All posts by Sumana Rao

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Dahi bhindi recipe

Dahi Bhindi recipe

During winter time we hesitate to consume curd. Curd is nutritious and is good for our gut. There are different ways to consume curd or yogurt. Dahi bhindi is a recipe where tender bhindi or okra is cooked in spiced curd mix. Curd is heated with Indian spices and besan flour to get a gravy on medium or low heat. This will not spoil the curd texture and as it mixes with spices it tastes good!  Bhindi is a favorite subji or vegetable of many as it provides good health benefits including diabetic condition. Try dahi bhindi with hot puris.

Ingredients:

  1. Okra/Bhindi: Half Kg
  2. Cumin: ½ tsp
  3. Mustard: ½ tsp
  4. Coriander powder: 2 tsp
  5. Red chilli powder: 1 tsp
  6. Asafetida: 2 pinches
  7. Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
  8. Curd / dahi: 1 cup
  9. Salt: as per taste
  10. Gram flour: 1 Tbsp
  11. Curry leaves: few
  12. Red chilli -1
  13. Cooking oil: for seasoning

Preparation:

  1. Wash and dry okra/bhindi on a paper towel to remove water.
  2. Cut okra to one-inch pieces
  3. Heat oil on medium heat and stir fry okra for 5-8 minutes till pieces turn tender. Transfer tender bhindi to a plate
  4. In frying pan, add besan flour and fry for a minute to get golden brown color.
  5. Heat oil for seasoning and to prepare gravy. Add cumin, mustard, curry leaves, 1 red chilli and asafetida and prepare seasoning.
  6. Add fried besan flour to seasoning followed by curd, turmeric, coriander, and chili powder. Mix the contents for about 3 minutes or till the oil start separating the mix.
  7. Add half a cup of water and salt to spice mix and bring it to one boil. Now add tender bhindi and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes on low heat.

Prepare puri and serve hot puri with hot dahi bhindi for breakfast, lunch, or dinner!


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: December 28, 2018
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USE OF BANANA LEAF TO SERVE FOOD

Use of Banana leaf to serve food

Image: Food serving in banana leaves

  1. Uppu (Salt)
  2. Uppinakai (Pickle
  3. Chutney (Lentil chutney
  4. Kosumbri (Green Gram Salad)
  5. Kosumbri (Bengal Gram Salad
  6. Kayi Chutney (Coconut Chutney) 
  7. Beans Pallya (Beans curry)
  8. Gujje Pallya (Jack Fruit curry)
  9. Chitranna (Lemon Rice)  
  10. Happala (Papad)
  11. Sandige (Crispies)
  12. Kadubu (Steamed Rice Cake)
  13. Anna (Rice)  
  14. Thovve (Dal) 
  15. Sihigojju (Raitha)
  16. Saru (Rasam)  
  17. Uddinahittu (Black Gram Paste) 
  18. Badane Podi (Brinjal Pakoda)
  19. Menaskai (Sweet And Sour Gravy
  20. Goli Baje (Maida Fry)  
  21. Avial (Vegetable Mix)
  22. Bendi Baje (Ladies Finger Pakoda)  
  23. Gulla Koddel (Brinjal Sambar 
  24. Chiroti Milk (Sweet)
  25. Aaambode (Masalwada Curry)  
  26. Kayi Holige (Sweet Coconut Chapati)  
  27. Vangi Bath (Vegetable rice)
  28. Bharatha (Sour Ginger Gravy)
  29. Paradi Payasa (Sweet)  
  30. Mosaru (Yogurt)
  31. Majjige (Butter Milk)

(Items will vary for each festival)

Why in Southern part of India people often use banana leaf to serve food? It need not be festival occasion but can be anytime. I remember whenever we have guests and we are short of plates to serve we used to get banana leaf from the farm or from local store. Then we slighly warm the banana leaf on both the sides on low flame and wipe with wet cloth. This is to keep banana leaf hygienic.  Later the food will be served on these banana leaves.  The Eco – Friendly leaves were serving dual purposes: replacing plates and no washing dishes.

Traditional way of eating is on banana leaf is explained below. South Indians are fond of eating their food on banana leaves.

Cultural beliefs: A traditional meal on a banana leaf is necessary at any South Indian celebration. One has to eat carbohydrates in the form of white rice first, then the protein (dal), iron-rich vegetables and fat in the form of curd or yogurt. This is the order in which food is served and consumed as well. It is even more traditional to sit on the floor on a mat or a wooden stool and eat using hands and sitting in the padmasana (lotus) pose. Eating from a banana leaf is considered to be hygienic and healthy. Any guest can be served on a banana leaf which is considered humble and respectful.

Banana Leaf Food

The order and type of foods served in a banana leaf varies from culture to culture. In general, the following is practiced in the Southern states.

  1. The leaf is placed in a way that the broader side comes on the right. This is because Indians eat on the right hand (eating with left hand is frowned upon due to historical issues of hygiene) and having the biggest part of the leaf close to the right hand makes it practical to move food from the leaf to the mouth.
  2. Things that are less used (such as salt – that is usually kept separate to enable the diner to add it as per his/her taste) are kept on the left of the leaf. The things on the right are usually gravy, pickle and curry that are more frequently accessed. Again it stems from point 1.
  3. Most of the wet items (including payasam and pachadi) are served on the top side away from the diner. Dry items such as Rice and papad are usually served on the bottom side. This is because the liquids can flow towards the corner and you don’ want it coming out on the diner. Also, rice is eaten more often and you want it close to the diner. The rice is also used to build a wall on the south side to prevent the liquid entry towards the guest.
  4. Sweet items (such as kesari, halva) are usually served as the first items in a leaf. Indians equate sweet to good news and thus sweet items have a royal place in the leaf. The meal is also ended with a sweet or somewhat sweet dishes (such as a payasam or curd) to leave a sweet taste in the guests’ mouths.
  5. In the main course, rasam (soup) comes first to help in digestion and rousing the appetite. The main course is ended with curd/butter milk that is again good for digestion.
  6. All the items are served in this way so that, people can reach food easily. On auspicious day salt will be served after the soup. Once the rice and other hot items are served along with homemade ghee, banana leaf will release slight aroma that makes eating enjoyable and tasty.
  7. In the past there were no plates available; banana leaves were easily available and were large enough to contain all the food. Also, there is no particular smell in the leaf that can put you off.

Banana leaves have lot of medicinal property. See below:

  • Applying a fresh banana leaf on skin for a few hours is valuable in the natural treatment of boils and psoriasis. It relieves skin irritation, too.
  • Applying juice extracted from banana flowers or leaves is helpful in healing burns.
  • Banana has been used as a folk medicine among people with diabetes in the Philippines. Folkloric use of Dried Banana Leaves also includes diuretic and purgative action from leaf decoctions and the use of root parts for stomach ailments.
  • Applying juice extracted from banana flowers or leaves is helpful in healing burns. You can also apply mashed banana and cover the affected area with betel leaves.
  • Besides, the Banana plant is being studied for its application in the treatment of diabetes. Dried Banana Leaves Banana leaves contain ellagic acid derivatives.
  • Like green tea, banana leaves contain large amounts of polyphenols, including EGCG. They also contain polyphenol oxidase, an enzyme that produces L-DOPA, a treatment for Parkinson’s disease.
  • When dealing with bed sores, spread honey on a banana leaf and lie on it for a few hours to cure the problem. You can follow this procedure for treating small pox, too.

Why wait? If banana leaves are  available use it for your next lunch !

Watch this video:

Reference: http://www.scooppick.com/why-do-south-indians-like-eating-on-banana-leaves/

References:


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Anxiety Remedy

Grandma’s remedies for anxiety

Anxiety can happen to anybody for small to big reasons.  Health, office, colleague, friends, family issues or simple thought of meeting and talking to new people, new surroundings can cause anxiety. There are several home remedies for every day anxiety and nervousness. Grandma is giving some of the popular remedies for anxiety (Caution: do not combine these remedies with the prescribed medications).

1) Centella (gotu kola, timire) plant is brain tonic plant.  To 21 Centella leaves add 7 black pepper, 5 grams rock candy and 5 almonds – Grind all together and make paste.  Every morning prepare this mix and have with one glass milk in empty stomach.

2) Soak 60 gram peanuts in 1/4 liter water overnight. Filter the water in morning to a cup and to this filtered water little rock candy. Mix well and drink in empty stomach in the morning.

3) Ash gourd pulp – Remove the pulp (about 25 grams) and soak in about 60 ml water -overnight. Grind this in the morning with 5-gram honey and have this every morning for next 2-3 weeks.

4) Eat guava fruit one or two every day. Guava helps in bringing down the adrenalin response by returning it to normal more quickly. When your body and mind is under stress of any kind, eating fruits containing Vitamin C helps.

5) Centella leaves -21 , black cumin- 1gram, honey 5 grams and akarkara root 3 grams mix and grind. Take this everyday 1 gram  morning and evening for a month.

6) Add banana stem juice 15 ml to a cup of coconut water and consume once every day for a month. This helps in bringing down anxiety related blood pressure.

7) Add 1 or 2 tsp of honey to mango pulp (1 cup) and drink. Mango also contains vitamin C and eating mango fruit reduces the tension and anxiety level.

8) Every day consume few Tulsi leaves. Tulsi being holy plant with several health benefits including reducing the anxiety of the nervous system calm’s the mind.

9) Soak palasha /muttuga seeds in amla juice and sundry these soaked seeds. Grind these dried seeds in little milk and honey and consume this for few days.

10) Grind a tsp of poppy seeds and 1/2 grated coconut in 1/2 cup of water – grind it to paste. Add 10 grams of jaggery and boil for few minutes. Drink this every night for about 2 weeks to get relief from anxiety.

11) Drink Turmeric milk with saffron every night. Turmeric milk helps you to sleep better and gives relief to stressed mind.

12) Consume little snacks every 2 or 3 hours. Because anxiety can cause lack of appetite, eat small snacks during the day. This helps brain to be attentive and calm.

13) Avoid coffee and carbonated drinks if you have anxiety. Coffee reduces sleep and increases strain on brain cells by triggering anxiety.

14) Prepare juice using 5 guava fruits, 1 cup of orange juice and 1 tablespoon of honey. Add little lemon juice, pinch of salt and sprinkle pepper powder and drink every morning for few days.

15) In empty stomach drink at least 2 glasses of warm water every morning. Drinking warm water soothes stomach and relieves any built up tension.

16) To warm water add 15-20 ml of amla juice or 10-15ml of Aloe vera Juice and drink in the morning in empty stomach. This helps in clearing stomach and brings anxiety and tension down.

17) Banana tea helps to bring anxiety down: Boil one organic banana in a small tea pot and a pinch of cinnamon powder.  Boil it for around 10 minutes. Drink it one hour before bed time.

Scientific names:

Palasha/Muttuga: Butea monosperma

Akarkara: Anacyclus pyrethrum Akarkara

Image credit: Image by Wokandapix from Pixabay  (free commercial use)


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: December 27, 2018
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Safety tips for college students

Health & Safety tips for college students

While going to college is exciting, young adults also must face lot of challenges both inside and outside the classroom. It is important to experience the college life and same time it is also important to stay healthy and safe while studying.
Students need to be healthy to shape up their future life. It is not just physical health they should be looking into, it is also mental health. Here are few Health & Safety tips for college students .

Choose your plate: Avoid high calories foods, junk food, saturated fat and reduce both sugar and salt intake. Follow specific eating pattern with varieties of fruits and vegetables. Include protein in your food. If you are vegan plan for meat substitutes to get enough protein.
Stay active: Daily spend minimum 30 mins in various physical activity. Regular physical activity reduces risk of developing heart conditions as you grow. And, it also helps to fight cancer, diabetes types of conditions. Join group activities to keep yourself alert.
Stay safe: To maintain mental balance and to reduce stress get enough – 7 to 8 hours sleep. Avoid drugs, alcohol and too much of smartphone usage. Practice yoga and have a body that is flexible. Yoga helps you to develop confidence, reduces stress, depression, anxiety and any negative thoughts.
Prevent sexual assault before even it starts. Sexual assault is becoming a huge problem in college campuses and communities. Sexual violence means forcing sexual activity when consent is not obtained by a person.
Do you know – more than 37% female rape victims are first raped between age 18 and 24? Know your rights and seek help immediately if you or someone is a victim of sexual violence. There will be help line or counsellor must be available to talk such serious issues at your college campus.
Prevent sexually transmitted infections: In case you in sexual contact, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases. Prevent such infections by taking proper precautions. Get tested for both STDs and HIV to know and protect oneself.
Stop substance abuse: Avoid and stop binge drinking. Limit alcohol intake. Binge drinking will drive a person to risky sexual behavior, unintended pregnancy, STD, accidents, violence, alcohol poisoning.
Do not smoke :Smoking is not fun and it can only harm every organ of the body. It reduces brain cell activity and harms various organs – can lead to infertility, lung conditions, heart problem, oral cancer etc.
Stop illicit drugs: Avoid and stop illicit drug use. Your life is more precious than taking drugs. It may start as fun, once you addicted to drugs, then giving up on it is very difficult. It can cause various conditions and ruin your relationships as well as studies.
Contact campus police, security or community police if your or someone else safety is under threat. Visit to college health center is a good idea. This will help you to keep good health.
Talk to someone you trust for support.
Visit your college health center or local clinic or hospital.
Contact the campus or community police if your or someone else’s safety is threatened.

Reference:
https://www.cdc.gov/features/collegehealth/index.html
https://healthservices.camden.rutgers.edu
Image credit: Photo by Ben Duchac on Unsplash


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Cluster Headache - what is it?

Cluster headache what is it ?

One of the worst painful headaches that humans can experience is cluster headaches that consists of group of headaches on one side of the head.

It is an excruciatingly painful headache disorder one can have. It is severe than migraine.

It is very rare to have both migraine and cluster headache coexisting.  15 to 22% people who suffer from cluster headache will have suicidal thought during cluster headache attacks. For this reason, it is also called suicidal headache.

Cluster headache is a rare chronic condition. During the pain one feels pain attacks in group or clusters means headaches occurring back to back over subsequent hours and days.  These attacks can occur on consecutive days for 6 to 8 weeks. Everyday on specific time it appears and generally it will be during night time.

Cluster headache affects around 0.3% of the population. It develops in the age group of 20 to 40, occurs rarely in children and extremely rare after age 70-75. Cluster headaches has been described by patients as boring, bearing, burning, like a hot poker in the eye as well as suicide headaches. From a doctor’s note – some of the ways pain clusters are described by patients are:

“Jabbing eye socket with white hot poker and holding it there for 45 minutes”

“Just got shot in the face”

“Papercut in the eye, in the center of my head”

“Sharp and excruciating pain”

“Feels like running away from pain”

Symptoms:  Cluster headache is a rare condition and misdiagnosed in many cases. It is not like migraine. Reports reveal that “most headache doctors have had patients with cluster headaches who have committed suicide from the worst pain”

  • Severe headaches on unilateral side
  • Headache near the orbit, the bone framing the eye, supraorbital (above orbit), temporal (at temple) or in a combination of all these sites. Sometimes it appears towards back of head.
  • Red eye, eyelid swelling, forehead and facial sweating, tearing, abnormal small size of the pupil, nasal congestion, runny nose, drooping eyelid
  • Restless or agitated during headache attacks.
  • Attacks are one sided only and almost always the same side of the head and duration of attack is generally 15 minutes to 3hours

Hypothalamus is the brain part that involved in this pain. Hypothalamus is part of the brain involved in circadian rhythm or body clock.

Diagnosis: There are no diagnostic tests to confirm someone has cluster headache. Diagnosis is accomplished by reviewing family and personal medical history and associated symptoms. People who suffer from cluster headache should be carefully assessed. Brain imaging, vessels and diagnosing primary headache like migraine with prominent *autonomic features is essential.

*Autonomic neuropathy controls important bodily functions such as breathing rate, body temperature, heart rate.  Some of the autonomic symptoms are closely associated with cluster headaches (like nasal congestion, swelling around eye, watering in eyes).

Causes of cluster headaches:

Exact cause of cluster headaches is currently unknown. Research shows that genetics may contribute to triggering the attacks. Alcohol is the only dietary trigger of cluster headaches. Strong odors may also trigger cluster headaches. Researchers have found a strong link between smoking and cluster headaches. Bright light, exertion, heat, foods high in nitrites, cocaine –  can trigger cluster headaches. Another possibility is sudden release of histamine or serotonin in the hypothalamus region of brain.

Treatment:

As per American migraine foundation If the pain is acute following treatments can be used to shorten or abort a cluster attack.

  • High flow of pure oxygen by mask
  • Sumatriptan nasal spray or injection
  • Zolmitriptan nasal spray
  • DHE -45 injection or nasal spray

For prevention:

  • Physical activity can relieve cluster headaches
  • Lithium
  • Topiramate, melatonin is recommended.
  • There is no curative treatment available for cluster headaches.
  • Preventive medicines like verapamil are prescribed for this pain.

Cluster headache symptoms can be confusing. If anyone feels and cannot bear the pain, instead of taking pain killers contact physician and going through proper diagnosis is critical.

References:

  1. Dodick DW, Rozen TD, Goadsby PJ, Silberstein SD. Cluster headache. Cephalalgia 2000; 20:787.
  2. https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/cluster-headache/
  3. https://www.theatlantic.com

Image credit: Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay (Free for commercial use)


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Designing a simple life for better living

Designing a simple life for better living

We all have that thing in mind “looking for more, more and more” whether we need it or not. We want more of everything.

Do we really need it? Is it worth living a  life with all the clutters around us? What benefit we get from it – satisfying our status, ego or looking for attention? How it helps to get happiness?

Even if you get happiness from owning many materialistic things will it be temporary or permanent – you need to decide on this at one point of your life. Sooner the better. This is where designing a simple life can help you out.

Simple life does not mean that go for minimal use or lead a poverty filled life. It means find out what it takes you to find out inner peace and happiness in the life.

Simple life means not throwing all your stuff, it means you will keep only things that you wanted.

You will remove those stuffs that clutters your schedule, mind and home!

Suggestions to design a simple life

  • Be open to change: If you don’t want something and feels strongly about it, instead of holding onto it let it go – let the distraction go. It can be stuff, person who causes distraction or anything that you can let go.
  • Watch less television: To give more work to brain, use less television for entertainment. This saves your time and helps on focusing on matters that is important for you. Less noise means more productivity time for you.
  • Focus on completing fewer tasks at a time: Instead of rushing to finish ten different work at a time, focus on what work needs immediate attention and complete the task. This gives better, tension-less sleep too.
  • Don’t focus on negative thoughts: Warning is good, but too much caring about negative thoughts and imagining the worst always leads to complexity. Instead, learn to live not give importance to negative thoughts. Approach the problem in a simplest way and create a stress-free zone to your mind. Have less stimulation helps you to understand matters much better.
  • Have less clutters around you: If you don’t need things take them out – give away or store in the box. If you have not used things/stuffs in past 2 years, then it is unlikely you will use them. Less clutter means more place, more place means more creativity especially if you have children.
  • Less technology: Limit use of your smartphone, desktop or tablet. The more you online, more your time is restricted to focus on important aspects of your day to day life. With technology, there is always a pressure to focus on doing more stuffs that too faster.
  • More focus on nutrients: Spend your time learning about nutrition, wellness and right way to exercise. Focusing on your health instead of watching TV or smart tools helps you to achieve a better health.
  • Reduce, recycle, reuse: This has a huge benefit on environment too. Reduce usage, recycle things that you can and reuse materials that you can. It saves you money in a big way and helps the environment too.
  • Cook at home: instead of going to restaurant often or fast food chains, invite friends and families for a potluck and learn to cook at home. Cooking at home gives a trustworthy food, family time and saves you money.
  • Exercise: Any form of exercise is good for the body. Living simple lifestyle saves tons of time. Use the time to exercise and meditate. This reduces chronic stress.
  • Have fewer credit cards: More credit and debit cards means you are inviting more complexity into your life. Have fewer, best credit cards.
  • Get rid of expenses that is not needed: Consider your monthly expenses and note what expense is worth and what not. Act on it and you will be surprised to see how much you can save.
  • Have gratitude: Practicing gratitude helps in improving well-being. Admire your surroundings and be grateful for your opportunities and good life.
  • Generosity: Once you have less clutter and less things, you will start realizing you have more than enough and more to give. It can be your stuff, time or money. You will have resources to help others.

When you design a simple life, it has several benefits.

  • Peace of mind
  • Less stress, less distraction and less frustration
  • Concentrate on your goals
  • More time in hand to spend time on your interests
  • Lower cost of living
  • Smaller, better home
  • Focus on family and children
  • Focus on wellness of mind
  • Time to do charity work
  • Spending more mindfully, being able to be flexible with spending
  • Conscious about eating and keeping good health
  • Time to exercise
  • You will have less clutter
  • More energy in life

And, many more…

There is no need to go to extreme levels to achieve a simple life. You don’t need to give up on job, money, tv, relationship, travel etc. It means get rid of things that you don’t need. It is more about living a mindful life with less cluttered mind and surroundings to achieve peace. It means your actions should match up with your values. Your choices should be able to free yourself from things that complicates your life and helps you to focus on your and others happiness.

.

Reference: www.werindia.com

Image credit: https://www.pexels.com/photo/architecture-chair-color-decoration-280471/ (Free for commercial use)


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on:
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Importance of Family

Importance of Family

Instead of texting and sending messages, sit and talk to your parents and grandparents. This festival season do not forget to visit and spend quality time with your family! 

A good family bonding is important in everyone’s life.  Family is your blood and they are the people who accept you for who you are, who would do anything to see you smile and who love you no matter what. Family is important because no matter what they will be with us and support us. Family influences the future of generation. In present day we are losing the family values for various reasons. The more we focus on making money and are career oriented,  the way we are moving with technology, the fast life these are few reasons that are making family to move apart. This is resulting in more nuclear families with no support system. What matters in the family is love, affection that binds its members. The less we spend time with family members the more chances of members are becoming strangers.

“Spending time as a family is a wise investment. How is that possible? A family usually plays a big role in children’s emotional, social and physical maturation” 

Family influences the growth of children: Happy family means happy kids!

Children in families that participate in various activities together are more likely to report having parents who show affection, and those with involved parents tend to fare better in school and are less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Those activities can be anything -watching movie, sports, playing games, going on hiking, exercising, singing and dining together. Family activities do not have to be expensive or luxurious to be meaningful. Families help children to build their self-esteem. When children feel that their parents value them, they feel more positive about themselves. The important part is just being together and enjoying each other’s company. Children academic performance also depends on parents and mostly mother. As they say mother is the first Guru of all children. Spending time with teenagers as a friend and participating in their discussion helps the teenagers to get better grade and solve any problems including bullying at school and society. Adolescents whose parents are involved in their lives tend to exhibit fewer behavioral problems. Studies show that teens that frequently have dinner with their families are at a lower risk for substance abuse.

Happy memories for lifelong

Family time creates warm memories for all. Children with happy family memories are more likely to create a loving environment for their own children when they grow up. Those memories will help to guide future younger generation in a better way for better society. Learning to work and play as a family unit, is one of the best lessons children can be taught so they can develop into competent adults as well as good parents in the society.

Reconnecting with family

Spending time together as a family helps both parents to reconnect with their children. During family activities, children open up and both parents can participate in discussions. This very good quality of both parents will have influence on children. Children grow and change quickly, so family time is a wonderful time to get to know the child better.

Bonding with grandparents

Wherever the grandparents are, it is always good to spend some time with them- during weekends or as often as possible. Instead of texting and sending messages sit and talk to your grandparents. Grandparents shower unconditional affection and love towards their grandchildren. Their stories about struggle in their lives, love, career or other interesting stories like great depression, war, building house or career will help both parents and children to bond much stronger. If parents show respect and love to their (grand) parents, children will mostly likely to follow their parent footsteps. This teaches them how to be humble, give respect and seek respect. By nurturing and teaching children during their early years, elders play an important role in making sure children are ready to learn when they enter school. Children thrive when parents are able to actively promote their growth and development.

This festival time do not forget to visit your family!

References:


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: December 26, 2018
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Mediterranean style yogurt soup

Chilled cucumber yogurt with herbs

Yogurt is probiotic and good for digestion. Having yogurt during lunch has beneficial effect on health. Add cucumber, avocado and herbs to increase the taste and consume yogurt to get added benefit. This below health recipe,  chilled cucumber yogurt with herbs is from Mediterranean cuisine.

Ingredients:
1. Seedless cucumbers – 2
2. Lemon juice – 1 Tbsp
3. Freshly chopped dill – 1/3 cup
4. Freshly chopped mint – 1 Tbsp
5. Freshly chopped parsley – 2 Tbsp
6. Garlic cloves – 2 crushed
7. Avocado – half
8. Cumin – 1 tsp
9. Salt – as per taste
10. Olive oil – 1 Tbsp
11. Yogurt – 2 Cups

Preparation:
1. Peel cucumber skin and grate cucumber
2. Add chopped mint, dill leaves. Parsley, avocado followed by crushed garlic, salt and olive oil. Mix well
3. Add Yogurt and mix well using a blender.
4. Transfer blended mix into a container and store in refrigerator for few minutes
5. Remove chilled mix add lemon juice and add cumin seeds. Mix well
6. Serve chilled yogurt-cucumber mix for lunch


Author: Sumana Rao | Posted on: December 14, 2018
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