Month: May 2014

For Impatient Souls- Food you can cook within 20 MINUTES!!

Food. Food. Food.

Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?

I grew up watching my grand moms and my mom cook food with a glint in their eye, a smile on their face. And along with the dose of MasterChef that imbedded itself in my brain (you can almost visualize an obese teenager sitting in front of the TV gawking at the delicacies being cooked, half mouth open, dazed eyes, with a hopeful future culinary dream), I gradually (not-so-gradual) fell in love with food. From Tandoori Chicken to Sweet Corn and Mushroom Pasta, from Mutton Biriyani to Risotto Primavera, from Misti Doi to Rhubard and Lemon Curd Cake, from Sweetened Kesari Lassi to Double Berry Smoothie, from Spicy Samosas to Cheese Scones – I opened my arms to all. Or, should I say stomach?

I learned to cook, as most children do at one point or the other.

I make the best Gajar ka Halwa(a Carrot sweet dish) in my family. No kidding. But that ‘hopeful future culinary dream’? Well, that’s taken a standstill.

Because, there’s a small glitch.

I don’t have much patience. I love food. I really do. But after the first half hour of cooking time, all my patience is lost. This usually ends in two ways: either I’ll leave the kitchen(an utter mess by now) heart wretched and defeated, be awfully thankful for my SuperMom who’ll clean up and finish cooking the meal in a jiffy, OR I’ll be irritated as hell, yet seize the damned crockery and continue cooking- the end result being a half burnt cake or inedible chicken curry or under seasoned fish or… oh, you get the drift.

And as usual, SuperMom to the rescue – a couple of weeks later, a couple of recipes (short ones) down, I was ready to take on the world.

WOO-HOO!

So, for similar souls like me, here are a couple of under-20-minutes recipes to try out and impress your family, friends and more.

(My YUM-shake)

Chocolaty Banana Milkshake

Time: 3 minutes

Ingredients: 2 ripe bananas, 2 tbsp honey, half a bar of good quality chocolate (I used one whole DairyMilk. I love that chocolaty gooiness), 450 ml of milk, vanilla ice cream

Directions: Put bananas, honey, chocolate, milk and 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream in a blender. Blend until smooth and frothy. Pour it in a glass. Put 2 more scoops of vanilla ice cream on top. Serve chilled.

(A sick-day savior)

Cauliflower Soup

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients: 1 chopped onion, ½ thinly sliced leek, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 1 roughly chopped cauliflower, 750 ml of milk, 50g grated Parmesan, chives, butter to cook

Directions: Cook onion, leek and crushed garlic cloves in a knob of butter until soft. Add chopped cauliflower and the milk. Cover and simmer until the cauliflower is tender.

Place everything into a blender and blitz until smooth. Stir in grated Parmesan, ladle into bowls and finish with a few snipped chives scattered on top.

(A filling snack)

Egg and Raisin Sandwiches

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients: 3 eggs, 1-2 tbsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp raisin, white bread, butter

Directions: Hard boil the eggs. Let cool before peeling and finely chopping. Mix with mayonnaise, raisin and some seasoning. Spread 2-3 slices of white bread with 2 tbsp softened butter, top with the egg mix and sandwich with 2-3 more slices of bread. Cut into mini triangles and Serve.

(Something I can eat a dozen of)

Apple Muffins

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients: 200 ml buttermilk, 1 large egg, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 200 g flour, 100g caster sugar,1 tspn baking powder, 1 tspn bicarbonate of soda, 2 small apples

Directions: Heat oven to 170C and line 8 holes of a muffin tin with muffin cases. Whisk together the buttermilk, egg, oil and vanilla extract. Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda in a bowl. Peel, core and roughly chop the apples. Quickly fold the wet ingredients and apple into the dry ingredients. Spoon the batter into the muffin cases and bake for 20 minutes. Cool for a couple of minutes in the tin before moving to a cooling rack. Serve warm or cold.

(A twist to the ever-popular omelette)

Omelette

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients: ½ chopped onion, 1 diced red pepper, 1 diced tomato, 50 g chopped mushrooms, 1 finely diced potato, 4 eggs, a pinch of oregano, oil and butter to cook

Directions: Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add potato, mushrooms, onion, tomato and red pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes to soften, and then tip out the veg. Lightly beat the eggs. Sizzle a small knob of butter in the pan, add the eggs, allow to set and then spoon the vegetables over the egg. Cover with lid. After 2 minutes, open the lid and sprinkle a pinch of oregano. Serve hot.

(And my personal all-time favourite)

Pancakes

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 300g flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp caster sugar, 2 eggs, maple syrup, 300 ml of milk, butter to cook and a pinch of salt to taste

Directions: Mix flour, baking powder, caster sugar and salt in a large bowl. Crack in the eggs and whisk until smooth. Add 1 tbsp maple syrup and the milk while whisking. Heat a splash of oil and a small knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan until sizzling, Add spoonfuls of batter to make the pancakes. Cook until bubbles start to form on the surface, then flip and cook the other side. Keep the pancakes warm in a low oven while you cook another batch. Serve them drizzled with extra maple syrup.

Image Courtesy-www,gizmag.com

May 23, 2014
Fruit Juice Better than Soft Drinks – Myth or Reality

We mostly hear from health expert and parents that soft drinks are not good for health and as a substitute for that recommend fruit juices which are in comparison fresh and good for the body as they do not have any preservatives in them but in reality apart from a few vitamins and minerals there is not much of a difference between the two beverages as both give you almost the same calorie and sugar hit. However it is not correct to see both the drinks in the same platform as fruit juices have few redeeming health benefits that make it better than soft drinks, for example, Prune juice can remove or slowdown issue of constipation while cranberry juice helps lower the risks urinary infections.

One of the biggest assumptions regarding fruit juice is that it is healthier than soft drinks because of its natural sugar content. Even though the above statement is true, it does contain natural sugars which are a composition of fructose, sucrose and glucose, but the sugar quantity is much more than in soft drinks which are not good for humans. Moreover study states that this ‘natural sugar’ is also found in soft drinks in the form of sucrose because it comes from sugar cane. The difference here is in the quantity of sugar we consume which more in proportion in fruit juice than in soft drinks.

According to the ‘National Diet and Nutrition Survey’ young people aged between 11-19 years intake about 47% sugar from fruit juices, cereals bars, biscuits and should therefore limit their juice consumption to once in a day because of its high calorie content. Secondly children below or equal to 10 years of age exceed the acceptable limit of sugar intake to about 34% and as a result in the long run when these children would grow up to become adults but do not bring any change in their eating habits, about 48% of them would suffer from obesity, higher levels of cholesterol and type 2 level of diabetes.

Another study conducted a similar research by comparing the calorie content in three components namely juices, soft drinks and coconut water and came with the conclusion that as previous study states, drinking juices is definitely not a healthy option as the fructose content makes the glucose level in the blood rise above the acceptable level, however being said this it should be also noted that rather than preferring for juice, consuming the whole fruit itself is a much healthier option. Study of coconut water reveals that the drink contains only 46 calories which is far less than other fruits and definitely less than the soft drinks and therefore is a nature’s energy drink provided to man to keep him hydrated.

Next time you check your weight and find it has increased, study claims fruit juice might have contributed to this increase. According to a study conducted by Deakin University among a group of school children, it found that children who consumed more fruit juice were overweight than those who did not consume. The reason behind this observation was given as when we drink juice rather than eating the fruit as a whole, we miss out on the fibre. Fibre is an important component which controls body weight and keeping the digestive track clean and healthy. Fibre also protects against colorectal cancer, the second biggest cancer killer after lung cancer. The World Cancer Research Fund show that there is high correlation between foods containing fibre with protection against various forms of cancer and therefore for someone struggling to reduce weight, drinking a lot of fruit juice or soft drinks would not help rather usage of water is the best remedy and instead of juice preference of the fruit itself is a better option.

Talking only about juices does not give us any clear picture. Coming to the other side, soft drinks also do not seem so good friends after all. According to a study done in the Imperial College London, drinking carbonated beverage a day results in an increase in your chances of suffering from diabetes by 20%. In addition to this we also have issues of weight gain and an increase in insulin resistance. The soft drink issue when discussed in court, the Supreme Court of India directed the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to check and monitor all carbonated drinks and to regulate the drinks to protect the public from its ‘deleterious effects’. According to Professor Barry Popkin from the University of North Carolina, other risks associated with consumption of such items can also increase the kidney and liver failure and development of cancer. Studies also have shown a positive correlation between soft drink consumption and increased heart disease and hypertension risks. The sugar content recommended for adult men is 37.5grams per day and for women its 25grams per day, however a 350ml of soft drink might contain 31.5gram of sugar. So its upon us to see whether we are within the limits or exceeding it.

Now that we know about the effects does this change our consumption pattern?? The answer is no for many and the reason behind this is that most of the adults and children are influenced by the advertisements done by these companies, who are very much successful in attracting the public by using their favorite movie stars or sportsmen for promotional purposes. However one thing is clear, the claim that fruit juice are better than soft drinks is not true to some extent as various studies show that both the beverages have more harm than benefits and that a check should always be kept on the amount of consumption of these food items especially in the case of children.

Georgie Rajan

May 23, 2014
Every Plate of Food has a Story to Tell

Everyone knows that there are two types of people in the world when it comes to food – those who eat to live and those who live to eat. If you’re the type that lives to eat, then you would know that nothing in the world sounds better than the “ping” announcing that your food is ready. That ping can be the ping of your oven or the ping at a fast food joint, it doesn’t matter. You would know that those clichés where people say that their favorite thing to do is to curl up in the bed with some chocolate pudding and a book or a movie are all true. You would know that if there’s one thing in this world that has the power to make you smile, it’s food.

The biggest dilemma in the life of a foodie who knows to how cook is whether to go out to eat or to stay at home and cook. I’m a foodie. I love cooking. I made my first chapatis when I was six and I woke up in the middle of the night with my stomach rumbling. I didn’t want to wake my mother up so I went into the kitchen and found some left overs, but there were no chapatis. So my six year old self decided that she really wanted to have warm, soft, chapatis and she made them. Of course they were hard and crisp and slightly burnt but that was when I realized that cooking was exciting. After that, I often used to wait for my mother to go take her afternoon nap so that I could go into the kitchen and cook something for myself. I thought one day I would surprise my mother by cooking a meal for her all by myself. That never happened because the first time I cut my finger, I ran to her crying. Nonetheless, almost everyone who is passionate about food and about cooking remembers the first time they made something and how amazing and excited they felt.

Food brings happiness to us in many ways. It’s not just the eating part that makes people happy; it’s also the cooking part. Having a chocolate cake that you baked yourself sure feels amazing. But it feels even better when you’re eating it with a bunch of people who love it and they tell you so.

So when you know how to cook amazing food, which isn’t a difficult thing to do, and you enjoy it, why would you want to go out and eat? I’ll tell you. When you go out and you order something new and you eat it, it gives you a rush because you can’t wait to get home and try making it. Often, you might fail to reproduce that dish. After a point, you even give up. So you go out and back to that place to eat the same thing again and again because that place makes that one particular dish perfectly. And this way, over time, you label places with particular dishes that they make and if someone wants to eat that thing, you know the perfect place to take them to.

A foodie knows that there should be no discrimination between a roadside vendor and fancy restaurant. A nice little dhaba tucked away in some corner has the potential to serve as good food as that fancy place near the fancy mall. The only thing that should matter is hygiene. Not all dhabas are unhygienic and not all restaurants are hygienic. Also, if you’re a student and you keep dining at pricey places, your parents will soon realize that the extra pocket money you’re asking for, is not for ”research material” and that, my friend, is not a good thing. It’s not difficult to get addicted to good food so you need to keep in mind that those pricey places with the orgasmic food are a luxury. They should be treated like the occasional cigarette. You plan on ahead and save up for weeks to eat there. Or you spend the money you were given to buy shoes to eat there and walk around with your toes poking out of your shoes as a punishment. (If, in case, that does happen, you have my sympathies.)

Another golden rule when it comes to food – never waste food. You have a little too much food and none of it can go in the fridge? There are plenty of men, women and children out there who need it. Take a walk after your meal, a healthy habit too, and give it to someone who needs it. Can’t find someone? Put it out with a bowl of milk and the Dog Fairy will make sure it vanishes by the time morning rolls around.

Food, books, pets – to each, their own. Or some people prefer to have a combination of any two or even all three in their lives to be able to call it a perfect and happy life. Whatever the combination be, you need food in there to be happy – or even to simply survive. If you eat to live, slow down once and think about the taste of the food you’re eating, think about the texture, the feel of it and think about the story behind that plate of food because be it the burnt chapatis I made when I was six or be it the chef’s signature dish at a restaurant every plate of food has a story to tell.

May 23, 2014
What to NOT Feed Kids

I’m sure you’re a responsible parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle/babysitter. While that once-in-a-while trip to McDonalds’ is all right, you make sure that your kids do not feed on hamburgers, French fries, pizza, and coke day in and day out, much as they’d love to. While cutting the obvious junk out of your kids’ everyday diet is a great idea, you may be surprised as to what scientific studies have to reveal about a number of popular food items marketed as “healthy for kids”. Here is a list to help you make an informed choice.

Breakfast Cereals for kids:

Breakfast cereals for kids are amongst the most begged for foods in the supermarket. They are colourful, they are sugary, and their boxes display a variety of popular cartoon characters. Your kid loves them! And so do you. They boast of a whole lot of vitamins and minerals on the label, and they are tasty, which means your kid does not make a fuss on the breakfast table. However, the sour truth that these sweet cereals hide is that when you consider the amount of sugar and processed ingredients per serving, the miniscule amount of nutritional value they offer doesn’t count for much. Nutritionists recommend that when you shop for a suitable cereal, go for brands that contain at least 3-grams of fiber per serving and less than 10 grams of sugar. The best morning cereal that you can serve your kid hooked is whole grain oatmeal. It’s high on fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Sprinkle on some berries and mix it with yogurt, or a dab of honey or real maple syrup, and junior will love it just as much as he loves his froot loops.

Processed Meats:

Bologna and smoked ham may sound like lunchbox staples, but experts suggest that if your child eats a sliced meat sandwich every day, you may be packing her a toxic lunch. Processed meats contain saturated fat, high levels of sodium, and artificial preservatives like nitrates — all things that threat your child’s health. Nitrate, in particular, has been found to increase risks of heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer in children. If your kids love lunch meats, opt for preservative-free varieties, or better yet, make your own by thinly slicing chicken at home.

Juice Boxes

We know your kid loves her pack of chilled Mango Frooti after school or play hours. But according to food experts, irrespective of what their labels say, juice boxes don’t really pack any nutritional value. Not only do they contain high levels of sugar, most commercial juices lack any fiber and vitamin content. If your child loves her cold beverages, try blending up a batch of fruit smoothies with whole fruits, yogurt, and ice as a nutritious after school snack.

Snack Cakes:

Your child probably looks forward to that Swiss-roll in her lunchbox every day. But as much as you love treating your kid, you should consider that most processed snack cakes are packed with trans fats, the most unhealthy processed fat known. So if packing in something sweet ensures that your child finishes her lunch at school, go for berries and grape or bake cookies or squares from scratch using natural ingredients.

Kids’ yogurt

This might be a shocker to you. Yogurt is a wonderfully healthy food for kids; kids’ yogurt, not so much. The reason is that it is so loaded with artificial colors and sugar that it negates any health benefits the original food might contain. So your kid does not like plain yogurt? Just buy the plain variety and sweeten it with frozen fruit, raisins, or honey.

Microwave popcorn

Many parents opt for microwave popcorn as a hassle-free “healthier” alternative to packaged and/or deep fried chips and snacks. However, here’s an ugly truth. Bags of microwave popcorn are lined with a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, so that they do not catch fire while microwaving. While nobody wants a flaming microwave, what sets the alarm bells ringing is that PFOA has been linked to cancer, delayed puberty, thyroid abnormalities, and high cholesterol in children. It might be worth the while to steer clear of the microwave versions and make your own popcorn.

Granola Bars

Contrary to popular belief, food experts are of the opinion that granola bars do not really make a healthy snack for kids. In fact, most store-bought granola bars marketed to kids are lower on nutritional value than the brands for adults: they are loaded with sugar and added ingredients like chocolate chips, marshmallows, candy, high fructose syrup, and artificial dyes. If your kid is a fan of energy bars, try whipping up a batch at home with natural ingredients like almond, peanut butter, raisins, coconut, whole grain cereal, honey, and dried fruit and nuts.

Sports drinks

You may think they are a healthy choice, but unless your kids are exercising heavily on a hot day, there really is no need for them to drink a sports drink. Experts say that regular consumption of sports drinks make children develop a kind of tolerance that makes them less likely to choose water over these drinks even at other times of day, simple because it will taste bland in comparison. If your kid is thirsty, offer water. For a great post-game recovery drink, try chocolate milk — it has the perfect blend of carbohydrates and protein to help little bodies repair and replenish.

While this list should help you get started, I’m convinced it’s far from comprehensive. There is a number of unhealthy products in shiny packs that are sure to attract your kid while you navigate through the aisles of your local supermarket. The trick is to not be fooled by friendly-looking cartoons assuring you of a “mouthful of health”. Read the nutritional information and scan the ingredients with care. When in doubt, consult your nutritionist or pediatrician. Your smart choices prepare your child for a healthy life healthy.

May 23, 2014
It’s Choco-Orange Season!

When Adriano Zumbo’s lolly-bag cake made an appearance on Masterchef, I was intrigued. It was colorful and it boasted of a variety of flavors. It was also one of the trickiest and most complicated recipes I have ever come across. Naturally, the little chef in me was excited to try it out. However, after spending two weeks hunting for the ingredients in the city, I had to give up. Not everything was available and I could only handle so much disappointment.

To lift up my mood, I decided to bake something else but something unique. I decided I needed an ice-cream to tickle my creativity. I picked up a choco-orange bar from a stall and that is when inspiration hit me. I loved the choco-orange ice-cream and I loved chocolates with orange essence in it. It is an interesting and emerging trend and it’s delicious. Why not try a cake which had those same flavors?

Coming up with a good way to mix those two flavors was difficult. I wanted something eccentric but something that tasted good. After a lot of failures, I realized that eccentric wasn’t going to work and I had to settle for classic. So I went ahead and baked a triple layered choco-orange-choco cake with dark chocolate ganache.

If you like to bake and you like the new and trendy choco-orange flavor then this is something that you really should try because it tastes really good and is fun to make. It has two layers of chocolate with the layer of orange flavored cake in the middle.

For the chocolate layers of the cake, you will need:

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
¾ cup cocoa powder
1-1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1-1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Once you have all the ingredients, what you need to do is –

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two round baking pans. Alternatively, you can bake one huge cake and cut it through the middle into two cakes.

Mix sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt (dry mixture). Keep it aside.

In a bowl, mix the butter, eggs, vegetable oil, and the vanilla extract. Beat together till it forms a light and fluffy mixture

Add the dry mixture and the milk to it alternating between one part of the mixture and one part of the milk.

Pour the batter into the pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

Once it’s out of the oven, cool the cakes for ten minutes before removing them from the pans to the wire racks. Set it aside to cool.

For the orange layer of the cake, you will need:

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 cup flour
½ cup orange juice

After gathering all the ingredients, you need to –

Soften the butter by leaving it out for some time. Whisk the softened butter. Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs and beat until even lighter and fluffier but make sure not to overdo it.

Add the baking powder, the baking soda, the vanilla extract, the orange extract and the orange zest. Mix well. Add the flour and mix it until the batter is uniform. Add the orange juice and mix it until it’s smooth and well blended.

Flour and grease a pan and line it with parchment paper. Pour the batter into the cake pan.

Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until golden and the cake is pulling away from the edges of the pan. Try the toothpick method. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer it to a cooling rack.

For the ganache, you will need –

200ml Fresh cream
400gm Dark chocolate

Grate or chop the chocolate into pieces and melt it either in a microwave or in a bain-marie (shown in the picture below). Heat the fresh cream until bubbles form on the edges. Pour the heated cream over the melted chocolate. Make sure the temperature of the cream is higher than that of the chocolate or else the chocolate will form granules. Leave it for three to four minutes. After three to four minutes, mix them together well and the ganache is ready.

Place one chocolate cake and apply the ganache on top of it. Leave the sides bare. Place the orange cake over it. Make sure it doesn’t slide off. Once it’s settled, apply ganache on top of the orange cake and put the second chocolate cake on top of it. After letting it settle for a few minutes, apply ganache over the whole surface. Grate/chop some chocolates and spread it on top of the cake. Pop on a few candles because having made this cake is reason enough to celebrate, and you’re good to go.

The dark chocolate ganache and the slightly citrus flavor of the orange cake balances the sweetness of the two layers of chocolate cake and it provides you with a new, different, tasty treat to enjoy.

Bon appetite!

May 23, 2014
Haunted Hotels Around the World

We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout anytime you like,
But you can never leave!

Does Hotel California by The Eagles send a shiver down your spine when you hear those words? Remember how Percy Jackson was stuck in a Hotel for 4 years and did not realize because time passed rapidly? The Shining – Haven’t you read/watched that book/movie and felt claustrophobic and terrified? What happens when there are hotels which are acclaimed for being haunted? Find out – Go pack your bags, book a ticket, get a room. Stay. Befriend a ghost or kill the idea of ghost in your mind. Or go watch Hotel Transylvania.

• The Savoy, India

The Savoy is haunted by the ghost of Lady Garnet Orme. She was murdered here and one of the theories is that she was poisoned, but the case remains unsolved. It is supposedly Agatha Christie’s inspiration for her novel ‘The Mysterious Affair at Styles’. The doors swing open (must be the wind), the toilets randomly flush on its own (must be the plumbing). But what about the phantom of a woman that people see lurking in the passages of the hotel? Do savour your meal at The Savoy.

• Hotel Burchianti, Italy

Feel someone’s breath on your neck but don’t see anyone around? Is it icy? You might be in the Fresco room of the Hotel Burchianti. It was a hotspot for the 20th century intellectuals. A child’s ghost hops and skips. An apparition of woman knits. A maid haunts the stairwell. Various ghosts clamour here for your attention.

• The Crescent Hotel, USA

The Crescent Hotel has the honor of being called ‘America’s Most Haunted Hotel’. A man in a hat nodded and he was not a human. This image was captured on thermographic camera by the crew of the show Ghost Hunters. You have your proof but the scary thing is that this is not the only ghost, there are 7 more. Norman Baker, a former owner, used to scam people by claiming to cure cancer. A cancer patient who came for the treatment haunts the hotel along with Baker. In 1967, it was almost burned to ground. From the ashes, the spirits shall be woken!

• Toftaholm Herrgard, Sweden

The history of Toftaholm hotel is what tragic love stories are made of – a peasant boy in love with a Baron’s daughter, the father disagrees, tries to marry her off to another guy and what happens on the wedding day? The peasant boy enters room 324, commits suicide by hanging himself and never leaves that room. The guests have heard creaking windows and doors. Set by the Lake Vidostern, the hotel has the grandeur of 14th century architecture but feels like a melodrama.

• Mountain Park Hotel, South Africa

Making plans for your Saturday Night? Go to Mountain Park Holiday Resort Hotel for a guided ghost tour. The detailed history of the haunting is told and a paranormal photography contest is held. A ghost-dog called Wisp, a child called Matilda (not the Roald Dahl one) and 5 other ghosts haunt the hotel. Creepy ambience, creaking floors, stooped ceilings are some of the ghostly attractions. Meet and greet the ghost!

• Russell Hotel, Australia

Imagine waking up to a couple of seamen staring at you. For this creepy experience, head to Russell Hotel. The floors creak and footsteps are heard even when no one is around. A sailor’s soul haunts the room number 8 of the hotel. It was a sailor’s home during Colonial times and ghosts of seamen saunter around. A whistle to the open sea(man)!

• The Schooner Hotel, Britain

60. Sixty. That’s the number of spirits believed to haunt The Schooner. It has been declared as ‘The Most Haunted Hotel in Great Britain’ by The Poltergeist Society. Various smugglers, criminals stayed here and there has been human slaughtering and suicides. Children’s cries, women screams have been reported from room number 28. A hidden door connects the room 16 and 17, a boy’s apparition knocks on the doors and a floating image is seen in the corridors and at the bedpost. The ambiance of the hotel is eerie, with a soldier’s and a hand-maid’s ghost lurking around and people being engulfed by fear. It’s palpable!

• Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada

What happens when you spend most of your time at the office? If you are Sam McCauley then you start to haunt your work-place. He worked as a Bellhop at Fairmont Banff Springs and after his death, people have reportedly seen him in his uniform, trying to help them out. In addition, a bride who died on her wedding day haunts the hotel too. It is located in the picturesque Rocky Mountains. So if you’re chased by a shadow of ghost, you might be forced to do an impromptu edge-of-the-cliff jump.

• Dryburgh Abbey House Hotel, Scotland

The Grey lady committed suicide by jumping off the bridge and drowning. Dryburgh Abbey is built on the site of that lady’s house. Her lover was a monk, who haunts the abbey, all the while chanting. What’s that inscrutable sound that you hear? Listen closely. Someone’s chanting right next to you but you say there is no one around? Sure?

May 23, 2014
VEG/NON-VEG: THE BIG DEBATE

In this world we live in, we find differences or classification in everything we set our eyes on like the rich and the poor, the developing and the developed countries, normal and inferior goods etc. and between all these differences, we also have some related to food items namely vegetarian and non vegetarian. Believed by many, vegetarian cuisine is considered far better, healthy and nutritious than the non veg items which mostly include meat. However, on the other hand, many also claim that consuming only vegetarian food makes us no different from herbivores and moreover lacks variety and taste as well making people bored up very soon. These ideas and views from two sides gives rise to a debate regarding which group is better and/or is there any difference between the two forms when it comes to calorie and nutrition intake.

We humans, unlike animals, are creatures who look for comfort, satisfaction and also show some amount of stubbornness. People get sick of doing the same kind of work again and again; while some look for change others accept it as their fate. The same formula applies to food as well. According to WHO or the World Health Organization, the cost incurred on medical facilities for diabetes and heart diseases in India alone come up to $210 billion per annum with an expectation of an increases to about $335 billion in the next ten years. So this means, an average person has high chances of dying from various lifestyle issues than from a road accident or from an infectious disease like dengue.

A study done on the diet plans of both the groups reveals the positive and negative attached to both, that is, no one group is complete and an adequate mix of both is required.

The study reveals that vegetarians show an increased risk of iron, zinc and vitamin B₁₂ deficiency. However, if they consume a variety of foods in the right quantities, basically a diet meeting the requirements of all nutrients with special focus on items rich in calcium, zinc and vitamin B₁₂, then an optimal healthy diet can be achieved. Ofcource the weightage of exercise cannot be forgotten which adds to the list of most wanted for a better physical condition.

Coming to the other side, the study reveals that non vegetarians have a shorter life span and are more vulnerable to chronic diseases and on an average have more cases of heart diseases, hypertension and diabetes. Studies on the other hand, have however revealed, that the cases of heart diseases does not arise from the consumption of chicken and fish but arise when the same food items are deep fried in partially hydrogenated oil.

According to the study, in America alone the quantity of consumption of high fat content chicken, beef and seafood was more than the quantity consumed by the same locals the previous year. The conclusion which was finally made by this study states that both the diets can help us achieve the optimal health level and also prevent nutritional deficiencies and other chronic diseases if special consideration is given to a diet which includes items in the right quantity and quality with adequate exercise a change in attitude.

On the spiritual front, some cultures believe that consumption of non vegetarian food is a sin, we incur a sin by killing innocent animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses. Many cultural/religious leaders claim that people who work in such factories incur 70% of the sin while the consumers incur 30%. Surprisingly many also claim that the prodders or workers in slaughter houses are possessed by ghosts because of their callous or carefree attitude towards animals. The sin by killing a cow is considered to be of the highest level. Vegetarians can also be seen as killers as plants are also considered living creations of god, however the sin in killing plants is much less than animals because in case of plants the feeling of pain is far less due to their rudimentary intellect and mind. Adding to the list of spiritual beliefs, it’s also believed that people who like to consume rare meat are likely to attract ghosts, demons and other negative energies. Rare meat is close to raw meat and this type of meat is usually a preference of demons. The paradoxes for the communities who both slaughter and consume meat increase the spiritual impurity of the meat. All such beliefs are superstition or reality depends on our own thinking however such sayings have shown their effect with many rural communities shifting from non veg to veg consumers.

With all such arguments given against non veg food items, the group for its defense asks a simple question that if meat was not made available for man, then why we have canine teeth. Is it not meant for consumption of meat???

The answer for which was given by the proponents by saying that the function of the teeth is for tearing of food. Saying that the provision of canine teeth is for consumption of meat solely is just like saying that the provision of tongue is for cleaning like animals, which cannot be seen as a strong argument.

Thus we have seen various arguments and beliefs brought forward by different studies and the members of the two groups. To choose which group is better still is a difficult task but if someone asks me, I would say that, what we eat does not matter provided that we know what we are consuming and maintaining our physical condition through regular exercise and avoiding to a large extent junk and oily food items.

May 20, 2014
Artificial Sweeteners: Sweet or Sour?
When renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor comes on TV, urging you to quit sugar and switch to Sugar Free, I’m sure it feels like a beacon of hope to those of you trying to watch your weight. You aren’t alone. With health associations the world over giving a nod, albeit cautiously, to the use of artificial sweeteners in place of sugar, diabetics and diet-conscious people the world over are turning to them as a pro-health choice. By offering the taste of sweetness without any calories, artificial sweeteners seem like they could be the one answer to effective weight loss and diabetes-management. Now you can finally eat your fill of jalebis and laddoos and neither your family nor your conscience dare stop you, because what you’re eating is sugar-free, and therefore healthy. Right? Actually, there is more to the story than that.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved five artificial sweeteners: saccharin, acesulfame, aspartame, neotame, and sucralose. How the human body responds to these chemicals, however, is complex and not yet completely understood. While they are not without their benefits, they also pose serious threats to your health. This article aims to present before you the pros and cons of artificial sweeteners to help you make an informed choice.

What contributes to their growing popularity?
- Weight control:
One of the most appealing aspects of artificial sweeteners is that they are non-nutritive — they have virtually no calories. In contrast, each gram of regular table sugar contains 4 calories – a teaspoon of sugar is about 4 grams. For perspective, consider that the average 12-ounce can of sugar-sweetened soda contains about 130-150 calories, almost all of them from sugar. The same amount of diet soda, sweetened with artificial sweeteners, delivers zero calories. If you’re trying to lose weight or prevent weight gain, the choice seems like a no-brainer.
- Diabetes management:
Artificial sweeteners are an attractive alternative to sugar for people with diabetes. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners generally don’t raise blood sugar levels because they are not carbohydrates. However, because of concerns about how sugar substitutes are labeled and categorized, it is advisable that you consult your doctor or dietitian before using any sugar substitute if you are diabetic.
- Dental care
Because they do not contain any trace of sugar, artificial sweeteners, while providing you with the much craved-for sweet taste, do not contribute to tooth decay and cavities.

What are their possible health hazards?

Artificial sweeteners have been the subject of intense scrutiny for decades. Why? Critics of artificial sweeteners invoke a variety of health problems, including cancer. This is largely because of studies dating to the 1970s that linked saccharin to bladder cancer in laboratory rats. In fact, saccharin once carried a warning label that it may be hazardous to your health. However, the National Cancer Institute and other health agencies have ruled out scientific evidence for potentially cancer-causing properties of any of the artificial sweeteners approved for use by the FDA. As a result of such newer studies, the warning label for saccharin was dropped.

Dr. Joseph Mercola, a world-renowned physician and New York Times bestseller author, in his book, Sweet Deception: Why Why Splenda®, Nutrasweet®, and the FDA May Be Hazardous to Your Health, points out the harmful effects of aspartame. According to him, the lab animals tested for aspartame safety were found to have developed tumors in their bodies, which were misleadingly labeled “normal swelling” in the FDA-published in August 1977. Dr. Mercola also mentions that human reports to FDA, too, have associated aspartame to minor adverse reactions and life-threatening conditions that include migraines, changes in vision/heart rate/sleep patterns, nausea and vomiting, seizure, depression, memory loss, abdominal and joint pains, and even brain cancer. While it may be possible to question these conjectures, it may be worth the while to at least ponder over them.

Dr. David Ludwig, an obesity and weight-loss specialist at Boston Children’s Hospital, points out other more subtle yet potentially adverse effects of artificial sweeteners. He contends that people who use artificial sweeteners may replace the lost calories through other sources, possibly offsetting weight loss or health benefits. This has mainly to do with our very human tendency to fool ourselves: “I’m drinking diet soda, so it’s okay to have cake.” Another concern is that these products possibly change the way we taste food. Dr. Ludwig explains, “Non-nutritive sweeteners are far more potent than table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. A miniscule amount produces a sweet taste comparable to that of sugar, without comparable calories. Overstimulation of sugar receptors from frequent use of these hyper-intense sweeteners may limit tolerance for more complex tastes.” This implies that people who routinely use artificial sweeteners may start to find less intensely sweet foods (e.g. fruit) less appealing and non-sweet foods (e.g. vegetables) downright unpalatable. In other words, regular use of artificial sweeteners can make you shun healthy, filling, and highly nutritious foods, and crave more artificially flavored foods with less nutritional value. But you can control your cravings, you say? Don’t be too sure. Studies suggest that artificial sweeteners can be addictive. In studies of rats who were exposed to cocaine and saccharine, then given a choice between intravenous cocaine and oral saccharine, most chose saccharine.

We do not aim to scare you or de-popularise artificial sweeteners. While “sugar-free” desserts after every meal might be cause for worry, a small helping of artificially sweetened pudding once in a while is more than all right. As has been mentioned before, artificial sweeteners do have their benefits, and when used judiciously, do not generally produce adverse health implications. Like so many other things in life, for artificial sweeteners, too, moderation is the key.
May 18, 2014
Importance of a Balanced meal
Health is defined as the complete social physical and mental well being of a Human being, physical fitness being the most important one. Everyone agrees that to have good physical health several factors have to be taken care of from regular exercise to a well balanced meal. A common problem faced by the people today is obesity which is basically a medical ailment in which there is excess accumulation of fat in the body.This disease is extremely wide spread and causes several life threatening diseases such as diabetes and also certain types of cancer not to mention it reduces life expectancy greatly.

Accumulation of excess fat happens due to consumption of too many calories but not enough of exercise, calories provide energy but when the body is inactive and the calories don’t get used the body converts them into fat and stores it.

A persons consumption of calories on a daily basis should be according to age, level of activity and gender. An average child needs only about 1200 calories while women roughly need 2400 calories and average men need 2800 calories however it depends greatly on level of activity for example an athlete needs much more calories consumption than a person with a desk job, however people often don’t keep track of their calories and don’t end up creating a balance between their exercise level and calorie consumption. There are several food items which provide us with what is known as empty calories, empty calories are calories derived from food which provide only calories and no nutrition, nutrition is very important for the body and if adequate nutrition is not provided the body will be unable to perform simple functions such as repair of tissues.

The main cause of obesity is a poor diet and overeating, yes we all love food but we should know when to stop. Balance is essential in life weather it is in life or in your diet, they say too much of anything is not good and this is absolutely true especially in terms of food ,It is utmost important to have a correct well balanced meal in order to prevent obesity and other such health issues also a balanced meal provides your body with nutrition needed for growth and repair of tissues for prevention of infection. But the questions arises what exactly is a balanced meal, according to its definition a balanced meal is one which involves all of the five main food groups. A balance meal should have a proportionate amount of the five main food groups which are
- Dairy products – these products include milk, cheese, curd and other milk based products, these products are rich in calcium which is extremely important for our bones. Deficiency of calcium can lead to weak bones and various bone related diseases such as osteoporosis in women.
- Fruit group – fruits are extremely essential as they provide us with several minerals and vitamins for example bananas provide us with potassium, oranges provide us with citric acid and apples provide us with Vitamin A which is utmost important for the eyes and in general fruit consumption prevents several health risks
- Vegetable group – the vegetables are important as they too provide us with several nutrients for example spinach makes us strong and carrots are good for eye sight.
- Grains – Grains such as rice are needed for a meal to be complete they prevent several diseases and are very important for a well balanced meal.
- Proteins – Proteins can be gotten from several products such as animal meat, eggs, nuts and soy. Proteins are vital for formation of bones muscles and tissues.They also help form hormones and enzymes.
These five food groups together when consumed proportionally in a meal help the body fight diseases. While deciding our meals we should also try our best to avoid extra calories as much as possible we can do this by watching what we eat and the following ways
- Replace your milk with low fat or skimmed milk
- In tea and coffee try putting honey instead of sugar
- When hungry eat a bowl of fruits and vegetables instead of chips
- Avoid sugary drinks such as colas and junk food instead eat naturally sweet food
- Avoid consuming foods high in salt and processed foods
following few of these easy steps we can ensure we don’t consume extra calories and we can now focus on creating a balance in our meals to provide ourselves with only the best. In our busy schedule it is often hard to find time to actually bother with a balanced meal and it seems like an awful effort and lets not mention the amount of time it takes right? I mean its way easier to just pick up a packet of chips or stop at a fast food joint on the way back without giving it second thought but what we don’t realise how adversely it affects our health but what we don’t realise is that a balanced meal is also effortless and there are several recipes which provide a balanced meal in under thirty minutes and having a balanced meal is much easier if we follow 4 simple steps
- Understanding and Identifying the elements that make a balanced meal, that is the 5 main food groups
- Scrutinize every meal, see what it lacks and try to include those elements into your meal
- Ensure that you maintain balance in all your meals not just dinner but also breakfast, lunch and even mid-evening snacks
- Plan your meals in advance to ensure you don’t miss out on anything important
Thus a little planning and efficiency can help us have balanced meals which not only improve our chances of battling several health risks but also ensure that we have a good health and thus a bright future.
May 18, 2014
The World’s Food Festivals

Travelling is a stress-buster for many people. They cherish going to new places, meeting new people, knowing new cultures, listening to new languages and their nuances, and of course trying new and exotic cuisines. Eating while travelling is a high for most foodies but the chance to travel to eat is as irresistible as it can get.

Food Festival is one such alluring event where we travel to an entirely new place, sometimes a new country to taste the authentic bites as well as some of the best international foods which are showcased by the best in the business. Food Festivals happen round the year in all parts of the world but there are certain food festivals in the world which are known for their uniqueness as well as for their wide range of mouth-watering cuisines showcasing some of the best foods in the world specially prepared by the best chefs.

There are several food festivals across the globe, and some of the most unique and popular one’s are listed here :

1.Mendzona Wine Harvest Festival, Argentina, South America

Food is such an important part of South America’s culture such that most festivals in South America would include lots of food, fun and party. There is a saying that in the Latin America “You will never go home hungry”. South America boasts of some of the world’s most colorful carnivals and food festivals, especially in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay and Bolivia. Among these festivals, The Mendzona Wine Harvest Festival is one of the most popular food festivals in all of South America. This annual harvest festival in Argentina’s wine province is an opportunity for its eighty communities to come together and celebrate the food and harvest season which makes this event very special. It is a festival that is celebrated over all the 18 departments which make up the Mendoza Province. The event begins in December and goes on until the first weeks of March.

Here, you can spend the day wandering the grounds trying some of the most fabulous wine you will ever get to taste and the wine chocolates are a specialty of this festival. The food festival has a carnival atmosphere and there is a lot more to look out for during this festival

2.Taste of Melbourne, Australia

Australia has one of the world’s most cosmopolitan societies and the “Taste of Melbourne” highlights this fact even more. Every year thousands of food lovers visit Melbourne to take part in the annual food festival “Taste of Melbourne”. The people come here to enjoy the brilliant sunshine, have a drink or two and walk around the thousands of stalls which are lined up serving food from some of the city’s best restaurants and also some of the world’s favorite dishes prepared by the best chefs themselves.

This is a three day event which takes place during the month of November during which the city develops a special craving for food and many people can be seen visiting these food festivals with family and friends. The taste of Melbourne’s success has resulted in springing up of many new food festivals in other major cities like “The Taste of Sydney”, “The Taste of Perth” and so on. The food and wine varieties in these festivals are abundant and are a must for any foodie who visits Australia during the months of November.

3.The New Orleans Food and Wine Experience, USA

The New Orleans often called the most “unique” city in USA is located in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans Wine and Food Experience is called a feaster’s fantasy by many people because of the out of the box eatery options provided to the people during these festivals. They include eating in food trucks and sipping glasses of grape in a typical street party atmosphere.

The Mardi Gras of food fest, this May marks New Orleans’ 22^nd annual foray into food and wine with “The New Orleans Food and Wine Experience”. This event unlike other food festivals which offer just different types of food adds a whole new perspective by organizing seminars about food and also organizes events like “The Big Gateaux Show” display which shows the areas affinity for desserts.

4.Versoix Chocolate Festival, Switzerland

The Versoix Chocolate Festival, Switzerland is definitely one of its kind. The entire festival is dedicated to chocolates and it is a dream for any chocolate lover. There are two different areas to the festival. As you walk out of the Versoix train station you head into a tunnel and at the end of this tunnel you can either take a left or a right. The left turn heads downhill to the Favarger chocolate factory while the right turn heads to a White tent of chocolaty goodness. There are other vendors outside the tent for those who seek substantial food in addition to the sugar overload. I think the vendors end up selling more water and items to drink than food, as it is a necessity to have something after a few minutes of consistent chocolate tasting. The festival provides an excellent opportunity to sample the different varieties of chocolate available from the many chocolate makers in the Geneva area. You also enjoy seeing the many different Easter bunny creations made by these shops.

The fact that Switzerland is known for its chocolates is known, but the Versoix Chocolate festival is a rich experience and one which should not be missed by anyone who has a “sweet-tooth” for chocolates.

Festival of Happiness

Festivals generally bring a lot of joy and happiness to people, and it reminds us of the special festival sweets and savories our mom’s make. But if the festival itself is dedicated to FOOD, then there can’t be a greater happiness. Enjoy the food, Enjoy the festival and when they come together never miss them.

May 18, 2014