Healthy Foods to Combat Depression

When you are out of sorts, or you are feeling low and depressed, one of the easiest ways to feel instantly better is to eat! But what we commonly end up doing is, buying some good amount of junk and indulge in it to lift our spirits up. Certainly, an easy thing to do, but we force ourselves not to think about the side effects we are building up within ourselves with all the junks piling in.

Experts say, there are healthier options to satiate your depressed hunger pangs! Take a look, as I list down a few of them.

Go nuts!

Nuts are rich in magnesium and they are known to speed up the production of serotonin a chemical which gives our brain the ‘happy’ feeling! For all those health conscious people who are bummed for some reason, here is the best way to neutralize it! Get a handful of nuts and raisins, and munch it away to happiness!

Omlette an egg!

Does that sound weird to you? Well, yes, omlettes do life your mood up! The best part is it is healthy! The presence of Vitamin B in and the protein works on your nerves and they make you feel better within a few moments of consuming it! So the next time your boss pulls you up for some reason, do not buy an extra chocolate fudge, go home, crack an egg and make yourself the yummiest omlette! You can add a bit of butter or mayonnaise sauce to go with it! It will keep you full for quite some too, cutting down your craving for any more junk!

Do something fishy!

Order a fish preparation if you are eating out, or you can make one yourself, and a good fish meal will put you out of your misery. Fish is known to have Omega-3 fatty acid which stimulates certain hormones in our body which makes us feel better.

These are the top three foods which you can completely trust more than any food service in India when you are in a foul mood. Eat good, feel good!

Are Baked Potato Chips Healthy?

Potato chips are probably one of the most popular inventions of the time especially with the younger crowd. They love to gorge themselves on these scrumptious items and the fact that it’s made from potato and with other flavours to it has only heightened its popularity. But it’s not only the younger crowd that love them, even office working people, parents and relatives all love them and they are the first thing to be brought out when serving guests or friends over.

But in the recent few years with the rise of obesity and heart problems many health experts have concluded that junk food like the fried potato chips and especially their unhealthy consumption has led to all these health problems being faced. A lot of health experts have condemned the consumption of junk food altogether.

But since most of the population has not given them up, many companies have come up with alternatives to the regular version while introducing variations like the baked potato chips, or the no salt and low cholesterol chips. These alternatives supposedly have the same taste as to regular chips but area little healthier since there is no use of oil to fry them and the salt and cholesterol content is low too.

The question that comes up is that are these baked potato chips, really that healthy or are they are the same as the fried versions with just a fancy name stuck on them. It has been proved that these alternatives are a little bit healthier, but not so much that one can rely completely on them and should not make it a regular consumption.

And even the major population leans towards the fried ones still and because of that even companies have to produce both the version. Still it is advised that one should consume the baked ones instead of the fried potato chips since even if marginally they are still a healthier option to the other.

At the same time such junk foods should never become a part of a person’s regular diet and should be consumed only sometimes and not always.

Making Mayo at Home

More often than not whenever I raid the refrigerator and open up a bottle of mayonnaise, it’s empty –and I have a lingering suspicion that I’m not the only one faced with this dreadful mayo situation! Tired of eating sandwiches and what not with just a tiny drop of mayo, I decided it was high time I started making my own mayo so I can enjoy a generous helping whenever I please.

So, given below is a recipe for some lip-smacking mayonnaise sauce. Try it out and I guarantee it’ll taste just as great as the store-bought variety, if not better!

•    Into a large bowl and crack an egg yolk.
•    Add ½ tsp. salt, about 1 tsp. sugar and about ½ tsp. dry mustard to the bowl, and whisk together well.
•    In a different bowl, mix 2 tsp. lemon juice and 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar, and transfer about half of it to the bowl with the egg yolk, and whisk well.
•    Now, in the bowl with the egg yolk, begin adding a cup of corn oil, slowly, while whisking.
•    When about half the oil has been combined, add the remaining portion of the lemon juice mix.
•    Continue to whisk until the mixture lightens and thickens.
•    Let the prepared mayonnaise sauce mixture remain at room temperature for a couple of hours, then refrigerate.

There you have  it –easy as can be, mayo made at home!

But, we don’t always need plain old mayo, do we? Sometimes we like to mix it up! So here are a few variations of mayo that you could use for salad dressing India or what have you:

•    Herb Mayonnaise
Add about 1/2 cup mayo, 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary or anything), and a pinch of pepper.

•    Chipotle Mayonnaise
Into 1/2 cup mayo, combine a chopped chipotle chili, along with a teaspoon of adobo sauce, and a pinch of cumin.

•    Pesto Mayonnaise
Again, add 1/2 cup mayo to about 1 tablespoon pesto, and there you have it!

Innocent Junks

I am a person who swears by junk food and all the stuff which are not considered to be high on nutrient value. Recently a friend pointed out that I love all the things which are classified as junks but are not as harmful to health as perceived to be. Overwhelmed, I ran a quick check and it turned out to be true! If you too share the same passion for these, then you can sit back and relax, and go have some more!

To start with, I am dimsum addict which are commonly known as ‘momo’ in India. I would just go crazy over those steamed pieces of chicken filled balls served with a spicy sauce. Yes, to be honest, probably too many of them consumed at one go is harmful given the refined flour content and the sauce is not also very healthy. But once in a while it is an amazing way to treat your taste buds, without thinking much about your health!

Another thing I am crazily addicted to is tomato ketchup! I know I might sound really weird for saying this, but I just can’t help tasting and licking the entire tomato sauce off the plate when it is served. My friends joke that I am probably the sole patron of all the ketchup suppliers in India!

I especially like the Indian version of the sauce as Indian tomato sauce has a tangy flavour which is barely present in any of the other tomato sauces. And yes, it is not harmful unless you consume a bottle in a day!

Finally, I will chocolate to add to this list which my ultimate favorite and I cannot do without it. Although not on a daily basis, keep eating dark chocolates and unlike the popular view it doesn’t lead to weight gain. It at times effectively helps me get rid of my headache! So no, it is not to be considered harmful as well!

5 Easy Dips with Chips

While we’d all surely agree that potato chips are wholesome and delicious by themselves, there comes a time when we need to whip up a few dips to go with the chips. Whether it’s a party, a small dinner get-together or what have you –chips with dips are a sure-shot success! Read on for some amazing dip recipes that go perfectly with any kind of potato chips.

1.    Caramelised Onion Dip
 

•    In a large skillet, melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat.
•    Add 2 chopped onions and sliced kosher salt. Cook for half an hour and then let it cool.
•    Grab a bowl, mix the onion mix, along with black pepper a bar of cream cheese, 1 cup sour cream and 2 tbsp chopped chives.
•    Serve with kettle chips India for best flavours!

2.    Guacamole

 
•    In a bowl, add 1/2 chopped onion, 1 chopped jalapeno, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, some kosher salt and black pepper to taste.
•    Then, mash in the veggies till they start to release juicies.
•    Then add 2 diced avocados, 2 tbsp fresh lime juice and serve up with potato chips!

3.    Hummus

 
•    Puree 1 can chickpeas, 1 clove garlic, 1⁄4 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp sesame seed paste, 1 tsp ground cumin, and some salt until desired level of smoothness.
•    Put the mixture in a bowl, add 1/4 teaspoon paprika and sprinkle some olive oil and serve alongside a few packs of kettle chips India!

4.    Salsa

 

•    In a bowl, mix 2 diced plum tomatoes, 1 diced yellow bell pepper, 1 diced cucumber, 1/2 diced red onion, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil along with some kosher salt and black pepper. Mix well, and serve with chips and dippers!

5.    Spinach and Parmesan Dip

 

•    Grab a bowl and mix 1 package chopped spinach, 1 cup sour cream, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, 1 clove garlic, some kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Easy as can be!