Photo: NDTV

New Delhi, India (BBN) - Diwali, the biggest of all festivals is around the corner, time to bring out those lovely clothes that you have been dying to flaunt.

Oops! They are a tad tight. The mirror isn't too flattering either, a healthy glowing skin is hidden beneath a layer of long working hours and eating all kinds of junk and oily foods, reports NDTV.

No problem! Let's put it right in a week so that you can slay it this festive season. Your skin is what you eat. The largest organ of our body needs the benefits of a nourishing diet to stay healthy, a lot of recent research has pointed towards the benefits of proteins, certain vitamins and minerals to enhance and protect skin health aka-get a healthy glowing skin.

Here are the foods you must be eating daily to get a natural glow back on your skin:

1. Green leafy vegetables are full of Vitamin A which revitalise the skin. Among the greens, Kale is right on top. It has a good amount of Vitamin C and Vitamin K which help prevent free radical damage and repair tissues to give you a glowing skin.
2. Carrots are a good source of beta carotene. It is known for its ability to prevent early aging, reducing damage caused by UV rays and imparting a natural glow to the skin.
3. Tomatoes provide lycopene, a phytonutrient which gives it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Eating tomato paste has been linked to reduced fine lines and furrows and it is also associated with protection against sunburn.
4. Vitamin C from citrus fruits is one of the most potent antioxidant, it boosts collagen production and keeps the skin smooth and firm. Orange can be eaten and its skin, which has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties can be used as a face pack.
5. Quercetin, a flavonoid, acts as an antioxidant fighting inflammation. It is abundant in Apple skin. Quercetin is known to increase the production of collagen and protects against UVB rays.
6. Lutein in avocados along with its beta carotene are perfect to use topically and in your food to nourish your skin inside out. The healthy fats present in this fruit are also great for the skin as they keep the skin supple.
7. Walnuts contain omega -3 fats which are anti-inflammatory in addition they are a good source of zinc, essential for the skin to function efficiently. Walnuts also give us a modest amount of Vitamin E and Vitamin C -both potent anti-oxidants. Sunflower seeds contain nutrients essential for the skin health like Vitamin E, linoleic acid, which keeps the skin moisturized. Almonds provide healthy fats in addition to Vitamin E, both required for a healthy moisturized skin.
8. Olive oil contains essential fatty acids or EFA's, which are fats not manufactured in our body. EFA's are an essential part of our cell membrane and help hold in the moisture making our skin supple.
9. Did you know that whole wheat, barley, oats, kuttu (buckwheat flour), brown rice and red rice are all rich sources of antioxidants? These foods are usually associated with just "carbs" and we forget to think of them in terms of other beneficial nutrients they give us. They also provide us with the most essential skin Vitamins of the B family, which prevent dry itchy skin. Make sure you get the entire grain -bran, endosperm and germ to get it all.
10. Proteins are what makes the skin- keratin, collagen, and elastin. These are the ones that provide strength and elasticity to the skin. So get your daily dose of proteins by including lean meat, chicken, eggs, legumes, fish and milk daily.
11. Drink up! You need at least 35 ml of water per kilogram body weight daily. In addition, add some green tea for its skin nourishing flavonoids. Water is the best drink for keeping the skin hydrated and glowing in any season.
Now, let's work out a diet for the next week where you can add all the above foods and still lose a kilogram or two.
Day 1. All fruits and 10-12 glasses of water. Avoid bananas and make sure you have one apple at least. Try to consume 1 kilogram of assorted fruits, eat a fruit whenever hungry don't starve.
Day 2. All vegetables. Get the greens, yellows and reds in. Eat to your hearts content but avoid adding oils. Use vinegar and lemon juice as dressings for your salads. You can start your day with a large boiled potato and a teaspoon of butter.
Day3 . A day for a mix of fruits and vegetables. No banana, no potato in your meals.
These three days will help your body throw out all the toxins, so have plenty of water. The fiber and nutrients from fruits and vegetables will nourish your body while giving it a rest from daily excesses. Start your day with warm water, no tea or coffee. No sugar, no juices.
Day 4. Have 3 glasses of milk, one each at breakfast, lunch and dinner and take 8 bananas today. If milk is not suitable you can substitute it with soy milk.
Day 5. 6 tomatoes with 500 gram of either chicken or fish. For vegetarian options, you can use 500 grams of paneeror Bengal gram. All of these must be cooked without oil. There is lots to eat, so no reason to starve. All that tomato and protein needs 8-0 glasses of water to wash out, so drink up good.
Day 6. You can add vegetables to your chicken, black gram or paneer and eat any amount of this combination.
Day 7. You did it! Treat yourself to some brown rice or a chappati, any amount of vegetables and add some fresh fruit juice to your meals today.
BBN/MMI/ANS

Relatively higher intake of dietary cholesterol, or eating an egg every day, are not associated with an elevated risk of incident coronary heart disease. Photo: NDTV

Melbourne, Australia (BBN) - Every day Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell gets asked the same questions over and over.

'Do I have to give up bread forever to lose weight?', 'Is the sugar in fruit harming my diet?', 'Is sushi really as healthy as everyone claims?'

So Susie decided the time had come to answer the most common questions she and fellow nutritionists get asked daily - and her answers may surprise you, reports DailyMail.

Oprah Winfrey has refused to give up her beloved bread, and so should you.

Susie revealed that not all bread causes weight gain, and the key is to picking the right one to keep you happy and full.

'Large wraps, Turkish bread, and thick slabs or the white stuff we often consume at cafes will easily result in a carb and calorie overload if we are not careful,' she wrote in her blog.

Instead Susie recommends sticking to a slice or two of dense grain or Sourdough bread to make sure your carbohydrate and calorie intake is still in check.

Fruit can likewise be a great addition to your diet, as long as you're having the right kind.

This doesn't mean you'll have to pick between grapes and watermelon. Fresh fruit is filled with naturally occurring sugars that won't adversely hurt your diet if you stick to one or two pieces a day, according to Susie.

But the same can't be said for fruit in juiced or dried form. These are packed with added sugars, which Susie recommends limiting to five teaspoons a day.

'You will get this simply from using a sauce or two throughout the day, and perhaps a little in a processed snack bar, yoghurt, or breakfast cereal,' she wrote.

Susie recommends checking labels to make sure that what you're buying has less than five grams of sugar per serve, or less than 10grams per 100grams.

Yoghurt is another seemingly nutritious snack that can sometimes be packed with sugar.

Susie recommends sticking to plain Greek yoghurts, especially those with a higher protein count.

Since fruit yoghurts often have double or triple the amount of sugar compared to plain flavours, Susie once again recommends using fresh fruit instead.

BBN/SS/ANS

Kaju burfi. Photo: Indobase

(BBN) - These diamond shaped pieces, decorated by silver foils isn't just interesting to look at but are also irresistible.
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups raw cashew nuts
2 cups water
2 cups sugar
Silver foil
HOW TO MAKE KAJU BURFI:
Grind the cashews to make a fine powder.
Next prepare a sugar syrup by combining water and sugar together in a pot and heating them.
Stir continuously until it has a 2-thread consistency.
Turn off the flame.
Dissolve cashew powder in the syrup. Make the solution thick.
Spread the solution on a greased plate and put silver foil on it.
Allow to cool and then cut it into pieces.
Kaju Burfi is ready, according to Indobase.com.
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Photo: Indobase

(BBN) - Crispy and crunchy chicken samosa makes at home with chicken mince is a great appetizer or snack
PREPARATION TIME: 10 Minutes
COOKING TIME: 30 Minutes
DIFFICULTY: Easy
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup onions (chopped)
1 tsp ginger Paste
1 tbsp garlic (minced)
1 tbsp green chilly (chopped)
3 small chicken pieces
3 tsp Red chilly Powder
1½ tsp of Turmeric powder
2 tsp pepper powder
2 tsp fennel powder
1 cup flour
Salt (to taste)
1 cup oil
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN SAMOSA:
Marinate chicken with red chilly powder, 1 tsp turmeric, and pepper powder.
Keep aside for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan and fry the chicken pieces.
Remove and mash the chicken. Set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan and saute onions, green chilly, ginger paste, and garlic.
Stir in fennel powder and remaining turmeric powder.
Add mashed chicken and cook until you can smell the aroma. Remove from heat.
Knead soft dough with flour and water. Divide into small balls.
Roll out chapattis from the balls and cut into four portions.
Place the chicken mixture on each half portion and fold it in a triangle shape. Do the same to make the remaining samosas.
Apply water to the ends and secure them tightly to the samosas.
Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the samosas in batches, until golden on all sides.
Serve hot with tomato sauce, according to Indobase.
BBN/SK/AD

Falooda. Photo: Indobase

(BBN) - Falooda doesn't need any introduction to many. It's a cold drink/dessert popular in Bangladesh.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups milk
1 packet falooda sev
2 tsp rose water
1/2 tsp soaked tukmuri seeds
HOW TO MAKE FALOODA:
Boil the sev in water for 20 minutes.
Drain the excess water.
Boil it in little milk over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Add ice to cool the boiled sev.
Put the sev in glasses.
Add rose water.
Also add soaked tukmuri seeds.
Pour in milk and add ice.
Top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Falooda is ready, according to Indobase.
BBN/SK/AD

Photo: NDTV

(BBN) - An interesting way to beat the heat - blend together orange juice along with ginger, sugar, mint leaves and ice cubes.
RECIPE SERVINGS: 3
PREP TIME: 5 Minutes
COOK TIME: 15 Minutes
INGREDIENTS
500 ml orange juice
1 medium size ginger
1 tsp sugar
8-10 mint leaves
1 orange
6-7 ice cubes
METHOD
Blend together orange juice, chopped ginger, sugar, mint leaves & ice cubes.
Add orange slices and mint leaves to a glass.
Pour the slushie into the glass, serve, according to NDTV.
BBN/MS/SK

Photo: boxtreat.com

(BBN) - A masala dosa is made by stuffing a dosa with lightly cooked potatoes, onions, green chilli and spices.
INGREDIENTS:
2-1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 cup urad dal (whole)
2 tsp fenugreek seeds
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil for cooking
FOR MASALA:
3 boiled potatoes (peeled and chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 chillies (chopped)
1 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp chana dal
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste
HOW TO MAKE MASALA DOSA:
•    Wash and soak urad dal, long grain rice and fenugreek seeds separately for at least 6 hours in water.
•    Now grind them together by adding requisite amount of water to make a fine paste.
•    Add salt and set the mixture aside for fermentation for a day.
•    Saute onions, mustard seeds, chana dal and chilli in a pan with oil.
•    Add chopped potatoes, tumeric and salt and stir continuously.
•    Cook it for a few minutes.
•    Pour a ladle of the batter on a non-stick pan and give it a circular shape.
•    Drop little oil around it and turn over when bubbling appears.
•    Fill in the center of dosa with a spoonful of masala and fold it.
•    Masala dosa is ready.
•    Serve it hot with sambhar and freshly prepared coconut chutney, according to Indobase.com.
BBN/MS/SK

Photo: sailusfood.com

(BBN) – Lady’s finger fry is a very popular recipe. Learn how to make/prepare Lady’s finger fry by following this easy recipe.

Lady's finger fry recipe:

Preparation Time:  5 Minutes

Cooking Time: 5 Minutes

Serves: 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ tbsp gram Flour

1 Onion (finely ground)

300 gms lady's finger (Bhindi)

1 ½ green chili (finely sliced)

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 ½ tbsp oil

Salt to taste

HOW TO MAKE LADY'S FINGER FRY:

Wash the lady fingers clean and chop both ends of it.

Slice it in an elongated manner.

Over a medium heated stove place the non-stick frying pan and allow the oil to boil.

Bring the flame at low mode then lay the slices of lady fingers, turmeric powder and salt.

Fry it crispy brown and put aside.

Allow only 2 tbsp of oil to remain in the pan now and strain out the rest.

Sprinkle cumin seeds and green chili to it then for 20 seconds stir it.

Add the ground onion to it

Stir it until golden brown.

Once it is done add to it the mango powder and gram flour.

Stir it for about 5 minutes then add lady finger and the remaining ingredients.

Stir it well for about 30 seconds and keep it aside, according to indobase.com.

BBN/MS/SK

Photo: manjulaskitchen.com

(BBN) - Potato Rolls is a very popular recipe. Learn how to make/prepare Potato Rolls by following this easy recipe.
INGREDIENTS:
4 large Potatoes (boiled and mashed)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp green chilly (finely chopped)
½ tsp baking powder
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp rava (for rolling)
Oil (for frying)
METHOD:
Combine all the ingredients together, except rava, and knead into smooth dough.
Divide into small balls and shape them into ovals.
Roll them over rava.
Heat oil in a frying pan and fry the rolls on medium heat, until golden brown.
Drain on a kitchen towel and serve hot with tomato ketchup, according to indobase.com.
BBN/MS/SK

Fish Kebab. Photo: Indobase.com

(BBN) - Marinated in tangy lemon juice and pungent garlic the fish are then grilled infusing each and every flavor together.
INGREDIENTS:
900 gms fish
3/4 cup lemon juice
2 tsp fresh ginger (finely grated)
3 cloves garlic (crushed)
1-1/2 tsp salt
4 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 cup yoghurt
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp cooking oil

HOW TO MAKE FISH KEBAB:
Rinse fish with cold water and pat dry.
Now cut into 1 inch cubes and set aside.
Mix all the ingredients to make a marinade.
Pour this into large freezer bag and add the fish cubes.
Make sure fish is well covered by marinade.
Place freezer bag in the refrigerator for two hours.
Take away fish from marinade.
Discard the marinade and assemble fish cubes.
Spray the grill lightly with cooking oil and place the fish kebabs on the grill.
Cook for about 4-6 minutes each side or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
Fish Kebab is ready to be served with hot rice, according to Indobase.
BBN/SK/AD