Health In Tandem With Taste At The Diet Kitchen...

There are a handful of options when it comes to serving the right food for calorie-conscious people. Also, it is quite a task to balance health with taste as it is a pre-conceived and prevalent notion that tasty food compromises on health and vice-versa.

However, having heard about the newest delivery-only joint, The Diet Kitchen, that had set base in my immediate vicinity in Rajouri Garden, I decided to give it a try a few days back. The first thing that struck me was the mention of the number of calories and vital nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and fats that each dish is capable of providing to the body.

Here's what I ordered on my first stint with The Diet Kitchen.

Penne Pesto Sauce Pasta, which was served alongside a slice of bread, and had bell peppers, mushroom, and broccoli going into its making.

Bulky Veggie in White Sauce with Rice, which had a host of veggies in white herb sauce served alongside a portion of brown rice.

5 Herbs Ultimate Chicken, which was served alongside a portion of grilled veggies and mashed potatoes.

All in all, being a delivery-only outlet, The Diet Kitchen acts like a pro with its packaging being in line with its theme of food for the health-conscious individuals. Also, the fact that their food is economically priced and arrived a good ten minutes before time adds a point from me to their tally.

It is one of the better alternatives when it comes to food that is healthy and tasty, and I'm sure that The Diet Kitchen will succeed in impressing its patrons in the near future. :)

When I Say Organic...

I Say Organic is a homegrown brand for organic perishable and non-perishable goods which entered Gurgaon with the launch of their first store at South Point Mall, Golf Course Road in Gurgaon. Founded in 2011, the brand delivers fresh food directly from the farmers to their customers across Delhi/ NCR. With the aim to bridge the gap between farmers who want to grow organic and people who want to eat organic produce, I Say Organic promotes a lifestyle that is holistic, fulfilling and practical.

I Say Organic believes giving people the option of eating safe, pesticide free food and recognises and supports the farmers who grow this food. The brand caters to households run by educated couples and individuals, joint families, couples with young children, pregnant women and people with lifestyle diseases. Located in South Point Mall with an area of 123 sq. ft. the store offers an array of organic goods inclusive of fruits, vegetables, grains, millets, flours, lentils, spices, rice, oils, ghee, dry fruits, sweeteners, tea, coffee and bread. The team of farmers the brand has partnered with first delivers the produce every morning, this produce is further manually sorted and cleaned by skilled labour and then delivered to the customers on the same day the order is placed making it convenient and consumer friendly.

At the launch, a DIY activity was conducted which was all about making a personalised bottle of 'Beetroot Kanji'- a seasonal beverage great for the gut and the digestive system. I Say Organic's only store in Gurgaon is a must visit for all your daily needs -fresh and non-perishable.

Ashmeet Kapoor, Founder and CEO of the company feels that NCR is evolving each day and with the upcoming modern lifestyle, it is important to make a healthier environment. Further adding he says:

“We are thrilled to launch our store in South Point Mall and make Gurgaon a healthier place. Gurgaon has shown rapid development in the last few years and we see immense potential in the area. In a youthful country like India, it is essential to educate everyone about the benefits of investing in organic produce to build a healthier country. At I Say Organic, we believe in giving our customers access to organic, authentic and healthy food at all times. We plan to introduce many more products under the categories of condiments, spreads, breakfast cereals, snacks and dairy products.”

When it comes to organic produce and its delivery, it’s very essential to procure these products from genuine and reliable sources. The brand sources their vast collection of products from different sources without losing their nutrient values. While seasonal leafy and root vegetables are sourced within 300 KM radius, the authentic and off-season goods are sourced from the hills of Himachal Pradesh. Whereas fruits and non-perishables are sourced from the cities of Maharashtra, Kerala, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana & Punjab, which are known for their superior quality. The organic fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants from their roots to the tip to eradicate other manufactured supplements. In a span of just 5 years, the brand has managed to establish a network of over 100 farmers providing 200 products – the largest and most authentic portfolio in the organic category.

A major component of organic farming is the use of sustainable farming practices and the brand ensures this by stringent farmer selection and ethical practices. By offering products in multiple categories, I Say Organic envisions to be the most trusted and largest Indian brand for organic produce.  The brand directly links the farmers to their customers making organic produce affordable to everyone.

It's All At Wah Ji Wah...

Wah Ji Wah is an iconic name in the food circle especially in Delhi since the past many decades. It offers feel-at-home kind of food, catering entirely to the Vegetarian's palate and liking.

On a recent visit to a market in Janakpuri, I decided to visit the newest Wah Ji Wah located in C Block for dinner, which interestingly is the first outlet in their chain to offer dine-in facility i.e. by providing seating space for a good twenty to thirty people (on a small scale), apart from a couple of tables positioned right outside the outlet where patrons can opt to stand and eat (basically quick bites).

It is a simplistic outlet that aims to present good food and quick service to its patrons and we weren't disappointed by their humble attempt to do so.

Being a vegetarian's delight, Wah Ji Wah has taken the onus on themselves to provide interesting nomenclature to a few dishes, like Veg Fish Tikka, paralleling their non-vegetarian counterpart.

Though there is a lot of variety partaking to Indian and Chinese cuisines, our meal was mostly Indian, with a dash of Chinese Gravy Momos thrown in for the appetizers.

Wah Ji Wah scores a point in their tally through the fact that it's priced economically and is a bang for the buck sort of place.

There was a variety of Chaap dishes that we tried, namely Malai Chaap, Achaari Chaap, and Afghani Chaap, and Tandoori Chaap.

Also, Veg Fish Tikka looked just like fish on the exterior but it was the nutrition of soy that was put into preparing that dish.

Gravy Paneer Momos were a classic, with the appropriate stuffing of cottage cheese and some veggies.

For Mains, we tried their signature Pindi Chole, which had a royal presentation of sorts.

Also, a couple of gravies and curries, namely Dal Makhni, Mushroom Masala and Paneer Lababdar paired with an array of Indian Breads completed my outing at this outlet of Wah Ji Wah.

Needless to say, Wah Ji Wah is a humble family place, which satiates a craving for good Vegetarian food on a reasonable budget. :)

Healthy Eating At Pita Pit...

Pita Pit is another one of those QSR chains (Quick Service Restaurant) that have come up in Delhi over the past couple of years backing up to its Canadian roots from the mid-90s.

My visit to their fairly new outlet in DLF Mall Of India, Noida came about as a consequence of Winter Foodie Fest that was aimed at the exclusive pre-launch of two new variants along with a new beverage, apparently, Cold Coffee, the launch of all three is planned for New Year 2017 for their consumer base.

The launch was spearheaded by their co-owner Anun, who introduced to us Bloggers, the driving force behind Pita Pit and how being a QSR, they are compared to Subway, which in fact claims to advocate a healthier alternative to fatty foods but doesn't because it's essentially a higher bread to veggies ratio that they maintain in their preparation.

On the contrary, Pita Pit offers a flat bread which draws from Mediterranean cuisine and is a cousin of a Pizza base with the difference that it can be split open like an Indian Chapati. Pita Pit offers this Pita in two sizes - a 6" Petita and a 9" Original - both of which can contain more veggies than subs and can be customized by the patron in three simple steps i.e. choice of flat bread, choice of veggies/filling and choice of sauces.

With separate grilling stations for Veg/Non-Veg Pitas, it is hardly a matter of a couple of minutes before a fresh grilled Pita is served to patrons. Apart from just Pitas, patrons can also opt for Salads, Cold-Pressed Juices (from MyGreens), and Tea or Coffee.

The way the Pita is rolled with its generous filling and sauces makes it a less messy and more convenient option than the subs it's often compared to.

In addition to the veggies and sauces, there is also the choice of a dip which is applied to the base of the bread and there are three dips to choose from, those being Hummus, Peri Peri Hummus, and Tzatziki.

Those with a sweet tooth could surely wrap up this filling meal of sorts with freshly baked Chocolate Cookie or Nutty Brownie. :)

As for the new variants that were launched, those would both delight the meat lovers as they were Mutton Kibbeh and Peri Peri Chicken. Veggie lovers would have to wait a wee bit longer perhaps.

Do try their BBQ Paneer and BBQ Chicken Pitas for the time being, however. The flavor of grilled veggies and the appropriate filling that comes across is appealing.

Here's hoping that Pita Pit's new launches will appeal to their patrons in the New Year. :)