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Include these locally-available foods that are rich in fibre, antioxidants, essential vitamins, minerls and healthy fats in your diet.

GOOSEBERRY

 Few can resist the joy of eating a gooseberry preserved in brine. Offering a delicious mix of salty, sour and sweet after tastes, the gooseberry has always had a place in our hearts. Had as pickles or plucked directly off the tree and eaten, this every-day berry has a number of health properties. It is a natural blood purifier, boosts immunity, helps in weight management and is good for the skin and hair. Next time you find gooseberries, make sure you eat them.

MORINGA

 Packed with anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals, the moringa is a powerhouse of nutrients. Containing seven times more Vitamin C than oranges and 15 times more potassium than bananas, in addition to iron and amino acids, it helps build muscle and helps the body heal. Eat it as a simple curry or add it to a salad. You could even add moringa leaves to your pasta.

JACKFRUIT

 The humble jackfruit is today celebrated for its multiple health benefits. It is considered more nutritious than other fruits because consuming a small cup of sliced jackfruit can give you carbohydrates, protein, fibre, Vitamin A and C, riboflavin, magnesium, pottassium. copper and manganese that your body needs. It helps prevent diseases, especially diabetes. You can eat it ripe or cook raw jackfruit into a stir-fry. Jackfruit is used to make chips, too, and its flour is now used to make cakes, biscuits and even papads.

RAGI

Also known as finger millet, ragi is a cereal rich in protein and minerals. Known for its anti-microbial properties, ragi helps boost immunity and bone health. Ragi is also known for its ability to prevent cancer. Normally had as a porridge or dosa or steamed like an idli or mudde, ragi ncan be had in fancy forms too - it can be added to cookies, muffins, and even in cakes.

BANANA BLOSSOM

A rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibre, the banana flower helps in development of a healthy body and mind. It has the power to cure infections, too and aids digestion. If you don't want to have it as a traditional stir-fry, you could make an interesting salad out of it, by adding other vegetables or fruits, as the banana blossom can also be had raw.

TURMERIC

 Many of us started consuming more of turmeric during the first wave of COVID-19. This is because turmeric can help build immunity against viral infections. It contains curcumin, a substance that helps reduce inflammation. In addition to turmeric's anti-spectic and anti-bacterial properties, it can also help relieve pain. So, next time you have your favourite curry, add an extra spoon of turmeric to it.

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Ingredients :  Large banana, sliced: Apple, cored and chopped: ½,  Honey: 1/2 tbsp, Milk: 1, 1/2 cup

 Method: Combine banana chunks, apple pieces and honey in a blender jar. Add milk. Blend it all to a smooth puree. If you feel that it's too thick, then add more milk to dilute it and blend it again for a few seconds. Pour into serving glasses, garnish with banana wheels and serve immediately.

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Ingredients :  Apple, cored and sliced: 2, Pomegranate, medium sized: 2, Black salt: 2-3 pinches, A few ice cubes

Method : Chop the pomegranate,into two and remove the arils. Peel, core and chop apples. First put the sliced the apples into the feeder tube of the juicer and extract the juice. Then add the pomegranate arils and extract the juice. Pour the juices in glasses. Sprinkle a pinch of black salt in each glass and serve the apple pomegranate juice immediately with ice cubes.

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The Sahara in North Africa is the largest hot desert and the third largest desert in the world. Spread over an area of 9.4 million sq km, the desert covers large sections of as many as 11 countries such as Egypt Libya. Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Sudan. Did you know only one quarter of the desert is sandy? The rest is made up of rocky plateaus, gravel, salt flats, dry valleys and oases.

The Sahara is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Red Sea to the east, the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Sahel savanna to the south. The enormous desert spans 10 countries (Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia) as well as the territory of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that was annexed by Morocco in 1975, though control of the region is disputed by the Indigenous Saharawi people.

The Sahara desert has a variety of land features, but it is most famous for the sand dune fields that are often depicted in movies. The dunes can reach almost 600 feet (183 meters) high, and they cover about 25% of the entire desert, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. Other topographical features include mountains, plateaus, sand- and gravel-covered plains, salt flats, basins and depressions. Emi Koussi, an extinct volcano in Chad, is the highest point in the Sahara, reaching 11,204 feet (3,415 m) above sea level,  and the Qattara Depression in northwestern Egypt is the Sahara's deepest point, at 436 feet (133 m) below sea level.

Despite the harsh, arid conditions of the Sahara, many plant and animal species call the region home. Approximately 500 plant species, 70 mammalian species, 90 avian species, 100 reptilian species and numerous species of spiders, scorpions and other small arthropods live in the Sahara. The camel is one of the most iconic animals of the Sahara, though its ancestors originated in North America. Other mammal residents of the Sahara include gazelles, addaxes (a type of antelope), cheetahs, caracals, desert foxes and wild dogs. Many reptiles also thrive in the desert environment, including several species of snakes, lizards and even crocodiles in places where there is enough water. Several arthropod species also call the Sahara home, such as dung beetles, scarab beetles, "deathstalker" scorpions and many types of ants.

Today, the Sahara has a dry, inhospitable desert climate. The past 2,000 years or so, the climate of the Sahara has been fairly stable — and dry. The northeastern winds strip moisture from the air over the desert and drive hot winds toward the equator.

Credit : Live science

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Ingredients : Bread: 8 slices, Choco chips or chopped chocolate: 2 tbsp, Chopped cashew: 1/2 tbsp, Chopped raisins: 1/2 tbsp, Chopped walnuts: 1/2 tbsp,  Butter as required

Method: Spread butter evenly on each slice of bread. Now spread choco chips on 4 bread slices. Do not add too much chocolate as it melts and oozes out while grilling and toasting. Sprinkle chopped dry fruits on top. Cover with the remaining buttered slices. Place in a preheated sandwich toaster or grill. Grill or toast till the bread becomes crispy. Serve chocolate sandwich hot or warm.

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Ingredients For the Chutney : Chopped coriander 1, cup Green chilli, finely chopped: 1, Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp, Grated coconut 1/4 cup, Garlic cloves, minced: 2-3, Few drops of lemon juice, Salt to taste, Water: 3-4 tbsp

Other ingredients : Bread: 8-10 slices, Butter as required

 Method: For preparing chutney, take chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut, green chilli, cumin seeds. garlic cloves, salt and lemon juice in a grinder jar. Add 3-4 tablespoon water and grind to a smooth chutney. Take chutney in a bowl and keep aside. Now trim edges of bread slices. Spread butter evenly on the slices. Now spread the chutney on them. (If packing the sandwich for lunch box, then spread a generous amount of butter, so that bread does not become soggy). Bring together bread slices to form a sandwich. Slice and serve.

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Ingredients : Grated paneer: 1/2 cup Grated cheese 1/2 cup Green chilli, chopped: 1 Onion finely chopped: 1, Tomato (medium size), finely chopped: 1 Capsicum. finely chopped: 1/2 Mayonnaise: 1 tbsp Italian seasoning: 1 tsp Oregano: 1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes: 1/2 tsp Bread: 4 slices, Butter as required

Method: Mix all the ingredients except red chilli flakes, bread and butter. Take bread slices, spread butter on them and top with paneer filling. Top with some cheese. Sprinkle red chilli flakes on top. Preheat oven to grill mode on 250 degrees C. Place the bread slices on the grill rack and grill for 1-2 minutes till golden. Remove and cool for a minute. Cut it and serve with ketchup.

Picture Credit : Google 

Ingredients : Brown bread or white sandwich bread: 8, slices Tomato, thinly sliced: 1, Cucumber. thinly sliced:1,Freshly ground black pepper powder 1-2 tsp Salt to taste, Butter as required.

Method: Trim the edges of the bread. Apply butter evenly on the bread slices and keep aside Arrange slices of tomato and cucumber on 4 slices of buttered bread. Sprinkle salt and pepper powder on the tomato. cucumber slices. Cover with another slice of buttered bread. While serving, you can cut the cucumber tomato sandwich diagonally.

Serve with potato wafers and tomato ketchup. If making for lunch box then wrap the sandwiches in a cling film or aluminium foil and place it in tiffin box (Also if you're making these sandwiches to pack in your lunch box or take during travel, then avoid sprinkling salt.)

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The negative impact of processed food on our health has been well-established. But did you know such foods are also a threat to our environment?

Processed foods are items that are a result of a series of industrial processes. They include confectionery, soft drinks, chips, pre-prepared meals, and fast foods. They contain preservatives, food colouring and little or no whole food. Such products are the mainstay of a 'globalised diet' and are becoming dominant in the global food supply, with sales and consumption growing in all regions and almost all countries. This means that dietary patterns worldwide are becoming increasingly more processed and less diverse.

What are the environmental  impacts?

• There are more than 7,000 edible plant species, but 90% of humanity's energy intake comes from just 15 crop plants, and more than four billion people rely on just three of them: rice, wheat and maize, which are also the main ingredients in processed food. As the production of processed food increases, it places pressure on the environment in which the above-mentioned crops are grown. Moreover, animal-sourced ingredients used in many processed foods are often derived from confined animals that feed on the same crops.

• Loss of agrodiversity also impacts animals, birds and insects that depend on other crops.

• Some ingredients used in ultra-processed foods such as cocoa, sugar, and vegetable oil are strongly associated with biodiversity loss. For instance, demand for palm oil (a common ingredient in processed foods) is associated with deforestation in Southeast Asia.

• The processed food production uses large quantities of land, water, energy, herbicides and fertilizers; and causes environmental degradation from greenhouse gas emissions. Not to mention the plastic pollution caused by the packaging of processed food.

When you avoid processed food, you are taking care not only of your health, but also of the planet.

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 Mexico - Italian-American Chef Cesare ("Caesar") Cardini invented Caesar salad at his restaurant in Tijuana, Mexico in 1924. As the story goes, the popular restaurant was super busy so they had started to run out of ingredients. As a result, Cardini threw together a salad from items that were to hand: romaine lettuce, parmesan cheese, and egg. The salad was a hit and became especially popular with Americans visiting Tijuana. In 1948, the Cardini family moved to Los Angeles, California, and patented their famous salad dressing. Caesar Salad is a popular dish.

Credit : Try3steps

Picture Credit : Google