Snacking On Pizzas at NYC Pie...

Pizzas are a universal favorite when it comes to Italian Cuisine, and it comes as no surprise that they would be a hands-down winner among all age groups. However, as much as we would love indulging in all that melted cheese and decadent toppings, all those calories are capable of taking a toll on the body in the long run.

Quite recently, I came across NYC Pie which appears to offer healthier alternatives for the calorie-conscious folks. I decided to do a takeaway from them on a friend's recommendation.

NYC Pie markets wood fired thin crust pizzas and patrons are spoilt for choice as far as the base and size of the pizza are concerned. I opted for two 12" pizzas on a whole wheat base.

Must I remark that their packaging was up to the mark with the items duly named and marked as veg or non-veg.

Here's what comprised my order...

Appetizer:

Chicken Wings were abundant with their flavorful sauce and were crisp enough.

Pizzas: 

Both of them were liberal with their toppings and delivered steaming hot. I liked their method of preparation which is a bit different from the monotonicity of the usual ones.

Canal Street (V) was an extravaganza of bell peppers, olives, mushrooms, artichokes, and sweet corn.

Tribeca (NV) sported chicken chunks, artichokes, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and red onions.

Pasta: 

Penne Chicken Pesto retained the authentic creamy pesto sauce flavor and chicken chunks were appreciably large in size.

NYC Pie attempts to make a breakthrough in the way we perceive Pizzas and I believe that they succeed in doing so to quite a great extent. :)

#ThatsMyDate For Menstrual Hygiene With Fortis La Femme...

Menstrual hygiene is imperative for women and adolescent girls alike. However, as much we would like to be #PeriodPositive, matters relating to menstruation and the discussion of all such are mostly considered stigma in many parts of the country, despite us calling ourselves a developing nation.

It is thus crucial to breaking free of the taboos that this sensitive subject is surrounded with. Being open-minded about the same is of utmost importance for us and our girls. Menstruation and issues concerning menstrual hygiene should no longer be faced with closed eyes, covered ears, and hush-hush whispers.

I have always been vocal about this subject which should ideally interest every girl and woman in this world in the past on my blog, and this time, World Menstrual Hygiene Day was commemorated no differently.

Fortis La Femme has always been a crusader for all kind of women rights, through its medical facilities. The core belief behind is that a woman is a very special entity requiring special attention. Therefore, it aims to provide an exhaustive clinical and holistic attention which is designed exclusively for women. This exclusive care intends to cover every stage of a woman's life right from her birth.

In accordance with their core belief, Fortis La Femme in association with Sachi Saheli, a Delhi-based NGO organized a human chain rally to commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day at Connaught Place in the presence of  Manish Sisodia, Honourable Deputy CM, Delhi Govt. The event was also supported by many NGOs like NAZ Foundation, SARD, Nav Srishti who also participated in the rally.

The rally witnessed a participation of approximately four thousand people including school students who also presented a street play on breaking the myths around this taboo. The overall purpose of the rally was to draw larger attention to the issue of menstrual hygiene, get more people involved in the movement, get media to talk about and build a momentum for something truly sustainable through commitments.

Menstrual Hygiene Day raised awareness towards the challenges women and girls face due to their menstruation. A majority of women in rural India lack information about menstruation including access to menstrual products and sanitary mechanisms for disposing menstrual waste.

According to a study “Sanitary Protection: Every Woman's Health Right”, undertaken by AC Nielsen conducted in 2011 indicated that only 12 percent of women of reproductive age in India use sanitary napkins.

Anika Parashar, COO Fortis La Femme said,

“Menstrual Hygiene is one of the major growing concerns in India and has to be addressed at the earliest. We will soon be starting adolescent and menopause clinics to spread awareness and ensure good health and support the initiative.”

Fortis La Femme has taken the onus upon itself to break the silence and build awareness about the fundamental role that good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) plays in enabling women and girls to be confident and well informed about their health and hygiene. 

Being A #KentSuperChef With Chef Pankaj Bhadouria...

Kent RO Systems has been a pioneer when it primarily comes to hygienic drinking water. The Indian water purifier industry has gradually become one of the most lucrative sectors for national and international consumer durable brands and Kent is one of the market leaders in the same.

Kent as a brand, is the brainchild of Mr. Mahesh Gupta and has been working since its inception as per the motto - 'Drink Pure, Eat Pure, and Breathe Pure'. In continuum with its endeavors to present hygiene in tandem with consumer durable goods, two brand new products that were launched under their campaign, #KentSmartChef last week were Kent Noodle and Pasta Maker and Kent Turbo Grinder and Blender at their head office in Noida in the presence of MasterChef India Season 1 Winner, Chef Pankaj Bhadouria, and Kent's founder and Chairman Mr. Gupta.

Speaking at the launch for their Noodle and Pasta Maker, Mr. Gupta said,

“Noodle, pasta and momos are favorites among all age groups, and kids just love them. With news reports about presence of chemicals in the most reputed instant noodle brands making headlines, consuming them is a health compromise.

That is where this easy to use, modern day smart kitchen appliance, Kent Noodle & Pasta Maker comes in. It allows you to make all your favorite snacks, hygienically at home, without use of any preservatives or any other chemicals. Moreover you can make noodle or pasta from all types of flour and customize the taste by adding juices or egg”.

Kent Noodle and Pasta Maker comes with a smart drawer design, where one can easily store all the accessories including the shaping dies and the cleaning tools. This ensures that the shaping dies or any other accessories are not misplaced. It is spacious enough to hold all the dies and cutters in an excellent manner thereby making it easy to locate and use.

Commenting on the unveiling of Kent Turbo Grinder and Blender, Mr. Gupta said,

“We, at Kent have always believed that a clean and healthy life is right for every individual. This ethos has made us embark on a journey to develop innovative solutions for purifying water we drink, vegetables and fruits we eat, homes we live in and the air that we breathe. Kent Turbo Grinder and Blender is no exception as it is in sync the brand philosophy. It is a new age high speed blender for home which helps in quick and hygienic processing to make a variety of food and beverages easily at home. It can easily make Dosa batter, Besan batter, fruit smoothie, cold coffee, soup, soy milk, milk shake, juice and crushed ice in just a few minutes!”

The Kent Turbo Grinder and Blender features heating function. With the help of this, one can make hot beverages like tea, soup and soy milk in the same jar. With its quick grinding and blending quality one can make Dosa batter and grind lentils in less than three minutes. It comes with a multipurpose jar which means that the same jar can be used for wet and dry grinding for a hygienic, convenient and hassle-free experience.

Furthermore it offers preset menu options with automatic operation for extra convenience.  The twelve preset menus utilize a fully automatic process to make a variety of dishes like juices, soy milk, smoothies, milk shakes, ice-cream, herb tea, Dosa mix, porridge, soup, powder, mince and steam cooking.

With its robust built and quality, years of trouble-free service can be promised. It has an ABS material body with stainless steel cladding. It also boasts of safety features such as without the lid and the jar in place the appliance will not start. In addition, it has overheating and over current protection.

Priced at an economic value-for-money factor at ₹12000 and ₹14950, both the Noodle & Pasta Maker and Turbo Grinder & Blender are both compact appliances which can be placed anywhere in the kitchen. Both require minimal maintenance and are specially designed in a way so that the cleaning is extremely simple.

Chef Pankaj Bhadouria was there to demonstrate the functioning of and appreciate the nifty details of both the appliances and there were quite a few items that were prepared using both appliances like Soy Milk, Vegetable Soup, Pasta, and Noodles.

All in all, it was a fantastic launch for both #KentSmartChef appliances, marketed especially for working mothers like myself who are pressed for time, yet do not want to compromise one bit on their child's health. :)

Oriental Meals At Berco's...

Berco's is an iconic name when it comes to Oriental Cuisine in the heart of Delhi. It is one such chain that has sustained its quality and innovated constantly to keep patrons coming back for their preparations over the past many decades.

On a recent occasion, I decided to pay Berco's Connaught Place a visit, as I heard of the introduction of their Oriental Meal Bowls from a colleague.

The outlet holds on to the look and feel of a Chinese house with the decor and trinkets (read Buddha engraving and Bamboo shoots) reflecting the same. The service is as courteous and dishes as delicious as they have constantly been over the years.

Coming to our meal, here's what all appealed to me from their Special Oriental Meals Menu and what all must not be missed when you visit Berco's while this Menu is on offer.

Singapore Laksa was a flavorful coconut and yellow curry broth served with noodles.

Teriyaki Udon brought Japanese flavors to the plate with Udon noodles tossed in Teriyaki sauce.

Bun Ga Xao was served with Vietnamese Chicken atop steamed noodles.

Thai Soggy Rice was all about the edible fungus i.e. Mushrooms.

Nasi Goreng has been a favorite ever since and had to be presented on the plate here at Berco's.

As a wrap up to the flavorful meal, Darsan was served.

And, to gulp all those calories, I had their quintessential Chinese Tea.

I recall Berco's as being a part and parcel of family dinner plans since long.

I must applaud the persistence in their endeavor and hope that their Oriental Meal Bowl Menu impresses regular patrons like myself. :)

Education 4.0 With Auronya College...

‘Education 4.0’ – a revolutionary focus in education that will be defined in the coming decades through the conduit of technology, as it infuses itself into every sphere of humanity; be it biological, social, environmental or economic is being pioneered in India by Auronya College at Pondicherry.

Mr.Abhaya Kumar Jain – Founding Executive Chairman, Auronya and Dr.Indira J Parikh – Founding Chairperson, Auronya; the renowned education experts in the country are the driving thought leaders behind Auronya College.

Auronya College aims to answer the unknown future by proving an all-encompassing curriculum of programs to impart Education 4.0.Addressing the burning question of ‘What it will be’ in the 21^st Century; as the world is at the dawn of the new industrial revolution, Auronya College has conceptualized and will be realizing Education 4.0, for the very first time in India.

The unique disruptive system of Education 4.0 not only focuses on ‘what is taught’ but it takes a more nuanced approach to ‘the way it is taught’; an education model which is aligned with future trends, so as to develop and enhance individualized education that would go on to  define the way that youngsters of tomorrow work and live.

Supported with a heady mix of high-end technology directed towards a ‘future-centric’ knowledge, the full-bodied curriculum aims to embed timeless values and culture and as it throws light on our connections to nature, thus paving a strong path to lead humanity.

Designed by architect Padmashri B V Doshi, the campus will be state of the art and have amenities like Virtual & Augmented Reality studios, 3D printing facility, think spaces, amphitheater, smart classroom, sports facilities, gymnasium, swimming pool etc; the sprawling campus of Auronya will have six departments   - School of Design & Sciences; School of Humanity & Art; School of Business & Economics; School of Social Science; School of Research & Intelligence and School of Media & Communication. The event also marked the launch of Antariksh - one-year post graduate diploma program in New Age Management & Leadership (PGDNAML), beginning in October 2017.
Antariksh is designed to prepare Future Leaders, who are ready to lead in the 4^th Industrial revolution; it will focus on complete transformation and not a singular improvement in the skills and abilities of an individual in interconnected ecosystems.

Eligibility for Antariksh was elucidated as follows:

• Candidates who have a minimum of 2-5 years of full-time work experience at any level in external or family business can apply for the program
• Candidates without any work experience can also apply and will have to go through a specially designed screening process for fresh graduates
• The introductory fee for the year-long program is Rs 15, 00,000,  inclusive of resort style accommodation & food, global immersion, national immersion, boot camp, personal growth lab and spiritual immersion
• The management will provide scholarships for students on a need cum merit basis

Speaking at the event, Mr.Abhaya Kumar – Founding Executive Chairman, Auronya said, “Auronya College aims to bring a paradigm shift in the education system to align ourselves with the fourth industrial revolution by redesigning the 20th century model of education to meet real-time needs of internationalized, technology driven fast changing the 21st century. Auronya is built with a foundation of creation and contribution embracing the spirit of liberal education, invention, intelligence, globalization and entrepreneurship.”

Speaking about Auronya, Dr.Indira Parikh - Founding Chairperson, Auronya said, “This millennium has created a major discontinuity in the existence of human beings. The generation born in this decade and those yet to be born will be confronting a revolution in technology and as a consequence in the life and living and relationships amongst people. Education and employment will undergo change not available in the history of mankind. In order to meet the unfolding of this New Age Change the country needs to prepare an education which will be the real agent for the times and meaningful to the generation of students... the country will also need to prepare leaders who will take the responsibility to shape this change in a most dignifies human manner.”

“AURONYA is one such academic institution which is starting a pioneering Post Graduate Program in New Age Management and Leadership. The courses offered at AURONYA are designed based on the technology just in the making, impact of technology in occupation, at work, in the family and the human existence. These are courses which are futuristic and envisaged how the world will be shaped by these technologies.  Education at AURONYA will prepare students to be ready with domain knowledge of BioSciences, Nanotechnology, Digitisation and similar other subjects. When these technologies emerge there will be students ready with knowledge and clarity of taking the leadership roles. They will all be ready to respond to the changes in the human phenomenon so that people can cope with and give shape to these changes.” added Dr. Indira.

Mr.Anuj Sharma, Founding Dean, Auronya said “Auronya’s learning environment is designed to infuse human connection with nature and harmony while immersing the experience with future technologies. At Auronya, knowledge, and technology represents the “What” while human insights represent the “Why.”Auronya College is committed to expanding its learning universe in the coming years for unique Undergraduate, Masters and Post Graduate programs.”

Auronya College is thus a pioneer in the conceptualization of Education 4.0, a paradigm shift to align Education with the fourth industrial revolution.  It is led by academician Prof. Indira Parikh, former dean of IIM-A and industrialist S. Abhaya Kumar Jain, former MD of Strides Shasun. It has upcoming state-of-the-art campuses in Pondicherry with new age facilities such as virtual reality studio, 3D printing, augmented reality lab etc apart from smart classrooms, amphitheater, tennis court and fully furnished residential facility with a gymnasium, swimming pool and more. Auronya’s first program Antariksh is one year Post Graduate Diploma in New Age Management & Leadership (PGDNAML) and will start in October 2017.