Tag: chocolate

Sweet Potato: Delicacies you cannot miss

SWEET POTATO DISHES

Sweet potato is the healthier replacement of our beloved potatoes and it is loved by most of us. Packed with important vitamins and other nutrients, sweet potato helps us stay fit. They are also a good source of potassium and iron which are two most important minerals for our body. Sweet potatoes are not only delicious but they also come with long list of health benefits. So, head to the nearest grocery store now and grab some sweet potatoes. Here are a few dishes to get you started.

1. Sweet Potato Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg of all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt •

I cup butter

• 1 sweet potato

• 4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 cup buttermilk

• 1/4 -1/2 cup unsalted butter

• 3-4 tablespoon maple syrup

Method:

• Cook and mash the sweet potato.

• Now, add buttermilk to mashed sweet potato and blend it well.

• In another bowl add the all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. Add the butter to this and mix it well.

• Add the two mixtures and mix it well into soft dough.

• Roll out the dough on a smooth surface to about a thickness of 1 inch. Use a biscuit-cutter to cut into your desired shapes.

• Bake it for 15 minutes approximately and your sweet potato biscuits are ready.

For the Maple Butter:

• Mix the maple syrup with the butter to get a smooth mixture.

• Serve with the warm biscuits.

2. Sweet Potato Patties

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup of chopped onion

• 1-2 teaspoons of chilli powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon pepper

Method:

• Grate the sweet potatoes and keep it aside.

• In a pan, sauté the cumin seeds until brown.

• Whisk the eggs and add the grated sweet potato, chopped onion, chilli powder, pepper, salt and the cumin seeds.

• Heat oil in a frying pan. Now put spoonful of batter into it and fry until golden brown.

• Serve it with sauce or chutney.

3. Sweet Potato Pancake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup wheat flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 sweet potato

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 cups of milk

• 2 eggs

• Butter

• Maple Syrup

Method:

• Cook the sweet potato and peel it. Now, puree it and keep it aside.

• Take a bowl and whisk the eggs. Add wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and milk.

• Heat a pan and butter it properly. Cook a spoonful of the batter until golden brown on both the sides.

• Serve the hot sweet potato pancakes with maple syrup and enjoy!

4. Sweet Potato Pasta Ingredients:

• 1 cup of whole wheat pasta

•1 sweet potato

• 1 red bell pepper (thinly sliced)

• 1 cup diced tomatoes

• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped parsley

• 1/2 cup cheese

• Salt

Method:

• Peel and shred the sweet potato and keep it aside.

• Cook the pasta until tender.

• Take a skillet and add 1 tablespoon of oil along with garlic. Keep stirring until you get the aroma of the garlic. Now, add the sweet potato, tomatoes, bell pepper and water. Cook until the bell pepper is crisp and tender. • Drain the pasta but keep half of the water it was cooked in. Now, put the pasta back into the vessel and add the sweet potato mixture, 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, lemon juice, salt and cheese. Add the retained pasta water and combine the mixture well. Your delicious sweet potato pasta is ready!

5. Sweet Potato Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 large roasted sweet potato

• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

• Peel and puree the roasted sweet potato until smooth.

• Combine all the ingredients and blend it well until smooth. It should in a puree form. Your easy-to-make sweet potato chocolate pudding is ready to serve!

6. Sweet Potato Wedges

Ingredients:

• 2-3 sweet potatoes

• Pepper

• Salt

Method:

• Peel the sweet potato and cut into wedges.

• Mix the wedges with some oil, pepper and salt. Blend it well.

• Roast the wedges in the oven for around 15 minutes until they turn golden brown.

• Sprinkle some pepper on the top and serve them hot with ketchup.

7. Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato (peeled and diced)

• 1 chopped onion

• 1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic

• 3-4 carrots (peeled and sliced)

• 1 red pepper, sliced

• 1 teaspoon ginger

• 1/4 cup yogurt

• 1 cup chicken broth

Method:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onion and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.

• To this add the chicken broth and two cups of water. Stir well.

• Now, add sweet potato, carrots, red pepper and ginger. Cook it well.

• Once it is done, keep this mixture in the fridge for around 25 minutes. • Next, remove the vegetables from the mixture and puree them until thick.

• Put this puree into the soup and blend them well. • Cook until the soup thickens. When it almost finished, add yogurt and mix it well. Serve and enjoy!

November 9, 2014
4 Romantic Desserts That Will Take Your Heart Away

Romantic dessert…that just sounds a bit redundant, doesn’t it? There is nothing better than the combination of two of the best things in the world, namely dessert and romance. Science has proved that there are certain fruits and other edible items that can turn on your mood and are a must have for that perfect date. we all know that chocolates and strawberries are great aphrodisiacs too. No wonder the entire human race is crazy about chocolates like anything. Whether you are preparing dinner for your loved one or you are just feeling low, these desserts will surely uplift your mood and bring a 100 Watt smile on your face. Try these out and feel yourself floating in epicurean heaven.

1. Chocoberries

Chocoberries are strawberries that are coated with chocolate and served chilled. This quick dessert has the most romantic things ever available on the planet Earth. The sweet and tangy flavour of strawberries goes aptly well with the velvety touch of chocolate, making it an absolutely amazing dessert. It is perfect for every occasion and non-occasion. The best part of this dessert is that it takes such less time that you can count on this one for those last minute surprises.

Ingredients:

10-12 strawberries (remember to have the stems intact)

3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks

3/4 tablespoon corn syrup

2 1/4 tablespoon butter

Method:

1. Wash the strawberries and pat dry. Make sure you have all the strawberries fresh and clean.

2. Spread them out on a paper tissue until they reach room temperature.

3. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler. Add corn syrup and butter to the double boiler. Make sure you keep stirring in between else you will run the risk of burning your chocolate mix.

4. Remove the mix from heat and dip the starwberries into the chocolate but do not dip more than 2/3 of the strawberries.

5. Let the excess chocolate drip off the strawberries.

6. Place the strawberries stem side down and referigerate for about 15-20 minutes and serve with a spark in your eyes.

2. Chocolate Mousse

Everybody loved this dessert as kids. everybody loves it as adults. This dessert never gets old. The texture of this dessert is simply perfect and the way it melts in the mouth, makes it all the more adorable. The enigmatic smell that it emits makes one fall in love with everything around them. Almost.

Ingredients:

60 grams chocolate chips

1 1/2 tablespoon water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

Method:

1. Melt the chocolate and water in a saucepan.

2. Add vanilla to the mix and whisk it thoroughly.

3. Leave the mix to cool and whip the cream in a separate bowl.

4. Add confectioners’ sugar to it.

5. Blend in the chocolate mix to this and beat it in cut-and-fold manner.

6. Take a scoop of the mousse created and pour it into a clear bowl.

7. Garnish with some grated chocolate to give it an extra chocolatey taste.

3. Strawberry Pie

A pie is one dessert which is not too sweet and so, does not go overboard in making one feel its sweetness. The crispness of the pie mixed with the gooey texture of strawberries make it a complete dessert. Strawberry pie tastes brilliant but it looks even better! And a tempting looking dessert is always better than every other dessert.

Ingredients:

1 pie crust, pre-baked

1 pint strawberries

100 grams strawberry Jell-O gelatin dessert

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 cup cold water

1 cup hot water

1/2 cup sugar

Whipped cream

Method:

1. Pre-bake the pie crust and let it cool.

2. Slice the strawberries into the pie crust.

3. Take a saucepan and mix the jello with cornstarch. Add water and sugar to it.

4. Cook over medium heat. Let the mixture boil. Make sure you keep stirring in between lest you burn it.

5. Pour this boiling hot mixture over the strawberries and let it spread evenly.

6. Keep the pie in the referigerator and chill it for 3-4 hours.

7. As the glaze of the jello sets, bring it out and serve with generous dollops of whipped cream.

4. Chocolate Marie Logs

Chocolate logs are easy to make and easier to have. These have a perfect blend of biscuits and chocolate which gives it a smooth taste. The subtle flavour of coffee enhances the effect the logs have on the tongue. These are one of the quickest and easiest things you can make and make whenever you want.

Ingredients:

12 Marie biscuits

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

4 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon coffee powder

1/4 cup warm milk

Method:

1. Take the milk in a container and add coffee powder to it. Mix it well.

2. Soak the biscuits in it and stack them on top of the other. Make sure that you do not soak them too much otherwise your biscuits will get all soggy and crumble.

3. Take the butter and sugar in another container and mix them evenly. Add cocoa powder to it and blend in.

4. Spread the mixture on the stack of the biscuits or the log. cover the entire log generously with the cocoa mix. Run a fork on the mix so as to give it the look of a wooden log.

5. Keep the log in the referigerator to chill for two hours and cut it into diagonal slices.

July 27, 2014
THE 10 TIPS HEALTH EXPERTS BEG YOU NOT TO SKIP
1. GO AHEAD- Drink more coffee

It’s a scientific mystery how a simple cup of coffee work its wonder in the body, large epidemiological studies repeatedly verify its astonishing benefits. Some recent research highlights:
- More than three cups a day lowers women’s risk of developing melanoma- a type of cancer on the rise among the light-skinned.
- More than six cups a day cuts men’s risk of dying from prostate cancer by 60%.
- Drinking at least one cup of coffee a day lowers women’s risk of stroke by at least 25%.
- Consuming at least two cup daily reduces women’s chances of becoming depressed by up to 20%.
2. Eat protein in the morning

Protein helps persuade your brain and stomach that they’re well nourished and satisfied; skimp on it and your hunger. In a recent study, volunteers whose daily protein consumption falls below 15 percent of their total calories were far hungrier after breakfast and ate more snacks throughout the day than those whose protein level exceeded that amount. An important takeaway: don’t save your protein for dinner. One track is to eat almonds in the morning. Other prevalent (and portable) high-protein options: hard boiled eggs and hung curd.

3. Stand up and count to 60

Another good reason to be a stand up guy or gal: it does not matter how hard you hit the gym after work; if you are spending much of your day sitting down, you’re sabotaging your dutiful efforts. People who take the most standing breaks throughout the day- even as short as a minute- have slimmer waist, lower cholesterol those who take the fewest, regardless of how much other exercise they get. Epidemiologists say hopping to your feet regularly also protects against cancer. Standing up while talking on phone is a great place to start. At first, people who try this say, ‘ this is the dumbest thing ever.’ Then after a month they say,” I have lost 2 kilos”.

4. Early to bed, early to eat

People who stay up late and sleep late- specifically, they get more than half their sleep after 5:30 AM- also tend to eat more fast food and consume more of their calories after 8 pm than do normal sleepers. One of the easiest things anyone on a diet can do to improve his results is to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

5. Beware of sugar free candy

Don’t assume sugar free confections are easy on your teeth. Sour and fruit flavourings in candy can interact with sugar-free sweeteners to create an acidic mix in your mouth that weakens and yellow teeth. The worst culprits are fruit flavoured lollipops because they dissolve slowly, giving acid more time to attack teeth. Chewing gum is the least destructive, since it stimulates a flow of saliva that washes away the harmful acids.

6. Pick up some sleep glasses

The blue light emitted by your computer screen, smart phone and television stimulates your brain, making it harder to fall asleep. Blue light filtering glasses act as a solution to them. Put them on if you’re using the computer before bed, and you’ll sleep much better.

7. Hit he yoga mat to relieve pain

As a treatment for back pain, regular yoga has advantageous over more conventional methods, like physical therapy. The ancient practice has also been shown to soothe other aches as well, probably because of the way it connects your mind, your breathing and the movements of your body. Yoga works the whole body not just one part. When a person is in chronic pain, usually the whole body changes and treating only the part that was originally injured or is hurting is not enough.

8. Kick your day with chocolate

A square of chocolate has just the right amount of theobromine (a cousin to caffeine) to wake you up but not enough to cause a crash later. It’s also chock full of antioxidants, may decrease heart attack risks, lifts mood- and taste delicious. Try it as a mind morning snack!

9. Eat more quinoa

Rich in protein, fibre and hard to get magnesium, which protect against hypertension, quinoa has well-deserved reputation as a super food. (a typical serving has twice as much protein and eight times as much fibre as a serving of white rice.) But some people find that it can taste a little bland. Restaurant chefs have a secret that’s not included in the directions of the box. Simply spread quinoa on a tray and place it in a 350-degree oven for eight to ten minutes, until its golden brown, then cook it up in a pot according to instructions.

10. Pump up your potassium

The new mantra among heart specialist, improve your sodium-potassium ratio, by either lowering your sodium or raising your potassium- or, better yet, by doing both. That’s because potassium blunts the blood pressure raising effects of sodium. The latest research finds that people with unhealthiest ratios are more than twice as likely to die from a heart attack as those with lowest. Another study reveals that raising your daily potassium intake by 1600 mg will lower your risk of stroke by 21 percent. New guidelines recommend 4700 mg daily. Other good sources include cocoa, dried apricots, fish, spinach, curd and potatoes with the skin.
July 19, 2014
Most popular Icecream brands

I scream, you scream and we all scream for ice cream. Ice cream is worth screaming for. Mostly all the people enjoy eating ice cream. The love for ice cream is widely growing among the people. Ice cream is served as a very common icy desert since a long time. No one can stop their mouth from watering if the favorite ice-cream is presented in front of them. So many kinds of ice-cream are available in our nearby stores and everyone has their favorites. There are many popular brands of ice-cream in the world. Based on the popularity there are some major brands of ice cream that are given below and if you are an icecream lover then make sure that you give each one a try.

Ben & Jerry’s: Everyone has certainly heard about Ben & Jerry’s as it so famous across every part of the world. This brand is available in almost each and every country. It has become the most prevalent brand of ice-cream because of its mouthwatering flavors and delectable taste. Ben & jerry’s is the first choice of every ice-cream lover. This is an American company which was started in 1978 by two friends namely jerry and ben, hence owing to its name. The headquarters of the company is situated in Vermont in United States.

Baskin-Robbins: Another brand which is globally liked by the people is Baskin-Robbins. None of the outing is completed without visiting the Baskin Robbins Store. This is an American company which was originated in California in the year of 1945 by Burt together with Irv. There are numerous outlets of this brand across the entire world. This brand is hugely recognized for its ‘31 flavors’ saying. Baskin Robbins provides their consumers with around 100 of distinct flavors, some of them are massive triumphs in the market. The most popular flavor of Baskin Robbins is “Steverino.”

Nestle: The first brand that comes to the mind when we hear about food & nutrition is Nestle. Nestle is a renowned brand especially for its ice-creams. The company was originated in Switzerland in 1905. The company was provided with the tag of biggest maker of ice-cream in the entire world in the year of 2006. The company offers employment to great number of people and it is operated in around 86 countries all over the world. The nestle ice creams are filled with so many tasty flavors and are quite reasonable to buy.

Haagen-Dazs: When taste and flavor is the priority then certainly this brand is the best choice. It was founded in the year of 1961 in New York. During the beginning the company provides their customers with mainly 3 flavors chocolate, vanilla and coffee. These days the company has its outlets in many countries all over the world. It has been found out that the company uses milk of very high quality as well as organic stuff for the different flavors of ice-cream. People love their ice-creams for its smoothness, creaminess and rich flavors.

Blue Bell Creameries: Blue bell creameries are among the best ice cream brands that are cherished by the people. It was originated in the year of 1907 and it’s headquarter is located at Brenham in Texas. Around 250 distinct frozen stuffs are produced by blue berry among which there are 66 flavors of ice-cream. In United States, blue bell creameries is the 3rd biggest ice-cream selling company. Blue bell ice-creams are available in various rich flavors and each flavor is utterly balanced. The people are fond of the creaminess of blue bell ice creams.

Amul: Amul is an Indian brand of ice-cream which has succeeded in occupying a place among the best ice cream brands. The brand has achieved remarkable love worldwide and it was founded in 1946. Apart from India, the amul ice-creams are available in many other counties too. Its popularity owes to the fact that the amul ice-creams are very delicious and reasonable in price too. Moreover ice-creams are found with no preservatives and hence it is worth eating.

Dairy Queen: When it comes to soft serving ice-cream brand, Dairy Queen is believed to be the best choice. The 1st store of Dairy queen’s started in the year of 1940 in Illinois. The admirers of Dairy Queen’s ice creams are present in various countries and consider this brand as the best soft serving ice-cream brand. The brand has earned a lot amount of fame for the consistency and tastes of their ice-creams.

Cold Stone Creameries: It is an American brand that started in the year of 1988 in Arizona. It has already created remarkable presence in United States and trying to achieve popularity globally. It is the brand of finest quality ice-creams. The company uses real honey to serve the purpose of sweetener. People admire the brand for intense and deep flavors and they also claims that the ice creams of this brand are less in calories because they don’t contain unnecessary sugar.

July 14, 2014
Food Walk – Part I

Photo Walk.

Sure.

But how many of you have heard of “FOOD WALK”?

Food Walk (definition):

You walk. You go places. You try out different delicacies. You eat, eat and eat.

Your knowledge of food increases tenfold. Your waist-line – not so much, since you are literally walking the whole way and that makes up for all the calories you intake.

Going around the city with my friends from college, I have learnt a great deal about my Kolkata and its food culture. We, more often, hit the old cabins of the yesteryears than the posh Park Street restaurants – because, well, we are students at the end of the day with just enough cash for our endeavors.

One of the very first places we went to was Das Cabin, situated in Gariahat. We googled it’s speciality : Moghlai , Kosha Mangsho( Spiced Chicken/Mutton) with Roti and Kobiraji. And the foodies that we are, we ordered all three. The prices were quite reasonable and the food was impeccable. The Moghlai was small and soft with a considerable amount of filling. I would have to say I have had better – in South Pole, to be precise, which is also in Gariahat(Note: South Pole serves Moghlai only after 3 p.m.). The Kosha Mangsho was delicious and can give good competition to the one in the famous Golabari in Shyambazar. And the Kabiraji – o the kabiraji! – was crisp, made with the right amount of spice in the patty and with each bite, you could literally hear the angels sing.

A try-at-home recipe –

Fish Kobiraji

Ingredients: 10 bhetki fillets, ½ tsp mustard powder, ½ tsp black pepper powder, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander and mint leaves (chopped), 10 Eggs, 2 tbsp cornflour, 2 tsp Breadcrumbs (optional), Juice of one lemon, Salt

Direction: Wash the bekti fillet under running water, pat them dry and soak in salt and lemon juice for 20 minutes. Mix the mustard powder, red chili powder, black pepper powder, coriander and mint leaves together and apply on the each side of the fillets evenly and refrigerate it for another 20 minutes. Beat the eggs and mix the cornflour, breadcrumbs with salt. Heat some oil in a pan and add two tablespoons of egg mixture. As soon as it becomes fluffy add the marinated fish fillet and quickly cover it with the egg mixture. Fry on low to Medium heat till done. Serve hot with kasundi (Bengali mustard sauce) and salad.

Another day, we decided to walk from Presidency University to New Market, from there to Sudder Street and thereby, in the end, landing up in Park Street. If you walk to the right of Presidency University, a little near College Square, you will find a tiny old cabin reminiscing its old world charms. Favourite Cabin is a cabin which has tales etched in all its nooks and corners; oft frequented by the older generation, it felt amazing to sit there, the only people below 55, sipping 3-rupees-milk-tea, biting into crunchy Cream Roll and observing the theatric conversations buzzing around us.

Sudder Street, however shady it may be, has quite a few good food places – Blue Sky Café and Spanish Café being the most popular ones. I’m yet to visit Blue Sky Café but having chanced upon Spanish Café, I got to say it serves reasonably priced and yummilicious food. Their Café Bombon is a must-have! The Chocolate Pancake is simply a piece of ambrosia. The Mint Tea is refreshing – the way you feel when you hear Richard Stoltzman’s The Maid With Flaxen Hair. In short, you absolutely must try them!

Here are the home-made alternatives –

Chocolate Pancake

Ingredients: 1 cup refined flour (maida), 3 tbsp chocolate grated, 1/3 cup cocoa powder, ½ tsp soda, 1 cup Milk, 2 tbsp butter melted, 1 egg, ¼ cup sugar, ½ tsp salt, Castor sugar (to sprinkle)

Direction: Sieve together flour, baking soda, cocoa powder into a bowl. Add milk, melted butter, egg, sugar, salt and mix well. Heat the skillet and pour a ladleful of batter on the skillet and cook on both sides until brown. Serve hot sprinkled with caster sugar and grated chocolate on top.

Mint Tea

Ingredients: 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves (pudina), 2 tea bags or 2 tsp tea leaves, 2 and half cups of water (each cup being equal to 250 ml), milk, sugar (as per taste)

Direction: Wash the mint leaves in water. In a tea pan or tea maker, add water. Add the mint leaves. Boil the water for 3-4 minutes till the flavors and aroma of the mint starts infusing in the water. The water will start becoming green. Let the quantity of green color in the water increase considerably. Add the tea leaves. Add sugar. Add milk and let the tea come to a boil. Serve the mint tea with light tea-time biscuits. If using tea bags, then put off the burner. In the hot water, dip the tea bags for 2-3 mins. Add sugar and hot milk. Stir and serve.

(To be continued)

July 7, 2014
Foods which are best for skin

The nutritious and healthy food is all that you want to have a perfect and blushing skin. Not only it protects the inner body but also shields from the outside. The better and more nutritious food stuff we take in results in more beautiful and vibrant skin. Now a day’s people spend a lot amount of money in buying skin products, but the results out of them are not found to be satisfactory. We can protect our skin by proper exercising, sleeping for adequate amount, avoiding damage from the sun and most importantly by eating healthy and nourishing food items. The right kinds of food items can certainly shield the skin from the effect of environment, location and time. People have become less concerned of what they eat and hence they end up buying expensive cosmetics for their skin. Taking all the necessary nutrients in your diet definitely results in glowing, healthy looking skin. So if you really want the radiant and shining skin then you have to make sure the food items you take in.

Drink a lot: In order to make your skin more flexible, drink a lot to provide it with moisture. Deficiency in the amount of moisture can lead to dry, dull and drained skin. It has been found out that it is necessary to drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. If you are working or move out of your house, make it a habit to carry a bottle of water along with you. Consuming alcohol is damaging for the skin, so avoid extreme amount of it. Teas which do not contain caffeine are also good for the skin.

Almonds: Almonds are rich in Vitamin E and because of that it helps in protecting the skin from the damage of the sun. It has been found out that the people who ingest about 20 almonds a day are more resistant from the exposure to the sun as compared to the people who do not consume almonds. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant and hence it is quite beneficial for the skin. So don’t forget to eat almonds every day to have a beautiful and vibrant skin.

Fruits and Vegetables: Effective and necessary antioxidants are present in fruits and vegetables that provides shield to the skin from the cellular ravage that is triggered by the free radicals. These free radicals can lead to wrinkles and age marks on the skin. They are produced by contamination, effluence, smoking as well as sunlight. Proper amount of fruits and vegetables in your diet are very important for healthy and fit skin. Try to include papaya, spinach, pumpkin and sweet potatoes in your diet as they rich in all the necessary nutrients which the skin wants.

Green Tea: Green tea has many benefits like it provides relaxing and soothing effect. Apart from that it contains antioxidants that fight with tenderness, swelling and inflammation. It is also studied that the consumption of green tea may diminish the danger of skin cancer as well. Because of the high amount of antioxidant present in the green tea, it helps in reducing the redness. So it is advised to consume 1 cup of green day every single day.

Guava, Orange, papaya: Vitamin C is considered as an excellent antioxidant. It is very essential for us and provides us with many benefits like it plays a vital role for the robust immune system. It makes the skin glowing, shining and healthy looking. It helps in the healing of the blemishes and the marks. There is wide range of vitamin c rich food items that you can consume. Some of the finest sources include guava, orange, papaya, kiwi and many more. Hence, make your skin looks vibrant and lively as a result of vitamin c rich food stuff.

Dark Chocolate: Dark chocolate proves to be very valuable for the skin. The antioxidant present in the dark chocolate is ‘flavonols’ that helps in reducing the coarseness in the skin. It also provides protection from the sun. It acts as a sun blocker. The skin becomes more flexible and agile as the cocoa provides moisture to the skin. A little amount of it every day certainly improves the glow and shine on the skin. The person who consumes it has an advance texture of the skin and he or she is more resistant to the sun rays.

Walnuts: Omega -3 fatty acids are very important for us as it helps in improving the flexibility and agility of the skin. Walnut is very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Apart from that walnut also contains copper, which is a useful mineral that increase the creation of collagen. So in order to get a better skin texture and to make the skin more refreshing eat walnuts every single day.

We all have various creams as well as skin treatments but the skin becomes more beautiful with the intake of nourishing and healthy food products. It is essential that we include the desirable nutrients in our everyday diet to make the skin radiant and fabulous. So make sure that you consume the vital nutrients every single day.

June 28, 2014
Yummy Chocolate Recipes For This Summer!
As Charles M. Schulz once said, ‘all you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.’ Chocolates make you happy. Eating a chocolate makes your brainssecrete those ‘feel good’ endorphins. Dark chocolates contain chemicals that protect you from cancer and other diseases. The caffeine content in dark chocolate makes you feel alive. Did you know that eating chocolates widens up your arteries and fosters a healthy blood flow that prevents plague from building up in your arteries and blocking them.Chocolates are rich in phenolic, the same protein found in wine. The protein helps lower the risk of heart diseases and prevent clot like substances from clogging the arteries. Research provides that candy eaters live almost an year more than those who abstrain. Also, chocolate melts at 97 degrees Celsius which is just below your body temperature. It melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting for more all the time.

So true, isn’t it? We all crave for chocolates, don’t we? From chocolate cakes, to chocolate ice-creams to chocolate biscuits and what not! Its rich, it’s creamy and amazingly delicious.

So this time, I bring to you, some of the yummiest chocolate recipes for the summer:
- Black-Forest Vanilla Cake (and yes, with the cherry on the top of course!)
A delicious black-forest cake with vanilla ice-cream sand-witched between chocolate sponge is a must eat this summer. So how do you try and bake it?

Here’s the recipe:

All that you need: A 70mm diameter chocolate sponge cake, 2tbs sugar, 1 tbs rum, ½ glass of water, 2 cups of whipped cream, ½ cup dark chocolate chips, 3 canned cherries which should be cut into half, 2 ½ cups of vanilla ice-cream, 5 tbs chopped cherries, 7 tbs grated chocolate.

All set with the ingredients?

So here’s how you prepare it:
- Firstly, you need to cut the cake into 4 parts.
- The bottom layer of the serving plate should be sprinkled with ½ soaking syrup.
- Now, on this soaked layer of sponge, spread 1 ½ cup of ice-cream.
- Top this layer with 3tbs cherries and 4 tbs chocolate.
- Now, another layer of sponge should be placed on this.
- Sprinkle some more soaking syrup on this sponge layer.
- Arrange the remaining cup of ice-cream on this layer.
- Top it with remaining cherries and chocolate.
- Sprinkle the remaining soaking syrup.
- Top the cake with whipped cream
- And finally, garnish the cake with cheese and grated chocolate.
- Freeze till the cake becomes firm.
Your delicious Black-Forest Vanilla Cake is ready to be served!
- Chocó-Almond Cupcake: Its small, it’s petite, but it’s definitely a treat for your taste buds. This is definitely going to be an unforgettable experience one you get to taste this luxurious combination of almonds and Chocó. The frosting of Almond and chocolate make this cupcake taste very different from the others. A chocolate ice-cream cake. (And again, with the cherry on the top!)
Here’s a list of all that you need: 8 chocolate sponge, 7 tbs butter
12 tbsp icing sugar, 6 1/2 tbsp melted chocolate mixed with 1 tbs milk, 4 tbs powdered almonds , 1/2 tsp almond essence, 6 tbs soaked and chopped almonds and
6 cherries.

How to prepare it:
- Put all the butter in a bowl
- Beat it with the help of a spatula.
- Now, add some icing and sugar to it.
- Mix well the powdered chocolate and the almond and put it into the batter.
- Now, the frosting needs to be filled in a piping bag.
- Swirl out whichever shape you would love to see on your little cupcake.
- Garnish them with frosting and almonds and don’t forget to add the cherry on the top.
Your little surprise is ready to be served.
- Chocó-Brownie Milkshake: The perfect summer cooler for you this summer. A totally different kind of a milkshake made from the combination of vanilla ice cream, brownie and milk.
What all do you need: 200 gms of chocolate, 500 ml of milk, 2 tbs vanilla essence, some crush ice cubes, 2 scoops vanilla ice cream.

How to prepare it:
- Combine all the ingredients and churn them. Keep the ice out of the mixture for now.
- Transfer to bowl
- Add ice to it and mix well.
Your milkshake is ready to be served.
- Chocolate Fondue: The super yummy hot mixture of marshmallow, dipping fruit and cake pieces.
What all do you need: 100 gms of milk chocolate, broken into small pieces, 1/3 cup of milk, 1 tbs flour, 4 tbs cocoa powder, 4 to 5 tbs sugar, ½ tbs vanilla essence, 1 tbs butter, 2 tbs brandy, fresh fruit, cake pieces and marshmallows for dipping.

How to prepare it:
1. The butter had to put in a glass bowl and beaten
2. Microwave the batter for 1 ½ minutes
3. Stir twice after every 30 seconds
4. Add milk, Chocó chips, cocoa, cream, sugar, a teacup of water.
5. Stir the batter after 30 seconds.
6. Pour the mixture in a dish.
7. Stir well and add brandy.
And finally, your chocolate fondue is ready to be served.
June 24, 2014
For the love of Chocolate!

That silky, smooth, velvety, so yum, exotic thing, we can’t resist is CHOCOLATE. Just the addition of Chocolate can make anything to everything delicious. It is such a thing that everyone craves and loves. It can lift up your mood and has the goodness of antioxidants. Chocolates are lovable and are a sheer bliss to humanity.
For the love of chocolate, here are some too popular chocolate delights, easy to make at home and are fancied too.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

(Recipe)

Preparation time: 20 minutes Servings: 25 Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients: 1 and half cup chocolate chips
Four ½ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup white sugar
1 and half cup brown sugar
2 cups butter, softened
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 cups dark chocolate, chopped.

Procedure: Sift together flour and baking soda. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Add eggs and vanilla in the creamed mixture. Now, blend in the flour mixture which was kept aside after being sifted. Finally, stir in the chopped dark chocolate, chips and nuts.
Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets or parchment paper.
Put it in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes for soft or crunchy cookie as per your taste. Edges should be golden brown, it will look nice.
This is a true chocolate lover’s cookie and can add optional ingredients like walnuts or almonds or pecans or white chocolate. Large chunks of chocolate chips is what make them extra special. Famish it. Bake it and Eat it all by yourself.

DARK CHOCOLATE SAUCE

(Recipe)

Preparation time: 15 minutes Serves: 10
Ingredients: 6 ounces Dark chocolate bar, broken into pieces (77% dark chocolate)
Half cup sugar
Half cup water
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ounce butter
8 tablespoons heavy cream
Procedure: Stir in water and sugar in small pan. Simmer over low heat and stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves in water and forms a simple syrup.
Transfer the simple syrup on the top of double boiler over a low heat, slowly add pieces of dark chocolate and butter, whisking occasionally until the chocolate is melted.
Slowly add in vanilla and cream until fully blended and smooth.
Keep stirring and when it is smooth. It is ready to serve. Serve it warm.
This glossy dark chocolate sauce has a rich bittersweet chocolate flavor and is perfect treat for dark chocolate lovers. As, having rich cocoa content of dark chocolate, it has antioxidant benefits in good amount. Having velvety smooth texture, it tastes wonderful when served warm dribbled over icecreams.

CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM
(Recipe)

Preparation time: 1hour + freezing time
Ingredients: 1 cup sugar
2 ½ cup milk (with full cream)
2 tablespoon cocoa powder
1 tablespoon custard powder
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup nuts, cherries or berries to garnish
Procedure: Mix custard, sugar and cocoa in half cup of milk.

Heat the remaining milk and when it comes to boil, add custard mixture and boil again stirring continuously otherwise lumps are formed.
When it boils, simmer the gas for 30 seconds, shut off the heat and leave it to cool down.
When it reaches room temperature, mix the cream and vanilla essence and transfer onto a container with a tight lid.
Freeze it in refrigerator till almost set, then take out and whip up in a blender and place it back in the same container into the freezer.
The lid should be tightly shut as it prevents the crystals from forming. Blend once more when almost set and place back in freezer. You can adjust the cooling to normal in about two hours after the blending.
Serve it by garnishing nuts and cherries.
Scream, scream Icecream is like perfect treat on a hot day. Chilled icecream when made at home becomes more special and everyone loves it. Especially children. Chill out with the chilling effect of the chocolate icecream!
After all these easy to make recipes at home, I know craving for them is at peak. These are super easy, super awesome, yum and delicious recipes with the loveliness and richness of chocolate and its chillness and warmth . Its a perfect treat for children and your loved ones. No occasion required, just make them, freeze them, bake them whenever you want to. You don’t need a reason to put these recipes into practice in your kitchen. They are just all time comfy, cosy, rich and creamy, chocolaty recipes. If its long time you havn’t been in your kitchen, then just go Start making and baking it. Put on that apron and use your wit. Be creative and add your stuff too in these recipes. You never know what magnificent taste you come out with. You can even dip the chocolate chip cookies in dark chocolate sauce or you can even drizzle this sauce on the chocolate icecream. In a way, these recipes are connected and enjoyed with one another. For me, cooking is happiness and I get excited and calm at the same time whenever I get time to cook. Cooking is worth it, So make some time out of your busy schedule and start with these Chocolaty desserts. You will love it and people in your life too.
Keep cooking, Baking, Eating and Partying.

June 11, 2014
The no-fuss Valentine’s Menu

Valentine’s Day 2014 may have gone. But your Valentine surely hasn’t.

And for your next few Valentine Days, how about you prepare and sharpen your skills beforehand rather than the day before.

Here, by skills, I refer mainly to cooking since that is my forte.

It’s June now. So, you have exactly 9 months to learn and let learn.

For the beginners, you might want to start with something simple and quite easy, like the ‘Eton mess parfait with berry sauce’. For those who cook occasionally, you might be a tad bold and wind up cooking something like ‘Sweetheart choc and hazelnut sandwiches ‘. And for those who cook regularly, well, I don’t really have anything to teach but merely share a few lovely recipes.

For the beginners:

Eton mess parfait with berry sauce

Time: 15 minutes (plus freezing)

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 284ml pot double cream, 200ml pot Greek yogurt, 4 small meringues (crumbled), 200g strawberries (hulled and chopped), 2 tbsp lemon curd, 200g raspberries and strawberries (halved, for topping)

For the sauce – 150g punnet raspberries, 150ml punnet strawberries, 2 tbsp icing sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice

Directions: Line 6 x 150ml ramekin dishes with cling film. Lightly whip the cream, then fold in the yogurt, meringues and strawberries until well combined. Fold in the lemon curd to give a soft marbled effect.Spoon into the prepared ramekins and freeze for 2-2½ hrs or until semi-frozen. Meanwhile, make the berry sauce. Tip the raspberries and strawberries, icing sugar and lemon juice into a food processor and blend to a purée. Pass the sauce through a sieve to remove the pips, then set aside.To serve, turn the semi-frozen parfaits out onto serving plates and remove the cling film. Arrange the halved strawberries and raspberries on top of the parfaits. Serve with a drizzle of berry sauce.

For the Novice:

Sweetheart choc & hazelnut sandwiches

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 4 slices from a small sliced brioche loaf, 3 tbsp chocolate hazelnut spreads, 1 large egg, 75ml whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp caster sugar, 2 tbsp chopped toasted hazelnuts, 1 tbsp butter, icing sugar (for dusting), ice cream (to serve), raspberries (to serve)

Directions: Thickly spread 2 of the brioche slices with the chocolate hazelnut spread, then top with the remaining slices to make 2 sandwiches. Use a large heart-shaped cutter to cut the sandwiches into hearts.Whisk the egg, milk, vanilla and caster sugar in a wide, shallow bowl. Tip the hazelnuts onto a plate. Dip the sandwiches into the egg mixture, leave for 1-2 mins each side to allow the brioche to soak up the liquid, then dip one side of each sandwich into the nuts. The sandwiches can be chilled like this, covered loosely with cling film, for up to 1 hour.Heat the butter in a wide frying pan until melted and foaming. Add the sandwiches and cook for 1-2 mins each side until golden brown and puffed up. Dust with a little icing sugar and serve with ice cream and raspberries.

For the Expert:

Beef & beer pie

Time: 4 hours

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped, 1 small celery stick (chopped), 2 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp plain flour, 700g beef shin (featherblade or stewing steak, cut into large chunks), 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, 2 beef stock cubes, 2 sprigs thyme, 540ml can dark ale or beer, 1 egg (beaten), a few pinches poppy seeds

For the pastry – 500g plain flour (plus a little extra), 250g vegetarian suet

Directions: Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Using a flameproof casserole dish with a lid, soften onion and celery in the butter. Stir in the flour until it has disappeared, then stir in the beef and Worcestershire sauce. Crumble in stock cubes and add thyme. Pour over ale, bring to a simmer, then cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hrs. Remove lid and cook for another 30 mins – this should thicken the sauce nicely.Increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. For the pastry, whizz the flour, suet and 1 tsp salt in a food processor until there are no suet lumps. Keeping the motor running, dribble in 1 tbsp water at a time until the pastry starts to come together, then tip onto a lightly floured surface and bring together with your hands.Roll out half the pastry and use to line a 20-22cm pie dish. Using a slotted spoon, spoon in all of the meat, then pour over some of the sauce until the meat is just coated. Put the rest of the sauce into a saucepan. Roll out the remaining pastry to cover the pie. Trim the edge with a small, sharp knife, then crimp or fork the edges to seal. Make a small heart from cuttings. Brush top of the pie and heart with beaten egg, then dip heart into poppy seeds and stick to top. Bake for 30-40 mins until golden brown and crisp. Reheat sauce and serve with the pie along with some mash and greens.

Treacle tart hearts

Time: 25 minutes (plus chilling)

Serves: 8

Ingredients: 200g cold unsalted butter (cubed), 350g plain flour (plus extra for rolling out), ½ tsp ground ginger (optional), 100g golden caster sugar, 1 egg yolk

For the filling – 400g golden syrup, finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1⁄2, 100g white breadcrumbs

Directions: Blitz the butter, flour and ginger, if using, in a food processor until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar, then add the egg yolk and 2 tsp cold water. Pulse until the dough clumps together, or bring it together with a knife by hand. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and press into a smooth round. Chill for 30 mins or until firm.Roll out the pastry to the thickness of 2 x £1 coins and stamp out 8 x 11cm circles (or cut around a saucer and trim to fit tins). Line 8 x 10cm width heart-shaped tins with the pastry. Re-roll trimmings. With a small cutter, stamp out 8 hearts to decorate. Chill tins and hearts for 15 mins or until firm. Heat oven to 170C/fan 150C/gas 5 and put a baking sheet in.

Stir the syrup, lemon juice and zest together. Divide the breadcrumbs between tins (they should reach to the top of the pastry), then spoon the syrup over slowly, adding more once the first lot has started to soak in. Top with the small pastry hearts. Put tins onto the hot baking sheet and bake for 25 mins or until pastry is golden and the filling is orangey-gold and slightly set. Leave to cool for 15 mins, then turn onto a wire rack. Serve just warm. Will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Heat in a low oven for 5 mins to warm through.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

June 9, 2014
Cake, Lovin’ it!

Cakes… Are they only for Birthday occasions? Not Really. Cakes are such mood changers. They are irresistible. We love cakes and they love us. I don’t think there’s anyone out there who doesn’t love cake. Everyone fancies it and Chocolate cake, its like king of all. Just so delicious. Eating a chocolate cake simply makes our day so effortless. They are yum, rich, creamy, fluffy, soft and what not!
The picture is of actual cake, made by me. It is very simple to make, yet looks delicious. And this is the cake, I have been making from last few years. I got to know about this recipe in my 1st year of graduation and since then, this is kinda my favorite tea-time cake. My family loves the taste and they simply wait for that time of the day, when I will make this cake and serve them. It can take many variations with toppings, and I experiment a lot. I usually bake this cake on weekend and I use electric baking oven. It is simple, easy, light and fun to make and bake. Well, if concerned about calories, for that I am answerless, but yeah, its fun to sometimes put down your diet schedule and enjoy the delicacies. No?! I simply famish it and love to make it and bake it. It is a simple Vanilla cake with Chocolate cream frosting. When I originally made this cake in 2011, I simply garnsihed it with almond and chocolate flakes. Since then, I have played with the flavorings. Vanilla extract (or seeds from a scraped out bean) is classic. Feel free to vary the flavours and make the basic buttercream your own.

VANILLA CAKE
Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
½ cup powdered sugar (sugar has to be powdered otherwise it burns)
½ cup maida (flour)
1 tsp baking powder
¼ cup milk
½ cup oil
1 tsp vanilla essence

Method:– Sift flour with baking powder. Keep aside
Beat eggs and powdered sugar till the eggs turn fluffy and the mixture becomes more than double volume. Add vanilla essence.
Add oil to beaten egg-sugar mixture in the bowl. Mix well.

Fold in flour gradually till all the flour is used. Add milk to get a slightly thinner than a soft dropping consistency.
Grease a deep aluminium baking bowl. Pour the batter in it.
Preheat the electric baking oven at 220 degrees Celsius. Then, after that put the baking dish containing batter in the oven and let it bake.
It will take around 30-35 minutes. You can see it through the transparent mirror if you are satisfied with its bake look, you can take it out. You can check by seeing if cake shrunk away from sides of baking pan and is brown form the up side. Cool on a cake rack before removing from the pan.

For Toppings and decorating:

Variation 1: You can spread chocolate sauce on the cake all over and garnish almonds and chocolate and sprinkle on it. There are other decorative eating material available in markets like sugary stars or balls, which you can sprinkle on cake to make it look more attractive.

Variation 2: Buttercream Topping: Mix 100 ml cream (I take Amul cream), sugar (to taste), 2 tablespoons butter and 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder in a double boiler and prepare the chocolate sauce. As it is thick it can be used as a cream on cake and frosting as well. Pour on the cooled cake and spread it with spatula. Garnish with chocolate, almond and walnut flakes. Voila! Your cake is ready!
Chocolate cake with same recipe: To convert a vanilla cake into a chocolate cake, add 2 teaspoon cocoa powder and 2 extra 2 tablespooon powdered sugar to the recipe of vanilla cake given above. After the cake is ready, pour some chocolate sauce on it and serve.
You can also put cherries and strawberries on the buttercream and decorate it as per your creativity. Sometimes, I put Cadbury gems and Cadbury shots on it and it just looks lovely. The most important thing to increase its fluffiness and softness is to whisk it and beat it as much as you can. I usually switch on a tv or songs while beating the mixture and keep doing it for atleast half an hour, taking breaks in between. This way it becomes less tiring. The more you beat, the perfectly it will be baked. It is the key point which you should just follow while making the batter. For a cake, beating is like electricity needed to light a bulb.
It is like perfect tea time cake and can be used in many ways, on birthday occasion or to on some other happy occasion but it just serves well at any time. Above all, when it is baked by you, cake so delicious, it is sure to receive heavy compliments.
You cannot be sad when you can bake. This is what I feel. There is an unexplainable satisfaction when you see your cake baked so perfectly. With so many benefits ranging from so good taste, emotional satisfaction, easy to make and bake, lovely to serve, easy to experiment, can be variated , can be baked to win someone special’s heart, kid’s first choice and many other countless benefits.

So, just keep baking. Love it. Serve it. Eat it.

June 7, 2014