Ragi or Finger Millet – Its Health Benefits and a Quick Dessert

These tiny deep red pearls called Ragi or finger millet are bundle of nutrients. A whole grain which I came to know about much later in life. Until then the cobs or the fingers of ragi used to decorate my vase of dry flower arrangement for long.

It was only when I came to the South of India I became aware of these goldmine of nutrients. From then on it has occupied a much coveted place on my dinning table. I love the earthy and rustic aroma of this mighty grain.

Health Benefits;

It is a good source of fiber in diet.
Ragi has low Glycemic Index which makes it digest very slowly thus keeping the blood sugar levels constant. Ragi is surely a boon for people suffering from diabetes.
Ragi is rich in many minerals such as thiamine, iron and calcium.
It serves as a good laxative for constipation.
Ragi is rich in carbohydrate and low in fat, which can help control obesity.
Ragi malt can be a good substitute for people suffering from milk allergies.

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Sitaphal Phirni – The Magical Dessert Made Easy

Phirni is a dish which is easy to adore, it’s a jewel of the North Indian cuisine.

Phirni is basically a creamy milk based dish, it’s an energy food and is possessed with a high protein value. Rice adds to the nutritional value of the dish.

The best part about phirni is that it can be prepared in advance and served as per one’s requirements.

There are many variants to the basic Phirni recipe. When made in a fruity flavor, Phirni has yet another charm. Basically something that takes your guests by a pleasant surprise.

Phirni reminds one of some unique and classy dessert recipes of the old, which are so delicious that they never seem to have lost their charm. Continue reading “Sitaphal Phirni – The Magical Dessert Made Easy”

The Beneficial Side of Desserts

Eating dessert is done more for cultural reasons rather than as a necessary part of a meal. It signifies completion of a meal and gives you a sense of satisfaction. But a good dessert shouldn’t only be intended to make you feel good – it should be beneficial as well.

Here are some benefits of having a good dessert:

1. It helps facilitate digestion.

2. It provides additional nutrients to your diet.

3. The added vitamins work to increase your resistance to infections.

4. The “feel good” factor of a good dessert helps to reduce stress.

5. It helps to reduce the bad cholesterol levels while increasing the good cholesterol in your body.

How to Prepare a Healthy Dessert Continue reading “The Beneficial Side of Desserts”

An Ode to Desserts

Scientists tell us sugars are non essential foods and we know that even at their most modest, desserts express a certain indulgence. In fact since ancient times, the sweet dish was a luxury reserved for the rich. In Ancient Rome, the poor made do with meals consisting cereal and any available meat or vegetables, while the wealthy enjoyed three course meals, with the final course, serving the sweet dish.

Today sweet dish is no longer the preserve of the wealthy. Most of us regularly treat ourselves to both regional and international sweet specialties. Deserts may well be the final course of a meal, but the origins of the word suggests it is something of a star.

The word “Dessert” derives from the French word Desservir which refers to the act of clearing the table. This was literally the practice in Ancient Rome, as soon as the main course was concluded, the entire table was carted away and a new table was brought in for the dessert spread. Consequently the dessert table was called as the second table. Continue reading “An Ode to Desserts”

The Difference Between Table Wines, Dessert Wines and Sparkling Wines

We have all heard the terms table, dessert and sparkling wines in reference to different wines before. Some of us understand the differences between each but others just let these ‘jargons’ fly over our heads. The differences between each will be explained. Each is term refers to different types of wine.

Table wines are usually referred to as light wines because they contain a lower amount of alcohol than others. They must contain no greater than 14% of alcohol by law in the United States of America and Europe. So if you are particular about the amount of alcohol you are consuming and believe less is more then you have been consciously or unconsciously drinking table wines. Wines in time long past used to contain at most 14% alcohol. Due to the different climates in which grapes are grown now, they have different levels of sugar and hence will end up having lower or higher levels of alcohol after the fermentation process. They are also non-bubbly. So by law if a wine contains 14% or less alcohol and is not bubbly then it is a table wine.

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Easy Dessert Recipes With Few Ingredients

This is a great dessert recipe to make quickly and easily with leftover double chocolate cookies. Naturally, you’ll need to make the cookies first, and then manage to hold off eating enough of them to turn them into a dessert…

Easy cookie recipe

To make simple double-choc cookies, you will need:

1.5 cups chocolate chips (or a bar of chocolate smashed to pieces with a rolling pin)
2 cups sugar
One third of a cup of cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla essence (optional – it’s nice but not critical if you don’t have any)
2 eggs

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Bodybuilding Recipes – Easy to Make High Protein Dessert

When creating a dessert for your bodybuilding meal plan, always understand the need to minimize sugars and fast acting carbohydrates. A perfect dessert which is easy to make is a high protein chocolate pudding. It minimizes sugar intake, limits fast acting carbohydrates and is nearly fat free.

Ingredients

– Chocolate Whey protein (2 Scoops)

– Skim Milk (1 Full Cup)

– Water (1 Full Cup)

– Instant Pudding (Preferably Jell-O or Jell-O equivalent) Continue reading “Bodybuilding Recipes – Easy to Make High Protein Dessert”

3 Simple Ways to Eat Your Dessert and Naturally Cure Your GERD (Acid Reflux)

People love to eat. That statement alone carries interesting and amusing truth. People also love their sweets. Mouth-watering frosted cake, three scoops of their favorite ice cream, luscious chocolate fondue, and the list is piling up. The question is: “How can you naturally cure your GERD or acid reflux, and enjoy dessert at the same time, especially when most sweets by their very nature are mis-combined and even very acid forming?”

It helps to be well-informed.

Almost everyone, including me, enjoys a dessert now and then (or probably ever so often?) The unfortunate thing is if one is not able to control one’s cravings for sweets and keeps on consuming them like there’s no tomorrow. Much more, if you are suffering from digestive disorders such as GERD, acid reflux, and gastritis. There are three simple ways you can eat your dessert without having any stomach problem. However, the key thing to remember here is you can only indulge again once you have gotten into a more alkaline state. The reason for this is your body can be more equipped by that time to handle it. Continue reading “3 Simple Ways to Eat Your Dessert and Naturally Cure Your GERD (Acid Reflux)”

Dessert Wines and Sweet Wines Are a World Apart

Sweet wines differ in many ways from dessert wines, and they attract totally separate markets from each other. First and foremost in this difference, a sweet wine is usually made from a dry wine with added sweetener. While a dessert wine is naturally sweet and considerably higher in alcohol content.

How sweet wines can be made

Many sweet wines have been made by either:

The use of unfermented grape juice being added into the dry wine in order to make it sweeter (this juice is called Sussreserve in Germany where as they invented the technique).There are tight rules about using this ‘sweet reserve’ as it’s volume must not be more than 15 percent of the final wine, and it’s origin and quality must also be identifiable as being the same as the base wine to which it is being added.
Inducing a stopped fermentation which involves arresting the ferment at the desired residual sugar content by the addition of sulphur dioxide. This is not always a straight forward process as once a ferment is well under way it can be hard to stop it. Also, beware home winemakers, do not overdose the wine if the ferment refuses to stop!Immediate filtration is one way to slow the activity down, but the only way to stop it fully, (if the addition of sulphur dioxide hasn’t done so already) is to undergo a full sterile filtration. One drawback here is you will inevitably be stripping some good flavours out of the wine.

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Almond Saffron Fudge, a Delicious Dessert Recipe

When it comes to nuts you cannot forget almonds. Almonds are very good source of carbohydrates including dietary fibers, sugars and starch. It is also considered rich in monounsaturated fat, which helps to lower LDL cholesterol levels. You can eat a handful of mixed nuts every day.

You can find almond trees mostly in the Middle East and South Asian countries. An almond rests inside a fleshy covering, like a peach or plum. This fleshy part tastes really good when you allow it to ripen. Many people don’t know about this.

Almond is one of the integral ingredients of many cakes and fudge recipes. I use almonds in all of my cakes and fudge recipes. It gives rich creamy texture and taste to the recipe. You can use almonds in variety of recipes.You can mix almond powder in any gravy and it gives thick creamy finishing touch to the gravy. You can prepare almond shake or use almond flakes on vanilla ice-cream as a topping.

Almond fudge is a dessert which has a delicate sweetness and goodness of the almond. In order to make this delicious treat, cook almonds on medium heat and add other ingredients as described below. Continue reading “Almond Saffron Fudge, a Delicious Dessert Recipe”