"T" for Twist to Tea

I discovered my love for tea when I relocated to Delhi a decade ago. The pressure of studies initially and late night shifts at work later , made me addicted to tea. Be it dry winters or sultry summers, I love to have tea in any weather; Undoubtedly during rains.

I began consuming tea from beverage dispenser in offices initially. Few dispensers come with an option of milk and water only, wherein you dip the tea bags. Honestly, dip tea did not appeal much to me. Invented and much consumed by English, dip tea seems a convenience tea sans the taste. Dip any tea bag in warm water and let the color ooze out. Add milk or/and sugar as per your taste. Avoids mess, avoids soiling of utensils, yet I don’t like this type. I end up using the used tea bags to place on my eyes, to avoid dark circles or puffiness (This is the best use of tea bags for me)

While traditionally prepared milk tea (on stove) still tempts me, I love to experiment with tea in various new forms. I was mesmerized to see the types of tea available in our own country. Since, tea is a storehouse of benefits, lets sip a healthy cup, prepared in different ways.

The Golden Lemon Tea

Lemon ginger Tea- Morning wonder

I have seen my dad having lemon tea routinely for many years now.  A pinch of tea leaves is boiled, strained & poured in a cup, sugar added as per taste and about half a lemon is squeezed into the cup. This is the simplest and one of the healthiest teas of the world. The golden color of the tea and tangy aroma of juicy lemon mesmerizes me. I love to have this tea in summers after morning yoga for instant refreshing feel.

I gave it a little twist with ginger. Boil water with ginger and  tea leaves (quarter of tea spoon). Drop half a lemon's juice into the cup. Have this in the morning on empty stomach, without sugar.

Benefits? Packed with anti oxidants, this tea keeps a check on blood pressure, sugar level, enhances digestion, keeps you active. For all those who want to lose belly fat, try this every morning and see a new you!

Tip- Add a pinch of rock salt or black pepper for a punch of saltiness.

Rejuvenating Cool tea

Come summers, and we crave for cool drinks. Chilled version of lemon tea storms the market as ice tea. A hint of pudina (mint) or lemon gives the tea a different flavor. Packaged tea is available in all stores these days. However, I would advise to prepare this at home. (Bottled or tinned drinks should be avoided if you are a health conscious person).

Cut ginger in thin slices or grate it. Throw mint leaves and ginger together in water and boil it with tea leaves. Alternatively dip tea bag in the water after boiled with ginger and mint. Leave the pot to cool. Have it chilled or warm, the way you like!

Benefits? This preparation if consumed on an empty stomach clears bowel movement, helps reduce belly fat, improves digestion and builds immunity against cough or common cold.

Tip- Not more than half teaspoon tea leaves should be added, else it would turn bitter. Squeeze in half a lemon for a zesty fresh drink. Avoid sugar!

Two drinks, empty stomach, everyday= good health

Stay healthy stay blessed!

Innovation with gourd- Health Book: Day 121

When it comes to eating healthy, there are several items that you would never enjoy or find exciting. Bottle gourd is one of the biggest examples in the family of the "most hated vegetables". Lets make healthy eating a part of or daily lives while keeping it interesting at the same time.  Sharing a very easy, healthy recipe which is yummy and unlike the usual boring regular gourd.

I call it Panlo (abbreviation of paneer and loki)- Adding new dimensions of creativity to dishes and the names :-)

Serves-4-5 people

Ingredients-

1/2 kg bottle gourd, 
4-5 medium sized potatoes
200 gms paneer 
2 big size onions
3-4 medium size ripe tomatoes

Turmeric powder, coriander powder- 1 & a half tea spoon
Sesame seeds (jeera), 
Sunflower/refined oil- 2 table spoons

Method- 

1. Peel and chop bottle gourd and potatoes. Dice in any shape you want to. Pressure cook for 7-8 minutes with turmeric and salt. Avoid pressure cooking for a longer duration, as bottle gourd gets pulpy and sloppy only to spoil the dish.

2. While the content boils in pressure cooker, fine chop tomatoes and onions. Mash paneer/cheese and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed deep pan and bring sesame seeds to crackle.                                                                 
 4. Add chopped onions and sauté till light brown. Add tomatoes and coriander powder. 

5. Keep stirring till tomatoes turn pulpy and start releasing water. Add mashed cheese and salt. Add pressure-cooked gourd and potatoes to the mixture in the pan. Stir the content well. Add water if you like it with gravy. 


The entire process barely takes 15-20 minutes to cook. A yummy healthy dish is ready to be served hot with roti.

Gourd is extremely beneficial for stomach, especially during summers. Cleanses digestive system and keeps it cool at the same time. Cheese adds protein, making this dish perfectly balanced. Relish the dish and stay healthy, stay blessed.

Smelly encounter

While chatting with a friend yesterday, I told him about the blog contest for Racold. While for me, this was a big contest, for him it was more than a contest as he proudly told me that Racold is the market leader in water heaters. As a sales champ in consumer durable industry from the past few years, he definitely knows the market well and his statement made me feel more enthusiastic about this blog contest :-) This is a part of Indibloggers contest https://www.facebook.com/racoldthermoltd

Many a times I have felt the same as what the video shows. Check out the hilarious video here- What\'s that smell, Boss?

All of us, at some point in our life must have come across such messy people, who stink. At times it is the shoes of a person, while at other times it’s the smell of underarms sweat. During such smelly encounters, we either turn away our heads in the opposite direction, or ignore the stench. During one such smelly encounters, a dear colleague of mine caused a lot of stir at workplace. It was the offset of winters and she happened to wear a long black pullover on a particular day. Many colleagues, including me felt a strange odor of dirt or mud. We realized, the itching smell of dirt apparently came from somewhere around her seat. The moment people would pass by her, they complained of a dusty odor. It did not take me long to figure out the source of the smell. It was the black sweater he had worn that day. Being a close friend of mine, I did not ignore the problem and politely told her about the unusual odor from her sweater. She did not take offence and immediately took off her pullover. I assumed that perhaps it was not washed properly. My suggestion to her was to wash the pullover in mild detergent in warm water.  Its not the human body that needs a bath always. At times its your clothes too :)

In few instances I have suggested people to use a strong deodorant or perfume. The suggestion used to be quite assertive, hence dropping hints to people about the strong body odor!

In a hilarious incident few years ago, my newly promoted boss felt embarrassed due to the smelly encounter. My team was invited for lunch to our new boss’s house. The spacious house was beautifully decorated, with every detail intricately chosen and accounted for. Right from the marbled floor, teak wood furniture, satin curtains to imported show pieces, everything about the house was classy. It smelled of high taste. It also smelled of something unpleasant. We were pleased with a warm welcome and all the affection that was showered by the hosts but only if the pungent smell wasn't present! Our new boss and his wife had left no stone unturned to make us feel comfortable. The smell continued to strangle me every minute. For obvious reasons I could not complain about the stench amid the hosts but surely dropped them hints that I was uneasy. The whole team insisted to see the balcony and terrace. The moment we were out of the room, I heaved a sigh of relief loudly saying "Thank god, its not smelling here". The boss's wife overheard me and my colleague nudged her elbow at me! Believe it or not, I did that purposefully.The rest is history :p

It is said that God gives a special skill or ability to everybody. Strange but true, I have that special ability to smell things from a distance. Not that I am a sniffer dog, but being a sinus patient, my extra sensitive nose can smell anything from a distance, faster than anybody else. This particularly happens in my yoga classes. The bad body odor gives me a bad mood. I requested my yoga instructor to suggest people taking a warm bath daily in the morning, as this helps to reduce body odor. Directly, or indirectly, I was happy to have my message conveyed without having me asked "Whats that smell boss?"

It is most advisable to take a warm water bath in the morning, to feel rejuvenated and eliminate body odor. With a product as superior as Racold in the market, I am sure warm water bath is so convenient and refreshing. A quick heating technology, not on;y saves time but also electricity!