Friday, November 25, 2011

Cheese Rice

Ingredients

rice cooked 2 cups
cheese grated 1 cup
salt & white pepper pdr to taste
clarified butter 2 tbsp
fresh coriander leaves 3 tbsp
tomatoes finely chopped 2
capsicum green finely chopped 1

Method
In a heavy pan, heat butter, add tomatoes, capsicum, saute fora  few minutes, add coriander leaves, saute for 30 seconds, add cheese, saute well, add rice, mix well adding salt & pepper pdr. to taste, simmer, keep stirring till well mixed.

Those who love rolls, can put this with some chutney or sauce of your choice between roti, i.e, Indian bread & keep biting  if in a hurry to office !

Happy eating.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Banana Smoothie

Ingredients

banana 1
thick curd 1 cup
low fat milk 1 cup
cocoa pdr 1 tbsp
honey 1 tbsp

Method

Peel the banana, add all the ingredients in a blender & blend till frothy, serve at once.

Breakfast Parfait

Ingredients


  • 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese, or low-fat plain yogurt
  • 1 cup pineapple chunks, papaya chunks or peaches or combination of seasonal fruits of your choice
  • 2 teaspoons toasted wheat germ

Method
Place cottage cheese (or yogurt) in a small bowl. Top with fruit and sprinkle with wheat germ.

Apricot-Walnut Cereal Bars

Ingredients
  • 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 3 cups unsweetened puffed-grain cereal
  • 2 cups chopped dried apricots
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/3 cup silken tofu, drained 
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup  oil
  • 1 cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

Method
1)  Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a large  pan with cooking spray.

2) Spread oats and walnuts on a baking sheet with sides. Bake until fragrant and light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and add puffed cereal, dried apricots, flour and salt; stir to combine.

3) Meanwhile, puree tofu, egg, oil, honey, vanilla and lemon zest in a food processor or blender until smooth, scraping down the sides as needed. Make a well in the center of the oat mixture; fold in the tofu mixture until combined. Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

4)  Bake until firm in the center and golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.

Cranberry Muesli


  • 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened or sweetened cranberry juice
  • 6 tablespoons old-fashioned rolled oats, (not quick-cooking )
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted flax seeds
  • 1 tablespoon wheat germ
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
Method
Combine yogurt, juice, oats, cranberries, flax seeds, wheat germ, honey, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl; cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Tofu Scramble

Southwestern Tofu Scramble

  • 3 teaspoons oil
  •  250 gm tofu, rinsed and crumbled
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 small zucchini, diced
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup shredded  cheese
  • 1/2 cup prepared salsa
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

Method
1) Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tofu, chili powder, cumin and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the tofu begins to brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2)  Add the remaining  oil to the pan. Add zucchini, corn, scallions and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are just tender, about 3 minutes. Return the tofu to the pan and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese until just melted. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon coriander chopped.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Various uses of TEA !


1. Clean carpets: Clean up musty, dirty carpets by sprinkling dry, used green tea leaves on the carpet. Let them work their magic for about 10 minutes, then vacuum them up.

2. Clean antique rugs: Delicate Persian and Oriental rugs can also benefit from a sprinkling of tea leaves. In this case, sprinkle nearly dry, used whole tea leaves on the rugs, and gently sweep them away.

3. Shine wood floors: The tannins in black tea can help shine and color hardwood flooring. Follow your regular floor cleaning routine by carefully rubbing some brewed tea into the floor (don’t use too much water on hardwood flooring) and letting it air dry.

4. Polish furniture: Brewed tea also can help clean and shine wood furniture. Dip a soft cloth in a small amount of tea, and use it to wipe down the tables, chairs and more.

5. Clean mirrors and windows: Tea can remove stubborn, greasy fingerprints from glass, and make it sparkle. Simply rub a damp teabag on the glass or fill a spray bottle with brewed tea.

6. Clean toilet stains: Rumor has it that used tea bags can magically remove stubborn stains in the bottom of the toilet bowl. Just leave them in the toilet for several hours, then flush the toilet and brush the bowl.

7. Get rid of fishy smells: Rinse your hands with tea after eating or preparing fish (or other stinky foods) to eliminate odors.

8. De-stink fridges: Instead of baking soda (or maybe in addition), try used tea bags in the fridge to absorb odors.

9. De-stink cat litter: Likewise, used tea leaves can help deodorize litter boxes when mixed into the litter. Dry, green tealeaves are recommended.

10. Prevent fleas: Tea is also rumored to help prevent fleas, so sprinkle some dry used tealeaves around pet bedding.

11. Kill dust mites: Carefully spray diluted black tea on the carpet to kill dust mites. Color-test the tea first in an inconspicuous spot.

12. Clean the fireplace: Sprinkling wet tealeaves on fireplace ashes while scooping them out may help reduce blowing dust.

13. Make potpourri: The herbs and flowers in used herbal tea bags may have run out of flavor, but they often still have a good scent. Dry out herbal tea bags and add to potpourri or scented sachets.


14. Make a car air freshener: Likewise, you can freshen up the car without a chemical-laden commercial air freshener. Put lavender tea or other soothing herbal tea in a bag under the seat to fight odors. 

Personal:


15. Soothe a sunburn: Wet teabags can soothe sunburns and other minor burns. For a full-body sunburn, soak in a tea bath.

16. Soothe tired eyes: Warm, wet teabags can reduce puffiness and soothe pain around tired eyes — and teabags on your eyes look a little less ridiculous than cucumber slices.

17. Soothe pinkeye: You can also use warm, wet teabags as a compress to soothe the pain of pinkeye.

18. Soothe razor burn: A wet tea bag can also reduce and soothe razor burn.

19. Drain boils: Cover a boil with wet tea bag overnight, and it should drain painlessly.

20. Soothe blisters: Hot teabags are also rumored to draw out infections when left on fever blisters and canker sores.


21. Dry poison ivy rash Dry a weepy poison ivy rash with strongly brewed tea. Simply dip a cotton ball into the tea, dab it on the affected area, and let it air-dry. Repeat as needed.

22. Save a broken fingernail: To salvage a partially broken fingernail, use a piece of mesh tea bag to create a splint of sorts between the nail and the broken piece. Coat in nail polish.

23. Make soap: Tea is a useful addition when making glycerin soap. The texture and scent can help make the soap smell and cleanse better.

24. Help recover from injections: A wet teabag on an injection site can be soothing, for babies or adults.  

25. Soothe bleeding gums: For an older child who loses a tooth, try putting a cold, wet teabag in the mouth where the tooth was lost. It can reduce bleeding and soothe pain.

26. Make mouthwash: Similarly, toothaches and other mouth pain can be soothed with a rinse of antiseptic peppermint tea mixed with a little salt.

27. Shine dry hair: Brewed tea makes a good conditioner for dry hair. Rinse with (unsweetened) tea and leave to dry for a while, then rinse again with water.


28. Dye hair: Brewed tea also is a good natural hair dye. Mix rosemary and sage into dark black tea and let the mixture stand overnight. Strain the mix and thoroughly work it into your hair. Repeat as needed for the desired color.

29. Improve skin: To protect and beautify skin, try bathing in green tea. Another widely recommended skin booster is chamomile tea in a facial steamer.

30. Cure acne: Some acne sufferers swear by washing their faces with green tea to cure or reduce their acne.

31. De-stink feet: Soaking your feet in strong tea for 20 minutes per day may be a relaxing and effective way to reduce foot odor.

32. Heal warts: To help plantar warts on the feet heal faster, press a warm, wet teabag onto the wart for 20 minutes per day.

33. Improve breath: Gargling with strong tea can help reduce halitosis.

34. Get smarter: Caffeinated teas have proven effects on mental alertness, but some traditional Chinese medicine practitioners swear that tea leaves in pillows can also help improve mental alertness. They say after sleeping on tea leaf pillows, people can wake up more clear-headed and quick-thinking.

35. Cure the common cold: The same Chinese traditionalists also swear by tea as a time-tested remedy for many cold symptoms. Of course, others maintain that a cold will last seven days with tea treatment, or one week without.


36. Prevent dizziness: People drink tea for a variety of health reasons, but many older adults do not realize that black tea could reduce their dizziness when standing up. The tea boosts blood pressure, reducing the threat of dizziness. WebMD also lists a litany of other health benefits of black tea, including reduced risk of heart attacks, kidney stones, Parkinson's disease and ovarian cancer.  
 Kitchen:


 37. Tenderize meat: Marinate tough meat in black tea to make it more tender.

38. Smoke it: Add tea to a smoker to make tea-infused cheeses and meats.

39. Boil eggs: The Chinese also like to add tea leaves to the water after boiled eggs are cooked. This adds some flavor and color to the boiled eggs.

Garden:

40. Add to compost: Pouring strong tea into a compost bin will help speed up the process and encourage more friendly bacteria to grow, improving the compost.

41. Fertilize roses: Spread used tea leaves around rosebushes, then add mulch and water. The tannic acid and other nutrients will benefit the plants.

42. Help houseplants: Occasionally use brewed tea instead of water to feed ferns and other houseplants that like rich, acidic soil.


43. Add to potted plants: A few used teabags in the bottom of a planter can help the soil retain water, and adds valuable nutrients.
 44. Dye fabrics: Green and black teas have long been used in dyes for fabric and paper, particularly for generating a beige faux- antique look.

45. Paint with tea: Some artists use strong black tea to paint backgrounds or accents on black-and-white sketches.

46. Strengthen puppy pads: A footbath with strong black tea is rumored to help strengthen the pads of dog feet.

47. Repel mosquitoes: Burning tea leaves is said to repel mosquitoes with none of the side effects of chemical bug sprays.








Savory Millet tikkis/ burgers

Savory Millet Cakes

Cook millets with vegetables of your choice to a soft pliable consistency, add breadcrumbs, salt & season with pepper powder or red chili powder or better to add green chilies chopped to taste along with some finely chopped garlic, ginger, fresh coriander leaves. Shape it like burgers/ tikkis & then shallow fry in a non-stick tawa with minimum oil, or it can be baked with cooking spray or you may grease the tray, place the burgers, put 2 drops of oil on top & bake at 180 deg C for about 5 minutes, turn the sides & bake again for another 5 minutes or so, or till it turns golden.

ps- this is healthy, nutritious, as it is low in calories.

Crochet Doily

This crochet doily is my own design.

Friday, November 18, 2011

Handy in the kitchen, non-toxic cleansers


VINEGAR: Great natural cleaning product, disinfectant and 
deodorizer
* Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings.

* Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution 
for that extra gleam.

* Vinegar also eats away the soap scum and hard water stains 
on your fixtures and tiles.

* Vinegar works wonders for sweat smell from clothes,
 especially your workout clothes. Just soak smelly clothes in a 
detergent solution and add a dash of vinegar to it.

* Make a solution with 1 part of vinegar and 2 parts of water 
and use it to clean your stovetop, appliances, countertops in the
 kitchen.

* Leave vinegar overnight on your chopping board and find it 
stain and odor free in the morning.

* Vinegar can be used as a natural fabric softener, just add ½ 
cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in the washing machine

* Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 cups of water and viola, 
your window cleaning solution is ready.

Sparkle and shine with a homemade, non-toxic cleaning kit
LEMON JUICE: For an invigorating fragrance and a shiny home
* Lemon and salt work wonders to bring back the sparkle in your copper and brass utensils and fixtures.
* Countertop stains can be removed by leaving lemon juice on the stain for a few minutes. * Scrub the area with baking soda and watch the stains disappear.
* Add juice of a lemon in some water and leave in your refrigerator for a fresh smell.
* Lemon peals can be ground in the garbage disposal to freshen the drain. Hot water with a little lemon poured down a drain will also freshen it.
* Lemon juice is also a natural bleaching agent. Put lemon juice onto white linens and clothing and allow them to dry in the sun.
* Rub lemon onto the stains on your chopping board and let it sit. It will bleach the board, disinfects and remove any weird smells too.
* Lemon juice also works wonders in removing rust stains from clothes. Put lemon juice on the rust stain and then sprinkle cream of tartar on top of the juice. Let it sit on the stain until the rust is gone.

BAKING SODA: A natural deodorizer and cleanser
* Add baking soda to liquid detergent and scrub clean your tiles.
* Baking soda can help remove pungent odors from laundry even when they linger after repeated washing like smoke and sweat smell.
* Rubbing dry baking soda directly on clothing will remove the smell of vomit or baby spit-up.
* Deodorize your fridge and freezer by putting in an open container of baking soda to absorb odors.
* Wash marble-topped furniture with a solution of 3-tablespoons of baking soda in 2 cups of warm water. Let stand awhile, then rinse
* Mix a quarter cup of baking soda with a cup of warm water and wash down the outside of white appliances. It will help remove yellowing and restore the whiteness
* Make a solution of 1/4 cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of vinegar, and 1 gallon of hot water. * This mixture will clean of grease and grime as well as deodorize. Works wonders for the kitchen exhaust fans.
* Leave a water and baking soda solution in thermos bottles and cooling containers overnight to get rid of stale smells.
* Polish silverware with dry baking soda on a damp cloth. Rub, rinse and dry.
* To remove burned-on food from a pan: let the pan soak in baking soda and water for 10 minutes before washing. Or scrub the pot with dry soda and a moist scouring pad.
* Remove that bad smell from ashtrays with baking soda and water.
* Sprinkle baking soda in your garbage bins to neutralize any smells.

Sparkle and shine with a homemade, non-toxic cleaning kit
TEA TREE OIL: A natural antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal solution
* Adding 2 teaspoons tea tree oil to 2 cups water in a spray bottle and spraying on mold will help get rid of the problem.
* Tea tree oil is also a very effective first aid remedy and against countless skin ailments, infections, cuts, scrapes, burns, insect bites and skin spots.
* One tbsp. of organic tea tree oil can be added with 3 cups water to make a multipurpose cleaning solution. This can be sprayed on toilet seats, countertops and washbasins to cleanse and deodorize.
* Use a facial steam, using ten drops of tea tree oil with five drops of eucalyptus in boiling water. Inhale the steam to get relief if you have a cold.
* Cool sunburn and soothe bruises with a tea tree oil compress made from adding ten drops of tea tree oil to some cold water.
* Treat blisters with tea tree oil by cleaning the affected area and directly applying the oil.
* Wash your face and apply tea tree oil directly to pimples and blemishes twice daily to help them clear.
* Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your everyday shampoo and get rid of dandruff.


https://gscrochetdesigns.blogspot.com. one can see my crochet creations  

https://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com. feel free to view for easy, simple and health tips  

https://kneereplacement-stickclub.blogspot.com. for info on knee replacement

https://GSiyers home remedies.blogspot.com     is the latest addition to my blogs.