Obesity in Greece?

Well, contrary to what I was thinking, the mediterranean diet is more of a model in the US than in Greece where it originated. More than a little disappointing is it not? It seems Greece is also one of the countries battling obesity. Cities and small towns of Greece that once had fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, olive oil now have fast-foods, fat rich diets, pizzas and fries. It gets to be a bit scary when parents compare cholesterol readings of their children instead of grades!

One other country that shocked me was India. During my last visit there I found excessively heavy young children and teenagers. This was in the upper middle to upper class where money is also in excess. I had never seen teenagers this heavy. What I realized was the availabilty of fatty foods everywhere, especially in homes. Can't blame the children if that's all is available. I am not sure if the rich parents are equating success and wealth to weight! I had never known a need to have gyms because we did most of our commuting by walk or taking public transportation. That seems to have almost disappeared as well among the wealthy.

Swiss Chard

I am always a little wary about greens that I am not familiar with. One is Swiss Chard. I had known it only by name for a long time. Then I decided to give it a shot since some expert cooks were pushing it. I was quite disappointed. They were stringy and bitter; didn't have a flavorful taste or aroma that could have made them appetizing. So watch out folks, Swiss chard is not the same as your other varieties of greens or broccoli rabe. Once the dish is done, they are also very hard to camouflage just in case you'd like to fix them instead of just trashing. I tried to 'fix' the taste after the only time I tried them. Nothing worked so I had to dump them all.

Food Coloring causing health issues

Food coloring - Finally this is getting some attention. Better late than never though. I read food coloring is one of the reasons for AD. I think coloring of food should be completely banned. Maybe it will be an answer for many other health issues.

Hmm. I wonder how it would be if regulations are not just for food but people too. By people I mean hair coloring. I have wondered what the world would be like if nobody colored their hair. No artificial anything on their face like the way it was when I was growing up. I think most of my friends would be completely grey and probably look a lot older.

Kadai Paneer - Lightly spiced, exotic cheese preparation

Taste the recipe of the week - Kadai Paneer. Also test other recipes here.

Spring Soups

Around the beginning of January I got into the 'soup fever'. So, every week there was a different soup that my family absolutely enjoyed. Now that it's spring, at least officially, I am onto spring soups. I call them spring soups due to the types of vegetables I use to create them and their consistency. My spring soups are a bit lighter than winter soups.

Here is one made from fresh asparagus, celery, and sweet Roma tomatoes.

Lightly steam cook the vegetables. Puree in a blender to a thin consistency. You may use the same water from steaming. Add a cup of vegetable broth. Bring to a boil and cook for about 45 minutes in a pot. Add fresh minced ginger, some lemon zest, bay leaves and chopped coriander right before serving. Used fresh crushed black pepper and salt at the table.

Biggest regret. What is yours when it comes to food?

My biggest regret is not having travelled to Egypt. Especially to taste the 'fruits of the Nile'; I mean literally. I have heard from a close friend who has lived there several years that the vegetables and fruits in Egypt are the best. I've heard the size of a tomato is about as large as a huge melon. Hopefully, there'll come a time when things will get to normalcy and I can visit the country and taste it's splendid fruits and vegetables.

Mint, for the breath of freshness

I can't believe the universality of mint. I once had it grow wild in my backyard and used it on almost any Indian dish I prepared. Mint is the best garnish on pulav. My husband swears by the Indian preparation of mint chicken that this one restaurant serves. But, it is such a potent addition that we have to be very careful with it. Mint chutney of course is all mint but a great side dip if you are having samosa, Bhajias, cutlets, or anything similar. Mint raita is fabulous. However, if you try mint in a regular vegetable/gravy preparation, it can kill the dish.

Talking about universality, it is of course a great breath freshner used in gums, mouth wash, tooth paste, and oils. It is also used in insecticides on the one hand and aromatherapy on the other. I have known of people using it for insect bites, rashes, colds and sores.

I will try to incorporate mint into my next recipe of the week. Look out for a mint based Indian preparation. You're going to love it.

Domino's new baked sandwiches

Sorry, I do not like them. I tried their veggi sandwich a month ago. Was not too crazy about it. I forgot to bring my lunch in to work. It's probably sitting on my kitchen counter. Was so ravenous that I needed to get something quick. So once again tried the Domino sandwich and it scored even worse than the first time. Would not recommend it!

Quinoa, the super food

Quinoa is one of the best finds in the area of food. It's not only packed with nutrition but an attested food for diabetics and blood pressure patients. I know of households that have substituted Quinoa for everything from breads to soups to making it the main staple of their diets.

Some of my older relatives swear by it since use of Quinoa in their diets regularly has improved their overall health by a huge measure. So, now I have also started to substitute quinoa where ever my recipes call for wheat or rice or oats. I really like it. My family has taken to it except for one who is hard to please, especially when it comes to food. Still working on it.

Broccoli Rabe with Mushroom

Enjoy this week's recipe - Broccoli Rabe. You can have plenty of this on the east coast, but not in the mid-west. I am yet to find a market that carries broccoli rabe around where I live in the mid-west. Haven't tried the Italian market though!