Sweets are synonymous with Indian festivals and none more so than Ganesh Chaturthi. Did you know? The modak is supposed to be Lord Ganesha’s favourite sweet. And we love it too! Here are some of the traditional sweets enjoyed on this day!
M A P LE TREE MODAK This steamed dumpling made with a covering of rice flour stuffed with jaggery, coconut and nuts is a must-have during Ganesh Chaturthi. While the steamed version is the most traditional version of a modak, several other variants are popular as well. This includes a fried modak, a chana dal modak in which the stuffing is made with chana dal, as well as, the trending chocolate modak!
KADABU Ganesha banda, kai kadabu tinda, goes the popular Kannada rhyme, talking about Ganesha’s arrival and his love for kadubu. Similar to modaks, kadabu is a dumpling that is shaped like a half moon with a patterned edge, stuffed with coconut and jaggery and deep fried.
Delicious treats that we can never get enough of!
LADOO Ladoos are an integral part of the festivities. There are several popular variants - using boondi, coconut, rava or besan. Dotted with dry fruits and decadently sweet, what’s not to love about them? PAYASAM Different variants of this popular dessert are popular at this time. While vermicelli kheer remains a perennial favourite, rice kheer is also popular at this time as is ghasghase payasam or payasam made with poppy seeds. OBBATTU Known as puran poli in Maharashtra and Obbattu in Karnataka, this is, in simplest terms, a stuffed chapathi. A chapathi made of maida is stuffed with coconut, jaggery, chana, dal spices like cardamom etc, resulting in a flaky, delicious treat.
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Thally, near Hosur in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu
BETTER INGREDIENTS BETTER FOOD Wise ingredient choices make healthy food a way of life, not a disruptive event The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison - Ann Wigmore “When people are asked about their thoughts related to healthy and organic ingredients, their first few reactions are skepticism around taste, availability and price,” says Simran Oberoi Multani, Founder of Ovenderful, a social enterprise and a global community in healthy baking. “Not only are each of these reactions unfounded, more importantly, when you choose the right ingredients, the positive impact on your food is immeasurable.” Her monthly basket of ingredients “contain a diverse set of ingredients that work well in all forms of cuisines and the fact that they are organic and chemical-free ensures that it aligns with our healthy eating philosophy.” WISE INGREDIENT CHOICE 1 : REMOVING CHEMICALS FROM YOUR FOOD Simran believes healthy eating has almost become an oxymoron due to the overemphasis on calories ‘People have started viewing the quantity of food they eat or frequently they eat, but it is critical to focus on the quality of our ingredients. The quality determines the actual final dish’s taste and nutritional profile.’ Her advice? ‘Make a slow shift towards understanding that eliminating chemicals and managing calories should be our goal for every item that we consume and put onto our dinner tables’ When the vegetables are grown organically, the soil and its natural agents, the pollinators, the pest-controlling factors do the actual work in ensuring healthy produce. As a result of that, the vegetables retain their original form, flavours and goodness, without harmful modifications that are triggered by chemicals. That is the big difference - organic is grown how nature intended it to be, conventional is grown how people want it to be
WISE INGREDIENT CHOICE 2 : KNOW LOCAL, EAT LOCAL Alternative flours derived from millets, unpolished rice or better varieties such as red rice, provide a longer horizon for overall health. The latter are truly whole grains with their external layers intact, as a result of which we benefit from the minerals and vitamins that are found in those layers. When rice or wheat flour is polished, refined and then bleached the bran and germ are removed -so what we end up eating is just starch. ‘The same refining process when oil extraction happens from seeds or nuts, is usually what leads to complete disintegration of its actual nature. Oils which are cold pressed are gently extracted by a slower but more robust process which is traditional and involves keeping their nutrients safe.’ WISE INGREDIENT CHOICE 3 : PICK STRONG AND NATURAL FORTIFIERS Often when we build our monthly or weekly grocery lists, we forget to add an important category - the natural fortifiers. We all know that these are healthy things to eat, but do we know how many different ways in which they make our everyday meals super fortified with their minerals and vitamins? Dried moringa leaves went into my boiled green tea, dal, crackers, cutlets and even in red rice pulao! Flax Seeds were consumed as is, but guess what - it also served as a binding flour in some bakes, added a nutty crunch to my salads, became a part of a healthy barfi and so much more. “What does this tell us? That what you pick as an ingredient is what determines the overall profile of your final dish and you can lift it up quickly by making wise choices.”
AGE, 24 : CALISTHENICS COACH & LIFESTYLE JOURNALIST It’s a running joke in my family that I managed to turn all my hobbies into a career, be it my love for fitness, food, writing or travel. I started out as a food and lifestyle writer. I work as a freelance Calisthenics Coach with a goal to empower the youth and women via good health and fitness. On the weekends I work as a part-time trek lead with a Bangalore based trekking community called Monks On Wheels. Also, I’m a Computer Science engineer. My career aside, I love staying active through sport and recently picked up football and surfing, both of which I’m addicted to. If not sport, you may spot me in Blossom’s Book Store hoarding books or exploring the world of audio books. I’ve interviewed
celebrities like Chris Gayle, Amish Tripathi and Kailash Kher as a part of my job at a lifestyle magazine. Wellness, both physical and mental, is of utmost priority to me. It has helped me try new things (dance, sport, bike rides, treks) and enjoy each of them to the fullest. I also believe that wellness and health are essential to be able to excel at work and maintain high energy levels throughout the day. What more does a girl need? I invest a good amount of my time in nutrition, exercise and mental support through therapy. My motto in life has been simple - have the maximum fun with whatever I do.
ECO FRIENDLY CELEBRATIONS
With so many festivals around the corner, it’s important to keep in mind the environmental impact of all our celebrations. Here are a few small steps that you can take to celebrate a mindfully.
REUSE COOKING OIL What do you do with all the leftover cooking oil? Most people just throw it away, but have you ever thought of reusing it to light your lamps? Strain the oil after it has been used and store in clear glass containers. Use them to light your lamps. NATURAL RANGOLI Use natural ingredients instead of paints that could be laden with chemicals. A paste made of rice flour and turmeric powder, flower petals, haldi-kumkum powder are all eco-friendly options as compared to chemical-based colours. Wellbe Rice Flour, Wellbe Turmeric Powder ORGANIC PUJA INGREDIENTS Rituals are an important part of festivities. Use organic and natural wherever possible whether it comes to incense sticks or cones and flowers. No harmful chemicals will be released into the air when you burn them. Aurofeel Incense Sticks, Swaha Dhoop Cones, Swaha Edible Camphor
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ECO-FRIENDLY IDOLS Buy idols made of eco-friendly materials like mud or clay. Most conventional idols contain plastic, and are made of plaster of Paris - major environmental pollutants when the idols are immersed in water. The paint on these idols is laden with chemicals and seeps into the soil and water when the idols are immersed. ECO-FRIENDLY CUTLERY Guests at home? Or a big family lunch? Instead of using single-use plastic cutlery that contributes to landfill mess, opt for biodegradable cutlery made of materials like areca leaves. These are just some of the many ways you can add an eco-friendly touch to your festivities!
ANISH MENON
TOP 5 WORKOUT FOODS
PROTEIN SHAKE + BANANA You can have them separately or blend them into a smoothie. This combo gives you an ideal fix of protein and carbohydrates that are needed to replenish your glycogen stores (especially if your workout was more intense or cardio-based). Due to its simplicity, it gets top billing.
An effective training session is a kind of stress to the body, making it of the utmost importance to ensure that the body is well replenished post-workout, especially if you are going to be working or moving around a lot after that. My go-to post workout meal is something that is simple to fix and simple to digest, while being super nutritious at the same. Do note that these meals vary from person to person based on factors like dietary preferences, goals, workout timings.
EGGS WITH TOAST Another simple and classic post workout meal that ticks all boxes when it comes to macronutrients. The fats from the eggs make these super satiating and keep me going until my next big meal. You could also add salad leaves, a smashed avocado, some seeds and microgreens for added nutrition and texture.
GRILLED PROTEIN OF YOUR CHOICE WITH RICE AND VEGGIES This is my staple lunch option and on most days I workout just before lunch time making this meal a perfect post workout meal option. It is high in protein and carbs while also being packed with fiber. Tofu and paneer are good choices for vegetarians. PROTEIN BAR Although not my most favourite option, sometimes you just don’t have anything handy and that’s when a protein bar can be useful. Just ensure to get one that is not packed with sugar and has around 1520 grams of protein. Read the labels carefully and try to go for ones that are free of added sugar as well as refined flour.
PBJ SANDWICH PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM I love to indulge in a PBJ Sandwich along with 2 scoops of protein as a post workout meal. Apart from replenishing my glycogen levels and giving me my protein fix, it is also super yummy. This one I think, can work for a great anytime snack!
Indiranagar | Whitefield | Malleshwaram Yelahanka | Koramangala Bellandur | HSR JP Nagar | Cunningham
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