Cause of American Obesity

Yesterday I a small documentary on PBS made by two American students Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis. This documentary main focus was trying to find out what was causing the obesity in America. Soon to their amazement they find "CORN" is present in every processed food item in America. As result they go on a journey to the Midwest USA , to find out what CORN is ? , how is it produced and what kind of metamorphosis it goes through, before it reaches food shelves. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone and it is a must for any major fast foodie. Visit the page KING CORN to know more about the movie.


IMPORTANT FACTS FROM THE MOVIE:

1. 66 % of Americans are obese or over weight.
2. one can of soda a day double your chance of diabetes.
3. In 2007 92 million acres of corn was planed and about 13.1 billion bushels of corn was harvested in USA.
4. In 2007 92 million acres of corn was planed and about 13.1 billion bushels of corn was harvested in USA.
5. Beef from a corn fed cattle has 9 gms of saturated fat as compared to 1.5 gms from a grass fed cattle.
6. About 545 million bushels of corn goes towards making corn syrup.
7. An average American consumes about 79 pounds of corn sweetener over a years period.
8. Corn subsidy paid by USA government on 2005 was 9 billion.
9. Most of the corn farmers would not plant the crop if there was no subsidy from government to plant it.
   
10. Before 1970 there was no corn syrup in America foods.
11. Current American corn is genetically modified not for taste but to maximize the production.
    

Desi Sandwich

This sandwich reminds me of our first few years in baroda when we used flock to this Alkapuris small thela late in the evening to have this fresh sandwich. Eating food from thela was an experience of its own, which I miss very much in USA. Me and PKT !!!! Those were the best days of our life!!!




Ingredients:

1. 4-8 Bread Slices with edges trimmed.
2. 1 medium sized potato boiled, skinned and sliced.
3. 1 medium sized beetroot boiled, skinned and sliced.
4. 1 medium sized tomato thinly sliced.
5. 1/2 cup heinz ketchup or kissan's ketchup.
6. 1/2 cup pudina chutney.
7. thin shavings of Parmesan cheese.
   

Assembling the Sandwich:

1. spread a spoonful of mint chutney on one slice and ketchup on the other slice.
2. now arrange few slices of beet, potato, tomato and cheese shaving on one slice.
3. place the other slice on top and cut the sandwich into two triangles and Serve!!!!
   

Pudhina aur Dhania ki Chutney

Ingredients:

1. 2-3 cups of Mint/ Pudina.
2. 1 cup of Coriander/Cilantro/Dhania.
3. Olive oil.
4. 2-3 tbsp of lemon juice.
   
5. Salt to taste.
6. 1 Green Chili
7. 1 of garlic pod.
   
8. 2 -5 tbsp of water.
   

Method:

1. Add mint, coriander, garlic, chili into a blender.
2. add the few drops of water to the blender.
3. Blend the mixture into a spreadable chutney by adding olive oil to the blender. (Add slowly in small amounts in between two blending cycles).
4. Add lemon juice and salt according to your taste.
   

Penne Pasta tossed in Fresh Mint Pesto

Ingredients for Mint Pesto:
1. 2 cups Mint leaves .
2. Green Chillies (optional).
3. 10-15 almonds.
4. 50 gms of pine nuts.
5. 50-100 gms of grated Parmesan cheese.
6. 4-5 pods of garlic.
7. Salt to taste.
8. Olive oil.

Ingredients for Pasta Preparation:

1. 3 cups Penne Pasta
   
2. marinated artichokes hearts.
3. sundried tomatoes.
   

Method for Making Pesto:

1. Put all the ingredients (except salt) in the blender and grind it into a thick paste by adding olive oil little by little.
2. During the process keep stirring using a spoon so that nuts ground evenly.
3. add salt according to taste.
   

Making Pasta:

1. Boil 6-7 cups of water with salt in a big bowl.
2. Once the water starts boiling add penne pasta to the boiling water and cook till the pasta is almost done i.e when u eat the pasta it has a bite to it.
3. drain the pasta.

Assembling :

1. Add the pesto to the drained pasta and mix well.
2. Add the marinated artichoke hearts and chopped pieces of sun-dried tomatoes to the pasta.