Potatoes... For Naturally Fair Skin!

Potatoes.. to bleach you skin!

Commercial Bleaches have Irreversible and Harmful long term effects

on your skin,  that cannot be repaired.

Some people want a fair complexion and others want a tanned one, but what if we are tanned unevenly? You definitely need to bleach to make it look even,  for which we visit the saloons and spas quite often and apply these lots of chemicals on our skin leave it for some time and wipe it off, just to make you skin look fair.

But there are lasting and irreversible damages to you skin each time you bleach it. Bleaches contain hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and chlorinated chemicals that are used in your floor cleaning agents as well! The bleach burns your skin on each application eventually making large pores that become visible, and then no matter how much concealer or primer you use, you just cannot cover it. On repeated use they can even chemically burn your skin making it even darker at that stage you just cannot help but live with it or pay a bomb to a cosmetic surgeon. Most importantly the effect of the bleach will not last for a long time; it is just temporary for a period as short as one week after which your skin will turn darker than it previously was making your desire to apply the bleach stronger, gradually you will be addicted to it without your knowledge.

So why not consider natural remedies that nature itself has gifted us? A gentler and a much safer one. Potatoes are known for being a natural bleaching agent. It will give you not only a lighter skin but also a brighter skin tone by cleaning the skin gently. They also remove acne or scars if any.

All you have to do is:

-          Peel potatoes and grate them finely

-          Add 1table spoon of lemon juice (for oily skin) or

-          1 table spoon of honey (for dry skin)

-          Followed by 3 table spoon of rose water (optional)

Mix the above mixture and apply it in your face. Leave it for 10-15 minutes and follow by gently massaging the mixture on your skin for two minutes and was it off, follow it by a good moisturizer.

Obviously since this is a natural remedy your result will not be as effective as chemical bleaches. But there is a noticeable difference. You can repeat this once or twice a week or whenever you want, as it is 100% safe!

Rock Salt... An excellent Exfoliator

Bring into your skin celebrity lustre, without paying a bomb to your favorite spa! By just following simple steps.

The other day I was at Westfield mall in London, as I was strolling by I came across a sales person, he said he would do some magic on my hand, and took me to his stand were he had his products displayed (he was quite charming though!). 

Then he took my right hand, puts some amount of what he claims to be Dead Sea minerals and rubs it well on by wrist for about 3-4 minutes and applies a beautifully scented lotion. He asked me to feel my wrist, and bet me that it would feel as soft as a baby’s bum! I was overwhelmed, not only did it feel so smooth and soft, but the colour of by wrist also seemed to be enhanced, it looked much brighter than my left wrist. Then he goes on to describe that the effect will last a week, and that I needed only 2 table spoons of his product to scrub my entire body, and offered me to buy his product for £45 for a 200g jar, that is almost Rs. 4,000! 

I took a nice look at the glass jar, read the ingredients. I decided not to give it a try as it has only three ingredients (salt from Dead Sea, essential oil & some perfume) all of which is accessible to a layman like me. When I refused he said the product was made just next to the Dead Sea, it was finest blah blah… and offered it to me for £25, I still did not buy!
I decided to make this scrub by myself, I got some 200g rock salt (Not from Dead Sea though!) mixed it with 70ml of olive oil and 10ml of lavender oil. And scrubbed it on my hands for like 5mins wiped my hands with warm wet towel and followed by Johnson’s Baby moisturizing cream.

Voila! My skin never felt so good, I felt like a goddess! It felt the same as it felt when I tried it in the mall, ever since then, I regularly scrub my body once a week with this homemade mixture. In addition to making my skin feel rejuvenated, I can also notice a faint luster like the celebrities on my hands and legs.

Since I was a teenager I had a problem with acne on my back, I would refrain a lot from wearing clothes which exposed my backs, but ever since i started using this scrub, not only has the acne disappeared but also the old scars are fading. Now I can flaunt my back 😀

If you have the  privilege of a hot tub, you can also put a handful of salt i the bath tub with few drops of essential oils, and relax. This also has a similar effect. Just try this once, and I promise you will never regret!! 

KFC krushers.… At home!

Secret revealed! There are no any ‘Special ingredients’ that makes them yummy. Having worked in KFC myself I know what exactly goes into making them, just so simple!

Krushers are a hit on a hot sunny day at KFC. Milkybar and Oreo seem to be the most favourite. For sure they taste delicious, but if you know what goes into making them, I am sure you will hesitate next time to pay *** to enjoy buy them.

You can make these ice cream shakes at home; in fact you can make it more delicious. At KFC they do not add a generous amount of flavour into the mix. It’s supposed to be a scoop of a sauce (which gives flavour). There are four flavours of krushers Milkybar, Strawberry Shortcake, Oreo Cookie & Maltesers. 

The base Stuff that goes into making them is frozen ice cream.

Here is how to make it:

-          Mix one portion of water with three portions of melted ice cream (vanilla flavour)

-          Freeze the mixture

The base is ready.

For Milkybar Krushers:

-          Add a generous amount of nestle carnation in a blender

-          Add two scoops of the frozen base, and blend the mixture well, add while chocolate chips to it, or break a milkybar into it. There it goes, a yummy milkybar Krushers.

For the Matleser Krushers:

-          Add some 7-8 maltesers into the blender and blend them till they turn into a fine powder

-          To it add 2 scoops of frozen base and blend them till smooth. Tada!! It’s ready.

For Oreo Cookie Krushers:

-          Blend only the biscuit part of Oreo cookies into a coarse powder.

-          Add chocolate (dairy milky or Hershey's) sauce to it and two scoops of the base and blend till smooth. Yet another yummy krushers is ready!

Now for the Strawberry Shortcake Krushers:

-          Blend 2 shortcakes into a very coarse powder.

-        Add strawberry syrup to it and two scoops of the base and blend till smooth. Ah! Relish your sinful strawberry krushers!

So Simple to make isn’t they? Just make lots of it and stuff it into your refrigerator and keep sipping the yummy drink all day long. Ant of course it’s an all-time favourite with the kids!! 

Benefits of Lemon - How does it help you achieve a better Health?

An ingredient that adds magic to all your dishes, a must on your shopping list and kitchen!!

Lemons are used all around the world indifferent forms in different cuisines from making sauces to making Drinks & cooking or even marinating or salad dressing, it has a special quality of enhancing flavour into almost any dish. Amongst the chefs it is known as a ‘flavour catalyst’ because of its unique property to interact with your taste buds to make the flavour more pronounced. They also bring with them a tangy flavour and a bright aroma making your dish more desire.

There are interesting health benefits from using lemons regularly, few of which have been listed below:

•          Regular use of lemon prevents from indigestion and constipation. You can simply mix 2 tablespoons of lemon juice with a glass of water or plain soda, when you have these health issues.

•  Lemon is a natural cleanser; it not only cleans or rather detoxifies your blood stream internally but also can be used externally as a treatment to hair scalp itchiness to toothaches or even as an antiseptic.

•  Lemon also is of great help in cases of high blood pressure, nausea or dizziness at it provides a mental relaxation to mind and body, reducing mental depression.

• Due to its anti-bacterial property it, it heals throat infections. If it is made a part of your regular diet it will prevent throat infections.

• The juice of the lemon along with the zest aids in removing or fading any scars from burns or acne.

•  When consumed with honey lukewarm water in empty stomach it can help lose weight.

• It’s an excellent dietary element for people suffering from Rheumatism and arthritis to cure them as it will remove toxic bacteria and various toxins from the body.

These bright little fruits are not only beneficial health wise, they can be used to remove  stains off your kitchen, bathroom, windows, floor etc., no wonder they are used in so many commercial cleaning agents! Why don’t you use them directly?

Now certainly lemons are a boon to mankind. Lemons contribute not only to the flavour of our food but also beneficial to our health. So just like salt and pepper why don’t we make lemon a part of our diet? 

One of the World’s most expensive Ice Cream Sundae… $1000!!??

Golden Opulence, one of the most expensive luxurious Ice Cream sundae ever made in the world.  

Wonder how it tastes like? What is it made of? Why is it so expensive? Interesting! Isn’t it?

Well, one lazy day when I sat casually changing channels on the television, this fascinating Ice Cream caught my attention on TLC. For a moment I taught, wow! Is this for real? And did some research and found it to be too good to be true!

You can enjoy this luxurious golden opulence sundae (that’s what is called) for $1000, in a New York Restaurant called Serendipity 3 with a 48 hour of advance reservation. The restaurant introduced this exclusive ice cream to mark their 50^th anniversary, carving its way into the Guinness book of records.

How can it simply be so expensive? I could do a lot of things with the $1000, than just blowing it on an ice cream. Well, considering what goes into making the ‘Golden Opulence Sundae’ I think it totally worth it! It can give you the feel of how actually gold tastes for heaven sakes! And all the ingredients that go into it are the most finest in the world. Which food will offer this beautiful experience? No wonder it is so expensive.

Here is what goes into making the Golden Opulence Sundae:

―      The sundae is served on a Baccarat Harcourt Crystal goblet (which they claim to be similar to the goblets used by the Vatican pope). The best part is you get to keep the goblet! The Goblet is first lined with a 23 carat gold foil on which the ice cream is put. 

―      5 scoops of Tahitian Vanilla bean ice cream that is infused in Vanilla from Madagascar that is covered in a 23 carat gold leaf (by the way that edible!)

―      The chocolate in the sundae is the finest and the most expensive one in the world called Amedei Porceleana which is generously drizzled over and the ice cream and then covered with chunks of chocolate called Chuao Chocolate which is made from very rare cocoa beans that is harvested by the Caribbean Sea on Venezuela’s coast.

―      The whole dessert is topped with a glided sugar flower along with a beautiful tiny glass bowl of golden coloured Caviar tops the sundae. The Caviar again is an exquisite one called Grand Passion Caviar, infused with fresh passion fruit and orange along with Armagnac.

―      It doesn’t end here!! Other exotic treats like candied fruits from Paris, Truffles, marzipan cherries and gold dragets.

―      And lastly there is yet another generous drizzle of 23 carat gold foil and served with an 18 carat golden spoon.

Ahhh…!!! Finally it ends here.

Ah! Though it is expensive, on an average the restaurant has at least one customer a month!! So it’s a hit amongst the rich!! 

Scrumptious Bombay Mini Burgers for Cocktail Parties

Mouth-watering mini burgers, a hit amongst kids and perfect treat for cocktail parties or even as a yummy starter!
 
This is my all-time favourite party food. When there is any sort of social gathering round the corner it drives me crazy planning out the food as it is one of the crucial element of a good party, and I can never go wrong with these delicious Bombay mini burgers as I am assured that it will be a hit among the guests.

To make these yummy treats you need to prepare three things:

·         Burgers

·         Garlic Curry and Cilantro Mayonnaise

Here is how to make them:
For the Burgers:

·         4 table spoon bread crumbs

·         1 ½ table finely minced garlic

·         ¾ table spoon ginger paste

·         2-3 table spoon fresh finely chopped cilantro/coriander

·         1 ½ table spoon curry powder / garam masala

·         1 whole egg

·         2-3 table spoon vegetable oil

·         ½ table spoon paprika/Chilli Powder (optional - if you want it hot)

·         ½ table spoon lemon juice

·         3-4 table spoon diced onion or green onion (spring onions)

·         16 ounces or 1.5 Kg of minced chicken (for veggies - you can replace lamb by boiled mashed potatoes)

·         Salt- as per taste

·         Pepper- as per taste

Method – Heat the oil in a pan and sauté onions till soft and garlic and ginder. Now in a bowl add the sautéed onion, garlic, ginger, cilantro/coriander leaves & minced chicken (or boiled mashed potatoes), curry powder/curry powder, paprika/chilli powder, bread crumbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mash all the ingredients, make them into small patties and leave them in the fridge for an hour.
Meanwhile Beat one egg (10-15 times) in a bowl, after an hour, dip them in the egg mixture and pat them over bread crumbs and deep fry to make them crispy. Alternatively, you can also directly grill the patties (when grilled you need not do the egg part). 
Ah! The yummy burgers are done!

For Garlic Curry Cilantro Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tea spoons coarsely chopped cilantro/corriander 
• ¼  teaspoons curry powder
• 1 ½  tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 ½  tablespoons ketchup
• 1 ½  garlic clove

Method: Just mix all the ingredients together thoroughly.
Well, time for the assembly! All you have to do is assemble the tiny cooked patties on the mini burger buns and ½ teaspoon mayonnaise to it, and garnish with a slice of tomato & onion or perhaps basil!

Tada!! Enjoy the delicious burgers!! Trust me, you just can’t stop craving for more!!

Easy Tangy Watermelon Juice with a Hint of Mint

A refreshing tangy drink with an interesting twist, from the vibrant fruit which I Love specially made for the scorching summer heat!

Everybody loves watermelon, and the fact that 95% of it is just water makes it perfect as a hydrating drink for summer. And what is most interesting is that it grows well in summer! That is why I consider it as a miracle of Mother Nature. It’s interesting isn’t it? It grows well in summer in all the dry conditions and at the same time it is available for cheaper, it sounds like god invented it just to keep us hydrated!




Watermelon has really great health benefits as well:

    -  It is a rich source of Vitamin C

    -  Rich source of fibre

    - Contains higher sources of lycopene (Know to prevent heart related diseases) than  any other fresh fruit
    - A brilliant hydrating fruit as it is rich in  electrolytes like sodium and potassium that  we lose during perspiration

    - Has some of the most important antioxidants found in nature

·    And I can go on and on with the wonderful benefits of this fruit

Well, everybody makes watermelon juice in their own ways, but we always find the fresh watermelon juice that is served in restaurants tastes much better. What is it that makes it so yummy there?

Now this is how they make it:

All you need is:

·         7-8 big cubes (2x2 inch) of de-seeded watermelon

·         1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

·         1/8 cup fresh lime juice

·         ½ tablespoon grated lemon rind

·         ¾ cup water

·         4-5 cubes of ice cubes

·         ½ tablespoon grated lime rind

·         1 tablespoon mint leaves

·         ¼ cup sugar

·         1 pinch of salt

·         2 pinches of pepper (this is what gives the drink an interesting twist!)

Method:

·         Make sugar syrup by boiling the water and sugar in a saucepan. Frequently stir it (for 30 seconds) till the entire all the sugar dissolves and remove it from the heat.

·         Add the lemon and lime rinds along with mint to the mixture and let it seep for at least 20 minutes and cool after that strain the mixture using a muslin cloth or a fine mesh or even cheesecloth.

·         Now blend the watermelon with the sugar syrup along with the pepper, salt and two three cubes of ice and blend till smooth.

·   

     To it mix the lime and lemon juice and refrigerate it.

Serve chilled garnish with lemon and a few muddled mint leaves.

Yummm!! A blissful drink for the summers drink is ready!! 

Easy Refreshing Pudina / Mint Lemonade - Restaurant Style

Sun.. Sun.. Sun.. Here it is!! Well summer is here with all its glory. As much as we enjoy the sun a thirst quenching drink would be perfect after a hot day out or even a Workout! For me a glass of refreshing Mint-Lemonade quenches my thirst.

There are Numerous benefits of Mint, to know more click here

Well these are just some of the health benefits of mint! During summer though I drink lots of water I still find myself thirsty for more. I feel the sun is extracting all the liquid in my body making me sense dehydration L. So I came up with this tangy Minty Lemonade, after which it’s always there at home!!


Now here is what you need:

·         1 cup lemon juice (4-5 lemons – use fresh lemons!)

·         1 Sliced lemon

·         ½ cup mint leave (remove the stalks)

·         ½ cup sugar (depending on your taste)

·         3-4 cups of water

·         1 cup of ice cubes

·         2 pinches of rock salt (this is the secret ingredient used in most restaurants to give a beautiful flavour to the lemonade. But you need to stick to two pinches!)

•      Optional - 1 Pinch Pepper

Method

-          In a bowl add water, sugar and half of ice cubes, stir well it sugar dissolves. Check for sweetness, if you would like more sweet add more sugar. Sugar dissolves faster before the ice cubes are added.

-          Now add lemon juice, salt and pepper stir again. The Lemonade is ready.

-          Now for the minty twist! In a bowl/cup coarsely muddle mint leave and added it to the lemon lemonade & it’s good to go!

Serve it in glasses with few ice cubes and lemon slices!!

And there you go a refreshing tangy summer drink! 

Health Benefits of Mint/Pudhina

Mint is a vastly used natural medicine all around the world. Due to its soothing effect it is used in different forms like fresh, dried or crushed just to blend perfectly into the local cuisine. For instance the Arabs use it in their Black tea and in India it is used in Biryani to bring down the hotness of the dish.



Health Benefits from Mint/Pudhina:

Most of us know mint as a veggie and associate it with a distinctive sweet strong flavour and a cooling after sensation. We are ignorant of the various health benefits that mint has, few of which have been listed below:

•  Detoxifier- Mint removes toxins from our body, and is most effective when consumed regularly.
• It soothes the digestive track; it is especially helpful for people with gastritis
•  Mint also is known to reduce irritated bowels syndrome.
•  Due to its cooling effect, it prevents chances of skin irritation such as acne.
•  As all of us are aware that it is the main ingredient in most of the commercially available mouth fresheners, hence is a natural breath fresher.
•  Mint paste can be used to get whiter teeth.
•  It is a natural cleanser and cleanses our blood stream when taken orally and even lowers blood pressure to some extent.
•  Clears skin when used as a face mask.

How I use Mint in Everyday Life:

-          Tea Time - I make it a part of my tea time by adding few leaves into boiling water and use the same to brew my cup of tea. This is the easiest way also it makes you enjoy the tea more due to its refreshing nature.

-          Face Mask – I make a fine paste out of this leaves and add it into my routine clay mask for face, it really helps fight acne and gives a clearer complexion.

-          For Garnishing – When I cook ‘occasionally’ ;) I use the dried version of it to the dishes for garnishing. It not only gives a pleasant aroma but also a yummy taste.

-          With Dips – The dried version of this herb makes an excellent dip when mixed with Greek Yogurt. You can use it with Carrot stick etc.,

Well these are just some of the health benefits of mint!

Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel Review- Baba Ramdev

Aloe Vera, the magical succulent! 

It’s been known from a long time the miracles of this plant. As a child when I would come home with a wound or burn my mother would make a paste out of the gel of this plant and turmeric and apply it. 

As the plant grows almost in any condition in the Indian Climate it’s easy to grow and maintain in our home. My mother would grow it in a pot and a small corner in next to our compound. As I grew up I realized the various other uses of this plant. 

It can be used externally in many of our daily beauty regimes as it is a rich source of Vit C, E and Beta Carotene:

-It is an excellent moisturizer, hence good for dry skin.

-Improves the elasticity of the skin and hence an excellent anti-aging gel.

-Reduces hair fall significantly, as its rich in Vit E.

-Due to its excellent healing properties it can be used to heal sunburns, burns, acne, psoriasis, eczema, stretch marks etc.

-Its extract is also used in various commercially available beauty products.

Internally it’s used in the form of Green Tea’s and Juices. With regular use other benefits like the below can be achieved:

-An immunity booster because of its antioxidant properties, and protection against free radicals.

-Improves Digestion when taken in empty stomach hence in losing weight.

-It is an excellent cure for gastritis’s and acidy.

Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Aloe Vera Gel

I bought this product when came across this after I saw an advertisement on TV from Baba Ramdev claiming that it would do wonders on skin and hair.

Previous to this I had bought few other commercially available aloe vera gels in a tub. All of them failed to meet my expectation and they just felt like any other synthetic gels with some green dye.

Product Discription

It claims to be an ayurvedic proprietary medicine.

Ingredients – Each 5gms contains aloe vera 90%, Vitamin E, Permitted Color & Sugandhith Dravya

Uses – Used in roughness and dryness of skin, removes dark spots and increases skin glow.

Quantity – 60ml

Packaging – comes in a transparent Tube

Price – Rs 75

How I use

1.     As a Base/Primer – I apply a thin layer before applying foundation, it works as a light moisturiser, if applied more, you can expect your skin to shine. It serves its purpose.

2.     As a night cream – You can’t expect wonder’s or really supple skin in the morning. I almost feel no change.

3.     As a day cream – It gently hydrates the skin however I tend to notice that somehow my skin feels dull.

4.     As a hair pack – I use it as a base for hair packs, I feel it makes the hair shiny and conditions it.

       

             

My opinion

As I have used 100% aloe vera gel which was homemade before, I feel patanjali is not a true substitute. It does not do wonders nor does it do harm. I feel it’s more of a synthetic gel with a little bit of fragrance and dyes. As I have red acne scars, it did not help to reduce the redness. The homemade hair pack did wonders for my hair, it made it soft shiny and voluminous. I am Just using it as a moisturiser combined with other products for my pregnancy stretch marks and waiting to finish the tube.

Imagine what the purity of a product can be if it’s Rs. 60 only considering the packaging and marketing cost.

Pro’s

-        -  Comes in a user friendly tube.

-         - Its cost effective

-         - It can be applied for light hydration

-        -  Can get sticky in summers

-         - Easily available

Cons

-         - Does not do what it claims

-         - It makes skin oily in T Zone, towards evening

-         - Fragrance feel artificial

-         - Pure aloe vera gel is not green but transparent

-         - The product does not live up to its branding.

My Rating – 3/5

Will I buy it again?  - Nope