Immune Mommies and Kiddies

dabur latest

As a mom we safeguard our precious bundles in our womb and protect them from the all external forces like the weather, pollution etc. The first thing that we all worry about after childbirth is how we are going to protect these tiny beings from the environment. Even a little mosquito will become the biggest villain in our lives.

Then when we somehow pass through this phase, during the next stage of handling environment changes during schooling or daycare, kids catch virus and bacteria infections very fast. Sadly we can’t even see these fellows like the mosquitos. Change in weather especially during winter increases the instances of cold and cough.

I think immunity building starts at home; we first need to cleanse our home environment. Indoor plants purify the air inside the house. Chemical based cleaners, air fresheners and detergents can further contaminate indoor air. We can reduce indoor air pollution by switching to organic cleaning options.

Here are some tips to build immunity for yourself and your little ones:

  • Increase the intake of fruits and vegetables: Fruits rich in Vitamin C such as Amla should be your first choice. You can try Chyawanprash made out of Amla (please see my review below) as it has immunomodulatory and anti-allergic properties. Include Carrots, beans, spinach,oranges, strawberries in your diet.
  • Breastfeeding:  Breastfeeding  protects the baby against all infections, allergies, and diseases as it has antibodies and White Blood Corpuscles. See our section on Breastfeeding for more information.
  • Increase Sleep Time: This is for both mommies and kidos, sleep is an immunity builder and a stress reliever. A newborn should sleep for upto 18 hours, toddler 12-13 hours, adults atleast 7-8 hours.
  • Exercise– Physical activity increases the internal defense mechanism of our body. Kids are active most of the time, moms you should atleast take a walk. Even pregnant mommies can do a light activity or yoga as adviced by a physician.
  • Stay away from germ carriers: Teach kids to wash their hands. Throw away old toothbrushes and used tissues after a cold. Mommies always use a sanitizer, we all know how this cycle works, in my home cold travels back and forth like a pendulum.

I have summarized all that we can do from our end for our precious little ones, as winter is approaching I have a box of Dabur Chyawanprash in front of me. Its one thing we buy before every winter to protect us from winter and build our immunity.

Chyawanprash is an ancient Ayurvedic formulation to build immunity and is known as a powerful antioxidant. It contains:

  • Amla: antioxidant
  • Giloy: immuno-modulatory properties
  • Ashwagandha: antistress, anti oxidant and immunomodulatory properties.
  • Guduchi : antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties, provides strength.
  • Satavari: promotes general health. It helps improve memory and is found to be beneficial for eyes.
  • Bala: anti oxidant properties and acts as a strength promoter
  • Vidarikand: acts as a rejuvenator

And many more ingredients and benefits, which you can read at the Dabur website here: http://www.daburchyawanprash.com/

Chyavanprash is safe during pregnancy, infact it helped a friend of mine get over a cold during pregnancy. She had bad cough too and it used to hurt her tummy a lot. My suggestion is to consume it after the 2nd trimester diluted with milk.

It promotes absorption of calcium leading to stronger bones and teeth for pregnant and nursing mothers. Kids can consume it as a jam or try the chocolate-flavoured granular Dabur Chyawan Junior. They even have new orange and mango flavors. Diabetics try the sugar-free Dabur ChyawanPrakash.

If kids refuse to eat it directly because of the sour taste, try it with milk or interesting variations like chywanprash cookies or sweet wantons/modhaks with chywanprash filling. Ill post the recipes soon.

Ill end by saying healthy families make a healthy society and thereby a healthy country. Build immunity stay healthy and enjoy you winters.

Disclaimer: Dear mommies, this is our entry for a contest hosted by Indiblogger and Dabur, but be assured that this is an honest review. after testing the product over years. We win this contest or no, our kid’s good health is our victory!!

Posted in Babycare, Pregnancy, Toddler and Kids | Tagged , , , , , | 15 Comments

Toddlers Bedtime


Source

Is your baby up on his feet an exploring the place and keeping you on your toes as well? Yes he is growing up and moving to the toddlers stage.  His activity will be more and you will need more energy to keep up with his energy levels. For all this he will need a good night’s sleep and rest.

Obviously your tot will not require as much sleep as before. Set a schedule so you can put him to bed just before he’s totally exhausted. Tots till 4yrs of age will require a short nap in the afternoon. If your child doesn’t nap in the afternoon then ensure he goes to bed early at night. Follow a sleep pattern everyday that suits you and your child.

Suggestions are – after a short one hour nap in the afternoon,  indulge in outdoor play or activity, a wash or warm bath depending on the weather followed by dinner. Read a book or tell a story n pat him to sleep. Turn off the lights in sometime even if he hasn’t slept. Assure him that you are around and be patient to let him fall asleep slowly On his own.
Continue reading

As far as possible avoid tv or any exciting activity just before bedtime.
Note- do not force him to sleep when he really isn’t sleepy.it will leave you frustrated with all the trying.
‘early to bed, early to rise ‘ if you follow this principle now it will help you in the long run when your child starts school.

The first one week or setting and following the pattern will be difficult but your patience will eventually pay…

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pesticides in Fruits and Veggies, What’s Safe?


I somehow hate to read the papers these days, but this one article (Times of India) caught my attention. It was about the fruits and veggies we eat and how they have been grown with pesticides. Farmers are forced to mix sewage water with pesticides to grow veggies. Sadly this country needs to feed so many people and the demand is always more than supply.

My dad once saw a farmer spraying a lot of leaves with pesticides, he assumed it was the leaves of underground veggies, but it was our very own herbs and spinach. We force our kids to eat them but now I would even dread to do it.

And as I always say we really don’t have the time to raise an alarm or do something about it. At least, Ill do my part by creating some awareness amongst all you lovely mommies so that we can protect our kids and also spread the word.

Facts

  • Banned Pesticides (1000 times more than allowed limit) have been found in most fruits and veggies.
    Brinjal has the maximum followed by cabbage, cauliflower, Okras, bananas, oranges and apples.
  • Wheat and rice too has these dangerous chemicals.
  • Pesticides are basically neurotoxins which can affect organs like the kidney, liver and the endocrine
    system. As a starter it causes food poisoning or allergy.
  • Pregnant women need to be very cautious as it can pass through your placenta and reach the baby.
  • There is nothing called crop rotation anymore.

Solutions:

Disclaimer: These are my opinions use my points based on your discretion.
Continue reading

  • Avoid Brinjal, Cabbage and Cauliflower (they have been dipped in pesticides) as much as you can.
  • Remove the skin of all fruits especially wax coated apples.
  • Buy from small vendors than big supermarkets.
  • Vegetables and fruits that are smaller and ugly looking are much more organic than the flashy stuff you get in supermarkets.
  • Wash wash and wash. I know we are scared if these veggies will loose their nutrients, its better than the harm they cause right? You can soak them in salt water for a while before using.
  • Try to grow your own herbs.
  • Dont trust every label that reads “organic”, question.

 

Posted in Childcare, Mothercare, Pregnancy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Understand Your Baby’s Personality Through Their Birth Number

Source

After a long time I got time to post an article in our favorite blog….i hope you all will like this article. Being a numerologist I always wanted to write an article on personality analysis of babies through their own birth numbers…so here it goes.

Birth number is the date in which your are child is born , i.e if a baby is born on 13 his birth number will be 1+3 = 4 and if a baby is born on 30th his birth number will be 3,if a baby is born on 1st her birth number will be 1….

So this is the number which decides their personality and characteristics, positive and negative traits. It’s very important for your name number to be in sync with the birth number and life path number so that their no unnecessary glitch and struggles in life.If the name is not in sync with birth number and life path number a name correction is highly recommended.

Birth Number’s :

Number 1 : Number 1 babies are governed by sun . This number symbolizes courage and confidence . Number 1 makes you very independent and confident . You are a natural leader, independent and individualistic. You are extremely ambitious, original, and courageous. You employ new and unproven methods. You are an explorer and an innovator. Openness to too many peripheral influences limits and frustrates you. You are self-reliant, confident, and energetic. You possess executive abilities and are most successful at owning or independently managing a business. You need the freedom to make your own decisions, based on your own ideas. There is a tendency to be self-centered. You can be domineering and, in the extreme, a bully. You can be highly critical of others, complaining that people lack the industry or determination you possess. But this lack of understanding can alienate friends and family members from you.

Number 2 : Number 2 babies are governed by moon . This number symbolizes dualism and antagonism . Number 2 makes you very caring and emotional .it makes you very pleasant in nature and highly attractive .you can not be asked to be physically strong but master of intellectual wealth . You have a great talent for working with others; you possess tact and refinement. You have a highly developed intuition. This provides you with insight into personalities and situations. Therefore, you act with tact and subtle persuasion. You possess a kind of radar, avoiding the landmines within another’s personality, yet bringing out their goodwill. These abilities make you the perfect diplomat. Your abilities are better expressed while working with others than by working alone. In the same way, you perform better in a partnership than in a leadership role.

Number 3 people : Number 3 babies are governed by Jupiter . This number symbolizes power , balance and consciousness. Number 3 makes you very confident and ambitious .it makes you very independent in nature and highly progressive .impressive personality and inexhaustible energy are uniqueness of number 3 people . number 3 makes you leader and successful in the society. But you have to be careful not to scatter your talents. Your bane is that you often lack discipline and order in your life. Avoid becoming a “happy- go-lucky” spendthrift, escaping responsibility and commitment. You must learn to concentrate and focus. These are the keys to your success.

Number 4  : Number 4 babies are governed by rahu. Your life number is ruled by 4 which is affected by Harshal planet which is Sun’s representative. Due to this you have to face ups and down in your life.Your number symbolizes upheavals, change, fortune and practicality. In life you either reach to top or lowest position. There will be sudden losses or sudden profits. The decisions taken by you change frequently, infact whats in ur mind even ur family members fail to understand. You get angry instantly and become normal equally soon. You will have many friends because of your nature, but you should be careful about your friends, as you cannot trust everyone.

Number 5  : Number 5 babies are governed by mercury . it symbolize wisdom and knowledge . mercury being lord of communication number 5 makes you extremely communicative and knowledgeable.
You love change, adventure, and excitement. You love your freedom. Freedom is the nucleus around which your life revolves.You will meet many types of people and travel great distances.You hate the routine of life; being stuck is a catastrophe for you. You become miserable when you are held back or held down.You are a clever and a quick thinker, but your thought processes – like your life in general – can be unorganized and scattered. You must stay grounded and focused if you want to be successful. You fall in and out of love frequently, especially early in life.

Number 6  : Number 6 babies are governed by Venus .This number symbolizes of love and mutual attraction. It makes you extremely attractive and different from the crowd . it makes you materialistic and living life like a king . You are a loving and caring individual with a tendency to put the needs of others before those of yourself. You are responsible and trustworthy with a high regard for justice and honesty. Duty will follow you all your life and sometimes feel a little too much of a burden. You are artistic. Harmony and beauty are high on your list of priorities. You have musical talent but the creative talents of a 6 are sometimes left undeveloped or suppressed as a result of your tendency to sacrifice your time and pleasure to the service of others.

Number 7 – Number 7 babies are ruled by ketu .it symbolize originality and independent thoughts. You are gifted with an analytical mind and an enormous appetite for the answers to life’s hidden questions. You have a strong interest in exploring scientific matters, philosophy, and even mysticism. You possess clarity and persistence in your search for truth. You can be a great researcher, educator, and philosopher.You tend to keep your thoughts to yourself and are secretive.

Number 8 – Number 8 babies are governed by saturn . saturn symbolize hard work and accomplishment of the work . You have the power and potential to achieve great things. It is both your challenge and your birthright to gain dominion over a small part of the earth. Whatever your enterprise, you strive to be the best and most successful in your field. You are highly competitive and will not rest until you are satisfied that you have bypassed the opposition. You enjoy challenges and rivalry. You are a realist and a visionary planner. Money and authority are available to you if you are willing to discipline yourself – generally an inborn talent – and persevere in the face of the considerable obstacles in your path.

Number 9 : Number 9 babies are governed by mars . You are the humanitarian. You are attracted to a cause or a movement whose purpose is to make a better world. You are extremely idealistic, sometimes to the point of being naive about people or methods. You have great compassion and seek to create a more humane society. You are drawn to those who suffer physically or are at the hand of injustice. You are the righter of wrongs. Your deepest intention is to transform the world.Deep inside, you long for the love and approval of the many, and seek fame. Part of your hunger for fame has to do with your need for validation; you are your own hardest critic. 

For name analysis you can contact me at 9353004693 or mail me at anjjalitarot@gmail.com 
facebook page : http://tinyurl.com/oyjywpu 

Website: www.anjjalitarot.com

 

 

Posted in Babycare, Childcare, Pregnancy, Toddler and Kids, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

The Kindercare mompreneur – Saira Mohan

IMG-20131026-WA0000 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saira Mohan is the mother of an adorable 2year old – Sasha. Saira owns and runs a preschool with her friend and partner Shilpa Mohanan, who is the mother of two – the lovely Thanmaya (7yrs) and the cuddly little Shanaya (1yr).

Hear it straight from Saira….

On completing PG I became a slave to the corporate world and soon after that the passion to do something by myself arose. A very difficult manager at office coupled with long and endless working hours just pushed me to it. That was the inception of MapleBear Canadian Preschool in Whitefield. It was a colleague (now ex-colleague) who gave me the idea of a preschool and soon I found a friend who wanted to partner with me in the venture. Both of us wanted a career that would keep us going but at the same time give enough flexibility to be able to spend plenty of time with our kids (I was pregnant while setting up the school).

e375f8_d14dc26ca1d78d96092506068ae1deb7_jpg_srz_994_745_85_22_0_50_1_20_0

The biggest challenge was finding a spacious house in a good locality. Three months of leaving no stone unturned, we finally found the perfect space to run the school. Continue reading

Then it was a months effort to convert the bungalow into a child proof and friendly preschool. Once the school commenced – it was all about ensuring that the school was run and managed properly with qualified, efficient teachers providing high quality education to children. Maintaining high standards of hygiene and safety is an ongoing effort.
Since our inception, it’s been an endless series of challenges, but the journey has been a good one and the learning- Great!!

Best part of the job- Running your own thing is an adrenaline rush, it makes you feel so good about yourself, feels like u’ve accomplished something. But I guess – the best part about it is the flexibility it gives me, leaves me with ample time to be with Sasha.
Advice to other aspiring mompreneurs – Most of us find it challenging to juggle a baby and a job. We should figure out what we are good at or what we like to do and make a career out of it. As Nike says ”Just do it!!”

MapleBear Canadian Preschool with extended DayCare facilities is in it’s 3rd academic year now and has close to 100students. The preschool follows the Early Childhood Learning program which is a highly exploratory and experimental method of teaching. Preschool has kids aged 2 to 6 in various classes and daycare caters to age groups 6months to 8years. Please log on to maplebearwhitefield.com for more details.

 

Posted in Mothercare, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Babyveda – Babycare with a touch of Ayurveda


Image Source

I’m sure all of us are heading towards a fast life where 24 hours is just not enough to manage work, a family, travel, maids, bills and what not. So we cant blame ourselves for an unhealthy life which is filled with processed food and quick-fix medicines. Sadly, we belong to an age where we cant wait to make a house with our retirement funds, whatever it is, we need to achieve now. How I wish life was so laid back. Anyways..

Today’s parents do spare a thought on what goes into their little baby’s tummy and read through labels over a hundred times and finally google over this topic a thousand times. My most popular articles on this blog are “homemade cereal powders” and “home remedies”. Today lets spare a thought for our traditional medicine,  Ayurveda. The whole world knows India for its natural home remedies and herbal treatments, but sadly we dont use our own knowledge reserve.

Ayurveda has a chapter called Bala Tantra or Kaumarabhritya, which deals with childcare and treatment of diseases in newborns and children. Even the oil massage for babies before bath is a form of Ayurveda therapy. The oil can be  boiled with camphor or carom seeds or garlic, and used for massage if the baby has a cold. We use Dabur Lal Tail which is purely herbal, the oil contains Sesame oil with Ratanjyot , Shankhpushp, Camphor and Urad. Stroking the tummy in a clockwise movement promotes digestion and stroking the chest in a heart shaped movement will relieve chest congestion.

From the day my baby was born I have been applying a herb called Vasambu or Acorus calamus on her tongue which helped her a lot with colic problems. And castor oil (applies externally) helped with her constipation. Being so modern and lost in urbanization, I’m so surprised how I have been following Ayurveda for the past 8 months.

Ayurveda is safe, and everything can be made at home. There is no end to the number of remedies. Ayurveda helps infertility, pregnancy, newborn-care and childcare.

Surprisingly the new India is so much interested in Organic food and everything which reads “Organic” sells in the market, from cosmetics to food. Our pesticide laden food can be safely grown with water treated with herbs, and our fruits and vegetables can be grown wits organic pesticides, but sadly it does not happen. My doctor asked me once “why do you have a fridge”, I said, “to store fruits and vegetables as they will get rotten”. So he said, “only that is organic, everything else has preservatives. The real organic stuff ideally should not last for over a week”. So when anyone is selling anything organic to you, do raise a question.

This is not just a post, its a movement. Lets revive our very own tradition and follow Ayurveda. Cheers to raising healthy babies and an organic future.

 

 

Posted in Babycare | 4 Comments

Pregnant Moms Shopping Guide: Top 10 Pregnancy Must Haves

Sorry my dear pregnant friends, I have not been writing lately on pregnancy. So here is a special article for all of you. I hope you like it.

Im sure everyone is pampering you right now and taking you out for shopping. So make the best of it. So here is my top 10 list of shopping items:

Maternity Pants – I think it’s a must have for all working moms. Don’t force yourself into a tight pair of jeans. You have a lot of varieties online these days. I got mine from Mom and Me and I still use it with a long top. It can be your best friend during checkups too. The elastic fits very well and its not harmful at all, rather it holds your baby better.

Dental Care Kit– You are more prone to tooth decay. So buy a floss and mouthwash if you don’t use them regularly. Prefer organic mouthwashes, Himalaya is good.

Books and Music Cds- Take a walk into your nearest music store and purchase some good relaxing music. Its good for you and your baby. Im sure you would love reading baby magazines. But you have mommyswall too right??? Just kidding.

Stretch Marks Cream– Use a good stretch marks cream throughout your pregnancy. I can’t assure you will be mark free but it surely leaves lesser marks.

Comfortable footwear- Bye Bye Heals, welcome Flats into your life. Buy a comfortable pair of footwear from a good brand as you will need it even after your baby is born.

Organic Lipbalms– since Lipsticks can easily enter your mouth, avoid lipsticks. Even if you can’t avoid them, don’t use dark colored lipsticks as it has lead. Buy organic lipbalms. My favorite ones are The Body Shop and Burt Bee. Continue reading

Loose Clothing and Nighties– Buy some loose fitting clothes. And nighties are your best friend towards the end. Try to find the ones with a front zip.

Nursing bras– You can start wearing nursing bras from now itself.

Mild Perfumes– switching to milder and softer fragrances will help with nausea. Even switch to non sented Soaps and Shampoos if you can. Cetaphil wash is good.

Skin and Hair products– Pick mild skincare that is safe for pregnant woman. Avoid skincare with retinoids, salicylic acid, anti-dandruff shampoos. Pick milder options

Posted in Mothercare | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Baby Food 8 Months Plus: Pumpkin Soup and Sweet Pumpkin Puree

Source

Pumpkins are filled with Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta Carotene is known to reduce the risk of cancer. Pumpkin also builds immunity in kids.

Surprisingly, I was never introduced to pumpkin from when I was a kid, so I had no idea how it tastes. I have seen it in Sambar and a few south Indian dishes, but I always refused it, because somewhere I knew it tastes sweet and couldn’t accept it in a savory dish.

Recently Pumpkins have been appearing so often in International cookery shows and most tinned baby foods have pumpkin. So I wanted to introduce pumpkin to my baby. But my mom says babies catch a cold eating pumpkin, you all need to recheck this. Taking her advice I added heating ingredients to both my recipes and *touch-wood* my baby did not catch a cold.

Sweet Pumkin Puree Recipe

  • Pumkin Cubes- 1 cup
  • Sugar or Powdered jaggery- 1tsp
  • Cinnamon Powder- 1 pinch
  • Warm water

Pumpkins are a little hard on the outside and it takes some effort to de-skin and chop cubes out of it. Pressure Cook it for 2-3 whistles. Now puree it in a blender with sugar/jaggery and cinnamon powder. Continue reading

You can add warm water if it is thick.

pumpkin new

Pumpkin Soup Recipe

  • Pumpkin Cubes- 1 cup
  • Moong Dal- 3 Tbsp
  • Salt
  • Hing
  • Turmeric

Pressure cook all the ingredients and mash mildly, then strain out the juice. Your pumpkin soup is ready. If you’re worried about wastage see my Pumpkin Kootu recipe below: It was actually yummy not at all sweet.

Pumkin Kootu Recipe

Cook 1 cup Pumpkin and half cup moong dal in a cooker for 2-3 whistles. Grind coconut( few pieces), 2 green chillies, a pinch of ginger and coriander leaves in a blender. Add to the pumpkin mix and cook for 5 mins with salt.

Heat one tsp. oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds and curry leaves (optional) and pour this tadka into the pumpkin kootu.

Posted in Baby food, Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Kids Snackbox Recipe- Anu’s Potato Bites (microwave)

newToday I’m doing a short post on mommyswall as my lil one has given me a very short time for blogging. So let me start with a slogan, “Save your kids from french fries and chips”.

A lot of kids are overweight these days which is not a good sign. But then who can resist potato? So Anu (my sister) makes these potato bites every single day of her life and kids keep hounding around her for it. So I named this after her. Ill update with a better picture from her shortly. For now here is her recipe:

Ingredients:

Potato – 2 or as much as you wish

Chilli powder- ½ tsp

Coriander powder- ½ tsp

Turmeric- a pinch (optional)

Salt

Oil/Water- 1 tsp

2013-11-13 11.58.30

Procedure:

Chop potatoes into 1 cm cubes and sprinkle chilli powder, coriander powder, salt, turmeric and oil, stir once. You can use water instead of oil too. Spread this on a plate or flat bowl and microwave on high for 15 mins (somewhere b/w 10-15 mins depends on your microwave). Continue reading

Check after every 5 mins and stir. Few might stick together if you use a bowl, just separate them with a spoon.

That’s it crispy, healthy potato bites are ready. Can it get easier than that?

 

 

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Winter care for Babies and Kids

Source

Winters are a little scary when it comes to childcare. Most kids catch cold and cough during winters if unprotected, also their skin dries up. Here are some tips:

  • You can purchase a heater, but then it removes moisture from skin. So moisturize the skin with plenty of lotions and creams.
  • Move from lotions to creams as it retains the moisture of the skin better. Moisturize twice a day with a fragrance free, hypoallergenic cream. Try Sebamed or Mothercare products.
  • Apply petroleum jelly on rough areas of their skin like elbows and knees.
  • Purchase baby lipbalms, apply a thin layer to prevent chapping. You can also use ghee or lanolin ointments on lips.
  • Use many layers of thin clothing instead of a huge sweater or jacket. Try to use cottons or thin thermal-ware. And if your baby is sweating too much remove the excess layers.

Continue reading

  • I never knew babies get heat rashes in winter. I saw one or two on my baby and found out that it was due to poor air circulation. We were loading her with woolens because of the cold.
  • Use warm oils for massage. Coconut, mustard, olive and almond oil works best.
  • Do not bathe baby or kids for more than 5-10 mins. Excess bathing will remove all the moisture from body.
Posted in Baby gear, Babycare, Toddler and Kids | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Matar/Mattar Paneer Recipe (without onion and garlic)

2013-11-10 13.09.29

Hello Ladies, here is another quick recipe which I make very often. It will take you just 5-10 mins to prepare this recipe.

After marriage, when I had to cook for inlaws without onion and garlic, I used to wonder if anything can be made without the two. From then my hunt started and now I find this type of cooking convenient and easy. Imagine no chopping onions.

So here is one yummy, creamy gravy, I’m sure your kids are going to love it. An excellent lunchbox recipe, if you don’t have time to make rotis have it with Pav/bread.

Ingredients:

  • 200 grams paneer
  • Frozen Peas
  • 3 tomatoes
  • 10-15 cashews
  • Chilli powder- 1tsp
  • Coriander powder- 2 tsp
  • Cumin powder- ½ tsp
  • Garam masala- ½ tsp
  • Kasturi Methi- 1 tsp
  • Cream/Milk – 3 tsp
  • Salt
  • Oil

Procedure:

To boiling water add whole tomatoes and cashews. Boil for 2 mins. Then run cold water on it, remove tomato skin and grind with cashews. Continue reading

In a pan add oil, tomato paste, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt. Stir for 2 mins, to this add peas and paneer and cook for another 2 mins with a lid.

Add garam masala, kasturi methi , cream or milk and stir for 1 min and switch off. I use milk.

Hope you like this quick recipe.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Review of SmartEats a “Healthy Eating Movement”

2013-11-09 15.00.072013-11-09 15.00.20

Hello Mommies,

SmartEats is a “Healthy Eating Movement” towards making us and our children, healthier and happier. I was so excited when I received my box (excellent packaging) with so many healthy snacks. I even shared it with my parents who are very health conscious and it helps with my high protein diet too. We enjoyed all the snacks, it is very difficult to pick a favorite.

A well-known nutrition specialist is their “Recipe Scientist”. They develop & find snacks which are delicious, unique and healthy. These snacks are 100% Natural, (i.e. no artificial color, flavor, preservative or sweetener is used), made from whole grains only, have 0% trans fat, 0% maida, are high in micro nutrients, high in Fiber and have balanced calories.

Subscription model delivers a box (in 3 sizes)  full of surprises every month. Each box contains at least 5 types of exciting snacks. These snacks are a delectable mix of Baked & Roasted snacks , various flavors of Nuts, and Fruits recipes, Rich tea infusions, Herbal drinks and much more. It’s a great way to “EXPLORE & DISCOVER”.

Lets see what was in my box:

2013-11-09 15.01.32

Soft cookies which I even fed my 8 months baby. What can I say “YUM” is the only word.

2013-11-09 15.00.30

It is a brownie in the form of a rusk, it takes time for the taste to hit you. But as you chew you will get the ultimate taste of chocolate brownies.

2013-11-09 15.01.20

This one was everyone’s favorite. Yummy blend of dehydrated fruits, strawberries, apple etc Continue reading

2013-11-09 15.01.08

This one reminds me of barfi, soft and crunchy.

2013-11-09 15.00.54

Another fab one for the savory lovers. I love the way they have written a pinch of oil. It has a lot of nuts and pumkin seeds.

2013-11-09 15.00.42

Im not too fond of the flavors but the almonds were roasted perfectly.

Customization currently is possible by email or phone. Another great feature they have launched is “Free Snacks for life” which is the best referral scheme for people that brings credit to the referee as well as referrer through a unique URL for every person. The more people use one URL, more credits one accumulates.

You would agree that snacking is one of the guiltiest factors in making us unhealthy. We all have experienced the 11 am and 4 pm cravings when the only options available are Samosa and Patties in the office cafeteria. We sadly see our kids growing on the regular dose of biscuits and namkeens in the absence of better alternatives. Here is THE Alternative……

P.S: They have free shipping but currently operate only in Delhi NCR region. They will be expanding to other cities soon.

You can find them online at www.SmartEats.in and they also have a vibrant community at www.facebook.com/Smarteats.in

Posted in Mothercare, Toddler and Kids | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments