Happy Heart. Healthy Life

'Happy Heart. Healthy Life'
To spread awareness among the people about heart care, September 29 is celebrated as ‘World Heart Day’ from the year 2000. Some decades back, heart diseases were considered to occur post 50 years of age, but thanks to the pressures, youngsters too now fall prey to heart ailments. According to the World Heart Federation studies across the globe, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death, claiming 17.3 million lives each year and the numbers are rising. By 2030, it is expected that 23 million people will die from Coronary Heart Diseases (CHDs) annually – which is more than the population of Australia!

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disease in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries & create obstruction in its function. If this condition is persists for long time it will leads to stroke.
The main reasons behind heart diseases are:
Heredity
Drinks
Cigarette smoking
Obesity, Physical inactivity
Hypertension
Post -menopausal stage

Heredity is the main cause for CHD. If any of the parents have history of heart diseases, the children are susceptible to heart disease in their later life. If they take proper care, and with periodic regular checks the chances may decrease.

Alcohol, cigarette smoking leads to increase in LDL (low density lipo- proteins) & decreases the HDL (high density lipo-proteins) which is good for heart leading to increase in cholesterol.

Obesity, physical inactivity also leads to CHD. Increase in cholesterol level results to narrow down the arteries & body doesn’t get proper blood. Regular aerobic exercises, helps to lowers the cholesterol, strengthen heart muscle & also helping in weight reduction.

Hypertension is very common these days. Various factors lead to increase in blood pressure. Stress due to heavy work load, changes in eating habits leads to hypertension. Our body if denied the required relaxation will lead to occurrence of stroke. To avoid this, it is advised to have a low salt diet, practice meditation and exercise regularly which could be simple walking for example.

Simple Steps to prevent Heart disease:

• Make the effort to quit smoking.
• Eliminate exposure to all tobacco products, including chewing tobacco
• Engage in some type of physical activity for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week or more.
• Consider taking an active lifestyle approach to exercise if you cannot fit 30 consecutive minutes of exercise into your daily schedule
• Carefully watch your weight as you age.
• Calculate your body mass index (BMI) to determine if you have excess body fat and are at a healthy weight for your height

Dietary suggestions:

• Eliminate all trans-fat and saturated from your diet. Tran-fat is the most dangerous type of fat and is linked to a host of negative side effects. Both types of fat are linked to increases in blood pressure and an elevated risk of developing heart disease. Decrease the amount of foods you eat that contain these type of fats, such as red meats, full-fat dairy products, palm oils, fried foods, packaged foods, margarine, and processed baked goods.

• Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables that you consume each day.

• Pay attention to your portion size when eating. Although what you eat is important for heart health, how much you eat is also a factor in improving overall heart health. Refrain from overeating, which can lead to excess fat, cholesterol and calorie intake.

Wishing all our 'Spicezens' a healthy and long life.

Article, 'Happy Heart. Healthy Life'
by Gandhali Gode
Consulting Nutritionist and Dietician, Pallavis Spices

Pallavi's Spices participating in Swamini Mela at Oswal Bandhu Samaj

Pallavis Spices is proud to be a part of SWAMINI MELA, an initiative of Swamini Group

Do visit our stall in the Mela on Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Our sincere thanks to Ms. Neeta Mehta and Ms. Saraswati Mehta, who are amongst the key members of the Swamini Group.

 

 

Recipe of Dry Mutton/ Mutton Roast / सुके मटण मसाला / मटण रोस्ट

Recipe of Dry Mutton/ Mutton Roast / सुके मटण मसाला / मटण रोस्ट
Recipe Courtesy: Ujjawala Bhosale

साहित्य:
१/२ किलो मटण, ४ उभे कांदे चौकोनी चिरलेले, १/२ लिंबू, २ उभ्या चिरलेल्या हिरव्या मिरच्या, २-३ दालचिनीचे तुकडे, ३-४ लवंग, थोडे वेलदोडे, १ कप मटण सूप, १ टेबल स्पून आले लसूण पेस्ट, १ टी-स्पून पल्लाविज स्पाईसेसचा गावरान मराठा मसाला, चवीनुसार मीठ, १/२ वाटी वाटलेला तिखट मसाला (कांदे, भाजलेले खोबरे त्यामध्ये आले लसूण पेस्ट, कोथिंबीर आणि मीठ) गरम मसाला (दालचिनी, लवंग, वेलदोडे) बारीक पूड करून घ्या.

कृती:
पहिल्यांदा मटण हळद, मीठ, आले लसूण पेस्ट व थोडेसेच पाणी टाकून शिजवणे. कढाई मध्ये गरम तेलामध्ये चिरलेला कांदा परतून घ्या. त्यात मिरच्या टाका. नंतर वाटलेला मसाला, लवंग, दालचिनी-वेलदोडे पूड टाका. गावरान मराठा घालून परतून घ्या. त्यामध्ये शिजविलेले मटण व सूप टाकून तेल सुटे पर्यंत परता. वरून चिरलेली कोथिम्बिर व लिंबू पिळून सर्व करा.

Facebook Timelines for Pallavi's Spices

The longest tastymonial received to Pallavi's Spices from Saurabh Kulkarni, studying in Netherlands

Dear Pallavi tai,

First, I would like to thank you for making such a wonderful and tasty spices....

It has been just 2 weeks in Netherlands and I did not make a single recipe without mixing Pallavi's Spices "Chilly Milly" masala...

Because of weight limitations on baggage, I could not carry much variety of spices from you, and also since I had never tested them earlier was bit doubtful.

On the very first day here, in the Netherlands i didn't had the time to cook anything in the morning.. But in evening when I was starving like mad, I decided to make KHICHADI as it was the only easy option. I added little of " Chilly Milly" masala..And the result was just wonderful... I really thought that i was eating something similar made at my home..And then from next day onwards I started adding the same in all recipes to make it more tasty. I have already started recommending your tasty spices to all my friends here from different countries and they too love the taste. Now I have asked my parents to send me more packets of all the varieties available from your products!!!

Thanks for making such wonderful and tasty spices which keep me connected to my mother land very often !!!

PS: Waiting for more variety of your products and later will wait them to arrive in the Netherlands soon...

Saurabh Kulkarni
Student, Netherlands

Junk food consumption by today’s young generation

On the occasion of August 12, celebrated as International Youth Day, we felt the need to provide an important insight to today’s young generation about ‘Junk Food’.

In today’s times the expectations and demands to be processed by today’s young generation are extremely fast almost as it happens with click on a mouse. Unfortunately, most of us follow this with our food habits as well; which have drastically changed over the past few decades.

Due to various reasons such as professional commitments, multi tasking, time restrictions, staying away from parents, laziness, fatigue and many other factors the eating habits have changed, people prefer junk food / outside food which only satiates the immediate need of the hungry stomach. However, the long term effects of such food are indeed harmful to our body which may lead to; Obesity, Heart diseases, Blood Pressure, Kidney problems and Blood Sugar imbalance.

The current lifestyle, especially of young IT people or those who spend average 8-10 hrs glued to a computer in the AC environs of an office, stressed with the work load is challenging if one is not regular with exercise. Coupled with these, junk food and carbonated drinks causes more harm to their body.

What exactly is then Junk Food?
Processed foods that have no nutritional values and need little or no preparation are known as junk foods. They are normally available as packaged snacks. For years, junk food, with their attractive colors, tickle the taste buds, and are irresistible to the young and old alike, with their wonderful array of varieties and flavour. This food however filled with empty calories and zero nutritional value offers next to nothing in terms of health benefits with absolutely no value for money. Due to changes in the lifestyle, eating junk food has now become a habit almost an addiction, (if allowed to exaggerate a bit) leading to childhood obesity and hordes of other dietary problems, which are bothering the entire world. Many foods such as hamburgers, pizza, and tacos can be considered either healthy or junk food depending on their ingredients and preparation methods. Highly processed food items usually fall under the junk food category.

Different types of Junk Food:
It is impossible to eliminate the indulgence of junk food due to variety of reasons but we can resolve to minimize their intake and if possible avoid some which produce harmful effects on the body no matter how irresistible delicacies they are. Following delicacies fall under the junk food category:

Pizza
Burgers
Deep Fried Stuff
Breakfast Cereals (covered with unhealthy sugars)
Candies
Donuts
Carbonated Beverages
Pastries and Cakes (having trans fat, chocolate, sugar and eggs)
Ice creams (rich in sugar and fat)
Instant Noodles (covered with wax and lacking essential proteins, vitamins, fibre and minerals)

Effects of Junk Food:
1) Fast foods and junk foods are high in fat, sodium and sugar, which can lead to obesity and a range of attendant health problems, including diabetes, heart disease and arthritis.
2) Feeling chronically fatigued and lack of energy one needs to complete daily tasks.
3) The high levels of sugar in junk food puts your metabolism under stress; when you eat refined sugar, your pancreas secretes high amounts of insulin to prevent a dangerous spike in blood sugar levels.
4) Your blood sugar levels will drop suddenly after eating, leaving you feeling grumpy, fatigued and craving sugar as these foods don't contain adequate amounts of proteins and good carbohydrates.
5) Due to large amounts of fat one can gain weight and become obese leading to further health complications like heart disease, arthritis and diabetes.
6) The high levels of trans-fatty acids found in many junk foods and fast foods can lead to fatty liver deposits, which, over time, can cause liver dysfunction and disease.
7) It can lead to mood swings and constipation, and lower your energy levels so that you lack interest in the exercise you need to burn off those extra calories.

Understand the nutritional values from the labels:
It is advisable to check the sodium, sugar, cholesterol and fiber content besides the amount of calories and fat in the product. Kindly read the label giving you the list of main ingredients which will determine if the food is laden with fat, salt and sugar beyond normal magnitude.

The concrete step:
Food is an essential element for our good health and plays a pivotal role for sustenance and over all well-being. One should as far as possible have regular home cooked food and keep aside the penchant to hog on junk food periodically/everyday which have high levels of calories from salt, sugar and saturated fats containing insufficient vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins. Do not waste your important enzymes meant for other metabolic functioning in converting these junk food into energy.

Eat Nutritious. Stay Healthy. Please do not waste food too.

Roasted garlic pasta in white sauce

Ingredients
200gms Durum wheat pasta
5tsp All purpose flour
10tsp Milk
20tsp Water
1/2 cup Grated cheese
2tsps Black pepper (ground)
1Garlic pod
150gm Mushrooms
2tsp Cooking oil / olive oil
5tsp Butter/olive oil
Salt to taste

Procedure for pasta
Bring 2.5lts of water to rapid boil, add salt and 2tsps cooking oil, add durum wheat pasta and continue boiling till pasta is tender (one must be able to break it with a fork with little or no force )
Once tender drain the pasta immediately and run hot water over it in a colander and let it sit to drain (for using pasta in salads always run cold water after draining it)

Procedure for sauce
In a big skillet melt butter or use olive oil
And while it heats on medium flame add pepper grounds and salt and mix to this add crushed garlic pods and roast till it releases flavour. Add chopped mushrooms and turn them till they are slightly tender and releasing their juices. In a small bowl mix all purpose flour and milk and make a fine paste. Leave no clumps in it. Add it to the skillet and add water carefully while stirring continuously till you get a homogeneous mixture. Add grated cheese to this mixture, due to the flour the mixture thickens quickly hence its necessary to keep stirring and adding water till the sauce reaches an even consistency.
Once you get the sauce closer to the consistency of tomato sauce thickness, lower the flame and add the drained pasta, in case it feels dry or too sticky to handle, run little more warm water over it and get it little moist before adding to the sauce.
Mix properly, sprinkle some chilly flakes and some more grated cheese if you like and serve hot with a lovely smile and with garlic bread or salad.

Enjoy!   

Recipe by Prajakta Padgaonkar

MASALE BHAAT (Masala Rice)

MASALE BHAAT (Masala Rice)

Recipe submitted by Spicengel, Vidula Joshi

Ingreditents
½ cup                  Veg oil
1 tsp                    Mustard seeds (Mohri)
1 sprig                 Curry leaves
¼ tsp                   Asafoetida (hing)
5                         Green chilies (slit)
200 gms               Green peas/brinjals cut/any other veg of your choice
3 cups                 Basmati rice washed and left to drain for ½ hrs
¼ cups                Cashew nuts
3 ½ cup               Water
½ cup                  Grated coconut
2 tbsp                  Coriander leaves chopped
½ cup                  Thick creamy curd 

Procedure

• Heat oil in a cooker for about 3 mins. Add mustard seeds. When cracking, add curry leaves, asafoetida and chillies. Stir for a  few seconds. Add vegetables.  Stir fry for about 3 min. Add rice. Stir and fry for about 3 mins. Add Pallavi’s Spices Goda Masala, curd, cashew, water and salt. Stir.
• Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 3 mins.
  Garnish with grated coconut, coriander. Serve with pure ghee for unadulterated pleasure

Preparation Time:  20 mins.
Cooking Time:  20 mins approx.
Serves: 8