Salads are the perfect summer meal. Here is the recepy for salad.
When temperatures soar as they are doing now and appetites are low, there’s nothing like a pile of crisp veggies, dressed and garnished right to make meal times pleasant. Making a salad at home is a breeze if you stick to some basics. Here’s a guide to get you started:
Since most salads are no-cook, the quality of the ingredients you use is of utmost importance. Fruits, veggies, meat, cheese, bread, almost anything can go into a salad, but greens are usally at the heart of most summer salads. Indian supermarkets now have a fairly good variety of salad greens.
* Lettuce is what most people start off with when attempting to build a salad and iceberg lettuce, with its bland taste and crisp texture is most popular. Romaine lettuce, with closely packed leaves in an elongated head, has a more complex flavour and a slight bitterness. Arugula or rocket is
a current favourite in salads, especially in restaurants, and its bitter tones and pepper bite are great for combining with ingredients with contrasting flavours such as blue cheese or grapes.
You should also be able to find frisee with its curly edges on most supermarket shelves. Baby spinach is a great addition to salads as well.
While choosing greens look for fresh, bright specimens with no signs of wilting or brown spots. Cleaning and drying your greens is crucial to a good salad. Pick the leaves and wash several times in plenty of water, lifting the leaves out every time. Drain well. A salad-spinner for drying leaves is an excellent investment if you plan to make salads frequently. Else, pat the leaves dry. It’s important to get rid of as much moisture as possible. Leaving the dried leaves in the fridge for a while helps to crisp them up as well. Limp leaves are a no-no in any salad.
Once you have your mix of greens together, use your imagination to build on that with vegetables and other ingredients. Steamed asparagus stalks or tender green beans, ripe tomatoes, cucumber, peppers either raw or roasted and peeled artichoke hearts can all be on your list.
The right combination of fruit can enhance salads too. Orange wedges, apple or pear slices dipped in lemon juice, juicy black grapes, pomegranate, will all do the trick, as will toasted nuts.
Add on some cheese if you like — bocconcini with tomatoes, blue cheese with pears and rocket, parmesan in a Caesar salad. Mix and
match, and you could come up with exciting combinations.
The dressing is what finishes your salad and holds it all together. A classic vinaigrette is a good starting point. To make this, shake up 3 parts olive oil with one part vinegar, adding salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar to taste. You may wish to add garlic, herbs, mustard etc to perk your dressing up. Dress your greens just before serving, tossing lightly to ensure even distribution.
A good salad could do with a tasty garnish flavoured croutons, shavings of cheese, a scattering of herbs or sprouted mustard can all work.
To add substance to your salad, pile on cold meats, hardboiled eggs or tuna chunks.
Understanding your ingredients and combining them correctly is the fun part of tossing up a salad at home.
Perfect Salad Making
YOGA AND DIET
Macrobiotic dietician and yogalates instructor Shonali gives tips to tackle some of the most common women’s health issues with the diet and yoga approach.
With the stressful lifestyles women lead, it is no wonder the queue outside the gynecologists’ clinics are getting longer. While these problems are not totally unavoidable, you can control them to a large extent by simply eliminating a few items from your grocery shopping list, making an informed choice of what you put in and mastering some yoga poses. Here’s how:
ENDOMETRIOSIS
IT IS: A condition where tissue resembling the lining of the uterus is found in the abdomen and other organs. It results in severe pain, especially menstrual cramps. Endometriosis is known to have a strong inflammatory component and is influenced by estrogen.
• Eliminate dairy foods (allow at least three weeks for improvements).
• Eat foods that have no estrogen — like animal foods.
• Emphasise whole soy foods in your diet, but not too much of soymilk.
• Limit alcohol intake.
• Drink a cup or two of red raspberry leaf tea daily to help relieve cramps.
YOGA
Upavistha Konasana (seated wide angle pose) creates space in the pelvis and allows cleansing blood to enter this area and remove swelling and waste products.
THYROID PROBLEMS
IT IS: The thyroid gland produces hormones that regulate growth and metabolism. Disorders in this gland involve either hyperthyroid (overproduction of the hormone) or hypothyroid (underproduction). Hypothyroidism symptoms include sensitivity to cold, constipation, slowing of hair and nail growth and moderate weight gain. In hyperthyroidism, women exhibit nervousness, heat sensitivity, moderate weight loss and bulging eyes.
• Make sure your diet is low in animal protein.
• Eliminate polyunsaturated (mayonnaise, margarine, salmon) and transfats (most snack foods which are hydrogenated, butter, lard)
• Reduce goitrogens that can interfere with thyroid hormone production: cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, peanuts, soybeans.
• Avoid sugar, oil, excessive fruit.
• Avoid alcohol completely.
YOGA
Marichyasana — Sage Twist — tones abdominal organs especially spleen, pancreas, kidneys and liver, stimulating digestion. Twists wring out the body and thereby assist in releasing enormous amounts of tension. They are deeply cleansing and nourishing.
LEUKORRHEA
IT IS: A discharge of white mucous material from the vagina; an indication of infection resulting from inflammation of the membrane lining female reproductive system. Most of these secretions are related to lifestyle and diet though you need to take care if they are blood-stained or foul smelling. Normally the quantity of vaginal secretions varies throughout the menstrual cycle, peaking at ovulation and increasing when under stress.
• Cut out animal protein and meat products.
• Avoid junk food.
• Avoid strong stimulants like coffee, alcohol and black tea. Stick to herbal teas .
• Focus on good hygiene and cotton underwear.
• Always have protected sex.
YOGA
Ustrasana — Camel Pose — increases circulation throughout the body, stimulates kidneys and adrenal glands.
PELVIC ORGANS PROLAPSE
IT IS: A sliding of the uterus /bowel /bladder from its normal anatomical position (the pelvic cavity) into the vaginal canal because of weak supporting tissues. This may cause incontinence (leaking urine), frequent or urgent need to urinate or difficulty in urinating. A prolapse of the small or large bowel (rectum) may cause constipation. One of the main reasons it occurs is due to tissue trauma sustained during childbirth, especially with large babies or difficult pregnancy.
• Avoid: meat, dairy, sugar, white flour, beverages and alcohol as these promote an acidic blood condition.
• Avoid too much bread and hard baked snacks which induces constipation.
• Try kegel exercises which involves breathing in (balloon belly)-breath out and engage the muscles that stop you from urinating. Repeat 10 times daily.
• Avoid standing for long periods of time; try wearing a girdle.
YOGA
Supta baddha konasana — reclining cobbler pose — stretches the pelvic floor and lifts up prolapsed pelvic organs.
FIT FOR A MOM
With a little change in diet you can shed off those extra post-pregnancy kilos and be ship shape.
Putting on weight after you give birth to your bundle of joy is inevitable. But while most new mums resort to crash diets or spend extra hours at the gym, they must know that it is important to maintain basic fitness levels. Use a little tact and you can easily become your slim self again. We show you how.
MAKING UP FOR THE LOSS
In any normal delivery at least 300 to 350 ml of blood is lost. When the blood loss exceeds 500ml it’s termed as post-partum heamorrhage. After pregnancy the body needs to build up on the lost heamoglobin. Since heamoglobin carries oxygen to different parts of the body, low oxygen will affect the quality of your hair, skin, immunity and also make you feel tired.
Secondly since the mother will be breastfeeding the baby, the body also needs an extra dose of calcium, proteins and vitamins.
WATCH YOUR DIET
SMALL MEALS
Consume small frequent meals i.e. five to six mini meals instead of three main meals. For instance, if you have your breakfast at 8.30 am and lunch at 1.30 am, sneak in a mid-morning meal somewhere around 11.30 am. Make sure you eat something filling like a tall glass of milkshake, sprouts, soup or a plate of fruits. Do not mistake this for a diet plan and under-eat — two biscuits or a bowl of salad won’t do.
MORE LIQUID, CUT CAFFEINE
Caffeine is permitted in moderation i.e. not more than two cups of coffee a day. Caffeine is a stimulant that is not good for the baby, especially if you are breast- feeding. Instead, opt for other liquids and drink gallons of water. Add to your diet fresh fruit juices and milkshakes, especially with fruits such as apple and banana that will make up for the calcium requirement.
Also swap whole milk for skimmed milk; it has proteins minus the fat.
RESTRICT FRIED FOODS, NOT FATS
With the enthusiasm to lose weight ASAP, most lactating women completely cut down on fats. But one needs to understand the difference between good fat and bad fat. It’s best if you avoid fried foods like salty chips, bhajiyas, vadas, etc but give your body essential fats through nuts, homemade ghee (two to three tsps), paneer and olive oil.
BUILD ON ANIMAL PROTEIN
Proteins from lean white meat such as chicken and fish (deskinned) are a good option for lactating mothers. Whereas cholesterol rich red meat and organ meat that contain fats along with proteins should be consumed sparingly. For vegetarians, animal protein can come through curds, chaas and lassi.
SUBSTITUTE
In order to lose weight instantly, you need not skip food. Instead substitute it for healthier options. Like jaggery for sugar, water melon juice for cola and brown rice for its polished cousin. Opt for flours like ragi, nachini, bajra, jowar and soy that give the needed energy.
INCREASE FIBRE
Keep away from refined flours like maida and its products such as noodles, spaghetti and bread that take a long time to get digested. It is important for lactating mothers to improve the fibre content in their diet. Foods like spinach, methi, gourd, pumpkin, lady finger, brinjal, bitter gourd, peas, mushroom and bellpeppers are packed with fibre. Fibre improves digestion, controls sugar, promotes satiety, and provides anti-oxidants and vitamins that are important post-pregnancy.
EXERCISE
For women who have undergone cesarean surgery, it’s best to stay away from exercise for six months after the delivery. But exercise can usually begin 40 days after a normal delivery. You can do the following:
WALK
Brisk walking for 20 to 30 minutes is good enough for a beginner. Make sure you do not strain the leg muscles too much, increase the time gradually.
YOGA
Post-pregnancy, yoga is the best way to improve posture. Regularly practise surya namaskar, cobra pose or the inverted-V. Yoga will also work on your breathing pattern and concentration.
DANCE AND GROUP AEROBICS
Dancing or working out with music releases happiness hormones in the body. Post delivery, women often go through depression and low-body image. Dance and aerobics can help combat that.
EAT MORE, WEIGH LESS
1
SARDINES:
They are high in protein and omega-3 fats, which shifts flab while maintaining muscle tone and healthy skin. Also, Leptin, the protein fish contains, controls your appetite.
Eat more:
Try a lunchtime sardine melt. Mix sardines with onion, pepper and parsley and spread on a French stick. Sprinkle with grated low-fat Cheddar or Parmesan and grill.
2
EGGS:
Eat more:
A poached egg on toast offers a balanced start to the day and egg sandwiches, mixed with tuna, not mayo, are a great lunch choice.
3
They’re one of the most filling foods and unlike carbs have little impact on your blood sugar. They’re rich in soluble fibre, which has an anti-bloating effect and can lower cholesterol.
Eat more:
Try a Swiss dish known as bircher. Mix a little cold semiskimmed milk or low-fat yoghurt with twotbsp of oats, grated apple, honey to taste and a handful of chopped almonds.
4
CHILLIES:
Spicing up meals can kick start a sluggish metabolism. This is thanks to the compound capsaicin which has a ‘thermogenic effect’ that causes the body to burn more fat for 20 minutes after you eat them.
Eat more:
Freshly chopped red chillies add a kick to salads or stir-fries, while half a teaspoon is enough to heat up sauces, soups or stews.
5
BROCCOLI:
This contains antioxidants which help beat cellulite. Fat cells on the thighs are surrounded by a network of tissue known as the septa. When fat pushes through this, we get the dreaded dimpling. Nutrients in green veggies increase the strength of the septa, so fat cells stay beneath the surface.
Eat more:
Steam and eat once a day with your evening meal. Or stir-fry with sliced garlic, sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce.
BACK TO ROOTS
The solid diet consumed should take up half the capacity of the stomach, the liquids should take a quarter and the fourth quarter should be left free to aid digestion. The order of the intake of food — sweet and heavy food first, sour and salty tastes next and the meal should end with astringent and bitter food substances.
BROCCOLI AND MOONG BEAN BAKE
Ingredients: 1/2 cup moong dal, 1 cup broccoli florets (chopped), 4 cups water, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1/2 tsp ginger (minced), 1 tbsp fresh cilantro (chopped), 2 tbsps ghee, salt and black pepper to taste
Method: Wash moong dal and add water to it. Cook it in a pressure cooker until tender. Mix it with broccoli, lime juice, ginger, salt and black pepper. Grease a shallow baking dish with ghee. Scoop the mixture into the dish and drizzle more ghee on top. Bake at 350-375 degrees for 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
SAUTEED ASPARAGUS
Ingredients: 2 cups asparagus stems (diced), 2 tbs water, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp cumin seed, ¼ tsp turmeric, ¼ sweet paprika, ½ cup almonds (sliced), 2 tbs ghee
Method: Heat ghee. Add cumin seed and stir briefly and add turmeric and paprika. Now add the asparagus stems and sauté for 2-3 minutes more. Now cover the pan and stir occasionally. Add water to prevent sticking. Add in the almonds and cook for two more minutes. Serve hot.
MIXED VEGETABLE SAUTE
Ingredients: 1 small white radish (peeled), 1 medium zucchini, 1 medium carrot (peeled), 1 fennel bulb, 6-8 almonds (soaked and slivered), 2 tbs ghee, 1-2 tbs water, salt and pepper to taste
Method: Wash and slice all the vegetables finely. Heat ghee in a large flat pan. Sauté the almonds and add all the vegetables. Stir for a couple of minutes and cover the pan. Cook the vegetables on medium flame until tender. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
SWEET AND SOUR CARROTS
Ingredients: 1 cup carrot (sliced), 1 tbsp raisins, rock salt and black pepper to taste, 1/2 tsp minced ginger root, 1 tsp fresh parsley, 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, 1/8 tsp fresh lemon peel, 1/8 tsp crushed cardamom, 1 tbsp ghee
Method: Steam the carrot for 5-6 minutes until tender. Heat ghee in a pan and sauté the raisins. Now add carrots, ginger cardamom, salt and pepper. Stir for three to four minutes. Drizzle lemon juice, the peel and parsley. Serve hot.
JUST TWO GOOD
An egg contains almost 50 per cent of an adult’s daily iron requirement. But the human body can absorb only eight per cent of the iron. To improve absorption, wash down your eggs with a glass of orange juice or other Vitamin C-rich foods such as guava or pineapples.
CEREAL AND PULSES
For good quality protein
Protein in pulses is low in amino acids but rich in lysine in which many cereals are deficient. A combination of pulses and cereal proteins has a nutritive value equivalent to animal proteins. Rajma-chawal is a perfect example of vegetarian food providing class 1 proteins.
For higher magnesium absorption
Tomatoes are rich in magnesium. Alfa-alfa sprouts have a small amount of magnesium but are rich in dietary fibre and cholesterol reducing saponins.
Alfa-alfa sprouts are used to garnish salads as one they are too bland to eat in large quantities. But you can double the magnesium absorption by combining the sprouts with juicy tomatoes.
RAJMAH AND TOMATOES
For higher mineral absorption
The phytic acid in beans blocks the absorption of minerals such as zinc and iron. To help your body absorb more minerals, eat rajmah with a Vitamin C-rich food such as tomatoes. Vitamin C counters the ill-effects of phytic acid, thereby increasing your body's absorption of zinc and iron.
Protects you against Alzheimer's
Green leafy vegetables are rich in iron, calcium, and Vitamin A. However Vitamin A needs fat to be adequately utilised by the body. Hence, sprinkle some olive oil on your greens to help your body absorb Vitamin A that protects you against Alzheimer's.
FLAXSEED AND WHEAT GERM
Flaxseed is high in alphalinolenic acids ( omega 3 fatty acids), anti-oxidants, fibre, good quality proteins, and minerals. Wheat germ is high in Vitamin E and B as also proteins, chromium and manganese. Together they meet your daily requirement of a range of vitamins and are also absorbed a lot faster.
Green tea has the least amount of caffeine of all the teas. Having a cup of green tea after a meal aids digestion as opposed to a glass of water. Green tea is also rich in flavonoids. Flavonoids are plant pigments that protect against infection.
On a con diet?
Some of the so-called health products just leave your wallet light, not your figure.
Christmas and New Year is only a few weeks away, which means you have the freedom to indulge in sinful desserts and spicy, high-cal meat curries. But once the guilt factor sets in, you are back to the supermarket, heading to the ‘health food’ section. With a sigh, you wean yourself from the chocolates and cheeses and fill your trolleys with expensive stuff that you think are lighter, leaner and diet-friendly.
But in reality, you may be actually spending your hard-earned money on nothing. There are plenty of ‘quack’ health foods that promise much, but do little. Unfortunately, many of us are so desperate to be trim that we happily buy into a product’s weight-loss myth. The trick therefore is to steer clear of these ‘quack’ foods and buy the genuine, tried and tested healthy ones. Here is a rundown on some of the worst offenders.
SLIMLINE CEREALS
The trickery:
They claim to have low fat content, obviously endorsed by a super slim model on the packet. You include them in your breakfast menu hoping the pounds will be knocked off.
The truth:
Many such cereals are no better than normal varieties when it comes to fat content, and some are still packed with sugar. Studies show that people who eat cereal for breakfast tend to be slimmer but you don’t need a special “slimline” product to enjoy this benefit.
You’re better off with:
A bowl of oats or nofrills bran flakes with semi-skimmed milk. Both are naturally low-calorie and high in fibre, which helps to keep you fuller for longer.
FITNESS WATERS
The trickery:
The wholesome fruit pictures make it seem ‘natural’, while hour-glass shaped bottles give you an impression of the figure you will achieve after drinking the product.
The truth:
It’s just water with added sweeteners and vitamins — often in negligible amounts — and tiny amounts of fruit or herb extracts. There’s nothing in the product that will make you slimmer or healthier.
You’re better off with:
Drinking plain boiled tap water — it costs nothing and is calorie-free.
DIET CHOCOLATE
The trickery:
They simply play on your guilt, using words such as “light” and “non-fattening”. This basically lulls you into a false sense of security and you tend to go overboard.
The truth:
These bars still contain some fat, plus those without sugar use artificial sweeteners, which some studies show can actually trick your brain into eating more in the long run.
You’re better off with:
A few small pieces of a good quality, dark chocolate to satisfy your craving. Another way to ward off the guilt is to enjoy your chocolate bar before evening.
DIET YOGHURTS
The trickery:
Yoghurt has always been associated with weight-loss, add the word ‘diet’ before it and you think you have the perfect solution in hand. But that’s where you are being misled.
The truth:
Wholemilk and organic varieties are often packed with fat, while “light” versions can sometimes contain more calories than some standard ones, with additives.
You’re better off with:
A small pot of simple, low-fat fruit yoghurt — but check the sugar content. Or just add your own chopped fruit to natural yoghurt.
FRUIT DRINKS
The trickery:
They cover their bottles with beautiful juicy fruit pictures and give tropical sounding names.
The truth:
It’s healthier than a can of cola but some of these drinks have never even seen an orange or strawberry and are made entirely from flavourings. Even the ones that contain real fruit do so in tiny amounts — and often with the addition of plenty of sugar and additives.
You’re better off with:
Pure, unsweetened fruit juice — and you can even dilute it if you're really worried about the calories.
