Asparagus Leeks & Potatoes Soup

 5-6 fresh asparagus
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped & diced
2 leeks, sliced
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced (not cooked.)
1 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (not cooked.)
seasonings as desired
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

Trim the fresh asparagus (skip if using frozen) separating the stalks from the flowers. Steam the flowers (tips) separately.
In large saucepan, heat oil and saute garlic, onion, leeks and asparagus stalks just until softened (onions will be translucent). Add your seasonings. I usually add cinamon powder & coriander powder. You can also try Italian herbs.

Add the potatoes. Let it cook for 5-10 minutes to absorb the spices and flavour.

Add the stock now. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Puree in food processor until smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan and add the asparagus flowers (tips).
Serve sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

My twins also love mung dal which is great coz its a good source of protein. Squash may be offered as early as 4 – 6 months old. 

Butternut Squash is an excellent source of beta carotene and vitamin E. The body converts beta carotene into vitamin A which helps to strengthen your immune system and helps you see in the dark

Ok, here’s how I do it. Heat butter. Fry some 1 small onion (or 2 leeks) until they become transculent. Add 1 cup chopped boiled potatoes and fry them over about 5 minutes. Now add 2 cups of steamed butternut squash and cover the wok. Let it cook well. You’ll have to stir it once in a while. You may add sour cream or cheese if you prefer. I generally add cheese which gives a great taste. Twins didnt like sour cream one very well.. Finally add mung dal (if your baby likes dal, otherwise you can skip this bit). Let it cook for 5 – 7 minutes. Ta da..  twins love this one.

You can always mix and match with other vegetables like carrots, spinach, broccolli or even chicken..

Butternut Squash Soup – 8+ months if you add spices, otherwise 4-6 months

1 1/2 lb winter squash chopped
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon curry powder or cinamon pwd
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
2 cups chicken broth (use no sodium/low-fat or Make Your Own Stock and Broth)
1/4 cup sour cream

Directions:
Saute Onions then combine squash, onion and spices. cook on low for 10 minutes.. stir in broth and cook until the squash is soft and well cooked. Blend the whole thing. Before served swirl in some sour cream. My twins just loved it!! which made me feel like a winner )

It is the secret desire of one and all to look and feel young. Although there are several cosmetics on shelves that claim to help in keeping the skin looking young, it is a fact that one cannot have a healthy skin, without a healthy body. The beneficial effects of certain foods that have been proven to maintain youthfulness are briefed here:

Olive oil: Several studies have revealed that mono-unsaturated fats found in olive oil helps keep heart diseases and cancer at bay. Apart from this, antioxidant-like polyphenols help in playing a pivotal role in warding off several age-related disorders. Hence olive oil could be used in daily cooking to add years to your youth. It is also used in several skin care formulations. Massaging skin regularly with olive oil, helps in keeping it supple and young.

Cocoa: A study published in the Journal of Nutrition reveals that women who consumed anti-oxidant rich brand of hot cocoa on a continuous-basis for three months, developed smoother and better hydrated skin, that was less prone to sunburn. This fact is considered to be attributed due to the presence of flavanols that offer protection from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun.

Green Tea: Several studies have proven the anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing, and would-healing effects of green tea on the skin, which needs no explanation.

Soyabean: It is a well-known fact that dietary soya provides nutritional and health benefits. The isoflavones present in soyabean, possess phytoestrogenic properties which helps in maintaining skin health of menopausal women. Specific protein components in soyabean help in reducing pigmentation, while also inhibiting ultraviolet light-induced skin cancer and photo-ageing.

Yogurt: Although there are no confirmed studies that links yogurt with staying young, one cannot deny the fact that yogurt, being a rich source of calcium, and significantly reducing osteoporosis risk, and helps deal with intestinal diseases, which gets more common with age.

Doesnt say in this website but I read in lots of other websites that a glass of red wine once a week helps defy age..

my twins will be 1 yr olds next month.. they started walking upto 10-15 steps without support. Its sooooo cute watching them do that.. they play together, enjoy music, dance to it.. its brilliant!

I have already started planning for their 1st year b’day. I m so looking forward to that.. and hope our house turns into a toystore )

Be back soon with hopefully some interesting stuff on my blog..

So I decided to make this egg yolk csturd myself and thought it was a lot more work, thank God, its doable.. thank God!! they loved it.. so here’s how I did it. But I welcome any suggestions if you have tried making this yourself..

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Makes 3/4 cup

You will need:
2/3 cup breast/formula milk (approx 160 ml)
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon corn flour

1) Bring milk and ground cinnamon to boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat.

2) Whisk yolk,sugar and corn flour in a small bowl until combined.

3) Pour milk mixture over yolk mixture, whisking continuously until combined.

4) Return mixture to same pan; cook, stirring over low heat, until mixture just boils and thickens. Remove from heat, cover surface of custard with plastic wrap. Cool to room temperature.

FYI: Why Egg-yolk and not egg-white. Egg-whites are ONLY to be offered to children after 1 year of age as it is a common allergen. Same goes for honey.

Peppermind and Eucalyptus – Blend appropriate no. of drops of either (see below0 in a base of almond oil and massage into the chest and back. To benefit from the vapours, add the essences to the bath and use in a vaporizer in your child’s bedroom overnight.

Age  Drops per 30 ml Base

0 – 2 months 1-2 drops
2 – 6 months 2-3 drops
6 – 12 months 3-4 drops
1 – 5 yrs 4-6 drops
5 – 12 yrs  8-12 drops

For babies under 6 months: Eucalyptus only. When my twins were 5 months old, apart from Tulsi (wrote about tulsi in my blog), I added about 4 drops of Eucalyptus oil to a small bowl of boiling water and placed it under baby’s cot at night. This worked for their nose block very well and slept sound throughout the night.

For children, when the first symptoms appear, try giving your child a warm tisane of Lemon Balm and Chamomile flowers sweetened with honey.

Tea Tree oil – This worked really well. Add a few drops in the bath. It takes 2 days but totally worth it..

Keep the skin as dry as possible. Change as soon as they are wet or soiled

For girls, always wipe from front to back.

Let baby go without a nappy few times a day. Place her on a few thick towels with a plastic sheet underneath to soak up any urine.

Apply Calendula (marigold) cream to the area each time you change a nappy

Chamoline and Lavender are helpful for soothing and healing the skin. when washing baby’s bottom add 1 drop of each essence to a bowl of warm water. Dip cotton wool in this solution, use clean cotton wool for each wipe.

After the last nappy change before bedtime, gently apply an aromatherapy oil made with Chamomile and Lavender in a base of Jojoba oil.

Eat a protein rich diet including green leafy vegetables, carrots, soybean, mango, dried apricots, whole grain cereals, sprouts, lentils, yeast, wheat germ, milk, yogurt (curd), and buttermilk in the daily diet.

Eat foods rich in vitamin A and iodine such as carrots, spinach, cabbage, turnips, mustard, soy beans, peanuts, pine nuts, etc. Here are some home remedies for hair loss.

Note: Most of the ingredients mentioned in the following remedies are available from Indian grocery shops. Many of the visitors to this page have reported that they have been benefited by the following treatment. Note that the remedies are not listed according to their effectiveness. Some thinning hair fall remedies may benefit some people while the other may benefit others.

Make a habbit:

Do not wash your hair with too hot water.
Do not wash your hair more than 2 times in a week. If you use any shampoo, use only a mild shampoo.
Do not comb the hair backwards. Use a good quality brush/comb. Avoid excessive brushing.
Massage the scalp vigorously for 10 to 15 minutes (until you start to feel hot there) after bathing it with water. This stimulates the blood circulation and strengthens the hair follicles in the scalp.
Coconut oil and castor are very good for hair. Boil dry pieces of amla (Indian goose berry) in coconut oil and apply on hair.

Massage into the scalp and hair with coconut milk or Aloe Vera gel. Leave it for ½ hour, then rinse with warm water. Repeat 3 times a week.

Massage into the scalp and hair honey with egg yolk. Leave for a 1/2 hour, then rinse.

Massage almond oil on scalp 2-3 times a day, daily. This will stop further hair loss. Rinse hair with a mix of apple cider vinegar and sage tea to help hair grow 

Grind half a cup of black dal lentil with one tablespoon of fenugreek seeds (dana methi) to a coarse powder. Mix well half a cup of yogurt into the powder and message over the scalp. Leave for 2 hours then rinse.

Mix equal amount of warm castor and almond oil and massage over scalp at least once a week.

Make a hair pack by mixing amla (Indian goose berry) powder with one egg. Apply it to your hair and leave for half an hour. Wash hair.

Grind lime seeds and black pepper in equal number in some water and apply on the scalp regularly.

Place raw mango pulp in some oil for a year. Massage this oil on the scalp frequently.

Apply a paste of hot olive oil, honey, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder before bath and keep for 15 minutes.

Apply a mixture of Aloe Vera with herbal powder triphala to the hair for a period of three to six months. It will result in growth of new hair.

Apply juice of coriander leaves on the head.

Mix soaked fenugreek seeds (Dana methi), shikakai powder, reetha powder, amla powder, dried lemon or lime peels, and two eggs, and grind to make a paste. Massage this paste onto hair and scalp and leave it on for about 20 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo. This is good for making hair thick.

Boil 1 cup mustard oil with 4 tablespoon henna (mehandi) leaves. Filter and bottle. Massage on the scalp regularly. It is very good for hair growth.

Make a paste by mixing olive oil, honey and cinnamon ((dal chini() powder. Massage on the scalp and leave it for 15 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo. Repeat it for 3-4 times a week.

Make a paste by grinding fenugreek seeds with water. Massage on the scalp after oiling the hair and leave it for one hour before washing. Repeat it every morning for a month.

Make a paste by mixing two eggs, two tablespoons each of amla, reetha and shikakai powder. Massage on the scalp and leave it for 30 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo. Repeat it for 3-4 times a week.

Mix 1 egg, 2.5 tablespoons milk powder and 1 tablespoon wheat germ oil. Massage on the scalp and leave it for 30 minutes. Wash with a mild shampoo.

Shampoo: Make a shampoo by mixing 100 g each of amla (Indian goose berry), reetha, and shikakai and boil in two liters of water until the liquid reduces to half. Use this shampoo for your hair for at least one month. Your hair will become thick.

Drink:

Drink 1 teaspoon cider vinegar mixed in 1 glass of water with meals for 2-3 weeks.
Drink a smoothie of banana honey, yogurt, and skim milk.
Drink daily a juice of alfalfa + fresh spinach or fresh coriander. Your hair will grow fast.
Drink half a litre of a mixture of lettuce and spinach juice daily to increase the growth of hair.
To work on copper deficiency, drink juice of carrot, lettuce, capcicum and fresh alfalfa. This is good remedy for gray hair and hair loss.
Apply a paste of seeds of lemon and black pepper on the bald patches.

A woman writes to the IT Technical support Guy Dear Tech Support, Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and I noticed a distinct slowdown in the overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jeweler applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as NEWS 5.0, MONEY 3.0 and FOOTBALL 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and House cleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5..3 to fix these problems, but to no avail. What can I do? Signed, ______ ____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ______

Reply

DEAR Madam,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme. html and try to download Tears 6.2 and do not forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewellery 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.. However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Silence 2.5 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6.1 is a very bad program that will download the Snoring Loudly Beta. Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.) In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0. In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory and performance. We recommend: Cooking 3.0 and Hot Looks 7.7. Good Luck Madam! IT SUPPORT DESK

Its a very well known fact that Tulsi, the queen of herbs, is the most sacred herb of India. Tusli also known as Holy Basil is different from the regular pesto variety of Basil. It acts as a great anti-oxidant and has great health benefits one of them being it boots your natural immunity. I would like to share my experience with this wonderful herb. I  must say it did wonders to my twin girls when they were suffering from a severe cold when they were about 5 months old.  So thought its worth sharing with you.. Here’s what I did – take a handsful of tulsi leaves, wash them thoroughly and crush them with some clean boiled water to squeeze juice out of it. I gave them 2 times a day for just 2 days.. and cold was gone phew!!

So when I was back to Dublin in September, I got plenty of dried tulsi powder. So when they caught cold again recently, I boiled 1/2 tablespoon of tulsi in about 20 ml of water for 10 minutes, sieve it and gave them twice a day for just 2 days. It worked!! Cold gone in 2 days.. Tulsi rocks!!