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Climbing Stairs During Pregnancy - Safe or Unsafe?
Pregnancy is an exciting time for a mother-to-be. It is important that a pregnant woman take extra care during her pregnancy so that her baby is safe, and one of the more obvious concerns women might have is whether it is safe to climb stairs. This article tells you everything you need to know about climbing stairs during this crucial period.
Is It Safe to Climb Stairs During Pregnancy?
As long as you are extremely careful, climbing stairs is safe during pregnancy. The biggest concern is slipping and getting hurt while walking up or down the stairs. Injuries sustained during pregnancy can be harmful to the foetus in several ways, which is why it is best to exercise caution.
Why Is Climbing Stairs Good During Pregnancy?
During a normal, healthy pregnancy, it is perfectly safe to climb stairs. Some of the benefits of climbing stairs during pregnancy are:
Lowers the Risk of Preeclampsia: According to some published studies, women who stay active during pregnancy and climb stairs have a lower risk of preeclampsia. This is a life-threatening condition where pregnant women develop high blood pressure, swelling in the hands and feet, and kidney problems.
Lowers Chances of Gestational Diabetes: It is said that climbing stairs during the first trimester can reduce the chances of developing gestational diabetes. This is a condition where blood sugar levels are too high, and the body is not able to process the increasing amount.
Reduces Backaches and Constipation: Physical activities such as jogging, walking or climbing stairs during pregnancy can reduce the occurrence of backaches and constipation. They also help in reducing swelling and bloating. Climbing stairs can also improve the ability to cope with labour.
When to Avoid Climbing Stairs During Early Pregnancy
There are some circumstances during early pregnancy when climbing stairs should be avoided:
If you have had miscarriages previously. If you were wondering if climbing stairs can cause miscarriage, there is a possibility of it happening if you have a history of miscarriages.
If you experience bleeding or cramping
If you suffer from dizziness
If you are carrying multiples
If you have a lower placenta
If you have high or low blood pressure
If your doctor has advised bed rest
Why Is It Unsafe to Climb Stairs in the Latter Stages of Pregnancy?
Climbing stairs during the second or third trimester of pregnancy can be unsafe. Here are the reasons why:
Stumbling: If you stumble or slip while climbing stairs, it could cause you and your baby serious injuries.
Pressure on the Back: As your belly grows larger, you’re likely to begin feeling the pressure of the increasing weight. This can make you dizzy and pull you downwards when you’re going down the stairs.
Swollen Feet: If you have swollen feet during pregnancy, climbing stairs may put further pressure on your feet and increase the swelling.
Breathlessness: Climbing stairs can make you feel breathless. This can impact the foetus as the oxygen supply is reduced when you are breathless.
Loss of Balance: As your belly grows larger, the centre of gravity of your body shifts, making it harder to maintain your balance.
Precautions to Take While Climbing Stairs
Here are some precautions to ensure that you are safe and uninjured when climbing stairs:
Walk slowly: Climb the stairs slowly, at an even pace. Avoid rushing up or down the stairs, and take the stairs one at a time.
Use the Handrail: Make sure you hold the handrail with at least one of your hands for support. If you have heavy bags or luggage, get someone to help you carry them upstairs.
Lighting: Make sure the staircase is well lit so that you can avoid missteps and risk hurting yourself.
Watch out for Slippery Stairs: Do not attempt to climb wet or greasy stairs when pregnant, as you may slip and hurt yourself and your baby.
Do Not Wear Overflowing Clothes: If you wear overflowing dresses or sarees while climbing stairs during pregnancy, you may end up tripping over your dress and injuring yourself.
Be Careful on Carpeted Stairs: Make sure the carpet is not loose, or it may cause you to trip. Also, lift your feet high to avoid tripping over the carpet.
In a healthy pregnancy, it is safe and even beneficial to climb stairs. However, climbing stairs should be avoided if you have been advised by your doctor to not exert yourself physically. In the final trimester, it is best to avoid stairs as the risk of injuring yourself is higher.
Resources and References: Being the Parent
Also Read:
Back Pain during Pregnancy
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Why is Approval Seeking So Important For Toddlers?
Is your 17-month-old baby prone to seeking constant approval? Well, you're not alone. Such behaviour usually surfaces after toddlers develop social awareness. They crave to gain the praise, attention and approval of those who matter most to them. They also love getting small rewards in the form of a “well done” or “wow”!
Why Toddlers Seek Constant Approval?
1. To Send Signs of Being In Trouble
You have barely moved away from the play pen when you hear your baby wail again. Most times, the only way your child may alert you of his physical needs is by seeking attention. Is it a wet diaper that’s making him cold or a tummy infection that’s hurting him? A child will express discomfiture by crying or throwing a tantrum. If you find your child seeking such attention, examine carefully and visit a paediatrician if need be.
2. Ignored Emotional Needs
A 17-month-old child seeking approval isn't uncommon. kids usually require a good amount of continual attention when they're doing something. So, you needn't be worried if your child calls out for your attention when he’s building blocks, dragging a play cart, chasing butterflies, or doing just about anything else. The emotional demands of a toddler compel him to seek approval and praise for the smallest of actions. In case this need is ignored, there may be a natural outburst in the form of tantrums, anger, or hurting oneself/others. If such situations become a daily occurrence, you may need to consult your doctor to check for ADHD or other medical conditions.
3. Reconsider Your Schedule
In today’s fast-paced world, working parents don't get to spend time with their children. As a result, busy dads or work-stressed moms often find themselves dealing with toddler seeking approval tactics at home, day care centre, pre-school, playgrounds, etc. This is because their free time is taken over by kids who have been waiting long enough to get a nod or praise for the things that mean most. Spending more quality time with babies will dissuade them from seeking approval for everything, and will make them more independent and carefree in the long run.
The Best Way To Show Your Attention
There are times when kids enjoy enough parental attention, yet they misbehave. In other words, regardless of you taking care of your kid’s approval seeking behaviour, you'll find your son crying needlessly or breaking things. To curb this behaviour, along with acknowledging his good actions, you need to inflict light punishment. Your firm and steady approach will calm him down gradually. Make sure you acknowledge and encourage his acceptable behaviour and deal with all not-so good actions deftly. This will help your kid learn the right ways of getting attention.
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Does Zinc Affect Your Fertility?
Quite contrary to popular opinion, there are many people out there who are already aware of the benefits of zinc for fertility. It is important to note that zinc is quite essential for women and men both, to keep your fertility levels to a good level.
Role of Zinc in Female Fertility
There is an essential need to maintain an intake of zinc to help get pregnant, especially for women. The role that it plays in supporting the fertility in females is monumental. Any presence of a deficiency can make itself felt evident too.
1. How Does Zinc Help Improve Fertility in Women?
For women, the inclusion of zinc in their diet is absolutely necessary. The presence of zinc ends up impacting a number of areas within your body that are connected to your reproductive health.
Hormone imbalance can result in quite a massive impact on your fertility and play folly in matters where conception can be easily attained. The levels of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone need to be optimal for fertility to be at its peak. Zinc plays a major role in making that happen.
Once the eggs are produced by the body, they need to travel via the fallopian tubes successfully and reach the uterus, so that the implantation can take place once fertilized. For this journey through the tubes, there is a necessity of maintaining proper levels of follicular fluid. Zinc helps carry out the function effectively.
While all of this might be attained, there does need to be a substantial amount of egg production within the body in the first place. These ought to be mature and healthy so that a sperm can fertilize them successfully. Zinc helps in maintaining proper egg quality too.
2. What If There is Zinc Deficiency?
Many women tend to complain of infertility due to a variety of reasons. A popular one amongst those is the presence of fibroids. Zinc can help keep these fibroids in check. But if a deficiency occurs, these can get inflamed and obstruct the natural cycle of pregnancy.
Similarly, many reports have established a link between zinc deficiency and miscarriages. Zinc plays an important role in the early development of the foetus, helping it to survive and develop the core organs necessary to grow ahead. A deficiency at such a crucial stage can be fatal for the child, and lead to a miscarriage.
Role of Zinc in Male Fertility
On lines similar to female fertility, knowing how much zinc for fertility in men is important ought to be known as well. Current lifestyles have made it even more necessary for this awareness to be present and help boost fertility.
1. How Does Zinc Help to Improve Fertility in Men?
The male reproductive system depends on the presence of zinc to quite a strong degree, in order to function optimally.
One of the key factors that zinc plays in matters of male fertility is the formation of the sperm themselves. Not all sperm can reach the egg successfully and their potential depends highly on their structure and shape. The aerodynamic form, combined with a tail, helps them achieve the strength and speed to reach the uterus in order to fertilize the egg. Zinc helps in creating strong sperms that improve chances of conception.
But what’s also important is to have sperms that have been developed the right way internally. A sperm might have the best structure but any presence of defects in the chromosomes it carries can be detrimental to the embryo that forms. Such sperms may fertilize the egg, but the embryo that forms may not implant successfully or lead to a miscarriage in the early stages of the pregnancy.
2. What If There is Zinc Deficiency?
Zinc deficiency in men leads to the presence of numerous disorders, many of which affect the reproductive system itself. The sperms that are generated in the absence of zinc, lack the proper structure of head and tail for swimming through the vaginal tract of the woman. This leads to many sperms getting destroyed before reaching the egg itself.
Similarly, zinc deficiency leads to a large chance of DNA related errors within the information held by the sperms. This has become quite common in recent times due to lifestyle changes, but can be easily corrected with the intake of zinc supplements.
Recommended Daily Intake
Understanding the right zinc dosage for male fertility as well as for women can help restore the fertility levels to a good amount and help with achieving successful conception without hindrances. Both men and women have a specific zinc intake that they should adhere to on a daily basis, although this does depend on the age of the person as well. The approximate amounts have been mentioned below.
For Men
Men should generally resort to having around 11mg of zinc on a daily basis. This can be achieved by correcting your diet and choosing foods that are rich in zinc. However, if you have been already diagnosed with sperm-related problems or structural anomalies, you might have to increase that intake to nearly 35-50mg per day.
For Women
Women need to generally have around 8mg of zinc on a daily basis. This requirement, however, increases when pregnant, reaching around 11mg, which further needs to be around 12mg after childbirth and during lactation.
Zinc-rich Food Sources
Knowing the zinc-rich foods for fertility improvement should be your first step when adjusting your diet. Whether you are a strict vegetarian or a non-vegetarian, there are a bunch of foods to be included in your diet without fail.
Seafood such as shrimps, prawns and oysters
Sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds
Meat items such as turkey, lamb, beef
Probiotics like yoghurt and vegetables such as green peas
Should You Consume Zinc Supplements for Fertility?
Zinc supplements are usually recommended for people already suffering from a major deficiency or failing to reach a healthy level even with a proper diet. 15mg of supplements are good enough, while doctors might suggest a higher dosage if required.
The best zinc supplement for fertility is a proper diet. While a better lifestyle always ensures a good level of fertility, balancing it out with supplements and doctor’s advice can help you achieve optimal fertility levels quickly.
Also Read: 10 Best Foods That Can Boost Your Fertility Read more
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What Is a Swaddle Bath and How to Give One?
Even while swaddling your infant might be difficult at first, it has many advantages for both you and your child. Many parents are concerned that swaddling will induce slumber in their infants or possibly put them to sleep. The truth is, the infant swaddle bath is a procedure where the baby can unwind and finally go off to sleep. Swaddling is a crucial aspect of your baby’s existence, and it’s a good idea to get started as soon as possible.
What Is Swaddle Bathing?
Swaddle immersion baths are used to wash infants while they are gently enveloped in a blanket. It is typical to immerse the child and the blanket in a tub of water, with the water reaching up to the infant’s shoulder. The infant must next be unswaddled, and each leg washed individually before being re-swaddled to complete the procedure.
Why Do Newborns Need a Swaddle Bath?
Swaddle immersion baths keep the child warm and comfortable during bath time, providing a more womb-like environment for the infant. After carefully unwrapping and cleaning each limb, it is gently rewrapped in the covers.
Benefits of Swaddle Bath for a Baby
Swaddle bath comes with many benefits. Continue reading to learn more about the benefits of swaddling baths for babies.
1. Swaddling May Help Your Baby Sleep More Deeply and for an Extended Time
While a newborn sleeps around 16 hours per day, that sleep is broken into 3- to 4-hour intervals. According to some studies, swaddling newborns increases their REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. When newborns are in this more profound stage of sleep, they are less likely to awaken fully, which means that parents will spend less time at the baby’s bedside ministering to a wide-awake and weeping youngster.
2. Swaddling a Baby Who Is Weeping May Sooth Them
This is the benefit that has prompted so many parents to give swaddling a try. Consider being able to quiet a crying newborn with a few easy hand folds! However, this is not a supernatural phenomenon. Also, swaddling reduces crying in infants aged eight weeks or younger.
3. Swaddling a Baby May Help Prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
Newborns that sleep on their stomachs have a higher risk of SIDS death than other babies. As a consequence, babies should be put on their backs while sleeping. Unswaddled newborns who are properly swaddled with their faces facing upward are less likely to fidget and shift during sleep, resulting in the baby ending up on their stomach.
Risks of Swaddle Bath
There are also specific hazards associated with an immersion bath. Continue reading to find out more about the dangers of swaddling newborns in tubs of water.
1. Swaddling May Delay Breastfeeding
Babies are checked, swaddled for warmth, and returned to Mom so she can nurse. Researchers discovered that swaddled babies suckled better and took to the breast sooner than skin-to-skin babies. The swaddling blanket prevents newborns from breastfeeding. Babies use their hands to identify, manipulate, and shape their nipples. The swaddled and skin-to-skin groups had similar breastfeeding capacity and impact as the older infants.
2. This Can Affect Weight
A swaddled baby’s lack of weight gain is due to delayed breastfeeding. Another theory is that unwrapped babies might not get enough contact to grow.
3. Swaddling a Child Loses Heat
Researchers found that allowing newborns to touch their mothers’ skin keep them warm. Swaddling has been shown to help regulate body temperature, but it may also increase the risk of hyperthermia. To avoid overheating, use light cotton swaddling blankets; however, it is best not to cover the head.
4. Swaddling Increases the Risk of Hip Dysplasia
Swaddling stretches hips and knees. Besides hip dysplasia, prolonged sitting in this posture can cause arthritis and leg length variations throughout a child’s life. DDH swaddling a child is harmful. Swaddle your baby, but leave room for them to bend and flex their legs.
How to Give a Swaddle Bath to Your Baby?
A home swaddle bath makes you warm, cozy, and secure with the essential guidelines for swaddle bath sessions. Follow the step-by-step guide for swaddle bath below to learn more.
What You Will Need
Infant towels
Swaddle blankets
Diapers/jammies
Infant soaps
Damp cloth
Blossoming bath
A water-resistant pad (neatly folded in half)
Instructions
A swaddle is a blanket wrapped around a baby’s underpants to keep it warm at sleep.
Extend one side across the arms to surround them.
By folding up the remaining arm, use a clean washcloth to finish the swaddling. Always begin by thoroughly cleansing the infant’s face with water.
To avoid eye infections, wipe the inside of the eyes.
Wipe the remainder of the face, including the cheeks and ears, with a clean towel.
While the remainder of your body should remain wrapped, one arm should be opened.
Re-swaddle the infant and re-pour warm water over the body to keep it warm as you wash one of the infant’s hands. Unwrap the second arm, wash it, and then rewrap it.
Following that, untie each leg and wash it in warm water before reattaching it. Repeat the technique until all of the baby’s legs are dry.
To wash the belly, pull the bottom part down while covering your arms and legs.
When you’re finished, wash your privates and put away the wash towel.
Replace the infant’s cover.
Continue washing the baby’s back by leaning back.
Finally, pour water over the baby’s head. Leaving the head until last guarantees that the baby’s body temperature is maintained and that the infant does not get too chilly due to a wet head
If the baby poops in the bath and the water has to be changed.
And give your baby another bath before venturing outside to dry and moisturize.
It may take a few tries to get the hang of it, but once you do, you’ll realize that this is the most efficient and delightful method of washing your kid!
Things to Remember When Giving Swaddle Bath
If you wrap your newborn correctly, both you and your baby will benefit from a peaceful night’s sleep. Several critical safety concerns and important tips for swaddle bath include the following:
Snugly Wrapped But Not Too Firmly: In an ideal world, you should be able to fit a few fingers between the swaddled body of the infant and the top blanket. Legs should be bent and stretched out to allow for freedom of movement.
Ascertain That Your Child Is Always On Her Back: It is the most secure posture, whether swaddled or un-swaddled. Maintain the bottom of the blanket underneath your infant.
It Is Critical To Maintain A Cool Temperature For The Infant: Swaddling may be associated with overheating and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Maintain a suitable room temperature (between 68 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit year-round). When it comes to keeping your youngster warm, avoid layering excessively. The body of an overheated individual will exhibit overheating symptoms such as a runny nose and puffy eyes.
Use A Swaddle For Naps And Overnight Sleep: Swaddling your infant may be an excellent alternative for assisting them in sleeping. Swaddling during the night is no more dangerous than swaddling during nap time if done correctly. You’ll have several opportunities to examine her health due to the frequency of her feedings. You may choose to monitor her more often while she is sleeping.
With this, you can now master the art of preparing for your baby’s first swaddle bath. In this way, not only will your baby be comfortable and fall asleep faster, but you can also sneak in a few additional hours of sleep yourself.
Also Read:
How Often Should You Bathe Your Infant (1 to 12 Months)?
Bathing Your Infant – Procedures, Tips and More
When and How to Stop Swaddling an Infant Read more
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15 Superb Canvas Painting Ideas for Kids
Everybody has made their own paint masterpiece when they were kids. Be it using crayons or watercolours, we have all tried to discover our inner Picasso. Canvas painting for kids is absolutely necessary as a learning process that organically teaches your child to express himself in any way he would want to. And by mixing that form of painting with a few other ideas and tips, you can make it a hybrid art form altogether.
15 Creative Canvas Painting Ideas for Children
Here are a few ideas that you can try with your kids.
1. A Canvas Filled with an Array of Buttons
Make use of the canvas as more of a whiteboard of sorts, where the buttons become the colour. Put together a wide variety of buttons in various colours, shapes, and sizes and let your kid stick them onto the canvas. You can make outlines using them and fill in space, or draw an outline first and then use the buttons to fill them up.
2. Soft Pompom Balls on the Hard Canvas
Pompoms are these tiny softballs that are readily available in any craft store. Unlike buttons, these are more three-dimensional that provides your child with a chance to make a lot more than usual. Try painting a scenery and using white pompoms to build clouds over the mountains. Draw a bouquet of flowers and let red coloured pompoms be the roses in it. Let the painting rise above the canvas and create a variety of designs.
3. Sticky Paper Sticking on a Canvas
If buttons and pompoms are too restrictive when it comes to shapes, go completely creative by using coloured paper bits instead. A sticky paper that has a layer of glue behind can be used. Or you could use normal paper and glue separately. Instead of cutting the paper with scissors, let your kid tear them with his fingers into any shape that he wants to. Apply some glue and stick it on the canvas to make some abstract art. Tear out a diamond and let it be a kite flying high in the sky, or simply multiple tiny blue paper bits that resemble rainfall.
4. Blotting the Paint on the Canvas
Keep those brushes aside for a moment and let’s use another tool to create a masterpiece. Blotting paper has a very interesting way of spreading its contents onto a canvas. If your kid is a little too excited, you can even use rough towels or napkins to prevent the blotting papers from tearing. Dip them in the paint and use those to paint on the canvas. The large blots of paint, combined with your stroke patterns, makes it one of the easy canvas paintings for kids to try their hand out at.
5. Modern Art Using Melted Crayons on the Canvas
This one requires some adult supervision but the result is worth it. Lay down paper under the canvas to keep the area clean. Glue some wax crayons on the top of the canvas in an arrangement of your choice. Then, use a hair dryer to blow hot air on them and watch them gradually melt. By alternating the hotness over different crayons, these can melt down to create absolutely stunning patterns.
6. Bringing Real Life onto the Canvas
Not everything has to always be paints and crayons and artefacts. You can bring the nature itself onto the canvas and create a painting out of it. Kids love to collect items so ask your child to find leaves, flowers, dead butterflies, dragonflies, etc. Once they are dried and flat, they can be glued to the canvas in a style that is reminiscent of the olden times. Add colour the painting if you feel like giving it an artistic touch.
7. Creating Doodles on the Canvas Using Threads
This one can be done using threads or ribbons of various colours. Just like pompoms, these add a new dimension to the flat canvas. By tying together the threads in different patterns, you can create flowers, butterflies, or any other style that can be glued to the canvas. Other threads can add some zest or be used to create a border, too.
8. Why Graffiti on the Wall when there’s a Canvas at Home
There is a stark difference in the way colours appear using crayons, using watercolours, and using spray paints. Get a few spray cans in a bunch of colours, along with sketch pens and crayons. Let your kid just spray paint a bunch of wishes on the canvas and then accentuate them using the colours and pens.
9. Masked Letters in a Canvas Filled with Paint
Kids are bound to go wild with this one. Use duct tape and let your kid stick it on the canvas in such a way that it spells his name. Next, use all sorts of paints and pens and fill up the entire canvas with colour and patterns. Peel out the tape and the empty spaces will spell your kid’s name.
10. Family Photo Frame on the Canvas Itself
Mixing together art and craft, this one can be extremely cute to have in the house. Use a pencil to sketch out squares on the canvas. Glue icecream sticks along the outlines of the squares and then either paint them black to hold a photo or let your child draw his sketches of mom and dad and the family in each of the squares.
11. Making the Canvas into a Learning Tool
A noticeboard is important at home just as it is in your office. Let your kid choose a bunch of coloured papers of his choice. Then paint the entire canvas in black and let it dry. Now you can keep the stack of coloured papers next to it and put them up on the board using push pins to write anything that you want to remember.
12. Abstract Modern Art with Duct Tape
With buttons and pompoms, there’s space for some minimalism to exist on the canvas, too. Using simple pieces of duct tape to create a multitude of patterns on a black canvas can allow your kid to focus on other aspects of shape and symmetry, beyond the typical colours and patterns.
13. Sticks and Stones to Paint Great Artwork
Finding small stones or a very sharp stick can act as a brush too. By using one end of the stone or stick dipped in paint, and tap it repeatedly on the canvas. This can be used to create interesting patterns or geometrical shapes or to fill sketched drawings that might have been made earlier.
14. Hands have Fingers for a Reason
Yes! Not only will your kid have a gala time in messing up the entire place, and their hands and their clothes, the paintings they make will have their personal touch, quite literally. Let them make fingerprints, palm paintings, or write their names with their very own fingers and watch them smile in delight.
15. Bubble Wrap Paint Fiesta
A sheet of bubble wrap is all it takes for this one. Take out paint in a larger tray, lay down the sheet, and then let your kid put the sheet on the canvas in all ways possible. And even if he does get bored, he can always spend time popping the bubble wrap.
Canvas painting ideas for preschoolers, kindergarten and all kids are aplenty and each of them helps unleash their creativity in an interesting way. Keeping things clean and letting them express their heart is a good way to keep them engaged as well as build new ideas in their heads.
Also Read:
Thumb and Finger Painting Ideas for Kids
Fun and Easy Painting Ideas for Children Read more
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5 Recipes You Can Make with Peas While They Stay Fresh and Sweet
Winter is the time for snuggling under a blanket and relishing good, warm food. Food is the perfect therapy for foggy winter mornings and chilly winter nights. Although we can indulge in eating at any time of the day all year round, there is something about winters that makes us appreciate our food a little more - maybe it’s because the winter season offers us our favourite foods. Yes, you know them all - gajar ka halwa, sarson da saag, methi ke laddoo, makhane laddoo - all these mouth-watering Indian dishes make us fall in love with this cold season even more. But there is one more item of food that is awaited in winters - PEAS!
Peas are available all year round, but the best time to relish peas is during winters, as peas at this time are sweet, soft, and fresh - just the way we like. Most of you would love eating peas raw and fresh from the farm, but that doesn’t mean you can’t experiment with them. If you love to eat peas, we’re certain that you’ll also enjoy the various dishes made with peas. So, here we bring you some pea recipes that you can try this winter.
5 Pea Recipes That You Should Make This Winter
Here are 5 tasty pea recipes that you can make during winter.
1. Matar ki Kachori
Matar ki kachori is one of the classic delicacies everyone enjoys, especially in north India – it is a perfect snack to indulge in on a cold winter evening. You can have it with a hot cup of chai or with ketchup, green chutney, or curd.
Ingredients
For the kachori dough
All-purpose flour (maida) - 1 cup
Semolina (rawa) - 1 tsp
Water
Oil
Salt to taste
For the stuffing
Fresh peas - 2 cups
Grated ginger - 1 tsp
Thinly sliced green chilli - 1
Cumin seeds - ½ tsp
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
A pinch of asafoetida
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
Dry mango powder - ¼ tsp
Chopped coriander leaves
Crushed fennel seeds - ¼ tsp
How to Make
Stuffing
Boil or steam the peas and allow them to cool.
Take the boiled peas, ginger, and chopped chilli in a blender.
Blend them well to form a coarse paste and keep aside.
Heat 1 tsp of oil in a wok on a medium flame.
Once the oil heats up, add cumin seeds and asafoetida, and let them splutter.
Add blended peas to it and stir well.
Add dry spices, salt, and coriander leaves to the mix and give it a nice stir.
Once the mixture is cooked, turn off the flame.
Dough
Take semolina (rawa) and all-purpose flour (maida) in a large bowl, add salt and some oil, and mix well.
Slowly add water to it, and knead well to form a dough. Keep the dough aside for 15 - 30 minutes.
Extract a small ball from the dough and place it on a rolling board.
Dust some maida on it, and roll the ball to a medium-sized circle using a rolling pin.
Place a scoop of the prepared stuffing in the centre of the flattened dough and brush some water on its edges.
Next, bring all the edges together and pinch them.
Dust some maida on it again and roll it to get a medium-sized disc.
Repeat the steps to make a few more.
Heat oil in a deep wok on medium flame; once the oil is hot, drop a rolled kachori in it from the edges of the wok.
Deep fry it till it turns golden brown.
Fry all the kachoris in a similar fashion, and serve hot with green chutney.
2. Nimona
We know the name nimona may sound strange, especially if you’re hearing the name of this yummy matar recipe for the first time, but once you try and taste it, we are sure you’ll make it every winter. Yes, we are emphasising on winters because nimona tastes best when made with fresh green peas harvested in the winter season. So, here is the recipe for this favourite delicacy of Uttar Pradesh.
Ingredients
Chopped onion - 1
Chopped potato - 1
Finely chopped tomato - 1
Fresh green peas - 2 cups
Mustard oil - 2 tbsp
Grated ginger - ½ tsp
Chopped garlic - 1 tsp
Chopped green chillies - 2
Bay leaf (tejpatta) - 2
Cloves - 4
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - ¼ tsp
A pinch of asafoetida
Red chilli powder - ½ tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Water
Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp
How to Make
Blend the chopped onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and green chillies in a blender to make a fine paste. Keep aside in a bowl.
Next, grind green peas to form a coarse paste. Remember - do not add water while grinding.
Take 2 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan and heat it on a low flame. Once the oil is hot, add chopped potato cubes to it and sauté them till they turn golden.
Keep the potatoes aside on a plate lined with a kitchen towel, allowing it to absorb the excess oil.
To make the nimona gravy, take the same pan. You can add more oil to it if it seems less.
Heat the oil and add bay leaves, cumin seeds, and cloves to it. Let them splutter.
Add the ground onion and tomato mixture to it, and stir it well.
Keep sautéing the mixture until it turns lumpy, and you notice oil releasing from the sides of the mixture.
Now add all the dry spices to it and mix well.
Finally, add the coarse peas’ paste and salt as required, and mix well with the onion-tomato masala.
Add water as required and cover the pan with a lid, allowing it to simmer. It should take 10 - 15 minutes for this matar recipe to cook to perfection.
Stir it in between and add more water if required.
Once it’s cooked, add chopped coriander leaves and turn off the flame.
Serve hot with phulkas.
3. Methi Matar Malai
While nimona tastes delicious, you’d not make it for a house party, would you? If you want to cook something special and fancy with peas, here is a perfect gravy dish that you can make easily.
Ingredients
Chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) - 2 cups
Boiled green peas - 1 cup
Fresh cream - ½ cup
Milk - 1 cup
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Sugar - ½ tsp
Salt as required
Water
Chopped coriander leaves (for garnishing)
For the paste
Chopped onion - 1 (medium-sized)
Chopped green chillies - 1 - 2
Grated ginger - ½ tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cashews - 1 cup
Chopped garlic - ½ tsp
Small cinnamon sticks - 2
Cloves - 4
Green cardamoms - 2
Black peppercorns - 2
How to Make
Preparation
First, wash the chopped fenugreek leaves, then sprinkle ½ tsp salt on it. Keep it aside for 15 minutes.
Later, squeeze out the excess water from the methi leaves.
Paste
Heat oil in a pan on a low flame; once it’s hot, add cumin seeds to it.
Once the cumin seeds change colour, add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamoms, and peppercorns to it.
Next, add ginger, garlic, and green chillies, and sauté.
Add chopped onions and sauté them until they turn soft and translucent. Turn off the flame, and transfer the onion mixture on a plate, allowing it to cool.
Once it cools, add it to a blender with cashews, and blend to form a smooth paste.
Methi Matar Malai
Heat oil in a pan on a low flame. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds and wait till their colour changes.
Then add the prepared onion and cashew paste to it and keep stirring it.
Cook the mixture for 5 - 10 minutes until it starts giving an aroma, and you see oil releasing from the sides.
You can add a little water if the mixture sticks to the pan.
Add chopped fenugreek leaves or methi, and sauté for 3 minutes.
Add half a cup of water and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Finally, add boiled peas, fresh cream, and milk (if necessary), and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
Add sugar and salt to taste.
Garnish with coriander leaves and your methi matar malai dish is ready!
Serve hot with phulkas, parathas, or naan.
4. Peas and Mint Dip/Puree
Who says you can make only Indian delicacies with peas? If you like indulging in all kinds of foods from all parts of the world, here is one recipe which is popular all over the world! Just like the ever-popular avocado dip, you can make a dip or spread with peas as well. Here goes the recipe –
Ingredients
Fresh peas - 2 cups
Water - 2 cups
Chopped mint leaves - 8
Chopped garlic - ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Pepper
Butter
How to Make
Take water in a pan and bring it to a boil.
Add peas, mint leaves, and salt, and boil for 5 minutes.
Drain the water and let the peas cool.
Grind together the peas, mint leaves, and garlic.
Transfer it to a bowl, and add salt and butter to it, and mix well.
Spread it on toast or bread slices, and enjoy!
5. Matar Barfi
Want to make a dessert with peas - how about matar barfi? Here is a simple way to make matar barfi. So, take note of this recipe and try it yourself!
Ingredients
Ground peas - 2 cups
Ghee or clarified butter - 2 tbsp
Powdered cashews - ¼ cup
Powdered sugar - 1 cup
Grated khoya (mava) - 1 cup
Cardamom powder - ½ tsp
Edible silver (Vark)
How to Make
Roast the cashew powder and keep it aside.
In a non-stick pan, roast khoya until the ghee separates.
Once it’s done, take the ghee in the pan, heat it on a low flame, and add the ground peas. Keep stirring continuously to reduce the moisture in the mixture.
Add khoya and give the mixture a nice stir.
Add sugar, cardamom powder, and cashew powder, and keep stirring it until the mixture becomes lumpy.
Turn off the flame.
Grease a plate or tray with ghee, and pour the peas’ mixture on it, spreading it evenly on the plate.
Allow it to cool and cut it into squares or any shape you like.
Stick vark on it and satiate your sweet tooth.
So, there you have it - 5 easy matar dishes that you can make in winters. Savoury, spicy, gravy, sweet - you name it and we’ve got them covered for you. So, what are you waiting for? Go ahead and try these recipes. Eat these yummy matar dishes now because you know it well that fresh peas won’t last long. Happy p’eating’!
Also Read:
Include These Seasonal Fruits in Your Winter Diet
Hot Dessert Recipes to Keep You Cozy on Cold Nights
Indian Foods That Can Keep You Warm This Winter Season Read more
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Is it safe to have
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A. at present take rest and use medicines as advised by the doctor. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
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A. You should have proper consultation with your treating doctor , as some examination or investigations may be needful, so that proper medications can be given And the treatment can be done very properly.
continue antibiotics regularly
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A. For weight loss diet is good in intermittent fasting a good and but if your body is loose or you feel you really do tighten up your body then gymming or yoga both the things are going to be very good both the things are going to be helpful in tightening up your body and muscles at the same time but it is time consuming we just have to have patience
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