Chai Latte – Indian Masala Tea

Masala Chai
Street Vendor Frothing Tea

Flavour –  Blend – 5 cardamoms – 5 Cloves – 5 sticks of Cinnamon – 1 inch pc Crushed Ginger – Coarse Spice Blend.

Heat – 3 cups Water – 2 Cups Milk – Bring to Boil

Brew – 1 1/2 tbsp. Black Tea Leaf/ powder – Spice Blend – Add to above – Continue boiling for 3- 4 mnts – low flame – Turn of Stove.

Sweeten – Add 3 tbsp. Sugar to above – Stir gently.

Froth – Pour Hot tea from one cup to another at some height to form forth. Traditional Indian Street Vendor Style.

Note :  Change quantity of Milk / Tea Powder to taste.    Use Just Cardomoms or Ginger to flavour Tea.   Adjust Sugar to taste.

Tea is said to have a Cooling effect on the Body during summer months.

Enjoy Delicious Indian Masala Chai with Spicy Savoury Snacks.  Mmmm…..

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful Teeth – Natural Way

vegetables

Coconut Oil – Apply coconut Oil on Gums – Spit  if Saliva forms – Before going to Sleep – Beautiful healthy Teeth 

Mango Leaves – Tender Leaves  – Wash – Chew 2-3 mnts.  Rinse and wash mouth – Strong gums Healthy Teeth.

Charcoal – Brush Teeth with Powdered Charcoal – Shiny White Teeth

Apple – Apples or Raw Carrots –  Wash  –  Chew well  – Eat one a day –  Fresh breath and Clean Teeth.

Orange Peel – Rub Teeth with inside of an orange peel  – Natural Clean Teeth.

Baking Soda – Mix 1 tsp. Baking Soda + 1 tsp Sea Salt –  Brush teeth – Rinse well – Once  a week – Pearl white Teeth

These are a few tried and tested teeth care tips.    My grandmother lived to be 88 years Old  with all her teeth intact.    She brushed her teeth everyday with Charcoal!!

 

 

 

Giethoorn – Venice of The Netherlands

A beautiful Village easily reachable by Train or Bus from Amsterdam

20180502_120123

Sometimes we learn something new about ourselves, something we did not know before. If it was not for my trip to Giethoorn (Netherlands) I would have never known that I am not so good at rowing a boat for instance!!

20180501_201233

Giethoorn is a small town in the Netherlands and can be easily reached by train and bus. Well whenever they are not striking that is, which they were when I came to the Netherlands.

It was quite easy to take a train to be fair but taking the bus? A bit more difficult. Luckily my Chinese friend convinced the Chinese speaking woman at the bus ticket counter not on strike to organize a bus ride for us.

20180501_204310

Other tourists began protesting as well so the woman had to call someone. Long story short… A bus came and we did not even have to pay for it. The bus driver said it was his form of protesting against the Dutch Government. Why? Sincerely I do not even know but he let us ride for free so I did not feel like asking too many questions.

20180502_131350

Giethoorn is a wonderful place, though. Do you like fairytales, do you like the Hobbit, do you like feeling being in Venice but in a much cozier, less touristy and probably also really, really tidy version of it?

Then Giethoorn is the right place for you! All the houses look very neat and very cute, so cute that sometimes it feels rather unreal. The whole town can easily be explored on foot or in boats since locals are offering boat rentals to tourists.

There is also a seashell museum you can visit for free in the village which we did. I have never seen so many seashells in one place. My 10-year-old self who was obsessed about seashells would have been over the moon. My 24-year-old self was quite amazed as well to be honest. So many seashells in all colours!

20180501_185403

Anyways, Giethoorn is a wonderful place. We rented a boat and all I can tell you that it was a good idea. Seeing the Venice of the Netherlands by boat is a must when visiting Giethoorn! It is so peaceful traversing the town by boat. Everything looks green and cute and even the people are very relaxed there Well they have to since a ton of tourists are taking tons of pictures of their houses every day.

Time really seems to have stopped there and I am sure that even highly pressured managers would benefit from visiting Giethoorn by boat and that says a lot about the place!

20180501_195609

It was really fun in the boat. Until we got lost. To be fair it was mostly due to our lack of orientation than to the complexity of the canal system of Giethoorn. After some time, we were back on track again though and it was just a blast after that!

Overall it was a good trip. Nobody fell into the water and nobody’s phone or camera either. Now, that’s what I call a success!

What else is there to say? Oh yes. Go visit Giethoorn! You won’t regret it.

We have visited Giethoorn when we lived in Holland many years ago. 

However, it is my dear friend Nathalie Gschließer   who shared this post in her own words. She visited Giethoorn a few weeks ago with her friends.   Thank you Nathalie for Sharing your Experience of  Giethoorn and the beautiful pictures. You have inspired us to visit again!!

Nathalie speaks many European languages, loves to travel and cooking is her Hobby.   Hey, Nathalie, you should visit India sometime and learn a few Indian languages and try some Indian cooking . And lots of beautiful places in India to write about too!!

Beautiful Skin Natural Way

Tried and Tested Natural Beauty Tips from Family and friends.

Salad cucumber

Cucumber –  Slice Cucumber- Place on closed eyelids – Relax 15 mnts – Reduce dark circles around eyes.

Gram flour-  Mix with water – Make Paste – Use as facepack  – leave on skin for  15 mnts.  before shower – Soft Smooth Skin.

Eggs – Apply a little Egg white  to face – let dry. – Wash face Luke Warm Water –   Tighten Facial skin –  Regain Youth.

Honey –  Apply on face – Leave 20 mnts – Lighten your skin.  Antiseptic and Antifungal.

Butter – Apply butter on  lips –  Before going to sleep – Wake up with Soft  Lips

These are a few of the natural foods we use in India as beauty aids regularly.   Beautiful Skin Natural way for the whole family.  

Other Natural tips for skin care are welcome.  Please share your tips too in comments below.

Looking for Fresh Air in Abdij van Park Found Fresh Organic Drink!!

Park Abbey Beautiful place to visit in Leuven Belgium Europe.

Going for an evening walk in Abdij van Park  for a breath of fresh air.  A park with stunning views, a monastery and 3 beautiful lakes.

Abdij Park

A monastry for centuries  a great place to explore by bike and take pictures.

AJS_1312

A piece of heaven just five minutes from the city.

AJS_1297

Such a Beautiful view of grazing cows in the green pasture!!

cows

We came across a beautiful lady by the New Milk vending maching.  She was refilling the Vending Maching with Fresh Warm Milk from the cows grazing in the pasture.   There’s nothing quite like Fresh Milk straight from the farm Tasty and  Organic.

Here a few words from beautiful Ine about the fresh milk from the Farm.  Oops !! my Video taking skills are not perfect.  No worries only start is upside down!!

Dont forget to take your own bottles if you want to buy it.

All info at http://www.boerencompagnie.be/

Dear Friends if  you live in Leuven or nearby  hope you check out this milk, share info with friends and enjoy!! 

In India we boil the milk  before drinking.    For a lighter texture add some water when boiling.    Cooling the milk after boiling gives a thick layer of cream on top which can be used to make Butter.  Homemade Cheese and Yogurt with Fresh Milk is so delicious.

I will be posting recipes with homemade paneer cheese and  yogurt in my blog soon.

Hope you enjoy some beautiful walk in Abdij van Park too.

 

Birthday Pancake – Blueberry Bloom -Breakfast Pancake Recipe

blueberry pancakeEasy Healthy Pancake Recipe Homemade with Fruits and Oats

Blend – 2  ripe bananas +/- 1 cup Milk  – 1 egg  – 1 1/2 cup Oatmeal  – Smooth  Pouring consistancy.

Mix – Blended  dough  – 2 tsp baking powder – 1 tbsp. Honey – Pinch  – Vanilla– Salt

Heat – Pan – Low Flame – Pour  1 tsp battter for each petal – 3 tsp per pancake – arrange 1 blue berry per petal – Drizzle Coconut Oil – cook 1 mnt on each side.

Enjoy  Velvety Sugar Free Pancake !! With Chocolate or Fruits or Just Plain!!

Note – Make regular round instead of  flower.   Use sugar instead of Honey. 

This recipe is shared by Tina.  She has made this few times now.   But each time it finishes in no time.  Delicious !! mmm…. enjoy.

A Boat Song from Kerala

Kerala God’s own Country is a land of  Sea, Sand and Sun.  The Panoramic view, the  rivers and the lakes of Kerala are a  Feast for the Eyes.

Kerala has many colourful festivals and dances.   Here is a  traditional music of Kerala with a Modern twist.

Official 2016 Vidya Vox cover of the traditional Kerala Boat song “Kuttunadan Punjayile”, ft Jomy George & Shankar Tucker. | Subscribe: http://bit.ly/1OdHVbo Watch next, “Sorry x Kandukondain Kandukondain”: https://youtube.com/watch?v=pMmCvixJS…