Aruna Bhatia, Author at GOQii

November 20, 2022 By Aruna Bhatia 3 Comments

Healthy Eating: Chinese Quinoa Pulao

Have you been craving for some delicious chinese food? Well, we’ve got an exciting recipe for you! Satisfy your cravings with this delicious Chinese Quinoa Pulao recipe that’s a healthy twist on fried rice!

What You Will Need

Quinoa – 1 cup
Water – 2 cups
Salt to taste
Black pepper powder – 1 tsp
Soya sauce – 1 tsp
Red chilli sauce – 1 tsp
Oil/Ghee – 2 tsp
Mixed vegetables (carrot, green beans, cabbage and capsicum) – 2 cups
Chopped onion – 1 medium
Chopped garlic pods – 3
Chopped green chilli – 1

How To Prepare

,Heat a pan with one tsp of oil/ghee
Add soaked, rinsed and strained quinoa.
Let it roast for a minute on a medium flame and keep stirring it.
Now add two cups of water to it and salt to taste.
Once it starts boiling, turn the flame on low, cover and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep checking to prevent burning.
After 15 minutes, switch the flame off and keep it covered for 5 minutes so it gets steam cooked. After 5 minutes check if the quinoa is cooked and not sticking to the pan.
Next we take another pan and add a spoon of oil to it. Once the oil is heated, add 2-3 garlic pods and chopped onion.
Slowly add chopped vegetables, a little salt and cover it for a minute till all vegetables are cooked but still crunchy.
Now add 1 tsp soya sauce, one tsp red chili sauce and half tsp black pepper powder. Give it all a mix.
Finally, add the cooked quinoa and stir it all well. Your Chinese Quinoa Pulao is ready!

Please Note: Quinoa has high quantities of saponin coatings on the outside of the kernel which is bitter to taste. So it’s very important to rinse it well after soaking it for at least 10-20 minutes. 1 cup of dry quinoa will give almost 3 cups of cooked quinoa.

Highlights of the Chinese Quinoa Pulao Recipe

It is a good one pot meal consisting of proportionate carbs, protein, fiber and fat.
It will give you a healthy satiety for your cravings for restaurant style Chinese food, without any guilt.
Suitable for balanced dinners, for weight loss, diabetics, PCOS and muscle builders as well.
This dish is excellent for vegetarians as they have to rely upon good sources of plant protein and quinoa is complete protein as it has all the essential amino acids which the body is unable to make itself

We hope you try and enjoy this delicious Chinese Quinoa Pulao recipe! Do leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments below! For more Healthy Recipes, check out Healthy Reads or you can ask a GOQii Coach directly by subscribing for personalized coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

May 7, 2022 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: Hydrating Summer Bowl

During summer, our bodies crave for some chilled drink or ice cream due to the immense heat. But the fact that anything available outside is loaded with refined sugar and unhealthy fats, it might not be the best option as you need to keep your immunity up and stay cautious about your health. But we understand your craving and hence, here’s a healthier alternative – your very own hydrating summer bowl which will help you beat the heat and you can enjoy it guilt-free!

What You Will Need

Sabja Seeds – 1 tsp
Fresh Hibiscus flower – 1
Diced mango cubes – one small bowl
Pomegranate – 1 small bowl
Grapes (cut in half) – 1 small bowl
Fresh Coconut water – half glass

How To Prepare

Soak the sabja seeds in half a glass of coconut water for fifteen minutes.
Boil a cup of plain water, soak the hibiscus flower petals in this hot water for a minute or two. Then put it into the refrigerator to chill.
Next, in a big bowl, add the sabja seeds along with the coconut water. Then add all the diced fruits and the chilled hibiscus water.
In the end, add some crushed ice for the crunch and enjoy this guilt free summer bowl.

Health Benefits Of the Hydrating Summer Bowl

Sabja seeds are rich in fiber and help combat the heat inside the body
Coconut water hydrates you and is full of electrolytes – a must have during summer
Hibiscus makes it more antioxidant rich, helps lower blood pressure, improves immunity, releases constipation, reduces inflammation and also helps reduce hair fall.

We hope you try this Hydrating Summer Bowl! If you do, do share your pics with us on social media, tagging GOQii! Let us know your experience in the comments below. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads.

To get more such recipes, nutrition and diet tips from a GOQii Coach, subscribe for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

April 19, 2022 By Aruna Bhatia 1 Comment

Summer Health Hazards You Need To Be Aware Of

Indian summers were always hot, but now they have turned lethal. Studies indicate that temperatures across many districts in India will exceed by two degree Celsius by the end of next two or three decades. So our huge population is likely to be exposed to the risk of summer hazards. Hence, I feel the need to talk about the most common summer health hazards.

Common Summer Health Hazards

1. Dehydration
It occurs when more water and fluids leave the body than enter it. Even low levels of dehydration can cause symptoms like increased thirst, fatigue, blurred vision, headache and muscle cramps. We all know that the human body is roughly 75% of water and without this water it cannot survive.

How can you prevent it?
Always make sure you drink lots of water during these scorching summer months (approx 35ml per kg body weight). Apart from this, drinks for replacing body fluids can be coconut water, aloe vera juice, amla juice, fruit juice, vegetable juice, buttermilk, sugarcane juice or an electrolyte drink. But fruit or electrolyte juice will be better if diluted to half the strength with water to moderate sugar or salt intake from those drinks. Drinks with alcohol or caffeine should be avoided as these dehydrate the body.

2. Heat Stroke
Sun stroke or heat stroke occurs from extreme exposure to heat and sunlight and is considered as a medical emergency. Symptoms of heat stroke include dizziness, nausea, headache, vomiting and even fainting.

How can you prevent it?
Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose fitting and cotton clothing. Stay indoors as much as possible and schedule outdoor activities carefully. Most importantly, take a good amount of fluids and hydrate well before stepping out. If caught with mild sunstroke, settling teas like chamomile, peppermint, fennel seeds or our own aam panna also helps best.

3. Food Poisoning
Summer heat raises the risk of food borne diseases. Food poisoning cases are one of the most common summer health hazards because bacteria grow faster in warmer weather. Symptoms of food poisoning include cramps, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

How can you prevent it?
To avoid food poisoning, we simply have to be careful about what we put in our mouth. Furthermore, we should make sure that we eat only well cooked food and try to consume it as soon as possible once it’s cooked. Eat only fresh cut salads and fruits when eating raw. Do not leave food long outside before refrigerating. Try to refrigerate all the leftover food as soon as steam stops rising from it.

Ample rest, good hydration, eating light and, last but not the least, moving your body adequately helps us stay fit and healthy from summer health hazards. Prevention remains the key, as lack of awareness is one of the main reasons for the near fatal result of these hazards.

We hope this article helps you enjoy a healthy summer. Want us to cover some more hazards? Did we miss out on something? Let us know in the comments below!

For more summer safety tips, check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for personalized health coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce

February 28, 2022 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

5 Biggest Workout Mistakes You Need To Avoid

The importance of good exercise is known to us all. Some of the benefits of regular exercise include improved heart health, bone and muscle strength, improved immunity, better digestion and sleep among others. But let’s also throw some light on five basic and common workout mistakes that most of us usually make while beginning on an exercise regime.

5 Workout Mistakes To Avoid

1. Ignoring Warm Up and Skipping Cool Down
A warm up routine increases blood flow to our muscles. It’s purpose is to prevent injuries by increasing core and muscle temperature. A good warm up also increases the range of motion. In its absence, we may place unnecessary strain on our heart and lungs, risking injury. It’s the same when we skip a post workout cool down. Cool down allows body temperature, blood pressure and heart rate to return to normal, reducing the chances of fainting and dizziness. Also, cool down stretches allow the muscles to stretch and relax.

2. Being Inconsistent
People are very enthusiastic at the beginning of a new workout regime and with this enthusiasm, they tend to go too fast and burn out. Instead, one should progress slowly and gradually, starting with exercises that are suitable and aligned to their current fitness level. It’s important to maintain consistency.

3. Not Getting Enough Sleep
Sleep is majorly underestimated. A good six to eight hours of sleep doesn’t just energize your body but also helps muscle growth, recovery, strengthening the immune system and virtually all aspects of health. It definitely is worth adjusting your schedule for.

4. Not Analysing Progress The Right Way
Not monitoring and listening to your body cues is probably the biggest workout mistake you can make. Always keep a tab on checking body part measurements as muscle growth may not be visible on a scale. Paying attention to how you feel throughout your workouts and checking results will make your workout more effective and meaningful.

5. Improper Hydration
In an hour of exercises, the body loses almost one fourth of its water content. This may lead to muscle fatigue due to lactic acid build up as well as cramps. One should be careful not to drop hydration levels and take small sips of water between workouts as well as pre and post workout. Drinking enough water (2.5-3 liters a day) helps in better absorption of protein, vitamins and minerals from food.

We hope this article helps you avoid these common workout mistakes. Do leave your thoughts in the comments below. For more on fitness and workouts, check out Healthy Reads or get personalized health advice from a GOQii Coach by subscribing here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

#BeTheForce