Why The Alarm Over Swine Flu?

Lynchburg, VA - The potential for a global pandemic of Swine Flu is very real, but do you find yourself wondering what all the fuss is about? The fact is; regular influenza is responsible for more than 30,000 deaths a year in the United States. The swine flu has only one confirmed U.S. death, but health officials say the real danger is potential. First, it's a new virus. Our immune systems don't have a defense for it, and there's no vaccine yet. Swine flu can also spread from person-to-person, something the bird flu several years ago generally did not. Dr. Kerry Gateley, MD, Director/Central Virginia Health District - "Another mutation or another genetic change could occur in the virus that could make it more lethal, would make it more pathogenic. And if that happens while the virus is rapidly spreading across the world, we could have some serious trouble." Doctors point out this is the same type of virus as the Spanish flu of 1918, that killed millions, but health officials urge us not to panic, saying it's important to understand a worst-case scenario, but not fixate on one.

Source:

http://www.wset.com/news/stories/0409/618185.html

Q+A: How serious is swine flu?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Just how bad is this new flu strain, how far will it go and how long will the outbreak last?

Here are some questions and answers about the outbreak:

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE DIED? HOW MANY ARE INFECTED?

All deaths so far have been in Mexico, where 20 of the 149 reported fatalities have been confirmed to be from the H1N1 swine flu virus. There are 1,600 suspected cases in Mexico and 64 confirmed cases in the United States, and a few cases in Canada, New Zealand, Britain, Spain and Israel.

WHY ARE THERE ONLY DEATHS IN MEXICO?

No one is sure. It is important to remember that health officials are now taking a snapshot of the past -- they are not reporting on new infections at this point, just tracking down old infections and they are only finding them where they are looking. The Mexican authorities looked in hospitals, where serious cases will, of course, be found. U.S. health officials found their cases during routine screening of people with flu-like symptoms, most in walk-in clinics, so they have naturally found milder cases.

Influenza experts say they fully expect to find deaths in other places, including the United States and elsewhere, as the search goes on. One problem is that people die of respiratory diseases regularly and the cause is often not determined.

WHY WOULD IT KILL SOME AND NOT OTHERS?

Seasonal influenza kills 250,000 to 500,000 people every year in a normal year and all sorts of factors determine who dies. Elderly people often die but sometimes perfectly healthy adults and children die. Sometimes flu makes people susceptible to bacterial infections, called secondary infections, and if the virus and the bacteria are circulating at the same time in the same place there can be clusters of deaths.

WHAT KIND OF FLU IS IT AND HOW IS IT SPREADING?

The virus is an influenza A virus, carrying the designation H1N1, but it contains DNA from avian, swine and human H1N1 viruses. It appears to have evolved the ability to pass easily from one person to another, unlike most swine H1N1 viruses which only very occasionally infect people and usually only infect one person and then stop there.

Flu viruses are all passed on by sneezing, coughing or when people pick up the virus on their hands. This one likely originated in pigs, but the Mexican government and the World Health Organization have ruled out any risk of infection from eating pork.

HOW SERIOUS IS IT?

The Geneva-based WHO has declared the flu a "public health emergency of international concern" and raised the threat level for a pandemic, a global epidemic of new disease. H1N1 swine flu poses the biggest risk of a large-scale pandemic since avian flu re-emerged in 2003, killing 257 out of 421 infected in 15 countries.

It is not clear yet whether this virus could actually become a pandemic.

HOW IS THIS FLU DIFFERENT FROM ORDINARY FLU?

The swine flu is characterized by common flu symptoms -- sudden fever, muscle aches, sore throat and dry cough -- but may cause more severe vomiting and diarrhea.

New flu strains can spread fast because no one has natural immunity and a vaccine can take months to develop. This strain is confusing because it is an H1N1 -- a type that has been around since the 1918 "Spanish Flu" pandemic that killed at least 40 million people globally.

Usually if a new flu strain is related to one that has been around for years, people have some immunity and they no longer can cause pandemics. But this new strain has taken on genetic elements from animal viruses, and this may be genetically unique enough to pose a pandemic threat.

HOW BAD COULD IT GET?

A 1968 a "Hong Kong" flu pandemic killed about one million people globally. The 1957-58 pandemic killed about 2 million. The 1918 pandemic killed between 40 million and 100 million, according to some estimates. However, the WHO says the world is now better prepared to withstand a flu pandemic. Vaccines and antiviral drugs are available that were not around during previous pandemics.

In 1918, there was a first wave of mild flu in April. It then seemed to disappear during the Northern Hemisphere's summer but came back severely in August. WHO and CDC officials say it is possible this virus could behave in the same way, or completely differently.

ARE THERE ENOUGH DRUGS AND VACCINES?

Most countries have been stockpiling supplies of two antiviral drugs -- Tamiflu, known generically as oseltamivir and made by Roche AG and Gilead Sciences Inc; as well as Relenza, known generically as zanamivir and made by GlaxoSmithKline and Australia's Biota Inc..

A third company, BioCryst Inc. is working to license its experimental flu drug peramivir.

Older flu drugs called amantadine and rimantadine do not work very well any longer against any influenza strain except sometimes in combination with newer drugs.

There is no vaccine yet against this new strain and health officials say the seasonal flu vaccine is unlikely to provide any protection against it. The CDC and WHO are working with companies to start making a new vaccine if it is needed, but the process takes months.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Wash your hands. It is proven to be the best way to protect against infection with a range of germs, including flu. Experts generally agree that face masks, especially the surgical masks now seen on the street of Mexico City, offer very little protection. Flu viruses can float on little particles of spit or mucus, in general no further than three to six feet, but they then settle on surfaces and can be transferred to the mouth, eyes or nose.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox, Editing by Anthony Boadle)

Source:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/burningIssues/idUKTRE53S6I120090429?pageNumber=4&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true

Image Source:

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/flash/newsgraphics/2009/0426-nat-flu-web/images/map.jpg

Swine Flu

Forget avian influenza, it is swine flu that could ravage the world as Mexicans are warned not to shake hands in church and have been told to keep at least six feet of separation between each other, and to wear protective masks. Large public gatherings, such as sporting events and concerts, have been banned and schools closed. As I’ve discussed previously on Sciencebase, there are countless latent diseases in hosts as rodents, birds, and cattle lying ready and willing to make the species leap to humans and decimate our populations. Whereas for the last ten years or so bird flu has been the focus of much research it was always more likely that a potentially lethal strain of virus would emerge from another species and not necessarily in Asia. Now, swine flu is on the rise in Mexico and already taking the first inroads into the USA just across the border. It’s already killed more than 80 people and made hundreds ill. While some observers are suggesting serious caution others are advising that there is no reason for real concern yet. We are not quite at the danger levels of the worldwide SARS epidemic. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Mexican/US swine flu outbreak as a “public health emergency of international concern”.

What is swine flu?

Swine flu is a type A influenza virus present in pigs. Human infection is usually uncommon except among people who work and live closely with pigs. What is unusual about the present strain? The new strain is a hybrid of swine, human and avian flu viruses and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says it can spread from human to human but the level of virulence is not yet clear.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms are similar to regular human flu: fever and chills, a cough, sore throat, aching limbs, headaches, and general malaise. However, there are reports of swine flu also causing diarrhoea and vomiting. Pneumonia and respiratory failure can occur leading to death as also happens in regular human flu, which kills thousands of people every year.

Are there warning signs in children?

Children having trouble breathing, being averse to drinking, lethargy not waking up or not interacting, being so irritable that the child does not want to beheld, flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough, fever with a rash.

Are there any drugs to treat swine flu?

Oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir (Relenza) are the possible pharmaceutical frontline defence and are proving effective in treating patients diagnosed early enough. There is no vaccine.

Has the disease spread to the USA?

Cases in California, Texas, and Kansas, have already been confirmed and tests are being carried out on students at a school in New York.

How can we prevent the spread of swine flu?

People at risk should cover their mouth when they cough. They should regularly wash their hands with an alcohol-based cleaner and and avoid close contact with the sick. Patients with the disease should stay at home. There is no need to avoid eating pork.

Will there be a global flu epidemic?

“We do not know whether this swine flu virus or some other influenza virus will lead to the next pandemic,” says, Richard Besser, acting director of the CDC, “However, scientists around the world continue to monitor the virus and take its threat seriously.”

by David Bradley
Source: http://www.sciencebase.com/science-blog/swine-flu.html

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Ingredients:

Chicken Drumsticks 800 grams
Red chilli powder 2 tsps
Lemon juice 3 tbsps
Yogurt 1 cup
Coriander Powder 2 tsp
Ginger paste 2 tbsps
Garlic paste 2 tbsps
Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
Green Cardamom powder 1tsp - Elaichi Powder
Mustard oil 2 tbsp

Butter for basting
Salt to taste
Chart Masala to taste


Directions:

1. Clean chicken. Cut 2 or 3 slits on each drumstick.
   
2. Take a bowl make a mixture of 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tbsp of lemon juice and salt.
   
3. Apply this mixture to chicken, fill it in the slits of meat. Set aside for 1 hour.
   
4. Remove extra water from yogurt with help of muslin cloth.
   
5. To make second marinate, add remaining red chilli powder, coriander powder, Cardamom powder, ginger paste, garlic paste, remaining lemon juice, Salt, garam masala powder and mustard oil. Mix Well.
   
6. Apply this marinate to Chicken. Keep aside for 4 hours.
   
7. Preheat oven at 425 degree.
   
8. Cook Chicken for 25 minutes.
   
9. Baste with butter and cook for another 5 minutes.
   

Serve Hot. Sprink pinch of chart masala while serving the tandoori chicken.

Healthy Spicy Roti, Indian Food Recipes by Jay Puri

Ingredients:

1 ½ Cups of Whole Wheat Flour (Chapatti Atta)

½ Cup Gram Flour (Besan)

1 Medium Green Chilli, finely chopped

½ tsp Cummin Powder

½ tsp chili powder or to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

3 pinches of asafetida (Hing)

1tbsp Oil (Prefer Olive Oil)

¼ Cup finely chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. In a Bowl, Mix all ingredients; use Luke warm water to knead the dough.
   
2. Cover the dough with wet cloth and let it rest in warm place for 20 minutes.
   
3. Take a small portion of dough and make it same size as golf ball.
   
4. Take a rolling pin and roll the dough. Dough size should be same as regular chapatti size.
   
5. Heat a griddle pan (Chapati Tawa) and cook the dough on each side for 2 minutes.
   
6. You may use cloth to press the dough to help it cook evenly.
   
7. With help of Tongs place the roti on open flame. Cook about 15 seconds on each side.
   
8. Your Spicy Roti is ready, you may apply little olive oil or ghee on your roti.
   

Serve hot with Mango Pickle, Chutney and Yogurt.

© 2009 Jay Puri Blog
Copyright

All content of this website are copyrighted. You can print one copy for cooking at home. You will need my persmission to publish it on your blog/website.

Tandoori Roti, Indian Food Recipes by Jay Puri

Ingredients:

2 cups Whole wheat flour ( Chapati Flour)
1/4 cup All purpose Flour (Maida)
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp ghee/ oil
2 tbsp Yogurt
salt to taste.
Luke warm water to knead the dough.

Directions:

1. In a bowl, add all ingredients listed above. Use Luke warm water to knead the dough.
2. Cover the dough with wet towel and keep it in warm place.
3. Let it rest for 2 hours. punch down the dough before you start rolling it for Tandoori Roti.
   
4. Take some dough, make a ball. The dough ball size should be little bigger than Golf ball.
   
5. Take a rolling pin and roll to form thick flat dough. (4-5 mm thick).
6. Heat Griddle (Chapati Tawa). Make sure Griddle is very hot before you put dough on it.
   
7. Put the flat dough on it. Don't apply any oil.
   
8. Press the dough down with spatula(or Spoon) as you want the dough to stick to pan. Don't use non-stick pan for this recipe. We want the dough to stick to pan.
9. On upper side of dough (uncooked side) apply some water. Make sure the dough is still sticking to pan.
   
10. Flip the pan to open flame to cook the other side. You can put the gas to medium at this step.
    
11. The Roti will fall of when ready. Put the flam off and remove it with help of tongs.
    
12. Apply little ghee or butter to this bread.
    

Note: Put oil on side that was cooked on open flame.

Serve hot with any main course.

© 2009 Jay Puri Blog
Copyright

All content of this website are copyrighted. You can print one copy for cooking at home. You will need my persmission to publish it on your blog/website.

Green All-Purpose Chutney

Makes 1/2 cup chutney
Making time: 5 minutes
Shelf life: 1 week (refrigerated)

Ingredients:

15 green chillies
1/2 cup coriander
1/2 lemon
1 tbsp. sev or potato wafers crushed
1/2 tsp. jaggery
salt to taste
1 tsp. oil
1 clovette garlic

Directions:

1. Put all the ingredients , except oil and asafoetida , in a small mixie.
2. Heat the oil and add the asafoetida and put in the mixie.
3. Run the mixie till a smooth chutney is obtained.
4. Try using no water or as little as possible to make the chutney keep longer.
5. Add water as and when required.
6. Store in a clean glass bottle.

Malai Kofta

Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes: 10 koftas with gravy.
Shelf life: Best fresh.


Ingredients:

Gravy:

125 gms. cream
75 gms. khoya or paneer
150 ml. milk
50 gms. cashewnuts
3 tsp. white pepper powder.
2 1/2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. grated ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1" cinnamon
6 cloves
6 cardamoms
salt to taste
3 tbsp. ghee

Kofta:

50 gms. khoya
50 gms. paneer
5 medium potatoes
20 gms. cashewnuts
20 gms. raisins
4-5 green chillies chopped fine
1/2 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. coriander chopped
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
salt to taste

Garnish:

1 tbsp. grated cheese or paneer
1 tbsp. chopped coriander


Directions:

Koftas
Boil the potatoes, peel and smash them.
Mix together all the ingredients except raisins and cashews.
Take a ping-pong ball sized dough in hand.
Flatten. Place 2-3 cashews and raisins in the centre and shape into a ball.
Repeat for remaining dough. Keep aside.
Gravy:
Roast the cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and cloves together.
Dry grind and keep aside. Wet grind all the other ingredients, except ghee, to a paste.
Heat ghee in a skillet, add powdered spices and fry for 2-3 seconds.
Add paste and fry further for 5-7 minutes stirring well.
Add 2 cups water and simmer on low for 15 minutes.
Warm the koftas either in the oven or on the tava.
Optional: You can deep fry the koftas also.
To serve place warm koftas in a casserole.
Either pour boiling hot gravy on the koftas or pour and bake in hot oven of 5 minutes.
Garnish with grated cheese and chopped coriander.
Serve hot with naan or parathas.

Navratan Korma

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Ingredients:

2 cups peas boiled
1 large carrot chopped and boiled
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup yogurt
1/4 cup malai( Heavy Whipping cream)
3 tbsp. butter
1 small sweet lime
1 small apple
1 banana
2 slices pineapple
10-15 cashewnuts
20 raisins
2 glaced cherries for decoration
1 tbsp. coriander chopped
1 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste

Dry Masala:

1 tsp. cuminseeds
2 tsp. khuskhus (poppyseeds)
1 tsp. cardamoms
Wet Masala:
1 large onion
1/4 cup coconut shredded
3 green chillies

Directions:

1. Grind the dry and wet masalas separately.
2. Chop all the fruit fine. Heat ghee and fry cashews, drain and keep aside.
3. Add butter to ghee and heat, add the wet masala and fry for 2 minutes.
4. Add the dry masala and salt and fry 2 more minutes.
5. Add the carrots and peas, mix together curd and cream and add to gravy.
6. Allow to thicken a bit, add fruit, cashews and raisins and boil till the gravy is thick and the fat separates.
7. Garnish with grated cheese ,coriander and chopped cherries.

Serve hot with naan, roti or paratha.

Shahi Paneer

Indian Food Recipes by Jay Puri Blog

Ingredients:

250 grams- Paneer (cottge cheese)
3 tbsp – ghee or butter
1/2 cup – onion, chopped
1 tsp – Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
1 tbsp – ginger paste
1/4 cup – green chilies, chopped (2 Medium)
2 1/2 cup – Tomato, chopped or puree
2 - Cardamoms crushed
1/4 cup – yogurt
1/2 tsp – red chilli powder
1/2 tsp - garam masala
salt to taste
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. tomato ketchup (optional)
Coriander Leaves to Garnish

Method:

1. Cut Paneer into 2” long strips.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a pan; add cardamom and onion. Cook for 4 minutes.
3. Add tomatoes and green chili. Simmer and cook for 8 minutes.
4. Add yogurt and cook for 5 minutes. Put off the flame. Put 1/2 cup of water and let it cool.
5. Blend this mixture to make a smooth paste.
6. Heat 2 tbsp oil in pan; add cumin seeds, add gravy, red chili powder, garam masala, and Ketchup.
7. Boil this mixture and add milk.
8. Bring it to boil again and add paneer. Cook for another 4 minutes.
9. Garnish it with Coriander leaves. Serve Hot.

© 2009 Jay Puri Blog
Copyright

All content of this website are copyrighted. You can print a copy for cooking at home. You will need my permission to publish it on your blog/website.

Gobi Manchurian, Cauliflower cooked Indo-Chinese way

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium. cauliflower clean and broken into big florettes.
1 small bunch spring onoin finely chopped
2 tsp. ginger finely chopped
1 tsp. garlic finely chopped
1/4 cup plain flour
3 tbsp. cornflour
1/4 tsp. red chilli powder
2 red chillies, dry
3 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. milk


Directions:

1. Boil the florettes for 3-4 minutes in plenty of water, to which a tbsp. of milk has been added.
2. Drain and pat dry on a clean cloth.
3. Make thin batter out of flour and 2 tbsp.cornflour, adding 1/4 tsp. each of ginger and garlic and red chilli powder and salt
4. to taste.
5. Dip the florettes in the batter one by one and deep fry in hot oil. Keep aside.
6. In the remaining oil, add remaining ginger, garlic and crushed red chilli and fry for a minute.
7. Add the salt and spring onions.
8. Stir fry for a minute. Add 1 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil.
9. Add 1 tbsp. cornflour to 1/4 cup water and dissolve well.
10. Gradually add to the gravy and stir continuously till it resumes boiling.
11. Boil till the gravy becomes transparent. Add florettes and soya sauce.
12. Boil for two more minutes and remove.

Serve hot with noodles or rice.


Variations:

Dry manchurian can be made by omitting the gravy.
Make florettes as above and instead of adding water as above, add fried florettes, spring onions and soya ce at this stage.
Sprinkle 1 tsp. cornflour on the florettes and stirfry for 2 minutes.
Serve piping hot with toothpicks or miniforks and chilligarlic sauce or tomato sauce.
Same procedure for veg. manchurian (with gravy or dry), but instead of using only cauliflower, use finely chopped minced
vegetables and
bind with some cornflour or bread crumbs and make small lumps the size of a pingpong ball.
Fry as above and proceed as above.

Aloo Palak, Spinach cooked with Potatoes

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes for: 6
Shelf life: Best fresh

Ingredients:

3 cups chopped spinach
2 large onoins chopped fine
2 large potatoes boiled and peeled
1 tomato grated
2 green chillies
1" piece ginger
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. wheat or other flour
1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. cinnamon-clove powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 pinches asafoetida
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. ghee
salt to taste



Directions:

1. Put the washed spinach in a pan, add very little water (just a sprinkle) and a pinch of salt.
2. Cover and boil over a high flame for 2 minutes. Cool quickly, or hold under running water in a colander.
3. Put in a mixie, add green chilli and run for a minute. Keep slightly coarse, do not make very smooth.
4. Keep aside.
5. Cut the potatoes into big pieces. Heat ghee and fry potatoes till light brown.
6. Drain the potatoes, keep aside.
7. In the same hot ghee add the cumin seeds.
8. Add the ginger, onions and fry till very tender.
9. Add the tomato and further fry for two minutes.
10. Add all the dry masalas and fry till ghee separates.
11. Add spinach and potatoes.
12. When it resumes a boil sprinkle the flour and stir well. Boil for 2-3 minutes. Add lemon juice
13. Just before s erving heat butter in a tiny saucepan and add the asafoetida.
14. Pour over the vegetable and mix gently.

Serve hot with naan or parathas or even rice.

Note: You may use boiled peas, boiled corn kernels or paneer chunks in the above dish, instead of potatoes.

Paneer Pudina Tikka

Ingredients

350 gms paneer (cottage cheese)

½ cup Pudina (Mint) Leaves, chopped

100 ml Yogurt

1tsp Ginger Paste

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp asafetida (Hing)

½ tsp lemon juice

1 tsp vinegar

Oil for basting

Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Cut Paneer into 1/2" cubes.
   
2. To marinate paneer, in a bowl add paneer cubes, vinegar, black pepper and little salt. Cover it and marinate it for 30 minutes.
   
3. To make Pudina marinate sauce, in a blender add Mint leaves , ginger paste, lemon juice, cumin powder, salt, red chili, garam masala and little water. Blend it to make fine paste.
   
4. Remove extra water from yogurt with help of muslin cloth (Cheese Cloth).
   
5. To this yogurt add red chili powder, asafetida, and mint paste. Mix well.
   
6. Remove paneer from vinegar marinate and add them to yogurt. Remove extra moisture before adding paneer to yogurt. Rub this mixture all over paneer.
   
7. Marinate for an hour.
   
8. Preheat oven at 450 degree.
   
9. You can use a baking tray to cook paneer or use a skewer.
   
10. Baste with oil. Cook both sides for 4 minutes.
    

Serve Hot.

Weight Loss Plan for Vegetarians

Becoming a vegetarian doesn't automatically mean that you'll lose weight. Big helpings of high-fat protein sources (think cheese and peanut butter) can actually cause vegetarians to gain weight. The solution? Follow our healthy Vegetarian Weight Loss Plan, and you'll not only lose weight, you'll boost your overall health at the same time.

We've divided up meal ideas into three basic categories: On the Run, Family Friendly and Cheap and Easy. Stick with one theme or mix and match these meals to suit your lifestyle. For example, you may choose an On the Run breakfast while you're driving to work, grab a Cheap and Easy lunch, and then prepare a Family Friendly dinner. Add snacks between meals if you're hungry or need more energy to keep up with your exercise routine. Breakfasts have 350 to 450 calories, lunches and dinners have 400 to 500 calories, and snacks have 100 to 200 calories.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Plan Secrets & Suggestions

• Vegetarian protein sources include nuts, seeds, legumes (dried beans and peas such as lentils, black beans and garbanzo beans) and soy products such as tofu or tempeh. "Semi-vegetarians" may include fish and eggs in their food choices as well.
• If you don't use dairy products, choose soy-based alternates for milk, cheese and yogurt. Make sure these products are fortified with calcium, Vitamin D and riboflavin for optimum health.
• Be wary of high-fat foods such as cheeses, butter, salad dressing and fried foods.
• Drink water as your primary between-meal beverage.
• Choose Whole Grains as much as possible to keep hunger at bay.
• Keep a written record of everything you eat and drink to get a better handle on your total food consumption, and identify where you want to make changes.
• Plan ahead for meals and snacks so you know exactly what you plan to eat. Last minute choices tend to be higher in calories and lower in satisfaction.
• Resist the urge to snack on fried chips, snack crackers and candy. Not only do they add unwanted calories, they don't provide any nutritional bonus either!
• Take a daily multivitamin-mineral supplement to fill in any nutritional gaps.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Breakfast Ideas

On the Run:

1/2 small bagel with 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 banana, 1 cup soymilk

Breakfast sandwich with egg (or cheese if you don't eat eggs), 1 cup orange juice

2 small slices leftover cheese pizza, 1 orange

Family Friendly:

1 cup oatmeal sprinkled with 2 tablespoons raisins, 1/2 sliced banana, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds and 1 teaspoon brown sugar

2 whole-grain pancakes topped with 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 cup mixed berries and 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 cup soymilk

Tofu scramblers (or scrambled eggs if you eat eggs) wrapped in a tortilla, 1/2 cup grapes

Cheap and Easy:

2 slices multigrain toast spread with 2 tablespoons nut butter, 1/2 grapefruit

Soy smoothie: Blend 1 cup soymilk with 1/2 cup fresh fruit; 2 slice whole grain toast with 1 tablespoon peanut butter

1 cup cold cereal (choose one with at least 5 grams of fiber and less than 8 grams sugar) with 1 cup soymilk and 1 sliced banana

Vegetarian Weight Loss Lunch Ideas

On the Run:

Soft bean taco, 1 cup tossed salad with fat-free dressing

Veggie burger on a whole grain bun topped with lettuce and tomato, 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Vegetarian frozen meal (choose one with around 300 calories), 1 cup grapes

Family Friendly:

1 whole wheat pita stuffed with 1/2 cup falafel, 1 cup cucumber salad (you can leave out the cheese if you desire), 1 cup soymilk

1 cup squash soup, using vegetable broth in place of chicken broth and silken tofu in place of cream), 1 cup sliced tomatoes and cucumbers drizzled with 1 teaspoon low-fat vinaigrette dressing, 1 cup waldorf salad

2 slices whole-grain bread spread with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 tablespoon jelly, 1 cup yogurt (or soy yogurt) mixed with 1/2 cup applesauce

Cheap and Easy:

Whole wheat pita bread spread with 1/4 cup hummus, 1 cup celery and carrot sticks, 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Tortilla spread with 1/2 cup vegetarian refried beans and 1/2 cup chopped vegetables (try a combination of tomatoes, onions, and green and red peppers), 1 cup yogurt (or soy yogurt) mixed with 1/2 cup chopped apple

1 cup meatless chili, 1 piece cornbread with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1/2 cup fruit cocktail.

Vegetarian Weight Loss Dinner Ideas

On the Run:

Grocery Store take-out: 2 large stuffed shells (stuffed with cheese and veggies), 1 cup tossed salad with 1 tablespoon fat-free dressing, 1/2 cup fruit salad, 1 cup soymilk

Chinese take-out: 3/4 cup fried rice with 1/2 cup tofu (or shrimp if you are a semi-vegetarian) and 1 cup mixed Asian vegetables, 1 fortune cookie

2 soy dogs with 1/2 cup vegetarian baked beans, 6 baby carrots with 2 tablespoons low-fat dressing for "dip," 1 orange, 1 cup soymilk

Family Friendly:

Tofu Cacciatore, 1 cup tossed salad

Medium baked potato topped with 1/2 cup seasoned legumes (choose your favorite legume, for example kidney beans seasoned with chili powder and cumin, or garbanzo beans seasoned with garlic and onion, or curried lentils) and 1 tablespoon low-fat soy-cheese, 1/2 cup steamed broccoli with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1 baked apple (bake the apples and the potatoes at the same time!) stuffed with 1 tablespoon raisins, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar

Vegetarian kabobs made with marinated tempeh and veggies (try this super recipe), 1 whole grain roll with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 1 slice angel food cake topped with 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 cup soymilk

Cheap and Easy:

1 1/2 cups lentil soup, 1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 teaspoon tub margarine, 6 baby carrots, 1/2 cup peaches, 1 cup soymilk

1 cup beans and rice (season kidney beans with cumin and chili powder; mix with brown rice), 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, 1 cup grapes

1 cup frozen stir-fry vegetables mixed with 1/2 cup firm tofu chunks and 3/4 cup brown rice, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks

Vegetarian Weight Loss Snack Ideas

On the Run:

• Homemade carrot muffin (bake on weekend and freeze for weekday use)
  
• 1 apple and 1 ounce soy cheese
  
• 1/2 bagel with 2 tablespoons hummus
  
• Trail mix with 2 tablespoons mixed nuts, 2 tablespoons dried fruit, 1/2 cup dry cereal

Family Friendly:

• 1 cup fresh fruit chunks dipped in 1/2 cup flavored yogurt
  
• 1/2 cup oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon, 1/2 banana and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  
• 2 rice cakes spread with 1 tablespoon almond butter and 1 tablespoon raisins
  
• 1/2 whole-grain English muffin topped with 1 ounce soy cheese

Cheap and Easy:

• 3 cups popcorn sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or soy cheese
  
• Frozen juice Popsicle
  
• 2 celery stalks stuffed with 2 tablespoons peanut butter
  
• 1 small tortilla sprinkled with 2 tablespoons grated soy cheese; microwave to melt the cheese and warm the tortilla

Source:
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/diet-fitness/vegetarian-weight-loss-plan.html&ampcpsextcurrchannel=1

Healthy Hara Bhara Kebabs

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons chana dal (split bengal gram)
12 mm. (1/2") piece ginger
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 cup spinach (palak), blanched, drained and roughly chopped
1/4 cup green peas, boiled
1/4 cup low fat paneer, grated
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
salt to taste
other ingredients
3 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs
1 teaspoon oil for cooking


Directions:

Pressure cook the chana dal, ginger, garlic and green chillies with ¾ cup of water for
2 to 3 whistles or until the dal is cooked. Drain out and discard any excess water.
Combine the spinach, green peas and cooked dal mixture and blend to a coarse
paste without using any water.
Add the paneer, chaat masala and garam masala and mix well.
Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape them into flat kebabs.
Roll the kebabs in the bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and cook the kebabs on both sides till they are golden
brown in colour.
Serve hot.

Healthy Celery Garlic Toasts, Indian Food Recipes by Jay Puri

Ingredients:

4 Slices of whole wheat bread
1/4 cup celery, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic
salt to taste


Directions:

1. Grind Celery and cloves to make a fine paste. Add salt to your taste.
2. Apply this paste to all 4 slices equally.
   
3. Preheat oven at 360 F and cook the bread for 10 to 12 minutes, till the get slightly brown.
4. Cut the slices on angle to make two triangle slices. Your Healthy Garlic Toast are ready.
   

Serve Hot.

© 2009 Jay Puri Blog
Copyright

All content of this website are copyrighted. You can print one copy for cooking at home. You will need my persmission to publish it on your blog/website.

Healthy Varagu and Matki Pulao

Ingredients:

1/2 cup varagu (kodri)
1/2 cup matki (moath beans) sprouts
1/2 teaspoon cumin (jeera) powder
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
2 cloves (laung)
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1/2 cup french beans, chopped
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
1 teaspoon oil
salt to taste


Directions:

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the cumin seeds.
When they crackle, add the asafoetida, cloves and bay leaf and stir for a few seconds.
Add the onions, carrots, french beans and salt and sauté them for 4 to 5 minutes.
Add the varagu and matki sprouts along with the turmeric powder, chilli powder and
coriander powder and mix well.
Add approx. 2 1/2 cups of water, cover and cook over a medium flame till the varagu
and matki are cooked.
Serve hot with low fat curds or jamun raita.

Healthy Chola Dal Dhoklas

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chola dal (split black eyed beans), soaked overnight
1/2 cup spinach (palak), chopped
1/2 cup fenugreek (methi) leaves, chopped
2 teaspoons green chilli-ginger paste
1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon fruit salt
salt to taste
other ingredients
1/2 teaspoon oil for greasing


Directions:

Wash and drain the dal and place it in a blender.
Add the spinach, fenugreek leaves and green chilli-ginger paste and grind to a
paste, adding a little water if required.
Add the asafoetida and salt and mix well.
Grease a 150 mm. (6") diameter dhokla plate and keep aside.
Add the fruit salt, sprinkle a little water over and mix gently.
Pour into the greased thali and steam for 8 to 10 minutes or till a skewer inserted
comes out clean.
Serve hot, with Low Calorie Green Chutney.

Healthy Quick Soya Dosas

Ingredients:

3/4 cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
1/4 cup urad dal (split black lentils) flour
1/4 cup soya flour
1 teaspoon fruit salt
salt to taste
Other ingredients
1 teaspoon oil for cooking


Directions:

Mix together the rice flour, urad dal flour, soya flour and salt with approx. 1 cup of
water to make a thin batter.
Keep aside for 30 minutes.
When ready to make the dosas, sprinkle the fruit salt on the batter and mix gently.
Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil.
When hot, pour one quarter of the batter on the pan and spread it using a circular
motion to make a thin dosa and cook on one side and pour a little oil along the
edges while cooking. When crispy, fold over.
Repeat with the remaining batter to make 3 more dosas.
Serve hot with low calorie green chutney.

Healthy Mint and Masoor Tikkis

Ingredients:

1/4 cup whole masoor (whole red lentils)
1/4 cup mint, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ginger-green chilli paste
2 teaspoons whole wheat bread crumbs
2 tablespoons low fat paneer, grated
salt to taste
Other Ingredients
1 teaspoon oil for cooking


Directions:

Clean, wash and soak the masoor overnight. Drain.
Combine the masoor with 2 cups of water and pressure cook till the masoor is soft
and slightly overcooked, but not mashed.
Drain the masoor and discard any excess water. Coarsely pound the masoor in a
mortar and pestle.
Combine the masoor paste with the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Shape each portion into an even sized
round and flatten the rounds to make tikkis.
Heat a non-stick pan and cook each tikki over a high flame using a little oil until both
sides are golden brown in colour.
Serve hot.

Healthy Fruity Chana Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chick peas (approx. 1/2 cup raw chick peas)
1/2 cup cucumber, sliced
1/2 cup orange segments, peeled
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1/2 cup lettuce, torn
1/2 cup tomato, sliced
1 tablespoons chopped coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


Directions:

Combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper and chill.
Just before serving, add salt and pepper and mix well.
Serve chilled.

How to Make Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese)

Paneer is a type of cheese indigenous to the Indian subcontinent that is called for in many Indian recipes. It is easy to make and since it does not require the use of rennet, it's completely vegetarian. To make it yourself, all you need is milk, an acid (like lemon or lime juice) and these instructions.


Steps:

1.Bring the milk to a temperature just below the boil then turn off the heat.

2. Add lemon juice, 5 ml (one teaspoon) at a time and keep stirring the milk after each addition, until the milk separates; the solid curds will separate from the green watery whey.

3. Allow the curds and whey to cool for a half hour (or until still warm, but at a temperature you can handle), then strain through cheese cloth in a strainer. You may wish to save some or all of the whey; it can be used to make your next batch of paneer, producing a slightly more tender cheese than lemon juice. Rinse the curds with fresh water.

4. Wrap the cheese cloth on itself in order to squeeze out moisture from the curds. The more you squeeze, the firmer the resulting paneer.

5. Shape the paneer, still in the cheese cloth, into a block, wrapping it tightly with the cloth. By putting a cutting board or something heavy and flat on top of the paneer, you can force out more moisture, and make it into a firmer block, suitable for slicing and frying. To get a more rectangular shape, tie a knot and place the cheese cloth bundle in a box without closing it. Place something heavy like a pile of books or a brick on the cheese cloth to press down and give the cheese the box's shape. The longer you press the cheese, the firmer it gets. Not all Indian dishes requires cheese to be made into solid blocks. Stuffed Paneer Naans for example require cheese to be loose.

6.Soak the block of Chees in chilled water for 2-3 hours This is optional, as the intention is to improve appearance and texture.

7. Use as directed in your recipe.

Source: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Paneer-(Indian-Cheese)

10 Reasons to Stop Eating Beef (and other Fast Food)

by Jonathan Campbell

Beef-eating is portrayed in the U.S. almost as a patriotic endeavor. Our favorite sports heroes - from Michael Jordan to Drew Bledsoe - are featured in McDonalds ads and toys. We are literally bombarded with ads for McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy's. But there is something very odd about all this. There are hints (or front page headlines) telling us that there is something wrong with all this beef consumption.

In fact, a quick study of the issues surrounding beef consumption finds some very disturbing facts:

1. Beef contains significant quantities of the most toxic organic chemical known - dioxin. This chemical is toxic in the trillionths of grams. (A trillionth of a gram, called a picogram, is one million millionth of a gram. A gram is about 1/30th of an ounce.) Dioxin has been linked to cancer, endometriosis, Attention Deficit Disorder (hyperactivity in children), reproductive systems defects in children, chronic fatigue syndrome, immune system deficiency, and rare nerve and blood disorders. A single hamburger (a little less than 1/4 lb, or 100 grams) contains up to 100 picograms of dioxin. That is 300 times as much as the EPA says is "acceptable" for a daily dose for an adult! There are some scientists who say that there is no acceptable dose; they say that any dose can cause toxic effects, because dioxin is a hormone disrupting chemical which changes the functioning of our cells, against which we have no defense. The dioxin comes from microscopic particles of ash from incinerators that have settled on grass and crops eaten by the beef cattle, pigs, and chickens. All farm animals are affected - even herds grown on "all-natural" feed. See dioxin.

2. The huge amount of beef that we consume, in combination with the usual side-orders of other fatty foods (such as french fries) and caffeine and refined sugars (cola beverages) appears to be one of the major causes of obesity in the U.S. and Europe. Beef is "dumped" into our schools by the beef industry and the USDA - beef producers are paid by the government for "surplus" beef (the vast amount they cannot sell) which is subsequently "donated" to school lunch programs, helping our children to get hooked on this unhealthy food.

3. Beef production is the major cause of the destruction of the world's rainforests. The high price of beef encourages ranchers to burn the forest to create new rangelands. The fragile, thin rainforest soil cover is quickly destroyed by grazing in 1-2 years, and the ranchers move on to burn another area, in a never-ending cycle of destruction. Thousands of species of plants and animals have already been destroyed forever, as well as straining the earth's ability to convert carbon dioxide into oxygen. At current rates, the rainforests will be totally destroyed in 30-50 years.

4. Beef production is the major cause of "desertification" around the world - the rapid degradation of marginal, low-rainfall soil areas into desert. The constant pounding of the hoofs of cattle disturbs and eventually destroys the delicate root systems which keep the topsoil layer intact. Erosion by winds or storms removes the topsoil, leaving the sand or clay subsoil layer behind.

5. Beef production is a serious social justice issue. Beef cattle and their grazing land take up nearly a quarter of the land mass of the earth, to supply beef to the U.S., Europe, and Japan. About one third of the world's grain harvest is used for feed for cattle instead of food for people. In the U.S., that figure is over 70 percent. It takes 16 pounds of grain to produce a single pound of beef. This, in a world where nearly a billion people lack enough food, is unjust. Beef production for the developed parts of the world is severely limiting the amount of food available for people in the poor and developing world.

6. Beef can harbor a deadly new germ, called e. coli O157:H7. This new germ is now a major cause of serious food poisoning. Beef and dairy cattle can carry the germ with no apparent adverse health effects. The germ, found in cattle feces, has contaminated beef and produce grown with cow manure. So far it has killed dozens of people and sickened thousands. In August, 1997, 25 million pounds of beef were recalled, the largest food recall in the world's history, because of O157:H7 contamination of beef destined to Burger King restaurants. The precautions against the germ - including cooking to 160º F (71º C) - reveals a disgusting side of beef production - there is no way to prevent fecal contamination during slaughter. See O157:H7.

7. The consumption of beef and fast food "restaurants" that promote it have created a new, super-exploitative work environment. High school students and people in poverty have learned an old social order - the sweatshop. The frenetic pace of a McDonalds or Burger King at lunch or dinner time is easily a match for the non-unionized factories and garment shops of the '20s in the U.S. (or most developing countries today). But this is the modern U.S. sweatshop, where we are all members of a "team" working for the common good - minimum wages and windfall profits.

8. Beef consumption has created a self-perpetuating and rapidly-expanding distortion of local economies all over the world. As more McDonalds "restaurants" are established and beef consumption rises, more arable land is consumed for grazing and cattle feed. In developing countries, the local economy changes from one based on local food markets and trade to one based on beef exports, enriching a few wealthy landowners and merchants and impoverishing the rest.

9. The "fast-food" industry giants that promote beef - McDonalds, Burger King, and Wendy's - have created and encouraged an artificial, plastic, uniform, standard "restaurant" environment that, because of their powerful advertising media, discourages diversity and local and ethnic culture in restaurants and in food choices. Beef - served as hamburgers - has been the driving force for this shift in how we view food and eating in the U. S.

10. The beef "fast-food" industry, notably McDonalds and Burger King, especially targets children in its marketing. As a result, millions of children (and in many cases, their parents) associate eating at those "restaurants" as a fun, positive, healthful eating experience. Obesity and other afflictions associated with excess animal fat intake and sedentary lifestyle are now affecting young adults and children in increasing numbers.

Sources: 1994 EPA Dioxin Reassessment, Dying From Dioxin by Lois Gibbs, Beyond Beef by Jeremy Rifkin, fact sheets from the McLibel case (Great Britain), Diet For A Small Planet by Francis Moore Lappe, Mother Jones magazine.

Source:

http://www.cqs.com/beef.htm

Healthy Apple Rabadi

Indian Food Recipes by Jay Puri Blog.

Ingredients:

3 cups -- low fat milk (1%)
1 cup -- Red Apple, Grated
a pinch -- Nutmeg powder
1/4 tsp -- cardamom (elaichi) powder
2 Packets -- Sugar substitute ( Equal or Sweetnlow)


Directions:

1. Boil milk and simmer it for 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add grated apple, nutmeg powder, and cardamom powder.
3. Simmer for another 6-7 minutes.
4. Put off the flame and cool it off.
   
5. Add sugar substitute. Stir and mix it well.
6. Put it in refrigerator and cool it for 4-5 hours.

Serve Chilled.

© 2009 Jay Puri Blog
Copyright

All content of this website are copyrighted. You can print a copy for cooking at home. You will need my permission to publish it on your blog/website.

Healthy Nutritious Upma

Ingredients:

1/2 cup broken wheat or wheat germ
1/2 cup broken jowar (pearl millet)
1 tbsp. toasted white rolled oats
4-5 cashew nuts, broken
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 lemon juice extracted and strained
1/2 tsp. each mustard & cumin seeds
2 pinches asafetida powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tbsp. oil


Directions:

1. Dry roast both wheat germ and jowar, in a heavy pan, for two minutes.
2. Allow to cool, Pressure cook roasted wheat and jowar together in 2 cups water.
3. Approx. 2 whistles are required to cook the broken granules.
4. Remove and allow to cool, keep aside. Heat oil in a pan, add seeds, curry leaves,
5. chillies, allow to splutter.
6. Add onions, tomatoes, stir fry for two minutes. Add rolled oats, strained pressure
7. cooked mixture.
8. Add turmeric, salt, lemon juice, coriander. Cover and cook on low, till is fluffy, and
9. excess moisture evaporates.

Serve hot with a cold iced tea or as a hot snack by itself.

Note: For those who prefer bland dishes, just omit the chillies, and proceed. It turns
out equally tasty, even without the chillies.

Healthy Oat - Puffed Wheat Bhel

Ingredients:

1 cup puffed wheat
1/2 cup toasted rolled oats
1 tbsp. cornflakes
1 onion finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 small cucumber finely chopped
1 small boiled potato finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp. green all-purpose chutney (refer recipe)
1 tbsp. sweet tamarind chutney (refer recipe)
1 small green chilli very finely chopped (optional)
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
salt to taste


Directions:

Put all chopped vegetables, and chilli into a large bowl.
Add half coriander leaves, chutneys, salt, lemon juice.
Toss well to blend ingredients.
Just before serving, add puffed wheat and oats
Mix well, transfer into individual serving bowls.
Garnish with crushed cornflakes and remaining coriander.

Healthy Wheat Flakes-Oat Firni

Ingredients:

1/2 cup wheat flakes
1/2 cup rolled white oats
1 litre milk
2 tbsp. rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp. chopped almonds
2-3 drops vanilla essence
for garnish:
few wheat flakes
few almonds slivers
few rose petals


Directions:

1. Dissolve rice flour in 1 cup milk, keep aside.
2. Put remaining milk to heat, bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for 8-10 minutes, add sugar, boil till dissolved.
4. Gradually add rice flour mixture, while stirring continuously.
5. Bring back to a boil, simmer for 5-7 minutes, or till thick.
6. Cool to room temperature, stir in vanilla essence.
7. Add wheat flakes, oats and almonds, stirring gently.
8. Pour into individual bowls, refrigerate till set well.
9. This should take about 3-4 hours.

Serve chilled topped with a few wheat flakes and almonds.

Healthy Stem Soup

Ingredients:

8-10 stems of spinach leaves
4-5 tender stalks of the leaves just below cauliflower
2-3 stems of coriander leaves
1 small sprig spring onion
1 stalk of celery
1/2" ginger peeled and crushed
1 clovette garlic crushed
1 tbsp. cornflour
1/4 dried red chilli crushed
1/2 tsp. sugar
salt to taste
pepper as per taste
1/2 tsp. oil or butter
2 1/2 cups water.


Directions:

1. Clean any fibrous threads from the stems.
2. Chop the vegetables into thin slanted slivers.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger garlic.
4. Saute for a minute. Add vegetables.
5. Stir fry till tender. Add water and bring to a boil.
6. Mix cornflour in 1/2 cup cold water.
7. Add to soup, stirring continuously till it comes back to a boil.
8. Add the chilli, sugar, salt, pepper and boil till thickened like corn soup

Serve fresh and piping hot.

Healthy Moong Bhel

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled, drained moong (cooked till soft, but not mushy)
or 2 cups slightly boiled, drained moong sprouts
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1 slice raw mango finely chopped (optional)
1 small potato, boiled, peeled & finely chopped
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 carrot grated
1 tsp. tamarind chutney
1/2 tsp. green chutney or 1 small green chilli finely chopped
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
4-5 pinches dried mint powder (optional)
salt to taste
lemon juice to taste
1/4 cup fine sev (that used for bhel)
1 tbsp. cornflakes, meusli, or other cereal


Directions:

Make sure sprouts or moong is boiled till soft, but not at all mushy.
Chill moong in refrigerator till required.
Mix all ingredients, except coriander, sev and cornflakes.
Stir to mix well, and check for taste.
Just before serving, add in coriander, cornflakes and sev.
Serve while the cereal and sev are still crunchy.

Healthy Moong - Muesli Raita

Ingredients:

2 cup fresh curds
1/4 cup cream or 2 tbsp skimmed milk
1/2 cup boiled moong (green gram)
1 cup muesli
1 sprig mint leaves
1 tbsp. coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tiny flake garlic
1 small green chilli
1 tsp. sugar powdered
1/4 tsp. cumin powder


Directions:

Tie and hang curds in a muslin cloth for 15 minutes.
Empty into a deep vessel.
Beat with an electric hand beater till smooth.
In a small mixie, crush mint, chilli, garlic, coarsely.
Add cream, beat for a short spurt.
Add to beaten curds.
Add boiled moong, salt, sugar, cumin mix well.
Transfer to a glass serving bowl.
Refrigerate for 2 hours or till well chilled.
Just before serving, add muesli, gently mix.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve immediately.

Healthy Masala Murmure

Ingredients:

4 cups puffed rice (murmure)
1/2tsp. oil
1/5 tsp. turmeric powder
2-3 pinches asafetida powder
2 green chillies chopped
1 stalk curry leaves
salt to taste
1 pinch citric acid powdered


Directions:

Heat oil in a pan, large enough to contain murmure.
Add chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, asafetida, stir.
Add murmure, sprinkle, citric acid, stir very well from below.
Take off fire, if required, to avoid burning at the bottom.
Toss very well till flavours blend and murmure cool.
Cool completely before storing in airtight container.
Serve as an anytime snack, or even as munchy in transit.

Healthy Wheat Flour Au Gratin

Ingredients:


4 cups milk
1/2cup wheat flour
1 tbsp. grated paneer (cottage cheese)
2 cups mixed vegetables (chopped, boiled)
1 onion finely chopped
1/2" piece ginger grated
1 green chilli finely chopped
salt to taste
pepper to taste


Directions:

1. Put wheat flour in a dry pan, put to heat. Stir continuously, till aroma exudes.
2. Do not brown flour, empty and keep aside to cool.
3. Add chopped onion to same pan, stir and cook till transparent.
4. Add ginger, chillies, stir. Add 3 cups milk, bring to a boil.
5. Mix flour in remaining milk, till smooth without lumps.
6. Add veggies to boiling milk, stir. Add salt, pepper, floured milk.
7. Stir continuously till boiling resumes.
8. Simmer till thick, stirring continuously.
9. Adjust taste with salt and pepper. When thick pour into a shallow casserole or
10. baking dish.
11. Sprinkle cheese, allow to cool completely.
12. Bake in preheated oven at 400 for 15 minutes.

Serve hot with wheat bread toasts, or rye bread chunks.

Healthy Zucchini Stir Fry

Ingredients:

3 zucchini, peeled sliced diagonally
1 green chilli finely chopped
1 flake garlic finely crushed
1/2" piece ginger grated
1 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
1 stalk curry leaves
2-3 pinches asafetida powder
2 pinches turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. wheat flour
1/4 tsp. each cumin & mustard seeds
Salt to taste


Directions:

1. Heat a nonstick or heavy pan.
2. Add seeds, allow to splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, ginger, garlic, chillies, stir.
4. Add asafetida, turmeric, zucchini.
5. Stir fry till zucchini is well mixed.
6. Sprinkle a tsp. of water, cover and simmer till cooked.
7. Sprinkle very little water in between if required.
8. Add salt , wheat flour, stir, and cook further one minute, uncovered.
9. Transfer to serving dish, garnish with chopped coriander.

Serve hot with steamed rice, roti, or as desired.

Juicing for health. Why we need to drink Vegetable Juice ? Part II

One important note about the TASTE of vegetable juice

One major objection people raise when talking about vegetable juicing is the TASTE. They can't stand it. I try to get my 9-year old son to drink "green juice", which is a challenge, and so I have to get creative... THERE IS A SOLUTION: I highly recommend you use a few seedless grapes in your vegetable juice. It's a fantastic way to improve the taste of your juice. Adding 2-3 apples also works well.

You can get more ideas for juicing on the juicing recipes page. There are also many juicing books which can help you put together a solid juicing program.

You must rotate the vegetables you are using in your vegetable juicing program!

It is very important to not have the same vegetables every day. the chances are quite high that if you keep juicing the same vegetables for any significant length of time you will become allergic to them. Variety is king.

Cleaning up your juicer is important

It's important to clean your juicer immediately after you juice to prevent it from contaminating the juicer with mold growth. I like to regularly clean my juicer by dropping a few drops of bleach in my juicer, running it for a minute and then rinsing it thoroughly.

Because vegetable juice has virtually no fat and no protein in it, it's a good idea to balance the meal by adding some essential oils when you juice as well as some protein supplement to make the meal more balanced.

Adding essential oils to your vegetable juice

There are 4 basic supplements you could use:

* Fish Oil (EPA/DHA) (source of omega 3 fatty acids)
* Flaxseed oil (source of omega 3 fatty acids)
* Cod Liver Oil (has vitamin D and vitamin A in addition to the EPA/DHA of fish oil.)
* Evening Primrose Oil (source of omega 6 fatty acids)

Juicing as a way of fasting

Consuming nothing but fresh, diluted juices from various fruits and vegetables for a day or more is a safe and helpful form of fasting. I believe that juice fasting actually works better than a straight water fast, because it helps to eliminate wastes, old or dead cells while building new tissues with the easily accessible nutrients from the juices. The more drastic water fast is more intense, often resulting in more sickness and less energy, than fasting with fruit and vegetable juices. Paavo Airola, one of the pioneers of fasting in America, states in his book "How to Get Well" that "systematic undereating and periodic fasting are the two most important health and longevity factors."

When juicing, always make sure to use clean filtered water as you do not want chlorine to be a part of your diet.

There is an unfortunate tendency in the U.S., and in U.S. doctors, to look for health in drugs and medications, instead of natural methods which support the body and PREVENT disease, such as juicing. Of course pharmaceutical companies don't make any money by telling you to eat your greens.

Source: http://www.healingdaily.com/juicing-for-health.htm

Green Leafy Vegetables - Nutritional Powerhouses

A nutrition professor once told me that it was common for our ancient ancestors to eat up to six pounds of leaves per day. He imagined them walking along from one place to another, just picking and eating leaves as they went. Can you imagine eating a grocery bag full of greens each and every day? Few of us even eat the minimum USDA recommendations of 3 cups of dark green vegetables per week. And yet, these veggies deliver a bonanza of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.

Health Benefits

Dark green leafy vegetables are, calorie for calorie, perhaps the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. They also provide a variety of phytonutrients including beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin, which protect our cells from damage and our eyes from age-related problems, among many other effects. Dark green leaves even contain small amounts of Omega-3 fats.

Perhaps the star of these nutrients is Vitamin K. A cup of most cooked greens provides at least nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K, and even a couple of cups of dark salad greens usually provide the minimum all on their own. Recent research has provided evidence that this vitamin may be even more important than we once thought (the current minimum may not be optimal), and many people do not get enough of it.

Vitamin K:

* Regulates blood clotting
* Helps protect bones from osteoporosis
* May help prevent and possibly even reduce atherosclerosis by reducing calcium in arterial plaques
* May be a key regulator of inflammation, and may help protect us from inflammatory diseases including arthitis
* May help prevent diabetes

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin, so make sure to put dressing on your salad, or cook your greens with oil.
Almost Carb-Free
Greens have very little carbohydrate in them, and the carbs that are there are packed in layers of fiber, which make them very slow to digest. That is why, in general, greens have very little impact on blood glucose. In some systems greens are even treated as a "freebie" carb-wise (meaning the carbohydrate doesn't have to be counted at all).

Note on oxalates: Some greens contain substances called oxalates which may bind some percentage of the calcium in the greens. More information on oxalates from the World's Healthiest Foods

Source: http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/od/lowcarbsuperfoods/a/greensnutrition.htm

Juicing for health. Why we need to drink Vegetable Juice ? Part I

Vegetable juicing is critical to good health because it is an important source of raw food. Each of us needs raw foods every day, and juicing is an excellent way to make certain you receive large quantities of such raw foods.

Fruit juicing is certainly good for you, but it has one disadvantage over vegetable juicing: fruit juice tends to increase insulin levels when consumed.

Vegetable juice does not raise insulin levels like fruit juice. The only exception to this would be carrot or beet juice which function similarly to fruit juice. Nevertheless, fruit juicing is certainly better for you and your children than drinking soda, which is a very bad idea.

Why should I juice vegetables rather than eat them whole?

Many of us have relatively compromised intestines as a result of poor food choices over many years. This limits our bodies' ability to absorb all the nutrients from the vegetables and juicing tends to facilitate this absortion.

Also, vegetable juicing allows you to eat more of the vegetables than you normally would otherwise. By incorporating the juice into your healing diet, you will easily be able to reach the roughly 1 pound of raw vegetables per 50 pounds of body weight that is generally recommended we should eat every day.

What do I do with the leftover pulp when vegetable juicing?

Ideally it would be best to mix the pulp in with the juice and eat it, since it is high in fiber. The fiber helps to move the bowels rapidly and also serves as fertilizer for the good bacteria present in the colon.

Can I make my vegetable juice in the morning and drink it later in the day?

Although this is much better than not drinking vegetable juice at all, juice is best drank freshly juiced. Vegetable juice is one of the most perishable foods there is and ideally it would be best to drink all of your juice immediately. However, if you are careful you can store your vegetable juice for up to 24 hours with only a moderate nutritional decline.

You can do this by putting the vegetable juice in a glass jar with an airtight lid and filling it to the very top. There should be as little air in the jar as possible because it is the OXYGEN in air that will "oxidize" and damage the juice. Think of a cut apple turning brown when exposed to air.

It's a good idea to use an opaque container to block out all light which would also damage the juice and then store it in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes prior to drinking since ideally the juice should be consumed at room temperature.

What type of vegetables should I juice?

Celery + fennel + cucumbers is a good combination that is easily tolerated by those just starting out with juicing.

Unfortunately these are not as beneficial as the more intense dark green vegetables. Once you get used to these though you can start adding the better, but perhaps less palatable ones in.

Green LEAFY vegetables are the best to use in your vegetable juicing program. All green leafy vegetables work well. The easiest ones to use include all the lettuces including, but not restricted to:

Red leaf lettuce
Green Leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Escarole lettuce

You can then put in some of the other similar green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale and cabbage.

Cabbage juice is one of the most healing juices when it comes to repairing an ulcer as it is a huge source of vitamin U. Herbs also make wonderful combinations. Parsley and cilantro are great in vegetable juice. (My favorite source for organic cilantro in 1 pound bag).

Source: http://www.healingdaily.com/juicing-for-health.htm

Olive oil's health benefits

The greatest exponent of monounsaturated fat is olive oil, and it is a prime component of the Mediterranean Diet. Olive oil is a natural juice which preserves the taste, aroma, vitamins and properties of the olive fruit. Olive oil is the only vegetable oil that can be consumed as it is - freshly pressed from the fruit.

The beneficial health effects of olive oil are due to both its high content of monounsaturated fatty acids and its high content of antioxidative substances. Studies have shown that olive oil offers protection against heart disease by controlling LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels while raising HDL (the "good" cholesterol) levels. (1-3) No other naturally produced oil has as large an amount of monounsaturated as olive oil -mainly oleic acid.

Olive oil is very well tolerated by the stomach. In fact, olive oil's protective function has a beneficial effect on ulcers and gastritis. Olive oil activates the secretion of bile and pancreatic hormones much more naturally than prescribed drugs. Consequently, it lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Olive oil and heart disease

Studies have shown that people who consumed 25 milliliters (mL) - about 2 tablespoons - of virgin olive oil daily for 1 week showed less oxidation of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of antioxidant compounds, particularly phenols, in the blood.(4)

ut while all types of olive oil are sources of monounsaturated fat, EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.

Olive oil is clearly one of the good oils, one of the healing fats. Most people do quite well with it since it does not upset the critical omega 6 to omega 3 ratio and most of the fatty acids in olive oil are actually an omega-9 oil which is monounsaturated.

Olive oil and colon cancer

Spanish researchers suggest that including olive oil in your diet may also offer benefits in terms of colon cancer prevention (5). Their study results showed that rats fed diet supplemented with olive oil had a lower risk of colon cancer than those fed safflower oil-supplemented diets. In fact, the rats that received olive oil had colon cancer rates almost as low as those fed fish oil, which several studies have already linked to a reduction in colon cancer risk.

Types of olive oil

Generally, olive oil is extracted by pressing or crushing olives. Olive oil comes in different varieties, depending on the amount of processing involved. Varieties include:

Extra virgin - considered the best, least processed, comprising the oil from the first pressing of the olives. Virgin - from the second pressing. Pure - undergoes some processing, such as filtering and refining. Extra light - undergoes considerable processing and only retains a very mild olive flavour.

When buying olive oil you will want to obtain a high quality EXTRA VIRGIN oil. The oil that comes from the first "pressing" of the olive, is extracted without using heat (a cold press) or chemicals, and has no "off" flavors is awarded "extra virgin" status. The less the olive oil is handled, the closer to its natural state, the better the oil. If the olive oil meets all the criteria, it can be designated as "extra virgin".

What is pure and light olive oil? "Pure" olive oil is made by adding a little extra virgin olive oil to refined olive oil. It is a lesser grade oil that is also labeled as just "olive oil" in the U.S.

"Light" olive oil is a marketing concept and not a classification of olive oil grades. It is completely unregulated by any certification organizations and therefore has no real precedent to what its content should be. Sometimes, the olive oil is cut with other vegetable oils.

How to care for your olive oil

Resist the temptation to place your beautiful bottle of olive oil on the windowsill. Light and heat are the #1 enemy of oil. Keep olive oil in a cool and dark place, tightly sealed. Oxygen promotes rancidity. Olive oil is like other oils and can easily go rancid when exposed to air, light or high temperatures.

You can of course buy extra virgin olive oil in any grocery store. A good source on the internet for extra virgin olive oil is here.

Olive oil versus canola oil

Do not fall into the hype which is put out by traditional medicine regarding the promotion of canola oil (rapeseed) as superior due to its concentration of monounsaturated fatty acids. Olive oil is far superior and has been around for thousands of years. Canola oil is a relatively recent development and the original crops were unfit for human consumption due to their high content of a dangerous fatty acid called euric acid.

If the taste of olive oil is a problem, or if you are frying or sautéing food, then you should consider coconut oil. Many nutritionally misinformed people would consider this unwise due to coconut oil's nearly exclusive content of saturated fat. However, this is just not the case. Because it has mostly saturated fat, it is much less dangerous to heat. The heat will not tend to cause the oil to transition into dangerous trans fatty acids.

References

1.Keys A, Menotti A, Karvonen MJ, et al.: The diet and 15-year death rate in the Seven Countries Study. Am J Epidemiol 124: 903-915 (1986)

2.Willett WC: Diet and coronary heart disease. Monographs in Epidemiology and Biostatistics 15: 341-379 (1990)

3.World Health Organization: Diet, nutrition, and the prevention of chronic diseases. Report of a WHO Study Group. WHO Technical Report Series 797, Geneva 1990

(4) European Journal of Clinical Nutrition April 2002;56:114-120

(5) Gut 2000;46:191-199.

"Olive oil's health benefits." Healingdaily. 25 Apr. 2009 .