Nutritious Recipes for would be mothers!!!!!!!!

Most of the women wonder what to eat when they have their precious ones growing in their womb. Well the answer is eat a variety of foods which include all the food groups in the right amount. 

Any food that you choose needs to be nutritionally balanced, and should be fortified with some essential ingredients which would take care of your micro-nutrient needs.

Just to give you example here are some useful and easy to make recipes:

• If you have cravings for chocolate: try to make a chocolate shaped light snack with dates, almonds and coconut powder. Take seedless dates, make a small round with one almond inserted in it, roll the ball in dessicated coconut powder. Wrap it up like a chocolate and take it with you wherever u go: Especially office-goers can definitely try this. 

• Lettuce salad: Take 4-5 lettuce leaves. Wash thoroughly. Cut them the way you like. Add 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp honey, salt to taste. Add 4-5 pieces of apple, 2-3 almonds. Sprinkle with roasted sesame and flax seeds. This can be taken as a small snack in between your meals.

In addition to this have lots of fluids in the form of, tender coconut water, fruit juices, warm soups, buttermilk,   flavored milk, porridge  etc to avoid dehydration and also constipation which may be a common problem especially in the 2nd and third trimester.

•     Morning Sickness/Nausea and Vomiting

Many women experience nausea and vomiting during their pregnancy. 

That's because changes in hormones can make you feel sick to your stomach. 
 Certain smells and movements can make the nausea worse.

 The good news is that the nausea usually disappears after the first trimester.                                

     Coping Nausea/Vomiting

     Take iron supplements along with food and not empty stomach.

    Dry snacks like cream crackers/ biscuits/ mithai /sweets would help reduce nausea.

    Reduce citrus, spearmint, peppermint. Avoid Caffeine.

    Eat small low-fat meals and snacks.

    Avoid lying down immediately after eating or drinking.

    Take a walk atleast 100 steps after meals.

    Use ginger and lime in food to avoid nausea.

    Avoid colas, alcohol and smoking.

    Eat slowly, take the time to chew well.

 

One Day Detox!!!!!

A Detox Diet (also called a cleansing diet) will remove toxins and poisons from your body. Following a Detox Diet may be useful for:

§  Optimal weight management

§  Healthy digestion

§  Strength and stamina

§  Healthy Heart

§  Better focus and concentration

§  Clearer skin and stronger nails

§  Peak performance at any age

When it comes to detoxing your body, there are many techniques you can follow. Below is one example:

• Start your day with a glass of lime water with a tsp of honey.

•     Have a glass full of cow milk and a bowl of fruits in breakfast.

•     Enjoy your midmorning with a glass of Buttermilk/Pomegranate juice/Beetroot Juice. 

•     Vegetable clear soup + Bowl of sprout salad/mixed vegetable salad for lunch and dinner.

•    Make your evening refreshing by having a cup of green tea.

  

    Dry fruit time in the evening. Have a handful of almonds, walnut, black raisins, apricots and dates.     

TO ADD UP LOTS OF WATER!!!!!!

****Repeat this diet atleast once in 15 days for best results....

Snack Easily n Smartly!!!!

Smoked Salad

Take a bowl full of cut veggies (red yellow green pepper, onion, tomatoes, broccoli, and bamboo shoots etc).

Add 30 gm paneer/mushroom/soya chunks/ boiled chicken/ boiled eggwhite.

Add a pinch of salt, oregano and basil, thyme, chilli flakes.

Add 1 tsp of lemon juice. Toss well.

Microwave for about a min.

Serve hot.

Fruit chaat

Take fruits of choice.

 Cut into cubes.

 Add chaat masala. Have it fresh!!!

Sprout Bhel

Take ½ a bowl of steamed sprouts.

Add finely chopped cucumber, tomato, onion, green chilli,

 pomegranate  and green mango.

Add salt to taste. Serve it with a dressing of coriander leaves.

Chatpata Chana

 Steam about 30 gms of black chana.

  Add salt, red chilli powder, amchur powder to taste.

  Serve hot or cold.

Khakra chaat

Can use home made khakra/buy khakra from store.

Steam ½ cup of corn. Spread the corn over the khakra.

Add finely chopped onion, tomato and cucumber.

Top it with a pinch of salt, jeera powder, dhaniya powder.

Dress it with mint and coriander leaves.

So enjoy healthy snacks and no need to worry about calories, and no need to eat secretly!!!!

TOP TEN FOODS FOR WOMEN…..

Calcium rich foods: Sources of calcium like milk and milk products, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and greens. 

Iron rich foods: Boost your intake by eating lean red meat, dark poultry, lentils, spinach, almonds, and iron-fortified cereals.

Foods rich in Vit C:  Include Citrus fruits, Lemon, Tomatoes, Amla, Brocolli in your daily diet.

Green Tea: Excellent antioxidant, aids in weight loss. 

Shatavari /Asparagus : Maintains healthy state of hormone balance naturally. Excellent galactogogue, relieves hot flashes, regularises menses.

Whole Grains: Include a variety of whole grains, beans, and legumes to give you filling fiber and keep you going throughout the day.

Green Leafy Vegetables: High in fibre,  iron, calcium and folic acid.

Nuts: Vitamin E rich protects cell damage. Rich in fiber and magnesium, help regulate blood sugar. 

Water : Natural Cleansing Agent, prevents dehydration and acidity problems.

Soy Protein: Rich in Isoflavones, essential phytoestrogens for 

cardiac and menopausal health.

Healthy Cooking Tips!!!

How to increase flavor and nutrition while reducing calories, fats, sugar and salt??? 

Is a common question that comes to most of the home makers. Here are some simple tips by which you can balance between the ever demanding tastebuds and the health of your loved ones!!!!

*   Buy only the freshest fruits and vegetables available in the market

*        Do not refrigerate food for a long time.

*        Wash fruits and vegetable just before cooking /serving.

*        First wash then chop fruits and vegetable.

*        Do not soak vegetables for a long time.

*        Use cooking methods like baking, grilling, broiling, sautéing, poaching, roasting, steaming or microwave to avoid excess use of fats and also to keep the nutrients intact.

*        Use non-stick pans and or pressure cookers to cook your food.

*        Use water, vinegar, wine, tomato puree, etc as a cooking medium instead of oil. Avoid cooking in hydrogenated fats(Vanaspati), ghee or butter.

*        Make gravies with low fat curds, skim milk, tomato onion purees, garlic ginger pastes.

*        Season with herbs and spices like cinnamon, coriander powder curcumin, cumin powder, black pepper, white pepper, oregano, basil, thyme etc.

*        Use natural sweet flavors instead of excess sugar such as vanilla, cinnamon, almond and cherry extracts, raisins, banana or sweet fruits.

*        Do not throw away the water in which the food has been cooked. Any excess cooking water - can be used to make soups, dals or to knead your chapati dough.

*        Use low fat dressings for your salads. Prepare dressings with skim milk and wheat flour, prefer olive oil for dressings.

*        Select fresh fruits as sweet desserts.

So, enjoy cooking and serving healthy, nutritious and tasty food!!!!!

Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day!!!!!

Eating breakfast is the secret to staying healthy. They believe skipping the first meal of the day increases the chances of becoming obese, developing diabetes or even having a heart attack. 
Breakfast is the first and the most important meal of the day. It’s the energy pack which lets you kick out of the dizzy morning feeling and gives you the boost for starting a good morning. Well actually a good breakfast is the recipe for a good morning. Breakfast should be a priority on everybody. It actually sets prepare for the day and promote short-term memory, energy and vitality, mental and physical alertness, focus and concentration, lower levels of stress and a healthier body weight.

Skipping breakfast is a very usual practice among children, teenagers, adolescents and elders who want to reduce their weights. If breakfast is not taken on time, one would feel quite hungry by the lunchtime, and then would not care for the amount and the quality of food that he would consume during his or her lunch.
Studies find that people who skip breakfast are likely to have problems with concentration, metabolism and weight. 


Skipping breakfast especially among children affects mental performance in the class. Children who take breakfast regularly are more active and alert than the children who skip breakfast. Not only mental performance, academic performance and physical performance of the children who take breakfast daily are better than the children who skip breakfast. They perform better in school, pay more attention, are more creative, have higher concentration and score more and better marks in the tests.

Excuses for not eating breakfast could include any of the following:
No time: How much time does it take to eat a bowl of cereal or two toasts and some juice/ milk? You can even eat it on your way to school or work. Making time for breakfast is making time to be healthy.
Not hungry: To get started, don’t eat anything after an early dinner. Eating breakfast will actually help you reach and maintain your healthy weight. Your appetite will be satisfied longer. You’ll be eating food when you can best burn the calories. You’ll feel great.
Don’t like traditional breakfast: You don’t have to eat traditional breakfast foods. Any healthy food is fine.
Don’t like eating breakfast: Sorry it can’t be helped. You’ve got to eat.
Cash on Calories!
One would then think what should a good breakfast be like????

A good breakfast is one that provides at least one third of the day’s calories. It is generally seen that individuals who consume up to a 1/3 of their daily calories in the morning meal will eat less later on that day. The effects of a skipped breakfast are short attention span, lack of alertness, longer reaction time, low blood sugar, decreased work productivity etc. You wouldn’t try and drive an empty car to work would you? So why drive an empty body?
The sky’s the limit. The only limitation is your imagination. Make it a priority. Eat breakfast. Starting your day with a good breakfast:
• Boosts your energy
• Increases your attention span
• Heightens your sense of well-being.
• You’ll be in better control of your emotions.


A Healthy Breakfast should consist of carbohydrate, protein and fibre.
Example:
1. Any one cereal preparation which could be as simple as wheat flakes or oats meal with milk and a fruit.
2. Choose Whole Grain Bread. Have it with an egg made the way you like. If you’re a veggie, try scrambled tofu (soya paneer) or sliced cucumber and tomato with mint chutney.
3. A good example of a full healthy breakfast might be something simple like a hardboiled egg, an orange, and a bowl of whole grain cereal with low fat milk.
4. South Indian breakfasts like idly/dosa/poha/upma with sambar, a sliced banana or strawberries etc.
5. It may include simple low fat vegetable paratha along with a fruit and a cup of milk.