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October 18, 2019 By Navnee Garg 1 Comment

10 Healthy Lunch Tips For a Healthier You!

healthy lunch tipsLunch is a very crucial hour of our daily routine because it makes us realise that half of the day has gone and we need to eat something now. It also gives us energy for the other half of the day. Lunch raises the blood sugar levels in the middle of the day, helping one maintain focus for the rest of the afternoon. For kids, lunch is even more important because this is when they get their vitamins and nutrients for the day.

But in this busy lifestyle, are we really doing justice with our day meal? Are we managing a balanced diet or just eating to satisfy hunger? Well, here are 10 Healthy Lunch Tips which can surely help you get the most out of your meal!

  1. Follow the “My Plate” Rule: My plate illustrates the perfect way to have a balanced diet. It includes all the 5 food groups and represents the ideal portion size for each food group.healthy lunch tips
  2. Simplify the diet plan: Instead of being overly concerned with counting calories or measuring portion sizes, think of your diet in terms of colour, variety, and freshness.
  3. Half cup of Green Peas Pulao served with Bottle Gourd (Lauki) raita is a great alternative to plain boiled rice and a perfect combination with any main course, vegetarian or meat-based. In addition, you can also try brown rice as it contains more fibre, and has a low Glycaemic index.
  4. Include a variety of flattened breads or Rotis in a week. Try using different flours such as Ragi, Bajra, multigrain wheat and/or buckwheat to add all nutrients in the meal. Pack the rotis is a cotton cloth to sustain freshness.
  5. Include a small milk-based drink (curd or buttermilk) in lunch to add probiotics for a healthy gut. If you have to carry it to the office, freeze it overnight, wrap it in a cloth and carry it along the next day. This would avoid souring of curd or buttermilk and would be chilled enough to enjoy with your meal.
  6. Lean on Protein: Protein adds two benefits when added in lunch. Firstly, it takes longer to digest, so helps you avoid hunger pangs. Secondly, it helps you build and maintain metabolism-boosting muscle mass which turns the body into a calorie-burning machine.
  7. Make the Meal Fiber Rich: Salads are equally important as other food items which we end up neglecting. Salads are the natural way of adding fiber, which will not only help in weight management but will also help you avoid the trap of eating high calories in the meal. Most importantly, salads are not boring. Only cucumber and tomato is not a salad. We can create very tasty and healthy salads with other fruits, vegetables, seeds and legumes as well.
  8. Grease your Chapatis with a bit of ghee, especially if packed in the morning. Ghee, in moderate quantities, can be taken as it is a nutritional powerhouse and keeps your gut healthy. Also greasing ghee will keep the chapatis remain fresh!
  9. Treat your sweet tooth with a small piece of jaggery, dark chocolate, yogurt or granola. These are healthier options and they not only satisfy your taste buds but also add various nutrients to your diet.
  10. Avoid Distractions and focus on Mindful Eating. Avoid sitting in front of a TV or using mobile phones while on the lunch table. This leads to overeating or incomplete chewing of food. Rather, spend time with family, friends, enjoy a healthy conversation and charge yourself up for the next half of the day.

We hope these healthy lunch tips help you add more value to your meals! Make your lunch healthy and yourself healthier! What do you usually eat for lunch? Share it with us in the comments below!

#BeTheForce

September 20, 2019 By Navnee Garg 1 Comment

Healthy Snacks You Must Eat While Watching Your Favourite Show!

healthy snacksIn my previous blog, I spoke about how Binge watching affects our health and how we can stay healthy while doing so! As promised, I will be sharing some recipes for super yummy healthy snacks that you can munch on while watching your favourite shows. These recipes are not only delicious but healthy as well!

Here are 3 healthy snacks you can easily make and munch on!

1. Crispy Kale Chips

All you need is 3 ingredients and 20 minutes to prepare this super healthy and yummy snack! Believe it or not, these crispy chips taste better than fried potato chips, and they are absolutely good for you!

What you will need:

  • 1 head of kale – washed and dried
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • Salt to sprinkle

How to Prepare:

  1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.
  2. Separate kale leaves from stem and cut into 1 ½ inch pieces.
  3. Spread the leaves on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and salt.
  4. Bake them for 20 minutes. (Turn the side of leaves halfway to get equal baking on both sides).
  5. Serve the crispy snack in a bowl.

2. Apple Chips

I can understand your hesitation but once you try this, it will be your preferred go-to snack! These cinnamon-laced chips might take a little more time to prepare but are totally worth it!

What You Will Need:

  • 2 golden apples – thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon powdered cinnamon
  • 1 ½ teaspoon white sugar

How to Prepare:

  1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
  2. Spread the Apple slices on a metal baking sheet.
  3. Mix sugar and cinnamon powder together in a bowl; sprinkle equally over apple slices.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven till the apple slices look dried and their edges curl up, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  5. Let then cool and serve after 15 minutes.

3. Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips

Could we ask for anything more? A clever fruit-based recipe that scoops a colourful mixture onto a crunchy flour tortilla (roti), baked with cinnamon and a little sugar! It not only sounds like a treat but tastes like one too!

What You Will Need:

  • 2 Kiwis and Apples – both peeled and diced
  • 1 cup raspberries and strawberries
  • 2 tbsp white sugar
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Rotis (tortilla)
  • 1 spoon butter (for greasing)
  • 2 tbsp cinnamon sugar

How to Prepare:

  1. Mix the kiwi, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white and brown sugar in a large bowl. Cover it and keep it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  3. Grease one side of each roti with butter and cut them into wedges. Spread them out on a baking tray.
  4. Sprinkle the wedges with the desired amount of cinnamon sugar and grease butter on top again.
  5. Grease one side of each roti with butter. Cut into wedges and spread them in a single layer on a baking tray. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Grease butter on top again.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes.
  7. Once done, allow them to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
  8. Serve with chilled fruit mixture on the top.

Aren’t these recipes just mouthwatering? Try these healthy snacks with your current series and let me know your experience in the comments below.

I’ll be back with more recipes soon!

#BeTheForce

July 16, 2019 By Navnee Garg Leave a Comment

Almond Milk! Cheers to Good Health!

In recent months, you must have come across the term Almond Milk either in some recipes or even cooking shows. Ever wondered what it is or how it is made? Surely, it isn’t the already famous “Badam Milk” that we’re used to but something totally different from that! 

Almond Milk, in its essence, is an inexpensive, healthy alternative to conventional dairy that you can easily make at home. It is great for those who cannot or choose not to drink cow’s milk. It is made by grinding almonds, mixing them with water and filtering the mixture to create a product that looks a lot like milk and has a nutty flavour. 

Homemade Almond Milk Recipe 

  1. Soak 1 cup of almonds for up to 2 days 
  2. Drain and rinse the almonds 
  3. Blend almonds with 2 cups of water
  4. Line a glass measuring cup with cheesecloth or a nut bag 
  5. Pour the blended almonds in 
  6. Squeeze and press to extract about 2 cups of milk
  7. Refrigerate and use within 2 days 

Nutritional Value

Serving: 1/2 cup | Calories: 34kcal | Carbohydrates: 1.9g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Sodium: 6mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.4g

Health Benefits of Almond Milk 

Before trying any recipe, you should know the benefits it provides so we can consume it in the right portion size, at the right time and with the right meal. 

Let’s have a closer look at the health benefits that almond milk provides. 

  • Low-Calorie Drink: How can something made from almonds, which itself is high in calories, can be low in calories? Thanks to the processing used to make it, only a small portion of almonds is present in the finished product. This makes it great for people who want to cut on calories and lose weight without compromising taste. Unsweetened almond milk contains up to 80% fewer calories than regular dairy milk. Using it as a replacement for cow’s milk could be an effective weight loss strategy.
  • Low in Sugar: Homemade almond milk is low in sugar, which makes this nutty milk a guilt-free drink! Although commercially available ones might have sugar added to them, the homemade recipe above leaves the sugar content up to you. More so, since diabetics need to limit their carb intake, replacing dairy milk with almond milk may be a good way to achieve this. 
  • Hello Vitamin E: Not only is Almond Milk low in calories, but it is also a good way to sip in some Vitamin E, providing 37% of the daily Vitamin E requirement in just 30ml. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that combats inflammation and stress in the body.
  • Naturally, Lactose-Free: This is a boon for people with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as Almond Milk is naturally lactose-free, making it a good alternative to dairy. 
  • Go Dairy Free and Vegan: Whether it is religious beliefs, health and environment or a lifestyle choice, veganism is the “in trend” right now and almond milk is nothing less than a blessing to Vegans. Albeit, it is low in protein and is not suitable as a full replacement for dairy in young children. 
  • Recipe Rich: If you’re worried that consuming this product will be boring, you need not worry. It can be used in various recipes. Apart from a refreshing beverage, it can be used along with cereal, muesli or oats for breakfast, in tea, coffee or hot chocolate, smoothies, while baking muffins and pancakes, soups, dressing, homemade ice creams or almond yoghurt! There are plenty of options to keep you interested! 

How excited are you to try this recipe at home? If you try it, do share your experience in the comments below! 

#BeTheForce 

July 7, 2019 By Navnee Garg 4 Comments

Why Chocolate Is So Good For You | World Chocolate Day

world chocolate day

Whatever be the season, whatever be the reason, the very thought of chocolate can make us lick our lips in eagerness. The sweetest day of the year, World Chocolate Day, sometimes called International Chocolate Day, is celebrated annually on July 7.

This day gives us the excuse to indulge in our favorite chocolate, be it milk, hot, a candy bar, a cake, brownies or something layered in chocolate. The world loves chocolate for there’s nothing a chocolate can’t do. It can lift your senses, turn your frown around, fix a heartache and can possibly turn a sad day into a good one!

Whether you’re happy, sad, celebrating, want to gift something- chocolates are what most of us prefer!

Sweet History of Chocolate 

Chocolate may be the “food of the gods,” but for most of its 4,000 year history, it was actually consumed as a bitter beverage rather than the sweet edible treat it is known as today. The creation of the first modern chocolate bar is credited to Joseph Fry, who in 1847 discovered that he could make a moldable chocolate paste by adding melted Cocoa butter back into Dutch Cocoa. By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England.

Science Behind Chocolates 

We all remember the epic line from Forrest Gump – “Life is like a box of chocolates! You never know what you’re gonna get.” However, for chocolatiers, this statement may suggest more than chocolate variety. At the microscopic level, there is more than what meets the eye when it comes to the chocolate we consume.

Chocolate has its own temper, considered a polymorph, which means it can take on different shapes when it solidifies from a liquid form. It gives you the meltdown, to get into the desired shape and flavor. There are various types of chocolate – dark, milk, white and ruby being the most recent.

world chocolate day 2These are made with varying proportions of chocolate liquor, cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk and sugar.  Cocoa is a source of flavonoids and alkaloids such as theobromine, phenethylamine and caffeine. These acts as stimulants to the central nervous system.

The Hormonal Connect 

We crave chocolate because it is good! It tastes good, it smells good and it feels good when it melts in your mouth! And all of these ‘feelings’ arise because our brain releases chemicals in response to each chocolaty experience. The experience of eating chocolate results in feel-good neurotransmitters Dopamine.

Chocolate triggers the brain to release endorphins – hormones that cause your pulse to speed up and give you a pleasant high feeling, rather like being in love. Theobromine and Phenylethylamine in cocoa are also thought to affect levels of serotonin. This can boost your mood and ease depression.

We have to be grateful to the Mayans and the Aztecs for discovering the delight that the cocoa trees have to offer!

Feel like eating one? Go ahead! Today is World Chocolate Day and you must reap the benefits of this awesome treat to the senses.

Watch out for the second part of this blog!

Do leave your thoughts or your best chocolate moments in the comment section below!

#BeTheForce 

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