Goundnut Chikki

500 gm groundnut

200 gm brown sugar

100 gm sugar

2-3 tbsp ghee

Roast groundnuts and remove skin. Take brown sugar and ordinary sugar and mix in a frying pan. Add a little water and boil the mixture. Once it becomes thick, test it by putting a drop of the mixture into water. Check if it becomes hard. Mix the groundnut. Churn well and pour the mixture into a greased thali. Cut into pieces and fill in a container. Murmura chikki and amaranth chikki can also be made using the same method.

Telchi

2 cups sesame seeds

2.5 cups grated jaggery

1 cup wheat flour

Oil or ghee

Roast the sesame seeds lightly and grind. Mix the grated jaggery and sesame seeds together adding a little ghee. Keep aside. Mix wheat flour, salt and two teaspoons of oil. Knead dough of this mix and keep aside, Now make even sized small balls of this dough. Then roll each of them into a round shape of just 3 inches in diameter. Fill 3 tablespoons of this mixture of sesame and jaggery in the rolled out dough. Close it from all sides forming a ball. Then again roll the ball into a round flat shape of a bigger size than before. Heat griddle (tawa) and place this telchi on it. After 1 minute, turn it upside down. Roast both sides with a little ghee. Serve hot with ghee.

As the winter chill sets in we crave for sweet foods, a natural yen ince sugars bring instant energy and warmth. Natural sweeteners are best for your body and soul.

A craving for something sweet is a signal from your body for easy ener­gy. When you consume processed sugar you are physically tricked into feeling satiated. The reality is the sweetness you have eaten is com­pletely deficient in essenttal vita­mins, minerals. trace minerals and enzymes. For example. a bar of chocolate may sattsfy your craving for sweet or your hunger. But the high amount of sugar and fat it con­tains creates a deficit in nutrients that your body needs.

So we have people who are over­weight. yet physically they are starved for nutrients. A battle with your sweet tooth is not the answer

Replacing man-made. processed. empty calories with natural sweet­eners is the right solution. While cooking and baking, refined sweet­eners can easily be replaced with natural ones. such as gud (jaggery). shakkar (powdered jaggery). bura (artlsenal sugar) and honey.

Honey is composed of gluocose and fructose. It has minerals like magnesium. potassium. calcium. sodium chlorine. sulphur. iron and phosphate. It contains many types of vitamin B. depending on the quali­ties of the nectar and pollen. Besides honey has copper. iodine, and zinc in small quantities. Honey may also be effective in the treatment of ulcers. According to the National Honey Institute. honey may be bene­ficial to athletes by reducing fatigue. Honey is a good source of antioxi­dants which play a big role in the prevention of cancer and heart dis­ease.

Jaggery is often called a 'medicinal sugar'.It is very useful for dry cough. cough with sputum, indigestion. and constipation. For a dry cough or cough with sputum. cook jaggery with ginger. a pinch of salt. pepper and water. Jaggery has potassium. which conserves the acid balance in cells and combats acids and acetone. It is also rich in iron. and especially recommended for expectant and lac­tating mothers.

Shakkar. the powdered form of jag­gery. has similar properties. It has the added advantage of cooking easily.

Stevia is an incredible health restoring plant and a natural sweet­ener. Small and green. its leaves have a delicious and refreshing taste. 30 times sweeter than sugar.

Stevia is an appetite stimulant and a boon for diabetics since it is calorie free. It also inhibits the formation of cavi­ties and plaque. Stevia leaves can be sprinkled over cooked vegetables meats, cereals and salads. Besides adding a touch of sweetness. stevia leaves enhance the flavor and nutri­tional value of food.

Stevia leaves are available in tea bags. A delightful tea can be brewed with a twist of lime. You can make refreshing lemonade too. Water based whole leaf stevia concentrate is good for your skin. A facial mask can be applied. Just smooth the dark liquid over your face and allow it to dry for at least 30-60 minutes. Your skin will feel tighter and smoother as the mask dries. Wrinkles. blem­ishes. acne fade away.