8 vegetables you should eat to beat the summer heat!

The summer season is almost here and it is time to change our clothing, footwear and food too. Eating very heavy meals can make you feel uneasy and lead to problems like indigestion as well. Eating seasonal vegetables is important to keep us in good health. Though all vegetables have their own set of benefits, there are some which you shouldn’t miss out especially during summers as they are light, full of nutrients and keep us hydrated and in the pink of health by enabling our body to handle heat more efficiently.  Here’s a list of 10 such veggies.

Cucumber

Cucumbers are your best bet in summers as they are 96 per cent water and eaten in raw green state. They contain vitamin C and silica which are known for tissue growth and skin cleansing properties. Their high water content makes them ideal for summers. It is important to eat cucumbers with the skin because their outer skin is rich in potassium, magnesium and fibre which have tremendous health benefits for the body.

Calorie count: One cup of sliced cucumber has only 16 calories and 4 grams of carb which makes them ideal for weight-watchers.

Brinjal

Brinjal or baingan is a common purple vegetable containing lots of dietary fibre and antioxidants. It is an excellent source of molybdenum, potassium, vitamin K, magnesium, copper, vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and niacin. It is known to have a dominant antioxidant which can also lower bad cholesterol. But if you already have kidney problems or gall bladder issues, you should avoid eating Brinjal.

Calorie count: One cup of cooked Brinjal has only 35 calories, 9 grams of carbs, and 2 grams of fibre.

Tomatoes

Listed both in the category of fruits as well as vegetables, the health benefits of tomatoes are splendid in summers. Tomatoes are considered to be helpful in reducing prostate cancer risk and are good for diabetics and heart patients. They are a wonderful source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K. Other important nutrients in tomatoes include lycopene, potassium, vitamin B6, folate, dietary fibre, manganese, magnesium, niacin, and vitamin E. They are great as coolers.

Calorie count: 1 cup of tomatoes has only 32 calories and 7 grams of carbs.

Green Beans

Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as bone-building vitamin K which is important for blood clotting too. They also have antioxidant vitamins that protect cells against oxidative damage and keep the immune system healthy. Vitamin A not only preserves night vision but also keeps skin and the cornea of the eye moist. Green beans are a good source of heart-healthy fibre that helps lower cholesterol levels. They also contain respectable amounts of potassium and magnesium, which help to normalise blood pressure. Green beans make for an excellent dish in the summers as they are light on the stomach. You can even include them in your salad.

Calorie count: One cup of green beans has only 44 calories.

Pumpkin

Pumpkin or kaddu possesses great cooling and diuretic properties. It is also good for digestion and eliminating intestinal worms from the digestive system as it is full of fibre. It contains potassium and also controls blood pressure and sugar as well as stimulates the pancreas. It is excellent in curing skin diseases. Extremely high in fibre and low in calories, pumpkin has disease-fighting nutrients like pantothenic acid, magnesium, and vitamins C and E.

Calorie count: 100g pumpkin has 26 calories and 6g carbs with negligible fat.

Celery

Celery acts as diuretics which help in losing excess water weight without causing dehydration. It stimulates kidneys, easing them to flush waste and extra fluid from your body, which results in beating bloating.

Calorie count: 100g has 16 calories.

Bottle gourd

Bottle gourd or lauki is good for dealing with the summer heat. It keeps flatulence, constipation and acidity under control. Provides more nutrients and very less calories and fat. 96 % of this gourd is water. It provides vitamin C and some B vitamins, trace elements and minerals like iron, sodium and potassium. Bottle gourd has cooling and calming ability due to its good water content. It is absolutely helpful during summers and has the ability to prevent heat strokes and recover the water lost due to perspiration.

Calorie count: Only 15 calories and 0.1g fat in 100g.

Bitter Gourd

Bitter gourds or karela are beneficial in lowering sugar levels, fighting cancer and a number of infections. It provides relief from constipation and helps in improving blood circulation along with being blood purifier too. In summers, when you face various eye and skin infections consuming bitter gourd will help.

Calorie count: 100g has just 17 calories.

11 Tips to Protect Skin during summer

Summer is the season when you have to take special care of your skin. Skin is the most prominent organ of our body. So, during summer, it is essential to take care of the skin. Hot weather can lead to skin problems like heat rash. Sun damage can lead to premature ageing, dry skin, dark spots or pigmentation, wrinkles and even skin cancer over time.

Following are some tips to be kept in mind during summer.

Hydrate Yourself

During summer, your body tends to lose a lot of moisture. So it is important to hydrate your body with water from time to time. Drinking lots of water will help your skin remain soft and moisturised.

Using a Toner

A skin toner will keep the pores closed and keep the skin cool. You can try rose water as its natural cooling properties are excellent for summer.

Sleep Well

Get sleep for seven to eight hours a day.

Staying out of sun during hottest hours

The hottest hours of the day are between 10 am and 3 pm. You should avoid staying out for long in these hours as your skin will get more exposed to radiations.

Apply sunscreen

Sunscreen is the best way by which your skin is protected. Choose a sunscreen which has a combination of sunscreen and moisturiser. You need to nourish your skin with vitamins and anti-oxidants for long term benefits. Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before stepping out.

Use face wash

Clean your face at least twice a day. Keep a routine to wash your face once in morning and evening. Choose a cleanser which is gentle for your skin type.

Exfoliate your skin

You should exfoliate your skin two to three times a week as it will help in removing unwanted dead skin which may be clogging your pores and also improving blood circulation to the face.

Protecting your skin

Protect your facial skin by wearing a hat, wear sunglasses to protect your eyes as the sensitive skin around the eyes is prone for fast ageing.

Use lip balm

To keep your lips soft.

Waterproof or no make-up

Make-up becomes a mess during summer because of the rise in temperature. Use light make-up which is water proof. When it is too hot try and keep your natural glow of your skin.

Avoid aerated drinks

Aerated drinks contain lots of sugar which is not good for your face instead drink water, fresh lime, fresh fruit juices or coconut water. You should also minimise the intake of alcohol and caffeine as they reduce the water content from the body system.

Keep in mind all the above mentioned summer skin care tips to keep your skin fresh and glowing. Visit your nearby salon regularly for fresh and glowing skin.

10 Natural Healthy Summer Foods during Summers

1.Water

Water is one of the single most important nutrients food for summer. A lot of essential minerals are lost in hot weather due to sweating. Therefore drink plenty of water to replenish your body. Drink 4 glasses of water early morning are highly beneficial during summer.

2.Salads

Vegetable salads with lots of low fat, low calorie, high water content goodies like Cucumber, tomato, carrot and onion are easy to make, don’t require cooking. Eat salad after lunch is good for health.

3.Fresh Juice

Some selected fruits like grapes, water melon, pomegranate and lemon juices are great summer foods. It makes your body cool and improves your digestive system. It also prevents your skin from sun damage and makes them healthy and shinny. Avoid using large amounts of sugar and if possible substitute with honey.

4.Soups

Soups are rich in nutrition and low calorie which makes an excellent food summer foods. Hot soups make you sweat and cool your inner body by including healthy ingredients like mint and coriander. A bowl of soup made from carrot, onion, beans and herbs such as mint and coriander refreshing you from summer. These are easy to digest so your insides are not affected by heat.

5.Butter milk

Buttermilk is one of the good choices for summer. Avoid Coffee and Tea by adding butter milk as an alternate is good for health. It is easily digest and cool your total body. Buttermilk is rich in vitamin c. It cures ulcers, indigestion and other stomach related problems. And finally buttermilk is best food for healthy skin.

6.Tender Coconut Water

Tender Coconut Water is one of the important summer foods. Drink tender coconut water empty stomach in early morning during summer prevent your lungs, eyes, kidney and blood circulation from heat.

7.Fruits

Without doubt fruit is the most beneficial, energy giving summer foods. Fruit has the highest water content balance the lack of water content in your body. In addition all the fruit contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and fatty acids.

8.Grilled Food

Grilled vegetables, chicken, fish are suitable summer foods. Grilling make the food healthier and allows your family for tasty lunch. Grilled food is easy to digest so your system is not burning you up while it burns the calories. Keep the rubs and sauces less spicy to keep your digestive system cool.

9.Dry Fruits

Dry fruits like dates, frozen grapes balance the lack of nutrition and prevent from spreading diseases. Dates are rich in protein, iron, fibre, calcium and vitamins. It protects your eyes and skin from sun damage and keeps them healthy.

10.Nuts

Almond, Cashew, Pista and Walnut are nutritional foods to protect your body from spreading diseases. These are suitable for all seasons but in summer it prevents you from major diseases like nervous disorder, eye problem, skin dryness etc.

Tips to Keep Your Skin Healthy This Summer

It is easy to neglect our skin in the summer. The warmer, more humid weather means our skin isn’t as dry and itchy as it is in the winter; and the sun kissed look of a tan can make us feel better when we look in the mirror. But the lazy days of summer don’t mean we should be lazy with our skin care regime; in fact, we should be even more diligent. Follow these easy steps for gorgeous healthy skin.

1: Face Your Day

Even those short walks to lunch or running errands can put you at risk of too much sun exposure. Adding a healthy layer of face protecting sunscreen to your morning beauty routine is a critical don’t-skip-it step.

2: Lip Service

While we never need an excuse to buy a new lipstick, sun protection for your lips means mandatory shopping! Whatever your colour choice (we love everything from nude to red hot!), look for lip care with an SPF of at least 15.

3: Water, Water Everywhere

When it comes to your body, Mother Nature knows best! Seasonal summer foods like watermelon, leafy greens, and berries have a higher concentration of water to help you stay hydrated in the heat. In addition to drinking your daily in-take of water, it’s healthy and smart to indulge in fresh, water rich foods.

4: Get Up and Glow

The latest self-tanners offer sprays mist application so you don’t have to worry about silly streaks or serious dry time. Bronzed and beautiful, your white sleeveless dress is calling your name.

5: Naturally You

Longer days, lighter clothing, and less makeup rule the season. Since going nude is a little, um, casual, opt for an all-in-one face fix. BB creams, aka beauty balms, are the absolute ‘IT Girls’ of skincare that instantly moisturize, even skin tone, boost radiance, and illuminate your face with a skin perfecting glow. Still natural, still you (only better!), this all-encompassing beauty potion is the total package.

6: Sweat It Out

In addition to the obvious physical benefits, your fitness routine is a beauty ritual. Sweat, your body’s natural response to exercise, is a brilliant elixir that regulates your body temperature, releases trace amount of toxins, and loosens dirt in your pores (that’s why you feel extra clean after your post workout shower!).

7: Decent Exposure

A sunny summer day is like a beauty challenge! Whether it’s an impromptu picnic in the park, a walk on the beach, or a road trip (sunroof open!), think early morning or late afternoon. According to the Center for Disease Control, the sun’s most harmful rays are between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm, so smart precautions like a broad-spectrum high SPF sunscreen, plenty of shade, and lots of water will make for a beautiful adventure.

T20 World Cup 2016: 5 best bars in Delhi to catch the match

One of the best places to watch such a match is in a sports bar with fellow supporters. Whether you are going alone or in a group, you will find others to cheer with and support Team India. If you are in Delhi, here are the five best sports bars you can go to catch this nail-biting match.

1. Vapour Pub & Brewery                

Vapour is a Karmic rejuvenation of the mind, body & soul. A cool watering hole that brews not just a variety of beer but the never before experienced beer-tails while also offer a host of spirits laced with entertainment in the form of live music, house music, gigs & superlative stuff to keep you enraptured.

The Deal - 20% off on beer, cocktail, soups, salads & more. Located at MGF Megacity Mall!

2. Quote- The Eclectic Bar And Lounge

Looking for a pocket-friendly place to chill with your group and catch the match? This is the place where you should head. Not only are they known for this quick bites and pizzas, they also offer complimentary beer with some of their dishes. The recently renovated place has room for plenty of people and big screens to showcase the match.

The Deal - 4 beer bottles, 1 appetizer & 1 food item at just Rs 708

3. Game of Legends Sports Bar & Grill 

Not only can you watch the match here, you can also enjoy a game of snooker or darts here with your gang. You’ll find the usual pub food here with north Indian options which are what they are known for. Get offers and discounts on drinks during the matches and if you love sheesha, they have that too.
    
The Deal - Mocktails, beer, starters & more starting at just Rs 499. Valid at City Square Mall, Rajouri Garden!

4. CDB Cafe & Sports Edition Lounge

This place has several screens and projectors to showcase the match. They also have some fun offers for the T20 World Cup. Get one on one free shot before during and after the match. You can also attend their match after party with DJ music and offer on drinks. What’s more, predict the man of the match and other things and you could win vouchers.

The Deal - Get a veg or chicken starter absolutely free on purchase of 3 beer pints

5. S Bar & Restaurant - Shalom 

 If you prefer drinking beer while watching the match, what’s better than watching it in a brewery! Apart from interesting tap beers, this place also has good music and a big screen to watch the match.    

The Deal - 20% off on total bill. Enjoy the finest selection of IMFL & food!
                                                                                   

Delicious Sweets That Make Holi A Mouth-Watering Festival

Holi is not just about colouring your friends’ faces till they’re unrecognizable and then spending the rest of the day trying to scrub the colour off your face and hair. It is also about gorging on delicious food, made especially for Holi. After all, the fun and running around is bound to make you hungry! Here are some special Holi delicacies for you to try out.

Gujiya

Gulab Jamun

Malpua

Sweet Kachori

Puran poli

Kesar rice Kheer

Thandai

Bhang Pakore

Make your Holi sweeter with these Holi sweets and for more grab some Holi sweet deals at various places.

Tips to Remove Stubborn Holi Colours

Holi is one festival that everyone both loves and hate. You can’t wait to get awashed in different colours of Holi. And after Holi we hate it when our skin gets all those rashes, after trying to take the colour off. Well, before you again resolve to not play Holi the next year, here are some simple life hacks that you can use to easily get rid of those stubborn Holi colours.

Prepare in Advance

Before you step out to play Holi, make sure that you do proper oiling in your hair and body.  That will form a protective layer between the colours and your skin, making it easy to remove them afterwards.

Use a lot of water

While we advise you to play Holi with dry colours for environmental reasons, it also helps in saving water for later when you are actually going to need it. While taking bath, you must rinse your hair in water for a good 10 minutes before you go for a shampoo.

For Your Hair

Before washing your hair, you must apply egg yolk on your scalp for 30 minutes before shampooing your hair. If you are not comfortable with egg, mix fenugreek (methi) with curd and apply the mixture on your scalp. That would help you take off the colours from your scalp and hair.

For Your Face

While you are removing those colours from your face, you can mix calamine with honey and rosewater. This would prevent any irritation and rashes from the low-quality colours that someone could accidentally spill on you. For people with oily skin, a pack of Multani Mitti can help ease your troubles.

For Your Body

Honey, mixed with a mashed tomato or papaya acts as a perfect scrub when applied with Multani Mitti. You can also use curd, gram flour (besan), turmeric (haldi), olive oil and lemon to make a paste and then apply that on coloured parts of your body.
If you want best treatment for your skin and hair, go for facials or facial bleach only a week after Holi.

11 Restaurants to Order food Online

Ordering food on your phone can be such a hassle – your call not going through, disconnecting before you place your order, delivery people unable to understand what you’re saying, and so much more! It’s enough to put you off eating, well almost. But fear not, LBB has put together a list of restaurants you can order from online, and avoid all the garbled miscommunication over the phone.

Dominos

Are you craving a burst of cheesiness? Dominos is having a Cheesy Temptation Festival and there’s no better way to indulge than skipping the queues and ordering online. Dominos offers the ability to order online, or make your order available for pickup at your nearest location. In addition, you can simply login with Facebook and chat online with their customer support if there is a problem.
Price: INR 700 for 2

Slice of Italy 

Sure Slice of Italy has pizza, but there’s also pasta, salads, sandwiches, calzones, and cakes to order too. Their website also has helpful tabs for veg and non-veg food, just in case there is an item you’re not sure of. Offers include saving 15% by using a Citibank card for purchase; not to mention, their food is less expensive than other big Italian restaurants.
Price: INR 550 plus taxes for 2

McDonalds 

Ah Mc Donald’s, the infamous American guilty pleasure. Whether it’s scarfing down a Big Mac or McAloo Tikki, why wait in lines at the mall or their other locations? You can either order straight from their website, mcdelivery, or download their app and track your order as it’s made and delivered.
Price: INR 500 for 2

Pind Balluchi 

For Punjabi fare in Delhi, Pind Balluchi is the restaurant to go to. With outlets all over the city, it’s no surprise that they would take things online. For utmost convenience and fast delivery, their website allows for you to order food from any of their seven different locations in Delhi, as well as Gurgaon. Checkout some of their online deals, like their 20% off on home deliveries from their CP location.
Price: INR 800 for 2

Happy Hakka 

For those of you in Noida as well as Delhi, check out Happy Hakka. A modern Asian restaurant inspired by Ramen noodle bars and fun Chinese flavours, they offer a wide variety, from hot ramen noodles, meals in a bowl, dimsums and potstickers, and rice dishes as well. In case there are any difficulties, there is a “happy hotline” you can call.
Price: INR 650 plus taxes for 2

Asian Haus 

For authentic and healthy Asian flavours, bookmark Asian Haus. Asian Haus is a contemporary pan-Asian restaurant that prides itself on promoting healthy living by making a conscious effort to reduce the use of artificial flavours, oils, and sugars traditionally used in Asian cooking. By using imported products and sauces, they ensure that the food retains its authenticity. Make sure to check out their convenient meal boxes online.
Price: INR 1500 plus taxes for two

Bonne Bouche 

Even though Bonne Bouche has great and comfy interiors over in Defence Colony Market, do you want to run the risk of waiting for a table? Save yourself the trouble and order online. Their pizzas, pastas, and delicious mains like the Spinach & Ricotta with Zucchini, and Cherry Tomatoes in Cream Sauce are all available online. Make sure to use their promo code and get 10% off on your online order above INR 500.
Price: INR 1700 plus taxes for two

Leaping Caravan 

The flavours of Delhi, Amritsar, Lahore, Kabul, Kolkata, and Awadh come alive at the Leaping Caravan. The chefs here take you on a culinary journey along the Grand Trunk Road sampling cuisines from each of these famous cities without having to leave your home. Make sure to check out their comfort food corner on their menu.
Price: INR 700 plus taxes for two

Biryani Blues 

Treat yo’self like a Nizam, with food from Biryani Blues! This restaurant offers up a wide variety of food including not just biryanis but also Sala, Dalchan, and more delicious Andhra delicacies. If you’re with a group, make sure to check out their Value Meal for 4.
Price: INR 750 plus taxes for two

Khaaja Chowk 

Finally there’s a restaurant that lets you feast on street food without hitting the streets. Khaaja Chowk has a menu that offers foods from kebab platters to express bites which include your choice of kathi rolls or paranthas. Make sure to enter their online coupon code to receive 15% off for your meal over INR 500.
Price: INR 1100 plus taxes for two

Last but not least, for those of you in Gurgaon, checkout the start-ups FRSH, BITE CLUB, and Eatonomist, for their healthy menus and online ordering here.

8 Delicious Foods That Were Invented By Mistake

All of it starts from the tongue and ends at the stomach and the rest of the world can take care of itself. Perhaps, this is the undefeated ideology of food lovers all over the world, for whom all the riches of the world are mustered on a plate. Ever wondered that your favourite food might be longing to recite a tale about itself? What made it so special that it crossed all the geographical boundaries and managed to land on your plate?
Some of the most famous foods have been the result of a mistake, an accident (yes, like the ones we commit every day).

1. Cheese

Undisputedly, the enemy of all the so called’ healthy-eating-habits’ too has a story. It was likely discovered when an Arabian nomad toted along some milk in a container made from an animal's stomach lining. The liquid hardened along the way in reaction to rennet - a naturally occurring stomach enzyme, making the world's first from age.
And so, this feeling called ‘cheese ‘was discovered and now the result is not that ‘cheese is a food too’ but whether there can ever be ‘food without cheese?’.

2. Cornflakes

The story goes that the Kellogg brothers were trying to create toasted wheat flakes when they accidentally discovered the process of creating flaked corn cereal. Ironically, in the early 1920s, a Minnesota Doctor found a way to make wheat flakes (what the Kellogg’s were originally trying to do), the famous “Wheaties” and worked with a company that later became General Mills, that later became a lifelong rival of Kellogg’s.

3. Prince's Hot Chicken (Nashville)

The story behind it is one of revenge but not so much of a tragedy. A disloyal husband, Thorton, after a late night out with his girlfriend, was served a spicy, spicy piece of chicken by his wife, meant to singe the mouth of the said disloyal husband but instead he liked it so much that by the mid-1930s, he and his brothers had created their own recipe and opened the BBQ Chicken Shack café. Ironically, what was served as breakfast revenge became the staple food for late-night diners.

4. Chocolate Chip Cookie

A woman named Ruth Wakefield, who ran ‘Toll House Inn’ in Massachussets, one day ran out of her baking chocolate so she broke a piece of semi-sweet chocolate bar and added to her recipe. The chunks of chocolate did not melt according to her expectations. Instead, they became soft and sweet chunks, needless to say, everyone liked “new” chip-cookies and Ms. Wakefield became famous.

5. Cheeseburger

A young cook working at a diner in Southern California in the 1930s accidentally burned a hamburger he was frying for a customer and, rather than throw it away, he hid the charred burger under a slice of cheese. Of course, it tasted wonderful. Soon, everyone wanted a “cheeseburger,” and the rest, as they say, is history.

6. Potato Chip

In 1853, a chef got upset when a patron complained about his French fries not being “crisp” and too thick. To avenge him the chef cut the slices of potato as thin as he could and over-salted them, and then sent them back to the patron. The customer loved them and we got “potato chips “or “saragota chips”.
So next time you send a dish back at a restaurant, you are probably about to taste the next best thing in food.

7. Sandwich

When you go to have a sub and wait eagerly for your turn to make your favourite sandwich, did it ever occur to you that the person who first invented a sandwich, did so because he was too unwilling to lift a fork to have a meal?
Rumours has it that John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich found leaving the gambling table to be a royal pain, so he ordered meat to be delivered to him between slices of bread. An alternate tale suggests that work matters kept him pinned to his desk, thus necessitating the fork-free meal.
Either way the dude was not at all excited about his sandwich the way we are.

8. Coca-Cola

Makes everything taste better, right? Coca-Cola was originally made for making things better, though not the taste but your headaches and other ailments, invented by a pharmacist named John Pemberton to serve as a “medication”(as claimed by the company). He unwittingly added carbonated water to his syrup and found it a tasty alternative to alcohol. This is how, Coca-Cola, initially invented to serve as a medication, is now sold as a soda fountain drink (though the purpose fulfilled was not intentional), making it yet another ‘amazing mistake’.
Now that you are familiar with the mistakes that fetched us our favourite foods, it would be wise to attach a common motto to all the recipes, which is “To cook is human, to mess it up, is a new dish”

Do you like these food mystries? Than take a deal and have some of your favorite food at any restaurant.