Indian Summer, is the time to savor the abundance of nature!
Come summer and you begin to plan for vacations (long awaited), long trips, lazing around with family-friends and the list is long. With temperature soaring only upwards it also brings along with it concerns of seasonal illnesses like digestive troubles (diarrhea, nausea, acid reflux and even abdominal pain) sunburn, sunstroke and heat strokes. Due to the dehydrating summer heat, the body loses electrolytes easily and leads to muscle cramps as well as dull-dry skin. Loss of fluids can result in constipation and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can get aggravated during summers. Take time to recover and rest as coping with extremely hot weather can be very tiring. Sip water all the day long, even if you don’t feel thirsty.
Water. Rest. Shade. Three magical words to beat the summer heat. During the summer heat, profuse sweating makes you feel fatigued and low on energy, for most part of the day. It’s all-important to ensure you are getting the right nutrients and keeping your immunity strong. Protect yourself from the sun by applying a good waterproof sunscreen daily. Wear summer appropriate breathable clothing; light-weight, light-colored, loose-fitting fabric. Having cold water shower, twice a day, keeps your skin pores unclogged and is much more refreshing. Limit your daily sun exposure to the cooler hours, avoid going out between 10 am and 4 pm. Bring your umbrella and reusable water bottle with you everywhere to avoid headaches and brain fog!!. When outdoors, wear protective eyewear that can block at least 99% of ultraviolet rays.
Indian Summer, is the time to savor the abundance of nature’ bounty, with access to several seasonal fresh produce: raw green-mangoes, ripen yellow-orange-green mangoes, melons: both water and musk, plums, peaches and what not. These in-season green goods are available in more quantities, better to taste (full of natural sweetness), are packed with vital nutrients, and contain no additives or chemicals than non-seasonal variants. These summer’s foods are absolutely refreshing to consume as part of breakfast bowls, sprouts, salads, raita, sandwiches and smoothie jars. They come with the added benefit of antioxidants and dietary fiber needed by your body for being healthy. Make ice cubes with fresh herbs (mint, aloevera, basil and ginger) and produce (mangoes, lemons, cucumber, berries, grapes, bananas and kiwi) to add to your plain water. These pop-able can be grabbed whenever you crave something sweet and chilly, throughout the scorching summer months. To beat the painful heat, gulp a glass of freshly made aam-panna, mint-lemon water, masala chhas &/or infused water to constantly hydrate ourselves, as these can meet-up the nutritional requirements for the season.
In all this summer diet has an crucial role to play by keeping your health and safety in mind. Follow these healthy diet tips for a happy and healthy you!
ü Avoid ultra-processed food items.
ü Be mindful of portion sizes.
ü Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day to ensure a well hydrated body. Do not drink extremely chilled water.
ü Have light-digestible foods in less quantity and cut the intake of too much spicy and deep fried snacks.
ü Restrict roadside foods that may be contaminated and can lead to foodborne illnesses.
ü Engage in light physical activity. Remember to add weight-lifting, dumbbells, pull-ups, push-ups or other muscle-strengthening activities to your exercise routine.
Try these super-healthy summertime yummy dishes to keep yourself cool and fight heatwave- the natural way!
|
Recipe #1 |
|
|
Salad bowl |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Corn, steamed: 30g Green peas, steamed: 50g Tomatoes, diced: 1tbsp Fresh mint-coriander leaves, chopped: 1 tbsp Green bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Red bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Yellow bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Salt to taste. |
Washout and prepare all food components. In a large serving bowl, combine all ingredients. Serve with air fryer tortilla chips. |
|
Recipe #2 |
|
|
Mango smoothie |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Mango, pulp: 100ml Mango, chopped: 1 tbsp Milk, boiled and cooled: 50ml Custard powder: 1 tbsp Almonds, cashew, walnuts, shredded: 1 tbsp Fresh cream: 1 tsp |
Boil milk and let it cool. Add the mango pulp and custard power to the milk and mix well. Sprinkle mango pieces and nuts on the mixture. Top up with fresh cream and serve chilled. |
|
Recipe #3 |
|
|
Cucumber sticks |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Peanut butter: 5 tsp Cucumber, 3” long slit: 5-7 Raisins: a few Corn: a few |
Wash and cut cucumber in log-pieces. Spread peanut butter on each cucumber piece. Place raisins and boiled corns on the cucumber logs and serve chilled. |
|
Recipe #4 |
|
|
On the go smoothie |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Oatmeal: 2 tbsp Strawberry, chopped: 5 Coconut milk: 100ml Banana: 1 Cinnamon, powder: a pinch |
Add all the ingredients to a blender and make a smooth puree. Transfer it to a smoothie jar/bowl. Garnish it with toppings of your choice and serve chilled. |
|
Recipe #5 |
|
|
Tomato Omelet |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Eggs: 2 Butter: 1 tsp Tomatoes, diced: 2 tbsp Green bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Red bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Yellow bell pepper, chopped: 2tbsp Onion, chopped: 1 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves, chopped: 1 tbsp Cheese, shredded: 2 tbsp White pepper, powder: a pinch Salt to taste. |
Beat eggs with cream. Heat skillet, add butter and onions. Add tomatoes, bell peppers and coriander leaves to whipped eggs. Season to taste. Pour into skillet. Cook until almost set. Sprinkle cheese on it. And roll omelet from one side to another and serve hot. |
|
Recipe #6 |
|
|
Pesto Potato Peas Salad |
|
|
Ingredients |
How to make |
|
Baby potatoes, halved: 15 Green peas: 2 tbsp Italian Pesto sauce: 2 tbsp Black pepper, freshly cracked: a few Spring onions, thinly sliced: 1 tbsp Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp Garlic cloves, chopped: 2 Peanuts, toasted: 1 tbsp Cheese, grated: 2 tbsp Microgreens : 1 tbsp Chili flakes: 1 tbsp Lemon, freshly squeezed: 1 tsp Honey: 1 tbsp Olive oil, extra virgin: a little Salt to taste. |
In a medium saucepan, bring potatoes and water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until potatoes are tender (about 20 minutes). In a large salad bowl, add Pesto, lemon juice, chili flakes and honey; stir to combine. Add potatoes, peas, and peanuts; toss to coat. Garnish with shards of microgreens, cheese, spring onion, coriander leaves and black pepper. Serve the salad warm. |
Be creative and plan ahead to enjoy these summer treats and memories being made. Happy Summers!
The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now.