10 Foods To Get Flawless Skin

We often think that skin problems can only be solved by applying number of creams or using different different brand's products! And that to make our skin more beautiful, first of all we think about is using a particular cream, face wash, and such other stuff! Of course they do have an important role in skincare, but have we ever thought of making skin and hair healthy from within?

In today's time, when everything has become instant, we often forget that we are not ensuring to have a healthy diet and we keep on trying different different products to look beautiful! The idea of having naturally beautiful skin starts from food!
What we put in our mouth is as important as what we apply on our skin!! We all know avoiding processed foods, sugar, oily and fried items is essential to have a healthy life!
Some foods which we tend to ignore are really healthy not only for our skin but for our body as well. As Foods get digested and broken down into vitamins, minerals and amino acids that your body can use to build healthy skin. If you crash diet or eat highly processed foods, your skin won’t be as strong and supple as it could be.
Below is the 10 healthy foods which are really beneficial for maintaining flawless and beautiful skin.

1. Vegetables

It is the top most healthy thing a person should have in their diet. Having colorful vegetables everyday not only provides many essential vitamins and minerals but it also maintains a good and healthy skin, eat veggies like spinach, broccoli, fenugreek leaves, tomatoes, beets etc.Make sure to have green leafy vegetables everyday to get those essential vitamins!

2. Salmon

Salmon is high in omega3 fatty acids which promotes hair growth, prevents scaly and dry skin, provides suppleness to the skin to get a youthful glow. Its health benefits include proper cardiovascular health, tissue devdevelopment, eye care, brain power, easing depression.

3. Nuts

Nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews and pistchios are high in fiber and protein which builds collagens and help the skin to repair, makes skin healthy! Soaking only 15-20 gms of nuts overnight and having it before the breakfast can provide your body with essential nutrients which helps to build your skin tissues to be stronger.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is very important to get a beautiful skin, it helps making skin clean, lessen breakouts and dull skin, provides glow to skin and hair. Some of the foods rich in vitamin C are, strawberries, lemons, kiwi, grape and oranges. These fruits help in slowing down the aging and prevents wrinkles.

5. Oysters

Take some seafood once in a while, if you desire to have beautiful looking skin, gorgeous nails and healthy locks; oysters, for example, are very high in zinc that makes the scalp and hair healthy (actually, oysters have higher content of zinc per serving, than any other food).

6. Yoghurt

Yoghurt is delicious and healthy too. It helps boost immunity, releases anxiety and stress, good for teeth and bones, can be used topically for skincare to get soft and supple skin. It contains Vitamin E, Zinc and phosphorus which improves complexion and skin texture.

7. Watermelon, Mango, Banana

These fruits are very beneficial for skin as these contain anti inflammatory and anti aging properties, calcium which protects skin from damage and strengthen teeths. These are known to cleanse and rejuvenates the skin from within.

8. Dark chocolate

If you think chocolates are fatty, you are mistaken.Quality dark chocolate is rich in Fiber, Iron, Magnesium, Copper, Manganese and a few other minerals. Studies show that the flavanols from cocoa can improve blood flow to the skin and protect it against sun-induced damage. Well it's not something which should be consumed daily.

9. Carrots, cucumber and sweet potato

Carrots and sweet potatoes are good source of Vitamin A, sweet potato is a best alternative to old potatoes! And as we all know cucumbers are high in water content which helps skin to be healthy and prevents dehydration.

10. Bonus Step

Foods which has antioxidant properties should be included in your diet, such as chia seeds, walnuts, oats, flaxseeds.
Foods rich in Vitamin C, i.e bells peppers, broccoli, citrus fruits etc. Carbohydrates will give you fuel during your workouts, and protein will help repair and build muscle. It’s all about a healthy balance. Drink water too; hydration will help flush out toxins!

Eat Natural Foods!!
The Longer The Shelf Life Of Food, The Shorter Yours! Choose Well...!!!

I hope you find this list of healthy foods useful! Have a beautiful you!!!

Aaloo or Hari Pyaz ki Sabzi | Spring Onion Sabzi

Spring onion and potato stir fry or aloo or hari pyaz ki sabzi is a tasty combo for any day to day lunch or dinner.
Nutritionally, green onions have a combination of the benefits of onions and greens. They are an excellent source of vitamin K and vitamin C, and a very good source of vitamin A too.


Ingredients:

• Spring onions, 1/2 kg
• Potato, 1 big, diced into small pieces
• Red/Yellow lentil, 1/2 cup (masoor ya moong dal)
• Mustard seeds, 1/2 tspn
• Turmeric, 1/4 tspn
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 tspn
• Red chilli powder, 1 tspn
• Coriander powder, 1/2 tspn
• Coriander leaves, chopped
• Oil, 2-3 tblspn
• Salt, to taste

Recipe:

• Chop spring onion's green and white bulbs separately.
• Wash them thoroughly and strain the water. Keep aside.
• In a pan, add oil.
• When heated add mustard seeds.
• When it crackles add spring onion's onion or white bulbs.
• Stir for few mins, add Ginger-garlic paste. Stir well.
• Add turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder and mix well.
• Add potatoes. Cook for 2-3 mins.
• Now add spring onion's greens and red or yellow lentils.
• Mix all well, cover the pan and let it cook for 5 mins on slow flame.
• Add salt and chopped coriander leaves. Stir.
• Check if potatoes are done.
• Switch off the flame.
• Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with chapati or phulka.

Veg Biryani

We have always thought a good biryani can only be made with mutton, but have you ever tasted Hyderbadi Veg Biryani which is quite popular and sold at big restaurants as well as at streets in Hyderabad!
So here's a recipe of Veg Biryani with step by step pictures!

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice, 1 kg
• Cauliflower florets, 1 cup
• French beans, 3/4 cup
• Potatoes, diced, 1 cup
• Green peas, 1/2 cup
• Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tblspn
• Onion, 5-6 finely sliced
• Tomatoes, 2-3 roughly chopped
• Curd, 1 cup
• Bay leaf, 1-2
• Cloves, 4-5
• Caraway seeds, 1 tspn
• Cinnamon stick, 1-2
• Black pepper, 2-3
• Cardamom, 3-4
• Green chillies, 2-3
• Red chilli powder, 1 tblspn
• Turmeric, 1/2 tspn
• Garam masala powder, 1 tspn
• Oil
• Saffron color, 1 tspn
• Lemon juice, 1-2 tblspn
• Coriander leaves, chopped
• Mint leaves, 1/2 cup
• Salt, to taste

Recipe:

• Wash and soak rice in water.
• Wash all the veggies i.e florets, potatoes, beans and green peas strain all the water and wipe them with a kitchel towel.
• In a wok add sufficient oil.
• Fry onions till they are golden and crispy. Take out and keep aside.
• In the same oil add veggies and fry them till golden. Take out.

• In a big vessel, add enough water to cook rice.
• Add mint leaves, caraway seeds, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and slit green chillies.

• Let the water come to boil, add in rice and 2 tblspn of salt cook till 70% done. Strain the water and keep the rice aside.

• In the same vessel, add the 3-4 tblspn of oil in which we fried veggies.
• Add Ginger-garlic paste and stir till golden.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and cook till tomatoes are cooked.
• When the mixture leaves oil, add the fried veggies. Mix well on high flame.
• After stirring for 4-5 mins, add well beaten curd and salt.
• Cover the vessel and cook till the oil comes on top, add 1/2 cup of water and cook on high flame for few mins. Check for salt and spice now and adjust.

• Layer the veggies with fried onions.

• Add rice evenly on the top.
• Add saffron color, lemon juice, and fried onions.
• Garnish with some coriander and mint leaves, pour 2-3 tblspn of oil.

• Cover the vessel with a tight lid and cook till the air evaporates from sides.
• Serve hot with curd raita or any salad of your choice.

Notes:

• If you are taking 1 kg of rice, the veggies should be atleast 1/2 kg in total after cleaning!
• Take good quality rice.
• You can add other veggies of your choice too.
• Do not cut vegetables into very small pieces.
• Frying is not must, if you are a bit health conscious, skip frying of veggies and cook the veggies till tender before layering it with rice.
• Adding paneer also enhances the richness of the biryani.

Peanut Chikki | Peanut Brittle

Peanut or Groundnut Chikki is a healthy, sweet, crumbly, crispy and caramelized candy which is made with few ingredients and it comes out to be really delicious!

It's a great replacement of chocolate for kids and it's sweet and healthy too!

Ingredients:
Peanuts/Groundnut, 1 cup
Jaggery, 1 cup
Ghee/butter, 1-2 tblspn
Cardamom powder, 1/4 tspn

Recipe:

• In a pan, roast peanuts on low till they become golden brown.
• Let it cool, remove its skin.
• Break them into halves.
• Now with the help of a rolling pin  or a morsel crush them coarsely. Keep aside.

• Grease a plate in which we will set the chikkis. Keep aside.

• In a thick bottom wok or pan, add 1 tblspn of ghee.

• When it melts, add jaggery, its better to add it in powdered form so it melts quickly. Add 2 tblspn of water.

• Let the jaggery melt, make sure to stir it and do not leave it unattended.
• After 6-7 minutes, the bubbles will form on top.

• Check if its ready to be set. For doing this, drop few drops of melted jaggery in a bowl filled with water. After a few seconds it becomes hard and when you drop it from little height it sounds like a glass, and if you break it, you can hear the snap sound ! So It's ready to be set.
• Switch off the flame.
• Mix peanuts with the jaggery and mix them well till peanuts are well coated with the syrup and do it quickly.
• Now pour this on a greased plate.
• Flatten it with the help of a rolling pin.

• While its still hot, mark a cut with a knife, vertically and horizontally with 2" gap.
• Let it sit till it completely cools down.
• Break through the cuts
• Store them in an airtight container and enjoy whenever you like!

Notes:

• Do not overcook the jaggery syrup else it won't set.
• The color of the chikkis depend on the color of the jaggery.
• If it doesn't come out to be perfect, do not worry and try next time.
• Consistency of jaggery is very important. If you add peanuts to soft ball consistent jaggery syrup, then you will not get the glaze look on the chikki. Hard ball consistency jaggery syrup is perfect to obtain the glazing textured peanut brittle.
• You can add ginger powder for flavoring.

Motichoor Laddoo

Motichoor laddoos are made of gram flour bondis, there are two types of these laddoos, one is bondi laddoo and the other is motichoor laddoo. The only major difference in both of these laddoos is the size of the bondis. In bondi laddoo, bondis used are of normal size and in the later one its of really tiny size. Both tastes really nice.
Originally this laddu was a north indian sweet, but it is now popular throughout South Asia.
Traditionally these laddoos are made in ghee but as its quite heavy, many people make it with oil.
So let's make it looking at the step by step pictures!


Recipe Type: Sweet
Cuisine: Indian
Yields: 20 laddoos

Ingredients:

• Gram flour/besan, 250 gms
• Rava/Semolina, 2 tblspn
• Saffron color, 1 tspn
• Sugar, 250 gms
• Melon seeds/magaz, 2-3 tblspn
• Cardamom powder, 1/2 tspn
• Oil, to fry

Recipe:

• Make a sugar syrup of one thread consistency. Keep aside.
• In a wide bowl, add gram flour, semolina, saffron and cardamom powder.

• Add water slowly.
• Make a medium flowing batter, neither thick or thin.

• In a wok, heat sufficient oil.
• Take a ladle which has holes.

• When the oil is hot, not too hot! Pour 2-3 tblspn of batter on the ladle which has holes and fry the boondis.

• Do not over fry them, it needs to be just cooked and soft NOT crispy or brown.
• Bring them out and put them in hot sugar syrup.

• Let it sit for 3-5 mins, take it out on a wide plate.

• Do the same with rest of batter.
• One the boondis cool down, add them in a chopper or a blender.
• Add 4-5 tspn of hot water.
• I added dry fruits here as I could not get melon seeds.

• If you're adding melon seeds, do not put them in the blender, mix them later with the blended boondis.
• I pulsed it coarsely. You can pulse it more finely. Do not grind it like a paste else it won't form a shape.

• Take it out.

• Shape them into small balls.
• It might look too soft, but after some time it becomes firm from outside.
• So our Motichoor Laddoos are ready!

• Its easy to make, delicious and hygienic 😝
• Store them in an airtight container & it stays good for couple of days.