Cook with Me: Aam ka Panna Recipe – Raw Mango Cooler

A yummy cooler for the terribly hot summers.... My favourite drink!

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 25 mins

Serves: 2 bottles

Ingredients

1. 4 medium sized raw mangoes

                          

2. 5-6 green cardamoms, crushed or powdered

 

3. 4-5 black pepper, crushed or powdered (optional)

 

4. 2 tsp black salt

5. 2 tsp regular, table salt

6. powdered sugar 3/4th cup, add more for more sweetness

 

7. Roasted Cumin powder

8. Mint Leaves washed, dried and chopped very fine or put through a blender

.

Instructions

1. Rinse the raw mangoes in water.
2. Steam the raw mangoes in pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles or 10 minutes,  till they become completely soft and pulpy.

3. Remove the peel and take out the mango pulp.

4. Mix the cardamom powder, salt, cumin powder, mint leaves and sugar to the mango pulp.

5. Mix the ingredients or blend to make it smooth.

6. Store aam ka panna in an air tight jar or bottle.
7. While serving aam ka panna, add 1 tbsp of the preserve to one glass of water.
8. Stir and add ice cubes. Serve aam ka panna chilled!

 

P.S. You may add jaggery/gur intead of sugar. It will give a more golden colour to the preserve.

Try it and let me know how you liked it!

NOTD with Maybelline

I'm New to Nail Art. I tried something today, and I am not entirely sure it worked. Have a look.......

I am not entirely happy with the results, didn't quite work out as I wanted.

What do you think?

DIY: Green Tea Face Toner

I have been using this green tea face toner for a week now and I love it!

What you need:

1.

 

















 2.


 


3.
 


4. After cooling, pour into :

        



OR

 
 5.

 

OR

 

Disclaimer: None of the photographs are mine. All downloaded from the net.

How does green tea help?

Green tea contains a cocktail of potent antioxidants called catechins, which help fight damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals can form in your skin for a variety of reasons, including exposure to toxins. However, the most common cause of free radicals in skin cells is UV radiation from sunlight, which causes up to 90% of all signs of premature aging. Since exposure to sunlight is a major factor that ages the skin, it is reasonable to assume that products with green tea extract could help prevent premature aging.

 Green tea also contains tannins, which act as an astringent.

Its a great refreshing drink too with a long list of health benefits. Drink it hot in winters and chilled in summers with a dash of honey and lemon, and be beautiful from within!

The concoction will keep in the fridge for a few days. Try it and let me know how it goes for you!

NOTD: Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish: Nude Skin and Porcelain Party

French manicure requires the palest pink and white nail polish. I have tried it with Maybelline Color Show Nail polish in Nude Skin and Porcelain Party. 

 

 

What is your favourite colour combination?

Product Review:Maybelline Color Show Nail Polish

Maybelline Colorshow Nail Polish has been around for a while, but I have come around to reviewing it only now.

 
Product Claim:

Make a bold style statement with Maybelline New York's Color Show nail color range.

With trendy, super stylish shades, these nail colors add oodles of attitude to your overall look. Presenting 40 attractive shades, the Maybelline Color Show Range let’s you mix, match and experiment with color! Here’s why you’ll love it:

• • Nail colors have a gel-based formula for increased staying power
• • Is chip-resistant and comes with an easy-flow brush
• • Available in 40 different shades 

Price: INR 75/-
Quantity: 6ml

My Take on the Product:

A brilliant product in this price range!! Maybelline is known to bring in really affordable beauty products and this nail polish is another great product from its stables. The formula is very nice and gives opacity in two coats. you will get the true colour in a single coat! Even if you have ridged nails, the nail polish gives a smooth, even finish! It has an excellent easy-flow brush which effectively spreads the polish on the nails. 

The formula is long-lasting. It sat on my nails for a good 3 days, without chipping, considering that my domestic help was on leave and I was doing all the cooking, cleaning and dishes. I also have two young children and I am either helping them wash or cleaning my hands before giving them their meals and snacks. So considering all that, I would say the formula is really long lasting!

I love the fact that it comes in 40 shades!

This is a true nude for my skin tone and I just love it!

 
 I have a big voter's ink mark on my index finger-nail and it is nearly invisible under two thin coats of polish.

Pros:

1. 40 shades to suit all ages, skin tones and preferences.
2. Very well pigmented.
3. Gives true colour in single coat.
4. Gives effective opacity in two coats.
5. Evens out ridges and other minor nail imperfections.
6. Easy, even application with easy-flow brush.
7. Long-lasting formula.
8. Does not chip even when subjected to regular house-work.
9. Very reasonably priced!

Cons:
Can't think of any!

Product Rating:
 5/5. 

Will I buy it again?
I want all the colours!!!

Many of you would have already used this product. Let me know your favourite colours!

Buy Online Here:

Medplusbeauty

HealthKart

Nykaa

Jabong

DIY: Chocolate Wrap at Home!!

Today, I'll share with you an quick pick-me-up home facial. I love to this whenever I'm not in the mood for using commercial products.

I do this quick facial wrap as a short cut to glowy skin within half an hour. Whenever I have treated myself to this face wrap, I've always received a lot of compliments!


So what do we need?
1. 


Pure Cocoa Powder, unsweetened

2. Regular curd or yogurt (unsweetened)

OR
If you feel yogurt would be too oily, go for milk instead


3. Honey

Mix the three ingredients till you have a smooth consistency. Make sure its not runny or else it will get quite messy!

On Application

After cleaning and scrubbing your face and neck, apply on your face and neck with either your fingers or an old foundation brush.
Leave for about 15-20 mins, till the wrap dries. 
Then wash off with regular water.

After Cleansing n Scubbing

After Washing off Wrap, bare skin, no make-up!

You can see the difference?
If you look carefully, you will see a pretty large pimple on the top left of my lips, this pimple shrunk in size and began drying up by the same evening that I had applied the wrap. Magic!


































So how does this wrap work? Let us look at the properties of the 3 ingredients we used:
1. Cocoa benefits for skin:

• High antioxidant content The level of antioxidant compounds in cocoa is higher than that of green tea, black tea or red wine, according to a study conducted by the Department of Food Science and Technology, Seoul National University.
  High antioxidant chocolate facial benefits include cell repair and cell damage prevention. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals and prevent them from damaging cells.
• Increased blood flow Consumption of high-flavanol cocoa can help improve the appearance of skin by improving the function of blood vessels, increasing blood flow, increasing hydration, decreasing skin roughness, and helping to increase defense against UV damage.
  Topically, this increased hydration calms and soothes skin
• Vitamin Content Dark chocolate contains Vitamins A, B12, B-complex, D and E, great for absorption of calcium, tissue growth, and releasing energy.
• Mineral Content Chocolate contains copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and zinc for the promotion of cell growth, the repair of tissue and the absorption of nutrients. Cocoa is also a rich source of sulfur, also known as the beauty mineral, necessary for healthy skin.
  
  Great to eat too. But you will get maximum benefit only from the dark variety of chocolate.

2. Yogurt:
specific nutrients in yogurt are responsible for rejuvenating and promoting healthy skin. Here are the major nutrients that are contained in yogurt for skin:
Zinc
Zinc not only contains anti-inflammatory properties that can help reduce red swellings caused by acne or rashes but also have mild anti-astringent properties that help tighten tissues. Also necessary for cell reproduction and growth of tissues, zinc reduces the size of acne and pimples. Additionally, zinc in yogurt helps regulate oil production in the sebaceous glands thereby preventing oily skin and frequent acne breakouts.
Lactic Acid
Highly used in many skin care products, lactic acid is one of the key ingredients in yogurt. It helps smoothen rough skin, exfoliate skin and moisturize dry skin, among others. Besides that, lactic acid is also very beneficial in helping steer away wrinkles and reducing any already existing wrinkles.

Calcium
Much of the epidermal layer of the skin consists of calcium! It is not only necessary for strong bones and teeth but also skin regeneration. Being a derivative of milk, yogurt is jam packed with calcium, which has great anti-oxidant power. The anti-oxidants provided by calcium help prevent and also heal dry scaly skin. Calcium in yogurt also facilitates skin renewal.
B-vitamins
Yogurt is rich in vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B12 and vitamin B5. One serving cup of yogurt contains 30.5% riboflavin which is a beneficial vitamin in yoghurt for skin that is glowing and hydrated. Riboflavin is necessary for cell growth and regeneration and also protects skin cells from oxidative damage by free radicals. Vitamin B5 is responsible for facilitating manufacture of healthy fats in cells.

Ingesting Yogurt on a regular basis will also help your overall health and ultimately improve your skin from within.

3. Honey: 

• Acne: Honey is naturally antibacterial, so it's great for acne treatment and prevention.
• Aging: Full of antioxidants, it is great for slowing down aging.
• Complexion boost: It is extremely moisturizing and soothing, so it helps create a glow.
• Pores: Honey is clarifying because it opens up pores making them easy to unclog.

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