. Adai dosa is one of my Mom's signature dish. Here is the recipe for the yummy dish.

Ingredients:

Moong dal - 1/2 cup
Chana dal - 1/2 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Rice-1 cup
Ginger - 1 inch
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Red chillies- 8 nos
salt to taste
oil

Seasoning:

Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard - 1 teaspoon
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Urad dal - 1tbsp
Channa dal - 1 tbsp.

Method:

Soak all the dals and rice for at least 4 hours and grind them along with ginger,asafoetida,red chillies and salt. If you want more crispier dosa,then increase the quantity of rice. Grind them all together into a smooth consistency. The batter should be like a dosa batter consistency.

Heat a wide pan, add a tablespoon of oil, add mustard, fennel seeds, urad dal, channa dal and curry leaves.Roast till it is golden brown and pour this seasoning to the Adai batter, mix it thoroughly. Now to the same pan, pour some batter and spread in a circular motion. Sprinkle some oil to the dosa and cook both sides. Serve hot with chutneys.

Stay healthy during Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:02:00 +0000

Winter is one season where most of us fall sick due to number of reasons.Staying healthy in winters needs some improvement in our immune system.So,How are we going to achieve strengthening our immune system???.You can achieve that by following few simple steps,which are discussed below.

1.Eat healthy food : First and foremost comes a healthy diet which plays a very essential role in our immune system.It is always better to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables rather than consuming an imported product.Avoid having junk food and restaurant foods in winter.Try to use spices like ginger,garlic,cinnamon and pepper while preparing food.These spices strengthens our immune system.

2.Regular work outs : I know regular work outs during winter is not so easy,everyone wants to cuddle up and sleep for a long time.But moderate exercise does helps in generating endorphins,a feel good chemical which increases the immune system by reducing more white cells which destroys viruses.So,why not spend few sessions in a week to keep our selves healthy?Three hours of weekly exercise will definitely help us build our immune system in a better way.

3.Laugh out loud : Laughter is one of the best medicine that decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection fighting antibodies, thus improving our immune system. Humor and Laughter strengthens our immune system,boost our energy,diminish pain and protect us from the damaging effect of stress.It's a priceless medicine,which supports both physical and emotional health.

4.Hand washing : Hand washing is the effective way to protect our self against a number of infectious diseases.It will not only keep us healthy but it helps prevent the spread of infectious diseases. So,lets make this a regular habit.

5.Good night sleep : Last but not the least,Good night sleep is very important to overall health and well being.It is always better to get at least 8 hours of sleep everyday .Good peaceful sleep leads to a healthy life.

Wish you all a Happy New Year!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Wish you all a very happy and prosperous new year. May all you wishes come true this year.

Lose weight and Gain Health Using Indian Food

noreply@blogger.com (Meena) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:22:00 +0000

Image Courtesy: Creative Common

Indian food is known for its taste, spices, herbs, flavor, aroma and much more. The spices and the herbs we use, have wonderful benefits and are known for their medicinal values. Our food is known to be the best for the overall well being. The medicinal properties of our spices are slowly revealing themselves over centuries.

Indian Cuisine can be the healthiest, if it is cooked with right amount of oil and spices. Here are some of the daily cooking ingredients with which you can lose weight and gain health.

Turmeric:

Turmeric is one of the nature's most powerful healers.
The active ingredient in Turmeric called Curcumin, aids in fat metabolism and helps in weight management.
It is known for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Regular intake may reduce LDL or Bad cholesterol and high blood pressure.
It increases blood circulation and prevents blood clotting when consumed regularly.

Cardamom:

Cardamom is a herb that increases metabolism and help burn body fat.
Cardamom is considered to be one of the best digestive aids.
It helps the body process other foods more efficiently.

Chillies:

Chillies contain capsaicin which increases metabolism .
It helps the body to burn calories for 20 minutes after the consumption of chillies.
Food containing chillies are nothing but food that burns fat.

Curry Leaves:

Curry leaves flush out fats and toxins,thereby reducing fat deposits in the body.
It reduces bad cholesterol levels.
Incorporating curry leaves in your diet helps to lose weight.

Garlic:

Garlic is an effective fat burning food.
It is known for its anti bacterial effects.
Garlic helps reduce cholesterol and unhealthy fats.

Cabbage:

Cabbage helps in strengthening immune system.
Raw or cooked cabbage inhibits converting carbohydrates and sugar into fat,thus helping in weight reduction.

Moong Dal:

Moong dal is rich in protein and fiber.
It has very low fat content and helps in weight reduction.
High fiber in Moong dal helps stabilises blood sugar thereby preventing rapid rise after meal consumption.

Honey:

Start a day with a tablespoon of honey in a glass of warm water.
It is considered as the best home remedy for obesity.
Honey mobilises the extra fat by allowing it to be used as energy for normal functions.

Millet:

Millets like Bajra,Jower,Ragi are fiber rich foods.
They absorb cholesterol and helps in increase the secretion of bile that emulsifies fat.

Lets try incorporating the above ingredients in our daily cooking and lead a healthy life.