Coriander seeds are rich antioxidants . As seeds are diuretic in nature Coriander tea flushes out excess Sodium and Water. Due to its anti inflammatory property it reduces inflammation.
Active components present in Coriander seeds are Terpinase, Quercetin and Tocophenol which helps as follows
It reduces anxiety.
It boosts appetite.
It lowers blood pressure.
It lowers cholesterol.
It also does wonders in thyroid.
Ingredients
2 cups Water.
1 tbsp. Coriander seeds.
Method
Heat water in a sauce pan.
Add Coriander seeds in it and boil it for 10 minutes on a slow flame.
Smoothie is a beverage made by crushing ingredients like vegetables, fruits, condiments with some millets blended with water or yoghurt or sometimes with milk. Smoothies are healthy breakfast and sometimes it becomes the best whole day and all days meals in a weight loss journey.
Tips :-
If you are using Oats, Puffs of Amaranth, Cornflakes or Rice flakes always dry roast first and then grind into smooth powder. This has to be stored in an airtight container.
If you are not using organic vegetables and fruits then peel vegetables and fruits before blending them into a smoothie.
Always soak dryfruits overnight or for 5-6 hours in water. So that it becomes easy to digest and blends smoothly.
Cucumber smoothie:- ½ cup cucumber + 1 tbsp melon seeds + 8-10 Curry leaves + 1 tbsp Coriander leaves + 8-10 Mint leaves + 1 tbsp. Flex seeds + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Melon Smoothie:-½ cup Melon + ¼ cup roasted Oats + 4 soaked Almonds + 2 tsp. Honey + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend..
Papaya Smoothie :- ½ cup Ripe Papaya + ¼ cup roasted Oats + 2 soaked walnuts + 2 tsp. Honey + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Green Apple Smoothie :- ¼ cup Green Apple + ¼ cup Cucumber + ½ tbsp chopped Celery stalk + ¼ tsp. finely chopped Ginger + 1 tsp. Lemon juice + 8- 10 Baby Spinach leaves + ¼ tsp. Rock salt + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Palak Smoothie :- 10-12 Baby Spinach+ ¼ cup Moringa leaves or 1 tsp. Moringa leaves powder+ ½ + 2 tsp. Lemon juice + 4 soaked Cashews + 8 – 10 Celery leaves + ¼ tsp. Rock salt + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Apple Smoothie :- ¼ cup Apple + ¼ cup roasted Oats + 2 tsp. Flex seeds + 1 tsp. Chia seeds + 2 tsp. Honey + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Pineapple Smoothie :- ¼ cup Pineapple + ¼ cup Roasted Oats + 5 – 6 Mint leaves + 1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves + ¼ cup Yogurt + ¼ tsp. Pink salt + ¼ tsp. Pepper powder + 200 ml. cold water. Blend Blend and Blend.
Coconut Smoothie :- ¼ cup freshly grated coconut or dry coconut powder(soak in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes) + ¼ cup roasted Oats + 4 soaked Cashews + 2 soaked Dates + 2 tsp. Honey + 200 ml cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Peanut Smoothie :- ¼ cup roasted Peanuts + ½ cup Puffs of Amaranth ( soaked in ½ cup hot water for 30 minutes) + 2 soaked Fig + 2 tsp. Honey + 200 ml. cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Pear Smoothie :- 1 Pear + ¼ cup roasted Oats + 3 soaked Dates + 4 soaked Almonds + 200 ml cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Beetroot Smoothie ¼ cup Beetroot + 2 Amla + 1 Carrot + 8- 10 Mint leaves + 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves + 1 tsp. Lemon juice + ¼ tsp. Pink salt + ¼ tsp. Black pepper powder+ 200 ml cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Carrot Smoothie :- 2 Carrots+ 2 Tomatoes + 1 tbsp. chopped Coriander leaves + 8 – 10 Mint leaves + ¼ tsp Pink salt + ¼ tsp. Black pepper powder + 200 ml cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Saffron Yogurt Smoothie :- 2 tsp. Honey + 1 ½ cup Yogurt + 5- 6 strands of Saffron (rubbed in 1 tsp. hot milk) +¼ tsp. Cardamom powder + ¼ cup cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Mango Smoothie :- 1 cup ripe Mango + 1 cup Yogurt + ¼ tsp Pink salt + ¼ tsp. Cumin powder + ½ cup cold water. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Barnyard Smoothie :- commonly known as Bhagar or Moryo. 1 cup cooked Barnyard ( ½ cup uncooked Barnyard with 1 ½ cup water cooked up to 2 whistles in a pressure cooker) + ¾ cup Yogurt + ¼ tsp. Pink salt + ¼ tsp. Cumin powder + ¼ tsp. Black pepper powder + 1 tsp. Coriander leaves + 5-6 Curry leaves. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Rice flakes Smoothie :- ½ cup Rice flakes + 4 soaked Almonds + 3 soaked Dates + ¼ tsp. Cardamom powder + 5-6 strands Saffron( rubbed in 1 tsp. hot milk) + 200 ml.cold milk. Blend, Blend and Blend.
Turmeric is known to have medicinal benefits and can help to fight many diseases. Alongside, turmeric water works as a natural detox to help our body get rid of toxins and rejuvenate the body
Bioactive components Curcumin, Demethoxycurcumin and Bisdemythoxycurcumin which helps us as follows.
It builds immunity.
Due to its anti inflammatory property it heals pain.
It boosts the skin health. Antioxidants present in Turmeric help stunt the free radical activity which are responsible for making skin age soon.
It helps to boost digestion.
Turmeric is known to increase the production of vital enzymes that are responsible for detoxifying our blood that goes to the liver by breaking down toxins.
Ingredients
¼ tsp. Turmeric powder.
8-10 Holy Basil leaves.
2 cups water.
Method
Heat water in a sauce pan .
Add Turmeric powder and Holy Basil leaves and boil for 10 minutes on a slow flame.
Strain and serve hot with love and smile. To enhance the taste of the tea you can add honey and a few drops of lemon juice in it.
Holy Basil (Tulsi) is considered as adoptogenic herb meaning it helps the body to adapt and thrive under various physical, mental and emotional stressors
Active components of basil are Eugenol, Ursolic acid and Rosemarinic acid which helps as follows.
It soothes stress and tension.
It uplifts the mind and mood.
It supports the immune system.
It promotes detoxification.
Ingredients
4-5 Basil twigs.
2 cups water.
Method
Heat water in a sauce pan and add Basil twigs in it.
Boil for 10 minutes on a slow flame.
Strain and serve hot with love and smile. If you wish to enhance the taste you can add little honey and a few drops of lemon juice.
Dry roast all the nuts on a slow flame and keep aside.
Dry roast makhana on a slow flame. When you break a single makhana with your fingers then it will easily break down. This means makhana are perfectly roasted.
Make a coarse powder of all dry roasted ingredients.
Mix thoroughly Coco powder with coarse powder of dry fruits and makhana.
Store in an air tight container.
NB why not fine powder ? Because for making fine powder we have to grind more which results in oil separating out from dry fruits and making it lumpy. So always grind in pulse mode and keep it granular.
Mixing of 3 tbsp. of powder is ideal for 300 ml. of milk.
Wash and pluck holy basil leaves and mint leaves from its stalk and keep aside.
Wash lemongrass leaf and cut it into small pieces and keep aside.
Wash and grate ginger and keep aside.
In mortar mortar and pestle break all dry ingredients into small pieces.
In a saucepan boil water with dry as well as green ingredients for 5 minutes on slow flame. If you have ukalo ready mix powder then use 1 tsp. ready mix powder in 2 cups along with green ingredients like Basil, Lemongrass and Phudina and do not use ginger with ready mix as it contains Ginger powder.
After 5 minutes add milk and sugar and again give 4- 5 boils on slow flame.
In mortar and pestle break each dry spice separately into small particles. keep aside.
cut bay leaves into small pieces.
Please do not remove the skin of the cardamom.
Now in the jar of mixture grind all the spices together into fine powder.
Strain with the strainer and store in an air tight glass jar. Please do not store it in a plastic jar as aromatic oil from condiments and plasticiser in plastic containers are found to react with each other.
Ideally use 1 tsp. of spice mix in 2 cups of liquid but if you like strong aroma and taste then you can use more.
Rajeshree Gandhi's Kitchen blog 