Aloe Vera - A Potion for Healthy Skin

I was never really convinced about following a skin care regimen during my early age, and so I never had any at all when I was growing up! But with age (and thanks to the skin-care-products advertisements on TV), I started growing conscious of my skin. Were those really wrinkles on my forehead or laugh lines around my lips? Have my under eyes started sagging? Not sure if at 30 something such phenomenon sets in, but every other line on my face made me feel nervous….was I neglecting my skin, making it age before its time?

Lots of permutations and combinations of skin care routines later, I seriously decided to give Aloe Vera a chance. Given that most skin and hair care products boast of Aloe Vera as one of the key ingredients, why not give this little cactus a try? It is natural, cheap (plant it in a small pot on your window/balcony), easy to use and apparently gives skin the much needed moisture, resulting in enhanced elasticity. It is also known to contain vitamin E essential for our skin, and can reduce wrinkles and fine lines when used regularly.

Ways of using Aloe Vera:

Apply Directly – Split a leaf and a thick jelly-like juice oozes out. Take it in your fingers and apply on your face, neck, arms, legs, scalp (but do check with your doctor in case you are allergic). Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and then wash off with water till all the stickiness leaves your skin. Do not go out in the sun while you have the juice applied or immediately afterwards.

Juice Drink

-          Alternative 1 (in pure form): Cut the Aloe Vera leaves into 1 inch pieces and put them to boil with enough water in a pot. Once it has boiled, remove the leaves and allow the liquid to cool. This liquid contains the juice from the aloe vera leaves. You can directly drink this juice once it has cooled, or add a few drops of orange/lime juice, a pinch of salt and sugar (according to taste) to the juice for a tangy taste.

-          Alternative 2 (juice mocktail): Take the juice of 1 lime (or 1 orange), scoop out the jelly from 2 large Aloe Vera leaves and mix them in a blender with 1 tbsp of sugar and 1 glass of water. Serve this mocktail in a tall glass with ice cubes and your healthy Aloe Vera mocktail is ready!

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Face Pack – You can make face pack with Aloe Vera at home, keep in the fridge and use everyday. Scoop out the jelly from the Aloe Vera leaves and mix with turmeric and honey. If the paste becomes too thick, add a few drops of rose water. Make a smooth paste and keep in an air-tight container. Daily use of this pack will give the skin a natural glow!

Fresh Aloe Vera juice/jelly mixed with a few drops of fresh lemon juice can also help remove the effects of sunburn/tanning.

While you could also buy creams, lotions and various other skin care products which contain Aloe Vera, having an Aloe Vera plant in your garden/balcony is certainly a much healthier and cost-effective way to a healthy, glowing skin J

Wholesome Meal with Broken Wheat (Dalia)

I love walking through the aisles of supermarkets, every time noticing something new – sometimes I just read the nutrition facts on the reverse of the packets, or the ingredients on ready-to-eat food packets (which I try to incorporate in my own recipes), and sometimes even venture to try out one of these new food items. Broken wheat (or Dalia in Hindi) was one such item I had noticed on the racks of the supermarket I visit, having high nutritional value, but was not very sure how to cook it.

I tried Dalia khichdi, and it turned out really tasty, very much like the rice khichdi we usually prepare in India using small-grained rice, but minus the starch and with lot more nutrition.

Broken wheat/dalia has the look of brown rice (maybe a shade lighter), the whole raw wheat kernels coarsely ground but retaining the outer skin (bran). It is understood to be rich in iron, protein and fibre.

Here are 2 delicious recipes using broken wheat (Dalia) which I find very easy to cook and are wholesome too!

Dalia (Broken Wheat) Khichdi

Ingredients: Dalia (broken wheat) ½ cup, moong (yellow) dal ½ cup, vegetables of your choice (carrots, green peas, tomatoes, cauliflower, beans), 1 onion, green chillies, whole cumin seeds (jeera) ½ tsp, garam masala whole (1-2 pieces each of whole cardamom, cinnamon and cloves), ginger paste ½ tsp, spice powders (turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander – ½ tsp each), salt, sugar (optional), oil, water, ghee/butter (optional).

Method: Wash the wheat and dal and keep aside. Heat the oil in a kadhai/pan and sprinkle in the cumin seeds and whole garam masala. Once they crackle, add the onions and green chili and sauté for 2-3 mins. Then add all the vegetable pieces and cook for some more time. While they are cooking, add in the ginger paste, masala powders and salt (and sugar if you choose). When the vegetables are cooked, add the washed wheat (daliya) and moong dal and cook for 1-2 mins. Then add 3 cups of water (use this measure if you are using ½ cup wheat + ½ cup dal) and cover the pan. First keep the pan on high heat, then after 1 min, put it on simmer and allow it to cook for 5-6 mins. After some time, check if the wheat and dal have softened (which means they are cooked) and take the pan off the heat. You can now add 1 tsp of ghee/butter (optional). Daliya khichdi is ready to serve!!

Dalia (Broken Wheat) Payasam/Kheer

Ingredients: Dalia (broken wheat) ½ cup, milk 1 litre, sugar 4 tbsp (or according to taste), cardamom 3-4 (crushed), chopped nuts (cashew/pistachio/almond as per choice), raisins

Method: Wash the Dalia and keep it soaked in water. Boil the milk and then let it simmer till it reduces to half its original volume. Keep stirring while the milk simmers. Once the milk has reduced, filter out the dalia from water and add to the milk, then continue to simmer the mixture. After 2-3 mins, add in the raisins, chopped nuts and cardamom also. Keep stirring while checking if the dalia has softened. Once the Dalia is completely cooked (it will get easily crushed when u press it between your fingers), remove the pan from heat and add the sugar. Stir the mixture to blend in the sugar. Your Dalia kheer/payasam is ready. After cooling, you can chill it in the fridge as chilled kheer/payasam tastes even more delicious J 

Beat The Heat - Naturally!

Summer was never as scorching as it is this year! Temperatures have been soaring across the globe, making summers hotter and longer every year. And this takes its toll on our bodies, our skin, our health if we do not take proper care and caution. We all know about various simple ways to beat the heat, which do not consume a lot of time or effort, but require consciousness and consistency. Following the below tips certainly go a long way in protecting ourselves from the scorching effects of the sun, like skin darkening, dehydration, sunstroke or digestion problems.

·         While going out in the sun, remember to apply sunscreen/sunblock, carry an umbrella and wear cooling shades

·         Drink lots of water, more than you normally drink (ideally 2-3 litres) to keep your body hydrated

·         While travelling, carry a bottle of plain water or water with a pinch of salt and sugar, to avoid guzzling on colas to quench your thirst on the road

·         Sip a glass of cane juice or tender coconut water instead of going for a cup of tea or coffee

·         Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables, specially the ones with higher water content, like watermelon, orange, sweet lime, grapes

·         Avoid too much spicy or fast food, as they are harder to digest this season

·         Instead of having ‘fruit drinks’ which are packed with preservatives and sometimes less than 20% fruit content, drink fresh fruit juices

·         Include yoghurt in your diet in the summer – add it in your salad, have it with parathas, use it with fruits for shakes, make yoghurt drinks or just have it plain.

To make summer a bit more exciting, I try to add some zing to the drinks I make from natural ingredients at home, as our bodies need a lot more fluid in summers than the rest of the year. You could try some of them, and add your magic touch of innovation as well J

Watermelon-Orange Punch

Ingredients: ½ Watermelon peeld and cut in pieces (seeds removed), 1 orange peeled, a small slice of giner, salt and sugar to taste

Method: In a blender/mixer, add the above ingredients and mix well. You may slowly add the salt and sugar to get your desired taste. Add a few ice cubes if you want it chilled and run the mixer again. Your watermelon-orange punch is ready in less than 5 minutes.

Tangy Carrot Drink

Ingredients: 2-3 Carrots peeled and cut into small pieces, juice of 1 lemon (or lime), a small slice of ginger, 1/3 tsp ground pepper, salt and sugar to taste, ice cubes (optional)

Method: Mix all the above ingredients in a blender/mixer, while adding the salt/sugar/pepper slowly to get your desired sweetness/saltiness. Add ice cubes and run at the end if you want a cold juice. Serve fresh.

Chilled Mango and Yoghurt Delight

Ingredients: 1 mango peeled and cut in pieces (you could use mango pulp available in tins as an alternative), 1 cup plain yoghurt, a pinch of salt, sugar to taste, a pinch of ground pepper or chaat masala (you could use roasted and ground jeera/cumin as an alternative), ice cubes (optional).

Method: Blend all the above ingredients in a mixer till all the mango pieces have been crushed and mixed uniformly. You could try adding a small slice of ginger as a variation. You could serve this immediately, or chill in the fridge for a while before serving.