Whole Wheat Crêpes with Fresh Peach and Strawberry filling (How to make whole wheat crepes)(How to make fresh peach,strawberry filling for crepes)

Healthy eating is all about eating in moderation, and what is life without a touch of sweetness? Treat your kids to the occasional desserts, but make it a tad healthier by using fresh and less processed foods. Learn how you can add more fibre to your crepes by using whole wheat flour (regular chapathi/roti atta). Using fresh fruits like strawberries, peaches, blackberries or raspberries instead of jams or preserves also increases it's nutritional value.

How to make whole wheat crepes

Ingredients for the crepes: (Makes approx 10-12)

• Whole wheat flour (atta)- 1 cup
• Eggs-3 nos.
• Milk- 1 cup,
• Water- 1 cup
• Honey/ jaggery- 1 tbsp
• Cardamom- 2-3 (remove the skin)
• Salt- a pinch
• Oil- 1 tbsp

Method:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend till you get a pouring consistency. 
• Let it rest for 15-20 mins. In the meanwhile you can make the filling.

Ingredients for filling:

• Peaches/strawberry/blackberry/blueberry- 500gms 
• Lemon juice- 2tsp
• Honey- 1-2 tsp

Method:

1. Wash the fruit well. If using peaches, remove the skin and then slice into thin slivers. Strawberries need to be hulled and sliced into slivers.
2. Put the fruit into a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1-1.5 mins. 
3. Remove add the lemon juice, honey and mix well. Keep aside.

Making the crepes:

1. Heat a pan, add a teaspoon of oil and spread it around the pan.
2. Pour a ladle full of the batter and swirl the pan to spread the batter (do not spread it with the ladle like dosas),
3. Cover and cook on medium flame for about 2-3 mins till golden brown. Then flip it over to cook on the other side( be careful not to break it since they are very thin).
4. Cook for another 2 mins, then slide onto a plate.
5. Spoon out the filling into the centre and cover it with the two ends of the crepe or roll the crepe (whichever is easier).
6. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or fresh cream or maple syrup.

How to make Whole Wheat crêpe

Watch your kids devour the Whole Wheat Crepes with fresh peach and strawberry filling! Bon appetite!

Tips for A Healthier, Fitter Family

Image Courtesy: bbc.co.uk

 The old saying that "A family that eats together stays together" not only holds good even today but needs to be tweaked a little to suit today's health conscious world . It should now read as "A family who eats healthy and exercises together stays fit forever!"
As a dietitian my goal is not only to get my client on the right 'eating' path, but also to extend the benefits of healthy eating and regular exercise to his/her family. Many a times clients (mostly women) give up as it gets difficult to make two different menus-one would be the regular food for the family and the other for themselves. My solution-if the present food and eating habits has resulted in weight gain and other related health problems,then it is advisable to change it not just for yourself,but also for the whole family.  To do that you need to make subtle changes not just in the cooking but also in the family's outlook towards health. Here's how you can bring about a change in your and your family's health:

1. Reduce oil used for cooking to half of your currant usage. 
2. Avoid making or buying fried foods like chips, pakodas, fried chicken and such on a regular basis.
3. If you must, then buy the smallest available packs/size of fried foods,sweets,chocolates, cakes-that way there won't be any left overs for snacking on later.
4. Use whole grains like brown/semi-polished rice, whole wheat flour, whole wheat pasta, 100% whole wheat breads and locally grown millet and grains like ragi/nachni(finger millet) and jowar(sorghum).
5. Switch to eating fruits for desserts on a regular basis.
6. Buy skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, non-fat plain yogurt
7. Munch on healthy snacks like fruits, salads, a handful of nuts, edamame salad or other cooked beans/pulses like a chickpea salad.
8. Drink water when you are thirsty and with your meals instead of juices, aerated drinks, beer or energy drinks.
9. Buy only 100% fruit juices( or you could make fresh juices at home) instead of those loaded with sugar.
10.  Include a variety of seasonal vegetables (and not just potatoes) with every meal.
11. Avoid red meats like beef, pork, mutton(goat meat) and instead have fish or poultry.
12. Eat your meals together as a family and not in front of the television.
13. Try to inculcate the idea of physical fitness by including the whole family in outdoor fun activities like walking, trekking, hiking, biking, swimming or even playing outdoor games together.
14.  Include kids and/ or your spouse when cooking so that the resulting meal is a family effort.

Old habits are hard to change, the trick is to be persistent! Try introducing one or two changes every week, that way the changes may actually go unnoticed. Just bear in mind that IMPOSSIBLE can easily turn into I'M POSSIBLE!!

Back To School-7 Healthy Lunch Box Ideas

 (Japanese Bento box-Image courtesy BBC News )

Getting a child to eat his lunch at school and making sure it's also a healthy meal can be a daily nightmare for most parents. A child's lunch plays an important role in meeting their day to day nutrition needs. To know more about the right foods for your child you can read  Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition .
Packing a healthy lunch box for a kid isn't always difficult. Sometimes it may not be always possible to pack a balanced meal into a child's lunch box. Just make sure to avoid packing junk food or processed foods like cookies,chips, jello's and such. Here are 7 Healthy lunch box ideas for your child: 

1.  Parathas+ Yogurt+ Salad/Fruit: when made with less oil can become a healthy and filling lunch box favorite. Avoid the frozen commercially packed varieties (which may be more convenient) as they can be too oily. Alternatively (if time is a constraint)you could roll out the parathas in advance and cook them in the morning. Kids love aloo parathas,methi parathas, gobi parathas, radish parathas and even the most fussy kid will devour a broccoli paratha.
2. Sandwiches/Wraps+ Fruit: (Use 100% whole wheat/ double fiber breads,pita breads or whole wheat tortillas/wraps). Fillings can be with the good ole' P&B(Peanut butter) or other nut butters(almond/sunflower/cashew nut,etc), chutney, guacamole, hummus, tofu spreads. You could add freshly cut fruits like bananas, strawberries, peaches  or vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce to the filling or put it as a side. Avoid adding salt/sugar as this could make the sandwiches soggy.Cold cuts of turkey,tuna, eggs, grilled chicken, or cheese slices could also be a filling option for kids
3. Roti's, tortillas,bagels, English muffins (whole wheat)+ egg/paneer/tofu burji(scrambled), chole/rajma(lentil/pulse/bean) curry + salad/fruit.
4. Rice dishes+ low-fat yogurt/Greek yogurt+ fruit/salad. You could make a mixed vegetable pulav, mint/pudina pulav, palak/spinach rice, peas pulav, curd/ yogut rice, egg/chicken fried rice and such.Try adding some pulse/lentil/paneer/tofu/soy nuggets to add some protein to the rice dish. Avoid dishes like khichdi, bisibele bath which are not palatable when eaten cold.
5. Idli/dosa/dhokla + chutney/nut butters+ salad+ Low-fat milk. You could try out different varieties of dosas like adai, pesarattu, neer dosa and idlis like rava, coin, stuffed vegetable idlis.
6. Mixed vegetable upma + low-fat yogurt+ fruit. The upma can be made from rava/semolina, oats, vermicelli poha or dhalia/broken wheat.
7. Noodles, pasta+ salad+ 100% fruit juice. Try adding some mixed vegetables to the noodles/pasta along with chicken/tofu/paneer/egg to increase the fiber and protein content.

Try to be as creative as possible with the foods. Children love fun shapes, so use a cookie cutter to cut the salad vegetables/ fruits. Even sandwiches can be made into different fun shapes with the help of different sandwich cutters. Use desserts as an occasional treat for the kids. Don't make it a habit of giving a sweet drink (juice, flavored milk) on a daily basis.
Take a look at these creative Japanese moms: Japan's Amazing lunchboxes

 Bento Box-Image Courtesy BBC News Magazine

Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition?

A common complaint that most parents have is that their child doesn't eat (enough). The question that then arises is whether the child is getting the right amount of nutrition that is required for growth. There are even instances of parents requesting the pediatrician to prescribe some supplements or health tonics.
Most of the times these are not required as parents just wrongly assume that their child isn't eating enough just because the portions they eat are too small. Keep in mind that they are kids and will not be able to eat as much as an adult. One way of knowing whether is to check the child's growth records. If the child is around or above the 50th percentile,then he/she is getting enough calories to grow. If at any point, the percentile keeps dropping below the 50th percentile in terms of weight and the height doesn't seem to be increasing too much over a period of time, then that may be a sign of under-nutrition.
Sometimes, just getting sufficient calories for growth is not enough-the child may be eating and drinking the wrong foods (chips,candies, cookies, soda/aerated drinks , chocolates and such) most of which which provide nothing other that empty calories.
To ensure that a child is getting adequate nutrition through his/her diet, here are some guidelines:

•  Make sure that the child eats at least 3 meals (breakfast, lunch,dinner) and has 2-3 small snacks in between. 
• Serve the meals and snacks at the dining table and not in front of the TV. 

• Ensure that the child gets a helping from all the food groups at meal times:

Grains: Rice, breads, pasta, roti/chapathi, or ragi/jowar
Protein:Pulses/lentils/beans(e.g dals, mung,rajma,soy, etc) eggs, chicken, fish.
Vegetables: make sure the child eats a variety of veggies and also green leafy vegetables (palak/spinach, amaranth, collard, chard,etc). Limit using only potatoes as a vegetable.
Fruits: can be served at the end in lieu of dessert. Here again choose fresh seasonal fruits rather than canned fruits(which can be loaded with sugar).
Dairy: Yogurt/curd, skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, soy milk are also excellent sources of calcium. These can be served separate or mixed with the meal-cheese sandwich, curd/yogurt rice.

• Serve water instead of juices with the meals.
• Healthy snacks can also contribute to the child's nutrition. Avoid foods like cookies, pastries, jello, chips, chocolates. Fruits, cheese sticks, fruits in yogurt, fruit smoothies, mini sandwiches(with cheese, guacamole, almond/nut butter), dhoklas, mini-uttapams, mini-burritos(with cheese/scrambled eggs,pulses ) nuts and dry fruits, coin idlis, sukha bhel, popcorn(with less butter/oil), etc. Use your imagination and make the snacks more attractive when serving. A glass of skimmed milk/ soy milk or 100% fruit juice can also be served with the snacks. 
• Make sure there is at least a gap of 2 hours between snack time and regular meal times, otherwise the child may not be hungry.

Moreover, keep the child engaged in some kind of physical activity (outdoor play, swimming, cycling, etc) for at least an hour each day. This will not only keep the child occupied instead of sitting glued to the T.V or video games, but will also increase the appetite.

The 'Gold Medal Diet' (for Indian athletes).

2012 Olympic Gold Medal

(Image Courtesy of IOC)

With the Olympics just around the corner, here's wishing all the Indian athletes competing in the London Olympics the 'very best of luck' in their endeavor  for the coveted Gold medal!
With the last leg of training still going on, a gentle reminder to eat a well balanced diet, as diet and good nutrition too play an important role in an athletes quest for Gold.
There are numerous stories in the press after each Olympics about the non-serious attitude at the Olympic village by the Indian contingent. Stories of how the Indian teams gorge on the numerous buffets/foods available, the shopping sprees, the visits to the beauty parlor and the night-outs abound. This is in sharp contrast to the athletes of other countries who have their eyes set on the Olympic Gold and try to stay clear of such temptations (some of whom even go to the level of staying in a private hotel on personal expenses to avoid being distracted)!
Since most in the Indian team cannot afford such luxuries,here are some tips on eating and staying healthy at the games village:

• Choose whole grains for your meals: Carbohydrates should come from whole grains like brown rice, whole wheat breads, rolled/steel cut oats (avoid instant), whole wheat rotis instead of maida naan/roomali rotis (Indian food is a local favorite in London,so I won't be surprised if there is a section of Indian delicacies), whole wheat pastas. If the latest press release on the Indian teams food choices is accurate, then please note that fast food (read burgers) by the (in)-famous 'evil clown' chain is NOT A GOOD CHOICE!! 
•  Include high quality proteins every day: chicken,fish, eggs, and for the vegetarians, pulses/beans, soy and soy products(tofu, soy milk), skimmed milk, yogurt must be a part of each meal as exercise/training tends to increase the bodies protein requirement. Avoid eating only protein foods as this can lead to dehydration.
• Avoid fried foods: french fries, fried chicken (or other non-veg foods), chips, burgers,  must be at the minimum as fatty foods takes a long time to digest and also tend to make the body sluggish. The best way to get your fats is to include healthy fats from nut butters (peanut/almond/sunflower seeds and such), various nuts, fish (a good way to get your omega-3's).
• Avoid overeating on desserts: The dessert section is a big temptation to all-leave that for your victory meal (after you win the medal). Moreover these can lead to fluctuations in your blood sugar levels and also create a surge in the insulin in your blood. Stick to eating fruits for dessert as that will ensure that you get your fiber as well as various vitamins and minerals. Fruits like bananas and oranges are great for adding the much needed potassium to your diet.
• Drink plenty of water: keeping yourself hydrated is the key. Avoid soft drinks/aerated /fizzy drinks and alcohol. Sports drinks during your event can be a good alternative to replace the sodium lost through sweat.
•  Avoid caffeine: although there seems to be a controversy on whether caffeine is dehydrating or not, it is best to avoid it at the moment and experiment with it later after you get back home. 
• Get adequate rest and sleep: The late night movies, parties, music bars can be checked out after your events. It is most important to give your body the necessary rest required after the day's training.

Think twice before you gorge on the wrong food- you have trained for years to be selected for the Olympics, so why give up your dream?
Nothing is IMPOSSIBLE, for the word itself says "I'M POSSIBLE" !!! So, on your marks, get set and GO....get the Gold Medal!

Antioxidants? Look in your cereal box!

That’s right-your bowl of cereal may have a lot more nutrition than you knew. A recent study aimed at studying the anti-oxidant content of some of the popular breakfast cereals and whole grain snacks revealed that raisin bran cereals and popcorns contained a large amount of polyphenols.
Polyphenols are chemical substances that act like antioxidants and have been known to protect against health problems like cancer, heart problems and even prevent aging by removing free radicals from the body.
The study which was conducted by Dr. Joe Vinson at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania adds a new dimension to the benefits of whole grains. Whole grains were always known to be beneficial due to its fiber content, but the discovery of polyphenols greatly increases its nutritional value.
The researchers also pointed out that the polyphenol value increased with the addition of polyphenol-rich ingredients such as raisins and cocoa to the breakfast cereals. The study also concluded that among the whole-grain snacks, popcorn topped the list in having the highest amount of polyphenols.
Though this gives us more reason to reach out for whole-grain cereals and snacks, a general word of caution since some of these products can be high in terms of sugar(e.g.: breakfast cereals), fat and salt content (e.g.: popcorns).
A few tips to keep in mind while buying packaged products:
• The best thing to do is to check the labels.
• Choose cereals that have whole grains instead of refined.
• Buy cereals with less or no added sugars (less than 27% sugar) and sweeten your bowl of cereals with fresh/dried fruits (adding fruits will also increase the antioxidant content of the cereal).
• As for fat-choose cereals which have less than 9% fat.
• As far as popcorns are concerned, buying the corn kernels and popping them at home with a little oil and a dash of salt would be a better idea than buying the readymade microwavable sachets.

Are you ready for an Oscar Party?

How about throwing an Oscar party?
After Super bowl Sunday, here is another Sunday that will have millions of Oscar fans glued to the TV. This year’s Oscar has all the ingredients for a best seller. Here’s who I am supporting this year:
Best picture-The Descendants, Hugo or Moneyball? My money is on “Moneyball” (as that’s one of the few Brad Pitt movies that actually held my attention) though ‘Hugo’ seems to be a front-runner for the award.
Best actor-hmmm, that’s a tough choice! I would say George Clooney for ‘The Descendants’ (yes, yes-you guessed it right, I am a HUGE Clooney fan!).
Best actress- Meryl Streep for the “The Iron Lady”! I haven’t seen the movie-but let’s face it,the lady is made for the Oscars!
Best animated feature film-Kung Fu Panda 2 or Rango (both were such fun movies).
Best Director- Michel Hazanavicius for daring to be different! ‘The Artist’ is an amazing black and white silent movie set in the Hollywood of the 1920’s.
Get your list ready and you can throw a fun Oscar theme party this Sunday (26th February) while watching it live on T.V. Make it more fun by asking your friends to dress up like their favorite actor/actress from this year’s nominees. To suit the theme, you could put healthy snacks on the menu that Hollywood celebrities eat to stay in shape. Name them after the stars and watch your guests gobble them up without as much as a whimper! Here are some fun (and healthy) snacks for your Oscar party:
1. Katy Perry chicken-the singer loves grilled chicken which is a great party snack. Grilled chicken or even tandoori chicken has all the protein needed to fill up your hungry guests while also being low in fat.
2. Go nuts with Rene Zellweger- the actress included nuts as a part of her weight loss regime to achieve stunning results. Not only are nuts packed with vitamins and minerals, they are also a good source of healthy fats and the protein in it gives a satiety feeling.
3. Jessica Alba smoothie- the 30 year old actress maintains a stunning figure post-pregnancy with frozen yogurts and dried fruits in her diet. Mix some medjool dates and dried figs in some Greek yogurt and make a smoothie for the guests.
4. Jolie sandwich- Angelina Jolie sticks to fish and lean protein to maintain her svelte figure. Make some mini-tuna fish sandwiches (100% whole wheat bread) and put a little toothpick through it and serve as appetizers.
5. Demi Chai-Welcome your guests with Demi Moore’s favorite drink-herbal tea. Not surprising as green tea is also known to rev-up the metabolism. Serve them in stylish shot glasses with a dash of lemon instead of the regular tea cups.
6. Aniston guacamole- Jennifer Aniston loves Mexican food and what can be better than fresh home-made guacamole with baked tortilla chips for a party.
7. Potter Popcorn-Kids love Harry Potter and popcorn. Besides who can resist the smell of fresh popcorn? Make it with half the amount of oil and you have a healthy snack for all.
8. Madonna Mocktail-make your own non-alcoholic drinks with fresh fruits (or 100% juice for those who don’t have the time) and top them with some fruit ice cubes. Kids will love the fruity ice cubes which can be made using some of the blended juice(or the 100% juice) .If possible choose a different coloured fruit for the ice cubes so that it stands out rather than blending with the drink.
9. Brad Pita wraps-a whole grain fan, Brad Pitt makes sure to include whole grains like brown rice, 100% whole wheat breads and wraps in his diet. Use whole wheat pita/roti/tortilla with some grilled chicken/tofu or kidney beans (rajma)/ garbanzo(kabuli channa)beans as a filling with freshly made homemade salsa.
10. Holly dessert- what better dessert to round off the Oscar party than a big bowl of freshly cut fruits? Most Hollywood celebrities can’t do without these sweet treats in their diet-so why should you be an exception? Chop some seasonal fruits and mix a few exotic fruits, try your hand at carving some shapes (or at least use a scooper to make some fun shapes) and you have an eye-catching dessert!
If you want to look like ‘the stars’ you need to learn to ‘eat like one’ too! So, now that you have the theme and the menu for the party, sit back, relax and enjoy, for “the Oscar goes to………”

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

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:

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