I Used Chocolate For My Hatred

It’s said that nine out of ten people like chocolate and the tenth lies! If there’s a synonym for my name, it’s ‘Chocoholic’. Everyone has got that one craze in their life, they’re nuts about. Chocolate – in my case. I crave the sweet taste of it, feel as if being in heaven, devouring the sinful snack. Even it’s smell sends my senses into a frenzy. My strict diet plan always have a room for exceptionally one calorie rich item, chocolate. Neither I can go shopping without bringing home some chocolate. My birthday gifts are always chocolates too.

I personally hate cooking, neither in a favor to learn it as I have got cooks who does everything for us. Thus I never intended to go for cooking classes. Likewise all mothers, mine also wishes her daughter to be a cooking expert. Unfortunately my instincts never encouraged me to step forward. At times she stood me to watch a cooking show, to awaken that interest in me. As the proverb says: “when there’s a will, there is a way. When there is an ill will, you find an excuse.”  In a nutshell, I found that route towards my kitchen door which seemed beautiful. I planned to use my love against my hatred. I tried to learn the making of chocolate desserts at home. Thus I grabbed couple of recipes through internet. My first attempt was for ‘Chocolate Truffles Cups’, which resulted in a mess. I didn’t lose hope. Next trial was ‘Chocolate mousse’, which wasn’t incredibly good either. Eventually my morale was getting low. Thus this time I extracted a recipe containing least number of ingredients so lesser effort was required. Chocolate Lava Cake ! I somehow managed trying this too. Consequently as always, it wasn’t as it was supposed to be but unlike the previous trials, this tasted actually good. After several trials on it, finally I initiated making it perfectly.  Now all tend to love dining table more since it became part of it. And my proud brothers made me popular within our family. I commenced making it in huge quantities for parties now. Even brought it on Bake Sale Event at LSE, the Best Dessert of the event. Now that I have found a route to kitchen, I hope I’ll be a cooking expert one day InshaAllah.

Once on my way back to home I craved for a chocolate cake lying in refrigerator. When I arrived home in a rush, discovered that, my ‘Billy Bunter’ brother, had already gulped it. The best way I thought of fulfilling this craving was, to bake a leftover chocolate sauce in a microwave oven, which wasn’t supposed to be in this manner. “Something is better than nothing.” It turned into an awkward shaped weird kind of brownie. Seeing my insanity, mom laughed till her stomach hurts.
Whenever I go out on weddings/parties, I tend to grab dessert before meal. Though it’s enormously embarrassing for my family but I can’t help it, when lavish desserts with chocolate slathered over everything from root to tip is right there on the table with no one around yet to attack on it. There comes a feeling “its all mine!”

By

Sana Mateen

10uo599

OPM : The Food Club

OPM: THE FOOD CLUB

A commercial restaurant, hundreds of people like swarm of bees, waiters bumping into you and people stepping on your toes. Does not sound like your ideal place to get away, hang out with friends or have meals with your loved ones?

Let’s reframe! A secluded hide out, dimly let with scented candles, warmth of wood and hues of tera cota. A place for lunch, a sanctuary for dinner, pool room for fun and cine club for entertainment. And in a far corner, a café rich with the aroma of coco. Yes, a place like this does exist.

Written about many restaurants in the past few years I had grown vary of the same set up, food and ambiance. Famous by only word of mouth, I didn’t have many aspirations about OPM at first. Invited by Sabahat Khan, Owner of OPM, I went over with pre-conceived notions that I have developed about any eatery over the years. But I had much in surprise awaiting me.

Welcomed by two affable ladies, Sabahat and Amina (Event Manager, OPM), I entered OPM, which would become my personal favorite in next thirty minutes.

OPM, in all literally terms is ONLY FOR PRIVATE MEMBERS! Infact, it is not even justified to call it a restaurant. It’s a Food Club!

“We wanted to build something more than a restaurant, a hide out basically for people, where they can get away and enjoy not only quality food but other activities as well,” says Sabahat and Amina.

OPM is three restaurants under one roof: Smoking Grill for lunch, Dervaish for dinner and The Bakery for café. All three designed according to need of the hour. If Smoking Grill is airy and brightly lit, than Dervaish is all about candles and lanterns. On the other hand, the café, indoor and outdoor, receives sunlight and fresh air throughout the day.

Not so familiar with a seven course meal, in Pakistan we hardly find a place where it is served. You certainly want to know what it is. Served both at lunch and dinner, it is a luxury one must avail. And if you can’t afford that, than go with their exclusive menu. As there are separate rooms for lunch, dinner and café there are exclusive menus for all three. Their menu is a fusion of Asian and Eastern Mediterranean food. Rare it is, to find separate menus for separate meals and that also is updated weekly. Sabahat, keenly interested in cooking herself, creates this amalgamation of spices and herbs, while Amina with a Sweet Tooth makes sure that deserts are ones, not to be found any where in the city.

In house special is “Steak and mash stack.”  Very popular and carefully done, it is steak cooked in BBQ sauce with crunchy caramelized onions.

OPM Café is the ideal place to get away from the hustle bustle of daily life and indulge into a rich coco mug or refresh mind, body and soul with ice-cool cocktails. While your there, you cannot miss their New York Cheese Cake and what may take the weight watchers by surprise is that its made with Cottage cheese. Low fat treat is rare to find.

One can not help but mistake OPM for a friend’s place rather than a restaurant. Sabahat has not failed to create magic with help of the ambiance. The décor is cozy and homely. Wood and scented candles, earthly tones and rouge paintings, lanterns and flowers all knit together to give you a safe haven.

So much for food. Now it’s time to discover the “Club” part of the “Food Club.” OPM incorporates a Black Ball Lounge, where one can enjoy snooker with friends. Book this private lounge for Rs1500 per hour and enjoy Pool, along with complimentary drinks.

Another striking feature is the “Cine Club.” With Multi-Media facilities, get this area reserved for Corporate Meetings, Birthday Parties and Exhibitions. One can have this room to oneself for a day or half a day, as need be. While all you teenagers out there, celebrate your birthday at OPM’s Cine Club and get the room decorated according your choice of themes with customized cakes.

You can also have OPM Food, Hospitality and Quality at the Place of your choice through their catering facilities. With so much going on OPM is planning on starting Hi-tea and Sunday Brunch in the upcoming months. Some occasion or not, OPM is one place that is exclusive and ideal for people who want something more than just eating out in their leisure time.

Article By : Farah Khalid

JUNK FOOD

Hello Fellow Bloggers! I have an interesting post for you today. The food we love ever so much to consume can prove to harm us in ways we never imagined so give this a reading and tell me what you think!

Definition: According to renowned and well-known dictionaries, ‘Junk Food’ is defined as the slang word used to describe those foods and drinks which possess minimal nutritional value and are often filled with and are dangerously high in fats, sugars, salts and calories. This combination is lethal and causes many health issues which possess dire consequences worldwide and in people of all ages.  Foods that fall under the category of junk include salted crisps, candies and chocolates, fried foods, burgers, pizzas and carbonated drinks like Coke and Pepsi. The more highly processed items usually fall under the junk food category.

Burger and Fries from Boulevard Grill

Home made pizza

Best Thirst killer specially on a hot summer day

Popularity reasons: You must have observed that Junk Food has become an integral and crucial part of our daily lives specially in Pakistan. It is seen that whether it is a child, teenager, adult or an aged person being observed, we feel we cannot survive without junk food. I think the convenience factor plays an important part in enhancing the popularity of junk food. Junk food is very easily available in our school or university canteens, and even at hospitals and departmental stores. There are also numerous cafes and restaurants all over Pakistan which serve very yummy but highly processed foods which are harmful for health. In fact, the Lahore Food Street (For more info on the food street, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gawalmandi_Food_Street) is famous for its assortment of deep-fried goodies both sweet and savory. Another reason why it is so popular is because it is more economical than the healthier food items. The average Pakistani earns a salary which is hardly enough to meet basic needs and hence junk food is preferred for consumption. Why would a person spend thrice as more of their hard earned money on food when they have a cheaper substitute which is better in taste and more easily available? Who has the time for a nutritious cooked meal in this day and age where everyone is on the go anyway?

Chocolate Shakes from Butlers Café Lahore

The good side: It is perfectly alright to infuse junk food into our diet but in balanced, moderate and minimal amounts so to incur minimal risks and damage to our body and its various processes. Who does not enjoy a big yummy bar of chocolate every once in a while?  In fact, a 2008 study found that if you Eat one Hershey’s dark chocolate bar per week, and your risk of heart disease will decrease. About 6.7 grams of dark chocolate per day keeps the blood inflammation-inducing proteins away. Flavonoids found in dark chocolate protect women’s skin from the sun’s UV rays, according to German scientists. Other studies show that eating chocolate prevents blood clots, which in turn reduces the risk of heart attacks. Blood platelets clump together more slowly in chocolate eaters, the studies say. Cocoa, the primary and core ingredient of chocolate contains a compound called pentameric procyanidin, or pentamer, which disrupts cancer cells’ ability to spread.

Mouth-watering chocolates

The bad side: Let us now focus on the other side of the coin. Consumption of junk food has caused the spread of diseases such as obesity. Other than that, pregnant women who satisfy their hunger pangs with junk food forget that this does not provide the nutrition their developing fetus requires to grow healthily. Tooth decay is another problem that arises due to consumption of high in sugar foods.

Conclusion: The highly processed and ready to serve quick bites, filled with an assortment of additives and preservative, packed with carbohydrates and fats offer hardly any nutritional value. Despite the fact that they satisfy the immediate cravings or hunger pangs, they fail to offer anything with respect to sustained energy. Researches suggests that frequent consumption of junk foods make children miss their daily nutrition in the form of milk, fruits and vegetables, leading to a feeling of lethargy exhaustion and abnormal growth.

Think twice before you grab the next bag of crisps or bar of chocolate! Watch the portions and enjoy!

The ever so yummy Wonka’s Nerds

Yours,

-Anum Khan Khakwani.

Name(required)

Email(required)

Website

Comment(required)

Submit

Δ

Facts about fruits

      Few of us are fruit lovers and very few of us eat fruits daily. We are not aware of the benefits of fruits and how they protect us from several diseases. I was shocked to hear the fact that banana peel was used to make asthma drug.

Benefits for health:

•  It contains many nutrients as well as Vitamin A,B,C and E along with minerals like potassium, zinc, iron and manganese.
•  It helps overcome depression,it is a neurotransmitter as it has a high level of tryptophan which is converted into serotonin.
•  It provide instant energy and sustain blood sugar.
•  It’s a stress relieving relaxation.
• It helps cure type II diabetes.
•  It help reduce swelling, strengthen blood our blood, increase the rate of white cells due to high level of vitamin B-6 and also strengthen the nervous system.
•  It provides calcium and makes our bones strong.
•  Protect against muscle cramp,help lower blood pressure,protect against heart attack and stroke and relieve anemia.
•  It also help in digestion as rich in pectin and gently chelate toxin and heavy metals from body.
• It prevents kidney cancer, protect against eye degeneration and protect from chronic disease.

                  Benefits for teeth:

•  Banana act as teeth whitener and can save a lot of money.
•  Rub a banana peel daily for one week and your teeth will be sparkling.

           Benefits for skin:

 Banana act as an anti aging and many creams and face packs are made by banana peels.

•  It is a natural antibacterial and is used in treating black stains and acne.
•  Banana peel is also used to treat itch and zits.
•  It gives a glowing skin.
•  Accelerate wound healing and also cure headache.
•  It’s a natural moisturizer and makes the skin soft.
•  It helps to prevent dark circles and puffiness.
•  It helps to get rid of cracked heels and makes it soft.
• It keeps the skin hydrated and wrinkle free.

            Benefits for hair:

• Rich in potassium, natural oils, carbohydrates, and vitamins which help in softening hair and makes it shiny.
• It protects the natural elasticity, preventing split ends and breakage.
• it creates manageability ,shine,growth and controls dandruff.
• Rip banana pulp with yogurt is used for hair loss.

                      If you think bananas are only for monkeys think again.

Banana peel can be rub on shoes and leather to make them shine instantly.The benefits of banana not only last here, it is also a great source to lose weight. It regulates the blood flow and regulates our heart beat. The other amazing fact, more than 100 recipes of banana can be made and it make great snacks and delicious smoothies.

    Never throw a banana  peel on ground always throw it in dustbin. Keep green and clean.

Posted by:

Noor Fatima

Lahore School of Economics 

Kitchen gardening

Kitchen gardening

      A piece of land where you grow vegetables, herbs, fruit etc is called kitchen gardening. Gardening was a hobby which was being adopted by the people in past times but now the time has changed and it has changed everything with it. Now the globalization, technology has changed the view of life. New generation have many others things to do now and there is no such hobby called gardening.

Recent research of the researchers shows poverty, population, inflation and food shortage is increasing in the whole world. Prices of food have gone up three times in just past few years and one third population of Pakistan is living below the poverty line. Poor people are not able to feed their families and they are taking part in street crimes and begging.
Agriculture is one the most precious element of Pakistan. Contribution to GDP by agriculture is 24%. Since last 2 years Pakistan has been importing grains due to shortage which is enough to contribute in inflation. These results are making us not to adopt kitchen gardening as hobby but compulsory.
Kitchen gardening is the key to crush hunger. The government started a program of kitchen gardening in which great subsidy was being given but people could not be encouraged.

       This is the time to reprogram it and all the NGO’s and other non-profit organizations must start program in schools, colleges, universities to encourage new generation to adopt home kitchen gardening play their important role in the economy growth. This could be the step to support our economy and government in one way.

 

 

 

 

Kitchen gardening is not only beneficial for economy; it has some health benefits as well because the growth of agricultural items is being increased by using more pesticides. Even to grow them more beautiful some chemicals are also being used which can be harmful for health. In kitchen gardening we can use pesticide according to need and grow organic items which will be having more nutrition in them. The main benefit is financial benefit. Prices are going up day by day; the fresh vegetables at backyard can save us a lot of money because there is always an initial cost and it than almost cost free.

References:
http://kgi.org/blog/salma/world-kitchen-garden-day-islamabad-pakistan
http://kgi.org/blogs/salma/pakistan-%25E2%2580%259Chome-kitchen-gardening-crush-hunger%25E2%2580%259D
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitchen-gardeningFree-Lessons-And-SeedsPakistan/324019317611092?ref=hl
http://www.lahoregardening.com/2012/04/kitchen-gardening-punjab-government.html
http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=80209&Cat=5

By Hafiz M.Imran Saeed

Lahore School of Economics