1 small ripe mango2 medium bananas4 cups milk, chilled2 tablespoons honey8 grapes, quartered1/4 cup pomegranate pearls Peel and chop bananas and mango.  Put these pieces in a smoothie maker.Add half the chilled skimmed milk and blend.Add honey and the remaining milk and blend again.Add ice and blend till it gets crushed.Place the grapes in stemmed glasses and pour the milk shake over.Sprinkle the pomegranate pearls and serve immediately.

8 eggs8 tablespoons oil2 small onions, chopped8 medium fresh button mushrooms, chopped1 small green capsicum, seeded and choppedSalt to tasteWhite pepper powder to tasteFor one portion: Break two eggs and separate the yolks from the whites.Heat one tablespoon oil in a large shallow pan.  Add one fourth the onions, one fourth the mushrooms and one fourth the capsicum and sauté. Take the egg whites in a bowl, add salt to taste and whisk.Add this to the pan and stir till the eggs set. Sprinkle a pinch of white pepper powder.Drizzle some oil along the sides and flip to turn the omelette. Cook on the other side too.Serve immediately. Make the other omelettes in the same way.

1 cup fusilli pasta in different colours1 medium red capsicum, halved and seeded  1 medium carrot, thinly sliced  1 medium onion, sliced 4 tablespoons olive oil4-5 cloves garlic, chopped1/2 cup tomato pureeSalt to taste1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder1/4 cup fresh cream1/2 teaspoon dried basil2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsleyPreheat oven to 180°C. Cut red capsicum into one inch sized pieces. Put red capsicum, carrot and onion on a tray and sprinkle one tablespoon of olive oil and cook in the oven at 180°C for 10 minutes.Boil sufficient water in a deep pan with salt. Add one tablespoon of oil and cook different coloured fusilli pasta in it till al dente. Drain and refresh in cold water. Add one tablespoon of olive oil and mix.Remove the vegetables ...

1 medium green capsicum, seeded and diced 8-10 fresh button mushrooms, quartered 1 medium carrot, 1 cm cubes 1/2 cup green peas2 tablespoons sweet corn niblets1 tablespoon oil3 cups vegetable stockSalt to tasteA pinch of sugar 1 whole dry red chilli, crushed2 tablespoons cornflour Method:Heat oil, add green capsicum and mushrooms and cook for two to three minutes on high heat. Add warm vegetable stock along with carrot, green peas and sweet corn niblets. Bring to a boil. Add salt to taste, sugar and crushed red chilli. Add cornflour blended in quarter cup of water, stirring continuously. Cook on high heat for one minute. Serve piping hot.

Last night I saw a documentary on BBC2 (London) “Super Slim Me.” The writer and TV presenter Dawn Porter was on mission to shrink from her UK size 12 to the much touted super-skinny Hollywood size Zero (which is UK size 4). Surviving on just 500 calories per day and participating in a gruelling fitness regimen. Watching that documentary I was gutted, because from last few weeks I was thinking I am on diet (preparing me for summer). I had stopped taking my breakfast (no aloo ka paratha or andaa bread), cut down my lunch to just pasta (that to loads of pasta) and in dinner 3 chapati and lots of sabzi. Yeah! Basically I was just skipping my breakfast and thinking I ...

3-step to healthy skin Cleansing scrub: Mix ¼ cup Multani Mitti, ¼ cup dried orange peel, and two tbsps sandalwood powder. Store the mixture in a container. Mix one tsp with water, and work it into your skin. Rinse with warm water. Cleansing mask: Mix ¼ tsp Multani Mitti, some tomato pulp, cucumber juice and yoghurt. Leave it on your face for 20 minutes, and rinse. Toning Mask: Mix one beaten egg white, one tbsp yoghurt and Multani Mitti. Leave it on your face till it dries, and rinse.

The occurrence of split ends depends on the way you manage your hair. Use a wide-toothed comb instead of a brush. Use thick cloth rubber bands instead of thin plastic ones, since the latter lead to breakage and tangling of hair. Trim your hair regularly. A cream conditioner will help keep split ends at bay. Do not use metal or wire rollers.

800 grams mutton (on bone),1inch pieces1/4 cup ghee1 bay leaf1 black cardamom5 green cardamoms5 cloves1-inch stick cinnamon1/2 blade mace1 cup yogurtSalt to taste1 1/2 tsps red chilli powder2 medium onions, grated7-8 garlic cloves, chopped1 1/2 inch piece ginger, chopped1 tbsp coriander powder3-4 green chillies, chopped1/2 tsp turmeric powder2 tbsps kasoori methi3 tbsps chopped fresh coriander leaves Take yogurt in a bowl. Add mutton, salt and one tsp of red chilli powder. Mix well and keep aside for an hour. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add bay leaf, black cardamom, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, mace and sauté. When the whole garam masala crackles, add grated onions and sauté for four to five minutes. Add chopped garlic, chopped ginger, coriander powder, green chillies, remaining red ...

Hair fall: Grind crushed Hibiscus leaves and one tbsp fenugreek seeds. Leave it on your scalp for 30 minutes, and rinse

Acne: Dissolve a mint tea bag in a cup of hot water. Apply the solution on your acne, and rinse after 20 minutes. Toning skin mask: Make a paste out of one beaten egg white, one tbsp yoghurt and Multani Mitti. Apply it on your face till it dries, and rinse.