How to grow perfect green gram/ moong beans sprouts

When I was a kid I was a very willful child. I am still one. But I was a total mess when it was about food. I would refuse to eat a lot of things and take hours to finish the food on my plate. Being the eldest grandchild I was pampered and spoilt. It was usually my maasi's duty to feed me.  It was routine torture for her. I hear tales of my greatness till date in family gatherings. And I shamelessly smile about my silliness. Eating healthy was a far off thing. I would stay miles and miles away from milk, green vegetables etc. Anything which fell in the bracket of "healthy eating" was a big NO. None in the family would have ever imagined that I would write a food blog and blog about eating healthy.

I am a total opposite of what I used to be, even few years ago. My pantry would be stocked with junk food ... chips, chocolates and ice-cream was a staple. Not sure how this transformation happened. But I am glad it did. I guess it was hibernating somewhere in the sub conscious mind. I come from a family where eating healthy is the norm. But we do indulge once in a while.

Last week before going for grocery, I was checking my pantry and making a mental list of things I had to buy. I forget half of the necessary things though. I will talk about that some other day. So there was little green gram sitting quietly. These days dinners are more about salads .... so I thought why not !

Today my post is about how to grow the perfect sprout, the base for a good sprout based salad/ dish.

Health Benefit of Green Gram Sprouts

Mung bean sprouts is very common and one of the easiest to do. It is low in calories, have fiber and B vitamins, and deliver a boost of vitamins C and K. (Source - Google) 

How to grow the perfect Green Gram/ Moong beans sprouts

What you need

Whole Moong Beans (Make sure they are not too old) - 1/2 cup

A close box to make the beans sprout. (I used a wide mouth stainless steel one)C

Clean cotton cloth.

 

Method of Preparation

Wash the green gram/ moong beans under running water.

Soak overnight in enough water . (Or for 6-8 hours)

Drain the water. Wash one more time under running water.

Take a clean cotton cloth and wet it. Wring to remove excess water

Tie the moong daal in the cloth and keep it covered in a food container / box for a day.

Next day, you can see tiny sprouts.

Again take them out, and wash under water. Drain the water and repeat process till the sprouts grow little longer.

You can store them in air tight container/ zip lock bag for 2-3 days in the fridge. Best consumed fresh.

Pineapple ....... a tropical delight !!

Crunch Crunch .....Slurp Slurp ..... I ate the chilled juicy pineapple and blue berries. Logged curiously into my blogspot to check if I had any visitor who was interested in my recipes. Well there were some generous people who visited and appreciated the little effort that I have been putting to pull my recipes together. I really appreciate them for the encouragement ...... It means a lot for a person who is new to the blog sphere ..... after all who doesn't like to be applauded !!

While I browsed through the various posts and labels of my blog pages I realised that it has been ages that I posted anything in 'Lifestyle'. 'Pineapple' that could be my next topic I thought as I finished the bowl of fruit. All I knew about it at that moment was that my taste buds loved it ..... but nothing beyond that. I drank away the juices in the bowl and digged into the internet to know more about the Pineapple. I had no clue about the food values it had until I found the below information ..... I pondered what would happen if there was no 'Google' !

Anti Inflammatory - Pineapple contains Bromelain known for its inti inflammatory properties. So next time you experience any kind of inflammation or ache drink few glasses of fresh pineapple juice. It is better than eating the pain killer pills any day !! If taken over a period of time,it helps control arthritis and helps speedy recovery after surgery.
Helps in Digestion - Had a heavy meal ...... munch few pieces of this fruit. The enzymes present in pineapple helps in quick digestion. If kids are cranky about eating meals, feed them with some pineapple, it makes them feel hungry.
Anti Oxidants - Like any other fruit, it is also rich in anti oxidants.
Blood Circulation - Vitamin B1 present in pineapples helps increase blood circulation and provide more oxygen to the cells. This makes you feel more energetic.
In addition it is a great source of manganese, copper,Vitamin C and dietary fibres.

Next time you go grocery shopping, bring this fruit home .......... at least for my sake !!

What you need ........
Thin Slices of freshly cut pineapples ( about 2 cups)
Blue Berries ( Use any other berry if you wish ........ try raspberries/ strawberry)
Sugar - 2 tsp
Salt a pinch
How to prepare
Combine all the ingredients with the sliced fruit and berries. Chill in the refrigerator for couple of hours ....... the juices from the pineapple oozes out and mixes with the berries.
This enhances the taste !!

Serve this instead of dessert ....... helps in digesting the heavy meal !!

Ahh forgot to mention ....... try barbecuing the pineapples, they taste great.

Fight Aging with Food

Do you know that some of the common food around us help fight signs of aging. So next time when you go shopping, make sure you have some of these in your cart.

Watermelon - Reddish orange fruits like watermelon and tomatoes are rich in beta carotene which are known to slow down the aging process. With summers round the corner, it is a great way to feed your skin with this sweet and watery fruit.

Broccoli - Rich in Vitamin C,K and A, this green vegetable not only delays aging but also has anti cancerous properties.Did you know that applying a paste of Broccoli on your face helps fight sun burn due to UV Rays. Toss some of the florets into your daily salad diet.

Cucumber - The peel of this super-low-calorie fruit is made of silica, a building block of skin--plumping, wrinkle-preventing collagen. So think twice before you peel off the cucumber skin next time.

Pumpkin Seeds - The texture and quality of your skin predominantly is taken care by Vitamin E. Snacking on almonds,pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds fulfill your daily dose of Vitamin E. Almonds are a great source but are also full of calories, so if you want all the vitamins with little or no calories have Pumpkin Seeds instead.

Fish - The natural oil found in most fishes is excellent for skin and hair.Not only that, it is also considered as a great brain food.

There are many more to add to this list like Oranges,Berries,Spinach etc. So to look beautiful eat healthy.So next time you go shopping, spend more time in the fresh produce aisle than looking for beauty creams !!

Easy Tips for Silky Shiny Hair

Looking beautiful starts from within ....... and by that I mean eating healthy. Here are some age old tips for healthy and shiny hair.

Eat Healthy - Good looking hair starts from within. Include lots of green leafy vegetables like spinach and brocolli, nuts, carrots ,citrus fruits like Oranges and berries, soyabean and whole grains in your daily diet. Fish is a great source of Omega acids which promotes healthy hair. So if you eat fish, take advantage of that.

Drinking Water - Water helps in flushing out toxins from our body and keeps it supple. Drink atleast 6 glasses of water a day to cleanse your body.

Warm oil Massage - Massage your hair with equal mixture of warm olive, castor and coconut oil and leave it overnight. Wash your hair with luke warm water the following day for a silky effect.

Lemon - After you wash your hair, give it a final rinse with the juice of one lemon diluted with a mug of water. This not only gives your hair a great shine but the citrus effect prevents from dandruff.

Black Tea -To give a natural shine to dry hair,use a warm unsweetened tea as a final rinse after your regular shampoo.

Egg White and Lemon - Make a hair pack with two egg whites mixed with the juice of one lemon. Apply for 30 minutes before washing your hair. This also prevents and reduces hair fall.

Vinegar - Vinegar is an inexpensive way to get shiny dandruff free hair. Mix half a cup of vinegar to a mug of water. Use it as a final rinse after you shampoo.

Curd/ Plain Yogurt - Apply curd for 20 minutes before you shampoo. It gives hair good shine and bounce. Also helps fight dandruff.

Beer - Did you know that a bottle of beer not only lifts your spirits but your hair too. Before a party rinse your hair with a bottle of beer to give it extra body,bounce and shine.

Rinse your hair with Cold Water - The cold water will actually lock the conditioner into your hair, close the follicles more, and help create the shine you are yearning for.

The Fruit of the wise - Banana

Banana is called the fruit of the wise, the reason being quite obvious ..... it has great nutritional values, tastes good and is easy on your wallet.

And after reading this article you will not look at this mighty fruit in the same way again !

Brain Power Banana is a rich source of Potassium which is known to increase the alertness of the brain.

Anti Depressant Have a ripened banana whenever you feel low or depressed.This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

Heartburn Bananas have a natural antacid effect on the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Nerves Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Smoking & Tobacco Use Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Antacid Since they have a naturally occurring antacid effect in the body, bananas help get rid of heart burn after eating your favorite (but miserable) foods, which have loads of spices in them.

Beautiful Skin Take a little bit of the ripened fruit, mash it and mix it with few drops of honey. Use it as a face pack for a soft and moisturized skin.

So add this humble fruit to your daily diet. And it won't be wrong to say "A Banana a day keeps the doctor away".

Go grab a banana !!!