Just the recipe you need to make 2020 taste perfect!

The aftertaste of sugar from all those holiday desserts still hasn’t left us. All those resolutions which sounded so possible last night are shaded with the slightest tinge of doubt. The resolve is still strong, but isn’t there simply too much to do? Exercises to be done, bodies to be made fit, food plans to be made healthier, zen states of mind to be achieved… and sustained.

We promised ourselves 2020 would be different. That it would be the year when everything worked out exactly in line with all those visions we have been carrying around in our heads for year. When our dreams and our realities finally united, much like the mystic unions of Self and supreme in Yoga!

And so it shall be. There is no magic wand we can wave, but here are three simple additions you can easily make and that take you closer to your golden goals – in areas of your mind, health and energy!

Sip: Nearly 80% of Americans are dehydrated, but even so, our go-to source to quench thirst is a sugary carbonated drink that often only creates more problems than it solves. Opt instead for home-made freshness. Still sweet, but every sip is a drop of health!

Sukku Coffee

Hailing from the south of India, this coffee is the health version – no caffeine but enough energy to keep you pumped up all day!

You need:

Ginger: 2” piece – crushed

Coriander seeds: 4 tsp

Palm Jaggery: 2 tsp or to taste

Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Add ginger and coriander seeds and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Add powdered jaggery and stir till dissolved. Serve hot.

Salad: Say the word, and the ubiquitous leafy greens spring to mind. Make no mistake, greens are your best friend, but it’s time to shake things up! Bring heavyweights into your salad with beets and beans, and while you’re at it, sprinkle some generous amounts of garbanzo into your salad and watch it turn in to a powerhouse meal!

Beet PowerHouse Salad

You need:

1 finely grated Beetroot
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated Coconut
2 teaspoons finely chopped green Mango
1 teaspoon finely chopped Coriander leaves
2 teaspoons soaked or roasted Peanuts
½ teaspoon Pepper powder
½ teaspoon Salt

For the seasoning:

½ teaspoon Sesame/Olive oil
½ teaspoon Mustard
½ teaspoon Shredded curry leaves

In a salad bowl, add and blend all ingredients. Add a little oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add to salad bowl. Garnish with Coriander leaves.

This salad also tastes great served chilled!

Soup: The global comfort food is still high on popularity, but sadly, it too has lost ground to two popular food trends – juices cleanses and the salad diets. Soup has no parallel in efficiently delivering nutrients right into your bloodstream. Make one at home, and load it up with any of the several important nutrient types to get the best benefits!

Horse Gram Soup

You need:
½ cup Horse gram
2-3 tbsp tamarind paste
1 tsp Pepper corn
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp Mustard seed
1 sprig Curry leaves
1-2 sprigs Coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2 tsp Oil

Soak horse gram seeds overnight and pressure cook till soft. Drain the chocolatey water and store for reuse. Mash half of cooked gram. Dry roast mustard, cumin and pepper seeds, and grind to fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves, tamarind paste, strained horse gram water, roasted powder, mashed horse gram and salt. Sauté lightly. Stir in the remaining cooked horse gram. Add sufficient water to make a thin soup. Remove from flame and garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

You can also make a thicker version of this with lesser water and serve with Rice or Indian flatbread.