THE THREE R’S THAT CAN SAVE US

THE THREE R’S THAT CAN SAVE US 

We’re probably throwing out more food/money than we realize. We all do…but few of us recognise this and fewer still admit to it! In fact each of us throws away on average 120kg of food a year. but what can you and I do about it?? Do I really waste food?

The following  three R’s can save us!!!

REDUCE - food wastage by buying more efficiently.
Take a list with you to the grocery store; you’re less likely to buy items that you won’t use. Even better option is to plan your meals for a week which eases out shopping and cooking both.

REUSE- unwanted item where possible instead of disposing them
Donate any unopened non-perishable items that you definitely won’t use.
Clean out your fridge/freezer/cupboards on a somewhat regular basis and use  anything that is getting near to the manufacturers “best by” date.

RECYCLE - compost
Use any leftover food,use your creativity.
If at times you have brought a vegetable, can’t reduce it, it already started spoiling so can’t reuse it, you’re down to “recycle”, that’s where composting comes in, possibly some nice soil will magically appear.

Just THINK.EAT.SAVE: Reduce your foodprint!
Save Food, Save Environment and Save Lives.........

So now you are aware about the 3R’s! 
So Have fun Reducing, Reusing and Recycling!

Small changes can make a big difference

Small changes can make a big difference

THINK.EAT.SAVE
Following small changes will help to reduce your “foodprint” and save our environment

Buy local, organic foods that do not use chemicals in the production process.

Buy food with a thought. Do not buy more food than you need to avoid food wastage.

Go vegetarian atleast once a week.

Plant a vegetable garden.

Cook food with care, serve just enough,use what is left.

Do not waste water, like do not let it run while we brush our teeth.

Request smaller portions at restaurants.

Avoid excess food packaging, use cloth bags, reuseable cups, non plastic bottles.

Avoid plastic bottles.

Don’t litter.

Just THINK.EAT.SAVE: Reduce your foodprint!
Save Food, Save Environment and Save Lives.........

World Environment Day 2013

World Environment Day 2013

The theme for this year’s World Environment Day celebrations is Think.Eat.Save. 

Think.Eat.Save is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign that encourages you to reduce your foodprint. 

You all must be thinking how is it relevant to you all, like women’s day, valentine day, cancer day, what’s so great about this day too…and does it really affect you at individual level…please read on to know more and how can you support it.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), every year 1.3 billion tonnes of food is wasted. This is equivalent to the same amount produced in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time,1 in every 7 people in the world go to bed hungry and more than 20,000 children under the age of 5 die daily from hunger.  

If food is wasted, it means that all the resources and inputs used in the production of all the food are also lost. For example, it takes about 1,000 litres of water to produce 1 litre of milk and about 16,000 litres goes into a cow’s food to make a hamburger. The resulting greenhouse gas emissions from the cows themselves, and throughout the food supply chain, all end up in vain when we waste food.

Follow these tips to reduce your “foodprint” and food bill!Making informed decision therefore means,that you purposefully

Select foods that have less of an environmental impact, such as organic foods that do not use chemicals in the production process. 

Choose to buy local which can also mean that foods are not flown halfway across the world and therefore limit emissions.

    

Go vegetarian atleast once a week.

Plant a vegetable garden.

Cook food with care, serve just enough,use what is left.

Buy food with a thought. Do not buy more food than you need to avoid food wastage.

Request smaller portions at restaurants.

 

Avoid excess food packaging.

Avoid plastic bottles.

Don’t litter.

Finally the Three Rs

Reuse unwanted item where possible instead of disposing them

Reduce food wastage by buying more efficiently.

Recycle any leftover food,use your creativity.

So think before you eat and help save our environment!

Water Melon white Rind Sabji

Water Melon white Rind Sabji

Do you know that the rind of water melon is edible? The term rind usually refers to the skin or peel of a fruit. 

In watermelon, the rind consists of two parts - the outer green skin and the inner white pulp.The outer green skin of the rind is hard and inedible, so it is discarded. The inner whitish part of the rind is edible, although it has a bland taste when raw and is not as soft as the central red part.

About water melon white rind it is said that is very helpful in relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood  pressure as it has a high dose of cirulline amino acid .Finding a use for it also helps cut down on the amount of garbage you produce, so it’s good for the environment as well.So why to throw it, and try making its sabji. 

It is very simple, tasty and easy to make. It tastes very similar to loki(bottle gourd), cucumber, turai all water based vegetable group.

My Mom use to make it, i remember enjoying it  a lot, hope my version is nearest to hers

Ingredients

1 cup water melon white rind peeled and cut

1medium sized chopped onion

1medium sized chopped tomato

1tbsp finely chopped garlic        

1tsp ginger grated                                   

1 finely chopped green chilli                                     

Salt to taste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder                                                  

1 red chili cut into big pieces

1 tsp. Mango powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida 

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

        

                                                                  

Method

Heat the oil in pan on medium high heat.  Add asafetida, cumin seeds and dry red chili, let it splutter till it stops.

Add the grated ginger,garlic chopped onions and saute until it turns transparent. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, peeled and chopped water melon white rind, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, mango powder and green chillies.Mix well.

Do not add water because water melon rind is cooked in its own water.

Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, on low flame for 10-12 minutes or till the vegetable is almost done i.e it should be easily pierced with a fork and most of the water  is almost absorbed.

Now remove the cover from the pan and lemon juice.

Water melon white rind sabji is ready.  Garnish with  coriander leaves.

This side dish goes well with the roti, parantha and poori.

Enjoy!

Watermelon the super duper cooler

Watermelon the super duper cooler

It is the season of watermelons. They are best during the summer as they are sweet and juicy.
As the name says it all watermelon is 92% water and only 8%sugar.

Research shows that watermelon cuts the risk of sun related skin damage by 40%. That's because watermelon is nature's richest source of lycopene, an antioxidant that scavenges the UV-induced free radicals that cause sunburn and wrinkling. Lycopene may also help reduce the risks of cancer and other diseases. 

Watermelon can help improve sleep. It is high in vitamin B6 which helps manufacture serotonin and dopamine (mood related chemical) in brain.When levels of serotonin increase at night, the brain is less sensitive to disruptive stimuli (like noise) during sleep.

It helps the body flush out toxins because it contains the organic compound citrulline, which is an amino acid that has been shown to help the liver and kidneys filter and get rid of ammonia. Ammonia comes in external forms, but is also a by-product of the proteins our bodies are burning up constantly for energy, and it’s quite damaging to our cells.Watermelon may also just give the liver an overall boost. 



Watermelons are rich in electrolytes, sodium and potassium which are lost through perspiration. Also its high potassium content helps to control BP.

They are rich in Vitamin A, B and C. What's more, they are low in calories and very nutritious.

Choose the right watermelon. Always choose one that is symmetrical and firm without any cuts and bruises. Turn it over and you will see a yellow colour on one side. The yellow area is a good sign as it shows that the watermelon was rested on the ground while ripening under the sun. It is also an indication that your melon is sweeter and juicer. Slap your melon and if it sounds hollow, then it is ripe.

So, next time you hit a fruit shop, don't forget to shop for a watermelon.