Healthy Breakfast: Rawa Uttapam

The instant South Indian meals are easy to cook as well as healthy & tasty. I will share the recipe of Instant Rawa Uttapam for a healthy breakfast.

Rawa Uttapam

Ingredients
Rawa or Semolina: 2 cups
Yogurt (un-fattened): 3 cups
Green Capsicum: 1/2 cup chopped
Cauliflower:1/2 cup chopped
Tomato: 1 medium chopped
Onion: 1 medium chopped
Chillies: 2 chopped
Salt: as per taste
Oil

Preparation:
1. Mix the Rawa & Yogurt well till a smooth paste is made. Mix it well with salt.
2. Add the onion & chillies to the mix. Let it stand for 15 min
3. Mix the rest of the veggies in a bowl & add some salt. This will help it get cooked easily and also the taste would be better.
4. On a non-stick pan, let it heat up and then brush oil.
5. Pour the batter enough to get a 6" uttapam.
6. After it is half cooked, add the veggies on the top & turn the side.
7. Let the other side cook on low flame for 2-3 min.
8. Serve it hot with veggie side up.
9. You can make the chutney also with khus khus paste, coconut paste & curd mixed or enjoy it with tomato sauce.

A healthy breakfast with good proteins & good taste served on the platter. Thanks!

Low Carb Breakfast Ideas with Eggs!

Here I am with a few ideas of low carb breakfasts, a day started with protein packed diet will keep you satiated & energized for hours. What better to start your day with eggs... they are protein packed & filled with nutrients you would love to start your day with. Here are a few egg recipes to try for breakfasts.

Omelette: Make your omelette your way! Add low fat goat cheese or crumbled cottage cheese to your omelette or spice it up with bell peppers & tomatoes. Spice up your mornings!

Scrambled Eggs: Add herbs oregano or parsley to your scrambled eggs with a flavour of cayenne pepper with a pinch of lemon. Your scrambled would taste heavenly.

Baked Eggs with cream & mushroom: Bake your eggs with cream & mushroom, they make a good way to start your day, if you are not fond of mushrooms choose your veggies.

Devilled Eggs: Boil the eggs & change the taste of the yolk as you want. Add herbs, spices & molten low fat cheese & fill your egg whites again. Cilantro added as garnishing makes it taste the best.

Poached eggs: Use fresh eggs to poach & if you want some flavours added to your egg, make small pouches of eggs in food grade plastic & add the spices. Put the pouches in boiling water & in 5 min your poached eggs are ready.

Sunny-side Up: Just have it like that!

Let me know your pick of recipe for your eggs for a healthy low carb breakfast. Thanks!

Best Food for the New Mom

Post pregnancy the food you eat can make you and your baby healthy. The right food not only gives you a good health, lose the extra pounds but also will ensure a healthy baby. Foods that give you constant energy the new mom needs & the nutrients both mom and the baby needs, because if it doesn't come from the food it goes away from the mother's body.

1. Water: The body consists of 75% water and the body needs it for making milk for the baby also, so definitely increasing water intake will help you to make more milk. Also the breast-feeding can cause dehydration in the lactating mother, so drinking water helps.

2. Salmon: Salmons like any other fatty fish have a compound called DHA, which is essential for the nervous system of the baby. The mother's milk has DHA but the nutrient might not be enough if not taken in mother's diet.

3. Low fat dairy product: Dairy products like milk, yogurt & cheese help provide the body with essential calcium, protein, Vitamin D & Vitamin B complex to the body & also the milk you feed to your baby gives him the strength for stronger bones with the calcium & Vitamin D.

4. Legumes: A good source of proteins for vegetarians & vegans. Intake of the dark colored legumes like kidney beans & black beans also provide a good amount of iron in the milk.

5. Oranges: Powerhouse of antioxidant & rich in Vitamin C, they are very much needed by the nursing mother, if sipping on juices check out for natural ones without high sugar levels.

6. Garlic: Garlic has been known as age old remedy for boosting milk in new mothers. Adding it to food not only adds flavor but also the bonus. If not fan of garlic in food, can take pills which are equally good & does not have the afterward pungent smell.

7: Leafy Greens: They are a great source of Vitamin A which is good for the baby. They are also a great source of calcium for vegans. They also provide ample amount of iron & Vitamin C and known for excellent heart healthy anti-oxidants.

8. Eggs: They are versatile way to provide the body with protein & nutrients. If DHA fortified eggs are available in your area, you stand a better chance to increase your DHA intake.

There are also other advised foods which are good during & after pregnancy, you can add the best to your diet for your & your baby's health. A sick mother cannot be a great mom. Thanks!

Fertility Friendly Foods!

If you are trying to start a family & want babies, believe me, diet does help. Our ancestors have always said that the kind of food we eat makes us more fertile & some affect adversely, it's true. So, we will list some foods which, is also suggested by preliminary research, help women in the ovulation stage. A healthy diet which is clean from chemicals & organically grown can give the best results.

Dairy Product: Adding dairy to your daily diet helps you in the preconception stage. It is suggested to to keep it low fat in all forms of milk, yogurt & cheese if you want to keep a watch on your weight as well. But it is known that a full fat version helps in the ovulation stage for women. But keep it under limit to avoid any unwanted consequences.

Lean Meat: Lean version of chicken, turkey or red meat helps improve the protein intake the body. Not only protein they are high source of iron & the iron present in the diet in preconception stages improve the chances. Also remember too much of animal protein will not be good. Vegan diet can add iron by spinach & other leafy vegetables in the diet.

Whole grains or Complex carbohydrates: Any carbohydrate source with a low glycemic index keeping a good watch the insulin is good. Insulin spikes & changing sugar levels are not good for fertility. So, ditch the refined flours & rice etc. Complex carbohydrates are difficult to digest & release the insulin & sugar periodically, this also helps the ovulation process.

Berries: Any berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc are great if you are planning for the next step. The antioxidants protect you from cell damage & cell aging, including your ovum. The best part is they taste good as well, add to the fruit salad, custard or smoothie.

Omega 3 fatty acids: The best source are fatty fishes and if you are vegan nuts like almonds, sesame, pumpkin seeds etc are great for you. They increase the blood flow to the reproductive organs, beefing up fertility also improving the production of hormones necessary for the reproduction cycle.

These foods for fertility can improve ovulation, hormones production and the health of the eggs and sperms. These foods for fertility also prepare a woman to have a healthy pregnancy. A balanced diet & stress-free life is the best way to a better family planning.

Thinning Hair: Home Care Tips

Today lot of us suffer from thinning hair, one of the major contributing reason for hair thinning is the change in the environment. Though we really cannot do much to avoid these changes but we can take care of our hair & keep it healthy. The major changes you need to do to see changes are:

1. Eat a Balanced Diet: A healthy diet gives you the required nutrition for good hair. Including spinach, kale & chard; beans & tofu; lean meat does well due to presence of protein building blocks, iron, zinc & biotin which are essential nutrients for good hair. Presence of Omega-3 in diet also gives hair the rich & shiny look.

2. Hair Care: It is important to treat your hair well also. Massaging the scalp has shown positive results for most & can work well with coconut oil also, if your hair is oily avoid the oil. Use products which are gentle to your scalp, because the health of the scalp determines the quality of hair. Shampoo & condition your hair regularly, avoid changing the product as it may damage your hair, stick to the product which suits you. Blow drying can damage the hair so use with caution, do not blow hot air to the scalp.

3. Avoid Pollution: Pollution is one of the causes of hair thinning both in women & men, so try to avoid direct contact with air pollutants. If working outdoors, cover your head to avoid contact with air. Also water can be a great problem, which you might have noticed when at times there is a place change your hair fall increases. Use packaged water to wash your hair in that case.

4. De-stress: Stress can be another important factor for hair loss. You must have noticed that even at an age your grandmother has more hair than you do. A simple reason being the lifestyle we lead. Not only food & pollution our hair is affected by the stress in our daily lives. To know about how to de-stress click here.

A few styling tips to make your hair look more in volume include changing your partition helps in covering up & also allows some regrowth in the empty space. Also getting a haircut which gives a high volume & bouncier. Brush your hair with care, hard plastic or metal combs can do damage to your hair. Following these can help you slow down your thinning.

Asthma- Natural Prevention Methods

Asthma as we all know is a chronic lung disease that inflates the airways in the lungs & disrupts the natural breathing process. It can be associated with a wheezing or whistling sound while breathing, chest tightness, short of breathing & coughing. It is also seen that the coughing increases during night & early morning. The airways which carry air into our lungs are inflamed in people suffering from asthma. The inflammation makes it difficult for the person to breathe normally, due to swelling & the sensitive tissues & cells react with certain inhaled substances making it worse. The muscles around the airways tighten & causing less air to flow to the lungs. To fight inflammation the cells start producing more mucus than usual leaving even less space for the air to pass. These symptoms are very common in childhood & seem to improve with time but not necessarily. Though asthma is not known for complete cure but we can take some measures to lesser the chances.

Apart from the medicines & sterols which are used for treatment of asthma, the below written natural home remedies can help the sufferer.

1. Always keep your house clean, allergens like dust mites, animal dander create more trouble for the person. Do not let these allergens attack you, try to avoid contact with them as much as possible. Also furry pets should be kept at bay as animal hair is known as an allergen.

2. Turmeric is known as an anti-inflammatory agent & has shown good results. Drinking lukewarm milk with a pinch of turmeric helps fight inflammation. Similarly ginger also shows positive effects on curing inflammation & can be effective.

3. Magnesium rich food is good for relaxing the airways, also used in medication in emergency situation. If taking in capsulated form please know the correct dosage as it might have side-effects like upset stomach.

4. Omega-3 fatty acids act as drugs leukotriene inhibitors, which inhibits the action of infammation causing agents in the body.

5. Make a chart of food you eat everyday & the level of asthma for 15-30 days. Asthmatic action can be triggered by food which contains allergens, some people might be allergic to milk products, or other animal proteins, or wheat, sugar or other carbohydrates. So, continuous monitoring can help you identify it for you.

These remedies will not cure your asthma but reduce the severity. Other things to note for asthma patients is a strict non-smoking life, avoid fireplaces or other smoky things. Avoid drugs containing aspirin & ibuprofen as they are known to induce asthma. Try not to sleep on your stomach as this worsens respiratory problems. Do not stop medication if you have been advised by a medical practitioner till they ask you to discontinue the usage. I hope this small article will help you with some insights on better lifestyle with asthma.

Healthy Chicken Recipe: Herb Grilled Chicken Breast

Hi Friends!! Today I present to you the very tasty healthy herb grilled chicken breast recipe. Chicken is high in proteins & has high tryptophan (amino acid) which helps in production of serotonin to help fight depression.

Herb Grilled Chicken Breast

Ingredients:
Chicken Breast (boneless): 3 pieces
Dried Oregano: 1 teaspoon
Dried Basil: 1 teaspoon
Dried Parsley: 1 teaspoon
Lime juice: 1 tablespoon
Garlic: 1 clove grated
Raw Papaya Juice: 1 tablespoon
Olive oil: 2 teaspoon
Salt: as per taste

Preparation:
1. Take the chicken breast pieces, and place it on the slab to tenderize the pieces. Use a tenderizer or the blunt side of the knife & pound it for a while.
2. Take the pieces in a vessel & mix it with the papaya juice (can grate the raw papaya & press it to get the juice). Cover it with a lid & refrigerate for 1 hour. Your chicken breasts will be very tender.
3. To the same vessel add the other ingredients herbs, salt, lime juice, garlic, olive oil. Mix it well & refrigerate the marinade.
4. Grill the chicken for 20 min approx at 300 F. Check if cooked with a fork.
5. Serve it with mustard sauce.

Let's enjoy a healthy grilled chicken today. Thanks!!

Healthy Chicken Recipe: Tandoori Chicken

Hi Friends! Today the famous tandoori chicken from India on your platter. It is very tasty & yummy and believe me my variant has less fats too. I will just straight run down to the recipe.

Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients:
One Chicken: cut into 4 pieces
Yogurt: 2 tablespoons
Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon
Red chili powder: 1 teaspoon
Ginger Garlic Paste: 2 teaspoon
Cashew: 7-8 nuts paste with small amount of milk
Whole Garam Masala: Cloves (4-6), Cardamon (4), Cinnamon (2 inch), Cumin seeds (1/2 tablespoon), Corriander seeds (1 tablespoon), Black Pepper (10), dry red chilies (1-2)
Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
Salt: as per taste

Preparation:
1. Take the chicken pieces & wash them. Make slits on the chicken pieces.
2. In a heated open pan  dry roast till it becomes fragrant. Then grind it well to get a fine powder. If the quantity is too less, just double the quantity & keep the powder for future use.
3. Mix the yogurt, ginger garlic paste, cashew paste, turmeric, red chili powder, garam masala powder & olive oil to get a smooth mixture. Add the salt to the mix as well.
4. Marinade the chicken pieces with this mixture completely & refrigerate the marinade for 2 -4 hours.
5. Now preheat the oven to use for broiling or grilling at 425F or 220C.
6. Place the chicken on an aluminium foil wrapped baking tray & cook in the oven for 20 min- 30 min, turn around the pieces once in between.
7. Check if the pieces are completely cooked by poking it with a fork, if cooked the fork can be inserted easily.

And your tandoori chicken is ready, I have allowed a high time for marinating the chicken because it helps the chicken to become soft & supple. If in a hurry a good 1 hour is fine for marination.You will not also get the traditional red color for the food as I have not used any food coloring agent. You can enjoy this with roti or Indian bread, with a green chutney (a paste of mint & raw mango with yogurt base). I hope this recipe is liked by you.

Healthy Egg Recipe: Deviled Egg

Hi Friends! I would like to share a very simple & tasty recipe today, made by different people in a different way. I will tell you my way with a twist of Indian taste & definitely the food value of eggs ranging from protein, vitamins, calcium, minerals all intact.

Deviled Eggs (Indian Style)
Ingredients:
Eggs: 6
Cilantro: a few springs
Chili: 1
English Mustard paste: 2 teaspoon
Onion: 1 small

Preparation:
1. Boil the eggs in a saucepan with water covering the eggs for 12 mins.
2. Remove from flame & drain the water. Run under cold water. Peel the eggs & keep aside.
3. In the meanwhile when the eggs are cooking, chop the onion, cilantro and chili finely.
4. Take the hard-boiled eggs & cut them into halves and remove the yolks.
5. Take the yolks in a mixing bowl & smash them. Add the mustard paste to the same and mix it well.
6. When you have got a smooth paste add the chopped cilantro, onion & chili and get a homogeneous mix.
7. Now arrange the egg whites on a plate & fill it with the yolk mix.
8. Your delicious Indian Deviled Eggs are ready.

Hope you like this recipe friends. This is a very original idea from my end please let me know your opinion on the taste.

Healthy Egg Recipe

Eggs are a yummy way to fill your tummy. You can have eggs in lots & lots of ways, I will write about one such easy ways today friends. Enjoy it this weekend with family & friends.

Today's recipe is Baked Egg Muffins its yummy, healthy, low calorie & a great snack:

Ingredients for 6-8 muffins:
Eggs: 4
Bell pepper: 1 (choose a color of your choice, I go for a green)
Tomato: 1 small
Monterey White Mushrooms: 4-6 pieces
Shredded Low fat Cheddar cheese: 1/2 cup
Oregano Seasoning
Basil seasoning
Salt to taste
Black pepper
Baking powder: 1/4 teaspoon
Olive oil to grease

Preparation:
1. The mushrooms whenever eaten should be only after blanching, so take the mushrooms & blanch it with hot water & a bit of salt added. It helps to reduce gastronomic effects.
2. Cut the tomato, bell pepper & the blanched mushroom into small pieces, & keep it aside.
3. In a clean bowl add the eggs & add the oregano, basil seasonings, salt & black pepper. After it is mixed well add the baking powder and beat well so that no lumps are formed.
4. Take the silicon baking sheet or tin with muffin moulds and grease it with olive oil, the muffin will have 3 layers when you eat. So at first we have to pour a little of the egg mix in all the moulds for the bottom layer.
5. Next we have to add the veggies for the middle layer. Save some tomato cubes for the top. Sprikle a layer of cheese over this.
6. Pour the rest of the egg mix on the top of this. Ensure that the moulds are not filled completely else while baking your mix will spill over.
7. Top all your muffins with tomato cubes.
8. Bake it for 15-20 mins on a preheated oven at 350 F or 180 C. Insert a knife to check whether it comes out clean. And we are done.

I swear to love this recipe for the breakfast or even a snack in the evening. It is simple & filling and the colorful combination of red yellow & green from the different ingredients makes it look great. Hope you like this recipe... do let me know how you like it. Tell me your variations too. Thanks!