Eat right at parties

Here are some tips to rest your calorie count in check when you go to a party.

1. Do no starve yourself all day before a party to compensate for the dinner you will be having. You will be so hungry by the evening that you'll end up having much more!
2. Have a light diet on the day before and after, which means more of vegetables, fruits, home-made soup and butter-milk.
3. Check your alcohol intake
4. Dance the night away! It's a great way to burn calories and also the time that you spend dancing is the time you spend away from food and drinks!
5. Spend time socializing and meeting people. Parties aren't all about the food they serve there.
6. Don't overload your plate in the first go with everything.
7. Be selective of the food you choose. Take time to enjoy whatever you are having rather than trying to have a taste of everything.

Nutrela Macaroni Veggie

Here's a recipe that's tasty so it will please your kids and at the same time it's filled with veggies so it will please the moms as well :)

Ingredients

4 - 5 carrots

4 - 5 beans

1 capsicum

Small cauliflower

1/2 cup granules nutrela pre-soaked in water for 2 hours

1/4 cup macaroni pre-soaked in water for 2 hours

Onion optional

Salt and pepper to taste

Method

Heat oil and stir fry all the diced vegetables for about 10 minutes. Add the pre-soaked nutrela and macaroni (taking out all the water) and cook for 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper and your dish is ready!

Quick tips to take care of acne prone skin

Since we are discussing about acne this week, here are some quick tips you can easily use to take care of acne prone skin:

1. You can also make a face pack using neem leaves mixed with a pinch of turmeric and apply the same on your face

2. Make a paste of tulsi (basil) leaves and use its juice on your skin. This will help in acne scars not being formed

3. Use oil-free face wash 2 to 3 times a day

4. Dab your face with rose water or astringent 2 to 3 times a day

5. You can also apply a little toothpaste on a pimple. This helps dry out the pimple ;)

6. Many times acne is due to other problems such as dandruff, constipation or hormonal imbalances. Check for the root cause of your acne and get it treated

7. Drink lots of water and avoid oily and spicy food

8 steps to acne-free skin

Some good to know and easy to follow tips for people with acne prone skin:

1. Healthy food helps in having clear glowing skin. So have a healthy, balanced diet rich in nutrients
2. Mild to moderate acne can be controlled with proper skin care and good nutrition
3. Eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables for beta carotene and Vitamin C
4. Have sea food and poultry, yogurt and whole gram for zinc and Vitamin B12
5. Include more of brightly colored fruits and vegetables like citrus fruits, melon, broccoli and cabbage in your diet
6. Limit on iodized salts and high doses of Vitamin B6 and B12
7. Regular exercise and adequate sleep is very important
8. Avoid excessive exposure to sun.

Delightful Peanut Oat Ladoos

Oats Ladoo... does it sound strange to you? Today I'll share with you a recipe of a very tasty and healthy form of ladoos! It's got jaggery, peanuts and oats and my personal guarantee of its yummy taste :)

Peanuts oats Ladoo
Ingredients (makes 8 - 10 ladoos)
1/2 cup oats
3/4 cup powdered roasted peanuts
1/2 cup grated jaggery
1 teaspoon cardamon powder
1 teaspoon ghee

Method
Roast the oats with the ghee. Mix the peanut powder, cardamon powder and jaggery in a mixture. Remove the mixture into a container and add the roasted oats. Mix well and add 1/2 teaspoon of ghee to the mixture. Make  into ladoos.

All of you who have a sweet tooth, enjoy these ladoos - preferably in the day time!

Say bye-bye to signs of aging!

Since we are focusing on anti-aging this week, let's take a look at something that takes a big hit as we grow old - our skin!

Here are some quick steps to attain younger looking skin:

• Cleanse your face twice a day with a cleanser meant for dry skin
• Moisturize your skin during the day, preferably one with sunscreen (SPF protection)
• During the night use a night cream which specifically contains anti-aging ingredients
• Hydrate and firm your skin by applying facial masks for your face once a week

Home-made hydrating face mask:
Ingredients
Powdered Oatmeal - 1 teaspoon
Egg white - 1
Honey - 1/2  teaspoon
Cucumber juice - 1 teaspoon

Mix all the ingredients and apply all over the face and neck, carefully avoiding the under eye and mouth area. Let it dry for 15 to 20 minutes and then wash it off with water. Pat dry your skin.

Try this for a month and see the difference :)