Our world is currently encountering two kinds of epidemics approaching very fast towards us, which put people at risk for chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. These two are  obesity  and  screen addiction . These epidemics are affecting people of every age group. Right from very young children to adults. We all know junk food can contribute to  obesity  and yet it is becoming a part of our everyday lives because of our fast-paced lifestyles. We are well aware of the side effects of continuous screen time, yet we are always gazing at our phones when time allows.  This post is about Junk food and how to reduce its reach among kids. Let me be honest I am not going to be a flag bearer of the anti-junk food movement. This is not feasible practically in today's lifestyle. Just food is available in every nook and corner around. From lavish restaurants to street food stalls, the varieties of junk food are uncountable. Junk food is convenient, tasty, a...

Do you naturally drink a lot of water in wintertime or do you need to force yourself at it? With winters comes a common health issue; less water intake. When the weather gives us chills, we don't really feel the need of drinking water all day long. But the reality is less water intake affects many of the body function like digestion and detoxification. On one side, most of us crave warm drinks and bigger flavors during winter, the other side we feel lazier in preparing them. Isn't it? Let me be honest here about my behavior in this cold season (it is still cold here in Lucknow). I want to remain inside my quilt all day when I am not in office. I even wish to eat sitting at my bed only and I hate going anywhere if it is not sunny outside. All I remember "No winter lasts forever, no spring skips its turn." The biggest messiah for me this time is a hot cup of Tea. I am a big tea fan and the frequency of my milk tea (without sugar though) increases so much in winter,...

This post is for New Year resolutions blog train . The blog train is hosted by Vartika, Alpana and Prerna,  sponsored by Pandora's Box and Recipe Dabba. My topic is Dr Feelgood - How are you planning to tweak your Food Habits for 2019 .   We all desire to stay healthy and happy. Yes, happiness is very much connected to our health. But today's sedentary lifestyle has made us fall for quick meals and unhealthy choices. Over the course of time, these quick things give us side effects that rather don't go quick. Eventually, we fall prey to weight loss industry which asks for cutting sugar, salt, oils, carbs, dairy product and almost everything which is there in our kitchens since our grandparents time. We run after different diets (Ketogenic diet, Vegan diet, Raw food diet etc) and we even believe in schemes like having dinner before sunset, getting rid of rice, keeping a distance with fruits and avoiding any type of fat. Is this way of keeping ourselves fit su...

There was a time when my dinner was incomplete without cold drinks. Yes, those aerated drinks!! The dinner at my hostel was so pathetic that I needed those drinks to finish my plate. Aerated drinks/carbonated drinks contain dissolved co2 in water with sugar and certain flavors added for taste. And how harmful it is for health, I realized when I put on so much weight after getting married. As my weight kept increasing, I had to analyze my eating habits. And then I understood those drinks also give contribution in making a person obese. I changed many of my diet habits then. I now try to eat healthy and wholesome. I also keep a distance from artificial drinks and sugary juices. Honestly, I have seen a sufficient decrease in my weight. However, this was not easy. It takes years to completely adopt healthy eating habits. You need to mindful of what, when and how you are eating.  Even if you are eating out or in a party, you are supposed to pick which does minimum harm to your health....

Being a tropical country, Indian has a longer duration for the summer season. And that is why most of the Indians long for winters as the temperature starts soaring to close to 50 degrees.  Typically from April to September, the hot weather keeps Indians busy in remembering the cozy winter. I guess this is the worst part of summers. However, I am one such person who enjoys summers more than winter. My body hates low temperature and even these days (Extreme June summer) I sleep with a thick blanket. There are many reasons why I like summer. Maybe because it has something to do with my childhood. With summer used to come summer holidays of good two months. And this used to be the best of the year for me as a kid. With the enjoyment of special TV shows and visits to Dadi and Nani houses, summer holidays were a charm for me. Days used to go so joyful and pressure free then. Thus, I still like summer, as it has given me some of most beautiful memories for a lifetime. Another thing...

When you say "Don't touch this" indicating something to your children, what happens? Their curiosity bones keep tickling them to touch that thing which is supposed to not touch. Children these days are very curious about their surroundings. They want to touch and feel every new thing around them. Their continuous exploration of the world mostly happens with touching objects that pull their attraction. And they are unstoppable when they are being told to stay away from them. Stray dogs, dirty swings of the park, dust-covered vehicles, as you said "No, don't touch it", the first thing children do is to touch it to find out why not to touch! For kids, touching is learning. They understand new things mostly by touching and playing with it. And in this process, they get their hands dirty and come in contact with a lot of germs. This is the thing that we mother fear. We want to keep kids safe from germs and any kind of bacterial infection. That's why w...

Once happened when my parents decided to make Chywanprash at home. Yes, it can be made even at home. The recipe was given by my father's maternal grandfather. He was a famous Vaidya of his time. There were close to 50 ingredients needed for Chywanprash and when my father brought them from the market, I was mouth opened. I had never seen any preparation with 50 ingredients. Opening each of the packets, I asked my mother about it. Those were mostly spices and dry fruits. Then there was a cute small box that pulled my attention. I took it in my hands and saw the price tag. 1000 rupees!! I was stunned and astonished. How come such small quantity cost this much? My mother explained that it was the costliest and the most precious spice, Kesar. For the first time, I heard about something which looks like threads but is pricey like anything. Z For Zafaran  Kesar is called Saffron in English. However, I have decided to mention it with name Zafraan  as the Persian word...

It is mango season again. The fruit market is getting decorated with a variety of mangoes here in Delhi. And in the vegetable market, raw mango is in biggest demand. These initial days of summer bring a flood of raw mangoes in my hometown's market. And most of the ladies get busy into making mango pickles. Yes, that finger licking pickle which makes our food tastier. Pickle making is not a process, it is rather a tradition in many of the Indian families. But while mangoes might reign supreme, the truth is there is no Indian fruit, vegetable or berry that you will not find in a pickle. The most common ingredients of any North Indian pickle are fennel, asafoetida (Heeng), chili and of course the very important Mustard. In every pickle, either mustard powder or mustard oil is used as a base which when used with salt, acts as the preservative. For many of us, mustard is a black round shaped spice that is commonly used in tempering. However, there are many types of mu...

One of my Ex-managers, Varada, is from Goa. She is a lady with great personality and very attached to her culture, traditions, and cuisines. Goan cuisine is famous for a variety of seafood. Spices, fish, and coconut which have ruled over the Goan food for centuries. However, Varada is a Goan Brahmin and a vegetarian from her roots. She used to bring authentic Goan vegetarian dishes in her tiffin. And thus my lunch hours used to be so heavenly (until I worked with her) as I am also a vegetarian foodie. Most of the times, a curry, and steamed rice was all about her lunch. I found a freshness in the food that she used to bring to the office because that was a completely new taste for me.  It was spunky and addictive. One specific curry that I still remember is Xacuti/shakuti. It is a delicious coconut based curry. Varada used to make Goan vegetable Xacuti, although Xacuti is best prepared with seafood. The heart of Xacuti is a spice mix w...

Tell me one thing that you like most about winters? For some people, winter could be a time to enjoy the icy weather, for me the best thing about winter is Food. With winter comes great fruits and vegetables. Despite all that we eat, our stomach stays chill. During the winters, I also enjoy one more delicacy, that is, Gajak. The crispy, nutty, sweet and tasty gajak becomes my everyday snack in the winters. In Delhi, as winter approaches, gajaks, chikky, and other jaggery made items are easily available too as these are sold at a number of shops. The base ingredient in these winter savories is a tiny yet super healthy white seed known as 'Sesame'. W For White Sesame Seeds Sesame Seeds or Til (In Hindi) are an indispensable part of Indian winters since ancient time. From til ke ladoo to variety of til ki gajak, it is difficult to imagine winters in India, without taking sesame into account. Although the significant ingredient I am talking about starts with letter S, I did n...