Bonne Nutrition

Caribbean Okra Fied Rice

2012-01-04T08:55:00.000-08:00

We first had this at a Caribbean inspired party last month and it was just awesome!Never knew that okra could blend so well with rice. The whole dish has a subtle okra flavor and goes well with the jerk chicken (jerk potatoes for the vegetarians) and goat curry.
I didn't get the actual recipe, but tried it anyway and the result was almost similar to the original :)
Ingredients:
Fresh Okra/Ladiesfinger: 250g(finely sliced into thin rings)
Onions: 1 small (finely minced)
Garlic: 5 cloves(finely chopped)
Bell Pepper(optional): 1/2( finely chopped into cubes)
Cooked rice: 3 cups(cooled brown or basmati)
Bay leaves: 1-2
Cloves: 2
Cinnamon: 1/2 "
Allspice: 1tsp
Oil: 1tbsp
Soy sauce: 1-2 tsp
Pepper: to taste
Salt: to taste

Method:
1)Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon. Then add the chopped onions and garlic and saute till translucent.
2)Add the bell pepper and saute for 5 mins(optional) and then add the okra rings and fry till it loses the stickiness.
3)Add the soy sauce,allspice,pepper and salt and saute for a couple of minutes.
4)Add the cooked rice(you can add some chicken soup base while cooking the rice for added flavor) and mix well.

Enjoy!!!

New Year Weight Loss Tips!!

2011-12-29T09:53:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of the year when everyone one tends to make resolutions for the New Year. If like always, losing weight is on the top of your list, then here are some tips to keep in mind:
• Exercise-the latest weight loss mantra is to move your body! Whether it’s joining a gym or dance classes or swimming, exercise has to become as important as “brushing your teeth”!
• Don’t skip breakfast-a new study in the Journal of American Dietetics reveals that dieters who regularly ate breakfast shed weight more steadily than those who skipped it.
• Avoid snacking on high calorie foods-which tends to pile on the calories without you noticing them. Instead of fried foods(like chips/mixtures, chivdas, samosas, vada), pastries, donuts, etc, choose healthier options like fruit with low fat yogurt, channa chaats, low-fat cheese sticks or even a handful of mixed nuts.
• Watch the sugar- juices, cokes, cappuccinos, mochas, milkshakes, sweets and desserts are loaded with sugar which can wreck your diet. Hydrate yourself with at least 10-12 glasses of water, the natural “zero-calorie” drink and keep the sweets and desserts for the occasional indulgence.
• Eat balanced meals-crash diets don’t work in the long run. So instead of trying out fancy new diets, stick to eating balanced diets that are tailor made by a dietitian to suit your lifestyle.
• Control your portion sizes- anything eaten in excess (even the healthy foods) can add unnecessary calories. You can have several smaller meals instead of the traditional 3 big meals if you feel hungry in-between meals.
• Avoid weekend binging-it can bring back all the calories you managed to burn during the week with the end result being that there isn’t much weight loss.
Follow these tips to be able to stick to your resolution and to make sure that it doesn’t become another resolution that bites the dust!
Sharing a New Year joke making the rounds:
Dear God,
All I want for 2011 is a big fat bank account and a slim body...
Sincerely, please don't mix these up like last year!!

Let this not be just a wish-make it come true!
Wishing you all a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year!!

Understanding Calories-The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!!

2011-10-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

Everybody wants to ‘go on a diet’. Everyone knows that ‘you have to watch your calories when you diet’, but not everyone understands what exactly ‘calories’ are/mean! Most people associate calories with only junk food/ sweets/chocolates as they know that they are ‘high calorie’ stuff. But what many don’t know is that almost all foods have calories and that the body needs calories for energy purposes.
So why are calories getting a bad reputation? Well, that’s because we live in a world of abundance and we choose to feed our bodies with foods that have too many calories and too little nutrition.
To understand calories better, let us start with the some FAQ’s:
What are calories? Calories are the units used to measure energy.
Where do we get calories from? From the food we eat (fruits, vegetables, grains, pizzas, pooris, cake, chocolates, etc.) and from the beverages we drink (milk, juices, coffee, alcohol, etc.). The energy is stored in these foods in the form of ‘macronutrients’ namely carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Each of these macronutrients gives us ‘energy’ in varying numbers:
Carbohydrates= 4 calories per gram
Protein=4 calories per gram
Fat= 9 calories per gram
Since all foods have calories and since our bodies need calories-how does one know what to eat and what to avoid?
Good question! To make things simple-let’s divide calories into three groups: Good; Bad and the last……UGLY!!
1. Good calories: are those which come from ‘nutrient dense foods’. These are foods that are loaded with other nutrients like minerals, vitamins, fiber, essential fatty acids which the body needs, in contrast to the number of calories the food contains.
These can be found in regular foods that are familiar to most people like fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown/parboiled/semi-polished rice, whole wheat atta, jowar, bajra, barley, ragi/nachni, nuts and seeds, lean meats like chicken/turkey (skinned out), fish, soy and other dry beans/pulses. Try to get the maximum calories through these foods and you will end up getting most of the nutrients that the body requires including the calories needed for the body to function normally.

2. Bad calories: These would be foods that man has changed from its natural format-like polished/white rice, white bread, refined flour/maida, and also those foods that are naturally high in saturated fats like red meats, butter, ghee, cheese. The trick is to ‘go slow’ with this group. Try to avoid or limit these foods as these have been stripped off their nutrients.

3. Ugly calories: or ‘empty calories’ are those foods that provide no other nutrients other than calories. These are usually foods that are either loaded with sugar or fat/oil/ transfat (vanaspathi, margarine). Best examples of these would be cola/aerated drinks, alcohol, sweets (candies, cakes, pastries, donuts) fried foods like chips, fries, namkeens, pakodas, pooris, etc. Avoid eating these on a regular basis as these will provide you with only calories that you don't need!

Now that things are hopefully a lot clearer, there are two more things to keep in mind-PORTION SIZES and regular EXERCISE!
Too much of even ‘good’ things can be bad for you. Eating balanced diets and exercising regularly is the key to staying healthy!

Heart Friendly Diet for Indians

2011-09-28T15:58:00.000-07:00

The World Heart Day is on the 29th of September 20, 2011. A Heart Healthy Diet is not only for those who have problems related to the heart (high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart attack, etc). Following a healthy diet can be beneficial for all, especially since research shows that Indians are genetically predisposed to heart disease.
A heart friendly should be:
1. High in fiber-studies have shown that a diet high in fiber helps in reducing cholesterol. Include whole grains (brown rice, whole wheat atta, ragi, jowar, bajra, whole wheat bread/pasta) and pulses, fresh fruits, vegetables and green leafy vegetables.
2. Low in fat- a diet low in fat, especially saturated fats (those found in butter, ghee, cream) and trans-fat (dalda/vanaspati, margarine,) is shown to be beneficial.
3. High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids- a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids is seen to benefit those who are at high risk for ischemic heart disease (IHD). It is essential for numerous normal body functions like building cell membranes in the brain and controlling blood clotting. Fish, walnuts, flax seeds, soy beans, spinach/palak should be included see the benefits.
4. Low in sodium-sodium is known to increase the BP and put more pressure on the internal organs including the heart. The RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for salt is less than a teaspoon/day.
5. Rich in Antioxidants: Found in coloured fruits, vegetables and grains, antioxidants are believed to help prevent disease by fighting free radicals which are substances that harm the body when left unchecked.
Here’s a sample diet:
On rising: Water + Walnuts
Breakfast: Oats porridge (old fashioned/steel cut/rolled oats NOT Instant)+ Blueberries
Mid-morning: Green tea + Apple
Lunch: Brown rice + Palak dal curry+ Cabbage and pea’s sabzi
Cucumber and tomato salad+ Buttermilk/chaas (made from skimmed milk)
Evening: Tea/ Coffee (with skimmed milk/ Soy milk) with Channa chaat
Dinner: Paushtik Roti (with flax seed powder) + Baingan ka bharta + Fish curry
Carrot raita(made with non-fat curd) + Red grapes

Prevention is always better than cure and this is true even for the matters of the heart! Why wait for heart problems to crop up and then change your diet? By eating healthy now, you may be able to prevent/avoid heart diseases in the future.

10 Ways to sneak in more vegetables in your diet

2011-09-06T14:38:00.000-07:00

The benefits of eating a diet rich in vegetables are many-from lowering cholesterol, controlling sugar levels, aiding weight loss, fighting cancer to relieving constipation. However, most dietitians still feel that the common man is not eating enough vegetables to get the full benefits.
The question in most people’s mind: How much vegetable should one consume in day?
The answer is around 8-9 servings of vegetables and fruits/day. That would mean around 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables, which is a lot. Most of us tend to eat not more than 1-2 cups/day. So how does one achieve eating the recommended amounts?
Here are some tips to sneak in more vegetables into your diet:
1. Add vegetables to dishes which you would not do so otherwise-instead of plain upma, kichidi, poha, noodles, pasta, dal, add some mixed veggies into these dishes and you make them more nutritious and a filling dish.
2. Add grated veggies to any dish-you can add grated carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, beetroot, etc to roti’s, chutney’s, chaats, dosa, idli and even salads. Try sprinkling some grated vegetables like carrots on top of dishes as a garnish-it makes the dish more colourful and inviting.
3. Add a salad with every meal-these need not be limited to just cucumber and tomatoes. A lot more vegetables like beetroot, radish, methi leaves, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, knol-khol/kohlrabi, turnips, and capsicum/bell pepper can be eaten raw. Pulses and legumes and even some grains can be sprouted and added to the salads (like wheat, methi seeds, moong/mung, channa,etc). To avoid boredom, try out 3 different salads every week. You could even mix fruits and vegetables together to make some exotic combinations.
4. Add vegetable purees-to soups, curries, chapathi dough, dosa batter.
5. Add chopped/sliced veggies to sandwiches, wraps, bhel puri, fruit chaats.
6. Make dips with vegetables/fruits-avocado, cucumber, mint, cilantro/coriander leaves, pumpkin, apple, strawberries, figs, etc can all be made into tasty dips. These can be also used as spreads on whole wheat breads and phulkas to make healthy snacks.
7. Eat raw vegetables for snacks- carrots, celery, parsnips can be paired with the fruit/vegetable dips to get double the vegetables!
8. Add veggies to meat/poultry/fish curries. Even scrambled eggs taste better when you add some sautéed veggies like tomatoes, onions, mushrooms and capsicum/bell pepper!
9. Make chutney’s with vegetables/fruits-you don’t have to limit chutneys to just coriander/cilantro or mint. Try making chutneys from brinjal/eggplant, tomatoes, onions, apples, carrots, etc .Eat them with your meals or add them to your salads, breads, yogurts to create a unique dish!
10. Make your own veg+fruit smoothies- mix and match veggies with some sweet fruits to make your own smoothies/juices. The pulp contains the fiber-so try not to strain it out!

Common myths about Diabetes among Indians

2011-08-30T11:39:00.000-07:00

As a clinical dietitian I have come across several myths that diabetics (along with their friends and relatives) have about the disease and also about the kind/type of food that they can/should eat. Here are a couple of the most common myths:

1) Diabetics should not eat rice: One of the biggest misconceptions is that once a person is detected to be a diabetic he has to stop eating rice. This is not true. Rice can be included in a meal plan for a diabetic. The only thing to keep in mind is to stick to the quantities prescribed by the dietitian. Though brown rice/semi-polished rice is better than white rice due to the fiber present in brown rice, white rice eaten in the prescribed amounts and along with whole pulses (rajma/kidney beans, channa, moong/mung), vegetables and a salad to increase the fiber content of the meal is also fine.

2) I have ‘thoda sa diabetes’ so I don’t really need to take medicines or follow a diet: There is no such thing as ‘little diabetes’ or as they say in Kannada: “swalpa diabetes idhe”. You may be a recently diagnosed diabetic whose sugar levels may have just started to go above the normal level, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to take the medication prescribed or follow a diet and exercise. If you choose to ignore the situation thinking that it will ‘go away’ then you are wrong. Once diagnosed you need to follow whatever the doctor and the dietitian have prescribed to avoid the complications associated with Diabetes.
3) I have diabetes so I must not eat fruits, as fruits are sweet: This again is a very common myth among diabetics. All fruits can be eaten by a diabetic but in different quantities/portion sizes depending on the carbohydrate content in them. Some fruits have more carbohydrates, so you may be asked to eat a lesser amount than the others. Your dietitian will be able to guide you based on the total carbohydrates that your doctor has prescribed for you.

4) I drink ‘karela/bittergourd’ juice every morning and also eat methi sprouts and ‘kala jamun(the fruit), so I can reduce the dosage of my medication: Though these are known to reduce/keep the blood sugars under control in Ayurveda, don’t try to reduce your medication on your own without first discussing it with your doctor.

5) I’m on insulin so I don’t need to be careful of what I eat. I can eat whatever I want and simply increase my insulin dosage when I eat sweets: Even if you are on insulin, you still have to follow a diet and most important- eat on time! Tampering with your insulin dosage can be very dangerous-you could go into a coma due to very low blood sugars (hypoglycemia) if the insulin you took is too much.

6) I’m eating ‘diabetic rice/atta’ and ‘diabetic rusk’ and still my sugars are not under control: These are mostly clever marketing gimmicks. Just because a label says ‘healthy’ or ‘high –fiber’ or ‘low-fat’ or ‘good for diabetics’ doesn’t mean that you can eat as much as you want and expect your sugars to be under control. Even if the manufacturer’s claims are true, how much you eat (portion sizes) is also important to keep your sugars in check.
These are just some of the myths that I have come across during my years counseling diabetic patients in Bangalore. With India on the verge of becoming the ‘diabetes capital of the world’ people will come across many more. The best thing to do if you or anyone you know has a doubt/query, is to ask your Doctor/dietitian/ health care provider and get it cleared out instead of believing what may not be true.

Eat Healthy This Ramzan

2011-08-08T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Muslim Holy month of Ramadan (or ‘Ramzan’ as it is known in India) begins on August 1st this year. Ramzan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, when Muslims fast during daylight hours. Those who are physically able to are required to fast each day of the entire month, from sunrise to sunset. Eid Al-Fitr, which is expected to be around the 30th of August, marks the end of Ramzan.
Here are some tips for eating healthy during Ramzan:
• During Suhur/Suhoor(pre-dawn meal): try to switch to complex carbohydrates like brown rice(parboiled rice/semi-polished rice), whole wheat breads/atta/pasta as these take time to be digested and hence will keep you feeling full for a longer period of time.
• To avoid acidity: eat foods rich in fiber like vegetables, fruits, whole pulses/legumes. Avoid coffee, spicy and fried foods as these tend to increase the gastric secretion that can irritate the lining of the stomach.
• To avoid weight gain: avoid fried foods like namkeens(chivdas/mixtures/sev/ghatias), samosas, fried chicken, fried fish, sweets, desserts, pastries, chocolates, biryanis(on a daily basis), ghee, butter.
• To avoid dehydration: between Iftar and Suhur, drink loads of water, tender coconut water, lemonade, buttermilk/chaas and also eat fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water/moisture like watermelon, muskmelon, pineapple, cucumber, all gourds(like bottle gourd, turrai, ash gourd).
• Choose healthy methods of cooking: opt for grilled/baked non-veg instead of fried.
• Instead of high calorie desserts: opt for fresh fruits on a daily basis, these not only have less calories but will also provide you with the all-important fiber and water.
For those who are looking out to eat healthy during Ramzan, here is a sample Indian diet that is balanced and does not go overboard as far as calories are concerned:
Breaking the fast (at sunset): Dates + Water

Iftar(dinner - the meal which ends the day's fast):
Option 1:
Rice +Gajar Methi sabzi +Masoor Dal+ Tandoori chicken+ Cucumber and tomato salad+ Buttermilk/chaas
Watermelon
Bedtime: Skimmed milk
Option 2:
Phulkas
Baingan bhartha +Channa Masala +Grilled chicken kabab +Mixed veg raita
Muskmelon
Bedtime: Buttermilk
Option 3:
Rice
Fish curry +Cabbage and peas sabzi + Chickpea salad with peppers &tomatoes
Pineapple
Bedtime: Ragi malt

Suhoor (pre-dawn meal)
Option 1:
Veg Daliya Khichidi
Kadi + Stir fry mix veggies
+ Grilled chicken + Carrot and mint salad
Papaya

Option 2:
Brown/semi-polished rice
Beetroot sabzi + Radish sambar + Mixed veg salad
+Buttermilk
Strawberry

Option 3:
Jowar roti
Bhindi sabzi + Chicken curry+ Mint raita
Tender coconut water
Banana

Eating healthy through Ramzan will not only be easy on your stomach but will also make sure that you don’t put on unnecessary weight during the month. Keep the feasting and all the yummy biryanis and kheer’s for Eid-after all, everyone deserves to indulge in some feasting after a month of fasting!

Mall Walking-the latest fitness trend!

2011-06-06T12:31:00.000-07:00

A new fitness phenomenon called ‘Mall Walking’ comes to town. Popular in most American cities, mall walking is simply as the name suggests, using your neighborhood mall as a place to exercise. You can walk or even jog in the corridors of the malls. Most participating malls open their doors early for walkers even before the shops open their doors to shoppers.
What are the benefits of mall walking?
• You can walk in any weather: With mall walking, you can never have the heat, rain, snow or the wind as an excuse for not exercising. Since the temperatures in malls are controlled, you have a perfect climate all year through.
• Safety: Since you are walking inside the mall, you don’t have to worry about getting mugged, teased or even hit by traffic.
• Clean and pollution free environment: You don’t have to jump over puddles, or try to avoid stepping on dog poop or worry about your allergies acting up due to pollution!
• No cost: The malls won’t charge you for walking-so that means you won’t be paying a hefty membership or monthly charges.
How to get started?
• As for any exercise routine, ask your doctor or health care provider if you are fit for walking.
• Invest in some comfortable workout clothes-even though it’s the hippest mall around, you can’t be exercising in your skinny jeans.
• Put on your walking/exercise shoes-again stilettoes are a strict no-no for exercising.
• Start with 10-15 minutes of walking at a pace that you are comfortable and then after a couple of days increase the pace and the duration.
• Get a walking buddy (or partner) to keep you both motivated.
What are the disadvantages?
• It could be heavy on your pocket-the main reasons why mall owners are happy about letting you use the mall! Walking by the displays in the shops could make your wallet lighter even if you aren’t a shopaholic!
• If you get tempted by the aromas from the food court, you could be getting in more calories than you burnt! The solution to this would be to walk without your wallet or just get minimum cash (just in case of emergencies).
• Since you aren't paying for it-getting motivated to exercise may be a challenge(money after all,is a great motivator and everyone wants to get his/her money's worth).

Keep in mind that the walking surface is hard,so make sure you are wearing good shock absorbing shoes to protect your joints.

So come summer, monsoon, winter, don’t let the weather bother you too much-just slip on your walking shoes and go ‘mall walking’.

Q) Have you ever tried 'mall walking'? Tell us about it.

Why Sodas (Diet/regular/decaffeinated) are bad for your Health!

2011-06-01T18:47:00.000-07:00

Aerated drinks, more popularly known as soda’s, soda pops, fizzy drinks, soft drinks or carbonated beverages are the bane of every dietitian!
Why-you may ask? Well, good question-let’s put up a list of reasons for this:
1) For starters, what you are drinking is water with 8-10 teaspoons of sugar. So, essentially what you get is hydration with a load of unnecessary calories and zero nutrients!
2) That’s not all-what you also get are other chemicals like carbon dioxide (water is infused with CO2 to create the bubbles), phosphoric acid (H3PO4 or E338) and caffeine (C8H10N4O2).
3) Phosphoric acid is commonly used for rust removal-so why are soda manufacturers adding it to the drink? It is used as an acidifying agent to acidify colas and also gives colas their tangy flavor. Various studies have shown that phosphoric acid leaches the calcium from the bones and makes them brittle and over a period susceptible to osteoporosis. Not just that, high phosphorus intake has also been associated with tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis
4) Caffeine is a stimulant as well as a mild diuretic and has been known to be addictive. This is added to colas to give an instant boost as well as to get you addicted to it.
According to a 2006 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, older women who drink cola (diet, regular or decaffeinated) were seen to have significantly decreased mineral bone density, putting them at increased risk for bone fracture.
Dr. Marion Nestle from his book Food Politics states “The relationship between soft drink consumption and body weight is so strong that researchers calculate that for each additional soda consumed, the risk of obesity increases 1.6 times.”
Putting all this together: Soda/cola= weight gain+ brittle bones +tooth disease + zero nutrients!

That being said, what are the healthy alternatives to drink-diet soda?
No way-just because they substitute the sugar with artificial sweeteners, doesn’t make it a healthy drink! It still has the rest of the chemicals (phosphoric acid, CO2 and caffeine) along with the chemicals from the sweeteners. Instead, choose from these healthy drinks to quench your thirst:
1) Water- the natural ‘zero’ calorie drink that has no side effects.
2) Tender coconut water- also known as the ‘fluid of life’ is another natural thirst quencher that is loaded with electrolytes to replenish those lost by the body in the form of sweat.
3) Buttermilk/chaas- this one has added calcium which strengthens your bones.

The choice is yours-as the old saying goes “you can lead a horse to the water, but you can’t make it drink”!

Q) What will you choose?

Free radicals,antioxidants and ORAC

2011-04-26T16:30:00.000-07:00

We’ve all heard about free radicals and the damage it causes the body-but how many of us actually know what free radicals are and how we can prevent/reduce the damage caused by it. Free radicals are oxygen molecules that have lost an electron and hence become highly unstable and extremely reactive. In this state it tries to grab an electron from any atom that it is close to, so that it can become stable again. This sort of starts a chain reaction as now the other atom has lost an electron and has become a free radical and needs to find an electron itself to become stable. This kind of grabbing of electrons within our body causes a lot of damage. Free radicals are created as natural by-products of the various reactions in our body as well as due to exposure to cigarette smoke, air pollution, and UV light or radiation. It is said that on an average, every cell in our body comes under attack from a free radical once every ten seconds. So how do we stop/prevent/reduce this damage? The answer lies in something known as antioxidants.
Antioxidants are substances or nutrients found in food that may help in protecting or slowing the damage caused by free radicals to our bodies. These antioxidants are thought to act as ‘free radical scavengers’ and provide them with the extra atom that they need. By doing so, the free radical become stable and also stops the chain reaction. Although there are some enzyme systems within the body that scavenge free radicals, the principle micro nutrient antioxidants are said to be vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. Additionally, selenium ( which is a trace metal that is required for proper function of one of the body's antioxidant enzyme systems) is also included in this category.
Since the body cannot manufacture these micro nutrients, they must be supplied by our diet. Foods that contain antioxidants are measured by ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity). Though this theory hasn’t been proved, nutrition researchers estimate that a person needs to consume around 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units every day for our blood levels to maintain a good antioxidant defense system.
Here are some foods and the ORAC Value/100g:
Pomegranate:3,307
Raisins:2,830
Blueberries:2,400
Strawberries:1,540
Spinach:1,290
Plums:949
Broccoli:890
Beetroot:840
Oranges:750
Red grapes:730
Cherries:670
Brinjal/eggplant:390
Carrots:207
String beans:201
Tomatoes:189

You don’t have to memorize these values, just remember to eat a variety of colored fruits and vegetables. The more colorful your diet (naturally colorful-not by the addition of food colors) the more you will benefit. Don’t limit yourself to just the vegetables and fruits mentioned in the list-others can have their own special benefit.
The rule of the thumb should be to include as many seasonal (and fresh) fruits and vegetables as possible.

Q)What is your favorite antioxidant rich fruit/vegetable?

Weight Management Simplified

2010-11-01T11:38:00.000-07:00

The words “Weight Management” can mean different things to different people. For people who are underweight, it would mean increasing their weight to that which would be ideal for their height and age.
For those who are overweight or obese, it would mean bringing their weight down to a healthy level. For others who are at a healthy weight, it would mean weight maintenance.
How does weight gain, weight loss or weight maintenance happen? Simply put, here’s what happens:
Weight gain: when calories eaten > (more than) calories burnt,
Weight loss: when calories eaten < (less than) calories burnt,
Weight maintenance: when calories eaten = calories burnt.
To find out which group you fall into, you would need to follow 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). You can calculate it manually by using the formula BMI= weight in kg / height in meters2.
Step 2: Check if your BMI falls within the Normal range (BMI=19-22), Underweight (BMI≤ 18.5), Overweight (BMI=23-25), or Obese (BMI=26 and above). (Note: The BMI for Indians/South Asians is different from the western population).. For more information on this,please check my earlier post here:New BMI Guidelines for Indians/South Asians
Step 3: Get yourself (and your family) on the path to good health by following a healthy diet and by exercising regularly.
A qualified dietitian will be able to help you with a personalized diet plan that will keep your needs and also the needs of your body in mind.

Ragda Patties ( Potato cutlets in a white pea gravy)

2010-09-29T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ragda Patties

Ragda patties is another street food which comes in the category of 'chaat' in India. The ingredients are 'white vatana' or dry white/yellow whole peas (which makes the main part of the ragda/curry) and potatoes for the patties/cutlets. We had a pot luck sometime back and my friend Shilpa and I decided to make this dish. Shilpa made the 'ragda' or the curry and I made the patties/alu tikkis and it was without any doubt, an instant hit. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients for the Patties:

Potatoes:4-5 big (I use the red skin potatoes as they don't get too mushy when boiled and mashed)
Ginger+garlic paste: 1 tbsp
Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (chopped fine)
Cilantro/coriander leaves: 1 small bunch (finely chopped)
Rava/semolina/frarina: 1 cup (to coat the patties)*
Salt : to taste
Oil: 2 tbsp (for shallow frying)

*I use rava/semolina(cream of wheat) to coat the patties before frying as it tends to absorb less oil. You can also use bread/bread crumbs.
Method:

Boil and mash the potatoes.
Add the ginger+garlic paste,chopped onions, green chillies,cilantro and salt and mix it well with the potatoes.
Check for salt. Make 15-20 portions of this mix, flatten into a cutlet/patties.
Roll the patties in the rava.
Heat the oil in a pan, when it's hot, add the patties and shallow fry till it becomes golden brown. Remove from pan.

Ingredients for the Ragda (recipe courtesy Shilpa Ramakrishnan):

White vatana/dry white peas: 1 cup(soaked overnight)
Onion: 1 small/1/2 big (finely chopped)
Tomatoes: 3 (finely chopped)
Ginger+garlic paste: 2 tsp
Zeera/cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Bay leaves: 1
Chole masala: 1 tbsp
Water: 1-2 cups (depending on how thick you want the gravy)
Chili powder,amchur(dry mango powder),chaat masala : to taste (optional)
Salt: to taste
Oil: 2tsp

Method:

Pressure cook the vatana/white peas in about two cups of water. Keep aside.
Heat the oil. Add the zeera/cumin seeds and the bay leaves.
Then add the chopped onions and fry till it changes colour.
Add the ginger+garlic paste and the chole masala and fry till the oil leaves the sides.
Add the chopped tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
Add the vatana, water,salt and let it cook for one boil.
Check for taste(you can add the chili powder,amchur and chaat masala if needed).

To serve the ragda patties:

Place two patties on a quarter plate/bowl.
Pour the ragda (curry)over the patties.
Garnish with freshly chopped onions and cilantro.
Add a dollop of tamarind+date chutney on top (you can also add some 'sev' on top) and serve.

Brinjal Bharta (Eggplant Curry)

2010-05-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Brinjal Bharta

'Eggplant/Aubergine' or 'Brinjal' as it's popularly called in India, is on my list of 'not-so favorite' veggies . It's not that the list is very long-there are just two vegetables (brinjal and potatoes) and again it's not that I will not touch them. I prefer to eat them only in certain dishes:potatoes as chips or in Masala Dosa and brinjal as a bharta, pakora or stuffed.
For the bharta, the brinjal is usually first roasted whole over a fire (since we have an electric cooktop here, I had to bake it) . Once roasted,the brinjal pulp is then cooked with chopped onions,tomatoes and garnished with chopped cilantro. This goes well with 'phulkas/roti' or with steamed rice and dal.
Ingredients:

Eggplant/brinjal: 1 big
Onion: 1 medium, finely chopped
Tomatoes: 1-2 ,diced
Green chillies: 1-2,slit lengthwise
Ginger: 1 tsp, finely chopped
Garlic: 4-5, finely chopped
Garam masala: 1tsp
Cilantro/coriander leaves: 5 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1tsp

Method:

Spread a little oil over the skin of the eggplant/brinjal and roast over an open flame till it gets cooked(or you could bake it in the oven for 20-30mins).
After it cools a bit, remove the skin (the oil applied on the skin makes it easy) and coarsely chop the eggplant pulp. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a pan,then add the chopped ginger and garlic. Let it fry for about a minute,then add the chopped onions and salt.
Saute till the onions become translucent, then add the slit green chillies, diced tomatoes and garam masala powder. Stir for about 5-6 minutes till the tomatoes are cooked.
Add the pulp of the brinjal and cook for another 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with phulkas.

Question: What is your favorite dish with 'eggplant/aubergine'?

Zucchini Majjige huli/ Moru curry/ Morkulambu/Majjige Pulusu (Yogurt Curry)

2010-04-28T14:05:00.000-07:00

Zucchini Majjige huli

Majjige huli is a popular curry in Karnataka. It's called "Morkulambu" in Tamil Nadu, "Majjiga Pulusu" in Andra Pradesh and "Moru Curry" in Kerala-just goes to show the similarities in cooking styles in South Indian cuisine.

'Majjige' is 'buttermilk' ,while 'huli' is 'sour' in Kannada. Usually it's made with one vegetable (like cucumber, eggplant, ashgourd, spinach,etc). I had a couple of Zucchinis in the fridge and decided to use it as the vegetable in the majjige huli. Since I've never made it before, I had to call up my mom for the recipe,so here goes:

Ingredients:

Zucchini: 2 small cut into cubes (or any one of the vegetables listed above)
Coconut: 1 cup grated(fresh/frozen)
Channa dal/split chickpeas: 1tbsp soaked in water for 1/2hour (optional)
Green chillies: 2-3
Cumin seeds/zeera: 1tsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Yogurt/ curd: 1 cup (should be slightly sour)
Water: 2-3 cups
Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds/zeera: 1tsp
Urad dal: 1tsp
Curry leaves:3-4 nos.
Oil: 1tsp

Method:

Boil the zucchini in just enough water till half done.
In the meanwhile grind the coconut,green chillies, the soaked channa dal(optional), mustard and cumin seeds till you get a fine paste (add a little water when grinding).
When the zucchini is half cooked add the ground masala and a cup of water and let it boil.
Add salt, yogurt and another cup of water and cook for a minute or two.
In a separate pan, heat the oil and add the mustard,cumin and the urad dal. Wait till the mustard starts to pop, add the curry leaves , then pour the tempering over the curry and mix.
Serve hot with rice.

Q: What is your favorite side dish to go with rice?

Collard Upkari (a Manglorean style stir-fry)

2010-04-23T13:48:00.000-07:00

Collard Upkari

"Upkari"(or stir-fry) is a very simple vegetarian dish which is a regular in most Manglorean households. You can make 'upkari' with any vegetable (cabbage,beans,radish, string beans,etc) or with any green leafy vegetable. It's traditionally made by adding the chopped vegetable/leaves to the tempering along with one or two slit green chillies and cooked till done. At the end, a garnish of freshly grated coconut(Mangalore is a coastal town and has an abundance of coconut trees,and hence the use of coconut in almost every dish) is added which gives it the characteristic flavor.
I've modified the recipe by adding some chopped onions,some chopped ginger and a pinch of asafoetida(hing) as I like the flavor it adds to the dish.

Ingredients:

Collard leaves: 1 bunch (chopped)
Onion: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
Green chilly:1-2(slit length wise)
Ginger: 1/2 tsp chopped
Coconut: 1tbsp(freshly grated/frozen)
Salt to taste

For the tempering:

Oil: 1tsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Urad dal: 1tsp
Asafoetida/hing: a pinch(optional)
Curry leaves: 3-4 (optional)

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
When the mustard starts to pop, add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
Add the chopped ginger,slit green chillies and onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add the chopped collard (or any of the other vegetables/green leafy vegetables) and stir-fry for 10mins.
Then add a little water, salt to taste and cover and cook till done.
Garnish with the coconut scrapings. Serve hot with a dash of lime (goes well with dal and rice).

Q. Which is your favorite recipe with greens?

Chicken nuggets anyone????

2010-04-12T09:46:00.000-07:00

Has anyone watched Jamie Olivier's "Food Revolution"? It's quite an eye opener. The program not only shows the loopholes in the recommendation for school lunches but also gives an insight to the ingredients and methods used by the food industry for packaged foods.
Here is the inside story of commercially prepared chicken nuggets:

To know more check out his website: http://www.jamieoliver.com/
Q: Would you buy a pack of chicken nuggets after watching the video?

Tandoori fish

2010-04-09T10:20:00.000-07:00

Tandoori Fish

There are just a couple of seafood dishes that my husband is okay with,one of them being "Tandoori fish". He's a little particular that the dish doesn't "smell fishy" (?) so I need to buy fish which aren't too oily(that also unfortunately means less omega-3 in it) and also choose methods that doesn't make the dish smell fishy (fish curry is a strict "no-no"). Here's a list of fish that are HIGH in Omega-3's:
Bass(striped); Herring; Mackerel, Oysters(Pacific); Sablefish(also called black cod);Salmon; Trout(freshwater);Tuna.
The tandoori masala and the marination seem to camouflage the smell and the result is very tasty too!!You can pick up tandoori masala at any Indian store and if you are a little wary of the 'red color' you could opt for the organic version(with no added colors) or make it from scratch with garam masala, ginger-garlic paste,paprika, pepper powder and salt ( I'm not familiar with the actual proportions for each,it's usually trial and error when I make it).
Ingredients:

Fish steaks/fillets (halibut/tilapia/tuna/salmon): 4nos.
Tandoori masala: 1-2 tablespoon (use less for milder taste or more if you want it spicier)
Yogurt: 2 tablespoon
Vinegar: 1tsp
Lemon : 1/2
Onion : 1/2 medium (chopped into rings)

Method:

Wash the fish well (traditionally fish in India is washed in water,then some tumeric and lemon juice is applied to the pieces and kept for 1/2 an hour,and then washed off again).
Mix the tandoori masala, yogurt and vinegar and taste for salt. If required,add a little salt.
Coat the fish with the tandoori masala and let it marinate in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes or you could also shallow fry it in a pan till done.
Squeeze some lime juice over it just before serving.
Serve with some lemon wedges and some onion rings.

Q: What is your favorite method of cooking fish?

Dahi-batata Chaat Towers(Yogurt and potato Chaat)

2010-03-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Dahi-batata chaat towers

A 'chaat' is a kind of street food that probably combines all the tastes(sweet, spicy, tangy, salty) and all the textures(crunchy, gooey, soft, crispy) that food can be made into. In India,there are different types of chaats-the most popular being bhel puri, pani puri, sev puri and so on and so forth(oh my-just writing about them is making my mouth water). What started as a street food is now also on the menu of most big restaurants,because let's face it-it's something which all Indians love!!!
Besides bhel-puri,my all time favourite chaat is anything which has 'dahi'/yogurt. I love the taste of yogurt when it's mixed with a spicy cilantro chutney and the sweet-n-spicy tamarind and date chutney. I found some Quaker puffed rice cakes (which claims to have 5gms of fiber/cake and is made of whole grain brown rice)at the grocery store and instantly visions of 'chaat' flashed across my mind. I used the rice cakes as a base and built the chaat tower on it. Here's what went onto the rice cakes:
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

Rice cakes: 4
Spicy cilantro chutney/Green apple chutney: 4 tbsps
Boiled potatoes: 2 (coarsely crumbled)
Onions: 2-3 tbsp finely chopped
Tomatoes: 3 tbsp finely chopped
Cilantro/coriander leaves: 3 tbsp finely chopped
Green chillies:1-2 finely chopped(optional)
Plain yogurt: 3-4 tbsp
Tamarind-date chutney: 3 tbsp
Sev: 4tsp
Chaat masala: 2tsp

Method:

Spread some spicy cilantro chutney/green apple chutney on the rice cake.
Layer it with a mixture of boiled potatoes,chopped onions,cilantro,tomatoes and green chillies(optional).
Slowly drizzle some yogurt and some tamarind-date chutney over it.
Finally sprinkle a teaspoon of sev and some chaat masala over it and your chaat is ready!!

You can even add some sprouts or some tangy fruits to add in some more flavors and textures.
Eating the towers can be a little messy,but it's worth a try!!

Question: What is your favorite street food?

Top 5 ways to beat workout shyness

2010-03-18T17:07:00.000-07:00

Are you one of those who keep putting off exercising to ‘tomorrow’? Do you start your New Year’s resolutions with ‘Start exercising daily’ but never seem to be able to ‘start’ or if you do start never are able to do it for more than a couple of weeks? We all know that we should exercise, but some days it's tough to get moving: not enough time, too tired, no energy. Here are some tips to beat workout shyness:
1. The ‘Buddy’ system: get a friend/ relative/spouse/ neighbor to workout with you. Having a partner makes it more difficult to miss the gym when a spell of laziness hits you, and you are likely to work out harder once you are there. The best part of having a workout buddy is that after you complete, you’ll have somebody to cut loose and celebrate with! You’ll also have somebody to continue working out with in order to keep yourself in your best shape possible.
2. Buy a whole year’s package: basically pay up. Money is the ultimate motivator. A whole year’s gym package would probably cost you a bomb and you’ll find yourself being regular just to get your money’s worth (if not anything else).
3. Set a goal: To start with, set small attainable goals like exercising for five days a week for at least 45 minutes each time. Once you attain this, then you could go one step further by either increasing the intensity of training or by increasing the time for exercising, etc.
4. Find a workout that is fun: Exercise need not be limited to working out in a gym. You could find some fun activities like dancing, jazz exercising, aerobics, playing a sport that you love (like tennis, basketball, squash, etc). Sometimes the fun element in these can make you look forward to it rather than detesting the thought of it!
5. Reward yourself: Every time you achieve a goal, reward yourself-it could be going for a movie, meeting up with friends, a facial, a new dress, getting a new hair cut or buying yourself a gift certificate to a spa (go ahead and pamper yourself, you’ve earned it!)

Along with these tips, don’t forget the health benefits of exercising:
• Helps manage your weight,
• Combats diseases like osteoporosis, heart diseases, certain types of cancers and diabetes,
• Improves your mood,
• Promotes better sleep and
• Boosts your energy levels.

So pack a bottle of water, wear a snazzy exercise outfit and hit the gym (or the dance floor/ tennis court, etc) and watch those extra layers of fat melt away. You may even surprise yourself by fitting into the pair of jeans from your college days!

All about Nutrition Supplements

2010-03-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

There are dime-a-dozen nutritional supplements available in the market-but how many of us know what they are and who should/need to take them? Here are a few FAQ’s about supplements:
What are Nutrition supplements?
Any product that provides some sort of nutrients (for e.g vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fibre, etc) can be termed as a ‘nutrition/dietary supplement’. They are sold in the form of tablets, powders, gels, syrups, etc. They can be used to supplement your normal diet, but cannot and should not be used as a substitute for a regular diet.

Who needs/should take supplements?
Those who eat a balanced diet and are healthy need not worry about supplements in normal circumstances. However, here is a list of reasons why one might require supplementation:
• Illness, hospitalization that interferes with regular food consumption,
• The elderly-who cannot eat regular foods in the recommended amounts,
• Deficiency diseases- like anaemia(iron deficiency), osteoporosis(calcium deficiency), night blindness(Vitamin A),etc.
• Those who live in areas where there is a deficiency of some nutrients for e.g those who live in hilly areas can have iodine deficiency, or those who do not get adequate sunlight (at least 10mins/day) can suffer from Vitamin D deficiency.
• Pregnancy and lactation-are phases that require additional nutrients more than what can be got from the diet alone and hence need to be supplemented(e.g :iron, calcium, folic acid),
• Any medical condition that affects how your body can absorb/excrete certain nutrients(like food intolerance, diseases of the kidney, gallbladder, intestine, etc).

How does one know if nutritional supplements are required and in what quantities?
If you have a doubt, speak to your doctor and/or Dietitian. They are the best people to determine whether you require supplements and the appropriate dosages if required.

Keep in mind that the body absorbs nutrients better in its natural form (from fruits, vegetables), so don’t be tempted to buy nutritional supplements unnecessarily!

Sleep Disorders

2010-03-09T16:50:00.000-08:00

Most people consider sleep as the least important activity of the day, but for those who suffer from any kind of sleep disorder, it could affect their entire day. Sleep disorders range from inability to sleep or staying asleep (insomnia), to excessive sleepiness (hypersomnias), or problems sleeping on schedule and sometimes even disruptive behaviour while sleeping(like sleep walking, sleep terrors). Sleep disorders can create problems like decreased work performance, memory lapses, stress and sometimes can also be the cause of some occupational or traffic accidents.
If you suffer from any of these disorders, you should seek help from your doctor before it’s too late. There are a number of diagnosis methods, tests and treatments that you could benefit from.
Ideally one should get around 7-8 hours of sleep every day for the body to feel rested. Here are some tips to help you sleep better:
• Have a comfortable sleeping environment which includes the right type of mattress and pillows,
• Don’t try to sleep immediately after eating dinner(a two hour gap is ideal),
• Try sleeping and waking up at the same time every day,
• Eat healthy and exercise regularly. However, exercising too close to bedtime can sometimes have a negative effect on your sleep. Some foods that are rich in tryptophan (like milk, banana, egg whites, peanuts, sesame/till seeds) can help you sleep well.
• Avoid drinking coffee and other caffeine containing products close to bedtime.
• Avoid resorting to alcohol and/or nicotine to help you fall asleep.
• Try to relax before bedtime-you can listen to some soothing music or read a book or try some meditation techniques.
Keep in mind that sleep is the golden chain that ties health and our bodies together.

Diet during pregnancy and post-pregnancy

2010-03-03T16:57:00.000-08:00

Although good nutrition throughout one’s life is important, for a woman it becomes a cause for more concern when she is pregnant and later when she is lactating. The body undergoes several changes during these two phases of life and thus the nutritional requirements also increase during these periods.

Here are a few tips for a healthy pregnancy and successful lactation period thereafter:
• If you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, visit your doctor. Your doctor may prescribe a few prenatal vitamins (like folic acid) and minerals (like iron and calcium). Do not miss your prenatal appointments.
• For women who suffer from nausea and vomiting during the first few months of pregnancy-eating small frequent meals, avoiding fluids along with meals, and eating dry toast or ginger based biscuits first thing in the morning may help.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol and too much caffeine (not more than two cups of coffee/day).
• Do not take any over the counter or herbal medications without asking your doctor.
• Eat a well balanced diet which includes whole grains, pulses/legumes, fresh fruits and vegetables, milk and milk products, nuts and plenty of water.
• Avoid binging on junk food, sweets and fried foods-these provide little else than calories and could lead to excessive weight gain during/after pregnancy. Remember, what you eat and drink can affect both you and your baby.
• Moderate exercise* (like walking, yoga) during and after pregnancy can help you sleep better, reduce stress and keep you in better shape during and after delivery. (*Speak to your doctor before starting on any exercise regimen.)
• Get plenty of rest and enjoy these phases in your life.

7 Tips for Beautiful Skin and Shiny Hair

2010-02-01T16:53:00.000-08:00

Everyone dreams of having a glowing complexion with shiny, glossy hair. People spend lakhs of rupees every year on skin and hair care products without realizing that what you put inside your body matters more than what you put on your skin and hair. A healthy lifestyle with the right kind of food and regular exercise could actually be the answer to all your skin and hair problems.
Here are a few skin and hair care tips that you should be aware of:
• Protect your skin and hair from harsh sunlight-use umbrellas, caps/hats, sunscreens.
• Use a soap/shampoo suited to your skin/hair type.
• Eat healthy-include plenty of fresh fruits, salads, whole grains, pulses, nuts and dark green vegetables in your diet. Avoid fried foods, sweets and junk foods.
• Keep yourself hydrated-drink at least 10-12 glasses of water/day.
• Exercise daily-it can increase the delivery and circulation of nutrients in the body and sweating tends to unclog the pores of the skin. Regular exercise can also control the amount of male hormones (testosterone) produced by the body and help curb male pattern baldness in some.
• Reduce/manage stress, stop smoking and get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day.
• Avoid crash dieting-most crash/fad diets do not provide your body with all the essential nutrients and you could end up having some kind of nutrient deficiency and/or hair loss after a couple of months.

Keep in mind that there are no ‘miracle’ products or a ‘fountain of youth’, its how you take care of your body that will determine how good you look and feel.

(Contact your doctor or dermatologist if you notice a sudden loss of hair or have severe adult-acne or other skin problems, as these may be the signs of underlying health problems).

Insulin in a bubblegum-definitely a boon for Diabetics!

2009-12-16T14:37:00.000-08:00

I've never been a big fan of bubblegum,but the idea of chewing a bubblegum instead of an insulin jab is most welcome.
A research team led by Tejal Desai at the University of California is busy working on a way to deliver insulin orally rather than through injections. Insulin being a hormone, cannot be administered orally as it get's destroyed by the acids in the stomach.
The researchers are working on a process of shielding the insulin in some kind of a protective microscopic coating so that it can be delivered into the bloodstream.
Though the research is still in it's infancy and needs to be tested on humans-it'll be a big boon to the millions of diabetics who have to endure the injections everyday.
Way to go professor and here's hoping that the "bubble(gum) doesn't break"!!
Read more:
1)Telegraph: Chew this once a day: medical bubblegum could replace daily jabs.
2)Medical News Today: Enhancing Drug Delivery in Gut Using Nano Bubble Gum.

Pumpkin and Okra Sambar(Palakkad style)

2009-11-04T16:35:00.000-08:00

Pumpkin and okra sambar

We had this awesome sambar at a friends place during the Diwali weekend. It was made by my friend's mother and she had used pumpkin and ladiesfinger/okra for the sambar. The family has it's roots in Palakkad,a town on the border of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Being Palakkad Iyers their cuisine is a unique blend of the cooking styles from both the states (Kerala and Tamil Nadu).
I've always used the popular ready-made sambar powder to date and had never made the sambar from scratch(roasting and grinding the masalas). I had to get the recipe and it turned out so well that I've decided to make sambar the 'hard-way' instead of taking the 'easy way' out henceforth.
This sambar is typically made with any two of these seasonal vegetables: ladiesfinger/okra, arabi/taro root, pumpkin, capsicum and drumstick.
Here's the recipe as given by Ms Sarda Ramakrishnan:
Ingredients: (Serves 8)

Coriander seeds: 2tbsp
Fenugreek seeds:1 tbsp
Channa dal: 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies: 5
Tamarind pulp: walnut sized (soak in water and squeeze out the pulp),
Tur dal: 2 cups (finely mashed)
Fresh coconut: 1/2 cup grated
Pumpkin: 1 cup (cut into 1 and 1/2" pieces)
Ladiesfinger/Okra: 1 cup (cut into 1 and 1/2" pieces)
Hing/asafoetida: 1/2tsp
Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Curry leaves:5-6 nos.
Oil: 2tsp

Mehod:

Roast the coriander seeds,fenugreek seeds,channa dal and the red chillies in a pan till the fenugreek and channa dal start turning red.
Let it cool and then grind to a fine paste along with the grated coconut.
Cook the pumkin and okra pieces in the tamarind pulp along with salt and enough water till the vegetables are half cooked.
Add the cooked tur dal and the ground masala paste to the vegetables. Add enough water to bring it to a sambar consistency.
Bring the sambar to a boil and add the hing powder.
In a separate pan,heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When it starts to sputter,add the curry leaves.
Pour this tempering over the sambar.
Serve hot with rice.

Question: What is your favorite pumpkin recipe?

Mixed dal dosa/ Adai (Mixed lentils and rice crêpe)

2009-10-26T12:45:00.000-07:00

Dosa? Crêpe? Pancake?

What does one call a 'dosa' in English-is it a crêpe or a pancake? Oh but wait a minute-'crêpe ' is actually French in origin,so does that make the English translation of the 'dosa' a 'pancake'? Can't I just call it a 'Dosa', or hasn't Indian cuisine (or to be more precise-South Indian cuisine) gained enough popularity for foodies world over to know what a 'dosa' is? Well,as Shakespeare would have put it: "What is in a name, that which we call a 'dosa', by any other name would taste as great" ;-)!!
I was craving for some crispy dosas as I hadn't made them in a long time. But,with the weather no longer conducive for fermenting the batter, I had to think of something which didn't need fermenting. That's when my mom suggested the mixed dal dosa-or "Adai" as it's called in Tamil Nadu. Mom suggested soaking equal quantities of all the dals/split lentils that I had at home along with equal amounts of rice. There are so many different recipes for this dosa,but here's how I made it(with whatever ingredients were available at home last night):

Ingredients : (Serves 4)

Raw rice: 1/2 cup
Channa dal: 1/2 cup
Urad dal(split black matpe beans): 1/2 cup
Mung dal: 1/2 cup
Masoor dal(pink lentil): 1/2 cup
Tur dal (split pigeon peas)
Cooked rice OR beaten rice(poha): 1/2 cup
Ginger: 1" piece
Dry red chillies: 4-5 (or to taste)
Salt: to taste
Water: 1 cup

Method:

Soak all the dals and the raw rice for at least 4-6 hours.
Grind all the ingredients together with a cup of water till you get a fine paste ( pancake batter consistency). If using beaten rice/poha-soak it for 15 minutes before grinding.
Pour a ladle of the batter on a hot 'tawa' or non-stick pan,and spread into a thin dosa.
Cover for a minute,then carefully flip it over to cook the other side.
Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.

Adai

Question: What is the difference between a 'pancake' and a 'crêpe ' and what is the more befitting translation for the 'dosa' ?

Microwave Condensed milk peda

2009-10-21T09:55:00.000-07:00

I was looking for some quick and easy recipes for Indian sweets to make for Diwali and I came across this microwave recipe for "Condensed milk halwa" on Veggie Platter. This was not just quick and easy,but quite surprisingly needed just three ingredients-a tin of condensed milk (400gm),three tablespoons of yogurt and a teaspoon of ghee. All you need to do is mix the ingredients and put it in the microwave on high for a total of 12 minutes. The only thing is that you need to take it out every 2 minutes and mix it well(Suma of Veggie Platter had mentioned to mix it every 3 minutes-I guess it differs in different microwaves).
Once it's done,you can decorate it some dry fruits and nuts of your choice.
Try it out when you have to make a sweet in a hurry!!

The Gym

2009-10-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

One of my friends had sent this in an email and I thought it was worth sharing with all instead of forwarding it to a selected few:

The Gym
-----------------------------------
Bulging belly, sagging chest
The misery Nature does manifest
Those cravings you used to give in
Were never short of committing a sin

But as you enter the local gym
Conjure up images of a torso - trim
You venture inside with a positive mind
Only to find…its more than a grind

The instructor guides you in and out
Every part of your body seems to shout
If only you could resist those treats
You wouldn't be sweating to his beats

You ask him "How much time would it take??"
The extra cheese you have to forsake !!
He glances at you with half a smile & sympathy
You guess his reply as though - Its telepathy

Workout's Finished… You praise the Lord
Your sadistic mentor had hung a sword
Raising up your tee…you glance at your belly
Its still the same – hairy, stinky and swelly

Packing stuff..you tread back home
Don't wanna rest till you flatten your dome
Something inside haunts you in despair
"PREVENTION is always better than REPAIR"

Moong dal Kosumbari(Cucumber and mung dal salad)

2009-10-02T16:30:00.000-07:00

Cucumber and mung dal kosumbari

"Kosumbari" is the term for salad in the Kannada language(called 'koshimbir' in Marathi). This is one of the easiest salads and it always reminds me of the traditional foods made during festivals and weddings. This is different from the rest of the salads as it incorporates soaked split yellow mung beans and a tempering which adds a nice flavor and aroma.
Ingredients:

Cucumber: 1 cup (finely chopped)
Mung dal: 1/4th cup (washed and soaked for at least an hour)
Green chillies: 1 slit lengthwise (optional)
Coconut: 2-3 tsp (freshly grated/frozen)
Cilantro/coriander leaves: 2 tsp (finely chopped for garnish)
Lime juice: 1-2 tsp
Salt: to taste

For the tempering (optional):

Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Cumin: 1/2 tsp
Urad dal (split black matpe beans): 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
Oil: 1tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and the urad dal.
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves.
Pour the tempering over the kosumbari/salad and mix well.

You could also try adding some grated carrots and grated raw mango to give it some colour and make it tangy.

Question: What dish reminds you of a festive spread?

Dry bhindi sabzi (Dry Okra curry with potatoes)

2009-09-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

Okra or 'Ladies finger' as it is known in India has always been a favorite vegetable. I bought some fresh okra the other day to try out something new-'gumbo'. I had only heard about this dish and finally managed to taste it from a can!! I checked for some gumbo recipes and found so many-I had no clue which was the right one. Finally I chickened out and turned the okra into my tried and tested version. This recipe should actually have more okra than potatoes,but since I picked up just a handful (for the gumbo),I had to add in more potatoes to increase the quantity of the 'sabzi'.
Ingredients:

Okra/ladiesfinger: 500 gms
Potato: 1 small diced
Green chillies: 1 or 2(slit lengthwise)
Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
Tamarind paste: 1 tsp
Ginger: 1/2 "(finely chopped)
Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder: 1 tsp(freshly ground)
Garam masala: 1 tsp
Salt:to taste

For the tempering(optional):

Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Cumin seeds/Zeera : 1/2 tsp
Sesame seeds: 1tsp
Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
Oil: 3tsp

Method:

Wash and pat dry the okra before cutting them.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan, add the mustard seeds,sesame seeds and cumin seeds.
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves, turmeric powder and the chopped ginger.
Fry till the ginger turns golden brown,then add the chopped onions and fry till it browns.
Then add the diced potatoes and the green chillies and fry for about 5 mins,stirring constantly.
Add the chopped okra, the tamarind paste,the garam masala, pepper powder and stir-fry on a medium flame, till the okra and potatoes are cooked.
Add the salt and mix well.
Serve with some hot chapathis/phulkas(whole wheat tortillas) or as a side dish with a plate of rice and dal.

I'm still on the lookout for a great gumbo recipe and I'd really appreciate if someone has a tried-and tested recipe which I could try out.

Question: What is your favorite okra dish?

How much sugar do you take in a day?

2009-08-28T15:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever given a thought to how many teaspoons of sugar you consume in a day?
This would mean all the sugar that you added in your tea,coffee,porridge and also that which was already present in the cakes,desserts,soft drinks, cookies and not to forget the ice creams that you had today!
The count could easily go upto 20-25 teaspoons (yes,just think of it: a can of cola has around 10 teaspoons of sugar in it). In other words,the amount of sugar you eat in a day would probably provide the calories equivalent to one meal for some!!
Till now there were no solid guidelines as far as sugar consumption was concerned,but now the American Heart Association has put out guidelines for sugar consumption for men and women. According to them a women should not consume more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar and for men it should not be more than 9 teaspoons per day.
Sugar by itself does not increase the risk of heart disease,it is known to increase the risk factors like high levels of triglycerides, obesity and diabetes among others.
Although the number of teaspoons mentioned is just a rough estimate, you could calculate the amount required for each individual by using the USDA's website (this can also be used by parents who are interested in calculating the sugar allowance for their kids).
For those interested in learning more,check out:

CNNhealth.com: Heart group urges daily limit on sugar
USDA's website: MyPyramid Plan
American Heart Association: Association recommends reduced intake of added sugars.
Rebecca's website Chow and Chatter: Cutting Excess From Your Diet

Question: How many teaspoons of sugar did you take today?

Misal Pav ( Moth bean curry with traditional Indian bread)

2009-08-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

Misal Pav

"Misal" is a traditional Maharastrian (from the state of Maharashtra) dish and actually means "mixture". It's made of sprouted Moth beans called 'matki' in Marathi. It's one of my husbands favourite Marathi dishes and though I grew up in the state of Maharashtra, I ate it for the first time when I visited hubby's hometown in Belgaum, Karnataka (which is situated very close to Maharastra).Till then I had only eaten it's counterpart and the more famous dish called "Pav Bhaji". Pav in Marathi means bread and seems to have originated from the Portuguese term for bread-"pao".
Today happens to be hubby's birthday and like always,I wanted to cook up something special. I was looking for ideas and had even asked a couple of friends for something new to make. The usual suggestions of "biryani,paneer butter masala, kofta" was politely turned down (cause I've been making similar stuff for the past b'day's) and then my friend Shilpa came up with this brilliant idea of making 'Misal Pav',and I thought "why not-it's his favorite,and I've never made it before"!!
This was sometime last week,so I spent a good amount of time surfing a couple of blogs for the right recipe as I've eaten it only once before and that too in a restaurant,four years ago. I finally zeroed it down to two recipes,that I felt must be the authentic way of making it.
The soaking and sprouting of the beans takes two days, so I had to do some 'back-calculation' as I like to call it,which went like this: Birthday-Wednesday,so soak beans on Monday night, Tuesday rinse beans and tie in muslin cloth and keep it in some place warm,and hope that it has sprouted on D-day!!
Since I haven't made any changes to the original recipes I saw in the two blogs,I'm just going to give a link to them. So,you can check out the recipes here(this one gives the recipes to make the masala as well) and here.
Shilpa had given me the all important masala which her MIL had made called "Goda Masala/Kala Masala" which gives this dish it's distinct flavour, so thankfully I didn't have to make any.
The 'misal' once ready, is eaten after mixing it with freshly chopped onions, coriander/cilantro, green chillies(optional), a little "farsan/Chiwda/Bombay mix" to give it a crunchy texture and a dash of lime. I substituted 'Potato rolls' for the pav and the end result was "simply superb" to quote hubby dear!!

Tulsi (Holy Basil)

2009-08-18T16:25:00.000-07:00

"Tulsi" (Ocimum tenuiflorum) also known as 'Holy Basil' in English (not the same as 'Basil' found here in the US), is a very sacred plant to the Hindus. I remember we would have at least 5-6 plants of the two varieties of tulsi in our balcony back in Bombay,where I grew up. One variety had purplish-green leaves,which my grand mom said was called "Krishna" tulsi and the other had light green leaves and was referred to as the "Laksmi" tulsi. Both varieties have medicinal properties,but my grandmother believed that the "Krishna" tulsi was superior in it's healing properties.
It's generally believed that eating the leaves first thing in the morning is good for general well-being.We never used the leaves for any recipes as such, but it was used as a home remedy for coughs and colds. I still remember being given some sea salt and black pepper corn,wrapped inside a couple of tulsi leaves whenever I caught a cold/ sore throat (and how I hated chewing on it). Well,I wasn't much of a believer in natural remedies at that age, and popping a pill seemed like a more 'civilized' thing to little me! There was also a concoction of the leaves which was known as 'tulsi tea' with some honey and lime juice.
Ayurveda refers to tulsi as an "elixir of life" and believes it can promote longevity. It's used in a number of ayurvedic remedies including inflammation and malaria.
I've seen basil (Ocimum basilicum) here in the US (which is also supposed to have some anti-bacterial properties),but haven't really used it. In the past couple of days 'tulsi' has been popping up in conversations/emails .I even read about it in an article in the Times Of India's online edition.
India seems to be in the grip of swine flu and the author of the article(who happens to be a firm believer in natural and alternative remedies) lists 'tulsi' as one of the 10 home remedies to strengthen the immune system.
Right now strengthening the immune system to prevent getting infected from the swine flu sounds like the best option. I don't pooh-pooh the idea of natural remedies anymore(though I still would love to see studies to support the theory) and would not think twice about eating the leaves,if it means that I would be taking one less medication!

Question: Do you think plants have the ability to cure/prevent an ailment or do you feel that when it comes to curing, only 'modern' medicines do the trick?

Curd Rice (Yogurt Rice)

2009-08-09T12:11:00.000-07:00

With the temperature oscillating between 103F-113F (40C-45C) the whole of last month,the thought of cooking and even eating food has been putting off. We've survived on all the "cooling foods" like ragi(finger millet) porridge, buttermilk, curd rice and loads of fruits,salads,juices and of course the family favorite-ICE CREAMS!!
Curd rice or yogurt rice is a "must have" in almost all South Indian homes. This is mostly the last course and is believed to be cooling. The everyday curd rice is just the addition of curd/yogurt and salt to rice and is eaten with pickles or some vegetable curry. When it's made as a separate dish, the "tempering" or "tadka"is added to it,which adds a distinct flavour and aroma to the dish. What you'll need:
Ingredients: (Serves 2)

Cooked (and cooled) rice: 2 cups
Curd/Plain yogurt: 1 1/2-2 cups
Salt: to taste
Fresh pomegranates/grapes: 1/2 cup (optional)
Coriander leaves/cilantro: 1 tbsp chopped (for the garnish)

For the tempering:

Oil: 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal (split black matpe beans): 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves : 4-5 nos.
Cashew nuts: 1 tbsp
Green chillies: 1-2 nos.(chopped).

Method:

Mix the curd/yogurt and salt with the rice (add a little water if needed). Keep aside.
Heat a small saucepan and add the oil,mustard seeds, urad dal,cumin seeds.
When the mustard seeds start to sputter, add the cashew nuts, curry leaves and chopped green chillies. Fry for a minute or two.
Pour the tempering over the curd rice and mix well.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and the pomegranates/grapes(optional)
Serve with any vegetable curry or with an Indian pickle or even a chutney.

P.S: I've been on a "blogging-break/vacation" for exactly a month now. I'd like to blame the weather (ever tried touching the laptop when it's 104F??), my family (who've accused me of becoming "addicted to the internet and blogging") and also the fact that I just wasn't able to think of new dishes/articles to share.
In the meanwhile I've been showered with loads of awards-thank you all SO much!! Will do a collective post for the awards next.

Question: What is your favorite dish when the temperatures start to soar?

Ever tried any of these??

2009-07-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

I'm really curious..........about what?? Has anybody out there ever eaten or even seen any of these:

Fifth Third Burger-at Fifth Third baseball park (Comstock Park,Michigan)
Mega Mel Burger- at Mel's Country Cafe (Texas)
7-pound burrito- at Jack n Grills (Denver)
Fried Banana Split- at the Texas State Fair
Shack Stack- at Shake Shack (New York)

What's so great about these,and why am I so curious about some burgers/burritos/banana split??
I was just browsing through an article on WebMD,and it lists them as 5 of the most fattening food!! How fattening can they be? Here are the numbers (and yes,please keep in mind that most of us require less than 2,000 calories per day).

Fifth Third Burger :4,800 calories
Mega Mel Burger :4,556 calories
7-pound burrito : 3,764 calories
Fried Banana Split : 2,000 calories
Shack Stack : 1,500 calories

4,800 calories in one burger!!!! That's like the amount of calories your body would require in, say, two and a half days! Imagine getting 2 days worth of calories in one meal (that probably is their USP!). Seriously-I need to see these. Are they really large burgers(like the one's Jughead would order at Pop Tate's in the Archie comics I grew up reading)? Can a person really eat it in one go-or do they share it with someone or rather some people? If someone does eat it-do they feel hungry at the next meal or are they stuffed enough to skip the next meal/meals??
Source: WebMD: Extreme Eating: 5 Most Fattening Foods Ever!

Eating out always has it's downside-the cost,the hidden calories. So,what does one do? Stop eating out-well,not really. If you choose wisely you could end up with good healthy foods that are also "pocket friendly". Check out these cool slide show : Healthy Eating at Restaurants.

Question: Do you think it would be a good idea to put the calorie content next to the dish in the menu?

Masala Dosa( Savoury Crepes with Potato filling)

2009-07-01T16:45:00.000-07:00

Where's the potato?

I've never been a potato fan,and no it has nothing to do with the fact that I happen to be a dietitian(I've always had people saying "oh-is it because you're a dietitian?". I still don't see the connection).To set the record straight ,I hated it even as a kid, when I had no idea 'what' or 'who' a "Dietitian" was!!
Anyway,later on I had a colleague who hated peas,and we made a happy pair since 'alu mutter sabzi' or simply put 'Potatoes peas curry' is a very popular combo in India. At work,with no parents around,we would happily pick and dump what we disliked into each others plate (me the alu/potatoes and she the mutter/peas). There are only two ways that I'd happily eat the potaoes-in the 'masala dosa' or as 'chips'.
Wondering why I'm delving into my love-hate relationship with potatoes-because it happens to be the BSI (Blogger's Secret Ingredient) for this week chosen by Christo at 'Chez What?'. I had to really make up my mind as to which dish to send-the one's which I make and 'have' to eat as the hubby likes it OR the one's that I can 'happily' eat but are too cumbersome to make,well at least for me it is(but I can picture my mom laughing at this point),and I chose the latter!
I've never made and never will make chips at home-so that was out of the question.That left me with the masala dosa,and I set about the task of making it first thing Tuesday morning(yes,now you know why I call it cumbersome).So,I stuck a blue post-it on the fridge on Monday night saying "soak rice+dal for the dosa first thing in the morning". Did the needful on Tuesday morning,then in the evening went about grinding the soaked stuff to a fine paste. Kept it overnight, hoping (with fingers crossed) that the weather will be warm enough for it to ferment and woke up this morning to a nicely fermented batter(fingers uncrossed)!!
Ingredients (for the potato filling):

Potatoes: 4 nos. (boiled and coarsely mashed/cut)
Green chillies: 1-2 nos. (slit length-wise)
Onions: 1 large or 2 medium (cut lengthwise-and then cut into half)
Ginger: 1/2" piece(chopped fine)
Turmeric:1/2 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

For the tempering:

Oil: 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds: 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
Channa dal/split black chickpeas/Myles: 1 teaspoon
Cashew nuts: 4-5 nos(chopped)

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan,then add the mustard, cumin and the channa dal.
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and the cashew nuts and stir till the cashew nuts are brown.
Add the ginger and fry till it turns a golden brown.
Add the slit green chillies,the chopped onions,turmeric powder,salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add the coarsely mashed potatoes and mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and cook stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes. Set aside.

Ingredients (for the dosa):

Rice: 2 cups
Urad dal/ Split blackmatpe beans: 1 cup
Cooked rice: 1 cup (or 1 cup flattened rice/poha)
Fenugreek seeds: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

Method:

Wash, then soak the raw rice, urad dal and fenugreek seeds in water for at least 4-6 hours.
Drain the water used for soaking.Add the cooked rice (if using flattened rice-wash,drain and let it stand for at least 10-15 mins), and about a cup of water and grind to a fine paste (should be as thick as the pancake batter).
Let it ferment overnight (or for 10-12 hours) in a big bowl(the batter will rise if the weather is warm enough).
Once it has fermented,add salt and mix. Then pour a ladleful of the batter onto a HOT pan and spread the batter with the ladle in a circular motion(going from the centre of the pan to the outside).
Add a little ghee/butter/oil to the edges of the dosa and let it cook till you notice it getting golden brown from underneath.
At this stage, place the yellow potato filling at the centre of the dosa and fold from both sides (like a wrap) or you could also fold it from three sides(the resulting dosa would looks like a triangle).
Remove from the pan.Serve hot with a little cilantro chutney and sambar .

There's the potato!!

That's my "fireman" son eating his 'triangle dosa' with non-spicy potato filling (I have to make it separately with no green chillies)!! Phew,what a lot of work,but the result is worth every minute I spent on it! Thanks Christo for choosing the spud as the BSI for this week.
Note:

Warm weather is crucial for the batter to ferment.
The pan needs to be really HOT before you start making the dosas.
The dosas can be made without the potato filling too- then it would be known as 'Plain Dosa' (not as much fun as eating the 'masala' variety).

Question: What is your favourite potato dish?

Spicy, "Garlicky" Peanut Chutney Powder

2009-06-26T13:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of my husband's favourite chutney's and he just cannot stop sprinkling it over everything and anything! I had never tasted it (forget even making it) before I got married and had only heard about it from him(my MIL apparently would always have a batch of it in the house).
My family used more of coconut(milk/paste,etc) for our cooking as we are originally from a small coastal town in South India (Mangalore to be specific, for those who are familiar with India and Indian towns), whereas my hubby's family is more familiar to using peanuts in their cooking.
He sort of knew what ingredients his mom used for making it and asked me to try it. I tried making it a couple of times and every time he found something wrong with it-it was either not "garlicky enough"(even when I had added 10 garlic cloves!!) or "too pasty". Finally, fed-up with these comments,I decided to call up my MIL(why didn't I ever think of it before???? Silly me!!) and ask her how she makes it-that's when she told me my mistakes:

use about 3-4 raw garlic cloves (I used to saute them in a little oil) to get the "garlicky" taste,
and use a handful of roasted bengal gram dal(roasted and puffed split chickpeas) which not only adds to the taste but also absorbs the oil from the peanuts (and the moisture from the raw garlic) and hence the result is a "powder"chutney and not a "pasty" chutney!

Over the years,I've not only perfected the art of making this chutney powder,but also added my own "healthy" ingredient-flaxseeds!
Ingredients:

Roasted peanuts: 1 cup(skinned)
Roasted gram dal: 1/2 cup
Garlic: 2-3 cloves
Flax seed : 1 tablespoon (optional)
Turmeric: 1/4th teaspoon
Red chilli powder: 1 teaspoon(add more if you want it spicier)
Salt: to taste

Method:

Powder all the ingredients together to get a coarse chutney.
Transfer to an air-tight container and store in the fridge(should keep for about 2 weeks or maybe even more).

You can use it as a chutney or sprinkle a little on noodles/fried rice/salads or mix it with a little yogurt and use as a dip or as a filling inside sandwiches.

Question: Do you try and stick to a given recipe OR do you like to experiment by throwing in some other ingredients?

A 'special' chocolate aimed at fighting acne?

2009-06-24T08:56:00.000-07:00

I had to share this(though I'm not convinced that it works). Growing up everyone has heard "don't eat too many chocolates-it's bad for zits/acne".So,what do they do? They come out with a special bar of chocolate that supposedly delivers micro-nutrients and antioxidants that help to clear the skin!!!
This so-called "Acne Care Chocolate's" manufactured by the US based company Frutels is about to hit the shelves in the UK and Australia. It claims that consumers need to eat about two to five(???) of these per day to see the results in about two weeks time!
Convinced? Well,I'm not. Let's wait and watch-only time (and some gullible teenagers) will prove whether the product really works or whether it's another gimmick.
Source:

Daily Mail:A bar a day keeps the spots away: The chocolate 'cure' for acne.

P.S: Please note that this is a special "neutraceutical" chocolate and not the regular bar of chocolate!

Question: Would you buy these "sounds too good to be true" remedies OR would you rather wait for proven results before spending your well-earned money?

A spaghetti dish-with Spaghetti Squash!!

2009-06-22T09:20:00.000-07:00

Spaghetti

So what's so great about me putting up a photo of a plate of spaghetti??
Look more closely-that's not your regular spaghetti-it's a SQUASH!!!!! A couple of weeks back when I was chatting with my brother, he had mentioned that he had recently tried spaghetti squash and that got me intrigued and I quickly put it on my shopping list. I found it quite easily,but I wasn't too sure if it was the right one as it looked no different from the rest of the squash where it was kept( I guess I was expecting something which at least vaguely resembled spaghetti),but the label on it very clearly said "Spaghetti Squash" and also had cooking instructions (thank you very much).

The instructions said that I could either bake it or microwave it-I microwaved it on high for about 7-8 minutes(after piercing the rind) and let it cool for sometime before cutting it open-and voila, there was the spaghetti just staring at me-beautiful!!!
I hadn't even thought of what to do with it. I could make spaghetti(after all it was named after it) or I could use it as noodles. Since this was the first time,I settled with a simple spaghetti dish with sauteed vegetables. The result was a nice crunchy dish( and it was all vegetables!!) which was very filling. Next time I'm going to be a little more adventurous and try out something new-maybe a salad, or maybe a stir-fry dish,or use it as noodles. Any suggestions??

Question: How would you like to try out Spaghetti squash?

A quiz,a slideshow and some awards!!

2009-06-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ok-quiz time again( if you are a regular visitor to my blog,you'll know that I tend to throw in a health quiz once in a while)!! This time it's about "Brain-Foods".
Brain foods are foods that affect the performance of your brain. It has been proven that by eating the right food, you can boost your IQ, improve your mood, be more emotionally stable, sharpen your memory and keep your mind young.
You can take a quick tour on what are the different brain foods by going through this slide-show I found on WebMD: Brain Foods That Help You concentrate.

Once you've got an intro to the different brain foods,take a quick-quiz(just 7 questions) to see how much of brain food you need to include ;-)
QUIZ: Brain Foods:How Much Do You Know?

Finally,the award:

It's been raining awards, first it was Jenn(Bread+Butter),then Rebecca(Chow And Chatter),then Muneeba (An Edible Symphony), Renu (Renu's Kitchen), Kittymatti (Preethi's Online Cookbook) and finally Shubha (Munchscrunchandsuch).....whew!!! Thanks guys-that's so SWEET of you. Now I'm supposed to pass it on to 10 new blog's/award-so that makes it around a whopping 60 blogs!! Since I'm in a very generous mood-I'm just going to award it to all you fabulous bloggers who visit my blog!! Congratulations to all!

Question: no question for today,just answer the questions on the quiz !!

Pineapple Mulligatawny soup

2009-06-15T12:10:00.000-07:00

Pineapple Mulligatawny Soup

There are so many versions of the famous "Mulligatawny Soup" (the literal Tamil translation being just "pepper water" ) that I decided to add my own version-a pineapple (yes,now that I have THE pineapple cutter I can actually experiment with pineapple dishes, since we seem to buying it almost every week)flavoured mulligatawny soup. Normally, I would not have preferred mulligatawny soup in summer,but the addition of the pineapple makes this soup almost perfect for summer.
Ingredients:

Pineapple: 1 cup (chopped)
Onion: 1/2 medium (finely chopped)
Garlic:2 cloves(crushed)
Ginger:1/2 " piece(finely chopped)
Pepper: 1-2 teaspoon(freshly ground)
Turmeric: a pinch
Curry powder or Sambar/rasam powder:1/2 to 1 teaspoon
Green chillies:1-2(slit lengthwise)
Water/vegetable broth/dal water: 2 cups
Oil: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste
Sugar/Jaggery: 1 teaspoon(optional)

For tempering:

Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Peppercorns:3-4 nos.
Curry leaves:2-3 nos.
Hing/Asafoetida: a pinch (optional)

Method:

Puree half the quantity of the pineapple into a fine paste and keep aside.
Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds and peppercorns.
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves,turmeric and the asafoetida (optional).
Add the chopped ginger and the crushed garlic and stir-fry till slightly brown.
Then,add the chopped onions,green chillies and salt and saute till the onions are golden brown.
Add the pineapple puree along with the rest of the chopped pineapple pieces,curry or sambar/rasam powder,sugar/jaggery(optional) and stir continuously for about 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
Add about 2 cups of water/vegetable broth (or you could also use the water after boiling dal) and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.
Serve hot with a dash of freshly ground pepper.

Question: What is your favorite "summer" soup?

Great Find- A Pineapple Cutter!!!

2009-06-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

If you don't already have this-go get it!!
I'm so thrilled with this gadget. I love pineapples but absolutely HATE cutting pineapples. My hubby and I always hesitate when buying pineapples(he hates cutting them too), so when he told me he saw a pineapple cutter and a mango cutter(why would anyone need a mango cutter-it's so easy to cut),I had to check it out!! So veni, vidi and I bought it !!

It's so easy,and there's absolutely no mess. You also get a beautiful pineapple shell to use as a bowl for all the wonderful dishes that you can make with pineapples!!

Tuna Cutlets (and why fish is good for your EYES)

2009-06-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

Tuna Cutlets

Here's one more reason to increase your "oily" fish intake-the omega-3-fatty acids found in fish have shown to halt and slow down the age-related macular degeneration (AMD), in lay-man's terms: AMD basically is a medical condition which is mostly seen in older adults and results in the loss of vision in the center of the visual field.
The research and findings conducted by Dr Elaine Chong at the University of Melbourne,Australia, involved 90,000 participants and showed that a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids could cut the risk of developing AMD by 38%.
Experts suggest eating oily fish like salmons,mackerel,tuna,shellfish and herring about twice a week to get the benefits of omega-3!
Sources:

BBC News: Oily Fish Can Halt Eye Disease
Telegraph: Diet rich in oilyfish can cut risk of developing eye disease.

Now a simple and tasty way of including fish into your diet: fish cakes or "cutlets" as they are called in India. This is my mom's method of making cutlets(thank you Angie of Angie's Recipes for reminding me of it).
Mom would first steam mackerel,then take out the bones and mix it with mashed potatoes and coat them in rava/ semolina instead of using bread crumbs. Rava absorbs much less oil and tastes equally nice. I used canned tuna,but it tastes great with just about any fish you fancy.
Ingredients:

Tuna: 1 can (5 oz)
Potatoes: 1 medium size (boiled)
Onions: 1/2 (finely chopped)
Cilantro: 2-3 tablespoons (finely chopped)
Giner+garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
Green chillies: 1-2 (finely chopped)
Rava/Semolina: to coat the cutlets
Salt: to taste
Oil: for shallow frying

Method:

In a bowl coarsely mash the potatoes.
Drain the water from the tuna and add the tuna,chopped onions,cilantro,chillies,ginger +garlic paste and salt to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
Shape into cutlets and shallow fry till the cutlets turn golden brown.
Serve hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

Question: How much of fish do you manage to include in your diet per week?

Chickpeas Chhole with Organic Spices!!

2009-06-09T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was thrilled to bits on finding a sample kit of the Arora Creations Authentic Indian Spice Blend of Organic Spices in my mail box two weeks ago.I was quite intrigued when I first heard about it-Organic Indian Spice mix???
To date I've only bought masalas from the Indian store which are all made in India (yup,had always opted for the tried and tested route).To be honest, I was quite skeptical when I decided to use the first packet-the Chhole (pronounced as: Cho-ley) masala, and so I did exactly what was mentioned on the packet(I didn't want to be accused of a having a bias for Indian made stuff!!). The only three changes I did was a)to puree the tomatoes instead of adding chopped tomatoes and b) adding 2 green chillies(we love our chhole spicy) and c)reducing the quantity of oil to my regular "one teaspoon"!
The result-a chhole which reminded of the authentic stuff that you get in the "authentic" Punjabi restaurants back in India!!I got the biggest compliment from hubby and his friends too.Hubby thinks it's the best chhole I've EVER made-HUGE COMPLIMENT (for the Arora Creations Masala actually).Now I can't wait to try out the rest of the masalas for some more compliments ;-)
Here's the recipe with the changes:
Ingredients:

Oil:1 teaspoon
Ginger:1/4th cup (finely chopped)
Onion:1/2 cup(finely chopped)
Chickpeas: 3 cups boiled/30oz canned(drained and rinsed)
Tomatoes: 2 nos.(pureed)
Cilantro: 1/4th cup(chopped)
Green chillies: 1-2 nos. slit(optional)

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan,then add the chopped ginger and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped onions and salt and fry till they are golden brown.
Add the tomato puree and 1/2 the packet of Arora Creations Punjabi Chhole Spice Blend,stir for about 3-4 minutes.
Then add the chickpeas and about 1 cup of water and keep stirring for 5-6 minutes,until desired texture and remove from heat.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with chapatis/naan/rice.

Note:

If you are expecting a reddish colour chhole-then forget it,this masala has absolutely no added colour (which is what I love!)
Mash a tablespoon of the chickpeas and add to the gravy(this is a tip from my MIL who says this adds to the flavour).

Now,I'm just hoping I can find the brand locally(finger's crossed). Thank you Mr.Dhiraj Arora (and Mr.Michael Hurst) for sending me the sample kit and introducing me to a whole new world of spices.
Question: For ethnic dishes, do you prefer buying local brands of spices/mixes/pastes or do you feel that the brands originating from the respective regions are better?

Stuffed Green Pepper (with Chilly Tofu)

2009-06-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

Stuffed Capsicum/Green Pepper(with Chilly tofu)

I had first seen the recipe of Stuffed Green Bell Pepper (or "Capsicum" and "Shimla Mirchi"as it is popularly known as in India) when I was a kid and was skimming through one of my mother's magazines (I think it was either "Femina" or "Savvy") and came across this awesome looking photo of a stuffed capsicum(I wasn't into cooking then,so I can hardly remember what it was stuffed with, but I'm guessing it had potatoes).
I was so enamored with that photo that I bugged and begged my mom to make it and she finally relented and agreed to make it.So,the next day, off we went,my mom and little me in tow to the bazaar/market and bought a couple of the freshest,greenest and biggest looking capsicums for the recipe(the rest of the stuff which we bought has been deleted from my memory-I happen to have a limited memory space and I tend to save only the most important stuff). Anyway,we got home and my mom got busy in the kitchen with me doing the most important part-opening the magazine to the page where the recipe was and keeping it where my mother could refer to it.That done,I left my mom to do the cooking(she was the expert afterall)and I guess I must have whiled away the time till dinner.
When it was ready,we were called to the dinner table and I ran excitedly(again please note that I was never a good eater as a child and nothing other than chocolates got me excited) to take my place at the dinner table. That was when I saw what my mom had made and I burst into tears,and no-it was not tears of joy,but that of bitter disappointment!
It didn't resemble the dish in the book at all,infact it didn't even look like she had made the same dish.I ran into the kitchen and got the book and pointed it out to her(just incase she had made the NEXT recipe by mistake)-the photo was of a nice green bell pepper,with a perfectly green skin,no blemishes,filled with the yummiest looking stuff with a little firm cap on it.What actually sat on the table was a soggy, greenish brown mass barely able to hold the stuffing!! My mother and the rest of the family tried to explain that in the photo the bell pepper was not subjected to any cooking and was just to get(what I now understand is called) an "awesome shot".
The recipe called for the pepper to be fried,which made it change in colour and texture and hence the soggy mass sitting on our dining table. Whatever she made must have probably tasted great because she did make it a couple of times after that and even experimented with different stuffing's,but I really couldn't care. It was NOT what was in the book!!!

Stuffed Bell Pepper(the cooked version)

When I read about the BSI challenge ingredient for this week(being hosted by Jenn on her blog Bread+Butter) was pepper,I wondered what interesting dish I could make with it.My hubby is sick and tired of eating "Alu Capsicum Sabzi"(potato and green bell pepper curry),so I had decided to give that dish a well deserved rest. That's when this idea of "Stuffed Capsicum" came into my head(and with that,the visions of that disastrous looking cooked version). I had some tofu that I had bought to make "Chilly Tofu"(the recipe for which I have posted earlier). Since it was for a stuffing, the only change I made was to crumble the tofu instead of cutting them into cubes,and yes,I took a snap of the dish before and after cooking the bell pepper!!
Check out the recipe and ingredients for the "Quick Chilly Tofu" here.
To make this dish you will also need about 4 bell peppers (you can choose whatever colour you fancy).
Method:

Cut the bell peppers carefully at the top,and remove the seeds.
Apply a little oil to the outer side of the capsicum and microwave on high for 3-4 minutes.
Once they are ready,stuff it carefully with the "chilly tofu" and serve.

P.S:

Since I've microwaved the peppers, it doesn't look anything like the fried version that is imprinted in my memory.

This goes to the BSI(Blogger's Secret Ingredient)challenge being hosted by Jenn at Bread+Butter and also to AFAM Bell Peppers (A Fruit A Month)being hosted by Priya (and started by Maheshwari)of Priya's Easy and Tasty.
Question: Have you ever followed a recipe to the T only to end up with a dish that didn't quite look like that shown in the book/magazine?

Ragi (Fingermillet) pudding

2009-06-02T13:38:00.000-07:00

Ragi (English-Finger millet,Chinese-䅟子,Arabic- Tailabon, German-Fingerhirse, French-coracan) is a popular millet in Southern India and is made into different dishes like porridges, puddings, pancakes,cookies, etc. Nutritionally,it is rich in the amino acid methionine and is among the few grains which contains a considerable amount of calcium.
Ragi is also given to babies as one of first cereals after rice(in fact Nestle India had launched a baby cereal mix with rice and ragi). My grandmother used to make this pudding during summer, as it is believed in Ayurveda to cool the body.Traditionally it is made by soaking the ragi millet overnight in water,then grinding it to a fine paste and straining it in a cheesecloth.This is then cooked with jaggery and coconut milk,till it reaches a thick pasty consistency.It is then poured into huge plates and set aside to cool. The end product used to be simply amazing-a dark chocolate brown pudding(my gran used to tell me that it was Indian chocolate pudding,so that she could get me to eat it)that simply melted in the mouth.
Sadly,I could not find ragi millet here(not that I would have gone through the whole cumbersome process even if I had),but managed to get the ragi flour at the Indian store to make this instant version. I substituted milk for the coconut milk and the final product still was very tasty though it didn't have the same rich dark brown colour.Also,since it's not strained you can see brown specks of the ragi coat. This can be eaten hot or cold(I love it cold)and had as a porridge for breakfast or served as a dessert or a healthy anytime snack(if you can mange to control the portion size)!
Ingredients:Serves 2

Ragi flour: 1 cup
Milk/Coconut milk: 2 cups
Jaggery: 1 cup scraped OR Sugar: to taste
Cardamom powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Salt: a pinch

Method:

Mix the ragi flour with the cold milk and make sure there are no lumps.
Pour this into a saucepan and add the jaggery/sugar,salt and cardamom powder.
Cook on medium heat stirring continuously(take care to see that it doesn't form lumps).
When the mixture starts to thicken, reduce the heat and keep stirring till you get a porridge like consistency.
Remove from heat.
Serve warm or chilled.

Note:

You can substitute sugar for the jaggery, though it is more nutritious to use jaggery.
Adding a pinch of salt is supposed to make the dish sweeter (not sure if that's really true).

This is my entry for "Show Me Your Breakfast" event being hosted by Divya at "Dil Se".
Question: Do you feel that adding a pinch of salt to a sweet dish makes it sweeter or is it just an old wives tale?

Peas Raitha

2009-06-01T13:30:00.000-07:00

Peas Raitha/Salad

My son loved this as it had all his favourite ingredients: peas,yogurt,honey!! I had some more plain Greek Yogurt from Oikos and thought I'd make this salad.Again,just like the cumin+yogurt dip,you can make it either sweet(add honey) or have it like the regular raitha with salt.
Ingredients:

Yogurt: 1 cup
Peas: 1 cup steamed
Zeera/Cumin seeds: 2 teaspoon (roast and pound when cool)
Honey:2 teaspoon OR salt: to taste
Mint leaves/Cilantro: 1teaspoon(chopped fine)

Method:

First,let the peas cool down to room temperature.
Then mix all the ingredients together.
Let it chill in the fridge for atleast half-an-hour.
Garnish with chopped cilantro/mint leaves and serve.

America's Fittest 5 Cities-2009

2009-05-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Well,well, well-what have we here?Guess which city has topped the list of the fittest city in the whole of the United States-it's none other than Washington D.C!!! Congratulations-looks like the capital is also leading by example in the fitness dept too. The other cities that made it into the top 5 position are:

Washington D.C
Minneapolis-St. Paul
Denver
Boston
San Francisco

The bottom three cities were Oklahoma City, Detroit and Birmingham,Ala.
The survey conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine took into consideration factors like availability of parklands, public transportation, death rate from cardiovascular diseases, smoking, amount of servings of fruits and vegetables per day and number of primary care physicians per capita among other things.
Looks like the first family have a lot to boast about along with their White House vegetable garden.
Read more:

Tangy Masala Bread

2009-05-29T08:45:00.000-07:00

Masala Bread with Yogurt Dip

"Masala bread" or "Bread Uppma" is a great dish to have for breakfast or as a brunch on a lazy Sunday morning or even as a snack with a nice cup of "chai" in the evening.
Ingredients:(Serves 2)

Whole wheat bread: 4-5 slices (cut into small squares)
Onion: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
Tomatoes: 1/2 medium (chopped fine)
Ginger+garlic paste:1/2 teaspoon(optional)
Garam masala:1/4 teaspoon
Turmeric:1/4 teaspoon
Coriander/Cilantro leaves: 1 tablespoon(finely chopped)
Oil: 1teaspoon
Salt: to taste
For tempering (Optional)
Mustard seeds:1/4teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the ingredients for tempering(optional-or skip this step and add the onions to the oil).
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the onion,ginger+garlic paste,turmeric,garam masala and salt.
Saute till the onions turn a golden brown.Add the chopped tomatoes, and saute till they are thoroughly cooked.
Add the chopped bread and mix gently till the masala coats the bread.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve either as such or with a yogurt dip.

Note:

The tempering is optional-so don't fret if you don't have the ingredients(we always have these in the masala box and I tend to use it since I like the extra Indian flavour it tends to impart)
I added a cup of mushrooms too to this dish(I love mushrooms so I try and add it where ever possible).

Question: What is your favorite Sunday morning breakfast/brunch?

Cumin-Yogurt Dip

2009-05-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Greek Yogurt Dip

I had heard so much about Greek Yogurt that I was thrilled when I got a couple of coupons in the mail by Stonyfield Farm for their Organic Greek yogurt called Oikos.
Sadly I could not find all the flavors mentioned,but managed to get the plain and the honey flavoured ones.
I love the taste of freshly roasted and powdered cumin seeds in yogurt(both the savoury and the sweet version),so thought I'd make this simple dip with the plain Greek yogurt.
Ingredients:

Yogurt: 1/2 cup
Zeera/cumin seeds: 1-2 teaspoon
Red chilli powder: a pinch
Salt/Sugar: to taste

Method:

Slowly roast the cumin seeds in a pan until toasted. Cool and pound the seeds with a pestle.
Mix it with the yogurt and either salt (for a savory dip) or sugar (for a sweet dip) or add a little of both for a new flavour.
Garnish the dip by sprinkling some chilli powder and some cumin powder on top.

Question: What is your favorite dip?

Boys have sweeter tooth than GIRLS!!

2009-05-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

If you think you can enjoy that box of chocolates that your boyfriend gifted,all by yourself-think again!He probably is expecting his share of the goodies which is probably why he bought them in the first place(ever heard of killing two birds with one stone?)!!How naive we are......,well not anymore.
A new research conducted on school children all over Denmark by the Danish Science Communication and the Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen now suggests that boys need 20% more sweetness in the food to recognize it as tasty!!
The findings also shows that girls have are better at recognizing tastes than boys. Boys also preferred wilder and more extreme flavours,whereas the girls preferred more muted flavours.
So,the next time your BF/hubby get's you a box of chocolates you can give him "that" I know-it-all smile!!
Read more:

The Daily Telegraph:Boys Have Sweeter Tooth Than Girls.
AusFoodNews: New research establishes different tastes of girls and boys.

Beetroot mocktail

2009-05-26T08:55:00.000-07:00

Beetroot Mocktail

It's funny how our brains are trained to believe things only when they are supported by facts. There are so many things that I pooh-poohed as a kid and sheepishly acknowledge now because "scientists" have conducted experiments and have proved it to be true.
Growing up in India in a joint family ,we kids always heard about the health benefits of every vegetable or fruit which we had to eat (no questions asked and no explanations given). All that knowledge probably had it's roots in Ayurveda but is still being referred to as "bush medicine". Even Ayurveda,which is an ancient science is only now gaining popularity in the western world though it has been around since BC!!
Wondering where all this talk is leading to? Well the other day I read an article on WebMD stating "Beetroot Juice Lowers Blood Pressure" and it brought back memories of my mom telling me that "eating/drinking beetroot would give me rosy cheeks as it would improve my blood". Beetroot juice is also recommended by Naturopaths for those who are anemic,but then again naturopathy isn't mainstream medicine-it's 'alternative' medicine!!
Over the years,there have been so many such instances when "modern" science has taken up a study on some similar "bush" theory's and proven my mom and grandma right, that every time I read about it,I can just picture my mom doing a little "I TOLD YOU SO" jig in my mind.
Now that I am older(and hopefully wiser) and also armed with scientific data (for some), I have decided to pass on this wisdom that I have inherited to my son as he goes through life(so that later he can picture ME doing the jig)!
Ladies and gentlemen of the "modern" world, please join me as I raise a toast to the wisdom of all our ancestors with this mocktail made with the innumerable benefits of beets,carrots and lemon juice.
Ingredients:

Beetroot:1 small
Carrot: 1/2
Lime juice : 2-3 tablespoon
Sugar:2 teaspoon(optional)

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together in a juicer.
Serve chilled.

Check out this awesome slideshow on juices on WebMD called:
Juice Wars: The Best and Worse for your Health

Question: Is there any such "bush" theory that you heard as a kid that science has proved right?

My tryst with pickling..

2009-05-22T14:28:00.000-07:00

Pickled Carrots

As a kid I was always excited to see my gran make all sorts of pickles during summer.These ranged from raw mango,lime and mixed vegetable pickles in different flavours-sweet,spicy,sweet-n-sour. Then,she would put them in big pickle jars and leave it to marinate-some in the sun,some in the shade. We would bug her everyday to find out when we could get to taste them. Back then,I was more interested in the sweet and sweet-n-sour pickles as I couldn't eat spicy stuff.
I've never tried my hand at pickling-I always thought it was such a cumbersome and long process. The other day,we ate pickled carrots at a Mexican restaurant,which we liked and that's when I decided to try my hand at it.
I came across two recipes that I liked and decided to mix both recipes to make a sweet-n-sour carrot pickle.Here's what I used-
Ingredients:

Baby Carrots: 250 g(approx),slit lengthwise
Vinegar: 1 cup (distilled white vinegar)
Peppercorns:4-5
Garlic: 2 peeled and sliced
Salt:1 teaspoon(or according to taste)
Sugar:2 teaspoon
Water: 1 cup
Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes.
Add the carrots and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the vinegar,salt,sugar,peppercorns and simmer for 5-6 minutes.
Add water and simmer again for 10 minutes.
Allow it to cool completely.Transfer into a sterilized bottle/jar with a tight lid.
Let it marinate overnight in the fridge for the flavours to develop.

Check out the original recipe for the spicy pickle here and the sweet pickle here.

Question: Do you make your own pickles?

Tuna Burji(Scrambled Tuna)

2009-05-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

Tuna burji/Scrambled Tuna(Indian style)

I have no story for this-we just love tuna/eggs/tofu this way. So,here's the recipe:
Ingredients:

Tuna chunks: 1 can(5 oz) packed in water
Red onion: 1/2 medium sized(chopped fine)
Tomatoes: 1 medium(chopped fine)
Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 slit lengthwise
Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric :1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder: 1 teaspoon (or according to taste)
Coriander/Cilantro leaves: 2 tablespoons(finely chopped)
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Add the chopped onions,salt and fry till it's golden brown.
Add the chopped tomatoes,green chili,garam masala and turmeric and saute till the tomatoes are cooked thoroughly.
Add the tuna with the packed water and cook on medium heat stirring at regular intervals till all the water evaporates.
Garnish with cilantro.Serve with hot roti's/naan/as a spicy filling for sandwiches/panini or even as a topping for Melba toast.

Giveaway:An Apple A day is having a favorite giveaway!!

Bad breath with low-carb diets!!

2009-05-18T08:23:00.000-07:00

Are you on a low-carb diet and keep wondering why people around you (your family/friends/colleagues) try to keep a healthy distance from you? Well,the reason could be that you have BAD BREATH !!
A low-carb diet works on the concept of ketosis wherein the body uses fat as a source of energy. The by-products of ketosis are ketones and fatty acids,and the excess ketones are excreted in the urine and breath thus causing the bad breath!!
Of course there are different methods to mask it like drinking lots of water,chewing sugarless gum or sucking on sugarless mints and swishing your mouth with water after eating food.Since the cause of the bad breath is metabolic-the only cure would be to get back to eating a balanced diet(with carbs) and getting on a regular exercise routine for your weight loss goals.
It's your choice:
a)Low-carb diets+bad breath=no friends + weight loss + associated dangers(of low-carb diet)
OR
b)Balanced diet +exercise= friends +weight loss + good health
Read more:

WebMD: Low carb diets can cause bad breath
Mayo Clinic: Low-carb diets

Question: What would YOU choose?

Mango Peda

2009-05-14T18:20:00.000-07:00

Mango Peda

Well, we bought some yummy mangoes and I just couldn't resist making a sweet(yes,even a dietitian has her moments of weakness,but the important thing to keep in mind is "MODERATION"!!). A peda is traditionally made by reducing milk in an open pan and then adding the required amount of sugar and flavoring. A lot of people use "khoa" which saves a lot of time. Since I couldn't find khoa here,I decided to try it with ricotta cheese instead,and it actually turned out quite well!!
Ingredients: (Makes about 4-6 nos.)

Ricotta cheese(fat free): 2 cups
Mango puree: 1 cup
Sugar: 6 teaspoons (or according to taste)
Cardamom powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Pistachio slivers/ Canned cherries/strawberries: for decoration

Method:

Heat a non-stick pan and pour the mango puree along with the sugar and cardamom powder and saute till it the puree appears to be cooked.
Add the ricotta cheese and stir continuously on medium flame till it becomes a thick mouldable mass.
Allow to cool,then shape into desired shapes and garnish.

Question: What is your favourite (ripe) mango recipe?

FDA warns a leading breakfast cereal brand.

2009-05-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

Are you among the many who were diagnosed with high cholesterol sometime back and the only change you made was to switch to eating the whole grain oat cereal that the manufacturer's claimed will reduce your bad cholesterol? If you think that just changing your breakfast cereal to the "healthier" one is going to do the trick-you are wrong!!
The FDA has issued a warning letter to Cheerios, a leading breakfast cereal brand for misleading consumers .The letter points out that the claims on Cheerios Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal makes it sound more like a drug to prevent and treat heart problems and high cholesterol.
Though Cheerios says that their claims is based on the proven fact that soluble fibre from whole grains has been associated with reduced risk of heart problems,the FDA points out that the claims that Cheerios is making that "eating it alone can reduce bad cholesterol by an average of 4%" is inappropriate. The approved health claim about heart disease is supposed to mention fiber, fruits, vegetables, and a low-fat diet -- not just whole-grain foods.
The bottom line-no one particular food can magically reduce your cholesterol levels.It is a combination of eating plenty of whole foods,along with fruits,vegetables and reducing the total fat in the diet along with a good exercise regimen that will help to keep you healthy.
Read more:

WebMD: FDA warns Cheerios on Health Claims.
FDA: The warning letter issued to Cheerios

Question: Do you think somebody/some agency should keep a check on the claims made in advertisements or should it be left on the consumers to decide whether the claims are genuine or not?

Dal Makhani-the low cal version!

2009-05-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Dal Makhani-low cal version

Nothing beats eating dal makhani (with the oodles of butter and cream) with hot rice or chapathis or even naan. We always ate it in restaurants as I had no clue how to make it.Then I saw the recipe in one of Nita Mehta's low-cal recipe books.Dal makhani and low-cal???How in the world can anyone make it low-cal and also expect it to taste as good as the original recipe?I had to try it out,though the "better-half" warned that if it doesn't taste like the restaurant stuff,he wasn't going to touch it(so much for a supportive husband!).Anyway,I made it and I must warn you here-it takes me a good 2 hours to make this dish,but it's worth the effort every time.Suffice to say that it was eaten by the fussy hubby and it's been added to his list of dishes that turns out well even at home!
Here's the recipe,I've deleted the tandoori masala (way too much colour) and ketchup from the original recipe as mentioned in the book and also increased the amount of milk as I wanted a creamy texture:
Ingredients:

Whole urad (black matpe beans): 1 cup(soaked overnight)
Split bengal gram dal: 1 tablespoon OR 1/2 cup red beans(soaked overnight)
Tomatoes: 3 nos.(pureed)
Onion: 1/2 medium (preferably red onions),finely chopped
Garlic: 2 flakes (finely chopped)
Green chillies:1 or 2 nos(slit lengthwise)
Low fat milk: 1 and 1/2 cups
Red chilly powder: 1 or 2 teaspoon(according to taste)
Coriander/cilantro leaves-2 tablespoon
Curd: 1 tablespoon (whipped)
Sugar: 1 teaspoon (optional)
Salt: to taste

Method:

Discard the water used for soaking the beans/dal overnight.
Put 6 cups of water into a pressure cooker and add Urad,split gram(or red beans),chopped onion,garlic.Cook till one whistle then let it cook on a low flame for about half an hour.( If you don't have a pressure cooker,cook in a closed saucepan for atleast 40-45 minutes).
After half an hour,switch off and let the pressure drop.Then,open and add the tomato puree and the slit green chilies.Cook, stirring occasionally for 20 mins on reduced flame.
Add the milk and cook for 8-10 mins.
Add the red chilly powder,sugar(optional) and salt. Let it cook on low flame for a further 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Garnish with chopped cilantro/corriander leaves and whipped curd.

Question:Which is your fave high-cal dish that you would love to have in a low-cal version?

Local grocery, some awards and Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

This post is inspired by Rebecca of Chow and Chatter who had written a wonderful post on her local grocery store and by Angie of Angie's Appetite For Life who had mentioned about her favorite brand of almond butter. Reading Angie's post made me realize that I don't have a favorite brand, simply because I've always been making my own almond butter and peanut butter-and no,I don't make it at home!!I make and buy it fresh at my local grocery store!! They have this section where they have all the ingredients ready,and all you do is to start the machine and collect as much as PB/AB that you want!!

Fresh Almond Butter

Fresh Peanut Butter

Not just that,I haven't got any particular brand for honey either as they have their own honey comb!!

Isn't that so cool-no idea how it works though (does anyone have an answer-do share)!!

Moving on Rebecca passed this simply "Awe-Summm" award to me -how cool.I had received a "Friends Award" from Sangeeta very early in my blogging life(I was too wet behind the ears to know that I was supposed to pass it on-so selfish ME kept it with me for sooooo long!!).Better late then never?? Anyway,so on this happy occassion of Mother's Day (my second as a mom),I have the great opportunity to pass not one,but TWO awards. The first is the "Friends Award" that I was supposed to pass on to 8 blogger friends(not sure if I had 8 blogger friend when I got it,now I have so many it's difficult to choose).I wish I could give it to all of you :-(

I pass this on to:

Rebecca of "Chow and Chatter" (Reb-I'm so glad I found you and your blog).
Smitha Suresh of "Wellness as a Context For Life"(you know why) my friend and ex-colleague!!
Kristen of "Eating R.D"
Angie of Angie's Appetite For Life -thanks for introducing me to "Double Fibre" Bread)!
Gina of "The Candid R.D"
Natasha of "5 Star Foodie" (I know you've already got this award,but this one is from ME -good "Karma" always comes back)
Jenn of "Bread plus Butter" (ditto as for Natasha).
Pearl of " A Sweet Pearl"-such a talented young girl (ditto as for Natasha and Jenn).

Please pass this award to 8 of YOUR blogger friends :)
Now the next award: The "Awe-Summ" award.I have to first share 7 awesome things about myself (gosh,these awards get tougher):

A great mom (today Mother's day-so,that's at the top of my mind),
Good friend (always there for those who need a shoulder to cry on),
I love being a Dietitian,
Love to help people(with my knowledge on nutrition and even generally)
I can do anything if I really put my heart and mind into it.
I'm very shy if I don't know someone, and have to put in a lot of effort so that people don't think I'm snobbish,
I'm a good wife,
I've become a better cook in the past one year,ever since I've quit my job to be a full time mom.

Phew-that was tough,now I pass on this award and the tough job of sharing 7 Awe-Summm things about yourself to:

Sheetu of My Kitchen-my SIL and also the one who inspired me to start a blog!
Yasmeen of Health Nut-for making and sharing such awesome healthy recipes.
Sangeeta of Healthfood desividesi -for taking the right step to a healthy life.
Christo of Chez What- he he he, "what chez you maverick"? (Oops-just realized that the award says QUEEN of all things-nevertheless)!!

Question:What is so unique or different at your local grocery store? OR What makes you shop there week after week?

Chickpea Salad

2009-05-08T17:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Gina in her blog 'The Candid R.D', had a great post called "Snack Attack" ,where she lists out the good snacks (and the not so good ones).She had also asked if we had a favorite snack, to which I mentioned that chickpea salad was one of my fave. That,actually reminded me that I had not made it in a very long time-so,thanks to Gina,today's snack just had to be "Chickpea Salad". This can be eaten as a side salad or as a snack by itself. There's one more version which my mom used to make for breakfast(since it didn't have fresh onions),so this post has two recipes (but only one pic)with chickpeas.

Chickpea salad

Chickpea salad: (Serves 2)
Ingredients:

Cooked chickpeas: 2 cups
Onions:1/2 medium (finely chopped)
Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or finely chopped)
Cilantro: 2 tablespoons (finely chopped)
Tomatoes: 1 small (finely diced)
Lime juice: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

Method:

Toss all the ingredients together and serve with baked tortilla chips(optional).

Chickpea (breakfast version): Serves 2
Ingredients:

Chickpeas: 2 cups(cooked)
Green chillies: 1/2 or 1 (slit or chopped))
Freshly grated coconut: 1-2 teaspoon (optional)
Coriander leaves: 2 tablespoon(finely chopped)
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal (black matpe bean dehusked and split): 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves: 2-3 nos.
Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard,cumin and urad dal. When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves and then the green chillies.
Add the cooked chickpeas,salt and mix well.
Serve hot,garnished with coconut gratings(optional) and chopped cilantro.

I'm going to ask you the same question that Gina asked(maybe it'll remind you of your long forgotten snack)
Question: What is your favorite snack item?

Quiz Time!!

2009-05-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

Yup-once again,an eye-opening "Health Quiz". It's always good to increase your IQ at least in this field(who cares if you know the capital of Mozambique),besides nobody need know how you fared on the quiz!!

Health: Are You Cholesterol Smart?

By the way,just got to know from Angie that The Hungry Yogini is having a tea basket giveaway.Check it out if you are a tea lover like me!!

P.S:the capital of Mozambique is Maputo!!

Question: Do you like taking a quiz(health or not) ?If yes,what kind of quiz(general knowledge,history, movie quiz,etc)?

Walnuts for Diabetes?

2009-05-06T09:50:00.000-07:00

Walnuts have long been known to be an excellent source of omega-3-fatty acids and research has shown that it can lower cholesterol and help in fighting breast cancer.
Now a new research conducted by Linda Tapsell at the University of Wollongong's (Australia) Smart Food Centre shows that including as little as 30gms of walnuts could help keep type-2 Diabetes under control. The research was also published in the European Journal Of Clinical Research.
In a year long study,50 overweight adults with non-insulin treated diabetes were put on a well balanced low fat diet (with low intakes of saturated fats). At the end of the study it was found that the group that had the walnuts on a daily basis had more of the good fats in the diet than the group who just followed a low fat diet. Most of these effects were seen in the first 3 months of the study. The walnut group also showed an improvement in the insulin levels.
Prof. Tapsell stresses on the fact that when eaten as a part of a 'balanced meal',walnuts could help deliver the right type of fat.
Read more:

European Journal Of Clinical Research: The Original article.
University Of Wollongang: New study reinforces significant role of walnuts in the diet.

Question: Do you have a favorite "Walnut" recipe?

Mung Dosa(Savoury Pancakes) and Green Peas chutney

2009-05-04T08:24:00.000-07:00

Mung Dosa with Green Peas Chutney

A 'green' breakfast in tune with all the colours of springtime!! This is an easy version of the dosa(as there is no fermenting required).My mom learnt to make this from one of our neighbours and as a kid I was not too fond of this 'green' dosa,but of course now it's a totally different story. There are so many things that we hate as kids,but as grown ups we have a totally different take on it.
The peas chutney recipe is from my mother-in-law.I had never heard of(forget tasting) 'peas chutney' until she had made it for breakfast one day. I had to call her up to get this recipe and she was just so thrilled about it.
Mung dosa:
Ingredients:

Whole Mung: 1 cup (soak in water overnight)
Green chillies: 1 or 2 nos.
Ginger:1/2" piece
Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

Method:

Grind the soaked mung,green chilly, ginger and salt to a fine paste of pancake/dosa consistency(add about a cup of water while grinding)
Add the cumin seeds and mix well.
Heat a non-stick pan,when it's hot, pour a ladleful of the dosa batter and spread.
Cover and cook on medium heat for about 2-3 minutes.
Remove the cover, check if the dosa has cooked.Then,flip the dosa and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove and serve hot with chutney.

Note:It's usually served with freshly chopped onions sprinkled on top as a garnish(I made this for breakfast and since hubby won't dream of eating raw onions and heading to work,I had to omit it).
Green peas chutney:
Ingredients:

Fresh/frozen green peas: 1 cup
Green chillies/Serrano: 1/2 or 1 no.
Salt: to taste
Mustard seeds:1/2 teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Sesame seeds:1/2 teaspoon
Lime juice:1 teaspoon
Oil:1 teaspoon

Method:

Grind the peas(thaw first if frozen), green chillies and salt to a fine paste. Keep aside in a bowl.
Heat the oil in a pan,add the mustard,cumin and sesame seeds.When the mustard starts to sputter,remove from flame.
Pour this tempering on the chutney and mix,then add the lime juice and mix well.
Serve with dosa's or use as a spread with sandwiches or wraps.

Both these recipes go to Mom's Real Food Recipe Carnival being hosted by Michelle at Find Your Balance(hurry,and rush your mom's recipes-the last date is 10th May)!!Question: Is there anything that YOU hated as a kid,but don't seem to hate it anymore?

Quinoa Upma

2009-05-01T16:50:00.000-07:00

Quinoa

I had heard so much about "Quinoa" a high protein 'pseudo cereal' that I had to try it.After researching a bit with the different recipes ,I realized that I could try it out in my regular 'mixed veg upma' recipe.

Ingredients:

Quinoa: 1 cup
Mixed vegetables: 2 cups(green beans, peas,corn,carrots)
Onion-1/2 medium(finely chopped)
Green chillies-1 or 2(finely chopped)
Tomatoes: 1(chopped fine)
Mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Urad dal(black matpe bean dehusked and split)-1 teaspoon
Sambar powder-1 teaspoon(optional)
Water: 2 cups
Salt: to taste
Oil: 1 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the quinoa 2-3 times,drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan,add the mustard seeds and the urad dal.When the mustard seeds start to sputter,add the sliced onions, salt and saute till the onions turn translucent.
Add the mixed vegetables,green chillies and stir for 5-6 minutes. Then,add the tomatoes and sambar powder(optional) and stir till the tomatoes are completely cooked.
Add the quinoa and mix well.Stir for about a minute or two,then add two cups of water,cover and cook on medium heat for about 15-20 mins.
Serve hot (as such or with some chutney)

Spicy Quinoa Upma

Now that I've tried quinoa in a spicy form, I can't wait to try it out as a sweet dish( I'm guessing 'kheer' will turn out just as awesome)!!
Ricki Heller of Diet,Dessert and Dogs has written a cookbook and is having a worldwide giveaway contest. It sounds like a great book to have about desserts without wheat,eggs,dairy or refined sugar!!!

Trying to get rid of belly fat? Try whole grains.

2009-04-30T14:45:00.000-07:00

I had just finished reading the post on whole grains on Sybil's blog "Nutrition Nibbles" and was browsing for some studies to prove that whole foods were indeed good.That's when I found this study that was conducted about a year ago by Heather I Katcher at the Pennsylvania State University and published in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.
The study was conducted on 50 obese adults with metabolic syndrome (metabolic syndrome is a collection of risk factors that increase the risk for diabetes and heart disease). They were divided into two groups and put on a reduced calorie diet for 12 weeks.One group was given only whole foods while the other group had absolutely no whole foods. At the end of the study,both groups lost weight and also showed a decrease in body fat,but the whole foods group lost more belly fat. Not just that,the whole foods group even had a decline in C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation in the body and high levels of CRP are associated with increased risk of heart disease).
The bottom line: if you want a flat stomach ('wash board abs' as it's more popularly known as), just exercising may not be enough. Include more whole grains and REDUCE the consumption of refined foods.
Read more:

Nutrition Nibbles: What's A Whole Grain?
WebMD: Whole Grains Fight Belly Fat
American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition: The Effects Of Whole Grains
Mayo Clinic: Whole Grains-Hearty Options for a Healthy Diet.

Pongal

2009-04-28T17:54:00.000-07:00

Khara Pongal

Pongal is both a festival as well as a dish. In Tamil Nadu (a state in South India)it is the "harvest festival" and the dish is made on this day(I suspect, that is why they both share the same name)! There are actually two versions to this dish-the sweet one(sakkarai pongal) and the spicy one(khara pongal).
As a kid I would insist that my mom made only the sweet pongal(blame my sweet tooth for it) and subsequently, I almost forgot what the spicy version tasted like.It was much later when I started my career as a Dietitian,that I was re-introduced to the khara pongal, as it was on the breakfast menu for the patients.Again, having rice for breakfast was new to me and I tried my best to avoid it for a while.Then my seniors decided that they had to make me try it, and one fine morning(I still remember that it was a cold, rainy, Friday morning) I was ordered to taste it.So,there was me,squirming in my seat when the cook brought me a tasting cup of steaming hot pongal and another cup of raitha. Duty called(it was a rule that the dietitians had to taste the food before it could be sent to the patients) and so I took the spoon and dipped it into the cup and took a little(I was after all JUST tasting) and tasted it-and my,my, it was the tastiest pongal I had eaten. I ended up finishing the whole cup(even though I had eaten a substantial breakfast at home) and have ever since become a pongal fan!! After that I would bug mom to make the khara pongal at regular intervals.
The recipe is quite easy and if you want to up the nutritional value,you could add your favourite veggies to this rice+lentil dish.The cook at the hospital even shared a secret(that even my mom didn't know)-just before serving the dish,mix a cup of hot milk for a nice flavour(and for some added calcium indeed)!!
Ingredients: (Serves 3)

Rice:1/2 cup
Split mung dal: 1/2 cup
Onion:1 cup (chopped lengthwise)
Green chillies:1 or two(slit lengthwise)
Ginger:1" piece(chopped fine)
Turmeric:1/2 teaspoon
Milk:1 cup(optional)
Mustard seeds:1/2teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds:1 teaspoon
Urad dal(dehusked and split black matpe bean)-1/2 teaspoon
Chana dal/Bengal gram dal: 1 teaspoon
Peppercorns: 5-6
Curry leaves:3-4
Oil: 1 teaspoon
Salt: to taste

Method:

Wash the rice and mung dal separately and let it soak in water for 10-15 mins.
In the meanwhile,heat the oil in a pressure cooker, then add the mustard,cumin seeds,urad dal, chana dal, and peppercorns.
When the mustard starts to sputter,add the curry leaves, the chopped ginger and the turmeric.
Stir the ginger till it turns slightly brown,then add the chopped onions and the green chillies. Fry till the onions are translucent.
Drain the water from the mung and rice,add the mung dal and saute for 2-3 mins on medium heat. Then add the rice and again stir for a minute.
Add a little more than 3 cups of water and salt, mix and close the lid of the pressure cooker and let it cook for about 3 whistles. (If you have a rice cooker,then transfer the contents to a rice cooker and cook till the rice and dal are well cooked).
Once it is done,mix well (the dal should be completely mashed).
Just before serving mix the hot milk(optional, and check for salt) and serve piping hot with either raitha or chutney(we ate it with the tomatilla chutney ).

This and my Sweet Mango Dosa recipe goes to Mom's Real Food Recipe Carnival being hosted by Michelle at Find your balance.

International Confederation Of Dietetic Associations(ICDA)

2009-04-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

The ICDA is an International Organization of Dietetic associations around the world and was formed way back in 1952.It's members represent about 150,000 dietetic professionals from 40 National Dietetic associations around the world.
It's mission :to achieve

An integrated communications system,
An enhanced image for the profession,
Increased awareness of standards of education,training and practice in dietetics.

Membership:
If you are a Dietitian and are a member of your National Dietetic Association,then you can be a member of the ICDA.Do check if your National Association is a member of the ICDA first.
Benefits:

Dietitians Networking Service
Dietitians Around the World Newsletter

For more info check out the ICDA webite:
http://www.internationaldietetics.org/

Fructose Worse Than Glucose?

2009-04-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

The body metabolizes different sugars in different ways. Peter Havel and his colleagues conducted a study over a period of 10 weeks at the University Of California.There were around 32 obese men and women who drank either fructose or glucose sweetened beverages during the period.
Both groups gained weight,but it was interesting to note that the group that took the fructose beverages gained fat on their belly,whereas the glucose group gained fat under the skin.
It is a well known fact that abdominal fat is linked to higher risk for heart attacks and strokes. In addition to this,the fructose group also had higher cholesterol and became less sensitive to the insulin released in the body.
This does not mean that you can gorge on table sugar(you still have to keep a watch on the AMOUNT you consume),it only means that fructose sweeteners are worse than glucose sweetners!
The bottom line: limit sugar consumption on the whole,and avoid foods containing High Fructose Corn Syrups (HFCS)as far as possible.
Read more:

Times Of India: Fructose Worse Than Glucose for Human Health
The Journal Of Clinical Investigation: Fructose VS Glucose

Swine Flu Alert

2009-04-26T09:35:00.000-07:00

After Mad Cow disease and the dreaded 'Bird Flu', now we have 'Swine Flu'! The WHO has stated that cases have been reported from Mexico,US(San Antonio,Texas and San Diego) and Europe,has called the situation as 'serious' but not yet declared it to be a 'pandemic'.
Read more:

WebMD: Swine Flu FAQ's
Centers For Disease Control and Prevention(CDC): Swine Influenza
CNN Health: Swine Flu Concerns Around The Globe
WebMD:What Parent's Need To Know

Sweet Mango Dosa

2009-04-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

Mango Dosa

It's mango season,and I just had to try something different.I tweaked this traditional Manglorean(a small seaside town in South India that my side of the family is originally from)Sweet Dosa recipe and added mangoes instead of cucumbers.As a kid,I grew up watching my mom and gran starting the next day's breakfast preparations a day in advance.We always woke up smelling the wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen. This recipe too is no exception,I had to soak the rice once we were done with breakfast,grind it in the evening and let it ferment overnight,and voila the batter for the next day's breakfast was ready.
Traditionally it's made with either Southekai(Kannada for cucumber) or with watermelon. Otherwise it has all the original ingredients like:Beaten/Flattened Rice: 'Poha' is rice that is dehusked and then flattened into light flakes. Traditionally flattened with iron rods,it used to contain more iron than regular rice.
Jaggery: or 'gur',is a traditional non-refined sugar(made from either cane sugar or from date palm) which is rich in non-heme iron and other mineral salts.
Fenugreek seeds: 'Methi' seeds as it's commonly known in India, is a known lactogogue and recent studies have shown that it has cholesterol and serum glucose lowering properties as well.
Ingredients:

Rice: 1 cup
Flattened rice/Poha: 1/2 cup
Jaggery(scraped): 3/4th cup (or sugar-1/2 cup)
Yogurt(preferably homemade)-1/2 cup
Fenugreek/Methi seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Ripe Mango:1 big or 2 small
Salt:1/2 teaspoon

Method:

Wash the rice and the fenugreek seeds,then soak it in water for at least 6-7 hours.
Wash and drain the flattened rice and let it stand for about 10-15 mins.
Grind all ingredients(except the mango) till you get a fine batter.Let it ferment for at least 8-9 hours or overnight(works well in warm weather). The batter will double in volume.
Make a puree of the mango pulp(when sugar is added to this pulp,it's called 'aamras').If using cucumber instead of mangoes,then grate half (a big) cucumber and mix with the batter.
Mix this puree with the batter and pour a ladle of the batter onto a hot non-stick pan and spread.
Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame for two or three minutes. Then cook uncovered till the dosa is done.
Serve hot(you can serve it with cut mangoes or even with some 'aamras').

Note:

If the weather is not warm enough(as was the case when I made it),the batter will not ferment and the dosa will not get tiny little holes on it( the dosa will be flat as seen in the snap).
The jaggery tends to add a brownish colour to the dosa(if you add sugar,the dosa will turn out a lovely yellow colour) but the dosas are more nutritious when made with jaggery.
Traditionally the dosa is eaten hot with a little ghee spread on top. Since the dosas are sweet, you can eat it as it is.
I used the Scarlet Sweet mango for this recipe,you could use any of the sweet mangoes available.

Earth Day

2009-04-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day! Let's all do our bit to preserve the natural resources for the future generations to enjoy,and I mean not just today but throughout our lives. This day has been ear marked to remind us to do our bit,but don't stop after the day is over. The mantra is "Reuse,Reduce and Recycle" all round the year!!
Read more:

CNNhealth.com: 8 Ways to Protect Your Health-and the Planet
WebMD: 10 Easy Ways To Eat "Green" Earth Day and Everyday!

"Sweet" Dreams!

2009-04-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

Sweet Dreams-that's the name of this awesome video I found on Sybil Hebert(a Dietitian from Cananda's)blog called "Nutrition Nibbles".
It's really cute-do check it out,it also subtly sells the idea that fruits and veggies are the "real" food,while sweets and candies are just "fake" foods!!
There are two versions:

The 10 minute version- on Sybils' blog,
The full film-on Pangea Day

Cholesterol Quiz!

2009-04-16T17:25:00.000-07:00

It's quiz time again.!!It's been sometime since we had a quiz and I found two related to cholesterol on WebMD.

These are short quizzes(7 and 5 questions respectively),but quite an eye-opener.

Tomatillo chutney

2009-04-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

Tomatillos

No,it's not the 'salsa verde' with an Indian name.It's tomatillo used instead of red tomatoes in a chutney recipe that I learnt from my neighbour back in Bangalore.The use of roasted bengal gram and of course the tempering at the end gives this dish the Indian touch. It's a little rich(I had to add two teaspoons of oil+the roasted bengal gram and peanuts),but I did substitute oil instead of 'ghee' for the tempering. The 'ghee' is supposed to reduce the heat of the green chillies,so do let me know if it does!Tomatillo Chutney

Ingredients:

Tomatillos:4 nos.(chopped)
Green chillies/Serrano:1 or 2(depending on how much fire you can take)
Garlic:4 cloves chopped(+ 2 to be added raw-optional)
Ginger:1/2" piece
Oil: 2 teaspoon
Roasted bengal gram:2 teaspoons
Roasted peanuts: 2 teaspoons
Mustard seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds:1/2 teaspoon
Sesame seeds:1/2 teaspoon
Asafoetida/Hing: a pinch(optional)
Jaggery: 1 teaspoon(or 1/4 teaspoon sugar)
Salt: to taste

Method:

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan,add chopped ginger and garlic.
When the garlic turns slightly brown,add the pinch of asafoetida(optional),chopped green chillies and fry for a minute.
Add the chopped tomatillos,salt,jaggery(or sugar) and stir.Cook till the tomatillos are soft.
Once it has cooled,add the mixture, the raw garlic(optional),roasted bengal gram and peanuts into a blender and blend till you get a fine paste. Pour the chutney into a bowl/airtight box.
Heat the remaining oil,add the mustard,cumin,sesame seeds.
Once the mustard starts to splutter, pour the tempering over the chutney and mix well.
Serve with dosas or idlis or as a spread on your sandwich(or mix with yogurt and use as a spicy dip).

Banana Raitha

2009-04-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Banana Raitha

This used to be a hot fave when I was a kid.Made along with a festive lunch [I always wondered why they wouldn't make a festive spread daily ;-)],with all the other yummy stuff that the festival calls for,I would have a hard time deciding what to eat first! Whenever mom made it on regular days,I would polish it off with hot 'phulkas' without touching the other curry's! I made it this year on 'Ugadi' and again for lunch on Easter. It's a subtle mingling of all tastes (sweet,salty,sour and a touch of spicy) and can be eaten as such or with phulkas.
Ingredients:

Yogurt/curd-1 cup(preferably homemade)
Low fat milk-1 cup
Bananas- 2 very ripe
Sugar-6 teaspoons
Salt-1/2 teaspoon(or to taste)
Mustard seeds-1/2 teaspoon
Zeera/Cumin seeds-1 teaspoon
Dry red chillies-1-2(broken)
Curry leaves-2-3nos.
Oil-1 teaspoon

Method:

Blend half cup yogurt/curd and half cup milk along with one banana,sugar and salt.
Pour into a bowl.Add the rest of the yogurt and milk and mix well.
Chop the other banana and add to the raitha.
Heat the oil,add the mustard and cumin seeds.When the mustard splutters,add the broken dry red chillies and then the curry leaves.
Pour this over the raitha and mix.
Serve chilled with hot phulkas (or eat as a snack).

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-10T08:43:00.001-07:00

Here's wishing everyone a very Happy Easter!! We all need a break every once in a while to unwind-and this is most welcome.A great time to spend time with your family and friends and loads of fun for the kids.
On a healthier note,try to make some of the Easter goodies at home instead of buying them. Make your own Easter eggs and fillings instead. Take a look at the best to worst Easter treats on WebMD, it'll definitely make you pull out all your grandmother's recipes this Easter(but enjoy the treats in moderation)!!
Check out: The Best To Worst Easter Basket Treats!
and also this video on: Healthy Easter Basket

Sports drinks = eroded teeth?

2009-04-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

What's the relation between sports drinks and teeth-plenty it seems, according to a recent study conducted by the International Association For Dental Research.
Earlier,I had read about the Queensland (Australia) Netball controlling body banning the consumption of oranges during the breaks on Glenn Cardwell's blog.The theory being that oranges are acidic and could erode teeth enamel as there isn't enough saliva when exercising to wash the acid away.The solution he had mentioned was simple-drink water after eating the orange!
Now,what does one do when using a sports drink to quench your thirst and replace the electrolytes lost by sweating?According to the report:

Don't sip the drink throughout the day,
Try using a straw,
Drink plenty of water to flush the mouth.

Read the whole article at CNN Health.com: Sports Drinks May Be Bad For Your Teeth

Green Apple Chutney

2009-04-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

Green Apple Chutney

I had picked up 3 Granny Smith apples in the hope of turning it into a chutney that a friend had made.Well,the recipe involved some cooking and since I was feeling too lazy for that, thought I'd make it like raw mango chutney.So,I peeked into the fridge and got out all the stuff that goes into a regular chutney-mint leaves,cilantro,ginger,lemon,green chillies and put them all in the blender with the cored and peeled apples. What came out of the blender reminded me of the "chaat" taste and so I blended some sugar and a little roasted cumin seeds,and the result was great. It can be eaten with meals,mixed with yogurt and used as a dip, or used as a spread in a sandwich.Here's what I blended together:
Ingredients:

Granny Smith apples/tart cooking apples-2 nos.(peeled,cored and chopped)
Mint leaves-10 numbers
Coriander leaves/Cilantro-2 tablespoons
Green chilly/Serrano-1 no.
Ginger-1/2"piece
Lemon juice-2 tablespoons
Jeera/Cumin seeds-1 tsp(roasted)
Sugar-2 tsp/to taste
Salt-to taste

Method:

Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend till you get a fine paste.
Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.

NOTE:
Eating R.D is giving away a 1 GB flash drive-check out her blog for details.

How to Read Food Labels

2009-04-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

I just heard that the Union Health and Family Ministry(India) will make it mandatory for food manufacturers to put up Nutritional information on products-way to go Dr Ramadoss!! This move(albeit a little late)comes close on the heels of his attack on junk food consumption among Indians and it's impact on health. Food labellings will make consumers aware of ingredients, calories and the amount of fat(among other nutrients) that they consume.
All this is great,but one also has the educate the general public about "How to read,understand and use food labels".So,could the Ministry please put out a website/public service message to help educate people?
Until then,take a look at the US Food and Drug Administration info on reading food labels that I found on a blog called 'Words Of A Foodie' by Jamel Drake:
USFDA: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/foodlab.html

My Introduction to Rhubarb.

2009-04-02T08:55:00.001-07:00

Rhubarb Compote

I tried a lot of new vegetables and fruits (Asparagus,Bosc pears, Apple pears,etc)for the first time only after coming to the U.S. I had always seen these reddish stalks called "Rhubarb" in the grocery stores,but never bought them as I had no clue what to do with them. Then a big coincidence-two of my favourite bloggers(Natasha of 5 Star Foodie-Culinary Adventures and Rebecca of Rebecca's Insight's)happened to feature two Rhubarb dishes on the very same day. Was this a sign from above??I had to try it out-and so I did.

I bought these two lovely red stalks of Rhubarb (that too Organic,mind you) and decided that the Rhubarb Compote posted by 5 Star Foodie was the easiest to make. I may have over cooked it or maybe added a little too much water and hence the result was a mushy compote,but nevertheless tasty. It's got a slightly sour(khatta) taste and that with the vanilla yogurt was just out of this world!! I used the remaining syrup in some black tea and that was amazing too!
Thanks a ton Natasha and Rebecca for introducing me to this new vegetable.
So all those of you intrigued by this vegetable and want to try it out,check out the Rhubarb Compote recipe on 5 Star Foodie's blog and let her know how it turned out!

News: Pistachio Recall

2009-03-31T09:33:00.000-07:00

It was tomatoes first,then peanuts, now pistachios. The FDA has issued a warning stating that pistachios may carry Salmonella bacteria.
Kroger Co. has recalled the pistachios sold.For more info check out this article on:

WebMD: FDA-Stop eating Pistachios,Salmonella feared
CNN Health: California plant recalls 1 million pounds of pistachio products

Chilly Tofu

2009-03-26T20:44:00.000-07:00

Chilly Tofu

This is an 'quickie' dish.Takes just about 10-15 minutes.I was inspired by Nita Mehta's 'Chilli Paneer' recipe.I just substituted the firm tofu for the paneer and omitted the ajinomoto(MSG).
Ingredients:

Firm tofu-200gms (cut into 1" cubes)
Garlic- 6-7 flakes (chopped fine)
Green chillies-2 nos.(chopped fine)
Tomato sauce- 3 tbsp
Chilly sauce-1-2 tsp
Soy sauce- 2 tsp
Coriander/Cilantro -2 tbsp(chopped fine)
Oil-1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Pepper: 1/4th tsp
Sugar:1/4th tsp

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.Add the chopped garlic and chillies.
Fry for a minute or two(take care not to burn it),reduce heat and add the salt,pepper and sugar.
Add the tomato sauce,soy sauce and the chilly sauce,mix well.Add about 2tbsp water.
Add the tofu cubes and the chopped coriander/cilantro leaves.
Cook for another 3-4 minutes on reduced heat.
Serve hot.

Water with added vitamins-why and for whom??

2009-03-26T09:55:00.000-07:00

I fail to understand the need for water which has been enriched with certain vitamins and minerals.I'm a strong believer in the fact that if you eat a 'Balanced Diet' you don't need to take nutritional supplements(unless you have been advised by your doctor or are an athlete/sportsperson with special needs). I believe that the body is able to absorb vitamins better from those found in it's natural form, rather than from supplements. What about countries where these products have not been launched-does it mean that they are not getting their Recommended Dietary Allowance(RDA). Or what about animals-does anybody give them supplements? Don't they survive even in the wild with their regular food-so,why does a regular human being require supplements?
Next comes the question 'for whom' are these products targeted at? Those who can buy the product can buy and consume foods which contain these very nutrients(with added benefits of getting fibre thrown in for 'free'). The malnourished people who do require them, probably cannot waste money or afford to buy these products.
Also,those of you who are watching calories need to be aware that unlike 'plain water' these 'special' waters are not Zero Calorie!! Most of them contain anything between 9-70 kcal/ 8 ounce serving!!
So let's raise a toast to the only "Zero" calorie drink-good old 'plain' water(about 8-10 glasses/day) and fresh fruits and vegetables!!
For further reading check out these two articles on WebMD:

My "3 teaspoon oil" meal !!

2009-03-24T12:00:00.000-07:00

If I can dish it up, so can YOU!! Here's a 'dekko' at the yumptious Indian thali meal(served in the thali plate I manged to get from India). The meal consists of:

Rice (ran out of brown rice,so it was the 'white rice')
Dal('Mung' dal-recipe courtesy Sharath M)- 1tsp oil for tempering
Dry sabzi(khol rabi leaves, potatoes, capsicum)-1 tsp oil
Chutney( roasted channa dal, cilantro)-1tsp oil for tempering
Khol rabi salad
Fat free yogurt/curd

Nothing fancy-just the regular fare cooked with just the minimum amount of oil(the only innovative thing I did was to include the khol rabi leaves with the 'alu+capsicum' sabzi). So no recipes. Anyone can make a healthy meal of the day-to -day fare,and remember portion sizes also matter!
Bon appetit!

To Be Or Not To Be A Teacher!

2009-03-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

Time for another "Guest Article".Teaching as everyone knows is a very noble profession,yet not many of us get into the profession. This article throws light on "who should,and how one can get started in the teaching line".
It's written by a retired Professor,Ms.Shobha Kumar, with whom I had the good fortune of being associated through the Indian Dietetic Associations(IDA),Bangalore Chapter. Incidentally,she is also the current Vice-President of the IDA (Bangalore Chapter).
Read her article: To Be Or Not To Be A Teacher.

There's Something In The Air Today.........

2009-03-20T18:47:00.000-07:00

Today is officially the "First Day Of Spring"!!Celebrate it by enjoying the outdoors-go trekking,cycling or just take a picnic basket and hit the park nearby.
It's so beautiful,I wanted to share this snap I took from my balcony.

It's A New Way To Walk!

2009-03-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

"It's a new way to walk"-that's a song on Sesame Street that my son loves watching.It's got a nice catchy tune(just right to pep you up) and the newer version is sung by Destiny's Child!!The tune keeps going on and on in my head and that's when I thought that it'll be a great inspirational song for people who need a little push to start exercising.Listen to it and walk your way to a healthy life!!
Walking is one of the easiest and simple ways to keep yourself fit. Start with half an hour of regular walking around your neighbourhood (if it's too crowded,then pick a park close-by or walk on the treadmill). Then after a day or two, increase your speed to a brisk walk and finally if you do have the time,increase it to an hour's walk. If you don't have time for a walk early in the morning,try walking before lunch/dinner, or even in the evening after work.The important thing is to find time for some kind of physical activity in your busy day!

Food labels-a quiz!

2009-03-19T18:01:00.000-07:00

Ok-so you think that you know how to spot "Healthy Food" by reading the labels. Let's see how good you are by taking this quiz on WebMD titled "Nutrition Label Quiz:Can You Spot Healthy Food Choices?"
It's an eye-opener!!If you don't do too well on the quiz,that's fine.Just be careful when you go grocery shopping the next time. If you've done well-then,hurray for you!!

Mushrooms and Green Tea to stop Cancer?

2009-03-18T12:00:00.000-07:00

Apparently yes-a friend of mine sent me a link last night from the "Sydney Morning Herald". The article titled "One Mushroom a Day to Stop Breast cancer" talks of a study conducted to determine the protective properties of traditional Chinese diets. The study concludes that mushrooms(as little as one per day) and green tea could protect you from breast cancer.Lab research has shown that mushrooms have anti-tumor properties while green tea has polyphenols (an antioxidant compound) that have shown to fight breast tumors in animals.
So,the next time you go shopping,don't forget to buy some fresh mushrooms and a packet of green tea.

Authentic Indian Junk Food

2009-03-16T17:47:00.000-07:00

Junk foods are a Dietitian's worst nightmare! What is junk food anyway and why is it such a taboo word?It is actually a slang word for foods which have very little or absolutely no nutritional value and yet are very palatable and popular. In India, the general mindset is to limit junk food to just pizzas and burgers,so avoid these, and you are eating healthy food-not true. What about the Indian junk food? They are equally as bad as their western counterpart, if not worse. Let me list out some of the "Authentic Indian Junk Food" that we all so unknowingly consume:

Mixtures/chivdas/ farsans:don't we all have a couple of packets of these in our houses. Whether it is 'ghathia' from Gujrat or 'murukkus' from Madras,we all have our hot favourites!
Bajjis/pakodas: whether it is a rainy day or not,we like it with a cup of hot 'chai' or even with our meals.
Vadas/pooris: eaten as a snack or even for breakfast,these deep-fried foods are not helping you maintain your weight or your lipid levels!
Paani-puri/ sev puri/bhaturas: a-ha, a visit to your friendly neighborhood 'chaatwala' and you loose count of the calories you gleefully tuck into!
Vada pav: our very own authentic Indian burger. Just white bread with deep fried mashed potatoes in a besan/chickpea flour coating.
Butter Masala dosa/cheese dosa/Chinese dosa: all ways to to make the 'dosa' as unhealthy as it can get.
Gobi Manchurian: even the Chinese will have a fit if they eat this so called 'Chinese' dish.

With these Indian junk food, and the fact that most of these are still being fried in 'trans-fat',we are probably eating the worst.Here's a solution,check out the Healthy Snack options and try eating them instead all this month, and you might just acquire a taste for eating nutritious food!

Healthy Nutrition Month

2009-03-12T08:43:00.000-07:00

March is 'Healthy Nutrition Month'. The American Dietetic Association(ADA) celebrates it annually with campaigns.This years' theme is "Eat Right"
Try to make the right choices with what food you buy,what you cook and finally,what you end up eating.
For more information on healthy choices read my previous posts on:

Brain surgery for weight loss?

2009-03-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

That's exactly what a woman in West Virginia did.An article in the Times Of India titled "Woman has brain surgery to fight flab" says that the woman tried deep brain stimulation after trying everything else(diets,stomach stapling,etc). It is only the second such surgery performed and is a part of a clinical trial.
In the procedure, wires carrying electrical impulse were inserted into the region of the brain that controls the stomach and uses electricity to control her feelings of hunger and satiety.
For all that she has gone through,I just hope the procedure works!

Bringing up a healthy child.

2009-03-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

Gone are the days when a 'plump' child was considered as healthy. I remember my mom always admired plump kids and tried her best to feed her skinny daughter (you're right-ME)! Today, mother's get worried if their child is even 'pleasantly' plump. This is the case not just here in the US(where the awareness of child obesity and the associated high cholesterol risks are high),but back home in urban India too. When I worked at Manipal Hospital with the pediatric endocrinologist,I had the chance to counsel many kids under the age of 10 who were not only over-weight but some of whom were also diagnosed with high cholesterol levels.Back then almost all the parents were shocked as they always thought 'cholesterol' was something 'one needs to worry or take care of after the age of 45'.It's a myth that cholesterol starts to build up in the arteries only after forty. Infact, it's building up in your arteries even as you read this.
What are the reasons that children nowadays are more prone to obesity and hypercholesterolemia?The three main reasons:

Lack of exercise
Junk food,chocolates/sweets and colas
Eating in front of the T.V

When we were kids we played outdoor games almost every day. These days you'll rarely find kids playing outside,which means that they get very less exercise. That and the fact that junk food has started to replace the traditional (non-fried) Indian foods in many households adds to the situation.
What does eating in front of the T.V have to do with weight gain?-a lot apparently.An episode on 'The Truth About Food' on Discovery showed an experiment wherein the conclusion was that we tend to eat more without realizing it while watching T.V.
The solution to this is that you as a parent need to make a change now.

Stop buying junk food and other 'calorie dense' foods on a regular basis,instead get them into the habit of eating 'nutrient dense' foods.
Join your kids in an outdoor sport/game that everyone enjoys,that way the whole family gets an exercise.
Start having meals together at the table and talk to your family.

It's one small step for you,but a 'big' leap towards a healthier life for you and your child!

Read more:
1.Kids and Cholesterol
2.Adult Fast-Food Diets Tied to Too much TV as Teen

How to start a career as a Dietitian (in India)?

2009-03-05T11:00:00.000-08:00

A lot of students who have earned their degrees in Nutrition have no clue as to what should be their next step(I was one among them,not so long ago). For this very reason I approached none other than the President of the Indian Dietetic Association (IDA),Mrs Dharini Krishnan.
Read about it on: Guests on Bonne Nutrition

Getting kids to eat veggies....

2009-03-03T09:47:00.000-08:00

An article in today's Times Of India titled 'Veggie names leaves preschoolers wanting more' talks about a research conducted by Cornell University and suggests that giving fancy and catchy names to veggies got the tiny tots to eat more.
Great idea for all mommies with fussy kids like mine! Mother's on the net,let's put on our thinking caps and think of funky names for all vegetables-any suggestions? How about "Cool broccoli" and "Barney Brinjal" for a start?

Empty Calories

2009-03-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Years of analyzing peoples' diets to check where the fault lies, has taught me that by simply making the person conscious of what is called 'empty' calories,goes a long way in helping them get into a healthy diet pattern. So,what are these so called 'empty' calories?They are foods/ingredients which provide no additional nutrition other than calories,and the three main culprits are:

Sugar
Oil(yes,they do have Essential fatty acids,but we don't need to drink oil to get them)
Colas and Alcohol

I would say sugar and products containing sugar and the oil/butter/ghee we use in our day to day foods are the major source of 'empty' calories.Has anyone ever wondered how many teaspoons of sugar he/she consumes in a day? I've known so many to take around 20-24 teaspoons of sugar just in their tea/coffees (excluding that which is present in sweets/colas).Take this quiz I found on CNN Health,to see if you are aware of the number of liquid calories you could be having in a day. Try and limit your sugar consumption to just 3-4 teaspoons/day.
Next comes oil.I've always mentioned in all my articles that you don't have to drown the food in oil.All oils including olive oil (extra virgin varieties too)contain the same calories,and hence need to be limited. Use just about one teaspoon for cooking the entire dish.Your monthly oil allowance should not be more than half a liter per person per month (if you eat all three meals at home).
I've clubbed colas and alcohol together as I believe that these need to be eliminated(especially colas) in the quest for better health. I came across a lot of people who would have atleast 2-3 colas a day and end the week with alcohol. Along with alcohol, came the other no-no's:the chips,fries,colas and all the regular high calorie foods.
Weekend binging on foods which you have managed to avoid through the week will bring back all the calories you managed to cut from your diet. At the end, the weight loss will not be significant,which generally makes the person put the blame on the diet (if not the dietitian).
If you can bring down the use of these 'empty calories' to it's bare minimum,half your battle would be won (the other half would depend on the amount of exercise you put it).
Note:
If you want to know more about which are the other foods that are high in sugar,then check out this wonderful article on WebMD called 'Sugar Shockers-Foods surprisingly high in sugar'.

Besan Dosa (Chickpea Pancake)

2009-02-23T09:43:00.001-08:00

When I was growing up in Bombay,this was a very popular dish in most Udupi restaurants and was even sometimes called "Vegetarian Omelet". It was also sold as a filling inside sandwiches which were named "Veggie omelet sandwich"! Funnily enough,I hated them at that time and preferred my regular 'egg omelet' to the veggie omelet. I made it for the first time sometime after Diwali as I had a pack of leftover 'besan' that my mom who was visiting,had used to make sinful 'besan laadus'. I used it for making kadhi a couple of times and was wondering what else I could do with it (pakodas are a strict no-no).That was when my mom mentioned that I could make dosas but also reminded me that I never much cared for them when I was a kid. Finally,one day I tried it out and to my amazement, loved it(thankfully it was appreciated by hubby and little brat) and so now it's a regular feature at home. Make sure you use a good non-stick pan when you make this-that way,you won't need to use a lot of oil.Besan Dosa

Besan Dosa (Chickpea pancake):Serves 4
Ingredients:

Besan/Gramflour/Chickpea flour: 2 cups
Rice flour:1/4th cup
Rava/Semolina/Cream of wheat: 1/4th cup
Whole wheat flour: 1/4th cup
Onion:1/2 small(finely chopped)
Tomatoes:1 small(finely chopped)
Green chillies:1-2(finely chopped)
Corriander leaves/Cilantro: 2 tablespoon,finely chopped
Hing/asafoetida: a pinch
Turmeric powder: 1/4th teaspoon
Jeera/Cummin seeds:1/2 tsp
Salt:to taste
Oil(optional):1 tsp, to grease the pan

Method:

Mix all the ingredients.
Add enough water to make a batter of dosa/pancake consistency.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium flame,pour the batter and cover for a minute or two.
Then,flip the dosa over to the other side and cook for another 2-3 minutes.Make sure not to burn them.
Serve hot as such or with mint or tomato chutney.

A quiz-check it out!

2009-02-18T21:04:00.000-08:00

I found this interesting (short) quiz on CNNhealth.com. It's called 'How you eat Vs. what you eat'. It's just five questions-try it!!
Once you're done with the quiz,you could also check out other articles on 'Health'.

Mediterranean Diet-where does the Indian diet fall short?

2009-02-17T12:27:00.000-08:00

A recent article in WebMD states that women(I'm sure the same would apply to men too) on a Mediterranean Diet have significantly less chances of developing heart disease and stroke!
Let's analyze the ingredients for the Mediterranean Diet mentioned on WebMD and see where the typical Indian Diet goes wrong.
Mediterranean Diet: Fresh,healthy food
Indian Diet: Though we do eat lots of different varieties of vegetables,most Indians tend to overcook the vegetables which inturn reduces the nutritional values. You could try to add vegetables in dishes that normally doesn't include a vegetable(like grated carrots in phulkas, mixed vegetables in kichidi,uppmas,etc) and also include salads with every meal.

Mediterranean Diet: Portion control
Indian Diet: No portion control at all. We tend to eat till we 'feel full'. We need to keep in mind that too much of even the good things are not recommended. To get an idea of portion control,check out these slides.

Mediterranean Diet: Healthy fats and olive oil
Indian Diet: We still use saturated fats like ghee/butter/coconut oil and trans-fat(hydrogenated vegetable oils like vanaspati)in our cooking. The general belief in most houses is that unless you drown the food in oil,it doesn't taste good!!
Olive oil is expensive,but you can switch to using small amounts of oils like peanut oil,canola oil,safflower oil,soybean oil for your cooking(you could try getting a different oil each month to get the benefits of each one). The trick is to use just about a teaspoon of oil for cooking the entire dish(use non-stick pans/kadai).

Mediterranean Diet: Omega-3 fatty acids
Indian Diet: Most Indians don't eat fish,and those who do normally prefer it fried. The best way would be to eat fish in a curry or bake/broil it. Vegeterians can get their dose of omega-3's from walnuts,flax seed(and oil), pumpkin seeds, soyabeans(and soy oil) and from canola and olive oils.

Mediterranean Diet: More vegetables,less meat.
Indian Diet: Earlier this was the scene among non-vegetarian Indians,but in the recent past the trend seems to have reversed. The best thing would be to eat lean meat not more than once (or at the most,twice) a week and stick to eating more vegetables and legumes the rest of the week.

Mediterranean Diet: Wine in small amounts( 3 ounces/80 ml)
Indian Diet: Though wine does have it's benefits,it should not serve as an excuse for consuming it. You'd still get the benefits by drinking plain grape juice!

Mediterranean Diet: Whole grains.
Indian Diet: Refined foods with no nutritive values like refined flour(maida),sugar, polished rice have replaced healthy foods like whole wheat flour, jaggery, unpolished rice. Avoid (or reduce the frequency) of using these and stick to whole grains and legumes(but keep in mind the portion sizes).

Mediterranean Diet: Fruit for dessert.
Indian Diets: Desserts for us would mean 'gulab jamuns', or 'jalebis' or atleast 'kheer'. These are not just high in sugar,but most are high in oil/ghee. Eating plain fruits for dessert or even as a snack will definetly require lots of will power.

If we could just make these changes in our daily diet and exercise regularly,there would be no need for us to adopt a foreign cuisine in the name of health(and then maybe a few years/centuries down the line,researchers would advocate the Indian Diet)!!

Nutrition and Diet from a Cricketers' Viewpoint

2009-02-12T10:59:00.000-08:00

My first celebrity "Guest Writer" is cricketer Sridharan Sriram.
Check out Sriram's views on Nutrition and Diet:
Guests On Bonne Nutrition
Thanks a 'ton' Sri for taking time out to pen your thoughts on nutrition.