Regain Your Nail Strength

Luckily, it’s pretty easy to protect nails against these damaging factors.

• Wear gloves when handling any chemicals, doing the dishes or hand-washing clothes to avoid water exposure.
• Steer clear of alcohol-based hand sanitizers. They’re very drying. Instead, wash hands with moisturising soap.
• Keep your nails short to minimize surface area where water and chemicals can be absorbed.
• "The only supplement that has any scientific evidence [to improve nail health] behind it is biotin. Nails take six months to replace themselves.
• Use cuticle oil or cream to avoid dry skin and hangnails. Cuticles help prevent water from getting into your nails, which can create an environment for bacteria to grow. So don’t cut away at them – keep them moisturised and simply push them back to avoid infection and let them do their job.
• Take a nail-polish holiday. If you've tried other precautions and still are suffering from brittle nails, take a break from polish to give your nails some time to get back into shape. How long is appropriate? "Nails grow slowly so unfortunately it takes time," Stern says. "I’d say consider a three-month holiday."

Source: Dr Ozz Show

Magic of Lemon on Skin

1. Age Spots
The best way to use vitamin C on your age spots is lemon juice. The citric acid in lemon juice can help gradually fade the spots and help even your skin tone.

It's simple: Dab lemon juice onto your age spots daily. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes and say good-bye to unwanted spots.

2. Wrinkles and Fine Lines
Wrinkles form on the parts of your face that move the most. Underneath your top layer of skin, you have collagen – a connecting tissue that keeps your skin layers together. As you get older, you start to lose some collagen, which causes the skin to sink and create wrinkles. To fight wrinkles, try adding a healthy dose of vitamin C into your diet.

Eat foods rich in vitamin C: lemons, strawberries, papaya and pineapple. With the help of these delicious snacks, your body will create more collagen, helping to prevent pesky wrinkles.

3. Sagging Skin
Using vitamin C on your skin helps boost your collagen, which will bring elasticity back to your skin and can prevent sagging in as little as two weeks.

You can do it yourself: Mix some lemon juice into your moisturiser or look for a moisturiser made with vitamin C. Apply once a day in the morning and you're done.

Source: Dr Ozz Show

Mix Veg- African Style

Ingredients:

1. 1 Red onion Sliced
2. 2 carrots, peeled and halved
3. 2/5 cup green beans, ends cut off
4. 1 tomato
5. 1 small potato, ends cut off
6. 1/3 cup cauliflower, cut in florets
7. 1/3 cup turnip (shaljam), peeled and halved (if available)
8. 1/3 cup red pepper, cut into 2cm strips
9. 1/5 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
10. 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
11. 1 tsp salt
12. 1/2 tsp black pepper
13. 1/2 tsp ginger powder
14. 1/2 tsp turmeric
15. 1 1/3 tbsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
16. 3 tbsp olive oil/ cooking oil
17. 1 fresh chili
18. 1 pinch saffron strands 
19. 1/2 bunch coriander

Direction:

1. In a Non-stick pan, add oil as the oil heats up add garlic & Ginger, when the mixture turn golden, turn the flames at the lowest point, add all the spices and vegetable (except Onion & Tomato). Mix them well so that spices is coated well in vegetable
2. Remove the coated vegetable in a pot. 
3. Now Add the remaining oil to the non-stick kadhai on slow flame, place the sliced onion on the bottom, then stack of carrot slices, portato, pepper, and cauliflower in a pyramid shape and add 1/4 cup water. 
4. Bring to a boil on the stove and cook for 25 minutes with the lid on, occassionally checking to make sure all the water does not boil away or burn. If you need to add a little more water, do so. 
5. Next, arrange all the other vegetables (except the tomato and chili) on top of the hard vegetables, keeping a pyramid shape. 
6. Now, put the whole chli on top and add the lid before cooking for another 20 minutes with another 1/5 cup of water. Check to make sure it does not burn dry. 
7. Slice the tomato into 1/2 cm disks and place around the tagine. Continue to cook for five minutes and serve with chapatti, Naan

Image Courtesy: Dr Ozz Show

Simple Lauki ki Sabzi

Ingredients:

1. Lauki- 1 peeled and chopped in mid size
2. Cumin seeds- 2 tsp
3. Asfotedia- ½ tsp
4. turmeric powder- 1 tsp
5. Salt- ½ tsp
6. Lemon juice of ½ lemon
7. Oil- 1 tsp

Method:

1. In a cooker, add oil and keep it on medium flame.
2. As the oil heats up add asfotedia, cumin seeds and when th seeds starts to crackle  add mid-size chopped lauki to it
3. Mix it then add turmeric powder and salt.
4. Mix it again and add ¼ cup of water, cover the lid of cooker and cook it till 2 whistles of cooker at medium flame.
5. As the pressure of cooker releases squeeze lemon and mix well
6. Serve the sabzi with Chappati, Roti

Vegetable Raita

Ingredients:

1. ½ onion chopped
2. 1 medium tomato chopped
3. 1 green chille chopped
4. ½ cucumber chopped
5. ¼ green pepper chopped
6. ¼ cup of coriander leaves chopped
7. Curd- 250 grams
8. ½ tsp of sugar
9. Salt made at home as per taste

Method:

1. Whisk curd by add 100ml of water
2. Now add the ingredients stated above and mix very well
3. Now cool it in refrigerator or add ice cubes

Home made Salt

Ingredients:

1. 1 bowl of White Salt
2. 2 tablespn of Senda Salt
3. 1 tbspn of Black Salt
4. 1 tbspn of black pepper powder
5. 
   

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients well and here the salt is ready to sprinkle on raita, fruits, salads etc

Corn Uttapam/Corns Pan cakes

Ingredients:

1. 2 cup selomani/suji/ Rava
2. 2 tblsp of maida/ all-purpose flour
3. 2 chillies chopped
4. 1 inch of ginger grated
5. ½ cup of carrot grated
6. 1 ½ cup of corns frozen
7. Salt- 1 tsp
8. ½ cup of coriander leaves chopped
9. Ghee/ Oil/ Butter for cooking
10. 1 cup of Curd water/ butter milk

Method:

Batter after mixing all Ingredients

1. First wash the frozen corns and grind the corns roughly in a mixer
2. Now mix Rava, Maida, Chopped chillies, grated ginger, grated carrot, Grinded corn, salt, coriander leaves, butter milk or curd water.
3. Keep it aside for 30 minutes, after 30 minutes once again stir the mixture.
4. Now keep a non-stick  tawa on medium flame and pour the ladle full of batter and spread to make a medium sized, thick pancake (like a uttapam).

   

   Spredaing of batter on Tawa

5. Apply oil around the edges and cook on both sides until golden.
6. Serve with ketchup/green chutney.

Palak Mushroom

Ingredient:

1. 1 bunch of Spinach
2. 1 onion blended in smooth paste
3. 2 tomato blended in smooth paste
4. 2 chilies blended in smooth paste
5. 1 inch of ginger blended in smooth paste
6. Button Mushroom- 150 grams (chopped roughly)
7. Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
8. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Chili Powder- 1/4 tsp
11. Salt- 1 tsp
12. Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
13. Butter/ Ghee/Oil- 20 grams

Method:

1. Wash leaves of spinach and put the leaves in cooker, add 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and cook it till 2 whistle with medium flame.
2. After the spinach leaves cools down, blend the leaves to smooth paste
3. Now In a fry pan, add butter, as the butter warms up add cumin seeds, when the seeds starts to crackle add green chilli paste, ginger paste and saute for 2 minutes, then add paste of onion.
4. Cook the mixture for 5 minute on medium flame then add tomato paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and mushroom and cook it for next 10 minutes at medium flame with covered lid.
5. You will notice the colour of mixture changed to little dark brown then add the blended spinach and mix well.
6. Now add garam masala, and cook it for next 7-8 minutes on medium flame with covered lid.
7. Here your yummy Palak Mushroom is ready to be served with bread, naan, Roti, Chappati. 

All the ingredients are available at www.localbanya.com

Spaghetti & Paneerballs

Ingredients
For Paneer Balls:

1. Paneer (Cheese cottage)- 500 grms
2. Onion: 1 (finely chopped)
3. One cup fresh breadcrumbs
4. Paprika powder: 1 tsp
5. Salt: 1 ½ tsp
6. Pepper: ½ tsp
7. Oil: 1 cup (for frying) 

For Sauce:

1. Tomatoes: 5 large (finely chopped)
2. Onions: 1 (finely chopped)
3. Garlic cloves: 6-7 large (minced)
4. Cheese (preferably parmesan): ¼ cup (grated)
5. Fresh parsley: 1/4 cup
6. Salt: 1 tsp
7. Olive oil: 2 tbsp 

For Noodles:

1. Spaghetti: 500g
2. Spring onions: 1 cup (finely chopped)
3. Parmesan cheese: 1 cup
4. Salt: 1 ½ tsp
5. Vegetables like carrots, bell peppers, cabbage, spinach, and button mushrooms work very well with spaghetti. Chop them to bite size. 

Method:
Paneer Balls & Sauce

1. First get the paneer balls ready. Add paneer, onion, parsley, breadcrumbs and rest of the seasoning. It's time to get your hands in and mix the ingredients really well.
2. Roll the paneer mixture to equal sized balls. You can do this prep way before dinnertime as well. Just make the paneer balls and put them in the freezer.
3. When you're ready to fry the paneer balls, take a non-stick frying pan and put it on the gas on medium. Add the oil and as the oil heats up.  Now, pop the paneer balls one by one and fry them till they are brown. The paneer balls will brown better if spaced out a bit, so be patient with this!
4. Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the oil on a flat heavy-bottomed pan. Add the minced garlic and bring it to a sizzle. Stir in the onion and let them caramelise.  
5. Stir in the tomatoes and add the salt. Cook it till the tomatoes soften up. Then add the canned puree. Add  water and bring it to a boil.
6. Now add the paneer balls to the sauce and cover the pan with a lid. Let the paneer balls cook in the sauce, on a simmer, for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes, open the lid and check for the sauce consistency. It should be thick enough to stick to the paneer balls.
8. Add the parsley and the grated cheese on top before removing the pan from the fire.
9. The paneer balls are ready to be served.

For Noodles:

1. Boil water in a pan. Once the water starts boiling, pop the Noodles into the water and cook it according to the package directions; drain and return it to the pot. Add a teaspoon on oil and mix well, this way the spaghetti/Noodles won't stick together.
2. In a large skillet, add oil and toss the vegetables till they are roasted.
3. Now, add the spaghetti bit by bit while adding salt to it  so that the salt is evenly spread. Mix the vegetables well with the spaghetti. Take it off the gas.
4. Garnish with the grated cheese.
5. Drizzle the spaghetti Paneer balls, before serving.

Mango- Vanilla Blast

Ingredients:

1. Blend of semi solid liquid of 1 mango
2. 1 scoop of vanilla icecream,
3. 2 choclate stick for decoration 
4. 1 slice of mango for decoration

Method:

1. In a glass add blend juice of mango to its half then add scoop of ice cream to it
2. Now place a small slice of mango on top of it and add chocolate sticks at the 2 corners of the slice
3. Here mango-vanilla blast is ready to serve

Veg Alfredo Cheese Pasta

Servings for 4
Ingredients

1. Onion- 1 cup chopped
2. Carrot- 3/4 cup chopped
3. Capsicum- 1/2 cup chopped
4. Spinach wash and chopped- 1 cup
5. Garlic cloves- 4-5 chopped
6. 1 Green chilli- chopped
7. Parmesan Cheese- 200 grams grated
8. Milk- 1 cup
9. Mixed herbs- 1 tsp
10. Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
11. Salt 
12. Oil- 3 tbsp
13. Pasta- 3 cups

Method 

1. In a bowl add pasta, water, 1 tbsp of oil and 1/2 tsp of salt and keep it a medium flame with lid covered for 15 minutes, after 15 minutes check there is no grain when we try to break it
2. Now sieve it and wash with cold water and keep it aside 
3. Now in fry pan, add oil on medium flame , as the oil heats up, add garlic, chilli, and saute it for 2 minutes then add chopped onions, carrots and spinach and mix it for 5 minutes on medium flame.
4. As the colour of onion changes, add capsicum and saute it for 2 minutes.
5. Now add half of grated parmesan cheese, half milk to the mixture and turn the flame to slow 
6. As the cheese starts to melt, add mixed herbs, black pepper and 1/2 tsp of salt and mix well
7. Now add boiled pasta to the mixture and mix well then add the remaining grated cheese and milk to the mixture and mix it again.
8. cook it for 2 more minutes and turn off the flame, here the alfredo cheese pasta is ready.

Mumbai Road Side Sandwich

Ingredients

1. Bread- 1 packet (broad size)
2. 1 tomato  sliced
3. 1 cucumber- sliced
4. 1 Onion- Sliced
5. 1 Boiled Potato- sliced
6. 1 Boiled Betroot- sliced
7. Amul Butter- 100 grams slab on room temperature
8. Green chutney 
9. Tomato Ketchup
10. Salt to taste

Method

1. Slice all the vegetable.
2. Spread Butter on bread slice and second layer of green chutney on 2 slices
3. Now start keeping each slice of vegetable on bread layer wise.(tomato, cucumber, onion, potato, betroot)
4. Sprinkle salt after each layer of vegetable
5. Now cover the second layer of bread (butter and chutney applied) on top
6. Cut this sandwich in pieces, spread ketchup and here is your road side mumbai style sandwich ready to serve