Recipe> Chocolate Fudge

Image: Chocolate Fudge

This has got to be one of the easiest desserts to make. It does not require any baking and gets done very quickly. It became an instant hit with my 9-year-old nephew Arnav who couldn't resist asking for more helpings. If a kid wants to have more of a dish you prepared, then you've passed the test. :)

Ingredients

• 350 gms - dark chocolate
• 400gms - condensed milk
• 2tbsp - butter
• 150gm - dry fruits (raisins, walnuts, almonds and pistachios)

Method

1. Place a pan on gas and mix all the ingredients except for the dry fruits.
2. Crush all the dry fruits (you can give it one small churn in the mixer grinder) and add it into the hot chocolate mixture.
3. Pour the entire mixture in an aluminium dish or in a rectangular glass bowl.
4. Allow it to cool before placing it in the refrigerator. Give it at least 2-3 hours to set.
5. Cut out cubes and serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or hot chocolate sauce, if you like.

Food & Health> Health Boosters

Image: For a healthy heart
Image by: f10n4

Text by: Tanya Munshi
In this fast paced world, competition and success is everything. Being successful is the only thing that matters. In the bargain, it’s usually our health that suffers. We keep postponing a meal, an exercise or a brisk walk, without realizing the effects that it can have on our health.

If you’re hitting 30 and in the corporate world, its time you check what you eat. Here is a list of food items that you should incorporate in your diet to stay healthy and enjoy life to the fullest.

Check your pulse: Incorporate pulses and beans in your diet. These are high fiber foods that help reduce cholesterol, blood clotting and improve blood circulation.

Something fishy: Fresh water fish should be ideally shallow fried, baked or grilled. Fish is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and we derive approx. 200-600 mg of Omega 3 fatty acids from fish and about 1-2gms from plants. Fresh water fish are rich in vitamin E that promotes healthy skin and hair.

Nuts about you: Incorporate dry fruits and nuts into your daily diet. For example - Almonds help reduce cholesterol, walnuts are rich in Omega 3, fatty acids and raisins are rich in calcium, phosphorous and iron.
5
Be a teaholic: Substitute your usual caffeine to green tea, lemon tea or tea without milk. Tea is rich in anti-oxidants, reduces blood clotting and lowers cholesterol levels.
6
On the darker side: Next time you want to bite on a chocolate, make sure its dark. Dark chocolate is very good for the heart, contains anti-oxidants and helps reduce cholesterol.
7
Garlic wonder: Garlic is one of the best wonder drugs known to us. It keeps the heart healthy, reduces acidity, helps reduce cholesterol and can even tackle common cold.
8
Healthy oats: Nothing like a bowl of oats for breakfast. Have it with milk and sugar or cooked in olive oil with lots of veggies added to it. Oats are rich in calcium, potassium and vitamin B.
9
Onion magic: The sweet and pungent onion has a very high nutritive value. It helps in reducing heart diseases by controlling bad cholesterol. It also helps in reducing blood sugar levels and flavonoids present in onions help reduce colon cancer.
10
Published in CookingGoddess.com, on August 6, 2007
Link: http://www.cookinggoddess.com/category/Food-and-Health/Health-Boosters/