Green Diet Drink: Ash Gourd Punch.

2012.
A year of new friends, hope and a renewed thankfulness for health, family, love, and blogging. Not only do i truly enjoy blogging  It is fulfilling me in a way I haven't found in any other area of my life. When you realize your passion, you gain a new responsibility, keeping it alive, feeding it, and sharing it with the world; though sometimes priorities like health issues, or lack of time come in the way.

2013.
A full year ahead to look forward too; though I have never been the New Year resolution type, I prefer self improvement. I thought it is best to start the first post of 2013 with a healthy drink and hope to cook more healthy food for you.

I hope you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did; we spent our holidays at Hyderabad and I thoroughly enjoyed the 5 days I spent there with my family; visiting museums, palaces, Bangle street, and the famed Hyderabadi Dum Biriyani.

Okay coming back to this green health drink, this is my husbands recipe, everyday he makes this drink for the family, the cutting, the slicing, the juicing, and the cleaning...yes!! really!! It has sort of become a ritual for him and I totally do not enter his territory. The juice is ready before the morning cup of coffee. Nidhi loves this and says it keeps her pimples at bay, but the younger one always puts up a not-so-happy-face when he is downing his share while Nidhi voices the health benefits of this drink and how it will detoxify your system ha! she is one bossy sister :)

Homey also adds Ivy gourd, coriander leaves,cucumber,  green chilly, mint leaves etc....sometimes he adds carrots, 1 or 2 cloves of garlic...and beetroot!

Ash gourd also known as winter melon is loaded with nutrients, it is an excellent source of vitamin B1, B3, and vitamin C. It is also rich in many minerals like calcium. Its high potassium content helps in maintaining a healthy blood pressure. With almost 96% water, this is a dietitian's delight. In Ayurveda, ash gourd is also used as brain food, in treating respiratory disorders like asthma, blood related diseases, and UTI.

Get ready to detox your system with this simple homemade health drink.

Extremely low in calories. It is also used to treat obesity as it promotes metabolism and prevents sugar from converting into fats.

The next main ingredient in this health drink is Ivy gourd is found in most backyards of Kerala. According to ayurveda it is a natural remedy for diabetes.
Ash gourd and Ivy gourd are one of the cheapest vegetables that is available almost throughout the year.

Author: Nisa Homey.
Yield: 3 to 4 glasses.
How to make:
Ash gourd: About 250 gram or cut about 1/4 of the vegetable, peel the skin, and remove the core and cut into length wise.
Salad cucumber: 1, peeled, and sliced into lengthwise.
Ivy gourd: 6 to 7 or a small handful.
Little curry leaves, coriander leaves, and mint leaves (optional).
1 green chilly; if you like the drink to be a bit spicy if not avoid it altogether.(optional)
Lemon: 1.

Method:
Put the sliced ash gourd into the juicer, along with the ivy gourd, and herbs. Since my juicer is fitted with a strainer I get clear juice.
Squeeze lime juice into it and mix .
It is best to have this fresh and preferably on an empty stomach in the morning.

Some variations:
You can add 2 or 3 carrots to give it a nice color and a tinge of sweetness.
Adding 1 snake gourd also is good.
Beetroot is also an option, though I do not prefer the taste personally.
Adding green chilly is a personal choice, to spice up.
For health benefits you can add 2 or 3 cloves of garlic while juicing.

Note:Ash gourd keeps well for a long time and its longevity is contributed to the chalky ash like wax on the skin which prevents micro-organisms  from attacking it and preserves it. It is said uncut gourds can be stored for almost a year without refrigeration.