Check yourself

 Check your fitness level..came across this quiz in the newspaper..treat yourself if you are fit!!!


Is your stamina up to the mark or are you a puffer? Test your fitness levels with this easy quiz

A Score 2

B Score 5

C Score 10

1 Can you climb up six flights of stairs in a building? 

a Without breaking a sweat

b Yes, but I'll be puffing and panting

c Eventually, with a few rest stops. Slow and steady...

2 Any outdoor exercise like trekking or heavy lifting leaves your muscles sore 

a For a day or two at the most

b I can feel aches and pains for a few days afterwards

c Any outwardly activity has my muscles out of commission for at least a week

3 Can you jog for two or more kilometers without stopping? 

a Without difficulty

b I can try, but not promise

c No way in hell

4 Can you touch your toes with your fingers without bending your knees? 

a Easily

b I can try

c I could earlier, not any more

5 How often do you visit a doctor? 

a Once a year for a regular check-up

b Only when I'm sick

c Almost every few weeks with something or the other

6 Can you run about 100mts under 15 seconds? 

a Yes

b Maybe but I might overshoot it a little

c Are you nuts?

7 How many pushups can you do in one go? 

a Over 30 (men)/ 25 (women)

b Over 25 (men) / 30 (women)

c Under 20 (men) / 15 (women)

8 How ready are you to participate in a city marathon? 

a With a few more training exercises I'm ready to go

b Give me a few weeks to tone up and I'm up to speed

c Cheering squads are underrated

9 What's your level of cardio endurance? 

a More than 20 minutes

b Between five and 20 minutes

c Less than five minutes

10 How often do you currently exercise? 

a More than three times a week

b Once or twice a week

c Where's the time?

Your score: 

Based on your current lifestyle your fitness quotient is...

38-55 

Healthy 

Not only are you extremely fit, you also pass with an excellent bill of health. Now whether you are a fitness freak or just some who keeps a tab on their calorie count, your fitness program is on the right track. Keep up the dedication to a fitter lifestyle.

56-100 

Getting heavy 

So you aren't a treadmill Nazi. Working out is as important to you as shaving once in three days; required but not a necessity. While this is a good way to keep things balanced, you'll need to make sure you don't get carried away and ignore your weight or you'll pack in the pounds in no time.

101-140 

Over the bulge 

Clearly, obesity ads and gyms springing up in every corner mean nothing to you. You are careless about your health and your body reflects it. Even if you don't look it, it's only a matter of time before fat wins the war and takes you down. Control it while you still can and chalk out an exercise regimen.

Eggplant/baingan ka bharta

                 Aaahh...its my husband's one of the favorite dishes;mashed eggplant gravy.

Time : 30 minutes
Serves : 4


Ingredients:
2 large eggplants
1 large onion,finely chopped
2 tomatoes,finely chopped
1/4 cup boiled peas
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoteida
2 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
Cilantro to garnish


Directions:

• Peel and chop eggplants in cubes.Put them in pressure cooker with enough water to cover and cook till 1 whistle.
• In the mean time,heat oil in pan,add asafoteida and cumin seeds,let them splutter.
• Add chopped onions,saute till brown,then add chopped tomatoes.
• Drain the eggplant and save some water.
• Add drained eggplant to onion mixture and mash it with the end of spatula.
• Add all spices,and mix well.Cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes.
• Add peas towards the end. Turn off the gas.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with any paratha or plain rice.

* Instead of boiling you can roast eggplants directly on gas or ovens.Remove the skin and follow the same directions as above.

Crispy arbi

         No frying,yet crispy arbi to eat...sounds delicious!!! Trust me..it tastes delicious too...
                    I dedicate this dish to my bro..he loves fried arbi like anything..!!!

Time: 20 min
Serves: 4


Ingredients:
6-7 medium sized arbis (taro root)
1 red onion,finely chopped
2 green chilies,finely chopped
2 tsp gram flour 
1 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp amchoor (mango powder)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1.5 tbsp oil
Chopped cilantro to garnish
Pinch of asafoteida
Salt to taste
water


Directions:

• Bring a cup of water to boil.
• Peel arbis and slice them.Add to boiling water.Turn off the gas after 2 minutes but let arbis sit in.
• In the mean time,heat oil in a kadhai/pan.Add asafoteida,cumin seeds and carom seeds,let them crackle.
• Add chopped onions and green chilies to it.Saute till onion turns light brown.
• Drain arbis,discard water. Add arbis to sauted onions.
• Add all spices and give a mix everything on medium flame.
• Sieve and sprinkle gram flour over arbi,splash some water and mix.
• Keep mixing and cooking arbis with 4-5 splashes of water till they turn crisp.
• Garnish with cilantro and enjoy hot with chapati.

Tomato Salsa dip

Tomato salsa,a great accompaniment to Mexican dishes.You can get it from stores,but nothing tastes as good as freshly homemade salsa.

Time: 15 min
Serves: 5-6


Ingredients:
3-4 big tomatoes
1/2 red onion
1 jalapeno
1 serrano pepper
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
Juice of 1 lime
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

• In a pot bring 2 cups of water to boil.Add whole tomato.onion,jalapeno and peppers to it.
• Let it boil till tomato skin separates.
• Drain everything,let them cool and peel tomatoes and remove the stems of jalapeno and pepper.
• In a blender,combine everything,add cilantro,salt,pepper and lime juice.
• Blend for 1 minute on high.
• Enjoy with chips or refrigerate for later use.

* Oregano and roasted cumin seeds can also be added.

* If you like it chunky,then chop everything fine,no need to blend or boil.Let it sit for an hour.