HeAlThY PaStA SaUcEs

What's the secret to delicious pasta sauce?
As with most recipes, the secret to good sauce is to start with good ingredients. Here are two recipes that start with good ingredients, and you end up with terrific sauces that are also healthy. The first is a tomato sauce. The second is a basil pesto.

Tomato Sauce
For the tomato sauce, start with fresh tomatoes. We used tomatoes on the vine (figure A). To make 5 cups of sauce, you'll need 4 pounds of tomatoes.
Boil some water and reduce to shiver, put a few tomatoes in at a time. Leave each tomato in the boiling water for about minute -- until their skins become easy peel off (figure B).
Seed them and chop them coarsely.
If you're making the sauce when tomatoes aren't in season, you might be better off using two cans of canned tomatoes. When buying canned tomatoes look for those that are peeled and seeded. The process for here on out is the same whether you're using the fresh tomatoes or canned tomatoes.
In a large skillet heat a tablespoon of olive oil and saute 6 cloves of minced garlic.
Cook for about 3 minutes.
Add one small diced onion.
Add the tomatoes (figure C) and cook until soft -- for about an hour.(With the fresh ones, it may take a little longer.)
Remove from heat, salt and puree. For the sauce made with canned tomatoes, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. For the fresh tomatoes add one teaspoon of salt.
Tip: Adding the salt toward the end of the cooking process i results in a saltier flavor without having to add as much salt.
Serve over pasta (figure D). Sprinkle on a little fresh parmesan cheese if you like, and garnish with a sprig of fresh basil.
We used 2 ounces of pasta and about a cup of sauce per serving.
With parmesan added, this recipe has about 300 to 325 calories.

Basil Pesto Sauce
The recipe for basil pesto sauce is even simpler, and it's quite low in calories.
In a small food processor or blender, add 4 cups fresh basil. Look for fresh leaves that are fresh, green and aren't bruised.
Add the following ingredients:
2 Tbsp pine nuts2 cloves garlic, minced2 Tbsp of water 1 Tbsp of lemon juice (figure E)1 ounce parmigiano-reggiano, grated (figure F)1 Tbsp white wine vinegar2 Tbsp of olive oil
Puree all the ingredients.
Serve over pasta (figure G).
A typical serving of this pesto recipe has only about 96 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving, compared to typical pesto sauces that may have 200 calories and 25 grams of fat per serving.

HeAlThY WaY Of CoOkInG(StIr FrYiNg)

Many people are now turning to healthy eating habits. Eating oily foods and junk foods cause obesity and overweight related problems. Obesity is now noticed even among small children. So many people are going for finding out the various options to prepare a healthy meal which is nutritious and good for health. One of the healthier ways of cooking the foods is stir frying them. his technique was originally practiced by the Chinese and now it has gained popularity among the people of other countries too.

Stir frying is a method of cooking where very little oil is used and it usually cooks the food very fast. The utensils that are needed for stir frying are just a large skillet and a spatula. The Chinese use what is called a Wok for stir frying. Wok looks similar to a skillet. Stir frying is an easy method of cooking which can be learnt easily by the beginners. In stir frying, the meat or the vegetables that are used for cooking need to be cut in small pieces. Thumb size chunks of food would be ideal for stir frying. Stir frying also helps you to retain the flavors and texture of the foods stuff. You will be able to enjoy the original taste of the foods as the food stuffs are not over cooked in stir frying.

Before stir frying, you need to prepare all the ingredients as mentioned in the recipe and keep them ready. You need to cut the vegetables and the meat as mentioned in the recipe. It is always better to have same sized pieces to ensure that they cook uniformly. The wok or the skillet which you are using needs to be preheated on a medium to high flame for a minute. After preheating, add the oil which you are using for stir frying. Most of the recipes call for vegetable oils such as peanut oil or canola oil which are suitable for stir frying. Pour the oil in such a way that it spreads all over the sides and the bottom of the skillet. The recipes for stir frying use very little oils say 2- 3 tablespoons and not more than that.

The next step is to add the ingredients. Before adding the vegetables, you need to add the seasoning to the oil. Usually a piece of ginger or garlic is added to it. A t this point you can reduce the flame to prevent burning of the spices. Then you add the main ingredients of the stir fry. If you are using both meat and vegetables in the recipe, add the meat first, cook and set it aside. Add the vegetables next and cook them by tossing and turning them over frequently using a spatula. This is the main important aspect of stir frying. This technique helps the food to cook uniformly from all the sides. The food also retains their individual flavors. Most of the cooking in a stir fry is done on a high flame, but you need to reduce the flame sometimes in between to prevent the food from burning.

When you are stir frying meat, do not add more than a cup of meat at a time. Make sure that you lay out the food flat on the skillet for cooking. The meat should be removed from the skillet when it changes color. While stir frying vegetable, you have to add the high density vegetables such as carrots, eggplant, broccoli first because they require greater time for cooking. You can also stir fry different vegetable separately and keep them aside. You need to make sure that the vegetables are drained properly after washing them. Once you add the vegetables to the skillet, move your spatula fast to toss the food so that they cook uniformly and to prevent burning of food.

When you add the sauce, you have to make a well in the centre of the skillet by pushing the vegetables to the sides and then add the sauce in the well and cook it. Once the sauce is cooked and is thickened, you can combine the vegetables and the meat to the sauce and adjust the taste of the seasoning. Serve the stir fry dish immediately. Stir frying technique call for adjusting the flame temperature frequently from high to medium high temperatures during the entire process. The food stuffs cook very fast in this method. So you need to be alert to prevent the burning of the foods by stirring them often while cooking. You can also add pre cooked noodles or rice at the last stage when the vegetables and meat are ready to serve.

The main benefits of stir fry cooking technique is that it requires very less time for cooking. The dishes can be prepared in a jiffy. The vegetables and the meat retain most of the essential nutrients and minerals. Very little oil is sufficient for cooing a stir fry because most of the cooking if done in a high flame which makes the skillet pan very hot. Stir fry cooking allows you to enjoy the original flavors of the individual foods.

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MeNu Of ThE DaY

MoNdAy

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: 2 wholemeal breads with a spread of peanut butter.
A cup of coffee.

Lunch: A bowl of rice with fish,veges and soup.
A glass of plain water.

Tea-Time: 1 Apple
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Some wheat or raisin biscuits
A glass of Milo

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk(either low fat milk or full cream milk).

TuEsDaY

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: Nestum cereal/Quaker Oat
A cup of tea

Lunch: A bowl of rice with red meat,veges,soup
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: A cup of grapes
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Biscuit Crackers
A glass of Horlicks

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.

WeDnEsDaY

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: Wholemeal bread with cheese in it
A cup of green tea

Lunch: A bowl of rice with chicken,veges
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: 1 orange
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Epok2/Currypuff potatoes
A glass of Vitagen

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.

ThUrSdAy

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: Sandwich Sardines
A cup of coffee

Lunch: A bowl of rice with some prawns and fish,veges
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: 1 honeydew
A glass of plain water

Dinner-Time: Red Bean Bun
Yogurt

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.

FrIdAy

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: 2 wholemeal breads with crumbled eggs
A cup of tea

Lunch: A bowl of rice with liver,taufu,veges
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: 1 apple
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Dark Almond Chocolate
A glass of fruit juice

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.

SaTuRdAy

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: 2 wholemeal breads with cheese
A cup of coffee

Lunch: A bowl of rice with fish,oysters,veges.soup
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: 1 orange
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Nut Cookies
A glass of Milo

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.

SuNdAy

Wake up to a glass of plain water

Breakfast: Mee Goreng/Nasi Lemak/Lontong/Mee Rebus/Mee Soto/Soto Ayam/Tahu Goreng
A cup of coffee

Lunch: A bowl of rice with fish,vege,soup
A glass of plain water

Tea-Time: A cup of grapes
A glass of plain water

Dinner Time: Cereals
A glass of Horlicks or Yogurt

Before Going To Bed: A glass of hot milk.



*Veges can varies from white beans,cabbage,brocolli,carrots,sweet potatoes,kale,bean sprouts,green leafy vegetables and many more.
In between meals,make sure to drink 6-8 glasses of plain water a day.
Avoid carbonated drinks,cold drinks,too sweet drinks,etc

Approximate time for:

Waking up-5 a.m.
Breakfast-7 a.m.
Lunch-12 p.m.
Tea-Time-3 p.m.
Dinnertime-6 p.m.
Bedtime-9 p.m.

HeAlThY FoOdS

Eating healthy foods is one of the greatest ways you can live healthy and combat developing a disease. Some diseases are genetic and there's not much you can do about that. But others like Diabetes 2, Lung Cancer, and Heart Disease and might be prevented with the proper diet. Below is a list of healthy foods and some of the body parts they affect.

Boron (for Bones)
Boron Is a mineral that is important for calcium absorption. For women, this mineral seems to play an important role in enhancing the activity of estrogen cells, which is important for the formation of strong bones.
Boron can be found in grapes, pears, apples, peas, broccoli, peanuts and raisins.

Vitamin C (for Skin)
Vitamin C helps the body make collagen (Collagen helps keep the skin firm), increases oxygen flow to the skin, heals scar tissue, cuts and bruises.
Vitamin C can be found in brocolli, strawberries, citrus fruits, green peppers, brussels sprouts, honeydew, and cantaloupe.

Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids (for Heart)
Omega 3 Essential Acids lower the "bad" chloesterol levels, blood pressure and triglyceride levels while raising "good" cholesterol levels. This will help lower the risk for heart disease.
Omega 3 Essential Acids can be found in cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines.

Copper (for Joints)
Copper is a mineral that is essential for the functioning of an enzyme responsible for strengthening bones and joints.
Copper can be found in liver, seafood, nuts and seeds.

Acidophilus (for Vagina)
Acidophilus helps restore a natural balance between good and bad bacteria in the vagina, helping to ward off infection.
Acidophilus can be found in yogurt.

Zinc (for Ears)
Experts believe hearing loss associated with tinitis (ringing in the ears) may be linked to a zinc deficiency in the tissue of the inner ear.
Zinc can be found in oysters, chicken, beef and lamb.

Indole-3-Carbinol (for Breasts)
Indol-3-Carbinol is a naturally occuring phytochemical. Lab studies have found that it halts the growth of tumor cells (see cancer).
Indol-3-Carbinol can be found in broccoli, kale, cabbage and turnips.

Biotin (for Nails)
Biotin, also called B7 or vitamin H, helps correct dry, brittle nails by increasing their ability to absorb water.
Biotin can be found in eggs, fish, milk, cheese, whole-grain cereals, cabbage, and potatoes.

Amino Acids (for Hair)
The Amino Acids Cystine, methionine, and cysteine are very important for hair growth and repair.
Amino acids, the building blocks of protein can be found in chicken, turkey, beef, eggs, cheese and nuts.

Beta Carotene (for Eyes)
Beta Carotene is a vitamin that acts as an antioxidant. It breaks down cancer-causing chemicals that may damage eye tissues, and helps prevent macular degeneration and cataracts.
Beta Carotene can be found in carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli and yams.

Calcium (For Gums, Teeth, Bones)
Calcium is a mineral that helps keep your teeth strong and white.
Calcium can be found in almonds, white beans, and milk.