Foods You Should Avoid in 2013

05 Feb 2013
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A new year always begins with the promise of new hope, of better days ahead. And better days do come with better health. Today well be talking about some of the most poisonous foods lurking in your diet that you must resolve to avoid this year. Well also suggest a few healthier alternatives that you can include in your diet.

#1 Sugar
Historically, sugar was used in its unrefined, raw form, taken directly from sugarcane juice. Clarified juice was boiled to a crystalline solid, broken down into gravelly masses and consumed as sugar. Today, however, much of the commercially available sugar is chemically processed and refined. According to the United States National Institutes of Health, such refined sugar provides empty calories because the refining process removes almost all vitamins and minerals, drastically depleting the nutritional value of the sugar.

The American Heart Association differentiates between intrinsic or naturally occurring sugar, which refers to the sugar found naturally as an integral constituent of fruits, vegetables, and milk products, and extrinsic or added sugar, which refers to sucrose or other refined sugars added to soft drinks, food, and fruit drinks.Their report suggests that there may be evidence that high sugar consumption could worsen atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes control, and contribute to nutritional deficiencies.

Alternatives
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Jaggery is the unrefined, raw form of sugar that was used in

ancient times. It is widely used in India and South Asia as a sweetener. Jaggery retains the minerals, nutrients and vitamins present in cane juice, and it is used in Ayurveda the ancient Indian medical system to treat dry cough, improve digestion and to cure a host of other health issues. Today, super-phosphate is added in some types of jaggery as well. White, neat-looking jaggery is super-phosphate jaggery. It should be avoided. Instead, go for the ugly, dark-looking jaggery.

Honey is also a wonderful substitute for sugar. Daily consumption of honey can do a lot,
especially for people with excess mucus problems and asthma. Honey is very good for the heart and brain, and keeps the mind alert.

Honey has different impacts on the human system depending on how it has been consumed, whether raw, mixed with cold water, or mixed with tepid water. When honey is mixed with tepid water and consumed every day, it raises the red blood cell (RBC) count in the circulatory system, enhances the bloods hemoglobin levels, which takes care of anemic conditions. Honey should not be cooked. That makes it poisonous. Mix honey with tepid or warm water, not in boiling hot water. Honey should also not be given to children under the age of one.

#2 Milk
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Only children below three have the necessary enzymes to digest milk completely. Except for a few regions in the globe, milk is mostly indigestible for a majority of adults worldwide. The undigested milk is mucous-forming and causes lethargy. Yes, milk has traditionally been believed to be a good source of calcium. But there are several other good sources as well.

Alternatives
Whole Grains (see below), lentils and nuts are an excellent alternative to milk, in order to get the daily dietary requirement of calcium. For example:

Peanuts

are a complete diet by itself. In India, many yogis go on a 100% peanut diet

because it is a complete food by itself, if it is eaten raw. Peanuts must be soaked for a minimum of six hours in water, which takes away certain aspects which in Ayurveda are called Pitta. If you eat peanuts without soaking them, it tends to cause rashes and nausea.

Horsegram

is good source of dietary iron and calcium and it is among

the richest vegetarian source of protein. However, the calcium and iron are combined into certain chemical compounds, rendering them un-absorbable by the body. Germination of the horsegram is a simple method of food processing that increases the availability of iron and calcium, resulting in increased nutritive value. Sprouted horsegram is also digested much more easily. Horsegram tends to increase the level of heat in the body, which can help tide over coughs and colds during cloudy and rainy weather. However, when the sun is up, if the horsegram is heating the body up, it must be balanced by eating sprouted green gram.

#3 Refined Grains

A grain in its natural state is structurally composed of three components endosperm, bran, and germ. The germ contains the plant embryo. The endosperm is the seeds food
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supply, and the bran is the protective covering that surrounds the germ and the endosperm. The primary component of the endosperm is starch, which serves as the major energy supply for the germinating seed. The endosperm however, is relatively scarce when it comes to vitamins, minerals, fibre, or phytochemicals. The bran and germ in contrast, are rich in a majority of these nutrients including B vitamins, amino acids, phytochemicals, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iron.

However, before grains are commercially sold, they are often refined to improve texture and shelf life. Known as refined grains, these grains go through a process where the bran and the germ are separated and discarded, leaving only the starchy endosperm. The result is a grain from which most of the nutrients, minerals and dietary fibre have been lost. A majority of the grains sold commercially today, go through some process of refining. Common examples include white rice and white flour.

Alternatives
Whole grain products such as brown rice and whole wheat are increasingly available these days. Whole grains are rich in many components that have been linked to reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. Most of these components are found in the germ and bran, which are more or less totally removed during the processing of refining. It is important to ensure that our diet includes more than just one or two cereals. A variety of highly nutritious, yet oft-neglected cereals are available, which can be important components of our diets.

Finger millet, also known as ragi in Hindi,

is considered among the most nutritious

of cereals. Finger millets protein content has high biological value, so it is easily incorporated into the body. Several amino acids crucial to human health are found in the grain. Some of these amino acids are deficient in most other cereals. Dietary minerals are also found in abundance, especially Calcium which is available in concentrations five to thirty times greater than other cereals. Phosphorus and iron content is also high. Finger millet can be made into rotis, dosas, porridge, cookies and even tasty laddus.

Pearl millet, also known as bajra in Hindi, and kambu in Tamil, has high levels of
vitamins B, and dietary minerals potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc copper and manganese. It is gluten free and is ideal for those with wheat allergies. Pearl millet has been found to be nutritionally superior to rice and wheat, and a study based on research in India showed that pearl millet and pulses is somewhat better at promoting human growth than a wheat diet.

#4 Tea/Coffee

Tea and coffee are nervous stimulants. Nervous stimulants create a sense of energy for a short while, after which the bodys energy levels drop. Consuming too much of nervous stimulants destroys stamina in the long run, and affects the bodys ability to store energy.

Alternatives

Drinking a glass ofAshgourd (winter melon) juice in the morning would make you very energetic and also keep the nerves very calm. Daily consumption of ashgourd greatly enhances ones intellectual capabilities. But asthmatics and people who are susceptible to cold and cough should add some honey or pepper to ashgourd juice. This neutralizes the cooling effect of ash gourd to some extent. This Lemon-Ginger

Tea

recipe could also leave you feeling fresh and invigorated,

without the side effects of caffeine: Boil 4.5 cups of water in a saucepan. As the water boils, crush a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger with about 25 to 30 Tulasi (Holy Basil) leaves. Add the paste to the boiling water along with 2 Tsp of dried coriander seeds (optional). Continue to boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the tea into cups and add a Tsp of lime juice and honey/jaggery to taste. Serve hot! As important as it is to make sure you get a good balance of nutrition in your daily meals, you need to remember not to get paranoid about the food you eat. Dont become a food freak I will not eat this, I will not eat that. I have to eat like this, I have to eat like that. No, eating joyously is more important than eating properly. Food has influences on you but it is not the deciding factor. The true joy of eating is that you are conscious of some other life willing to become a part of you, to merge and mingle with your own life and become you. This is the greatest pleasure that a human being knows, that in some way, something that is not him has become willing to become a part of him.

Sadhguru
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So focus on the foods that leave you filled with energy and try to avoid the foods that make you lethargic. We wish you a happy and healthy year ahead!

Want a high? No drinks, no hangover just you!

31 Dec 2012
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Its that time again when people get sloshed at parties and wind up with massive hangovers to start off their new year. If you know someone like that, be a good friend and let him know about this post. Sadhguru: Every human experience is backed by a chemical basis. People try to put in chemicals either in the form of drugs or drink or whichever way, to manipulate their chemistry into a pleasant experience. If all you are seeking is a little bit of pleasure, I am not against it. But if you are a pleasure seeker, wouldnt you be interested if you were given an opportunity to have a much bigger pleasure? If you could learn to be drunk all the time and fully alert, wouldnt you be interested? I dont think there is anything wrong with alcohol, I am ignoring it because it doesnt have enough kick in it. I am constantly drunk on something else simply drunk on life. I can get intoxicated on just my inhalation and exhalation. People have fallen for alcohol because that is the biggest thing that they have seen. I am offering them a different drink, a drink which
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is much more intoxicating than alcohol. Most people who have tasted this with me have given up alcohol, not because they think it is bad, but because they think it is kindergarten stuff. They have grown beyond it. The question is not about wrong or right. This is not a moral standpoint. It is just that it is very limited. You drink a little bit tonight and tomorrow morning you get a big hangover. But I can be drunk twenty-four hours of the day no hangover, it doesnt cost anything, and its good for health! Isnt this a better way to drink? We look at alcohol, drugs and all these things as kindergarten stuff because we can get intoxicated a thousand times over just with our aliveness. Why simply wine? You can get drunk with the di-vine. When I say Inner Engineering, I am talking about a technology where you can create a chemistry of ecstasy all the time, consciously. Right now it is happening accidentally, triggered by somebody. Whatever you can do unconsciously by looking at the sunset, or by looking at your loved one you can also do consciously. That is the basis of Inner Engineering. Within you, you have experienced peace and turmoil, joy and misery, ecstasy and agony. So you are capable of all these things. But right now you are conducting this whole experience and chemistry unconsciously. You can also conduct it consciously. That is the whole effort of all spiritual processes to see that you create your life consciously instead of blundering through it by creating it unconsciously.

iwali Recipe: Apple Grape Halwa

12 Nov 2012
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H
alwa is a thick and often gelatinous sweet confection, served across the Indian subcontinent, Central and West Asia, North Africa, and the Balkans. It can be made with a variety of ingredients including flour, nuts, fruits or vegetables. Halwas are usually garnished with nuts and dry fruits to give texture to the gooey sweet. Many halwas are cooked until they can be cut into pieces. Flour-based halwas are made from grain flour, typically wheat flour or semolina. The primary ingredients are ghee (clarified butter), flour, and sugar. Nuts-butter-based halwa are crumbly and usually made from sesame paste, blended dhal and sugar or jaggery. Halwa can also be made from vegetables like carrots, pumpkins, yams, and squashes. This Diwali, try out Ishas recipe for Halwa with a twist. Dont forget to tell us if you liked it in the comments below!

Recipe:Apple-Grape Halwa
Ingredients
2 cups Apple Juice 2 cups Black Grape Juice 2 cups Sugar 1 pinch Salt 6 tsp Cornflour For Garnishing: 1/2 cup Cashew nuts, Almonds, Raisins 1 tsp Ghee (Clarified Butter)

Method

Juice the apples in a juicer; blend the grapes in a mixer/blender. Strain and mix the juices.
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Take half a cup of the mixed juices and thoroughly mix the cornflour into it, making sure that there are no lumps. On a medium flame, place a heavy bottomed wok or saucepan and in a tsp of ghee, roast the nuts and add the raisins. Remove and set the roasted nuts and raisins aside on a plate. Add the remaining juice and the sugar in the same saucepan and stir for 5 minutes till it reduces slightly. Next, add the cornflour juice mix and the salt and stir continuously until the mixture becomes thick like a halwa or pudding. Spread the mixture onto a plate. Allow to cool and then cut into pieces.

TIP: Serve hot, or divide into individual dessert cups, garnish with cream, nuts and raisins, and chill in the refrigerator for two to three hours. Serve chilled.

Isha Recipe: Coconut and Pomegranate Seed Juice

25 Oct 2012
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This week we bring you the recipe for a refreshing and delicious drink that is packed with two very nutritious ingredients: pomegranate seeds and tender coconut. Pomegranate Native to the area of modern day Iran, pomegranate is widely grown in several parts of the world today. It is typically in season from September to February in the Northern Hemisphere and March to May in the Southern Hemisphere. A 100 ml serving of this delicious fruit is said to provide about 16% of an adults daily Vitamin C requirement. It also contains nutrients like Vitamin B5, potassium and fiber. Modern laboratory research shows that pomegranate helps reduce the high risk factors of heart disease.
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The pomegranate plant has been used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine. Its seeds and juice are considered a tonic for the heart and throat, while the rind of the fruit is used to treat dysentery, diarrhea and intestinal parasites. The consumption of pomegranate juice is said to help counter-balance a diet that is heavy in fats and sugars. Tender Coconut

Coconut water, the juice of young tender coconuts, is natures solution to help replenish the potassium, other electrolytes and water that you need when dehydrated. This natural, low-calorie energy drink also reduces body heat. According to Ayurveda, coconut water helps in digestion and clears the urinary path. It is used to treat urinary stones as well as certain intestinal disturbances. When applied externally, it effectively prevents rashes and other skin conditions, especially those due to heat. Recipe Coconut and Pomegranate Seed Juice: Ingredients

Tender Coconut 1 Pomegranate Seeds a handful

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Palm Sugar/Jaggery to taste

Method

Blend the pomegranate seeds in a blender until they are broken up. Add the water and flesh of the tender coconut and blend. Add palm sugar or jaggery to taste. Filter and serve cool.

Interesting Fact Did you know that the Tamil name for pomegranate, maadulampazham, is a metaphor for a womans mind? The word is derived from three terms: maadhu woman, ullam mind, and pazham fruit. The seeds are hidden, which symbolizes the difficulty of deciphering a womans mind. Do let us know if you enjoyed the drink!
Photo Credit: Img 1, Img 2, Img 3 Content Source Credit: Wiki

Summer Cool Recipes Pumpkin and Beetroot Salad

FOOD

June has just begun and in a week of two, the monsoon clouds will cover South India, announcing the end of summer. To wrap up this series of cooling foods, we bring you two delicious recipes a sweet fruity salad with pumpkin and

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fragrant cinnamon, and a peppered concoction with fresh beetroot and crunchy papad. Enjoy!

FRUITY PUMPKIN SALAD

Serves 2 Ingredients 200g Pumpkin, peeled cup Pomegranate pearls 1 cup Seedless green grapes 1 tablespoon White sesame seeds 1 teaspoon Honey inch stick Cinnamon a pinchSalt 1 teaspoon Lemon juice Method of preparation

Chop the pumpkin into small square pieces. Heat two cups of water in a deep pan and when it comes to a boil, add the pumpkin. Cook on low heat for five minutes. Drain in a colander. Later, spread it out on a plate so that it cools completely.

Meanwhile, place the sesame seeds on a griddle and place on low heat. Dry roast them for 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

Put the cooked pumpkin in a deep bowl. Halve the grapes and add. Add the pomegranate pearls.
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Place cinnamon stick in a mortar and crush it coarsely with the pestle. Now add honey, salt and lemon juice. Grind this mixture together and pour this on the ingredients in the bowl. Mix everything well together.

Serve sprinkled generously with sesame seeds.

CRUNCHY BEETROOT SALAD

Serves 2 Ingredients 1 large Beetroot 200g Cabbage 1/4 cup Fresh mint leaves 2 Papads (Poppadums) 2 tablespoons Lemon juice a pinch Salt 1 tablespoon Olive oil a pinch Black pepper powder Method of preparation

Peel the beetroot and place in a small pan. Pour just enough water so that it is soaked. Place on heat and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred the cabbage and tear the mint leaves by hand. Roast the papads. (Alternatively, you can fry them if you like.)

Remove beetroot from water and allow it to cool completely. (Do not discard the water as it has nutrients).

Make thick slices of beetroot and further cut into long sticks. Place in a deep bowl.
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Add cabbage, mint, lemon juice, salt, olive oil and pepper powder. Toss lightly. Crumble the papads roughly and add. Toss again and serve immediately before the papads become soggy.

Tip: You can use the water used to boil the beetroot to make a soup.

Summer Cool Recipes Five Things To Cool You Down

26 May 2013
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The summer is beating down upon us, but equally, nature supplies us with wonderful ways to keep cool. Here is a list of five things that are famous for cooling the system.

Vetiver

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It has an evocative fragrance that somehow translates in our collective memory as cool. Khus or vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a perennial grass that is native to India. In the Indian subcontinent, vetiver roots are ubiquitous and they are a boon during the hot months. For instance, they are used to line air coolers, and tend to give off their unique fragrance along with cool, moist air. Mats made of weaved vetiver roots are hung up with ropes and cords, and hung in doors and windows; the challenge then is to keep the mats moist by spraying water from time to time. Besides, muslin sachets or potlis of vetiver roots are put into earthen pots the water is not only cool but tastes amazingly refreshing. Of course, khus is also very popular in the food industry and the woodsy-scented syrup is used to flavour milkshakes and juices.

Ragi

Among the many cooling foods, one grain that has the advantage of being versatile as well as providing great sustenance is ragi or finger millet. Grown and consumed in various parts of India, ragi can be made into rotis,dosas, and taken with milk or yoghurt. In fact, in Karnataka, ragi flour is consumed in the form of ragi balls and is the staple diet southern Karnataka, especially in the rural areas. The mudde or ball is prepared by cooking the ragi flour with water to achieve a dough-like consistency. The balls are broken into small chunks and eaten with ghee and sambhar or gravy curries. The tribal and western hilly regions of Orissa consume a porridge made with ragi. The Maharashtrian bakhri, a type of flatbread, is very popular too.

Lemon

Summertime means a particularly flourishing time for small enterprises that provide roadside cooling drinks, and quite a range of drinks are available. However, you couldnt choose better than the humble nimbu pani or lemonade. This citrus fruit is quite simply a 16

super-food: it provides Vitamin C as well as Riboflavin, Vitamin B, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous and many proteins and carbohydrates. Apart from cooling the system, lemon juice brings down high blood pressure, eases stress, reduces cholesterol, soothes a sore throat, detoxifies the body and helps fight urinary tract infections. Plus, its great for the skin. A glass of nimbu pani a day keeps many ills at bay!

Nannari /Sarsaparilla roots

In South India, particularly in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, it is a common sight to see Nannari sherbet sold by the roadside. Indian Sarsaparilla (Hemidesmus indicus) is a woody wine, whose roots have amazing healing properties. Called Anantamul in Sanskrit, the herb is extensively used in Ayurveda. Its benefits run to a whole list but among them is its ability to purify blood and its anti-inflammatory properties. The decoction of the roots contain vitamins A, B complex, C and D; and the minerals iron, manganese, sodium, silicon, sulphur, copper, zinc and iodine. As a coolant, it promotes sweating and dispels toxins through the skin.

Sabja/Basil Seeds

Sabja or Basil Seeds are yet another ingredient youll need to stock up on in summer. These seeds which look black, like mustard seeds, must be soaked in water, upon which they
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develop a translucent, gelatinous white cover. Most popularly, the seeds are added to rose sherbets (a chilled drink that is often sweet) and faloodas (a cold and sweet beverage). Sabja seeds have cooling properties but they also assist in weight loss because they tend to swell and fill you up. They are natural laxatives as well. One idea to use sabja seeds innovatively is to made laddus (a ball-shaped sweet) with them, with some grated coconut and jaggery. Try it and tell us how it turns out! Editors Note: Please consult with your doctor before consuming these foods, if you have any specific medical conditions. If you enjoyed this post, you may also want to look at our popular Foods You Should Avoidpost.
Wild Sarsaparilla, Aralia nudicaulis by manualcrank Basil by nikkorsnapper Nachani by dinesh_valke Vetiveria zizanoides from Wikimedia Commons Lemon drops by A river runs through

Summer Cool Recipes Jamun Smoothie and Munjal Shake

18 May 2013
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Summer is still raging and, as everyone keeps telling you, you must keep yourself replenished with juices and liquids. But why not choose fruit that are not only delicious but will also cool you down? This week, we give you two recipes featuring some rather humble fruits that are a ubiquitous element on the Indian roadside. The first features jamun or the 18

Indian blackberry (Syzygium cumini) and the second showcases the munjal fruit, or rather the edible jelly seed of the Palmyra palm ( Borassus flabellifer). Easily available in India during the summer months, these fruits have a host of medicinal uses and are particularly effective in cooling our system.

Jamun Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients (serves two)

12-15 Ripe jamuns 1 cup Yogurt 1 pinch Salt Sugar to taste

Cut the jamuns, discarding the pips. Run the pulp in the mixer and top with curd. Add the salt. Blend till smooth. Pour into glasses and add sugar to taste. Serve chilled.

Note: An alternative for diabetic patients is to add a little chilli powder instead of sugar to this drink.

Munjal Milk Shake

Ingredients (serves two)
4-5 Munjal 1 cup Milk 2-3 pods Cardamom (optional)

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8-10 Rose petals Honey to taste

De-skin the munjal and chop into rough pieces. Run the pulp in the mixer with a cup of milk and 7-8 ice cubes. Add honey, powdered cardamom and half the rose petals and give it another turn. Garnish with the leftover rose petals and serve chilled.

Summer Cool Recipes Watermelon Juice Two Ways

When summer is at its worst, we tend to lose our appetite for heavy food, preferring light meals and juices instead. This summer, spruce up your diet with some interesting juice and salad recipes brought to you directly from the Isha kitchen. This week we show you two delicious ways to make mouth-watering watermelon juice.

Watermelon-Ginger-Mint Cooler

Ingredients

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A quarter of a watermelon 1 inch piece of ginger cup fresh mint leaves Salt to taste Black pepper powder to taste 3 tablespoons Honey Method

Peel the watermelon, deseed and chop roughly. Toss the pieces into the jar of a blender. Peel ginger, crush and add to the jar. Add the mint leaves, salt, pepper powder and honey. Blend everything together till smooth. Pass the contents through a strainer. Pour the juice into glasses and serve.

Tip: You can replace black pepper powder with jaljeera[1] powder instead.

Watermelon-Papaya Smoothie

Ingredients 1 thick slice watermelon A quarter ripe papaya 2 strawberries Honey to taste cup crushed ice cubes Method

Peel and deseed the watermelon and papaya. Chop roughly and place in a blender jar.
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Add chopped strawberries. Blend till smooth. Add the ice cubes and blend again. Pour into tall glasses and add honey to taste. Serve immediately.

Dont forget to tell us how the Watermelon Juice 2 Ways turned out for you. Do you have any interesting watermelon recipes to share? Please mail them to: blog@ishafoundation.org, and dont forget to send pictures too. The best recipes will get featured in our Summer Cool section.
[1] Wikipedia: Jaljira powder generally consists of cumin, ginger, black pepper, mint, black salt, some fruit powder (usually either mango, or some kind of citrus zest), and chili or hot pepper powder.

Crunchy Beetroot Salad

19 Sep 2012
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Ingredients
1 Beetroot (medium size) 1 Lemon 1 tablespoon[1] Coconut (grated) 2 teaspoons[2] Mango (chopped fine) 1 teaspoon Coriander leaves (chopped fine) 2 teaspoons Peanuts (soaked or roasted) teaspoon Pepper powder teaspoon Salt

For the seasoning:

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 teaspoon Sesame/Olive oil teaspoon Mustard teaspoon Split, husked black gram/Urad dal teaspoon Chickpea/Bengal gram dal teaspoon Shredded curry leaves

Method

Wash the beetroot thoroughly to remove dirt and mud. Peel the skin off and finely grate it. Place the grated beetroot in a clean fine cloth and lightly squeeze out some juice. Or place it in a fine strainer and press to remove juice. Keep the juice aside.

In a wok/saucepan, pour the oil and splutter the mustard seeds. Add the Urad and chickpea dal and brown it, add curry leaves and saut lightly. Cool it.

Add the grated, strained beetroot. Mix in the juice of one lemon, the chopped mango pieces, grated coconut, salt, pepper powder, and the peanuts. Nicely stir all the ingredients.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve chilled if possible.

Tasty Tip: Be innovative and add grated radish, or carrots to this salad.

BEETROOT

Beetroot is a rich source of carbohydrates, protein, important vitamins, minerals and micronutrients. The vegetable contains potassium, magnesium, folic acid, iron, zinc, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, niacin, biotin, betanin and beta-carotene. It also has important vitamins like A, B6 and C, as well as antioxidants and soluble fiber. In traditional medicine, beetroot is used to treat a variety of conditions, especially illnesses relating to digestion and blood.

[1] 1 tablespoon = 12.5 grams; 15 milliliters [2] 1 teaspoon = 5 grams; 5 milliliters

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Why Vegetarianism
21 Sep 2012
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What is the benefit of eating a vegetarian diet and how it can be easily implemented in a persons life, is what Sadhguru explores in this article:

Sadhguru:
What kind of food you eat should depend not on what you think about it, or on your values and ethics, but on what the body wants. Food is about the body. When it comes to food, dont ask your doctors or your nutrition experts because these people keep changing their opinion every five years. When it comes to food, ask the body with what kind of food it is really happy. Try different foods and see how your body feels after eating the food. If your body feels very agile, energetic and nice, that means the body is happy. If the body feels lethargic and needs to be pumped up with caffeine or nicotine to stay awake, the body is not happy, isnt it? If you listen to your body, your body will clearly tell you with what kind of food it is happy. But right now, you are listening to your mind. Your mind keeps lying to you all the time. Hasnt it lied to you before? Today it tells you this is it. Tomorrow it makes you feel like a fool for what you believed yesterday. So dont go by your mind. You just have to learn to listen to your body. Every animal, every creature knows what to eat and what not to eat. The human species are supposed to be the most intelligent on the planet, but they dont even know what to eat. Forget about how to be, human beings do not even know what to eat. So, it takes a certain mindfulness and attention to learn to listen to your body. Once you have that, you know what to eat and what not to eat.
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Just experiment and see, when you eat vegetarian food in its live form, what a difference it will make.
In terms of the quality of food that is entering you, definitely vegetarian food is far better for the system than non-vegetarian. We are not looking at it from a moral standpoint. We are just looking at what is suitable for the system we try to eat foods which would make you comfortable in the body. Whether you want to do your business properly or study properly or do any activity properly, it is extremely important that your body is at ease. So, the kind of food with which your body would be most at ease and would not struggle to get nourishment out of, that is the kind of food we should eat. Just experiment and see, when you eat vegetarian food in its live form, what a difference it will make. The idea is to eat as much live food as possible whatever can be consumed in its aliveness. A live cell has everything to sustain life. If you consume a live cell, you will see the sense of health in your system will be very different from anything that you have known. When we cook the foods, it destroys the life in it. Eating foods after its process of destruction does not give the same amount of life energy to the system. But when you eat live foods, it brings a different level of aliveness in you. If one eats lots of sprouts, fruit, and whatever vegetables that can be eaten in a live condition, if you bring in at least thirty to forty percent live food things that are alive you will see, it will sustain the life within you also very well. Above all, the food that you eat is life. It is other forms of life that we are eating the other forms of lives are giving up their life to sustain our life. If we can eat with enormous gratitude for all the living things which give up their life to sustain our lives, then the food will behave in a very different way within you.

Granola Crunch
19 Sep 2012
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Ingredients:
kg Cashew nuts kg Dried grapes kg Oats kg Sweetened condensed milk (e.g. Milkmaid) kg Ash gourd seeds or pumpkin seeds (dried) kg Dates (cut into small pieces) 4 Coconut (grated) l Sunflower oil 50 g Cinnamon (powdered)

Method:

Put all ingredients, apart from the condensed milk, in a large bowl and mix well. Spread the mixture evenly on an oiled tray. Pour the condensed milk over it. Place the tray in the oven and bake at 100 C for approx. 15 20 min. Stir mixture regularly with a spatula until it is evenly golden brown.

Allow to cool, break into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

Note: Granola makes for a nutritious breakfast, especially for children. Stored dry and airtight, it keeps for three months. Tasty Tip: Add coconut milk and serve!

Cashew Nuts

Cashew nuts, a richly sweet product of the cashew tree, have gained popularity in North America and Europe not only for their succulent flavor but for health benefits, too. The cashew nut packs a mix of nutrients and minerals not found in many common foods. It has
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5 grams of protein per ounce and high levels of the essential minerals iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper and manganese. Devoid of cholesterol but packed with high levels of mono-saturated fatty acids which raise the blood HDL (High Density Lipids the good fraction of lipids) levels, they are a boon for patients with heart ailments. However for this very same reason consumption of these nuts in moderation is the key. Always check your cashews for freshness. While cashews have a high amount of the stabilizing oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid, they should always be stored in a tightly sealed container in a cool, dry place.

Date Delight
18 Sep 2012
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Ingredients:
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50 g Seedless Dates 1 Apple 1 cup Coconut milk cup Ice

Method:

Blend the cored apple and seedless dates. Add the coconut milk and blend. Add the ice and blend till smooth. Serve cool.

Tasty Tip: Add a pinch of cinnamon for extra taste!

Dates
Dates, the fruits derived from the date palm tree, are a wonderful source of readymade energy owing to their high carbohydrates and sugar content. Nutritionally too they are packed with both fat and water soluble vitamins and in addition have many minerals and salts like iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, potassium, sodium and calcium. They are an easily digestible source of fiber and prevent constipation. The vitamin content, especially the niacin or nicotinic acid fraction in it, boosts the immunity of the intestines by increasing the population of the protective and friendly gut bacteria and enhances their activity, thus improving the resistance of the intestines against many gut-related diseases. Research also shows that regular intake of dates has a protective action on the heart and may help prevent many abdominal cancers.

Capsicum Stir-Fry
18 Sep 2012
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Ingredients
1 cup Peanuts 1 cup Gram (chickpea) flour 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds 2 teaspoons White sesame seeds 3 cups Capsicum (cubed) 3 teaspoons Sugar 1 teaspoon Salt 4 teaspoons Oil

Method

Roast and blend the peanuts to a paste. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a deep saucepan/wok. Add the cumin and sesame seeds and let them splutter. Add the blended peanut paste and saut. Add the chopped capsicum and salt, and stir fry. In another saucepan, add the rest of the oil and brown the gram flour. Add the sugar to the browned gram flour and roast on a low flame for another 5 to 7 minutes. Finally add the cooked capsicum and stir fry for a few minutes.

Tip: You can cut down the sugar quotient or avoid it altogether. Substitute peanuts with readymade peanut butter to save time (cut the sugar as well).

Capsicum
Capsicum is high in anti-oxidants. A small capsicum provides up to three times of the recommended daily amount of vitamin C, in fact much more than any citrus fruit. It is super-packed with nearly the whole range of vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and B9). Other minerals in it are potassium, manganese, thiamine, molybdenum, tryptophan, copper, cobalt and zinc. You could call it an umbrella of goodies to protect you from carcinogenic and toxic substances. It also helps digestion, has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities, helps to fight aging symptoms, prevents blood clots, cancer and fights cholesterol. By the way, if you have cold feet, especially in winter, add a slice into your socks and see how you warm up!
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Note: This is a side dish from

Avial Mixed Vegetable

Ingredients
6 inch slice Ash gourd / winter melon 100 g Yam 1 Drumstick 1012 Green beans 2 medium Carrots Salt to taste 1 teaspoon Red chili powder 2 teaspoons Tamarind water Fresh coconut 1 inch piece Ginger 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds 2 Red chilies 2 tablespoons Coconut oil 1 cup Yoghurt / curd teaspoon Mustard seeds 810 Curry leaves

Method of preparation:

Peel ash gourd and yam and chop into 2 inch long pieces. Trim the drumstick and green beans and chop both into 2 inch long pieces. Scrape the carrots and cut them into 2 inch long pieces.
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Place all the vegetables (except the yam) in a plate and sprinkle with salt and teaspoon red chili powder. Steam in the idli maker for 10 minutes.

Put the yam in a pan and pour just enough water so as to cover it. Add the tamarind water, little salt and remaining red chili powder. Cook on low heat till soft.

Grate the coconut and place in the jar of a mixer. Peel and chop the ginger and add. Also add the cumin seeds and red chilies and grind to a coarse mixture without using any water.

Place the yam and steamed vegetables in a deep serving bowl and add the ground paste, 1 tablespoons coconut oil and curd. Mix lightly.

Heat the remaining coconut oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. As they begin to splutter add the curry leaves.

Pour this tempering on the vegetables and mix. Serve.

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