Penguin eBury Press

ISBN: ‎ 978-0143452904

Pages: 224

Price: INR 299

“Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food,” said Hippocrates. This quote pretty much sums up the essence of Charmaine D’souza’s latest book, which she has co-authored with her daughters, Charlyene and Savlyene. Charmaine is an Indian dietician, clinical nutritionist, health consultant, and author with three decades of experience in bringing her clients back to health. Each ingredient mentioned in the book has a lovely anecdote associated with it. It’s like taking a trip down the author’s memory lane. She has

In the cookbook, the authors focus on ingredients and food stories centred around her childhood, and the delightful importance food plays in shaping who she is today.

Cookbook with a difference

Food is much more than as just a basic necessity for survival. Food contributes greatly to the quality of life; it affects our moods and behavior, determines are energy levels and, of course our health quotient. Food also helps create memories — indeed, to many, food is nostalgia. In The Good Health Always Cookbook, the authors express how food is among our greatest sources of pleasure. But this pleasure need not be derived from eating “unhealthy” or junk food; even wholesome, home-cooked meals can be the source of immense pleasure and joy. “Balanced eating doesn’t mean feeling guilty about eating ‘not-so-healthy food”, they write.

The authors despise the shame and anxiety people often experience while eating certain kinds of food. Nutrition is not a mere checklist of what we should and shouldn’t eat. Nutrition is a lifestyle; it is the conscious choices you make each day. Healthy eating implies developing a nourishing relationship between your body and the food that you consume.

The authors include a wonderful fusion of age-old ingredients easily available in our homes and gardens with modern day flavours and recipes. Each ingredient is carefully analysed with in-depth scientific descriptions, right from its existence, it’s nutritional value, pro-tips, to it’s modern day usage. Every recipe calls for use of a variety of ingredients and spells out-of-the-box thinking, as Charmaine is a big proponent of root-to-stem cooking. [Read an excerpt from The Good Health Always Cookbook.]

The post The Good Health Always Cookbook by Charmaine D’souza appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients

• 2 tsp oil
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 5 – 6 curry leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
• A pinch of asafoetida
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup grated green or unripe papaya
• ½ cup grated green or unripe mango
• 2 tbsp grated coconut
• 3 cups cooked rice
• Salt to taste
• ¼ cup roasted peanuts

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves. When the seeds begin to crackle, add ginger, asafoetida and turmeric powder. Saute for a few seconds on low flame to fry the ginger.
2. Add grated papaya and mango and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, stirring frequently. When the papaya and mango are soft, add the coconut and saute for a few more seconds.
3. Now add the cooked rice and gently fold in to combine. Season with salt. Add the roasted peanuts. Serve hot with raita, pickle and papad.

This recipe was first published in the February 2016 issue of Complete Wellbeing.

The post Green papaya and raw mango rice appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.