Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients

2/3 cup (150 g) sugar; try a mixture of
brown and white sugar

½ cup (110 g) butter, softened

1 large egg

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (130 g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 oz (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg F (190 deg C).
2. Cream butter with sugar until light and
   fluffy.
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
4. Add baking soda, salt and flour and mix well.
5. Add chocolate chips.
6. Place the cookie dough in the refrigerator for
   at least 30 minutes.
7. Drop by rounded large teaspoonfuls onto an
   ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake the chocolate chip cookies for 8 to 10
   minutes until light brown. Always try with a few cookies to check whether
   the dough is OK.
9. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for a
   few minutes, then move the cookies to a wire rack.

The best result is obtained if you use chocolate chips made
especially for baking. You may also cut chocolate bars into small chips, but
these will melt during baking . Have  a nice day

Benefits Of Garlic (part2)

Reduced risk of stroke

Reduced
cholesterol and blood pressure translates into a reduced risk of heart attacks
and heart diseases. 

 An aphrodisiac?

Did you
know that garlic plays the role of an aphrodisiac? Garlic improves blood
circulation, and also helps prolong an erection! Great help for temporary
impotence. Of course, the smell can bring your raised libido crashing
down! 

 

An anti-carcinogen

Yes, garlic
also helps reduce the risk of cancer, due to its anti-carcinogenic properties.
It helps prevent cancerous compounds from forming and developing into tumors.
It also inhibits the growth of tumors. In fact, tumors that have already formed
can be reduced by 50 to 70 percent by increasing garlic intake! 

 

Blood clots

Garlic
helps prevent blood clots from forming, and it's extremely beneficial
especially if you are prone to blood clots in the legs. Garlic also helps
regulate blood sugar. It is a natural antibiotic, and it has anti-fungal and
anti-bacterial properties. 

 

How To Take Garlic

Mash 2-3 small cloves of
garlic and eat it raw or boiled, before going to sleep. You could have it with
a glass of milk or with water. Avoid taking garlic in the daytime as the smell
may linger. 

have a nice day

Benefits Of Garlic (part1)

Did you
know that garlic contains more than 100 biologically useful chemicals, with
tremendous health benefits? Here are just a few of them. 

Here's why you should be munching on garlic!

Pregnant?
New research suggests that garlic is very beneficial if taken during pregnancy.

Pre-eclampsia

This is a
condition when your blood pressure increases, and there is excessive protein
retained in the urine. If you take garlic during pregnancy, it cuts the risk of
you developing pre-eclampsia.

Boosts the baby's weight  

Taking
garlic boosts the weight of babies in the womb. Thus, when they are born, they
are heavier than they would have been if you hadn't taken garlic. Some babies
are born too small, so garlic is a definite boon in these cases. 

Other Benefits of Garlic

Reduces cholesterol

Garlic
plays an important role in reducing the 'bad' cholesterol in the body. There
have been numerous studies of the effects of garlic on reducing cholesterol,
and they have well substantiated this fact. So if you have high cholesterol,
increase your garlic intake. It also helps reduce blood pressure. 

have  a nice  day

 

SPANISH RICE

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups of uncooked rice

2 cups of cooked black beans (spanish black beans) or rajma (dark red kidney
beans)

4/5 medium sized tomatoes

2 onions

4 green chillies

2 tsp of red chili powder

1/4 tsp of haldi (turmeric)

1.5 tsp of jeera powder (cumin powder)

2 tblsp of paprika powder

Salt to taste

Handful of chopped fresh dhania (cilantro)

  METHOD:

1) Wash and soak the rice and set
aside.



2) Saute the onions and chopped green chillies in oil until they are soft and
transparent.



3) Add all the chopped tomatoes and saute until the oil comes to the top and
they are all mashed up. (Very important cook on medium high flame but watch for
burning) The tomatoes need to be cooked completely.



4) Add the rice, all dry spices and appropriate amount of water.



5) When the water has dissolved partially (you should see the top of the rice
at this point) add the cooked beans, cover and simmer until done.



6)Once done, garnish with fresh cilantro.



Spanish rice is usually red with a hint of yellow, that is why we add so many
tomatoes. You can spice to your taste but adjusting the amount. Can be served
as a main course with side dish of salad or salsa and chips or can be served as
side dish with burritos, enchiladas, etc.

CHOCOLATE SPRING
ROLLS

Ingredients

Chocolate
burfi, lightly crushed 6-8 pieces

Chocolate chips 2 tablespoons

Spring roll wrappers 4-5

Cornflour 1 tablespoon

Oil to deep fry

Vanilla icecream 4 scoops

Honey 4 teaspoons

Almonds, roasted and chopped 8-10

Method

1.Combine
crushed burfi and chocolate chips in a bowl and set aside. Cut spring roll
wrappers into quarters using a scissor and set aside. Combine cornflour with
two tablespoons of water to make a thick paste.

2.To prepare spring rolls, place a spoonful of burfi mixture on one corner of
the spring roll wrapper and roll it up to enclose the filling completely. Seal
the edges using cornflour paste. Similarly prepare the remaining spring rolls.

3.Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry the spring rolls till golden
brown and crisp. Drain and place on an absorbent paper.

4.Divide vanilla ice cream into four dessert bowls, drizzle a spoonful of
honey, sprinkle some almonds, place two to three spring rolls vertically and
serve immediately.

have a  nice day

Pasta With
Dried Mushrooms and Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

1 ounce
dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 cup)

1
tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup
finely chopped onion or shallot

2 to 3
plump garlic cloves, minced

Salt

1
(28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
in juice, coarsely pureed in a food processor fitted with the steel blade

1 teaspoon
fresh thyme leaves, chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

Freshly
ground pepper

1 pound
fusilli or other pasta of your choice

Method:

1. Place
the mushrooms in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with hot water. Let
soak 15 to 30 minutes, until thoroughly soft. Line a strainer with cheesecloth
and set it over a bowl. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze them over the strainer.
Then rinse in several changes of water and chop coarsely. Measure out 1/4 cup
of the mushroom soaking liquid.

2. Begin
heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a large,
wide, heavy nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add the onion or shallot.
Cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir together
for 1 minute, until fragrant, then add the mushrooms and stir together for
another minute or 2, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the
mushroom soaking liquid, the thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and turn up the
heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook,
stirring often, until thick and fragrant, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add a
generous amount of pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. Keep warm.

3. When the
pasta water comes to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook al
dente, following the timing directions on the package but checking a minute or
two before the suggested time is up. Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water
and stir it into the mushroom sauce. When the pasta is cooked through but still
firm to the bite, remove another 1/2 cup water, drain the pasta and toss with
the sauce in the frying pan if possible. If you wish to thin out the sauce or
moisten the pasta further, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water or
more of the mushroom soaking liquid. Serve hot; pass the Parmesan at the table.

Yield: Serves 6

Good
Habits for Healthy Eyes (part2)

(4) Eye-bath:
Bathe
the eyes with cold water or Triphala water or weak saline (saltwater) once or
twice a day. Fill the eye-wash cups water up their brims. Keep the eye-wash
cups straight; bend the head and dip and eyes in the water. Blink gently in the
water. The eyes can be washed in a small bowl also. Wash the eyes for about a
minute.

(5) Sun-rays:
Sun-rays
are very beneficial to the eyes. Let the eyes the exposed to the tender rays of
the sun in the early morning and at sunset. When the sun is bright, close your
eyes and face the sun.

Method: Sit or stand
comfortably facing the sun with eyes closed. The slowly turn the head to the
left and then to the right. Repeat this exercise fifty times on each side.
After enjoying the sun, splash the eyes with cold water and to palming for at
least five minutes.

(6) Moonlight: In the moonlit nights, whenever possible,
lie down on back facing the sky. Blink while looking at the moon. Keep the eyes
relaxed. Practice this for ten to fifteen minutes. Blinking at the moon is
beneficial to the eyes.

(7)
Eye-steam: Once a week bathe the closed eyes with the steam of salted water.
Fill in a big bowl with the boiling salt-water. Put the bowl on the ground. Sit
in front of it in prone-kneeling position. Cover the whole body with a quilt or
a blanket and take steam over the closed eyes. This method is similar to the
one used in cold and coughs. Take the steam for about five minutes. This will
cause perspiration which removes the harmful elements collected around the
eyes. Eye muscles become warm and loosen up, beneficial the eyes. Besides, the
face looks bright.

(8) Shower on the head: Except for some imperative necessity,
do not pour hot water on the head in ordinary circumstances. After taking the
bath and before wiping the body, take cold water shower on your head for about
two minutes. If there is no facility of the shower bath, gently pour cold water
form a jug on your head. This must be done slowly. Take at least half a minute
to pour the jugful of water on the head. Then wipe the body. It is advantageous
to do this a regular habit.

(9)
Clay on the eyes: Take clay of any colour (preferably black). It should be
sifted and without grits. It should be obtained from the surroundings of a pond
or form the virgin ground. It should be free form chemical fertilizers.

Method: Moisten clay with cold water and make around, flat and
small lumps from it. Put these lumps on the closed eyes for about ten minutes.
Cover the lumps with a dray piece of cloth. Clay has the virtue of drawing out
poison. It gives coolness and strength also. It should not be kept on the eyes
for more than ten minutes.

(10) Facial Message: For a minute or two every day, vigorously
massage the skin of the face and the neck with a napkin soaked in cold water.
Occasionally use hot and cold napkin alternately. Start with a hot napkin;
massage the face for a minute; then take a cold napkin and massage the face for
half a minute. Repeat this process three-four times. This method refreshes the
eyes and improves the blood circulation of the face.

Have a nice day

Good
Habits for Healthy Eyes (part1)

Just
as general health can be preserved by doing physical exercises, ocular health
can be maintained by certain good habits.

The ten good
habits described below help to maintain good eyesight. As these activities
become regular habits in due course of time, no extra time is required to be
spared for them.

(1) Water-Splash: Splash cold water over the closed eyes three
or four times a day. Ice-water or water from a refrigerator will also serve the
purpose. Splash water over the eyes while washing the face in the morning,
before taking the meals and at bed-time.

Method: Full the mouth with as much water as it can contain.
Keeping the mouth full of water splash water over the closed eyes eight to ten
times from a distance of four to five inches. If possible, do not wipe the
water on the face. Let it dry of its own. Empty the mouth now.

(2) Palming: Palming means covering the closed eyes with
the palms. When the eyes are fatigued or exhausted, they can be relaxed by
palming. A five minutes palming twice or thrice a day is a must. Count up to
eight hundred for a five minute palming. Alternately, listen to two records or
music or songs, each of three minutes. The purpose is well served while
listening to slow melodious music.

One can
still tell whether a room is lighted or dark if one simply keeps his eyes
closed. This means that light is entering his eyes.This can be prevented by
covering the closed eyes with palms. Complete rest is necessary to preserve
good eyesight. The eyes, while being palmed, experience pitchy darkness which
gives them good rest.

Palming has
been found to be most efficacious and should be cultivated as a daily habit by
all. In palming, the closed eyes are covered with the palms of hands (both the
palms slighted cupped, the fingers being crossed on the fore-head) in such a
way as to avoid pressure or touching on the eye-balls. Take care that the outside
light does not reach meditate

Method of Palming-1 : Sit on a chair in front of a table. Place the
elbows on the table and do palming as shown in the figure.

Method of Palming-2 : Sit on the ground or on a cot, the back
touching the wall. Raise the knees to the chest. Rest the head on the wall. Put
the elbows on the knees and practice palming as shown in the figure. This is
the best and most comfortable method.

Method of Palming-3 : Sit on a chair; Put a small pillow on the
thighs. Support the elbow on the pillow and do palming as shown in the figure.
The method also is convenient.

If, after
the water-splash, palming with wet hands and wet face is performed, the eyes
get coolness in condition to advantage of the palming.

3) Washing the feet with cold water: The feet should be
washed with cold water twice a day and at night before going to bed. Rub the
feet on the wet tiles of the bath-room for two or three minutes. Pour cold
water on the feet while rubbing them on the tiles. This practice induces sound
sleep which in turn helps to maintain good eyesight. Massaging the bottoms of
the feet with cow’s ghee or pure castor oil seems to serve the same purpose;
that is, to have a good effect on the eyes through the feet.

Continue………

Have
a nice day

Power of Vegetables

If you have
always advocated beetroots and carrots to your children, it is rewarding to
know how nutritious these salads are. Not only are they full of vitamins and
minerals, but they also do not add to the body fat.

ASPARAGUS

This is the
perfect vegetable to eat if you suffer from bouts of water retention. Asparagus
is loaded with vitamin A, C, K, B complex, potassium, iron and a few minerals.
It also facilitates normal clotting of human blood and is an excellent source
of plant protein. 

BEETROOT

Beetroot is
a powerful blood and kidney cleanser and works like magic on the digestive
system. It is filled with natural sugars and complex carbohydrates, but most
importantly it contains a few minerals and manganese, iron and potassium. It
also contains amino acids like phenylalanine, lysine and valine. But do avoid
raw beets as the oxalates can combine with calcium to form kidney
stones.  

BROCCOLI

If your
immunities are weak, broccoli provides protection to the respiratory as well as
the gastrointestinal tract. But it is best utilized when combined with some
other juice.

You can get the goodness of both fresh oranges and milk from the unique
broccoli, as it is rich in vitamin C as well as calcium. It also has a high
content of vitamins A, E, K as well as important minerals like selenium and
potassium. Although it has high protein, it does not have enough amino acids.
Therefore it goes well with bean sprouts. 

CABBAGE

This
vegetable is perfect for restoring energy and vitality. It has an amazing
effect on the lower intestinal tract. It can help protect the immune system
against environmental damage caused by cigarette smoke and chemicals. But be
careful, as too much of it will cause gas problems. The humble cabbage is full
of vitamin A, C and K, calcium, potassium and organic sulphur. It also contains
a group of chemicals called goitorgens that cause enlargement of the thyroid
gland. So avoid having it in large quantities. 

CARROTS

Carrot
juice is the most amazing natural liver cleanser. It also protects the
respiratory tract, larynx and esophagus from environmental damage. It has high
vitamin A content, which prevents night-blindness in people. Carrot also
contains B complex as well as vitamin C, iodine, potassium, manganese and amino
acids like arginine, valine, tryptophane and hisidine.

CUCUMBER

A
beautician's secret, cucumber is excellent for facial skin. It also promotes
the growth of healthy hair and nails. And of course, we all know the wonders
that it performs on baggy eyes and dark circles. It contains vitamins like B
and C, and minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. 

LETTUCE

Lettuce is
a very good tranquillizer for excitable adults and hyperactive children.

It contains a good amount of Vitamins A, C, K and minerals like calcium,
potassium, iron and iodine. It is also a source of protein. 

SPINACH

Spinach is
rich in Vitamin C, A and B complex. It is also abundant in minerals like
phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron and protein. But because of the
presence of oxalic acid in spinach, it should be eaten with other sources of
protein. 

Spinach also stimulates the liver and also has a laxative effect. But as the
oxalates combine with calcium to form kidney stones, it is not advisable to
have it in excessive amounts. 

TOMATO

Freshly squeezed tomato
juice is an excellent liver tonic. It cleans out all the toxins in your system
making you feel light and fresh. It is also a source of vitamin C and minerals
such as potassium and calcium. But always remember to have fresh tomato slices
or juice, as preserved tomato loses its nutrition value.

have a nice day