Eat right, drink right is the secret to a healthier life.

Water Based Recipes

It is a well-known fact that water constitutes about 60% of our body weight and needs to be replenished regularly for normal body functions. But, you don’t need to depend only on what you drink to meet your fluid needs. About 20% of the total water intake can be provided by food. Many fruits, vegetables and beverages such as milk and juices are majorly made up of water. But, make sure you always used purified water from a home water purifier.

Here are a few recipes that ensure good water intake to meet your daily needs.

The Soup Bar

Cucumber and dill cold soup - A refreshing cool cucumber soup coupled with the creaminess of yogurt.

What you need:

1 kg cucumber halved and seeded — 1/2 cup finely diced, the rest coarsely chopped

1 ½ cups plain yogurt

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup dill (Sowa/Shepa leaves)

¼ cup parsley leaves

¼ cup olive oil

½ red onion, finely chopped

Salt and white pepper for taste

How to make:

1. In a blender, combine the chopped cucumber with the yogurt, lemon juice, dill, parsley, and the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
2. Season the soup again just before serving. Pour the soup into bowls. Garnish with the finely diced cucumber, red onion and a drizzle of olive oil and serve.

Ginger and Carrot hot/cold soup - A perfect blend of juicy carrots and spicy ginger, served hot or cold

What you need:

900 gm carrots, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

½ -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated

1 clove garlic, sliced

6 cups water/vegetable broth

Juice of 1 lime, plus lime wedges for garnish (optional)

1 cup plain yogurt (beaten)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

How to make:

1. Warm oil in a thick bottomed vessel over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté they till soften a bit. Add ginger and garlic and stir them in for a minute
2. Raise heat to medium-high and stir in carrots. Pour broth/water into pot, cover and bring to a simmer. Then remove, cover and let it simmer till the carrots are cooked. Remove from heat and let it cool
3. After cooling, puree it in a blender till it is of smooth consistency. Add the lime juice, beaten yogurt and flavour it with salt and pepper. If serving hot, then heat it slightly and garnish with a slice of lemon

If you wish to serve it as a cold soup, then cool in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Minty Pea Soup - For those hot summer days, here’s the coolness of mint and pea to quench your thirst

What you need:

3 cups shelled fresh peas

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Salt, freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh cream

2 tablespoons milk or water

4 cups vegetable broth/water

Fresh mint leaves for garnishing

How to make:

1. Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened but not browned. Add 2 cups vegetable broth/water and bring to a boil. Add peas, reduce heat, and simmer gently until tender
2. Season it with salt and pepper
3. Whisk cream and milk in a small bowl to blend. Serve warm soup topped with fresh mint leaves

Garden fresh tomato soup - The tanginess of tomatoes finds a match in the freshness of vegetables

What you need:

5 cups vegetable stock

1 cup tomato puree

2/3 cup water

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 1/2 cups sweet corn

1 1/2 cups carrots

5 stalks celery chopped

1 sliced red bell pepper

1 small zucchini, thinly sliced

10-12 garlic cloves chopped

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

How to make:

1. Combine vegetable stock, tomato puree, and water in a large vessel and stir together. Keep it on medium flame till it slowly simmers
2. Combine vegetable stock, tomato puree, and water in a large vessel and stir together. Keep it on medium flame till it slowly simmers
3. In a separate pan, heat some olive oil. Add the chopped garlic and onions and stir them till they soften. Add them to the simmering soup. Turn the gas off and serve hot

The Cool Corner

Honey-Ginger-Lemon tea - Enjoy the coolness of iced tea with a bit of spiciness and sweetness

What you need:

3 cups water

1 tsp ginger, chopped fine

1 tsp tea leaves, for every cup

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

How to make:

1. In a pan heat 3 cups of water
2. Before it begins to boil add ginger
3. Just as it starts to boil add the tea leaves, lemon juice and honey
4. Strain it into a pot and cool it for 5-6 hours

Fennel sherbet - An inside-out cooling drink

What you need:

½ cup fennel seeds

½ cup sugar

2 cups water

How to make:

1. Blend the fennel seeds and sugar to a fine powder in a mixer
2. Boil this powder in 2 cups of water and reduce it to half. Keep stirring in between
3. Combine this powder with 1 cup water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 8 minutes stirring twice in between
4. Keep aside for about 10 minutes. Cool completely and stain through a sieve
5. Store refrigerated in an air-tight container. While serving, take 3 to 4 tablespoons of this mixture in a glass and top it with water and ice

Watermelon Cooler- A sweet and sour thirst quencher

What you need:

4 cups diced watermelon

2 table spoon lemon juice

Sugar to taste

1 cup cold water

Sprig of mint leaves

A pinch of cinnamon powder for flavor (optional)

How to make:

1. In a mixer, blend together the watermelon, lemon juice and sugar.
2. Add a cup of cold water and the cinnamon
3. Garnish with a sprig of mint leaves
4. Serve cold
    

Pink Lemonade-  A dash of colour to the traditional lemony drink

What you need:

1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 10 lemons)

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1/4 cup cranberry juice

How to make:

1. Strain lemon juice into a pitcher and mix with sugar; stir until sugar dissolves
2. Add water; stir again until well combined
3. For pink lemonade, stir in cranberry juice

Tip* - Ensure you use RO or UV water purifier to purify the water you use for cooking.