Happy bites

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Do you feel stressed out? Or feel irritable and can find no one to blame? Then a simple solution to bust that tension and keep you cheery all day is food. Some foods have mood enhancing substances that can help your body and mind stay active and destressed all day.

“My mornings are usually very rushed and I never have time for breakfast. I end up snacking on chips. I feel exhausted at the end of the day. I’m always on pins and needles at work, I constantly worry, and I don’t know how to calm myself,” says Eesha Singh, a marketing executive, whose story probably resonates with a lot of us. But this can change with just a few modifications in your diet.
Executive chef of Metropolitan hotel, Tarun Kapoor suggests an avocado shake in the morning as an easy and nutritious substitute for a wholesome breakfast that will keep you charged for a long time.
Avocado, a Mexican fruit, is now available in most Indian markets. “It can be eaten raw, or you can blend it with milk and sugar to make a shake. It is rich in iron and antioxidants, which are both essential nutrients for the body. It is a refreshing drink and a very good way to start the day,” says chef Tarun. He also recommends papayas, watermelons, curd and asafoetida to lighten the mood and keep you calm.
Clinical nutritionist and director of Whole Foods India, Isha Khosla sheds some light on why some foods are mood enhancing. “Carbohydrates in sweets and starchy foods seem to act on the brain chemical serotonin. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, regulates many of our feelings including pain, sleep, mood and hunger. Carbohydrates increase serotonin levels, making you feel calmer and less irritable,” she says.
Foods rich in tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin, are chocolates, oats, bananas, mangoes, dried dates, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, lean red meat, poultry, fish, eggs, sesame, chickpeas, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, spirulina, peanuts.
However, Dr Isha Khosa also warns that you run the risk of overdosing on carbohydrates, especially if you were hungry to start with. A diet high in carbohydrates can also lead to insulin resistance leading to obesity and the beginning of type-2 diabetes.
So while you chomp down those nourishing delights, make sure to have it in moderation. Stay healthy, stay happy.

ORGANIC DALIA KHICHDI WITH VEGETABLES
Ingredients
w Half cup dalia (broken wheat)
w Half cup washed split moong dal (yellow moong beans)
w 2 tbsp green peas
w 1 tbsp chopped french bean
w 1 tbsp chopped capsicum
w 1 tbsp chopped carrot
w 2 tbsp chopped onion
w 1 tsp chopped green chilli
w 2 cups of water
w 1 tbsp olive oil
w 1 red whole chilli
w Half pinch of hing powder (asafoetida)
w 1 tsp cumin seeds
w Salt to taste

Preparation
Wash moong dal and dalia twice and leave in a colander for 5 minutes. Heat ½ tsp of oil in a pan and add dalia and moong dal mixture. Fry till it turns light brown. Remove the mixture from heat and set aside. Again heat the pan with remaining ghee or oil. Add cumin seeds and red whole chilli. When they crackle, add the chopped onions, hing powder and fry till light golden brown. Add the chopped beans, capsicum, carrot, green chilli and green peas. Mix well and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Add dalia and moong dal mixture to it. Mix well. Add 2 cups of water and salt according to taste. Mix and cover. Let it cook for about 8-10 minutes on low flame. Garnish with anything of your choice. Serve hot.

(Recipe by chef Rajiv Malhotra
executive chef, Old World Hospitality Restaurants: Chor Bizzare and Tikka Town)

FRESH FIGS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PEPPERED HONEY
Ingredients
w 1/4 cup honey
w 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
w 12 fresh figs
w 1/4 cup soft fresh goat cheese

Preparation
Combine honey and pepper in small pitcher; stir to blend. Starting from stem end, cut each fig into quarters, stopping 1/2 inch from bottom to leave base intact. Gently press figs open. Put 1 teaspoon cheese into centre of each. Arrange figs on platter; drizzle with peppered honey.