SheerKhorma, an Eid Delicacy.

The end of Ramadan is celebrated with the Eid-ul-Fitr,which means Feast of
the Fast-Breaking. Eid is a happy,relaxed time after a solemn month. But we don't forget all we thought and lessons we learned during Ramadan. We remember what is important to us : God,friends,family, and the needy. We say to all we meet,Eid Mubarak. Happy Eid! and blessing to all!
Sheerkhorma is a rich dessert prepared on Eid,made with roasted thin vermicelli in milk garnished with loads of dry fruits.I'm not worried about calories in this dessert, which I make just once a year.
See Recipe

Ingredients
1/2 a gallon of milk
1 1/2 cup Thin Vermicelli,broken to smaller pieces(Available in Asian and Middle Eastern Stores)
3/4 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk or 1 cup Sugar(Add more if needed)
2 whole cardamoms
1/4 cup each of Almonds,Cashews,dry dates,Pistachios and Raisins
1/3 cup Ghee(Clarified Butter)

Method
Blanch and fry the dry fruits
In pot of boiling water ,drop the dry fruits and simmer for about 10 minutes. Drain and peel the almonds and pistachios,remove the seeds from the dry dates. Slice the almonds,pistachios ,dry dates and halve the cashews.
Heat ghee in a kadai(deep pan) and fry all each of the dry fruits separately in batches until nice and brown. And set aside for garnish.
Roast the Vermicelli
In large pan add a tablespoon of ghee and roast vermicelli until nice and brown,set aside.
Boil Milk
Boil milk with cardamoms in a large pot on medium heat to prevent scalding. Mix in the condensed milk or sugar ,let simmer for few minutes while stirring occasionally. After about 5 minutes stir in the roasted vermicelli and cook for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Garnish with dry fruits and serve warm.

Special thanks to Lubna from Kitchen Flavours for the idea of Global Online Celebration of Ramadan and all the lovely ladies from the following blogs ,who shared their Ramadan favorite recipes and thoughts about Ramadan.
Kitchen Flavours, Zaiqa , Cheers to Easy cooking! , Arabic Bites ,Mammu's Kitchen,Ya Salaam cooking,Indian Spices,Food is Love,KedaiHamburg,TriedAndTrueEats,AappleMint,Mama fami,Organica,Homemades,Baking Haven,NYDelights,Ummel Banat,Rumah Manis,Giddy Gastronome,Happy Muslim Mama,Smell and Taste are my Memory,Yummy!,Salt and Turmeric




And thanks to all the nice viewers who left appreciative comments.


Here is a big Eid Hug for all:)

Type 2 Diabetes And Drinking Water

A recent article in the “Journal of the American Medical Association” has linked low-level arsenic exposure, possibly from drinking water, to Type 2 diabetes.

We sell two water filters – one for the home and a portable one for when you’re on the go or on holiday – that will help minimise this problem.

Cheaper than drinking bottled water and better for the environment too.

Acne: Disease of Civilization

I often focus on the bigger facets of the disease of civilization. Things like cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are major killers and the subject of intensive research. But the disease of civilization is a spectrum of disorders that affects the body in countless ways, large and small.

I recently read an interesting paper written by an all-star cast, including Loren Cordain, Staffan Lindeberg and Boyd Eaton. It's titled "Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization". The paper presents data from two different groups, the Kitavans of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Both were systematically examined by doctors trained to diagnose acne. Out of 1,200 Kitavans and 115 Ache of all ages, not a single case of acne was observed. Hunter-gatherers and other healthy non-industrial cultures have nice skin. I dare you to find a pimple in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.

In Western societies, acne is a fact of life. The paper states that 79 to 95% of modern adolescents suffer from some degree of acne, along with about 50% of young adults. That's an enormous difference.

The paper presents a very Cordain-esque hypothesis to explain the high incidence of acne in Western societies. In sum, they state that the Western diet causes hyperinsulinemia, which is thought to promote acne. This is due to insulin's effects on skin cell proliferation, its interference with the retinoid (vitamin A) signaling pathway, and its effect on sebum production.

They then proceed to point the finger at the glycemic index/load of the Western diet as the culprit behind hyperinsulinemia. It's an unsatisfying explanation because the Kitavans eat a diet that has a high glycemic load due to its high carbohydrate content, low fat content, and relatively high-glycemic index foods. I think the answer is more likely to reside in the specific types of carbohydrate (processed wheat) rather than their speed of digestion, with possible contributions from refined vegetable oil and an excessive sugar intake.

Acne: Disease of Civilization

I often focus on the bigger facets of the disease of civilization. Things like cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are major killers and the subject of intensive research. But the disease of civilization is a spectrum of disorders that affects the body in countless ways, large and small.

I recently read an interesting paper written by an all-star cast, including Loren Cordain, Staffan Lindeberg and Boyd Eaton. It's titled "Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization". The paper presents data from two different groups, the Kitavans of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Both were systematically examined by doctors trained to diagnose acne. Out of 1,200 Kitavans and 115 Ache of all ages, not a single case of acne was observed. Hunter-gatherers and other healthy non-industrial cultures have nice skin. I dare you to find a pimple in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.

In Western societies, acne is a fact of life. The paper states that 79 to 95% of modern adolescents suffer from some degree of acne, along with about 50% of young adults. That's an enormous difference.

The paper presents a very Cordain-esque hypothesis to explain the high incidence of acne in Western societies. In sum, they state that the Western diet causes hyperinsulinemia, which is thought to promote acne. This is due to insulin's effects on skin cell proliferation, its interference with the retinoid (vitamin A) signaling pathway, and its effect on sebum production.

They then proceed to point the finger at the glycemic index/load of the Western diet as the culprit behind hyperinsulinemia. It's an unsatisfying explanation because the Kitavans eat a diet that has a high glycemic load due to its high carbohydrate content, low fat content, and relatively high-glycemic index foods. I think the answer is more likely to reside in the specific types of carbohydrate (processed wheat) rather than their speed of digestion, with possible contributions from refined vegetable oil and an excessive sugar intake.

Acne: Disease of Civilization

I often focus on the bigger facets of the disease of civilization. Things like cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are major killers and the subject of intensive research. But the disease of civilization is a spectrum of disorders that affects the body in countless ways, large and small.

I recently read an interesting paper written by an all-star cast, including Loren Cordain, Staffan Lindeberg and Boyd Eaton. It's titled "Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization". The paper presents data from two different groups, the Kitavans of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Both were systematically examined by doctors trained to diagnose acne. Out of 1,200 Kitavans and 115 Ache of all ages, not a single case of acne was observed. Hunter-gatherers and other healthy non-industrial cultures have nice skin. I dare you to find a pimple in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.

In Western societies, acne is a fact of life. The paper states that 79 to 95% of modern adolescents suffer from some degree of acne, along with about 50% of young adults. That's an enormous difference.

The paper presents a very Cordain-esque hypothesis to explain the high incidence of acne in Western societies. In sum, they state that the Western diet causes hyperinsulinemia, which is thought to promote acne. This is due to insulin's effects on skin cell proliferation, its interference with the retinoid (vitamin A) signaling pathway, and its effect on sebum production.

They then proceed to point the finger at the glycemic index/load of the Western diet as the culprit behind hyperinsulinemia. It's an unsatisfying explanation because the Kitavans eat a diet that has a high glycemic load due to its high carbohydrate content, low fat content, and relatively high-glycemic index foods. I think the answer is more likely to reside in the specific types of carbohydrate (processed wheat) rather than their speed of digestion, with possible contributions from refined vegetable oil and an excessive sugar intake.

Acne: Disease of Civilization

I often focus on the bigger facets of the disease of civilization. Things like cardiovascular disease and cancer, which are major killers and the subject of intensive research. But the disease of civilization is a spectrum of disorders that affects the body in countless ways, large and small.

I recently read an interesting paper written by an all-star cast, including Loren Cordain, Staffan Lindeberg and Boyd Eaton. It's titled "Acne Vulgaris: A Disease of Western Civilization". The paper presents data from two different groups, the Kitavans of Papua New Guinea and the Ache hunter-gatherers of Paraguay. Both were systematically examined by doctors trained to diagnose acne. Out of 1,200 Kitavans and 115 Ache of all ages, not a single case of acne was observed. Hunter-gatherers and other healthy non-industrial cultures have nice skin. I dare you to find a pimple in Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.

In Western societies, acne is a fact of life. The paper states that 79 to 95% of modern adolescents suffer from some degree of acne, along with about 50% of young adults. That's an enormous difference.

The paper presents a very Cordain-esque hypothesis to explain the high incidence of acne in Western societies. In sum, they state that the Western diet causes hyperinsulinemia, which is thought to promote acne. This is due to insulin's effects on skin cell proliferation, its interference with the retinoid (vitamin A) signaling pathway, and its effect on sebum production.

They then proceed to point the finger at the glycemic index/load of the Western diet as the culprit behind hyperinsulinemia. It's an unsatisfying explanation because the Kitavans eat a diet that has a high glycemic load due to its high carbohydrate content, low fat content, and relatively high-glycemic index foods. I think the answer is more likely to reside in the specific types of carbohydrate (processed wheat) rather than their speed of digestion, with possible contributions from refined vegetable oil and an excessive sugar intake.

Guilt-free Snacking :Methi Khakhras With Achaari Dip

Methi Khakhras
Khakhras,a Gujrati snack are crispy evening munchies prepared with simple ingredients.It can be made plain or flavored with spices and herbs. Making Khakhras is a lot like making parathas, only that khakhras are roasted crisp . Preparing Khakhras is a family affair among Gujratis,it made in big batches and stored for a week or more.
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Whole wheat flour
1/4 cup Methi(Fenugreek) leaves ,fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
Pinch of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon Olive oil or vegetable oil
salt to taste

Makes 10 medium Khakhras

Method
Step 1 Blanch the leaves
Blanch the leaves by simmering them in hot water for a minute. drain and keep aside.
Step 2 prepare the dough
Take a mixing bowl add all the dry ingredients mix them. Make a well in the middle of dry mixture pour in the water and oil. Mix until the dough is of right smooth consistency. knead for couple of minutes and let rest for about 10minutes before rolling in to Khakhras.
Step 3 Rolling the Khakhras
Divide the dough in to about 10 equal portions and roll in to balls. Sprinkle a little flour(I prefer All purpose flour) on the rolling surface. Use a rolling pin to roll them in to rounds
Step 4 Roast the Khakhras
Preheat an iron pan(Tava) or non stick pan at medium high flame. Roast the khakhras flip once and flip again after few seconds. Use a spatula or roll up kitchen towel, lightly press and roll them around the pan. When crisp on both sides, apply some oil on both sides,get them out and lay on a rack to sweat out. Serve with some tangy chutney or Aachari dip (Recipe follows)


Achari Dip

Achaari dip has some of the Spices used in an Indian pickle(Achaar). The combination of cooling yogurt with tongue tickling spices makes this a unique dip for an evening snack with Multi grain Crackers, Pita chips or Khakhras.
(original recipe posted at Tarla's blog)
Ingredients
1 cup Yogurt\Dahi, strain some of the water using muslin cloth or paper towel(hung yogurt)
1/4 cup coriander\Cilantro ,chopped
1 green chilly,chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Achaari spices
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds (Zeera)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (saunf)
1/4 teaspoon onion seeds (kalonji)
1 tablespoon Olive oil or vegetable oil

Apparently saunf was out of stock in the pantry, hence one of the cups is empty.


Method
Shallow fry Spices
Heat the oil in a pan, add the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and onion seeds.When the mustard seeds crackle,turn off the heat and let cool.

Grind and mix with yogurt
Combine the achaari spices, coriander, green chillies and salt together in a grinder and blend to a fine paste using few drops of water.
Transfer into a bowl, add the hung yogurt and whisk well. Serve this dip with any crisp snack like pita chips or Khakhras.

My Methi Khakhra recipe is low in fat when compared to the original Khakhra recipe and the Achaari dip with fat-free yogurt is low in calories,hence both recipes are fit for the Diet Food Event Hosted by Divya Vikram of Dil Se..

Get Rid of Acne - Why is it So Important?

Are you tired of waking up every morning only to see acne on your face? If so, don't feel bad. You are no different than half of the United States population. Luckily for you; no longer do you have to struggle with your acne.

There is nothing worse than going through the day wondering if everybody is staring at you because of your acne. Nothing will lower your confidence more than having an acne problem. This is why you want to get rid of acne as soon as possible.

Unfortunately we live in a world where appearance means everything. Even though it shouldn't, it does. Everyday on television you see shows and commercials with beautiful people. All those people don't seem to have any acne problems. In today's society, a person with an acne problem will have a lower self esteem. Having a low self esteem may keep someone from applying for a job or asking a certain person for a date. These are every day issues that a person with low self esteem can go through.

Lucky for you, having low self esteem no longer has to be due to an acne problem. There are more and more solutions for you to get rid of acne. The best part is you no longer have to have a doctors prescription to get the best acne solutions. Because of today's technology, you are now able to buy "over the counter" acne solutions that will have the same results as a prescribed solution.

Wouldn't it be great to wake up every morning and not have to worry about you acne. The great news is that could be you. Get rid of acne today and start to enjoy the way you look.

Click Here To: Get Rid Of Acne!

DRUGS VS. ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

Here is some shocking but useful information. Again, we find out that allopathic or drug based medicine is not so good. This is just a small list of the bad effect of some drugs. The list goes on and on if you pay attention to the news.

Did you know that there are real, effective alternatives to these powerful and poisonous drugs, alternatives that do not have side effects? But then, how would you know? Your doctor, even if he was allowed to tell you, might not. What profit is there is a cheap cure? Will the patient ever need to return if they have the secret to healing themselves?

After reading this excerpt, see below for some sources of alternative answers.

From Dr. Mercola’s website:

“It’s difficult to fathom the immense power of the pharmaceutical industry at times, but consider this: The global market for pharmaceuticals was worth more than $693 billion in 2007.

“In fact, if placed on the list ranking the countries of the world according to gross domestic product, the pharmaceutical industry would rank number 17 out of 185 countries in 2007!

“A 2007 federal law requires the FDA to disclose all its investigations into reports of possibly drug-related adverse events. The first of this series of quarterly reports has been released. It includes adverse events reported between January 1 and March 31, 2008.

Here's the list of drugs and the adverse events that have been reported:

Arginine Hydrochloride Injection (R-Gene 10) -- Pediatric overdose due to labeling and packaging confusion
Desflurane (Suprane) -- Cardiac arrest
Duloxetine (Cymbalta) -- Urinary retention
Etravirine (Intelence) -- Hemarthrosis (blood in a joint)
Fluorouracil Cream (Carac) and Ketoconazole Cream (Kuric) -- Adverse events due to name confusion
Heparin -- Anaphylactic-type (life-threatening allergic) reactions
Icodextrin (Extraneal) -- Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
Insulin U-500 (Humulin R) -- Dosing confusion
Ivermectin (Stromectol) and Warfarin -- Drug interaction
Lapatinib (Tykerb) -- Hepatotoxicity (liver toxicity)
Lenalidomide (Revlimid) -- Stevens-Johnson syndrome (a deadly drug reaction)
Natalizumab (Tysabri) -- Skin melanomas (deadly skin cancer)
Nitroglycerin (Nitrostat) -- Overdose due to labeling confusion
Octreotide Acetate Depot (Sandostatin LAR) -- Ileus (bowels not moving)
Oxycodone Hydrochloride Controlled-Release (OxyContin) -- Drug misuse, abuse, and overdose
Perflutren Lipid Microsphere (Definity) -- Cardiopulmonary reactions (lung/heart problems)
Phenytoin Injection (Dilantin) -- Purple glove syndrome (discoloration, pain, and swelling of the hand that may lead to amputation)
Quetiapine (Seroquel) -- Overdose due to sample pack labeling confusion
Tebivudine (Tyzeka) -- Peripheral neuropathy (tingling or numbness in the extremities)
Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) Blockers -- Cancers in children and young adults

Sources:
FDA September 5, 2008
WebMD.com September 5, 2008

Here are some potent and inexpensive solutions to today’s diseases:

Rife Frequencies

Oxygen Medicine

Books:

Eat To Live

The China Study

Pay for the best care, save money

Cary Grant is supposed to have said it's cheaper in the long run to buy the best shoes possible -- they will hold up better, last longer, look better over time than the supposedly less expensive alternative. It turns out that health care may work the same way. Here are the opening paragraphs of a Bloomberg News story posted yesterday (and brought to my attention by a student in my health law

Mandi Air Hangat, Bisa Celaka

Mandi menggunakan air hangat adalah hal yang sangat menyenangkan, selain dapat menghilangkan capek mandi menggunakan air hangat juga memiliki banyak manfaat. Mandi air hangat sekitar 32-35 derajat Celsius membuka pori-pori yang dapat membantu mengeluarkan toksin. Mandi air hangat juga dapat membantu menurunkan tingkat gula darah, menyembuhkan sakit otot dan membantu menjaga usus besar bekerja dengan baik.
Namun demikian dari sekian banyak manfaatnya, ada hal yang penting yang harus anda lakukan sebelum anda mandi. Hal ini untuk menghindari kecelakaan yang dapat berakibat fatal bahkan kematian. Ini menyangkut sumber air panas yang akan digunakan.

Pemakaian pemanas air menggunakan tenaga listrik sudah sangat populer, selain harganya yang mulai terjangkau, dan sangat mudah dalam pengoperasiannya. Anda tidak perlu lagi repot-repot merebus air terlebih dahulu untuk bisa mandi dengan air hangat. Akan tetapi perlu diingat bahwa alat ini berpotensi mencelakakan penggunanya.

Bukan sekedar ilustrasi, tapi ini benar-benar terjadi. Seorang pekerja perusahaan besar ditemukan tewas dikamar mandi ketika sedang mandi pagi di sebuah hotel berbintang di kota C beberapa tahun yang lalu. Hasil investigasi ditemukan bahwa alat pemanas di hotel tersebut sedang mengalami kerusakan sehingga arus listrik yang seharusnya ubah menjadi energi panas malah mengalir ke air yang sedang dipanaskan. Akibatnya, korban tersengat arus listrik dari air hangat yang mengguyur tubuhnya.

Bagaimana cara menghindari hal ini terjadi pada kita? Berikut beberapa cara yang bisa dilakukan sebelum menggunakan air hangat dari sumber pemanas listrik :

1. Jangan langsung menggunakan shower yang mengalirkan air panas. Lakukan test kecil terhadap aliran air tersebut dengan cara menyentuh sebagian kecil dari aliran air tersebut atau pada keran yang terbuat dari bahan metal. Jika tidak ada sengatan berarti aman untuk digunakan. Perlu diperhatikan sentuhlah dengan punggung tangan anda JANGAN dengan telapak tangan.


2. Jika anda menggunakan bathtub, anda masih bisa menggunakan air yang tertampung untuk berendam walaupun pada saat anda melakukan test anda dapati sengatan listrik. Caranya, isi bathtub anda sampai level yang anda butuhkan, tutup keran airnya dengan kencang sehingga tidak ada lagi air yang menetes. JANGAN berendam dulu sebelum kerannya ditutup.


3. Jika alat pemanas yang rusak tersebut di rumah anda, segera perbaiki peralatan pemanas tersebut. Jika hal ini terjadi di hotel tempat anda menginap, segera laporkan kepada pengelola hotel tentang kerusakan tersebut.


4. Periksalah peralatan pemanas anda secara berkala, untuk menghindari terjadinya kerusakan alat tersebut. Karusakan alat tersebut bisa membuat anda celaka.

Jika anda sudah melakukan hal-hal tersebut di atas, selamat mendapatkan manfaat mandi dan berendam dengan air hangat dengan aman dan selamat.

Nama korban dan hotel tempat kejadian tersebut diatas sengaja tidak kami publikasikan. Karena semua hotel yang menggunakan peralatan pemanas listrik memiliki potensi yang sama.

Qubooli(Lentil Biryani) With Kaddo Dalcha(Pumpkin Lentil Soup)

Originally a Nawabi\Mughalai delicacy ,Qubooli is popular in Hyderabadi cuisine. I tasted it at my friends ,I don't remember Ammi making it(Sorry Ammi:) ). I was glad when i found the recipe at Sia's Monsoon Spice(featuring this month for Zu's Tried and Tasted) . The procedure is more like preparing a Biryani,only in this the layering ingredient is mainly Chana(Split Bengal Gram) lentil infused with flavors of yogurt and spices. Qubooli is spicy and flavorful in every bite, tastes even better with some spicy lentil soup like Kaddoo Dalcha or a cooling yogurt chutney(raita) .

Qubooli(Lentil Biryani)

Ingredients
3cups Basmati rice
1/2 Cup Chana Dal(Split Bengal Gram Lentil)
1/2 cup fat-free Yogurt/Dahi
1 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste
1 teaspoon Ground spices cloves, cinnamon ,coriander seeds and cumin seeds(aka Garam Masala)
Few Whole Spices like Cloves,Cumin seeds,Cinnamon sticks and cardamom
3/4 cup Chopped cilantro and mint
1 medium Onion Thinly Sliced
1/2 a lime, juiced
2 green chillies
3/4 teaspoon red chilly powder
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 1\2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method
Cook Lentils
Wash and soak lentil for about 15 minutes,
Heat Olive in a Saucepan with lid or a pressure cooker.Fry the thinly sliced onions until lightly golden brown. Remove the fried onions and set aside.Add the cumin seeds ,whole Spices and saute for a minute .Stir in the soaked lentils ,yogurt and other spices. Cover and Cook until lentils are tender,about 35 minutes in a saucepan and 12 minutes in a pressure cooker.
Partially Cook Rice
Meanwhile wash and soak rice for 15minutes. Boil about 6 cups of water in another large Saucepan with lid and add salt and whole cloves. Drain the water from rice and add to the boiling water. Cook until its 80% done.
Make Layers and Cook for Infusing flavors
Gather all the ingredients(Chopped Mint\Cilantro,Lime Juice ,Cooked Lentil mixture and crispy fried onions) to make the layers promptly.Drain the rice in a strainer. Real quick before the rice cools. Keep the same saucepan used to boil rice back on heat. Add a table spoon of Oil. Spread half the rice as the first layer in the saucepan.
Spread the cooked lentil,Sprinkle the lime juice,crispy fried onions and chopped greens around the first rice layer.Lastly layer the rest half of rice .

Sprinkle with onions on top and cover. Cover tightly and cook for another 10 minutes until you see steam escaping from the lid. Wait another 10 minutes before removing the lid.
Mix Layers
Before serving properly mix all the layers and serve with cooling yogurt chutney or Kaddoo Dalcha(Recipe follows)


Kaddoo Dalcha(Pumpkin Lentil Soup)
"Kaddoo" is Indian green pumpkin ,also known as bottle gourd. "Kaddo dalcha" is prepared by making the spicy pumpkin curry and mixing with cooked lentils. Tastes perfect with any flavorful rice or plain rice.


Ingredients
1/2 cup Toor Dal(Yellow Split lentil)
1/2 a Medium sized Green Pumpkin(Kaddoo),Peeled,De seeded and cut in about 2 inch pieces
1 medium Plum Tomato chopped
1/2 onion or 2 shallots,sliced
1/2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon of Cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon of coriander powder
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste in 11/2 cups of water
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon of Olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Salt

Method
Cook the Lentils
Wash and Soak lentil for 10minutes.
Use a pressure cooker(it saves lot of time) to cook the lentils.Add a cup of water and soaked lentils along with salt and turmeric. Let cook on medium flame for about 10minutes. Now mash the cooked lentil and set aside.
Cook the Pumpkin curry and mix in the mashed Lentils
Heat Olive oil in a saucepan on medium high .saute onions for a minute along with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add ginger and garlic paste,saute for another minute before adding rest of the spices ,cut pumpkin ,tomatoes and tamarind juice. Cover and simmer until pumpkins are tender about 15 minutes,then stir in the cooked mashed lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes and serve warm with Rice.

Quboli with Kaddoo Dalcha are my entry for "My legume love affair" ,a monthly event started by Susan of Well-seasoned Cook.

Broccoli Soup

Say Aaaah for the delicious Broccoli soup straight from Sia's Blog Monsoon Spice ,featuring this month for Zu's Tried and tasted event. Broccoli needs no introduction, its one the best vegetables. I've used broccoli in just about ever way possible in Muffins,Breads,Curries ,soups and with meat. Sia's broccoli soup was very simple ,healthy and quick to make , just the kind of recipe i need for Iftar(break of fast after sunset).
Ingredients
11/2 cup finely chopped Broccoli
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon Whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon Olive oil
1/4 teaspoon of chilly powder
1 cup reduced fat milk.
1 cup water
Salt for seasoning
Any Crunchy topping like Boondi or croutons.

Method
In a non-stick pan toast the flour on medium low heat until it get lightly aromatic about 15 minutes. Set aside in a bowl.
Heat oil in a saucepan and add the chopped onions. Saute until it turns translucent, then add the chopped garlic. Stir and saute for another minute until garlic get nice and fragrant. Add the spices and toasted flour, stir . Add broccoli and saute for a minute before adding a cup of water. Now cover and cook until broccoli is tender, then turn the heat low and stir in the milk. Let cook on low heat for 2 minutes before serving it warm with crunchy topping.


Learn about Broccoli among Nature's Best foods.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is milder form of NASH, in which the liver becomes enlarged and accumulates fat. Ready for a shocker? The prevalence of NAFLD is thought to be between 20 and 30 percent in the Western world, and rising. It's typically associated with insulin resistance and often with the metabolic syndrome. This has lead some researchers to believe it's caused by insulin resistance. It's a chicken and egg question, but I believe it's the other way around if anything.

There are certain animal models of human disease that are so informative I keep coming back to them again and again. One of my favorites is the LIRKO mouse, or liver-specific insulin receptor knockout mouse. The LIRKO mouse is missing its insulin receptor in the liver only, so it is a model of severe insulin resistance of the liver. It accumulates a small amount of fat in its liver in old age, but nothing that resembles NAFLD. So liver insulin resistance doesn't lead to NAFLD or NASH, at least in this model.

What else happens to the LIRKO mouse? It develops severe whole-body insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, high fasting blood glucose and hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin). So insulin resistance in the liver is sufficient to cause whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and certain other hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, while liver and whole-body insulin resistance are not sufficient to cause NAFLD or NASH. This is consistent with the fact that nearly everyone with NAFLD is insulin resistant, while many who are insulin resistant do not have NAFLD.

In all fairness, there are reasons why NAFLD is believed to be caused by insulin resistance. For example, insulin-sensitizing drugs improve NAFLD. However, that doesn't mean the initial metabolic 'hit' wasn't in the liver. One could imagine a scenario in which liver insulin resistance leads to insulin resistance in other tissues, which creates a positive feedback that aggravates NAFLD. Or perhaps NAFLD requires two 'hits', one to peripheral insulin sensitivity and another directly to the liver.

In any case, I feel that the most plausible mechanism for NAFLD goes something like this: too much n-6 from polyunsaturated vegetable oil (along with insufficient n-3), plus too much fructose from sweeteners, combine to cause NAFLD. The liver becomes insulin resistant at this point, leading to whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and general metabolic havoc.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is milder form of NASH, in which the liver becomes enlarged and accumulates fat. Ready for a shocker? The prevalence of NAFLD is thought to be between 20 and 30 percent in the Western world, and rising. It's typically associated with insulin resistance and often with the metabolic syndrome. This has lead some researchers to believe it's caused by insulin resistance. It's a chicken and egg question, but I believe it's the other way around if anything.

There are certain animal models of human disease that are so informative I keep coming back to them again and again. One of my favorites is the LIRKO mouse, or liver-specific insulin receptor knockout mouse. The LIRKO mouse is missing its insulin receptor in the liver only, so it is a model of severe insulin resistance of the liver. It accumulates a small amount of fat in its liver in old age, but nothing that resembles NAFLD. So liver insulin resistance doesn't lead to NAFLD or NASH, at least in this model.

What else happens to the LIRKO mouse? It develops severe whole-body insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, high fasting blood glucose and hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin). So insulin resistance in the liver is sufficient to cause whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and certain other hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, while liver and whole-body insulin resistance are not sufficient to cause NAFLD or NASH. This is consistent with the fact that nearly everyone with NAFLD is insulin resistant, while many who are insulin resistant do not have NAFLD.

In all fairness, there are reasons why NAFLD is believed to be caused by insulin resistance. For example, insulin-sensitizing drugs improve NAFLD. However, that doesn't mean the initial metabolic 'hit' wasn't in the liver. One could imagine a scenario in which liver insulin resistance leads to insulin resistance in other tissues, which creates a positive feedback that aggravates NAFLD. Or perhaps NAFLD requires two 'hits', one to peripheral insulin sensitivity and another directly to the liver.

In any case, I feel that the most plausible mechanism for NAFLD goes something like this: too much n-6 from polyunsaturated vegetable oil (along with insufficient n-3), plus too much fructose from sweeteners, combine to cause NAFLD. The liver becomes insulin resistant at this point, leading to whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and general metabolic havoc.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is milder form of NASH, in which the liver becomes enlarged and accumulates fat. Ready for a shocker? The prevalence of NAFLD is thought to be between 20 and 30 percent in the Western world, and rising. It's typically associated with insulin resistance and often with the metabolic syndrome. This has lead some researchers to believe it's caused by insulin resistance. It's a chicken and egg question, but I believe it's the other way around if anything.

There are certain animal models of human disease that are so informative I keep coming back to them again and again. One of my favorites is the LIRKO mouse, or liver-specific insulin receptor knockout mouse. The LIRKO mouse is missing its insulin receptor in the liver only, so it is a model of severe insulin resistance of the liver. It accumulates a small amount of fat in its liver in old age, but nothing that resembles NAFLD. So liver insulin resistance doesn't lead to NAFLD or NASH, at least in this model.

What else happens to the LIRKO mouse? It develops severe whole-body insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, high fasting blood glucose and hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin). So insulin resistance in the liver is sufficient to cause whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and certain other hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, while liver and whole-body insulin resistance are not sufficient to cause NAFLD or NASH. This is consistent with the fact that nearly everyone with NAFLD is insulin resistant, while many who are insulin resistant do not have NAFLD.

In all fairness, there are reasons why NAFLD is believed to be caused by insulin resistance. For example, insulin-sensitizing drugs improve NAFLD. However, that doesn't mean the initial metabolic 'hit' wasn't in the liver. One could imagine a scenario in which liver insulin resistance leads to insulin resistance in other tissues, which creates a positive feedback that aggravates NAFLD. Or perhaps NAFLD requires two 'hits', one to peripheral insulin sensitivity and another directly to the liver.

In any case, I feel that the most plausible mechanism for NAFLD goes something like this: too much n-6 from polyunsaturated vegetable oil (along with insufficient n-3), plus too much fructose from sweeteners, combine to cause NAFLD. The liver becomes insulin resistant at this point, leading to whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and general metabolic havoc.

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is milder form of NASH, in which the liver becomes enlarged and accumulates fat. Ready for a shocker? The prevalence of NAFLD is thought to be between 20 and 30 percent in the Western world, and rising. It's typically associated with insulin resistance and often with the metabolic syndrome. This has lead some researchers to believe it's caused by insulin resistance. It's a chicken and egg question, but I believe it's the other way around if anything.

There are certain animal models of human disease that are so informative I keep coming back to them again and again. One of my favorites is the LIRKO mouse, or liver-specific insulin receptor knockout mouse. The LIRKO mouse is missing its insulin receptor in the liver only, so it is a model of severe insulin resistance of the liver. It accumulates a small amount of fat in its liver in old age, but nothing that resembles NAFLD. So liver insulin resistance doesn't lead to NAFLD or NASH, at least in this model.

What else happens to the LIRKO mouse? It develops severe whole-body insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, high fasting blood glucose and hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin). So insulin resistance in the liver is sufficient to cause whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and certain other hallmarks of the metabolic syndrome, while liver and whole-body insulin resistance are not sufficient to cause NAFLD or NASH. This is consistent with the fact that nearly everyone with NAFLD is insulin resistant, while many who are insulin resistant do not have NAFLD.

In all fairness, there are reasons why NAFLD is believed to be caused by insulin resistance. For example, insulin-sensitizing drugs improve NAFLD. However, that doesn't mean the initial metabolic 'hit' wasn't in the liver. One could imagine a scenario in which liver insulin resistance leads to insulin resistance in other tissues, which creates a positive feedback that aggravates NAFLD. Or perhaps NAFLD requires two 'hits', one to peripheral insulin sensitivity and another directly to the liver.

In any case, I feel that the most plausible mechanism for NAFLD goes something like this: too much n-6 from polyunsaturated vegetable oil (along with insufficient n-3), plus too much fructose from sweeteners, combine to cause NAFLD. The liver becomes insulin resistant at this point, leading to whole-body insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, impaired glucose tolerance and general metabolic havoc.

How To Find the Motivation to Exercise

Summer is gone and so goes play time, summer fun, vacations and the free-feeling attitude that comes with summer. It's back to school (good news for moms, not so much for students), full workweeks with heavier workloads, traffic as usual, and a more regimented schedule all around.

So maybe you're not the “bikini time - get into shape” type. Maybe you are more of a regimented work schedule type, and the end of summer is just what you need to get yourself back to exercise, eating well and more invested in your own health and fitness.

Training is essential to your mental and physical wellbeing – you know that. And with real life back in session, you are going to have to find added inspiration to manage a regular exercise regimen into your already busy schedule.

So let’s find some fall inspiration. How, even though you have been thinking about getting into better shape ‘forever’, do you finally make it happen?

1. Schedule in your workouts and let everyone who could throw off that schedule know your plan. Then get yourself committed by setting up training dates. I do this. I schedule in my workouts at the beginning of the week for the entire week and make dates with running/walking partners.

I book exercise classes, and make sure that I am committed to a minimum amount of training each week. Everyone is busy. So I make sure to get my training dates with others set ahead of time. And wherever possible I have regularly scheduled dates, which really works out well because I can schedule other things around it, knowing ahead of time that it’s there and I have someone else who is committed, too. And believe me, anyone who could get in the way of my training – whether I live or work with them – get's the heads up.

2. Think outside the gym to make it work in your schedule. You already know that you can get up 45 minutes earlier than before and get a really fabulous workout in. But if that’s truly asking too much of yourself, do half of your training before work and the rest when you get home. I made a workout video called AM/PM walking that is very popular. There are so many benefits to exercising morning and evening, and I highly recommend this at least once a week.

3. Tell yourself the truth - If you know that you won't feel like working out after a full day of whatever you do all day, here's another option: Do a really tough 20 - 25 minutes of training (intervals would be great) before you start your day and then do a strong, but not too intense, 20 – 25 minute walk at lunch time. There – you’re done for the day.

4. Get started and don’t look back. Don’t evaluate or judge your workouts (or even your missed workouts). Keep moving forward, keep the momentum going, and know that soon you, too, will be looking back only to see how far you have come, and how much you have changed.

Peace and Happy Trails -
Debbie Rocker

Hadiah Berhenti Merokok

Ini bukan hadiah langsung berupa uang ataupun yang lainnya. Juga bukan merupakan program dari lembaga tertentu yang sedang mengkampanyekan No Smoking, tetapi hadiah ini adalah berupa manfaat langsung yang akan dirasakan oleh tubuh jika anda menghentikan kebiasaan merokok.

Hadiahnya adalah seperti berikut :

1. Berhenti merokok selama 20 menit.
   
   Tekanan darah dan denyut nadi kembali normal.
   
   
2. Berhenti merokok selama 8 jam
   
   Kandungan nikotin dan karbon monoksida dalam darah turun setengahnya. Kandungan oksigen kembali normal.
   
   
3. Berhenti 24 jam
   
   Kandungan karbon monoksida akan hilang. Paru-paru mulai membersihkan lendir dan zat-zat lain akibat rokok.
   
   
4. Berhenti 48 jam
   
   Tak ada lagi nitkotin yang tersisa dalam tubuh. Kemampuan penciuman dan merasakan meningkat.
   
   
5. Berhenti 72 jam
   
   Pernafasan lebih baik, saluran kea rah paru-paru mulai bekerja pada level normal dan level energi tubuh meningkat.
   
   
6. Berhenti 2-12 minggu
   
   Sirkulasi darah semakin baik
   
   
7. Berhenti 9 bulan
   
   Masalah pernafasan (batuk-batuk, nafas terengah-engah) dapat diatasi karena fungsi paru-paru meningkat 10 %.
   
   
8. Berhenti 1 tahun
   
   Resiko serangan jantung berkurang setengahnya dari orang yang merokok.
   
   
9. Berhenti 15 tahun
   
   Resiko serangan jantung berkurang menjadi sama dengan seseorang yang tidak pernah merokok.
   
   

So....Tinggal pilih hadiah yang paling cocok buat anda.

Minimalist Fitness: How to Get In Lean Shape With Little or No Equipment

Two common barriers for people who want to exercise and get in shape are a lack of time and money needed for fitness.

Who has the time to go to the gym, or buy expensive equipment, or take long bike rides?

Well, if those are the things stopping you, you’re in luck.

It takes no equipment to get a great workout and get in shape, and with one or two pieces of simple equipment, you can turn that great workout into a fantastic one, you magnificent beast, you.

And with little or no equipment required for a fantastic workout, you can do it at home, or wherever you are. Even if you’re in solitary confinement.

It’s hard not to find time for this type of workout — you can do it while watching TV, for goodness sake!

The Pros and Cons of Bodyweight Exercises

Using just your bodyweight, you can do a large number of challenging exercises. I designed a workout that I do when I can’t make it to the gym, for example, and I can testify that it’s incredibly challenging (more on that below).

If you add just one or two pieces of equipment: a dumbbell, a kettlebell, a jump rope, a medicine ball, or a chinup bar, for example, you can increase the challenge even more.

Now, I’m not putting down lifting weights — I truly believe in lifting heavy weights when you can, but there are tremendous benefits from bodyweight exercises as well:

1. No gym fees or need to buy expensive equipment.
2. You can do the workout anywhere, anytime.
3. Most exercises involve many muscles working in coordination, resulting in great overall fitness and strength.
4. For people who are just starting with strength training, bodyweight is often more than enough to begin with. And it gives you a good foundation of strength you can build on later.

Bodyweight exercises aren’t the only thing you should ever do, however, for several reasons:

1. After awhile (a couple months perhaps), they aren’t all that challenging. You’ll need to continue to build your strength by adding weights. You can do that with some simple equipment (see below).
2. If you don’t have at least one or two pieces of equipment — a chinup bar or a resistance band perhaps — some muscles don’t get worked out as much as others. That’s not a problem over the short term, but over the long term you’ll want to make sure you get a balance.

I suggest starting with bodyweight exercises, and then slowly transitioning to a combination of bodyweight and weight training to get a good balance. And even if you’re doing a complete weight training program, you can always use bodyweight exercises anytime you can’t make it to the gym.

My Workout — Just a Sample

What follows is a little workout I’ve been doing recently when I can’t go to the gym — it’s just a collection of exercises that use compound muscles and joints to give me a total-body workout with nothing but my bodyweight and my chinup bar.

However, this is not the only workout you can do — not by a long shot. This is a sample, but you should look at the next section for a much wider variety of challenges.

How to do this workout: do a bit of a warmup — jumping jacks, jump rope, or just jogging in place for a few minutes will get your heart rate going. Then do the exercises in order, for 30 seconds to two minutes (depending on what kind of shape you’re in), with as little rest in between as possible. If you’re new to exercise, feel free to rest fully between exercises, but if you’re in decent shape, doing them one after another is a great workout. Like me, you’ll probably have to stop to catch your breath a few times — it’s a tough workout!

1. Pullups (palms facing away from you). Chinup bar required (here’s the one I use). (Video.)
2. Pushups. As many as you can (video). Do modified pushups if you can’t do full pushups, with your knees on the floor (video). If those are still too hard, do wall pushups, leaning against the wall or a chair.
3. Jump squats. Basically you squat down until your thighs are parallel to the floor, then jump up as high as you can, and repeat. (Video.)
4. Bicycle crunches. I don’t normally recommend crunches, but these use a good combination of core muscles. (Video.)
5. Jumping lunges. (Video.)
6. Burpees. (Video.)
7. Hanging knee raises. Chinup bar required. (Video.)
8. Hindu pushups. (Video.)
9. Russian twists. (Video, but you don’t need to use the medicine ball as shown.)
10. Diamond pushups. (Video.)
11. Chinups (palms facing toward you). Chinup bar required. (Video.)

Create Your Own Awesome Workout

Now that you’ve seen my sample workout, you can create your own by picking whatever exercises tickle your fancy. Just choose 5-12 exercises and do them all, either with or without resting. Once that gets easy, do a second circuit.

A few suggestions:

1. Choose a variety of exercises that work out all the parts of your body. Don’t do all variations of pushups, for example. You should be doing some pulling exercises (like pullups), some lower-body exercises, like lunges and squats, and others that work out all of your body, like burpees.
2. If you want a real challenge, mix cardio exercises (see below) with the strength exercises.
3. If you have some of the equipment listed below, definitely use them. Or buy one or two pieces of equipment … but there’s no need to rush out and buy a whole bunch of things. You can get a great workout without equipment, at least for awhile.
4. If you’re just starting out, take it easy and gradually build up. Don’t get discouraged, and don’t overdo it!
5. As you get stronger, gradually add weights. Dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and medicine balls are some good ways to do that. It’ll take a couple months of bodyweight exercises, though, before you really need to move to weights.

Basic bodyweight exercises

There are many, many variations of bodyweight exercises, but here are some of the more common ones:

• Pushups (there are many variations — Hindu pushups (video), dive bombers, diamond pushups (video) and others)
• Burpees (video)
• Squats (video) (variations: jump squats (video), Hindu squats (video))
• Lunges (video) (variation: jumping lunges, side lunges)
• Chair dips (video)
• Planks (video) (variation: side plank)
• Crunches - my favorite: bicycle crunches (video)
• Bear crawl - crawl quickly on hands and feet (video)
• Lateral barrier jump - jump sideways, over an obstacle (video)
• Isometrics
• Plyometrics

Exercises requiring minimal equipment

You don’t need to buy all of this equipment, but if you have any, these are great. Or buy one or two pieces in order to add an extra challenge to your workout:

• Pullup bar: Chinups, pullups, hanging knee raises (here’s the one I use)
• Resistance band
• Medicine ball
• Kettlebell (video)
• Dumbbells
• Tractor tires — there are lots of exercises where you flip tires, jump through them, etc.

Cardio exercises

• Jumping jacks
• Jump rope - requires jump rope, of course, but it’s a great workout (video)
• Side shuffles
• Touchdowns
• Run 800 meters (or a mile)
• Interval running
• Rowing (requires a rowing machine)
• Other cardio exercise machine if you have it

from: zenhabits.net

Adding to the CHRISTUS Family

As we discussed last week, we believe the development of our brand, which is centered around our Journey to Excellence and our commitment to transparency, has propelled the significant growth we’ve had in the system over our decade of existence as CHRISTUS Health.This growth, of course, has occurred mainly in the two traditional ways that growth happens. Using the analogy of a family, this

Adding to the CHRISTUS Family

As we discussed last week, we believe the development of our brand, which is centered around our Journey to Excellence and our commitment to transparency, has propelled the significant growth we’ve had in the system over our decade of existence as CHRISTUS Health.This growth, of course, has occurred mainly in the two traditional ways that growth happens. Using the analogy of a family, this

Childhood Asthma Link

A major international study, involving more than 200,000 children in 31 countries, has found those treated with paracetamol in the first year of life had a 46 per cent increased risk of developing asthma by the age of seven.The risk was up to three times higher among children who were the heaviest users of the drug, indicating a strong dose-dependent link.

Read more about this.

Agave Syrup

Anna brought up agave syrup in a comment on the last post, so I thought I'd put up a little mini-post so everyone can benefit from what she pointed out.

Agave syrup is made from the heart of the agave plant, which is pressed to release a juice rich in inulin. Inulin is a polymer made of fructose molecules. The inulin is then broken down either by heat or by enzymatic processing. The result is a sweet syrup that is rich in fructose.

Agave syrup is marketed as a healthy, alternative sweetener. In fact, it's probably as bad or worse than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They are both a refined and processed plant extract. Both are high in fructose, with agave syrup leading HFCS (estimates of agave syrup range up to 92% fructose by calories). Finally, agave syrup is expensive and inefficient to produce.

The high fructose content gives agave syrup a low glycemic index, because fructose does not raise blood glucose. Unfortunately, as some diabetics learned the hard way, using fructose as a substitute for sucrose (cane sugar) has negative long-term effects on insulin sensitivity.

In my opinion, sweeteners come with risks and there is no free lunch. The only solution is moderation.

Agave Syrup

Anna brought up agave syrup in a comment on the last post, so I thought I'd put up a little mini-post so everyone can benefit from what she pointed out.

Agave syrup is made from the heart of the agave plant, which is pressed to release a juice rich in inulin. Inulin is a polymer made of fructose molecules. The inulin is then broken down either by heat or by enzymatic processing. The result is a sweet syrup that is rich in fructose.

Agave syrup is marketed as a healthy, alternative sweetener. In fact, it's probably as bad or worse than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They are both a refined and processed plant extract. Both are high in fructose, with agave syrup leading HFCS (estimates of agave syrup range up to 92% fructose by calories). Finally, agave syrup is expensive and inefficient to produce.

The high fructose content gives agave syrup a low glycemic index, because fructose does not raise blood glucose. Unfortunately, as some diabetics learned the hard way, using fructose as a substitute for sucrose (cane sugar) has negative long-term effects on insulin sensitivity.

In my opinion, sweeteners come with risks and there is no free lunch. The only solution is moderation.

Agave Syrup

Anna brought up agave syrup in a comment on the last post, so I thought I'd put up a little mini-post so everyone can benefit from what she pointed out.

Agave syrup is made from the heart of the agave plant, which is pressed to release a juice rich in inulin. Inulin is a polymer made of fructose molecules. The inulin is then broken down either by heat or by enzymatic processing. The result is a sweet syrup that is rich in fructose.

Agave syrup is marketed as a healthy, alternative sweetener. In fact, it's probably as bad or worse than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They are both a refined and processed plant extract. Both are high in fructose, with agave syrup leading HFCS (estimates of agave syrup range up to 92% fructose by calories). Finally, agave syrup is expensive and inefficient to produce.

The high fructose content gives agave syrup a low glycemic index, because fructose does not raise blood glucose. Unfortunately, as some diabetics learned the hard way, using fructose as a substitute for sucrose (cane sugar) has negative long-term effects on insulin sensitivity.

In my opinion, sweeteners come with risks and there is no free lunch. The only solution is moderation.

Agave Syrup

Anna brought up agave syrup in a comment on the last post, so I thought I'd put up a little mini-post so everyone can benefit from what she pointed out.

Agave syrup is made from the heart of the agave plant, which is pressed to release a juice rich in inulin. Inulin is a polymer made of fructose molecules. The inulin is then broken down either by heat or by enzymatic processing. The result is a sweet syrup that is rich in fructose.

Agave syrup is marketed as a healthy, alternative sweetener. In fact, it's probably as bad or worse than high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). They are both a refined and processed plant extract. Both are high in fructose, with agave syrup leading HFCS (estimates of agave syrup range up to 92% fructose by calories). Finally, agave syrup is expensive and inefficient to produce.

The high fructose content gives agave syrup a low glycemic index, because fructose does not raise blood glucose. Unfortunately, as some diabetics learned the hard way, using fructose as a substitute for sucrose (cane sugar) has negative long-term effects on insulin sensitivity.

In my opinion, sweeteners come with risks and there is no free lunch. The only solution is moderation.

Cheese Apple Souffle with Caramalized Peach Sauce

Are you craving for a cheesy dessert? Of course with a fat free cheese. I found an easy ,mix and bake dessert in the blog Nami-Nami . I usually make souffle with just eggs ,milk and cream, fruits in a souffle was a neat idea. I prepared some caramelized peach sauce to add more fruity flavor to the dessert. I made no changes to the original recipe, just made it in a smaller portion. This dessert was Ramadan diet friendly ,meaning prepared in a lesser time with healthier ingredients.

Ingredients
1 cup fat free ricotta cheese
2 large Organic eggs
2 tablespoon semolina farina(Sooji Rava)
1 cup Plain yogurt or Sour Cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 Large Apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Butter for topping
Sliced Almond and Pistachios for Garnish

Method
Preheat Oven to 350F.
Combine cheese and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Stir well until combined. Mix in the semolina, yogurt or sour cream and sugar.
Wash,peel,decore and thinly slice the Apples and fold it in the cheese mixture.Transfer the mixture in to greased(with butter) baking dish, I used a corning ware dish about 7x7 inches in dimensions.
Sprinkle some sliced almonds all over the mixture and dot with butter. Bake for about 45 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing, about 2 hours.Garnish with chopped pistachios and Serve with any fruit sauce ,I made the Caramelized Peach sauce(recipe follows).

To make Caramelized Peach sauce you'll need
2 tablespoon sugar(I used Brown sugar)
2 Ripe peaches,wash,discard pit and chop(do not peel)
2 tablespoons water.

In medium saucepan add sugar and water.Cook over medium-high heat until sugar is completely dissolved about 1 minute.Reduce heat to medium low, and cook until sugar turns bubbly and dark, about 10 minutes.Stir in chopped peach cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the peaches are soft, about 15 minutes.
Now puree the cooked peaches until smooth .Serve with the cheese souffle or with pancakes.



This calcium rich souffle is my entry for Eat Healthy :Calcium Rich hosted by Sangeeth and also for MBP : Say Cheese hosted by Siri's Corner.

How to Fatten Your Liver

Steatohepatitis is a condition in which the liver becomes inflamed and accumulates fat. It was formerly found almost exclusively in alcoholics. In the 1980s, a new condition was described called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), basically steatohepatitis without the alcoholism. Today, NASH is thought to affect more than 2% of the adult American population. The liver has many important functions. It's not an organ you want to break.

This week, I've been reading about how to fatten your liver. First up: industrial vegetable oil. The study that initially sent me on this nerd safari was recently published in the Journal of Nutrition. It's titled "Increased Apoptosis in High-Fat Diet–Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Rats Is Associated with c-Jun NH₂-Terminal Kinase Activation and Elevated Proapoptotic Bax". Quite a mouthful. The important thing for the purpose of this post is that the investigators fed rats a high-fat diet, which induced NASH.

Anytime a study mentions a "high-fat diet", I immediately look to see what they were actually feeding the animals. To my utter amazement, there was no information on the composition of the high-fat diet in the methods section, only a reference to another paper. Apparently fat composition is irrelevant. Despite the fact that a high-fat diet from coconut oil or butter does not produce NASH in rats. Fortunately, I was able to track down the reference. The only difference between the standard diet and the high-fat diet was the addition of a large amount of corn oil and the subtraction of carbohydrate (dextrin maltose).

Corn oil is one of the worst vegetable oils. You've eaten corn so you know it's not an oily seed. To concentrate the oil and make it palatable, manufacturers use organic solvents, high heat, and several rounds of chemical treatment. It's also extremely rich in n-6 linoleic acid. The consumption of corn oil and other n-6 rich oils has risen dramatically in the US in the last 30 years, making them prime suspects in NASH. They have replaced the natural (more saturated) fats we once got from meat and milk.

Next up: fructose. Feeding rats an extreme amount of fructose (60% of calories) gives them nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), NASH's younger sibling, even when the fat in their chow is lard. Given the upward trend of US fructose consumption (mostly from high-fructose corn syrup), and the refined sugar consumed everywhere else (50% fructose), it's also high on my list of suspects.

Here's my prescription for homemade foie gras: take one serving of soybean oil fried french fries, a basket of corn oil fried chicken nuggets, a healthy salad drenched in cottonseed oil ranch dressing, and wash it all down with a tall cup of soda. It's worked for millions of Americans!

How to Fatten Your Liver

Steatohepatitis is a condition in which the liver becomes inflamed and accumulates fat. It was formerly found almost exclusively in alcoholics. In the 1980s, a new condition was described called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), basically steatohepatitis without the alcoholism. Today, NASH is thought to affect more than 2% of the adult American population. The liver has many important functions. It's not an organ you want to break.

This week, I've been reading about how to fatten your liver. First up: industrial vegetable oil. The study that initially sent me on this nerd safari was recently published in the Journal of Nutrition. It's titled "Increased Apoptosis in High-Fat Diet–Induced Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis in Rats Is Associated with c-Jun NH₂-Terminal Kinase Activation and Elevated Proapoptotic Bax". Quite a mouthful. The important thing for the purpose of this post is that the investigators fed rats a high-fat diet, which induced NASH.

Anytime a study mentions a "high-fat diet", I immediately look to see what they were actually feeding the animals. To my utter amazement, there was no information on the composition of the high-fat diet in the methods section, only a reference to another paper. Apparently fat composition is irrelevant. Despite the fact that a high-fat diet from coconut oil or butter does not produce NASH in rats. Fortunately, I was able to track down the reference. The only difference between the standard diet and the high-fat diet was the addition of a large amount of corn oil and the subtraction of carbohydrate (dextrin maltose).

Corn oil is one of the worst vegetable oils. You've eaten corn so you know it's not an oily seed. To concentrate the oil and make it palatable, manufacturers use organic solvents, high heat, and several rounds of chemical treatment. It's also extremely rich in n-6 linoleic acid. The consumption of corn oil and other n-6 rich oils has risen dramatically in the US in the last 30 years, making them prime suspects in NASH. They have replaced the natural (more saturated) fats we once got from meat and milk.

Next up: fructose. Feeding rats an extreme amount of fructose (60% of calories) gives them nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), NASH's younger sibling, even when the fat in their chow is lard. Given the upward trend of US fructose consumption (mostly from high-fructose corn syrup), and the refined sugar consumed everywhere else (50% fructose), it's also high on my list of suspects.

Here's my prescription for homemade foie gras: take one serving of soybean oil fried french fries, a basket of corn oil fried chicken nuggets, a healthy salad drenched in cottonseed oil ranch dressing, and wash it all down with a tall cup of soda. It's worked for millions of Americans!