Start your day light

October 5, 2008 at 2:08 pm (Cooking Classes) (, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , )

Swap heavy breakfast items with low-cal yet yummy foods to lose weight
It’s the most important meal of the day, so don’t make the wrong choice. Here are some clever (and surprising) breakfast swaps that’ll fill you up and keep the kilos off too…

SWAP…

Two scrambled eggs (308 calories, 28g fat)

…FOR

Two fried eggs (214 calories, 16g fat)

WHY?


Scrambled egg may seem like the more virtuous option, but it’s impossible to make it properly without adding milk and butter.

Go for a couple of eggs fried with just a little spray of oil instead, and you’ll feel just as satisfied but consume far fewer calories.
Eggs for breakfast fill you up more than most other breakfast choices, so you tend to eat less at your next couple of meals, according to research carried out at the Rochester Centre for Obesity in America.

SWAP…

An almond croissant (481 calories, 30.5g fat)

…FOR

Two slices of fruit bread (206 calories, 3g fat)

WHY?

The calorie count for the average coffee shop almond croissant isn’t far shy of 500 and it will surely fill you up for only half an hour. 

Opt for fruit bread instead – it releases energy slowly and keeps you satisfied for a little longer. But leave it unbuttered.

SWAP…

Two sausages (185 calories, 11g fat)

…FOR

Beans on a slice of toast (267 calo ries, 2g fat)

WHY?


Half a large tin of beans with one slice of unbuttered toast actually has more calories than two sausages, but it’s much healthier. 

The sausages supply lots of cholesterol-raising saturated fat, while the beans are low in fat, high in fibre and have a very low glycaemic index – so they’ll fill you up for longer. They also count as a veg
portion, but buy the reduced-salt
version – it’s even healthier.

SWAP…

40g corn flakes and semi-skimmed milk (205 calories, 2g fat)

…FOR

40g porridge oats with semiskimmed milk (221 calories, 6g fat)

WHY?


There’s no calorie saving here, but you can’t beat porridge for its slow-release energy, which will stop you digging into the biscuit tin.

SWAP…

150g of tub yoghurt

…FOR

Honey and a chopped banana (370

WHY?

calories, 14g fat). Or a low-fat tomato sandwich (120 calories, 3g fat)
Yoghurt is one of the few foods that’s less than healthy. The full-fat version is 10 per cent fat and the calories soon mount.

A better swap option is to have a sandwich with far fewer calories. Make it at home, add extra-lean chicken if you want, make it on thinly sliced wholemeal bread (no butter) and don’t forget lots of tomatoes.

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Food, glorious food!

October 5, 2008 at 2:02 pm (Cooking Classes) (, , , , , , , , , )

With the eateries in the city turning on the heat with special Navratra menus, it is a nine-day binging bonanza for the people.
The mantra today is ‘Consumer is king’. What they want, they get. And if in Navratras, they want to go out to treat their taste buds, no problem. The hotels and restaurants are at their service.  With the eating out culture topping the charts of the existing fads, the hotels and restaurants have to think on their feet to maintain the interest of the customer. They have special menus for every occasion these days, even for Navratras, where pious vegetarian food is in much demand. 
The menu undergoes a sea change during Navratras. Since, many people observe a fast, and others forego onions and garlic in their food, one would think it a tad difficult for the hotels to design a menu. But no siree. The eating out joints these days are experts in dishing out all the food the customer desires. Thus, this Navratras the Delhiites can look forward to special treats.
Special Thalis, vegetarian food with special salt, special Navrata rice, are just some of the things, which the restaurants in the city are offering. Only a few years ago, one could hardly think of going out to eat in a hotel during this holy nine-day fest. The food was only cooked in the house and the restaurants, with their onion and garlic rich food, were a strict no-no during this time of the year. But the times are a changing and so is the culture. Today, no one wants to sit at home and going out for a bite is a norm. Opines Manisha Sharma, who works in an MNC, “I always keep a fast during Navratras and therefore never went out to eat. But with the hotels redesigning their menu, it is fun to go out and sample the goodies. Some of these restaurants really have amazing food, even better than what we eat at home.”
Some of the special thalis have become so popular that many people have started keeping a fast just to partake the food. “I just love those thalis with sabudana papad, aloo chaat and pooris made of kuttu flour,” says Sunil Singh with delight, “One wouldn’t believe this but I have started looking forward to this period just for the innovative food, these eating joints offer.”
You can take your fill from various extensive Navratra Thalis. Many include paneer sabzi, zeera aloo served along with two pooris and accompanied by salad and papad. For dessert there is sabudana kheer. Try out special Sativik Thalis which will have a different menu for all nine days. On offer are samak ke chawal (special Navratra rice), dahi aloo, paneer makhana, phool makhana kheer and much more. Then there are also special vegetarian menu, which would entice even the die-hard non-vegetarians. Many supplement non-veg with soya chunks and granules. So, for all those you out there who love their food, it is a nine-day binging bonanza time, Navratra style. Bon appetite!

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