do you wan't to know how Barbie Has Changed Over the Past 50 Years

Hi everyone ,

I love barbie dolls so much like every girl. The physical appearance of the iconic Barbie doll has changed numerous times since it was first released in 1959, keeping pace with the ideals of beauty that society has set for women over the decades. We thought it was a truly fascinating way to examine society’s evolving taste in toys and attitudes towards fashion and beauty, and just had to share it with you.

Which one did you have, and which one is your favourite?

5 questions to know if you are stressed

Hi everyone ,

S-T-R-E-S-S. This six letter word can extract happiness from your life and leave you in melancholy. Ask yourself these questions to know if stress has become a part of your life. If you answer YES to more than ten questions, you really need to do something to throw this grievous word out of your life. 

1. Do you get irritated very often?

If trivial things leave you irritated and annoyed, you are suffering from stress. The best way to avoid this situation is to meditate. It’ll help you soothe your mind and destress. 

2. Do you easily get querulous in case of any delay?

If waiting for an elevator, bus or even a friend annoys you, you are suffering from stress. Try doing meditation. It’ll help you stay calm in such irritable situations.

3. Do you consume more than three cups of coffee or tea a day?

People have a habit of drinking a cup of tea/coffee twice a day. But when it goes beyond that, it can do a lot of harm and can be a sign of stress. Your caffeine-intake must be reduced as much as possible.

4. Do you undergo breathing difficulty?

If you have ever found yourself in a situation when you experience difficulty in breathing, it might be because of stress. Incorporate breathing exercises in your daily routine to release your tension any time of the day. 

5. Do you get inadequate sleep?

Not taking proper sleep will make your body stressed, both physically and mentally. It can act as a cause as well as a symptom. So make sure you get ample sleep no matter what you are going through to make your day a jubilant one. 

bhindi masala gravy recipe

Hi everyone ,

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp oil, for sauting bhindi / okra
• 6 bhindi / okra / lady's finger, 1.5 inch length
• 2 tsp oil, for gravy
• 1 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste / adrak lasun paste
• ½ medium sized onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder / lal mirch powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder / haldi
• 1 tsp coriander powder / dhaniya powder
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 cup / 2 large sized tomato pulp
• ¼ cup cashew paste / 7 cashews paste
• ½-1 cup water, as required
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Instructions ( 1 cup =255 ml)

1. firstly, in a large kadai heat oil and saute bhindi.
2. sauté on medium flame stirring occasionally.
3. remove and keep aside.
4. now in the same kadai add 2 tsp of oil if required.
5. also add jeera and sauté till it turns aromatic.
6. furthermore, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté.
7. also add onions and continue to sauté.
8. add spices like chili powder, turmeric, coriander powder and garam masala.
9. sauté for a minute on low flame till the spices are cooked well.
10. now add tomato pulp and sauté continuously till the oil separates and forms thick masala paste.
11. now add cashew paste, salt add water as required to adjust the consistency.
12. get the gravy to boil.
13. further add sautéed bhindi and mix gently.
14. cover and simmer the gravy for 5 minutes.
15. now add coriander leaves and mix well.
16. finally, serve bhindi masala gravy / okra masala curry with plain rice, chapathi or roti.

palak pakora recipe

Hi everyone ,

Ingredients

• 10 palak leaves
• ½ cup besan / gram flour
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp ajwain / caraway seeds
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• pinch of baking soda (optional)
• water as required to prepare batter
• oil for deep frying

Instructions ( 1 cup =255 ml)

1. in a mixing bowl take half cup of besan, turmeric powder, chilli powder, ajwain, chaat masala, salt and rice flour. mix well.
2. now add a pinch of baking soda. it is optional. however, it makes your pakoda fluffy.
3. now add water slowly and make a smooth batter.
4. dip the whole palak leaves into batter. coat with batter on both side.
5. slowly drop into hot oil and deep fry. stir occasionally.
6. fry till they become crisp and golden brown.
7. remove the pakodas and drain onto a paper towel.
8. serve hot with tomato ketchup and masala chai.

5 Dos and Don’ts of Wearing a Saree

Hi everyone ,

Saree is such a feminine piece of clothing. There are so many dos and don’ts of wearing a saree for the first time or for 20th time. Let’s find out how you can be effortless and look flawless in a saree!

1. Consider your body frame in mind:

If you are tall then you have the liberty of choosing wide arrays of prints and textures but if you are plump or short then go for sarees with lighter flowy fabrics and avoid too many embellishments. You can also go for vertical lines or prints, as they help project a slimmer look.

2. Choose the right blouse according to your body frame:

A great blouse adds oodles of oomph and drama to an otherwise plain fabric. If you have thicker arms then go for 3/4th sleeves or net sleeves in your blouse. If you want to achieve volume around your chest area then go for blouses with embellishments. Try to look for your problem area then get your blouse stitched to conceal that area. Also, make sure that your blouse fits you like second skin. It should ideally be not too tight and neither too loose.

3. Consider your skin tone:

If you don’t want to leave any stone unturned when it comes to wearing the saree then don’t forget to consider your skin tone. If you are fair then go for any colour from the colour palette. Beige or bronze shades look great of wheatish complexions while golden copper shades go well with darker skin tones.

4. Petticoat issues:

Petticoat is crucial to keep the saree in place all day long. Tie your petticoat well above or just below the navel; don’t tie it far below the navel as it will make your saree droop in no time. Also, avoid a flared petticoat, as it will make you look shapeless and fatty.

5. Pick a fabric that is easy to handle:

If you are wearing a saree for the first time then chose a fabric that you will be able to carry comfortably. Fabrics like chiffon, georgette or even net are easy to handle and you can walk around in them without any issues. Try to stay away from trickier fabrics like satin or cotton as they need some getting used to.

5 Quick Tips to Stop Your Nails from Breaking

Hi everyone ,

They chip, they break and they successfully create a major downfall in our mood graphs, am I right? Give these few tips a try and avoid your nails from being the hot mess that they turn into over time.

1. Chop Chop:

Clip those overly long beauties. Sure, long nails are gorgeous and drool worthy to look at and sure you receive loads of compliments on how pretty they are and lots of ‘ohmygosh, I love your nails, how are they so long?’. But do you really want to be a prime victim to brittle nails and breakage. Trim your nails to a decent size, since long nails damage your nail beds and are easily prone to chipping. Clip or chip? Its your call.

2. Bye Bye Nail Varnish:

Bid Adieu to your nail varnishes for some time, especially if you are obsessed with painting your nails (aka me, guilty as charged). I know ladies, you need your dose of nail polish to dress your nails up. But do NOT cave in, please for the love of clean nails. Unless Nail varnishes are completely organic, you and I both know that they contain an array of chemicals that will weaken our nails and take them from bad to worse. Try going Au natural for 2 weeks or a week at least, just like our body needs that much needed break, so do our nails.

3. Oils are the way to go:

Indulgence is a must for your nails to stop them from chipping! Warm any oil of your choice and dip your fingernails into a bowl of the same. Oils are the perfect form of nourishment for our over exhausted nails, rub them into your cuticles and nail beds to relax and for that much needed pampering.

4. Prevention is better than cure:

You know the saying, you have heard it all your life. So let us start implementing it into our nail care regime shall we? Cleaning, washing and keeping everything super tidy is sort of embedded into our Indian blood, agreed? We cannot rest till the time, everything is in its place and looks presentable. Well, Washing and cleaning also involves, exposure to heap loads of water and dare I say chemicals? Yes chemicals! Wear those gloves ladies, they are sold and made for a reason. Protect your nails from these scarring chemicals by wearing simple, inexpensive gloves. The chemicals in your cleaning agents, weaken your nails and increase breakage.

5. Eat your Greens!

Yes, a diet rich in leafy greens, fruits and veggies are a MUST for strong, unbreakable nails. Trust me, these are much better than all those nail strengthening products that are marketed to us on our shopping trips to the mall. The results a good diet, rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins can provide- even an OPI cannot do the same. So be clever while you eat, avoid junk food and stick to a rich, healthy diet.

irani samosa recipe

Hi everyone,

Ingredients

for samosa patti sheets:

• ½ cup wheat flour / atta
• ½ cup maida / plain flour / all-purpose flour
• pinch of sugar
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp oil, hot
• water, as required to knead

for samosa stuffing:

• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• ½ cup thin poha / thin flattened rice / paper avalakki / beaten rice
• 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ¼ tsp aamchur powder / dry mango powder
• salt to taste
• 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

other ingredients:

• oil for deep frying
• 2 tbsp maida / plain flour / all-purpose flour
• 4 tbsp water

Instructions ( 1 cup =255 ml)

onion samosa stuffing recipe:

1. firstly, in a large mixing bowl take sliced onions and poha.
2. also add chilli powder, garam masala, aamchur powder and salt.
3. then add ginger and coriander leaves.
4. squeeze and mix well and keep aside.

samosa patti | pastry sheets recipe:

1. firstly take maida and wheat flour.
2. further add pinch of sugar and salt to taste.
3. add 2 tbsp of hot oil over the flour.
4. crumble the dough.
5. furthermore knead to smooth dough and rest.
6. further, start to roll with a rolling pin as thinly as possible.
7. furthemore, cut the sides and get to a perfect rectangle shape.
8. put the sheet on hot tawa and roast for just 10 sec on both sides.

samosa folding recipe:

1. firstly, start folding the samosa sheet into triangle and stuff the stuffing.
2. seal with maida paste.
3. fold the sheet to form a triangle.
4. further, deep fry to golden brown.