Easy recipes: July 2014

Sunday, July 27, 2014

13 Healthy Facts About Fruits and Vegetables

Most of us eat fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. After all, they have been a part of our diet since the dawn of history. We eat them raw, cooked, frozen, drink them as juices and combine them with just about any other food we eat. But just like anything else that’s been around for so long, there are many things you don't know about fruits and veggies that can be very useful and important to know.
1) Never mix grapefruits with medications.

Grapefruits are among the most nutritious fruits out there but they can also be bad for you if you are taking certain medication. The chemicals in a grapefruit can cause a bad reaction with some drugs that can even have fatal results. If you’re on medications, be sure to check with a medical professional before drinking or eating any amount of grapefruit.

2) Fruits and veggies have a lot of fiber.

The benefits of fiber include keeping your bowel movements regular, helping lower cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and help you feel fuller for a longer time. Even if you don't need any more of the vitamins, minerals and other healthy ingredients in fruits and vegetables, they are still one of the best things you can eat on a daily basis.

3) The skin is usually the best part

In many fruits and veggies, such as carrots, apples, and cucumbers, a high percentage of the nutrition is actually stored in the skin. This means that when you peel it off, you’re actually peeling away nutritious benefits. Make sure to wash your fruits and vegetables well before eating them and I guarantee you'll get used to eating them with the peel in no time.

4) Bananas are fascinating

Two incredible things you never knew about these delicious sources of potassium and vitamins: First, bananas are technically herbs and belong to the same "botanical family" as mint or basil. Secondly, in 1950 almost all of the banana species in the world where wiped out by the Panama Disease. Today, most of the bananas sold and eaten around the whole world are direct decedents of the same Asian breeds that survived the disease.

5) Eating fruits and vegetables hardly affects your weight

All fruits and all vegetables are low in calories, this is why you hear nutrition professionals and doctors tell you to eat them for snacks. While a bag of chips contains fat, oil, and a lot of calories, a handful of carrots contains none of those things. It is absurd how much fruit and vegetables you can eat before the calories start stacking up so don’t be afraid to eat them. That said, some fruit may carry a high amount of sugar, so don't over-do it on sweet fruit.

6) Broccoli has more protein than a steak

Calorie for calorie, there is more protein in broccoli than there is in an average steak, and with no saturated and trans fats or cholesterol, you can get all the protein you need with a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease. So if you are trying to grow and strengthen your muscles, broccoli is the food for you.

7) The most hated vegetable in the world is one of the best

Brussels sprouts reign supreme as the least enjoyable vegetable by children, and also some adults. It might be because of their bitter taste, the repungnant smell or even just its bad reputation. However, Brussels sprouts are among the most nutritious veggies you can ever find. They have no fat, no cholesterol, hardly any calories and plenty of vitamins and minerals. It's a shame that none of these facts make them taste any better…

8) Orange peels are amazing

It's been said before that the skin of the fruit can be better than the fruit itself. Orange peels have over four times the amount of fiber then the actual fruit, and contain more antioxidants than the "flesh" inside. The only drawback is that it’s difficult to find a way to eat it. The best way to do it is to grate it up like cheese into an orange zest. You can use is to season all sorts of foods, add to baked goods or mix with your yogurt or cereals.

9) Peppers encourage clotting

While most people use them as spice and not as a whole food, peppers (spicy ones in particular) can work wonders to promote the clotting of blood over wounds. According to some experts, you can even sprinkle some cayenne pepper into a wound where it will act as gauze.

10) "Negative calorie foods" are a myth

You may have heard that some fruits and vegetables require more calories to digest than they actually give, meaning eating them will actually make you thinner. Unfortunately this is wrong. While there are foods that have very few calories, you still only burn about 10% to 20% of their calorie intake. Let's take for example a stalk of celery that’s about 10 calories. While eating and digesting it you will burn about 2 calories which means you still had an intake of 8 calories.

11) Onions are ridiculously healthy

Sure they can make you cry and they make your breath smell terrible, but you should forgive them for all of that. The reason onions do those things is the exact same reason why they are good for you. Onions contain over 100 sulfide compounds which give a number of health benefits such as the prevention of asthma and some types of cancer. You don’t have to eat it raw, just eat it.

12) Pineapples are bad for your taste buds

Pineapples contain an enzyme called bromelain which breaks down proteins in your mouth, namely your taste buds. After eating a pineapple your palate will be much less sensitive until your mouth can heal itself, which takes about a day. Pineapple is still a great fruit for you, but you should probably let a freshly sliced pineapple sit in the fridge for a bit before eating it. This will give time for the enzymes to break down and they will have a much weaker effect.

13) Apples can wake you up better than a cup of coffee

fruits and vegetables

It's hard to believe this fact so just try it for yourself and see. If you’re finding yourself a little low on energy during the afternoon then consider eating an apple in the morning. Thanks to its high carbohydrate, vitamin, and mineral content, an apple can give you a steady supply of nutrition to help you stay energized all day.

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http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

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http://My Crochet Creations.blogspot.com

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http://knee replacement-stickclub.blogspot.com

Friday, July 18, 2014

How to Keep Your Food Fresh for Longer

Nothing is more wasteful than food that hasn't been eaten and allowed to go bad. It's not only a waste of money but also a waste of good food that in other parts of the world would be worth more than gold. So as to not throw away good money after good food, here are some great tips to help you keep your foods fresh and tasty that much longer.

Apply a little butter to the cut side of a cheese wedge to make sure it doesn't dry out.


Store potatoes with a few apples, this will stop them from sprouting.


As for mushrooms, these you should store in a paper bag, not a plastic one, to keep it fresh.


If you keep milk in the fridge door, it will go bad sooner than if you had put it in the middle of the fridge.


Wrap lettuce in tin foil to keep it fresh and crisp for much longer.


Use, or rather, re-use bottles to close up your plastic bags.


Rinse strawberries in a mixture of 1 part vinegar and 10 parts water. Drain, rinse and put in the fridge for strawberries that will last for 2 weeks longer. Make sure you keep the mixture diluted so you don't taste the vinegar.


Store eggs on the middle shelf of the refrigerator to make them last 304 weeks longer than their date of expiration.


To revive old bread, rub an ice cube on it and then bake it for 12 minutes.


If you cook corn kernels in a bowl topped with a plate, it will reduce the number of unpopped kernels.


Tomatoes last longer when stored in room temperature, not in the fridge.


Cheese should be kept in the warmest part of the fridge, such as the vegetable or cheese drawer.


Keep older foods in the front of the fridge so you don't miss out on their expiration date.


Carefully wrap the crown of a batch of bananas with cling film to block the air and extend their shelf life for 3-5 days more.


If you store onions in tights, they'll last up to 8 months longer.


If your fridge smells - clean it immediately. It means that something is rotting in your fridge, and if it stays there it will quickly spread to your new food. If the smell is strong, use disinfectant.
those interested in cancer and health related topics are free to see my blog- http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/ for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me http://My Crochet Creations.blogspot.com For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog- http://knee replacement-stickclub.blogspot.com

Monday, July 14, 2014

Easy, guilt-free Mysore pak ! microwave

Ingredients

besan/ gram flour 1/2 cup
milk 1/2 cup
coconut grated 1/2 cup
ghee 1 tbsp heaped + for greasing the plate
sugar 1 1/2 cup

Method

mix all the ingredients well in a microwaveable safe dish
microwave on high power for 4 minutes, then for another 3 minutes, normally it should get done
you may see lots of bubble, if not sure, let it remain inside the microwave for another minute
you'll see that it has turned its colour, also seems thick
at this stage, spread it on a greased plate, after a few minutes, cut into desired shape, remove once set.
this tastes good only over-night, if you try earlier, it may be like a stick-jaw taste ! next morning, it tastes yummy like Mysore pak !

Different teas mean different times and temperatures.

Easy Way to squeeze lime- tongs !

A Pair of Sturdy Tongs Will Help You Get All the Juice Out of a Lemon

Want Ice creams soft? use ziplock

An Easy Way to Store Asparagus for Up to 2 Weeks

How to keep veges from getting soggy in plastic bags

Blow into a bag and seal it tightly. The CO2 will keep it from becoming soggy.

Vegetable Cooking Sheet

Quick and Cheesy Sticks

roll the bread slices with a rolling pin
cut the corners
put a slice of cheese on each, then roll it
bake in a hot oven, by spraying with oil OR
shallow fry in a pan.
Have it hot, you'll have the cheese oozing ! be careful, don't burn your tongue.

How to Tell If Avocado is ripe?

Easiest Way to Remove Egg shells!

Wet Your Fingers Before Removing Egg Shells

Bread Vada

Ingredients

bread slices 3 big crumbled well including the corners
curd 2 tbsp
salt and green chillies chopped to taste
rice flour 2 tbsp
besan 2 tbsp
garlic chopped optional
jeera/ cumin and coriander pdr. 2 tsp
oil for frying
onion 1 big chopped fine

Method
add curd to crumbled bread, mix well, add onion, green chillies, salt, mix well
add the flours, mix well
heat oil, make thin vadas, fry at once, don't keep and fry, as then it won't be crisp

this I made tot each my daughter recently, sorry again, forgot to take photo, it came out nice and crisp and daughter said it even tasted better than the MTR dal vada packet mix !

Rice cutlets !

Ingredients

left-over rice 2 cups
onion 1 big finely chopped
potato 1 big finely grated raw
green chillies finely chopped to taste
salt to taste
besan 3-4 tbsp
rice flour 3 tbsp
semolina/ rava 3-4 tbsp
oil for frying
ajwain/ carom seeds little

Method
mix all well, flatten into thin cutlets, either you can deep fry/ shallow fry till brown on both sides, serve hot with chutney/ ketchup.
yesterday, I had made this, sorry forgot to take photo, it came out well, the family enjoyed it.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Hearty Chole with Cheddar Cheese

1 teaspoon oil
1 tsp each - cumin and minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup each - diced carrots and potatoes (1/2-inch thick)
1/2 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 tsp each - red chilli powder and turmeric
1 tbsp -chana masala pdr.
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 cups water
2 cups chickpeas/ kabuli chana (Canned or pressure-cooked)
1/3 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add and toast cumin and garlic to fragrance.

Add the vegetables and cook, stirring often until vegetables soften, about 15 minutes.

Add the seasoning - chilli powder, turmeric, chana masala powder and salt. Also 2 cups of water. To thicken the soup, mash about quarter cup of chickpeas to fine paste in a mixer and add the paste along with the remaining chickpeas. Simmer, stirring occasionally for about ten minutes. Add ¼ cup cheddar cheese and stir.

Ladle into bowls; sprinkle the remaining cheese. Enjoy with paratha or bread.

Easy recipes