Speedy Apple Squash Soup
Events really excite us as we come back home learning something new, meeting some terrific people, gaining some good amount of knowledge and of course tummy’s full. A recent event hosted by Washington Apple Commission in association with Women’s Health magazine got some ladies from different fields of career chatting and asking all of their querries to Ms. Rekha Sharma, the well known expert in the field of Nutrition and Dietetics. Summers are really tiring when it comes to standing in the kitchen for hours and cooking some menu.
A quick salad, or a soup, or even gorging on some fresh fruits/vegetables fills you up. As the old saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”, you cannot think of a healthier fruit than an apple. Apples have immense benefits of Cancer prevention, Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, aids in healthy lungs and due to its dietary fiber promotes weight loss.
Sattviko, the pure vegetarian restaurant in Gk2 which seats about 30 people, was full with beautiful ladies (and a very few men) waiting for their questions to be answered. One by one, Ms. Rekha answered all of the questions about diet-exercise-nutrition-skincare and even hair care. Ms. Rekha has worked at Boston Hospital of women, USA and as Chief of Dietetics at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Having written many books and working as an advisory for health magazines and websites, she at present, is the President of Indian Dietetic Association and Director of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Diabetes Foundation of India.
Apples with Spiced Caramel & Mascarpone
We were greeted with some fresh cut Washington apples and we must agree, they were so juicy that you wouldn’t want to stop at one bite. Stressing on the goodness of Washington apples, known as the best apple variety over the world, Ms Rekha suggested that an apple and a spoon of peanut butter is the best breakfast/snack one can have. Each year, the Washington region harvest between 90-105 million bushel boxes of apples. We also came to know that apples have 84% water, which helps in keeping the body hydrated especially in summers and aids digestion. Apples are low in calories, fat free, sodium free and satisfies your hunger. Washington apples are found in 5 varieties: Red delicious, Golden delicious, Granny smith (the green ones), Gala (Pinkish-orange stripes) and Fuji (one with a hard texture). Most of them are widely available in India now.Chef Rishi Verma delightedly cooked some delicious recipes and made us all taste it one by one. The Speedy Apple squash soup had an interesting color. A nice mix of sweet and spice, this soup is a summer delight. The apples with spiced caramel and Mascarpone cheese came in as a light dessert and can be eaten as a midnight snack too. But the sesame apple salad stood out for us. It was fresh, scrumptious and had a nutty flavor. The recipe, so easy, that you can even try it at home. Why not make one?
sesame apple salad
Ingredients:2 Washington Fuji apples 2 medium carrots 1 bunch small radishes 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint Salt and Pepper to tasteDressing:1/4 cup cider vinegar 2 tbsp honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted Method:Quarter apples; remove core and thinly slice. Set aside in large bowl.Peel carrots and cut into matchstick pieces. Add to apples.Slice radishes and cut into thin strips. Add to apples. Gently toss with raisins, parsley and mint.In small bowl, whisk together, vinegar, honey, Dijon, salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in oil.Just before serving, toss salad with dressing and sprinkle with sesame seeds.(Makes 6 servings)Source:Washington Apple CommissionAnd here’s some Interesting fact you might want to know about Apples: 1. Apples originated in Kazakhstan and were carried east by traders on the Silk Road.2. Apple seeds are like people, you will never get the exact type of apple from a planted seed.3. One apple has 5 gm fiber, supplying 20% of the daily fiber recommendation.
We thoroughly enjoyed this event, and came back home deciding to be more fit following Ms. Sharma’s recommendations!