Over Coffee and Cocoa!

I wasn't sure about this until last Sunday. But now I'm saying it with conviction, The next F#@%&ng world war will be fought for Coffee and Cocoa! 

My Sunday started off as any other day, but the afternoon of this perfectly normal & innocuous weekend presented the most delicious opportunity before me. I was extended an invitation to meet one of the meanest Barista's in the world & the most celebrated Pastry Chef in Asia. Fritz Storm(oh! you beauty) & Janice Wong were in town to take a masterclass. They were a delight, the two rustled up some fine coffees and the most delish desserts for a special audience comprising of Food bloggers/influencers in Mumbai. 

This masterclass was a food lover's dream come true. I trip over coffee and dessert. I'm kind of finicky about the two. I like my morning cuppa a certain way. It's my sacred pot. No one gets to touch it. Ditto for dessert! I despise the factory produced bakery fare. It's so not easy to please me with a slice of market dessert. 

Naturally, I expected these guys to be the Bomb Yo(I've kind of been saying this on loop since my last drunken escapade and I'm immensely taken in by the versatility of the term!) And they were all that and more(Bomb Yo! XXL)
Between the both of them, Janice & Fritz came up with an array of bitter sweet symphonies of Chocolate and Coffee. 
What took my fancy and my big Punjabi heart were the Chocolate Chili and the Espresso Sparkling Water Drink. 

 

Well, I'm itching to rustle up these beauties at home. But then patience isn't one of my strongest virtues. While I will prepare these yummers in La Mia Cucina one day ... for now I'm happy to bite into chocolate and Coffee(yes bite that) in a feisty bar of Magnum Choco-Cappuccino.

My Question: What do you get when you put Chocolate and Coffee together?
Universal Answer: Heaven on earth. YEAH! That's right. 

If  you are impatient like me, you might want to try this Bar that has a Crackling Belgian Chocolate exterior (dotted with caramelized crunchies mind you...slurp 1.0). On the inside it's all creamy and french vanilla-ey. And of course there are the coffee streaks that make wolfing down this devil worthwhile. 

Momma don't preach!

"Yeah, my momma she told me don't worry about your size

She says boys like a little more booty to hold at night"

                                                   Meghan Trainor All about that bass

Momma just got it wrong. The lady does care about her size and them boys can go take a hike.

Who's on a diet? Or let me rephrase that, Who's not on a diet?

Consciously, subconsciously we are all hooked to a meal plan or a diet. Don't we abstain from certain eating habits? Don't we end up endorsing some foods? & Don't we want to start a detox plan NOW? Don't we tell ourselves that today is the last day and tomorrow we'll be this whole new person who has zero cravings and amazing self control. Bah! How we cheat and bully ourselves!! 

Well, the trick is to try and eat healthy as far as possible. If you stick to a reasonable home cooked diet plan on the weekdays, party over the weekend will be so sweet. 

                                                                                                                                                                            Pic courtesy: Buro247

Here are some life-altering healthy decisions that I have endorsed and you can too. It's easy peasy things that you don't need to prepare for. You can start doing these things RIGHT NOW and you will forever Thank me for the same.

- Start your day with a cup of warm water. Squeeze in a lemon in the water, add a pinch of turmeric, some honey and a pinch of fresh ground pepper. 

How it helps?

The drink hydrates our body cells. It stimulates the liver, our body's primary detoxing organ. It gives a kickstart to our metabolic and digestive system. Lemon juice, turmeric and pepper have anti-fungal, immune boosting and detoxifying properties. 

                                                                                                                                                                           Pic courtesy: sheknows

- Include Flax Seeds in your diet. An easy trick is to roast these babies in the microwave for about 3 mins and churn them in a food processor to make a fine powder. Bottle this up and keep it next to salt and pepper in your kitchen. Every time you're cooking anything add a spoonful of powdered flax seeds to the meal. It'll ensure you end up making this wonder food an intrinsic part of your diet. 

How it helps?
These seeds contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids. They also contain Lignans, which have both plant estrogen and antioxidant qualities. Most importantly, flax seeds are one of the richest source of Fiber. 

  

- Snack time gluttony is the worse. Most of us eat responsible & healthy meals at Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner but it's the in-between snack scenes that destroy the diet plan. If you are at a loss when it comes to healthy snacking options, you need to start keeping a lot of healthy dips in your refrigerator. And rather than opting for store bought, factory produced dips invest a Sunday in Meal Prepping. Keep your refrigerator shelves teeming with Zero-Oil Hummus, Beetroot Dip, Tomato Salsa, Tzatziki, Wild Mushroom Dip.  You can indulge in these dips (best had with sliced tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, roasted beetroot, grilled cheese) guilt free. 

How it helps?

One small bowl of Hummus has a 100 calories. One small bowl of Tzatziki has 20 calories. One small bowl of Beetroot Dip has 40 calories. Savor these dips with raw sliced vegetables, a small bowl which has 50 calories. You cut down on 500-600 calories a day just by snacking on these babies. 

Oh! And yea. I make these dips at home and sell them under my brand VANILLA PODS KITCHEN. Write to me at vanillapodskitchen@gmail.com and I'll have a batch home delivered to you fellas. 

Massaged Kale Salad

An apple a day is good, but a salad a day is better. Make salads an intrinsic part of your lifestyle. Elevate them from the confines of a side dish to the main dish. Let them be the star recipe on your dinner table and your health will beam. 

I've been trying to include the new wonder food Kale in as many recipes as possible. I love Kale. I love eating it. I love cooking with it. From Smoothies to Stir fries to Salads, the rough bitter Kale leaf can bring a whole new dimension to a recipe. Kale is quite easily the King of Greens. It has antioxidants, anti-inflammatory benefits, cancer protective compounds, cholesterol lowering properties, flavonoids which ward off inflammation and detoxification properties. 

My star recipe of Massaged Kale Salad is a winner at my dinner table and at Farmers' Markets where I often sell my organic recipes. 

Here's the recipe of this wonderful salad

INGREDIENTS

100gms Kale leaves

100gms Lettuce

2tbs Organic honey

A handful of chopped walnuts 

1tbs Organic Apple Cider Vinegar

Juice of 1 Lemon

1tbs Organic Mustard

1/2 Red Bell Pepper Chopped

1 Onion chopped

1 Tomato chopped

1 Cucumber Chopped   

7-8 florets of steamed Broccoli

Salt and Fresh crushed White Pepper to taste

METHOD

Shred the Kale leaves to bite sized portions. Drop the juice of 1 lemon,  apple cider vinegar, honey, salt and pepper in it. Knead and massage the Kale well. The leaves will visually change before your eyes. They will start to wilt, become more vibrant green and softer in texture. It will also leave a green residue on being massaged, you can discard it if you don't relish it's taste. 

Because of it's tough nature, the Massaged Kale stays good in the refrigerator for 4-5 days, an unusual quality for a leafy green. 

Add rest of the ingredients to the massaged Kale Leaves and your Wonder Salad is all set to be devoured