Ingredients:

Broccoli 250 g [medium sized head]

Oil 1 tsp

Garlic 4 – 5 cloves

Peppercorns 2 – 4 or pepper powder 1 tsp

Onion 1 small, sliced

Rice flour 1 tbsp, dissolved in water

Almonds 6 – 7 roasted and chopped

Preparation:

1] Wash and chop the broccoli

2] In a pressure cooker or pan, add 1 tsp oil. Once it heats, add chopped garlic and sliced onion. Let it brown.

3] Then add peppercorns, salt and broccoli. Roast for 2 – 3 minutes, then add 1 cup water.

4] Close the pressure cooker and cook for 2 whistles. If cooking in pan, cover and cook for 10 – 15 minutes till broccoli is semi-soft. It need not be mushy.

5] If you want, you could also steam the broccoli separately and then add after the onion is browned. This will help retain the bright green colour. Overcooking the broccoli may turn the soup light brown in colour, rather than green.

6] Once the broccoli is steamed, let the mixture cool and then blend it in the mixie or with a hand blender.

7] Transfer the mixture back to the pan/pressure cooker on medium flame. Dissolve the rice flour in water and then slowly add this to the soup. Keep stirring to check consistency. The rice flour mixture helps to thicken the soup.

8] Add the chopped almonds and give a final boil. Serve the soup hot with some garlic or plain toasted bread.

Tip: Replacement for rice flour could be milk or cream

The post Flavourful broccoli almond soup appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Broccoli patties are easy to make and go well with tomato ketchup, mint dip or chutney.

Ingredients

• 1 cup shredded broccoli
• ⅓ cup boiled and mashed potato
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 finely chopped green chilli
• ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• Pinch of salt
• Bread crumbs or gram flour as needed
• Oil for shallow frying

Preparation method

1. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients. Use your hands to make palm-sized patties from the mixture.
2. If the mixture seems too wet, then add some more gram flour or bread crumbs. The mixture should not be too dry or wet.
3. Heat oil in a tava or pan. Then shallow fry the patties on both sides till they are golden brown.
4. Serve hot.

This recipe first appeared in the November 2015 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

The post Broccoli patties with a hint of garam masala (and lots of good health) appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Carotenoids are good

“Carotenoids reduce oxidative stress, oestrogen levels, and help in inflammation,” says Dr Cynthia Thomson, PhD, RD, associate professor, Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Arizona. This makes them useful bioactive compounds in cancer prevention.

Carotenoids are primarily found in the colourful portion of the plants. So, having a colourful diet will ensure that you get all the carotenoids you need. Natural sources of carotenoids include orange coloured fruits and vegetables like carrots, apricots, mangoes, and sweet potatoes.

Types

The most popular carotenoids are lycopene, lutein, and beta-carotene. German researchers say that carotenoids like lutein, lycopene and beta-carotene improve skin health and reduce effects of skin ageing.

Further, natural carotenoids, including beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin, may help decrease the risk and even reverse the development of age-related macular degeneration [AMD], the leading cause of blindness, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association [JAMA].

Let us now discuss the two most important carotenoids that benefit women.

Lycopene

The antioxidant property of lycopene protects our DNA [our genetic material] inside the white blood cells, playing an important role in preventing heart disease.

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women with the highest plasma levels of the antioxidant lycopene had a 34 per cent reduced risk of cardiovascular disease [CVD], compared to women with lower plasma levels of the nutrient.

Red fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, watermelons, figs, pink-grapefruits, apricots and pink-guavas are common sources of lycopene.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is helpful in treating unpleasant menopausal symptoms of vaginal dryness and frigidity. Research shows that a combination of beta-carotene and evening primrose oil is effective in reducing the itchy, crawling sensation in the skin that often occurs during menopause. It also reduces the risk of ovarian cancer in women after menopause.

Some natural sources include sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, broccoli, fresh thyme, and lettuce.

Bioflavanoids work best

Bioflavonoids act as antioxidants and are found in citrus fruits, berries, green tea, soy products, herbs, and spices. Bioflavonoids affect blood vessel strength and permeability and have an anti-inflammatory effect—important to women with allergies, menstrual cramps, or arthritis. They are useful in lifting mood and increasing energy levels in women with PMS or menopause.

“Giving women vitamin C with bioflavonoids has shown to help reduce hot flashes,” says Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of The New Natural Alternatives to HRT.

The post The benefits of eating colourful veggies appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.