All posts by HealthyLife

HealthyLife is a part of www.WeRIndia.com, an all India – centric website (https://healthylife.werindia.com) and is solely owned and operated by WeRIndia.com. It is a Indian nutritional portal providing educational articles.This nutritional port was launched on February 5th, 2015.
Winged beans salad curry

Winged bean salad curry

If you walk in Asian stores or in Indian vegetable market you will see these special beans looks like pea-like beans with four winged edges. Almost every part of this unique plant is tasty and edible. The fresh young pods are similar to green beans with a chewy texture and a slightly sweet taste.  When cooked, these beans taste like combination of spinach and beans.

Winged beans are one of the versatile edible legumes of tropical origin. Nutritious and tasty these beans are. The whole plant exhibits abundant nutrition value. Tender, immature pods of winged beans are one of the very low-calorie vegetables; high protein content equivalent to that of soybean protein. Fresh, young bean pods are one of the finest sources of folates. Fresh winged beans contain quite a good amount of Vitamin C. Also, winged beans provide adequate amounts of minerals, and vitamins. Some of the essential minerals such as iron, copper, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium are concentrated in them. Winged bean leaves, used as greens, are an excellent source of fiber, vitamin-C, vitamin-A, and minerals.

Why wait? Try delicious salad- curry recipe using winged beans.

Ingredients:

  1.  Winged beans – 1 cup
  2. Soaked split chenna daal -2 Tbs
  3. Green chillies – ¼ tsp
  4. Chopped onion – ½ cup
  5. Curry leaves – a sprig
  6. Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
  7. Pepper – ½ or 1 tsp
  8. Red chilli – 1
  9. Salt, to taste
  10. Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp
  11. Asafetida – a pinch (optional)
  12. Grated coconut -1/2 cup
  13. Lemon juice – 1 tsp
  14. Chopped cilantro – 2 tsp

Preparation:

  1. Wash and chop the winged beans
  2. Heat oil in a pan and prepare seasoning using mustard, cumin, curry leaves, green chillis and red chilli. Add a pinch of asafetida (optional)
  3. Add the chopped onion and continue frying for 2 – 3 mins.
  4. Now add cut winged beans to the seasoning and stir.
  5. Add soaked channa daal to winged beans. Add enough water (about a cup should be sufficient) and cook for 15 mins.
  6. Add pepper, turmeric powder and salt at the end of the cooking.
  7. Once the winged bean and daal cooks well as per your requirement, remove the curry from stove and mix grated coconut.
  8. Sprinkle lemon juice on the curry, garnish with chopped cilantro, mix well and serve winged bean curry with hot rice.

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Reference: Healthylife.werindia.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 27, 2017
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15 Egg substitutes for baking

15 well known egg substitutes for baking

Vegan and vegetarians obviously does not like to use egg when they prepare baked items like cake.

There are several alternatives for egg that one can chose as a replacement for eggs.

Egg replacements are needed for leavening, binding and to moisturizer the dishes.

Here are 15 such egg replacements one can try.

  1. Applesauce :Use 1/4 cup of unsweetened apple sauce in place of one egg in most baking recipes. If all you have is sweetened applesauce, then simply reduce the amount of sugar in the recipe. Applesauce is also a popular healthy replacement for oil in many baked goods.
  2. Banana : Use 1/4 cup of mashed banana -from about half a banana when baking.
  3. Flax seeds :Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 3 tablespoons of water until fully absorbed and viscous. Use in place of one egg.
  4. Vegetable oil :1/4 cup of vegetable oil can be substituted for one egg when baking. If you are not fond of oily or greasy dish then go with other alternative.
  5. Water, oil and baking powder: Whisk together 2 tablespoons of water, 1 teaspoon of oil (like corn or vegetable oil) and 2 teaspoons of baking powder. Use this in place of one egg.
  6. Chia Seeds : Use the same ratio as the flaxseed mix, and enjoy all the health benefits of chia seeds, which are like flaxseed.
  7. Aquafaba : It is nothing but bean juice — specifically the liquid that comes in can of chickpeas. It may not work for everything, but if your recipe calls for egg whites, whip up some aquafaba instead. For best results, use an unsalted variety.
  8. Tofu :Tofu is great for egg substitutions in recipes that call for a lot of eggs, such as quiches or custards. To replace one egg in a recipe, purée 1/4 cup of soft tofu. It’s important to keep in mind that although tofu doesn’t fluff up like eggs, it does create a texture that’s perfect for dishes that require eggs.
  9. Instant Mashed Potatoes :Instant mashed potatoes are another great ingredient for binding. Use 2 tablespoonful of mashed potatoes to replace one egg in recipes that are meant to be dense.
  10. Diet Soda: Use diet soda as a leavening agent. One can of diet soda can be used to replace two eggs in many cake recipes.
  11. Neat egg mix: Neat egg mix – this is name given to chia seeds and chick pea mix product to replace egg.
  12. Potato starch and arrowroot powder: These can be used for binding purposes in place of egg.
  13. Canned pumpkin or squash: These two add moisture to baking goods -cake, muffins and bread
  14. Nuts and fruits: Pulse one part of dried fruit (prunes, dates, raisins etc) and 2 parts of nuts in a food processor and add to a vegan pie crust.
  15. Mashed sweet potatoes: These can be good for binding and gives a taste for many savory recipes.

www.healthylife.werindia.com

Image credit: Photo by Jasmine lew from Pexels (Free for commercial use)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 22, 2017
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Where the chocolate milk comes from?

Where the chocolate milk comes from?

So what do you think? Where the chocolate milk comes from? If your answer is Brown cow then it shows how disconnected we are from the original food source and how poor our knowledge about our food and health is.  Sadly, seven percent of all American adults — roughly 16.4 million people — do not know that chocolate milk is made of milk, cocoa, and sugar, according to a new nationally representative survey by the Innovation Center for US Dairy. Instead, they reported it comes from brown cows. The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy says 7 percent of American adults believe chocolate milk comes from brown cows. The study is meant to demonstrate how disconnected we are from our food – www.healthylife.werindia.com

The fact that some people — 16.4 million, to be precise — believe chocolate milk comes directly from a cow’s teat is a problem.

Because consumers have the option of picking and choosing from a plethora of goods when they visit the supermarket, few consider where their food comes from. This is a conundrum, one that is leading to ignorance pertaining to food cultivation and its use. And, a new survey commissioned by the Innovation Center for US Dairy confirms this.

Reportedly, an astonishing 7 percent of American citizens believe chocolate milk comes directly from a brown cow. In fact, the question “Does chocolate milk come from brown cows?” is the most frequently asked question on the Center’s website. Fortunately, a polite response is offered: “Chocolate milk – or any flavored milk for that matter – is white cow’s milk with added flavoring and sweeteners,” reads the website.

The fact that some people — 16.4 million, to be precise — believe chocolate milk comes directly from a cow’s teat is a problem. And, ignorance concerning where food is sourced doesn’t end there. As Food and Wine reports, the nationally representative survey which took into account 1,000 adults’ answers found that 48 percent of respondents admitted they weren’t sure where chocolate milk comes from. That means approximately 154,272,000 potential voters aren’t confident enough to guess “cow,” as IFLScience points out.

As sad as this is, it isn’t the first time Americans have proven themselves to be uninformed about where food comes from. A study conducted in the early 1990s discovered that 20 percent of adults didn’t know hamburgers were made of meat from cows.

The additional findings from the Innovation Center for US Dairy’s study are actually quite humorous. On average, 37 percent of people secretly drink milk straight out of the container in the fridge, and another 29 percent use their children as an excuse to buy chocolate milk so they can drink it later/

The survey speaks volumes about present attitudes toward food — at least in the U.S., and drives home the need to educate consumers on not only the effects of eating certain foods but the necessity for every individual to grow a garden and develop a relationship with the Earth and its inhabitants.

Read More: Article  By Amanda Froelich in http://www.trueactivist.com/

Image credit: Photo by Min An from Pexels
(Free CC0)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 21, 2017
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Popsicle

What is special about these Popsicle?

What is special about these Popsicle? Art students from National Taiwan University concocted a line of frozen Popsicle treats! What is special about these Popsicle? They are not regular Popsicle – they are made out of highly polluted water from 100 water sources of Taiwan. Instead of focusing on the flavor these students focused on Environmental change (human made) that is causing pollution in water sources.  Students Hung I-chen, Guo Yi-hui, and Cheng Yu-ti created these “Polluted Water Popsicle”. The group collected polluted water from 100 locations in Taiwan, first freezing the collected sewage samples and then preserving their creations in polyester resin ! What is the purpose behind creating these polluted popsicles? Read article to understand.. Healthylife.com

Don’t be tempted to snack on these Popsicle — they are made from sewage found in the polluted waters of Taiwan.

At first glance, these popsicles look like artisanal organic treats one might purchase from a food truck. Don’t be tempted to consume them, however — unless you want to be very ill. They are made from sewage found in the polluted waters of Taiwan.

Bored Panda reports that three design students, Hung I-chen, Guo Yi-hui, and Cheng Yu-ti, for the Polluted Water Popsicles Project partnered to create the toxic frozen popsicles. The reason? To raise awareness about increasing water pollution due to rapid economic growth and urbanization.

After polluted water was sourced from 100 different bodies of water, the students from the National Taiwan University of Arts recreated them using transparent polyester resin. They even went as far as making wrappers for the Popsicle that reveal the different regions where the water samples were obtained.

Reportedly, about 90% of the trash in the water was plastic — which is a real travesty, considering the material takes hundreds of years to break down and is responsible for polluting the environment and adversely affecting wildlife.

The project raises awareness about using reusable containers, recycling when necessary, and adopting habits that lower one’s carbon footprint — such as consuming a plant based diet, shopping in bulk and bicycling to work or the store.

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This article is publishes as appeared in www.trueactivist.com: Author:Amanda Froelich 

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 16, 2017
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Natural cure for excessive thirst

Natural cure for excessive thirst

We all feel thirsty for various reasons. When there is lot of fluid loss through sweating and heat we feel thirsty. Or after eating heavy oily and salty food we can expect to feel thirsty.

Apart from these the medical conditions such as gastroenteritis (vomiting and diarrhea), diabetes makes one thirsty.

In diabetic patients a antidiuretic hormone called vasopressin is responsible for passing of copious amounts of urine and it results in excessive thirst.

Some people have a habit of drinking lot of water to keep body fluid in balance. Some do not drink water at all for reasons like – vomiting sensation or stomach fullness after drinking water or feeling of urinating often in a day.
Do you know the condition of excessive thirst is called “polydipsia”

Grandma has some suggestion here – natural cure for excessive thirst.

How to overcome excessive thirst?

1) Drinking water: Drink recommended amount of water per day.

2) Drink one to two glasses of freshly milked milk – without boiling. If your stomach does not agree with this then, boil and cool the milk and drink it.

3) Take half a cup of decoction prepared with equal parts of coriander seeds, amla fruits, dried ginger and dried grapes – three times a day.

4) Take powdered amla in honey and water – three times a day.

5) Drink fresh fruit juice of jamun with or without sugar.

6) Drink turmeric water in sugar and honey.

7) Tamarind water (syrup) helps too.

8) Coconut water with little sugar and a pinch of sandalwood powder is a very good drink for insatiable thirst (as per Ayurveda).

9) Sweet lemon juice with little cardamom powder and pinch of salt takes away thirst.

10) Drink watery butter milk with little amount of salt or no salt.

11) Drink 1 or 2 glasses of rice water (after washing the rice, collect the water) with jiggery and little cardamom powder.

12) Sugarcane juice with little lemon helps too ( not for diabetic patients).

13) Grind soaked green gram with water and filter it. Collect the green gram water and add jaggery and cardamom – drink 1 or 2 glasses.

14) Drink coffee – coffee many times helps in reducing the thirst.
More importantly keep yourself hydrated during summer. Avoid going out in hot sun. If need to walk in hot sun carry an umbrella or be in shade as much as possible!

Image credit:https://www.needpix.com/photo/748141/drink-ice-cubes-glass-heat-thirst-summer-refreshment-cold-ice (Free for commercial use)

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on:
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Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Quick method to roast Brussels sprouts

Brussels sprouts are not everyone’s favorite choice. However, because of its health benefits people eat Brussels sprouts. It supplies lots of fiber and clears the system easily.

Do you know – there is an easy way to roast Brussels sprouts? It is not only easy but is very tasty.

Try this method and you will definitely feel that delicious taste of Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients:

1. Brussels sprouts – 1 Kg

2. Olive oil – 3 Tbs

3. Kosher salt – 1 tsp

4. Freshly ground pepper – 1 tsp

 Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

2. Remove outer yellow leaves from sprouts.

3. Place trimmed Brussels sprouts, olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper in a large resalable plastic bag.

4. Seal the bag tightly, and shake to coat the ingredients.

5. Pour onto a baking sheet, and place on center oven rack.

6. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 to 45 minutes, in between shake the pan every 5 to 7 minutes for even browning. To prevent burning reduce heat if necessary.

7. Brussels sprouts should be darkest brown, almost black, when done. Adjust seasoning with kosher salt, if necessary.

8. Serve hot seasoned Brussels sprouts with cumin rice and yogurt on side!

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 13, 2017
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Gift for grand children

Simple gifts for grandchildren

Gifts can be creative and fun for your grandchildren. Select something that you can be affordable for you and useful for your grandchild. Have a budget and do not hesitate to tell your grandchild how much budget you have. It is okay to share this information, they will learn.

1. What are your grand children talent? Observe and talk to your kids and understand what their interest is.  They may show interest in watching an event, going to sport, music instrument, attending a concert, magazine subscription, posters, painting, photography etc can be their choice.

2. Children now a day are back into radio, they may like to have a alarm clock, cameral, laptop desk, book case, bags for travel, for sports, or for travel.

3. If they want books – get a store gift card or buy books online.

4. Small children always like coloring books – buy and keep them when you see something attractive. Get color pens and pencils. Take them to children art work shop.

5. Fun games – Treasure hunt, ladder & snake, carrom board, chess, cross word puzzles, puzzles, bingo – all these  can be fun games that can play for few years and they will store them with lot of love.

6. Buy a simple karaoke machine and do karaoke with grand children, sing with them.

7. Get a binocular and watch birds and wild animals with them.

8. Buy a small microscope and show them how wonderful life is.

9. Buy an inexpensive camera, which helps them to look at nature in a different way.

10. Give money, but don’t give it to buy love. Give money as an admiration for the help and work they do. Don’t commit to give an amount that you cannot afford.

11. If you are into knitting then knit socks, gloves or a simple design sweater. Before doing so, understand their liking and disliking.

12. Give time – play with your grandchildren. Listen to them and take care of them. Take them for a movie, for breakfast, lunch or dinner, art work class and listen to them. This will be a big gift as it boosts their moral.

13. Invite your grandchildren for weekend camp out at your backyard and cook for them.

14. Make a scrapbook for your grandchild.

15. Take them to local attractions like zoo, art gallery, ice skating, playground, musical play, science centers, parks, national park, farm, sanctuary – this will help them to get exposed.

Remember if needed you can always talk to their parents. Do not buy something that will require extra work or special commitment, such as a trip, a pet, or a big project, without permission from children parents. More importantly, get to know your grandchildren. Because the more you know about their likes and interests, the easier it will be to choose a gift.

Reference: www.werindia.com

Image: www.WerIndia.com

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 11, 2017
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Party Planning Tips

Planning For A Party

Many parties are celebrations of events such as wedding anniversary, birthday, graduation, inviting new friends etc. Whatever the occasion it is most important to have a clear outline of the party theme before beginning to work or plan for a party. The goal is to be a good host and make it memorable for the guests.

Grandma’s experience and tips will help you to establish a structure for planning all the party details.

Plan on spending: Depending on the type of party and number of people plan your party. Snacks, lunch/dinner items, drinks and miscellaneous items are all should be part  of your budget. The style of celebration will also dictate whether you need outside help.

Make a list: Guest list, items needed for the party,  dishes, all tasks that need to be completed – put everything in a note book and review the list.

Guests: Bringing people together for small parties such as dinner is not always easy. Make a list of people who you want to attend the party. If these people are strangers to one another it is important to mix individuals who are likely to get on well together or at least to express an interest in one another. This makes the party fun and interesting.

Food and drink: Whether party is small or big, decide on refreshments – snacks, finger food, buffet or proper sit-down and serving to eat. Make sure that the food and drink you serve are suited to the occasion and there should be adequate amount of food. Plan the menu as needed. If there are children then look into some foods that are suitable for kids. Kids are allergic to some foods and avoid any allergy causing foods in your menu.  In case your menu has something that can cause allergy, put a note near the food.

Invitation: Printed or handwritten invitations should convey certain important information clearly to the recipients. Date, time, venue, address, direction, phone number, occasion, gift or no gift and your name along with RSVP – these specific information avoids any confusion for the guest.

Line up help: You can handle everything alone. Assign work to your family members and if needed, tap into other resources – friends or someone who is willing to work for some bucks!

Serving vessels and linens: If you are planning to serve using your own China, silver, crystals and cups – wash and dry. If it is a small party and you are using linens – laundry the linens if needed.  Make sure you have all the platters and serving pieces you will need.

Shopping: From garbage bags to soft drinks – list all the items and finish shopping 2-3 days before. This will give you time to think and review the items you bought. Miscellaneous items – Ice, Ice cubes, space in refrigerator, drinks, extra napkins, coffee, tea bags, cream, sugar, salt & pepper, butter, lemon etc. that are essential for your party.

Music: Use soft music in the background for dinner kind of parties. Depending on the event select the music. If it is kids birthday music should be bit upbeat and playful.

Cookware and serving utensils: In case you do not have enough utensils and cookware then consider buying inexpensive pieces from a discount store. Label each dish to remember what you are plan to use it for during the event day.

House cleaning: One or two days before the party take a look at house and clean things. Remove stuffs that are on the way and make space for people.  Do whatever touch ups that are needed. Clean the bathrooms, keep fresh towels, toilet papers, fill soap bottles and remove any medicines that are kept in the bathroom cabinets.

Decoration: If the party is simple then, decoration need not be grand. If not, plan the decoration based on the theme.

Pets: If you have pets – Take care of them. Many pets are afraid of crowds and get scared. Make proper arrangements so that, pets will stay away from the crowd.

Greet guests: On the day of party get ready at least an hour before. Check the house and arrangements. Finally receive guests as they arrive. Acknowledge the guests and be a pleasant and good host.

After the parties, keep a note of expenditure, food items served and what was good, not good etc. This will be a big help in terms of savings when you plan your next gathering. These notes will be a reference to look back on when you are trying to remember the best part of the party was and what you need to do in the next event or next time.

Reference: www.werindia.com

Image: Pinterest

Author: HealthyLife | Posted on: June 10, 2017
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