Turn your backs to..... Sugar Drinks

As summers are almost at our door steps... one thing which is gaining momentum is the chilled soda drinks; here I am referring to all the fizzy drinks which irrespective of brand, color or taste.... provides us with enormous amount of energy..... Wait here and give a thought, is that it.

No.... the real picture of these summer favorite drinks is.... the massive amount of sugar that enters our body. The energy that we get through them is the instant effect of the simple carbohydrates.... in form of sugar.

Today as a vigilant buyer, when we focus on the nutrient content of the drinks... we come across various ingredients which are the alternative forms of  simple carbohydrates-
-corn syrup
-dextrose
-fructose
-glucose
-cane sugar
-sucrose and many more.

As per a study conducted by Harvard School of Public Health, it is relevant that, "Rising consumption of sugary drinks has been a major contributor to the obesity epidemic".

Sugary drinks (soda, energy, sports drinks) are the top calorie source in teens’ diets (226 calories per day), beating out pizza (213 calories per day).

Not only this, the fact is that the human body does not require any extra added sugar in the diet. As per ADA, the sugar and sugary foods are kept on the top of food pyamid which indicates their minimal use. While going through the food labels we should always remember that- 4 gms of sugar is equivalent to 1 teaspoon providing you with approximately 45 calories.

Another study at the Harvard School of Public Health highlights that, "the average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories, almost all of them from sugar – usually high-fructose corn syrup. That’s the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of table sugar".

Even fruit juices are not the healthy option... rather including fruits in your diet will be a smart move. As it will not only watch your added sugar intake but will also provide you with the required amount of fiber.... Good for the health.

A fresh squeeze of lemon in a glass of water will give you enough refreshment along with vitamin C. So, this summer avoid those extra doses of sugar and switch to some healthy options.

Welcome Summer..... with Salads

As summer is about to knock your door... the season demands more of light and healthy food.  When healthy word comes to our mind..... salads are the first choice world wide cause of the fibre content along with a blast of vitamins and minerals. 

Now wats new when it comes to write about salads. In this age of "being healthy" salads are no more used as the meal accompaniments but now are being used as full meals.

With your own choices of dressing and toppings, we can have high calorie salad, protein rich salad and many more. Your arena of choices can be from a basic mayonnaise dressing to cheese avocado dressing.

We can add protein to the salads by using lean meats like chilled shrimps or grilled chicken. Salad is just not restricted to vegetables but a mix of seasonal fruits can be tossed down in a salad bowl with a wink of lemon juice.

Scroll down to get some idea of the mouth watering options for salads....

Grilled chicken salad

Ingredients
4 small chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
6 cups lettuce, sliced or torn
1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup corn
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
4 strips bacon, cut into 1 inch slices and cooked (optional)
1/4 cup cilantro, torn
1/4 cup avocado dressing/ salad dressing

Directions

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 4-6 minutes per side basting the chicken in the BBQ sauce as you go.
Let the chicken cool a bit and slice.
Assemble salad and enjoy!

Exotic summer salad

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup baby corns, boiled
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 glove garlic, grated
2 green onions, sliced
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juice
2 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
chili powder to taste

Directions
Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred, mix it up and let it char again, about 6-10 minutes.
Add the jalapeno, saute for a minute and remove from heat.
Mix everything and serve warm or at room temperature.

Toss in your own favorite ingredients and chill out this summer.... Cheers!!

Counting calories..... Try them...

Sometimes I wonder, as to what is the "hot" topic among ladies at their tea session.... "God how I wish, all healthy options out there become tasty"...

Well, I guess going through this article might give you some tasty yet healthy options...

I will be talking about easy healthy and tasty appetizers like soups,  salads....

ROASTED VEGETABLE SOUP

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, broken off into small chunks
4 small-medium turnips, quartered (don't worry about peeling them)
4 cloves of garlic, smashed with the back of your knife
4 baby onion (or 1 small onion), sliced lenghtwise
2 small potatoes, diced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cups - 1 cup water (or chicken or veggie stock)

Garnishes
herbs, croutons.

Method
Preheat the oven to 375F. Place all the vegetables on a baking sheet or in a pan in one single layer and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Add about 1/2 cup water or stock and puree in a blender or with an immersion blender. Check if the consistency and seasoning are to your liking and adjust accordingly.
Serve with croutons and garnishes of your choice.

Now the next recipe coming up is an amazing option for the summers....

Tropical GARDEN FRESH

Ingredients
One- half bowl of diced watermelon, peeled, seeded
1/4 cup fresh raspberries
1/ bowl diced pineapple,peeled
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tbs sugar

Method

Place all the cut fruits in a large bowl, and add lemon juice and sugar; toss to combine. Let stand at least 30 minutes, tossing occasionally, until all sugar is dissolved. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

So,  all you health freaks or would - bw health freaks try these simple mouth watering recipes and add a pinch of your own innovation.....

Make way for FRUITS....

When it comes to fruits and veggies, what maximum people say is:

I don't need vegetables, thank you....I have bought cows to eat them.

It's hilarious but contrary to this the fact remains that fruits are an important part of our diet. People turn their backs on fruits and switch to daily consumption of the multivitamin tabs.... now that's mere ignorance.

If we focus on the right amount of fruit intake; I mean at least 3-4 fruits/ daily; we actually do not have rely completely on the outsource of vitamins. Also one should try and include the different varieties of fruits for getting the complete basket of multivitamins.

But one thing that I have come across is that including fruits in the diet is not only tedious for children but also for adults like us.

So.....Friends, Romans and Countrymen... Plzz lend me your ears. Whether it is for you,  your family members or for any unexpected guests..... when you have no option but fruits in your inventory..... Fruit Skewers is the best option on plate.

The best part is that one can use any variety of fruit and vegetables in this skewers. Just remember to start with the least crunchy fruit/veggie and progress up.... so be it bananas,  strawberries, cherries, mangoes, pineapples and so on....

You can use these skewers alone or accompany them with some chicken or meat.

This is not it..... you can put all fruits in a selected transparent glass and top it with some yogurt.... your fruit summer delight is ready to take charge.

With your innovative ideas, you can play with fruits..... use their color,flavor and steal the show... :)

Getting sense out of nonsense...

Having a nutrition background, call it as my "responsibility" or my " interest".... whenever I go out for the so called pantry shopping, what I first put my eyes on.... is the beautiful packaging of the product. 

Hold on.... I am not going into the aesthetic part but actually talking about the nutritional information printed on the packet. Today when you are flooded with infinite amount of information related to food and optimal health.... it becomes important to get the sensible information from all the nonsense out there.

Nutrition being such a vast topic to debate on.... we can just touch upon few things that come to our mind. For example.... talking about the fruit juices which are flooding the market nowadays.  Now, the companies have to say a "lot" for the sake of marketing the product.... but as smart customers we have to analyze what is good for us.

" They".... I mean the manufacturers.... portray their product as being a "super hero"... giving you the required vitamins and minerals.... but people take this as a  wake up call and analyze carefully.... have we ever wondered about the amount of sugar content that we gulp in along with that glass of juice.... I guess no because we are counting on those vitamins and minerals..... on the contrary if we grab a fruit in that place we actually are getting the right amount of nutrients and correct amount of natural fruit sugar. Thus doesn't mean that juices are completely" no"... but making them a regular item in your diet is not the right move.

This is just a part we talked about.... There is much more than just it... it is not easy to get the real information....cause it is like finding a needle in the bundle of hay....

We always go for the simple things.... that goes for our food also but we should remember that it not so.... there are no geese that lay golden eggs...

Lemon: Not just the juice..... Look more....

For some fruits it's more than the fresh juicy pulp, i.e. the outer zest. Today, I will be talking about lemons; apart from their vitamin C rich juice.....they also have their aromatic shiny and flavor boosting skin on call..... The latter can be used to enhance or add flavor to any sweet or savory dish.

Although I do not promote organic foods as such, but when it comes to lemons, oranges, I make no compromises....as the residues of the pesticides used are settled in the outer skin, thus it's not an economical idea of sticking to the normal population of lemons.

.....the fine saffron like tendrils that we can prepare using any cheese grater.... One can dry them and store them for long. The dried form can be powdered and used in many dishes. The freshness that is brought along is just incredible.....

Whether it is a dip, a chocolate chip cookie or any regular cake recipe, a pinch of lemon zest add that freshness and aroma to the dish. 

It's not that it.....next time you get on to your bowl of green salad add a pinch of these bright tendrils for that tangy flavor......next morning when you sit with your bowl of oatmeal add a pinch of this freshness....also to give a twist to your regular vegetable soup, boiled vegetables, keep your pinch of twist ready.....

If you want to have a glass of refreshing lemonade, try adding the lemon zest along with the juice and leave it aside to let the flavor infuse...... Trust me you will be the talk of the month among your friends....

Be it an Indian cuisine, Italian pasta or risotto or Mughlai biryani.....this treat of lemon fits in all..... So happy zeasting!!!!!!!

Tea Time....

What an awesome weather outside.... Bright sunlight striking the white snow laden rooftops..... In the midst of this beautiful scene... I get a call from my husband ( work from home status): "can I have a cup of tea"...... 

Well, personally not being a tea lover, over a period of time being a part of tea loving family I have understood one fact that when it's a call for tea time...... Get alert.... It's time for you to show your cooking skills. Sipping hot tea without any snack is ideally incomplete, despite of you being in any part of the world. 

Tea itself is of so many colors and moods...... Sounding strange.....no it's a fact..... You have black tea, green tea, mild tea, strong tea, white tea, lemon tea.......sooooo on...... But one thing that compliments tea is.... Snacks!!!

Now being little health concious, I actually have to focus on taste as well as the health part of the snack taken along with the tea. Usually what we indulge along with tea is snacks like fried pakoras, dark chocolate muffins, flaky pastries..... I just realized my mouth has started watering...... Control your emotions dear.....

These are not just the options with you. Just move your eyes around, give your own twist to it and you are ready with a new innovative yet healthy snack option to compliment with your tea.

I have one snack recipe ready for today.....  Cucumber avocado tea time sandwich...

Potion size: 2

Cooking time: 15 min

Ingredients

Brown bread: 4 slices

Yogurt: 2 tbsp

Cucumber slices: 1 small peeled and thinly sliced

Avocado slices: 1 peeled and thinly sliced

Baby sprouts: 1/2 cup boiled

Salt, pepper to taste

Method

Mix all the spices, salt,pepper and baby sprouts in the whipped yogurt and keep aside. Prepare your canvas in the mean while.... I mean trim the sides of the brown bread and spread the yogurt mixture on it. After that place the slices of cucumber and avocado on it. Cut the slices into triangular shape and serve immediately. 

You are ready with your simple and finger licking sandwich..... All full of health and taste.....

So, guys get ready for your tea time!!!!!!