Author: janhavi bharti

Salads-Way To Good Health
Who doesn’t want to stay healthy these days?I sure want to!,but when it comes to staying fit and healthy people always think about dieting and exercising.Well exercising is something anyone can tolerate but what about dieting?Its nearly impossible for a foodie to diet.When it comes to diet it is always assumed that one must consume healthy food i.e to avoid oily and fatty substance,which definitely covers up all the food premises.Now on this situation the question is what to eat?the food should be healthy,as well as stomach filling,not to forget if the food is not appealing one may lose the appetite.Considering all the factors what comes first in your mind,no idea?then let me remind you of salads.Salad is one and only thing one can consume without any regrets and still have the stomach satisfaction.Salads are something one consumes not only to diet but even curb excess hunger,detox the body.This is a best way to take the intake of vitamins and minerals as it has abundance of good stuff.

Our body needs nutrients in a small amount to function properly and it is absolutely provided by the salad.When you cook a meal,most of the minerals and vitamins required for the body are destroyed due to various cooking methods.So to ensure that your body gets all the nutrients you need you should consume raw vegetables and fruits at least 2-3 times everyday.If you are keeping in mind to diet then you better remember that salad can be a blessing as well as a curse,it all depends on the type of dressing that you use.Dressings can derail your weight loss when poured with high calorie over the salads.Dressings like Here are few easy,simple,delicious and healthy salads with their advantages to make it very clear to you how and which salads you should consume.You better try these too as they are very different from what you consume everyday.

Green Bounty:

Ingredients:
- Iceberg lettuce
- Romaine lettuce
- Asparagus
- Orange segments
- Flaxseeds
- Mushrooms
Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Salt
USP:

This salad consists of abundance of antioxidants.It even has Omega-3 which is very important for a healthy heart.It proves very helpful to cure cold and gives a great vision.

Grilled Chicken Salad:

Ingredients:
- Grilled chicken
- goat cheese cubes
- rocket leaves
- roasted pine nuts
Dressing:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
USP:

As we have used chicken,the salad is very rich in protein as chicken has a large amount of protein.Protein helps in growth and repair of hair.It is not only good for hair but also for skin as it rejuvenates it.It is also very rich in vitamin C and iron which are good as anti-aging agents.

Rainbow Salad:

Ingredients:
- Red bell pepper
- Yellow bell pepper
- Romaine lettuce
- Broccoli
- Avocado
- Boiled corn
Dressing:
- Crushed basil
- Hung curd
- Salt and Pepper
USP:

There are different colors like a rainbow hence it is called a rainbow salad.This salad consists a lot of anti-oxidants,which is very necessary to boost the immunity of the body.The vision becomes more sharp and it is also good for digestion as it relives from constipation.

Green Apple Salad:

Ingredients:
- Green apple
- Spinach
- Romaine lettuce
- Roasted almonds
- Walnuts
Dressing:
- Salt
- Pepper
- Olive oil
- Lime
USP:

Its an excellent source of carotenoids which is very good for eyesight.Iron which is a great source of energy and strength is consumable.As we all know that Omega-3 which is good for heart as well as brain is easily available in this salad.Not to forget the skin,it needs vitamin C for glow and you can have it in abundance in this salad.

Feta Salad:

Ingredients:
- Feta cheese
- Lettuce
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Roasted croutons
- Olives
Dressing:
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Herbs
USP:

It consists of an anti-oxidant known as lycopene and folate,very improtant for the heart.It helps to protect the heart from the risk of strokes.It also helps to protect from cardiovascular diseases.It is also a good source of magnesium which helps to maintain the diabetes and reduces insulin resistance.

Beetroot Salad:

Ingredients:
- Boiled beetroot
- Rocket leaves
- Feta cheese
- Hazelnuts
- Roasted Walnuts
Dressing:
- Salt and pepper
- Lime
- Herbs
USP:

Iron,like mentioned before is great for stamina and strength of a body.Vitamin E is good for body regulation and calcium for bones as we all know.Omega-3 as discussed above is very good for the health of the heart,wards off cardiac diseases,cancer and hyper tensions.

Couscous Salad:

Ingredients:
- Boiled couscous
- Boiled american corn kernels
- Finely chopped carrots
- Finely chopped celery
- Boiled Potato
- Roasted pine nuts
Dressing:
- Balsamic vinegar
- Salt and Pepper
USP:

It is very rich in healthy fats which protect the heart whereas the antioxidants improve the memory and the advantages discussed above.

Below are few dressing which you should use when you are fixing a salad as they are more healthy than the other dressings people use:
- Tabasco
- Mustard
- Herbs and Peppers
- Vinaigrette
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Hung curd Ranch dressing
July 15, 2014
Tea Time: The Varieties
The monsoon has arrived and its time for tea!.Who doesn’t like a cup of tea in this weather be it what time.Okay,now that we speak of tea here do we even know how the tea was introduced?It is said that a jaded Chinese emperor was sitting under a tree with a bowl of hot water,when a leaf of wanton tree fell in it.It is assumed that it happened 2,737 years even before Christ.It is not yet known how they started to consume it though,did they add milk?did they boil it?did they use any of the techniques we use today?.To make it convenient tea bags were introduced so that people can drink it easily.Did you know that the tea bags were introduced in 1908 in United States by Thomas Sullivan.Its is misconception that tea is only consumed hot,have you ever heard of iced tea?It was first invented in 1904 by an Englishman named Richard Blechynden.The story is that this man served a tea which wasn’t selling because it turned out to be very hot so he instead used ice and the concept took on like a wild fire.

Now that the monsoon has started,everyone prefers having tea in this cold weather.You go out on a drive in rain with your friends and family and love to drink tea at a stall,the kettles and tha chai cups making a sound,all this has its different fun,nothing can beat it.Indians prefer having masala chai with pakodas.yummy!.Tea is just not for enjoyment but it is sometimes also used as medicine to cure few flues.Is the masala chai and cutting the only type of chai you can try?Get out of your comfort zone and try something else this time.Here are few famous teas mostly sipped in monsoon and you too can try this monsoon,hot as well as iced!

Paan Leaf Tea:

Ingredients:
- One third of paan leaf
- Pinch of fennel
- One crushed clove
- 200ml water
- Green tea
Procedure:
- Boil leaf,fennel and crushed clove in 200 ml of water.
- Brew 3 gm of green tea separately for around 3 min.
- You have to keep an eye on it and make sure no bubbles are formed.
- Add the concoction of the betel leaf into the the green tea.
- serve hot!
Rose Tea:

Ingredients:
- Dry rose petal
- One finely chopped almond
- Pinch of ground cinnamon
- Flush Darjeeling tea
- Rose water
- Sugar
Procedure:
- Take dry rose petals.You can dry these rose petals even at home by spreading them on a sheet and letting them dry under the sunlight but cover it with muslin cloth to retain its color and flavor.
- Boil it for 2 min
- Add around 4-7 rose petals with almonds and cinnamon.
- After they are boiled bring it to the room temperature.
- Now brew the 3 gm of flush Darjeeling tea for 3 min.
- Once it is brewed add it to the rose concoction.
- Later add rose water to it and add sugar for taste.
Tulsi Iced Tea:

Ingredients:
- Green tulsi leaves
- 2-3 Cloves
- 200 ml water
- 4 gm tea
- Honey
- Ice cubes
- Clove powder
Procedure:
- Chop around 10-12 tulsi leaves and crush cloves.
- boil this in 200 ml of water.
- After this add 4 gm of tea in the boiled tulsi water.
- Cover it and let it sit for 4 min.
- Later add honey and let it come to room temperature.
- After this transfer it in to a shaker and add ice cubes to it and shake well.
- You can garnish it with clove powder and tulsi leaves.
- You can even have this tea hot,just stop the procedure at being it hot,when hot and consumed it is good for health especially when caught cold.
Beetroot Iced Tea:

Ingredients:
- Beetroot
- Green chilli
- Green coriander
- Rock salt
- Sugar
- Lemon grass
- Assam tea
- Darjeeling tea
- Ice cubes
Procedure:
- Take a small beetroot and grate it.
- Take half green chilli and deseed it and chop one tbsp green coriander.
- Add 2 pinches rock salt,one tbsp sugar,one tbsp chopped lemon grass and boil all these ingredients together.
- Meanwhile brew 3 gm of Assam tea and one gm of Darjeeling tea second flush tea for almost 2 min.
- When the concoction is done mix them together.
- After that bring the mixture to room temperature.
- Take a shaker and add ice cubes to the mixture and you can even add chunks of beetroot if want.
- Shake well and serve cold.
Passion Fruit Tea:

Ingredients:
- Green cardamoms
- sugar
- Passion fruit
- Darjeeling tea
- Assam tea
Procedure:
- Use the pulp of the passion fruit,for about one tbsp scoop of pulp.
- Now crush around 3-4 whole green cardamoms.
- You can add this with 1.5 tbsp of sugar,keep this mixture aside.
- Boil water separately,now take it off from the gas and then add two gm of broken flush Darjeeling tea and two gm of long leaf Assam tea.
- Let it brew for another two min.
- When it is done you can add the mixture of the boiled water to the mixture of the passion fruit.
- Mix it well,remember not to strain it as the seeds are good for digestion.
July 15, 2014

Author: janhavi bharti

Salads-Way To Good Health

Tea Time: The Varieties