The summer is upon us and while we are prepping ourselves for the new season, we cannot ignore the problems we have been struggling with for a while now. The whole 'work-from-home' routine has minimized our exposure to sun, working in weird postures has also resulted in persistent backaches and joint aches. Yes, you do have the pain-relieving sprays and gels at an arm's distance, but sometimes that is not enough. With the change in season, we would be making drastic changes to our diets too. It is a good idea to sneak in some calcium and vitamin D foods for the benefit of your bones, muscles and fatigue levels. Here are a few desi recipes that not only define summer for us, but are also a treasure of calcium and vitamin D.
1. Banana Walnut Lassi: The undisputed summer thirst-quencher of North India- Lassi, is a beverage made with churning milk with nuts or fruits and is finished off with clotted cream. Milk as we all know is a fine source of both calcium and vitamin D, but that's not all. This lassi recipe also comes with exceptional goodness of bananas and walnuts. Here's a recipe.
Calcium and vitamin D rich foods: Lassi is a creamy milk recipe popular in North India
2. Masala Chaas: A refreshing cooler your tummy will thank you for. Chaas or buttermilk is not only replete with calcium, but is also incredible for your gut and digestion. The combination of 'masalas' in masala chaas play a key role here, fortunately we have just the prefect recipe. Click here for the link.
Chaas or buttermilk is very good for gut too
3. Fig Chutney: Fig or anjeer is touted to be one of the best sources of calcium known to mankind. Did you know one and a half cup of figs have more calcium than a glass of milk. Since chutneys are such an intrinsic part of our summer fare, how about adding some sweet and squishy goodness of figs to it. Here's a recipe you will love.
4. Dahi Kebab: One of our all-time favourites, Dahi ke kababs is a popular vegetarian starter that you may have tried at parties and gatherings. What makes these kebabs so unique and delicate is the combination of hung curd and paneer, both by products of milk and both rich in calcium. Here is the recipe.
5. Cucumber Raita: Can you imagine a lunch spread in a quintessentially hot Indian afternoon without raita? We know we cant! Raita is a popular side dish made with yogurt whipped with spices, veggies or boondi. Cucumber raita comes with fresh goodness of grated cucumber. Here's the recipe.
Raita is a popular side dish
Try these recipes and let us know how you liked it.