Unconditional Bond of Love

Raksha Bandhan which means a 'bond of protection', is one such Indian festival that is all about affection, fraternity and sublime sentiments. Raksha bandhan has been celebrated in the same way with the same traditions for many years. This day has an inherent power that pulls the siblings together.

On the day of Rakhi, sisters prepare the pooja thali with diya, roli, chawal, rakhi thread and sweets. The ritual begins with a prayer then the sister ties Rakhi to her brother and wishes for his happiness and well-being. In turn, brothers also wish their sisters' a good life and pledges to take care of her. He gives her a return gift. The gift symbolizes the physical acceptance of her love, reminder of their togetherness and his pledge.

The increasing distances evoke the desire to be together even more. All brothers and sisters try to reach out to each other on this auspicious day. The joyous meeting, the rare family get-together, that erstwhile feeling of brotherhood and sisterhood calls for a massive celebration. For everyone, it is an opportunity to reunite and celebrate. People also share tasty dishes, nuts, dry fruits and wonderful Sweets of all kinds, mainly, Barfi, Gulab Jamuns and Rasgullas are the favourites.

Warm your way through Winter

Wintertime – a fantastic season for that extra hour curled up under your duvet and for eating warm, spicy and nourishing food and drinks.

We feel hungrier in winter because the cold weather brings a drop in your body temperature, which stimulates your appetite. Eating helps to generate heat and keeps your body warm. Your body works harder and spends more energy just trying to keep you warm during winter, so your desire to eat more comes from your body’s natural increase in energy use. While you definitely can enjoy a healthy appetite during winter, do monitor your calorie intake, or you could end up putting on unwanted weight at the end of the season.

Bring a little sunshine into your home during the cold winter months by enjoying the bounty of produce that's available this season. Fresh fruits like Lemons, oranges, kiwis, strawberries, etc are available this season. All green leafy vegetables like spinach, fenugreek leaves, spinach, kale and some flour like wheat flour, millet, barley, jowar and pulses are few of the foods that make us feel warm, supported and secured.

The ideal way to start a meal is with a Barley & Vegetable Medley soup. This is loaded with health and taste. Fiber-rich barley is a key ingredient in this soup while the use of vegetable stock and other veggies enhances its health profile. Red chili flakes spice up the soup, but always add it at the end lest the soup becomes over spicy. Adding cheese to hot soup causes it to melt and mix in well with soup thereby pepping up the flavor – what more can i say, taste it and you’ll believe me! Click here to view the recipe >>