Cooking&more

The last time my in laws came to visit, my father in law  gave us  the best gift possible-the gift of health and well being!  He planted this holy basil plant in our yard. Holy basil also known as Tulsi  in Sanskrit, is the most revered plant in India, enjoying an exalted status as the consort of  Lord Vishnu . The plant has been attributed to have various medicinal properties so much so that having a Tulsi plant in your yard is considered akin to having a second medicine chest in your house.  I remember as a child, my mother giving us a herbal decoction with Tulsi leaves and other herbs at a the slightest hint of a cold, and more recently, when my own little girl was down with a bad cough my MIL plucked a few leaves from the Tulsi plant, extracted their juice, mixed it with a bit of honey and gave it to her for soothing relief. Also having a Tulsi in the yard is a bonus beauty booster as it comes in handy to fight dandruff or fix that pesky pimple!! So here are some home rem

As a mom, I'm always on the lookout for healthy recipes that will pack nutrition into my fussy preschooler. so when I saw this recipe for a healthy fruits and oats muesli I just knew I had to try it. I adopted the recipe to suit my preschoolers taste and the ingredients I had on hand. The original recipe is from epicurious. Original recipe Ingredients 1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats 2/3 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk 2/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2/3 cup fresh orange juice 1/4 cup honey 1 1/2 cups grated peeled red-skinned apples (about 2 medium) 1 cup chopped raw almonds 3 cups chopped fresh fruit (such as apples, pears, and peeled oranges) Preparation Mix first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes to soften oats. Whisk orange juice and honey in medium bowl. Stir in grated apples and almonds, then 3 cups chopped fruit. Stir fruit mixture into oat mixture. DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill. Spoon into bowls. MY recipe 1/4 cup quick coo