Dates are sugars with sweet benefits. They are nutrition powerhouse. Dates are wonderfully delicious super fruits which carry natural sugar and high fiber. A natural toffee without plastic wrap. If you are like me – not keen on sweets made of white sugar, flour, and other low-quality ingredients, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle, then meet your new BFF. Adding dates to your diet is the smart decision. With some planning and knowledge, you can safely replace white sugar with dates in several recipes. Cutting down processed sugars is tough. Scoring the health benefits, dates make your life sweet.
Archives for October 2018
Flax, poppy seed and coconut laddu
I am a huge fan of traditional boondi laddu’s. Because they are deep fried and then dipped in white sugar syrup, they are obviously high in calories, and they carry bad calories. Bad calories meaning it is from oil and sugar. For these reasons boondi laddu’s are not in my festival food list. Instead I started making quiet yummy laddu’s with other healthier ingredients yet no compromise in taste. They are all-natural, diet -friendly laddu’s. For those who have diet restrictions don’t have to think much to eat. Just relax enjoy the festive season. They carry healthy calories, as minerals (magnesium, potassium, iron),Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber. They are also good source of proteins.
Flax seeds are known to reduce blood pressure, hyper tension. They improve eye, kidney, skin, hair and nail health. Remember flax seeds also improves women’s and men’s health. From fitness perspective, adding whole flax seeds to your diet is nothing but adding all-natural good protein.
Laddu can be compared to bliss balls, truffles in western world. To be more precise, no-bake, no chocolate bliss balls or no-bake, no chocolate truffles. Flax, poppy seed and coconut laddu is all-natural and high quality dessert you can ever have. It is perishable. Will stay fresh for 3-4 weeks. Freshness can be extended by refrigerating.
Saddula Batukamma Saddulu
In the state of Telangana, batukamma is the largest festival, celebrated in grand scale for 9 days. Goddess Gauri a reincarnation form of Laxmi is worshipped on the name of Bathukamma. Of course, no celebration in any culture would be complete without food. 5 or 9 types of naivedyam (prasadam) called saddulu is offered to Goddess Gouri on the 9th day. Shown in the picture are Nimmakaya saddi, Nuvvula saddi, karivepaaku saddi, Palli saddi, perugu saddi and minappappu saddi. For those who don’t know the Telugu language, they are lemon rice, sesame seeds rice, curry leaves rice, peanut rice, curd rice, and black gram (urad dal) rice.
Minapa pappu batukamma saddulu
In the state of Telangana, monsoon rains starting in June till October, bring plenty of water into the lakes, rivers. Many colorful flowers as gunugu, tanged, banti, chamanti bloom everywhere. Women arrange these flowers in a tower shape in a plate called batukamma. Groups of women sing and dance around the batukamma. The festival begins 9 days before the Saddula Bathukamma which falls two days before Dussera. Women sing and dance all 9 days and immerse batukamma them in near by lake or pond. On the last day of 9 days of batukamma, men bring huge quantities of flowers and women make huge batukkammas. Large group of women gather, sing and dance around batukamma.
Nuvvula saddi
అసలీ బతకమ్మ పండగ ఏమిటి?
బతుకమ్మ తెలంగానోల్లకు షానా పెద్ద పండగ. బతుకమ్మ పండగను తొమ్మిది రోజులు జేస్తరు. దసరాకు రెందు దినాల ముందస్తది. వర్షా కాలంలో వర్షాలు పడ్డంక రోడ్డెమ్మటి తంగేడు పూలు, గునుగు పూలు బాగా పెరగ బడతయి. గవాటితోని బతుకమ్మ ని పెద్దగ పేరుస్తరు. పసుపు తోని గౌరమ్మ ని జేషి దాని పైన బెడ్తరు.
In the state of Telangana, monsoon rains starting in June till October, bring plenty of water into the lakes, rivers. Many colorful flowers as gunugu, tanged, banti, chamanti bloom everywhere. Women arrange these floweres in a tower shape in a plate called batukamma. Groups of women sing and dance around the batukamma. The festival begins 9 days before the Saddula Bathukamma which falls two days before Dassera. Women sing and dance all 9 days and immerse batukamma them in near by lake or pond. On the last day of 9 days of batukamma, men bring huge quantities of flowers and women make huge batukkammas. Large group of women gather, sing and dance around batukamma.
Batukamma karivepaku saddulu
This is the time of the year 9 sacred days are celebrated in large scale. Though they are called different names, celebrated differently, worshipping avatars of Durga is common. Navratri, Mysuru Dasara, Batukamma, Kullu Dussehra, Durga Puja, Nadahabba etc. This high-spirit festival is celebrated in many different ways. Some fast, some feast, some jagaran (not sleeping thru the night), some dance every night, some worship with high devotion.
Batukamma palli saddi
Bathukamma is a unique flower festival celebrated in the state of Telangana, India. It is a highly enthusiastic festival, especially for women. It represents Telangana’s culture. Bathukamma is a beautiful round flower arrangement with colorful seasonal flowers stacked in the shape of temple gopuram. The arrangement signifies the Gouri goddess Bathukamma. Flowers used to make Batukamma are Bera, Thangedu, Thamara, Gunugu, Banthi, Gummadi, Kanakambaram, Mandhara, and Ramabanam. Women arrange floral batukammas beyond their creativity. Women dress up in their best, expensive pure silk sarees, wear jewelry. In the evening, all women carry plates of flowers to a nearby lake, arrange all in a circular shape. They dance around batukammas clapping rhythmically with traditional songs praising the goddess and to take birth again.
