So, while I was busy feeding my kids lunch this afternoon which consisted of Jeera Rice and Tadka Dal, I got a message from my best friend asking if I had a chance to see President Obama’s episode on Zach Galifianakis Between Two Ferns. Well, of course I had no seen it but by late afternoon I knew I had to watch it because of all the buzz surrounding it on the internet. Turns out in a bid to encourage young people to sign up for health insurance, President Barack Obama stopped by Zach Galifianakis’ Between Two Ferns comedy show and the brief episode appeared on Funny or Die’s website early this Tuesday morning.
Must commend Scott Aukerman on his persuasiveness and talent on how he and his team got Obama to laugh at himself and charm the audience and promote Affordable Care Act. The viral video has already racked up more than 6 million views in less than one day on the Funny or Die website. Aukerman and Galifianakis had been chasing down Obama as a Fernsguest for years, hoping he would follow in the footsteps of Bradley Cooper, Justin Bieber, Natalie Portman, and Michael Cera, among others, who have all appeared on the show.
Many people are being judgemental and say that Obama should be spending his time on more important affairs and Aukerman’s response is simple: “People who get it are the kids he’s trying to reach.” While Obama’s ability to think outside the box is impressive and I am not against Affordable Care Act. What baffles me is the fact that why not lay emphasis on the heart of the problem and encourage people especially youth to pay attention to what they eat rather than going after fad diets or opting for certain health care plan. If we all ate right and took part in some form of rigorous physical activity, their would be less burden on our health care systems.
Here are 6 healthy recipes for my kitchen which are not only nutritious but also easy enough that teenagers can make it for themselves.
1. Chickpea Salad Recipe Video
2.  Tasty Beet Salad  Recipe Video
Super easy, healthy and yummy Beet Salad recipe with homemade dressing. This is really nutritious, low calorie, low fat, raw salad.
Ingredients:
2 cups Beets (peeled and julienned or cut in long strands)
2 cups carrots
2 cups Cabbage
3 tbsp Toasted Almonds (Really Make the difference in taste in this salad)
1 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp Avocado Oil (or Olive oil/grapeseed oil)
1.5 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Salt and Pepper
Prepare the dressing and add it to veggies. Season, chill in the fridge for 20 mins and serve. It can be a great side dish or hearty salad in itself.
3. Easy Tabbouleh Salad Recipe
Quick, Easy, Nutritious, Low Fat, High Fiber Tabbouleh Salad is made with Bulgur Wheat ( Cracked wheat, also known as Dalia in India. ) This tasty salad can be adjusted to suit one’s taste. Here’s what’s tricky..Bulgur and Dalia are both Cracked Wheat but Bulgur might be partially or fully cooked i.e. the difference is that it is soaked and steamed/ cooked before cracking, hence its finer and more refined.
Ingredients and Method:
1 cup Bulgur Wheat (Cooked)
2 cups water ( To cook Bulgur)
1 Large Tomato
1 cup boiled chickpeas
3/4 cup green onions
3/4 cup cucumber
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup Red Pepper
1 tsp Salt (adjust per taste)
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
2 cloves of garlic minced
3 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1. Cook Bulgur wheat in boiling water (Ratio of what to water- 1:2)
2. Prepare dressing by mixing lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, salt and pepper
3. Combine all the salad ingredients, pour the dressing over. Mix well and chill for 15 mins before serving.
– This healthy lunch salad can be paired with fish, chicken (or meat of your choice) for a complete dinner. You can also fill it in wraps for lunch on the go.
4. Simple Lentils Dish : Lentils are really healthy and quite easy to prepare if you have pressure cooker or slow cooker. In this recipe I use urad daal wash to make this sookhi dal recipe, also referred sometimes as Punjabi Daal dry, Amritsari sookhi dahl etc. You will need Lentils (Urad Dal Wash), Onions, Tomatoes, Cilantro, ginger, Garlic, Carrots and basic Indian spices. This is really nutritious, full of protein, high fibre recipe.
5. Quinoa Pilaf Recipe Video
Learn how to make super healthy, quick and easy Quinoa Pilaf by using following ingredients and cooking everything together in one pot.
Ingredients:
-1 cup cooked Quinoa
(Quinoa can be cooked by adding it in 1.5 cup of boiling water)
-Vegetables of your choice
-2-3 tbsp of Oil for cooking
-1 tsp cumin seeds
-3-4 cloves of Garlic
-1 green chiili
-Salt Per taste
-1 tbsp Lemon juice
-1 tsp Garam Masala (Recipe For Garam Masala)
-1 tsp Turmeric
Complete meal in itself, this flavorful Quinoa pilaf will become your favourite in no time. It’s great for lunch as well as a quick snack.
6. Â Spicy Black Beans Veggie Wrap
Ingredients:
1/2 cup boiled black beans
1/2 cup fried onions and corn
1/2 cup Lettuce
1/2 cup Red Pepper
1/2 cup tomatoes
1 tsp Jalapeno Peppers
3-4 stalks of cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp Red chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp Lemon juice or 1 tbsp ranch
3-4 Tortilla wraps
Method: Mix all the vegetables and beans. Season them well and add in the dressing. Fill them up in Tortilla Wraps or Homemade Roti and enjoy!