Category: More

Peanuts, probably to be cultivated in the lands of Paraguay first, are not at all nuts but belong from the legume or pea or bean family. They are harvested from underground unlike other nuts which are formed on tree like almonds, and cashew. Also known as groundnuts, they are a healthy source of proteins, vitamins and minerals. Though they have proven to be a health hazard to some people as number of people being allergic to peanuts have risen since past.

This article focuses on some of the major ways in which peanuts are being used; extending to the topic of benefits of peanuts.

Uses of peanuts

As butter

Peanut butter is sure to top the list while discussing the uses of peanuts as it is one of the most widely ways in which peanuts has secured a safe place in many of our kitchens. Made directly from creaming of peanuts it is considered to be a healthy food item and is widely preferred in the diet of children. It is a very common breakfast item in countries like United States even though they have an alarming rate of people being allergic to peanuts.

As snacks

Roasted peanut is a common snack item in countries like India, China, South America, and West Africa.

These countries also at times grab some bites of boiled peanuts, another preferred snack item made of peanuts.

Crunchy coated peanuts known as Kabukim in Hebrew language is a popular snack item in Israel. Kabukim is made by wrapping the peanuts in a coating of flour, salt, starch, lecithin, and at times sesame seeds.

As sauce

Peanuts are being used to make spicy sauces in places like Ghana, and Nigeria. It is done by combining the peanuts with onion, garlic, peanut butter or peanut paste, along with seasonal vegetables. In parts of West Africa it has been adopted as a staple crop and is used as a thickening agent while cooking any gravy to be eaten with rice.

As oil

Countries like India are quite popular for using peanut oil in their cooking range. Peanuts is said to have been introduced to India from the Philippines (Peanut, Wikipedia).

Use in bars

Being high in carbohydrates and proteins peanuts are often used in food bars, energy bars, and protein bars. These bars are consumed either as snacks or as supplements in order to provide high level of nutritional values.

Use in sweet dishes

Candies often contain nuts. In United States peanut is a common ingredient in cakes, cookies and other sweet dishes and desserts like pastries and ice creams.

Eating candies containing peanuts is considered to be a healthier option rather consuming candies without it, as it is high in protein and boost the energy level in body.

As soup

For four hundred years recipe for peanut soup is present in southern parts of US, Virginia in particular (Peanut, Wikipedia).

Use in main course dishes

Peanut is often being used in the preparation of pesto sauce, a main ingredient of pasta in Italy. They constitute as an important ingredient in delicacies of Malawi region, and in eastern part of Zambia. In Uganda thick peanut sauce is made and is consumed in dinner/lunch meals with rice. In parts of South America peanuts are being used in many sauces of meat dishes, especially in the dishes constituting rabbits.

Benefits of Peanuts

Healthy heart

Rich in monounsaturated fats, Vitamin E, niacin, and manganese, peanuts are considered to be extremely good for heart. Consumption of peanuts thus reduces the risk of any cardiovascular disease.

Rich Source of Antioxidants

Now you don’t have to be genius to understand the importance of antioxidants in our body. Fruits are considered to be rich in antioxidants, but receive an arch rivalry from the peanuts as they are just an abode to all the antioxidants required for a good health. Antioxidants help the body to fight form the disease causing bacteria and viruses helping in a strong immune system. Peanuts, being a rich source of antioxidants are therefore a must have for everyone, exception be the people allergic to them.

Reduces Risk of Stroke

Resveratrol, a flavonoid first studied to be found in red grapes, are also being discovered to be present in the peanuts. The presence of resveratrol is said to be able of improving the blood flow in the brain as much as by 30%, thus potentially reducing the risk of stroke.

Anti-cancer

Due to the presence of nutrients like folic acid, and resveratrol peanuts are said to have anti-cancer effects. Because of this fact recently studied and analyzed by a private health institution in US, it is being considered to include peanuts in the list of anti-colon cancer preventive food.

Help prevent gallstones

A recent study in US has come out with the result that people, especially women consuming at least 1 ounce of peanuts, or peanut butter each week have a 30% lower risk of developing gallstones.

Apart from the above mentioned benefits peanuts are highly beneficial in protecting Alzheimer and age relative cognitive decline in senior citizens; also lowers the risk of weight gain.

At the present time the people around us are obsessed with the caffeine intake, be it tea, coffee, soft drinks, kola nuts, etc. Out of the other caffeine containing edible substances, coffee has a large number of health and beauty benefits, which most of the people are unaware of. Nominal intake of coffee is not only safe, but it is beneficial too. A common man knows the use of coffee only as an anti sleep, and some people even consider coffee as dangerous to health. But the other benefits of having coffee on a daily basis are more important than some of its harmful effects. Coffee plays an important role in perking up your skin and keeping you look younger. Now a day almost all the cosmetic products contain some amount of caffeine, as an anti aging agent. The caffeine present in coffee offers a large number of advantages for your skin. It helps you in treating various skin problems like redness, dark-circles, inflammation, do away with the cellulites, etc. by adding some amount of coffee in your daily intake you can get smooth, silky skin naturally. The antioxidants present in coffee averts the untimely aging of skin.

Coffee can be given a place in your daily routine either by adding it in your daily intake, or by using the cosmetics like lotions and scrubs which contains coffee. In both the ways the coffee will reach your blood stream and show its miracle on your skin. Here we have listed some of the benefits of coffee for beautiful skin.

1). Inflammation- It helps in getting rid of Puffy eyes.

The anti-inflammatory characteristics of caffeine make coffee suitable for getting rid of bulbous eyes. The antioxidants present in the coffee counterbalance the free radicals present in the body, which are the main cause of inflammation, redness of skin. Dermatologists and physicians suggest having at least 1 cup of coffee on a daily basis to avoid inflammation. Eye creams containing coffee are also available at cosmetics and medical shops for treating inflammation.

2). Dark under-eye circles

There are numerous reasons for dark circles under the eye like hereditary, lack of sleep, dehydration or allergies. Though coffee cannot wipe away the dark circles completely, but applying coffee (caffeine) based creams under the eye can reduce dark circles to some extent. Also the caffeine content of coffee helps you build-up the proper blood flow under the eye erasing the dark shadows. Quite a few eye creams for treating dark circles are available in the market; these eye creams contain the required amount of caffeine. By using these creams and taking coffee, you can achieve a beautiful appearance.

3). Acne Prevention and Treatment

The acidic nature of coffee makes it suitable for acne treatment and preventing acne. Somewhat acidic pH of coffee tightens the skin pores, formulating a shielding layer and bestowing perfect supple and glowing skin. The anti-oxidants present in the coffee makes it perfect as a constituent of the beauty creams and beauty treatments. There are various beauty treatments based on using coffee, which are available in beauty salons and beauty treatment clinics. The facial polishing and exfoliation using coffee is also done for treating acne.

4). Helps in getting rid of Cellulite

Here is a simple solution for you to get rid of the cellulite fat. The caffeine containing products is very found very effective for reducing the cellulite growth. Development of cellulite fat and reduction in size of these fat cells can be reduced by around seventeen percent.  Therefore, for proper treatment of the cellulites, one should use the caffeine containing cosmetics or medical creams on a daily basis. The anti-cellulite gels and creams are available in the market, so you can select the creams and gels according to your choice of brands and get rid of cellulites easily. Another way of getting rid of the cellulite cells is to use a homemade scrub prepared by the grounded coffee on a regular basis.   While preparing and using the homemade scrub one should make sure that the coffee is ground finely, and it should be applied and rubbed slowly. Scrubbing hard on skin can cause skin irritation, swelling.

5). Exfoliates the dry skin, providing supple and shiny beautiful Skin

Coffee beans are hard and harsh, and hence we cannot apply them directly on the skin for exfoliation. You can use the homemade coffee scrub for the exfoliation purpose and get beautiful soft skin instantly. Another way of getting soft, supple skin is to use the market based manufactured scrub and creams which contain the coffee (caffeine), but these contain other chemicals along with the coffee. So for treating your skin without any side effects, you can select the home prepared coffee scrub. For preparing the scrub you have to make sure to ground the coffee beans finely, so that the powder doesn’t hurt the skin during scrubbing.

Recipe for preparing an uncomplicated coffee scrub:

Requirements:

One cup of warm and grounded coffee

Sea salt- About a half cup

Olive Oil- Two Tablespoon

Directions for Use:

1. Mix all the ingredients properly.
2. Apply the prepared scrub on dry skin.
3. Scour the skin properly, especially feet, elbows and other arid portions.
4. Leave the scrub on the body for around two to three minutes.
5. Scrub off the applied scrub as much as possible before taking shower.

Mayonnaise is the  velvety thick sauce used in almost all fast foods like sandwiches, burgers and also in salad dressings is loved by all.  This is one of the essential part of Italian cuisine. In all places, mayonnaise is understood as a highly processed kind of sauce and hence people think it cannot be prepared at home. But they are wrong, mayonnaise can be easily prepared at home, the basic ingredients required for preparing mayonnaise at home are egg yolk, vinegar or lemon juice, oil and some flavoring agents. The oil used in mayonnaise differ from place to place, it may be olive oil, mustard oil, etc. Egg free mayonnaise can also be prepared for the people who are affected by eggs or who do not like eggs. Rather the home produced mayonnaise is scrumptious, appealing and healthy. Mayonnaise differs in color, various colors of mayonnaise found are white, pale yellow, cream, etc. Once a person learns to prepare mayonnaise, then preparing mayonnaise on a daily basis is not a big deal.

Mayonnaise which is basically an emulsion of egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar and oil. The emulsion is an assortment of two different fluids, which can’t be blended uniformly. The process of emulsification is preformed by gradually adding one constituent to the other and mixing the two simultaneously. In can of preparing mayonnaise, the egg yolk acts as an emulsifier. Liquidizers, mixers, blenders and food processors enable us to prepare mayonnaise at home easily. The only concern with homemade mayonnaise is, it is raw and hence will last four to five days only when kept in refrigerator. On the other hand the marketable mayonnaise can last up to five-six months when kept in refrigerator. This thick sauce is often used as a base for preparing other kinds of sauces like tartar sauce, salsa sauce and salad dressing sauces.

Preparing mayonnaise at home requires the basic ingredients and other equipments used for mixing, blending, forks. The process for preparation of mayonnaise at home is given here. So enjoy home made mayonnaise with your family.

Method 1: White Wine Vinegar Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

• Egg Yolk- 3
• White Vinegar (Wine Flavored)– Two Tablespoon
• Lemon Juice- Two Tablespoon
• Water- Two Tablespoon
• Vegetable Oil- One and a half Cup
• Salt- One Teaspoon

Directions:

1). Break the eggs, and take the egg yolk in a mixing bowl.

2). Add some water, vinegar and lemon juice to the egg yolk.

3). Heat the muddle for around 1 minute, this step is optional. When heated the mayonnaise can last little longer, but the raw mayonnaise can be stored for just four-five days.

4). After heating, switch off the oven and allow the blend to cool down to room temperature.

5).  Add some salt, pepper and mustard according the taste required.

6). Blend the constituents properly by using the whisk or electronic hand mixers or blenders.

7). Slowly but surely add the oil of your choice (you can go for peanut, mustard, olive, corn or grape seed oil), teaspoon by teaspoon initially. For the blending purpose you can use the whisk or electronic hand mixers. In both the cases you need to be careful while blending, because the mixture should be blended properly when oil and the remaining ingredients gets mixed.

8). Add the oil drop by drop until it attains the perfect gel like thickness. For proper blended mayonnaise preparation around one cup of oil is required for egg yolk obtained from one egg. After the blending process allow the mayonnaise to settle, and later after some time make sure that the mayonnaise has not broken.

9).  Store and use the prepared mayonnaise in the refrigerator for around four to five days.

Method 2: Tarragon Vinegar Mayonnaise

Ingredients:

• The recipe is for preparing around one and three by four cup of mayonnaise.
• Ingredients:
• Egg Yolk and room temperature- Three
• Salt According to Taste- About half teaspoon
• Pinch of Dry Mustard
• Tarragon Vinegar- About half teaspoon
• Olive Oil at Room Temperature- One and a half Cup

Directions:

1). Break the eggs and take the egg yolk in a mixing container or bowl.

2). Add required amount of salt and mustard and blend the mixture.

3). Put the olive oil slowly, bit by bit and stir the mixture continuously. While blending oil to the mixture, formulate that each drop of oil has been appropriately absorbed. After this add the next drops one by one.Once the mixture starts thickening, you can add the oil in a thin stream, but make sure that the stream of oil blends properly in the egg yolk.

4).  After adding around two third of the oil, the tarragon vinegar should be added bit by bit and blended properly. Another way of adding this tarragon vinegar is to mix it along with the remaining oil. Blend the vinegar properly with the mixture.

5). If the remaining is oil is not mixed along with the vinegar, then mix the remaining oil after blending the vinegar in the mixture prepared in step three. The oil should be added drop by drop and stirred continuously.

6). After completing the whole blending process, the prepared mixture (that is mayonnaise) should be poured in the appropriate container, covered and kept to refrigerate.

Chocolate always have been the most loved flavor in the world. Chocolate has got such a taste that no matter how old you are in numbers you cannot ignore the essence and joy of having it. Wherever may you live or wherever you currently at, you would definitely find a pinch of chocolate in some form or the other.

But have you ever given a thought that when and where did it come from? What is its origination? And who discovered such a delighting flavor? Is the flavor we savor today in its purest form? Well, it is that one tasteful thing which has an equally mesmerizing and spellbound journey as it tastes. Let’s discuss about the long about journey of Chocolate and how it evolved till today.

Like a fairy tale, chocolate also have a cherishing journey of its beginning and through. Not on calculators, but it is believed that ‘cacao’ (pronounced as ‘kah kow’) tree was discovered some 2500 years ago in the tropical rain forests of Americas. Botanically, a certain pouch like substance of this ‘cacao’ tree contains seeds that are used for the processing of chocolate. According to archaeologists, Mayans and Aztecs were the discoverers of this famed flavor. Mayans had divine relation with cacao tree, they used to worship this tree and Aztecs used to offer the processed cacao beans that is, chocolate, to the God. They used to call this special drink as “Xocalatl”, which means warm or bitter liquid. As per the ancient history of chocolate and its origination, chocolate was consumed as a drink of holy. Aztecs usually had it in a way, mixing up these cacao beans with maize and capsicum and thus getting themselves a spicy drink to sip down. It was a special drink which was used and consumed on high and elevated ceremonies of that age.
The cacao beans were of great value for Aztecs, they even valued it as currency against which trade can be done. Though the cacao beans were not produced there, still it was treated as of great importance.

A Spanish explorer, Don Hernan Cortes, was the soul behind who introduced ‘chocolate’ to Europe, in 16^th century. However, a few historians argue that chocolate actually came to Europe with Christopher Columbus, who carried a bag full of cacao on his trip back to Americas. Well, whosoever brought these beans in Europe had made a mark of his sequence, as it made the world view an exquisite flavor. Since, chocolate traveled all way long from Americas to Europe, the habit and manner of its consumption too changed among different people. The Spaniards had their own way of its consumption. They used to make a paste of the beans and then mix it up with vanilla and honey and finally brewing and serving it by pouring into cups from heights to make it frothy and even more amusing. It was their fashion of drinking it and experiencing its excellence.
Within a time span of less than a century, chocolate spread its aroma to all corners of the big continent. Historians unanimously give the credit of popularizing the drink, to Don Cortes. French, being one of the creative nation from its very commencement, have played a greater role in popularizing the drink across the world. It was French only, who came up with idea of coffee houses, which we see today also, to serve the magical taste of cacao beans.

In 17^th century, Sir Hans Sloane (England) added milk to the pure drink of cocoa, and thus making it taste a different and afresh. Initially this drink was rather used as a medicine for apothecaries. This recipe of drinking chocolate was then taken over by Cadbury’s presenting it in the form we consume today.

The year 1765 is considered a time of major term in the good history of chocolate. It was in this year when the world got to see the first Chocolate factory in its kind. The factory introduced chocolate in a solid form. Chocolate rolls and cakes and bars were introduced to the world, more like what we have today. It was served in the chocolate emporiums. During the harsh times of World War II, the US soldiers were sent these chocolate bars as it provided enough energy to stay upon. And soon Swiss Chocolate factory was established manufacturing the famous good Swiss chocolate.

Hence we see that, the chocolate has been through various transformations. From a bitter sweet drink of the Emperors to cool and solidified bars and cakes. Chocolate is that one flavor which have been loved and admired at every heart and place. From being through old and even older times, chocolate still has its founding and a popular dear for all ages. In the good old and interesting coming of chocolate in existence, chocolate always makes the mouth happy. Today chocolate is not just a drink or solid bar to consume as, it has found place in every industry of modern world. Be it a perfume spray, an icy affair or fountain decoration, all is chocolaty and thus luring and enticing.