Healthy Homemade Trail Mix

Hi Guys,  I am back again with a healthy snack for an afternoon snack  or 'Snacking On The Go'.  I know that many of us avoid fried unhealthy snack which results in overweight.  In order to have a strong metabolism and to prevent overeating,  it's very essential for us to munch on a healthy snack for every 3 to 4 hours.  But how do we do it with less preparation time but at the same time a healthy Option???  If you are at home, its very easy to prepare and have one, but what if you are  outside your home or at work.  I have this snack recipe which hardly takes time but at the same time very healthy.  So you need not carry something special for your kids when you are planning to go out and they would like to have a snack.  You need not spend time for this in your busy morning schedule. You can prepare this a night before and pack it in a Zipper bag. Now let us have a look at the recipe.

Ingredients:

Dark chocolate chips - 2 tablespoon
Walnuts chopped - 1 tablespoon
Almond chopped - 1 tablespoon
Whole grain cereal - 1/4 cup
Raisins - 2 tablespoon

Method:

Just Mix all the ingredients and pack it in a zipper bag.  For a Cereal, opt for a healthy one in the grocery store.  Whole grain or Multi grain cereal works best.

Nutrition Facts:

• Dark chocolate has a good dose of anti oxidants.
• Raisins are high in fiber.
• Whole grains are loaded with Vitamins and Minerals.
• Nuts are good source of energy and rich in dietary fiber,Vitamins and Minerals.

Store green chillies for a longer time

Place Green chillies in a plastic bag or ziploc and keep it in the freezer.This way green chillies stay fresh for a longer time.

Retain freshness of Coriander leaves

Place coriander bunch in a glass of water in the refrigerator,this will allow ur coriander leaves to stay  fresh for a longer duration.

Prevent Lady's finger or Okra from being sticky

Add  2-3 teaspoon of curd while cooking Lady's finger,it not only prevents from  being sticky but adds taste and flavor to the dish.

Games Review : Wii Sports

We bought a new Wii  games console after lot of research and analysis.  While XBox and Sony playstation PSP 2/3 offers wonderful graphics compared to Wii, they tend to have games which is mostly violent. So for those parents who wish their kids not to be exposed to violence, there are games like Wii sports and Mario etc. which are not very great in graphics part.  Also, as of today Wii is the only company that provides motion sensor where you get the feel as if you are playing the game for real.  Kids luv the motion sensing stuff.  Also it has very good games for kids.

Now coming to our review of Wii Sports.  This is a basic game that Wii provides when you buy the console.  It has 5 sports in it.  Baseball, Bowling, Boxing, Golf and Tennis.  You can create your own Mii figure and personalize. 

Baseball :  Kids in US love baseball.  This is a good game for kids that at least has some basic understanding of the game.  It gives you the basics and practice before you play actual games.  It is more fun when two of you play the game.  It requires Wii remote with motion sensor to play this game.
Bowling:  This is my personal favourite.  I am sure most of the women would luv this game.  The effects are awesome.  You get almost real feeling of being in a bowling alley.  I like the replay it shows.  It has various modes (like spin and flat)  in which you can bowl.  Kids like this game and they try out different styles.  The best thing about this is in real life kids cannot do bowling (except in kids bowling alley where parents cannot have fun)  as the ball tends to be heavy.  Here there is no such limitation and the whole family can have fun.
Boxing:  If you do not want violent stuff, you may avoid this.  This is great if you want to have a workout and burn your calories and increase your heart rate.  I would advice to not let the kids play as I am against any kind of violence exposure to kids. I do not play this much. My husband sometimes plays it.  Its good if you are boxing fan.
Golf: This is very very good.  Before we bought the game, I did not know anything about golf.  All jargon of golf used to be like latin and greek to me.  Also, I thought golf is a very dry game.  Wii Sports changed everything. It has various golf courses in which you can play.  This is a luxury you cannot afford in real life.  You don't know golf, don't worry,  it will teach you the basics.  It will teach you how to swing and adjust your stance.  You can play the full game or just three holes game.  The graphics is cool and you get a real great feeling playing this.  I have become a big fan of golf (only to play) after this.  Kids like this too.  However, some may find it too slow.
Tennis:  This is my daughters favourite.  She always wanted to play tennis but never had the chance to do so.  Wii has provided relief to her need.  This is very good and interesting.  My whole family likes it.  It lets them learns the basics of the game and also have a great time.  I am amazed by the way the opponents play as per your level.  It gets tougher and tougher as your level increases.  This is so good as it motivates the players to keep playing and at the same time not get bored as the difficulty level always increases.

Learn while you play

As parents you would have already realized that the moment you ask your kid to learn something, they would start whining and would find many excuses to skip the process.  However, when the moment you say you are going to play a game, they would jump on their feet all excited.  It is being proven that kids learn better and their assimilation levels are better when they are taught while playing.  Do you know that there are many sites that provide you the opportunity to let your kids learn while they play.  One of my favourite is star fall.    This is free service site to motivate kids to improve their phonics.  It is perfect for any kids from pre-school to second grade/class.  This works perfect for parents visiting US and who would like their kids to pick up American accent quickly.  However, this can be used by all kids alike.  It starts with letters and their exact pronunciation.  The next one is to make short words using these letters and reading.  It has short stories that the kids can read to get familiarised with the words.  The next section is 'Its Fun to Read'.  This is awesome.  This gives lot of fun things for kids.  It mixes reading with some basic science like head, eyes arms etc.  It has art gallery, magic, music, poetry, riddles and much more.  The last one is 'I am Reading'.  This is a good one too.
When we came to US from India, my daughter was visiting this site almost everyday and having lot of fun but at the same time learn from it.  I can confidently say that she quickly adapted to the accent and could easily catch due to this site. Do visit and let you kids play and learn.  The site address is http://www.starfall.com/. 

Image Courtesy: http://christmasstockimages.com/

Nature's Cure: Cold Remedy

As winter is approaching, it would be very common to see our family members catch cold. I thought of sharing this wonderful home made remedy for cold, which is very effective.  No need to think of  pharmacy for cold medicine, it is in your kitchen pantry and completely natural.  I have used only items from kitchen pantry and you need not go out to buy something special for this.  Tulsi or basil leaves plays an important role in this recipe.  As many of us know tulsi or basil leaves fights against most infections.

I know  it is not easy to grow tulsi at home for  everyone, so you can try out for dry basil leaves in the market.  For those who live in U.S, you get dry basil leaves in any grocery store.  Look out for dry basil leaves in seasoning aisle in any grocery store.  Same way you can look for dry ginger powder too.  I tried in many ways to have a natural remedy for cold as it occurs very frequently and many of us especially moms would try to avoid cold medicine (store bought) everyday to our kids.  This is the best concoction, which really work wonders. 

I believe you have all the ingredients in your kitchen pantry except basil leaves.  If you have fresh basil  leaves, that would be excellent, but even dried ones works equally good.  Lets start with our recipe.

Ingredients:

Basil(Tulsi)     - 1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric          - 1/4 teaspoon
Ginger powder  - 1/2 teaspoon
Garlic pods       - 2
Honey              - 1 tablespoon

Method :

Boil 1 cup of water, add all the above ingredients to the boiling water except honey.  Let this mixture boil until it is reduced to 1/4 of the quantity.  Now switch off the stove, strain the mixture add a tablespoon of honey and mix it thoroughly.  Leave the mixture for sometime.  Drink it when it is lukewarm.  Continue drinking this recipe for at least 5 to 7 days and you will find the difference. This could also be a good preventive medicine to take  occasionally.  Be sure to drink lot of water as hydration is important when you have cold and it helps in balancing the body heat when you take this medicine.

Health Benefits :

• Turmeric        - Anti-viral, Anti-bacterial and Anti-biotic.
• Ginger           - Expectorant, Anti-bacterial etc
• Black pepper  - Anti-bacterial and Anti-oxidant.  Effective against cold, cough and congestion.
• Garlic            - Anti-viral,  Anti-bacterial
• Basil             - Anti-inflammatory.

Healthy Nutritious Drink for your family (Specially kids) - Kanji Mix

One of the biggest challenges I face as a mom is to make sure that my daughter gets a well balanced diet, which has all the nutrients and minerals that are required for kids.  While there are many energy and health drinks now in the market, they are expensive and not natural.  Kids tend to make their eating decisions based on taste and that makes it harder to get them to eat healthy snacks which may not be tasty.
Do not worry ladies.  I have got this wonderful recipe for a natural, health and nutritious drink which can work wonders for not only your kids but for the entire family.  The biggest advantage is that  it's very easy to prepare and has long storage life.  Also, it hardly takes any time to prepare the drink in the morning and this works out great for working moms who want to prepare something nutritious to their kids but do not find time.

Ingredients 1:

Ragi  flour                                               -200gms

Bajra flour                                               -100gms

Jower flour                                              -100gms

Wheat flour                                             -100gms

Roasted gram flour(pottukadalai)               -100gms

Green Gram or Moong dal flour                  -100gms

Sago (Sabu dana) flour                             -100gms

Cashew nut powder                                  -50gms

Badam powder(Almonds)                          -50gms

Cardamom                                              - 1 teaspoon

Ingredients 2:

Milk     -1 cup

Water -1/2 cup

Method to prepare the powder:

Let us start with the powder preparation .  First switch on the stove and place a wide nonstick pan .  Measure each flour and add it to the pan.For some grains we don't get the ready made flour .  So, what I generally do is to grind it and mix to the other flour in the pan.Start adding it one by one and mix it thoroughly.  Keep the stove in a very low flame.  Do not forget to keep stirring  it for every 5 minutes. After sometime, you could smell the nice aroma of the flour(may be after 30 minutes).  It is the sign that we are done with the health mix. Switch of the stove.  Let it cool down.Once it is completely cool,  store it in an air tight container. You can plan this in the weekends or at a time where you can spend sometime in the kitchen.

Method to prepare the health drink:

Boil 1 cup of milk . Mix 2 table spoon of health mix flour in 1/2 cup of water (you can add more water, if you like your drink to be watery).  Mix it thoroughly so that there are no lumps.  Now add this mixture to the boiled milk and switch on the stove and keep stirring till it becomes slightly thick.  Switch off the stove.  Now add sugar or honey as per your taste. Kids like it tasting sweet.  You can also add salt instead of sugar or honey, if you you do not like sweet taste.  Your Healthy nutritious drink is  ready to serve.  A very good alternative to our usual breakfast.

Nutrition Facts: 

• Ragi,Bajra - Rich in Calcium and Iron .
• Jowar - Rich in Potassium and Phosphorus.
• Wheat - Rich in B Vitamins,Vitamin E and Protein.
• Roasted chickpea - Excellent source of Protein.
• Badam - Rich in Protein,Calcium and Magnesium.
• Cashews - Rich in protein and Magnesium.

Are plastic containers safe?

Now a days plastics have replaced almost everything right from metal to wooden items.  Plastics are light and durable which makes it a favourite for use.  While it is great to use plastics in many applications, is it good to use them as food  containers?  Plastic containers and bottles have been widely used in our everyday life now. Do you ever think that these plastics can contain harmful chemicals???

While many of us are not aware of BPA or bisphenol-a, this is the substance which is used in unbreakable hard plastic called poly carbonate.This is a chemical which can leak from the polycarbonate into food and liquids when you use abrasives or detergent to clean or expose them to high temperatures.  There is a big debate  until date to determine if BPA is harmful to humans or not.  While some have claimed that it can cause cancer, genital defects, behavioural problems and hyperactivity, others point out that there is no conclusive evidence for its effects. 
While the scientists may keep arguing, as risk averse moms, it would make sense to keep away from this until it is proved safe.  In order to avoid exposure to these probable harmful chemicals,we should make sure that the plastic we purchase from the market is BPA free safe to use.
Now the question you may have is 'How in the world would I know if the plastic contains BPA?'.  Well, look for the number in the containers (usually found in the bottom or in the side) which is between the triangle of chasing arrows.  If it shows 7 (which is inside a triangle of chasing arrows) category, then the plastic is usually polycarbonate and contains BPA.  Plastic with numbers 2, 4 and 5 are generally regarded as safe.

Measures to avoid BPA leach into the food:

1.Use glass containers, stainless steel and porcelain instead of plastic.

2.Avoid placing plastic containers in the microwave even though the manufacturers says its microwave safe.

3.Purchase a BPA free containers.

What are you waiting for girls? Go and check all the food containers that your family use (specially bottles) and replace them with safe alternatives.  Have a safe BPA free time.



Women and Finance

This is one of my favourite subject that I wanted to post for a long time.  There are many songs in Indian movies which praise women for being the best finance managers who would not only preserve money but also multiply the money.  However, it is far from the truth as far as the Indian homes are concerned.  While women may play the role of cutting down on spending and living within the family budget, they have not been involved with active money management.  Whether it is working women or home maker, they are very happy to let their spouse take care of their family finances.  They would not know where the money is invested nor would they completely know the liabilities that are currently carried by their family.  The general excuse given is 'I am very busy with kids and the family chores and do not have time or energy to track these things'.  I know that there are exceptions to this case and there are many women entrepreneurs and investors springing up now than before.  However, I am talking about what happens in majority of the homes.

It is true that most of our time is spent in taking care of the needs of our family members and we have a very big role to play there.  It is also true that most of our spouse do not share all the regular chores that we have and let them run the finance show.  However, as a partner, we need to be up to date on the finance situation of ours in the interest of the family.

Please take a minute to see if you really know the answers to these questions?

• 
  
  What is our monthly saving after all the expenses for running the family?
• 
  
  Where are the savings kept? Is it in bank or is it invested somewhere?
• 
  
  How much loans do we owe to bank, credit cards and others?
• 
  
  How much is our savings/investments earning?
• 
  
  What are the insurance policies currently being held?
• 
  
  Where can we find all the original papers of our investment (bank pass books/cheque books,Fixed deposit certificates,Mutual funds, shares, real estate etc.)
• 
  
  Where is the electricity, gas, property and other documents kept?    

Try to take some time to learn these details from your husband.  It not only helps you be up to date on all the information, it will also make your husband feel good about the interest that you take on these activities.  In most families, it tends to make husband accountable for all the investments they make, which helps in avoiding reckless investments which could be very risky. Investments made with consultation always turn out to be more balanced than the ones based on single person's decision.   It would also make you feel in control of the financial destiny of your family.

Still not convinced?  See the 5 minute video below.  Even though this was meant for the american audience, the basics very much apply for woman in all parts of the world.

This may be a bit overwhelming to you when you see how much needs to be done.  As a Chinese saying goes 'A million miles journey start with the first small step'.  So, break this up into small goals that you can handle and start executing them. 

Some of the things that you can start doing from now are

• 
  
  Ask you husband about the monthly income and expenses and the amount that could be saved
• 
  
  Get details of all the bank accounts that are currently held
• 
  
  Get information on all the investments that are currently held (like stocks, Mutual Funds, Fixed deposits etc.)
• 
  
  Get the details on all the outstanding loan that you family owe
• 
  
  Be aware of the place all these original documents are kept.
• 
  
  Get a basic understanding of finance.  I know this could be a dry or a boring thing to do.  But we can do with some basics I suppose.  You may read some blogs like mine or others.

Start discussing about these with your husband and see how his eyes light up. I am sure he will be very proud of his wife and the change in her.  I will be covering lot of personal finance stuff in detail in the coming posts including basic finance stuff.  Keep looking for more in the future.

Nature's Cure: Anti Flu/Viral fever medicine

Picture Source: public-domain-photos.com

Whenever the weather changes it brings with it many infections to us and flu is one of them. Flu is an illness caused by virus. Some of the symptoms include fever, body ache, fatigue, head ache and sore or dry throat.  In India it is generally referred to as viral fever. Thanks to mother nature, we have many vegetable and fruits that gives us the power to keep flu away.  Eating more apples,blueberries,broccoli,spinach,lettuce and Red onions will keep us away from flu.  They all contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant shown to reduce the risk of flu.

Best of all, Red onions have four time the amount of quercetin than other produce.Eat them raw or cooked, though cooking foods with quarcetin may take the antioxidant more easily absorbed. What is stopping you?  Go ahead and add lots of red onions in your diet to keep the bad flu away

Chicken 65

There are many stories behind the origin of chicken 65 and how it got its name.  While we may not be interested in its history,  I am sure we all love the taste of spicy crispy chicken and especially kids love them. There are many varieties of recipies you will find with chicken 65 name.  I have tried all of those and this works out to be the best if you love crispy and juicy chicken and do not like you chicken to look wet like a Manchurian.  My family never gets tired of eating this dish and its our all time favourite.

Peparation Time: 10 Mins
Cooking  Time   : 15 Mins

Ingredients:
Chicken                            - 500 grams
Turmeric powder               - 1/2 teaspoon
Chilli powder                     - 2-3 tablespoon(as per your spice level)
Gingergarlic Paste              - 1 tablespoon
Garam masala                   - 1/2 tablespoon
Maida                               - 1 tablespoon
Cornflour                          - 1 tablespoon
Lemon                              - 1 tablespoon
Salt                                  - to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing
Oil for frying  (as required for deep frying)

Method:

This recipe works better with boneless chicken . Wash and cut the chicken in desired size.  I prefer pieces to be in bite size. Take chicken in a deep bowl ,add red chilli powder,turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, maida,cornflour,lemon juice, mix it thoroughly, so that the chicken is well coated with masalas. Let this marinate for at least 15 minutes(more the better).

Now heat oil in a kadai or deep sauce pan and deep fry on medium high flame for about 6 minutes or until it turns dark brown on all side. Drain excess oil and garnish with coriander leaves. You may serve Chicken 65 with lemon wedges and onions ring.

Try this recipe and win over your family.  Looking forward for your feedback.


Nutrition Facts:

• Chicken -Rich in protein and most B Vitamins.

Bombay Pavbhaji

This is a very popular chaat item from North India and my personal favourite.Its yummy and also nutritious. This is an excellent disguise you can use for kids who doesn't like to eat vegetables. I had sucessfully employed this trick with my daughter :-) . I learnt this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's cooking show and the results were awesome.

Preparation Time : 15 Mins
Cooking Time : 25 Mins

Ingredients:
Potatoes                  - 4 medium
Tomatoes                - 4 medium
Onions                    - 2 medium
Carrot                     - 1 medium
Green capsicum        - 1 medium
Cauliflower               - 1/4 small
Green peas              - 1/4 cup
Ginger-Garlic paste   - 1 tablespoon
Oil                           - 3 tablespoons
Green chillies            - 3-4
Pav bhaji masala       - 1 1/2 tablespoons
Butter                     - 3 tablespoons
Pav /Bread               - 8
Coriander leaves       - 1/4 cup
Lemon                     - 1/2
Salt                         - To taste

Method:

Boil potatoes, carrot, peas cauliflower in desired amount of salted water till soft .Drain the water, mash slightly and set aside. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and add three fourth quantities of onions. Saute till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute. Add capsicum/bell peppers and saute for three minutes and add tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala. 

Add the mashed vegetables to the pan , mix it thoroughly so that it blends. Add Pavbhaji masala and salt . Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Heat half of the butter in a thick-bottomed pan or a tawa. Slice Pav horizontally into two and pan fry in butter for half a minute, pressing two or three times or till pav is crisp and light brown. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander leaves, remaining butter and serve hot with Pav accompanied with remaining chopped onion and lemon.  Now Pav bhaji is ready to serve.

For those who do not get Pav, you can replace it with bread and it tastes equally good .  Try this at home and give me your feedback.

Nutritional Facts:

• Potato - Rich source of fiber,potassium and vitamin C.
• Carrot -Vitamin A,potassium.
• Cauliflower -Rich in potassium,calcium,manganese,etc
• Green capsicum - Rich in Dietary fiber,vitamin A,vitamin C.
• Green peas - Rich in vitamin B6,folic acid.

Brain Teasers for grown up kids

While looking for some clean sites for my daughter to play but at the same time learn, I came across this site.  This site has plenty of riddles, puzzles, optical illusions, quiz and much more.  They are very informative and fun for kids and grownups alike.  This is a National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences  site.  You or your kids will enjoy this.  We sometimes play this as a family and have lot of fun.  Be ready to squeeze your brains and use up some grey matter.
http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/braint.htm

My First Post

After a long thought process and waiting, I am taking this first step into the new world of blogging.  I do not know what to expect of this but I do know that this would provide some useful information to those that would be interested. I will try and be regular in my posting. 

I intend to post anything that I like or have read under various favourite topics like Cooking, Parenting, Fitness, Nutrition, Deals and Coupons, Entertainment, Personal Finance, Books and may be much more.  I have not figured out at this point all the topics to post and would like to take it as it comes.  It is in a way an information journal as I experience it and to exchange information with others.  I hope to make it interesting to everyone that reads.

Watch out for more posts in the coming days.