• I ditched my Microwave, just not it saves energy; also it keeps us away from the health hazards of microwave cooking . Refer http://anncookbook.blogspot.com/2008/09/gift-from-hell-microwave-cooking.html
• In Summer, use the Fan - Rather cooling up the entire house.
• In Winter - Portable Heater
• I wont buy the Paper plates, cups and plastic spoons.
• Using Daylight CFL bulb - it saves energy and feels like sunny day inside the house
• I am using the cloth based floor mop(it lasts longer) instead the trendy paper based floor mop
• Once I am done watching T.V, I unplug the wire from switch board, instead just turning off the T.V ( Same applies for the rest of my electronic items)
• I don't use bottled water, I have a water filter which does it's job fantastic!
• I mostly get the locally grown vegetables and food items
• Luckily I am not a shopaholic - I only buy the things which are desperately in need.
• Oh, finally I don't have a need of paper towels in my kitchen I am getting adjusted to the cloth towels.

Well, I had not reached the absolute zenith of contribution towards Go Green, just figuring out few things every day and try to apply that in my life style. Currently I am working on how to use washing machine less and save energy? (!) will update once I am done with my research. Till then you all Stay Green !

I prepared Mexican rice with multi beans and green/red peppers. This is very simple and a delicious dish.

Mushroom korma is so delicious with kerala Parota. I also prepare this as a side for roti and rice.
Any vegetables can also be added to this korma. I like potatoes and peas as default with this korma.

Ingredients:
Mushroom chopped - 2 cups
Potato chopped - 1 cup
Peas - 1/2 cup
Onion- 1/2
Tomato -1
Cinnamon -1
Turmeric -1tbsp
Asafotida- a pinch
Garam Masala - 1 tbsp
Methi leaves -1tsp
Milk - 3 tbsp (optional)
Bay Leaf -1

To grind:
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Gram Dhal -1 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
Red Chillies -4
Cinnamon - 1/2" inch
Cloves -2
Fennel Seeds -1 tbsp
Ani seeds - 1 tsp
Onion -1/2

Method:
Fry the 'to grind' ingredients and grind to fine paste, Keep aside.
Heat oil in pan, add bay leaf, cinnamon, onion fry till onion turns golden brown.
Add the chopped tomato, mushroom -vegetables, salt, turmeric, asafotida, garam masala, methi leaves, and add the ground paste.
Fry till the raw smell subsides, mix the milk and let it cook in medium heat for 15 mins. Turn off the heat and garnish with cilantro.

Ingredients:

Green onion - 1 bunch
Potato chopped - 2 cups
Cumin - 1tbsp
Garlic - 1
Mustard - 1tsp
Chilly powder - 1bsp
Turneric -1tsp
Curry Leaves - 5
Salt.

Method:
Wash and Chop the green onion and potato.
Heat pan with oil, add cumin, garlic, mustard, green onion and potato.
Fry well, add turmeric and salt.
Add enought water to cook well
Garnish with curry leaves and cilantro.

Ingredients:
Moong Dhal - 1 cup
Green Chillies -4
Onion -1
Cumin - 1tbsp
Mustard - 1tsp
Tomato -1
Turmeric - 1tsp
Salt

Method:
Wash moong dhal and soak in water keep aside.
Heat pan with oil and add cumin, mustard seeds, green chillies and onion, fry till onion turns golden brown
Add the chopped tomato and salt.
Add the soaked dhal with enough water and allow to cook till the dhal turns soft.
Serve with Rice.

During my initial days of cooking, half or more than a half of work was done by my microwave, which conquered big space in my kitchen. I thought I am really saving a lot of time by using it, right from making tea to re-heating the foods and frozen items. As you all know, there are so many debates on microwave cooking. Not surprisingly, no one gives much attention to it. Since it's a big celebrity in the kitchen, its natural for us to think twice before we forsake using it. Recently, I had made a little changes in my life style by introducing Ayurvedic concepts and herbs. I want to make sure that I am not doing more harm than helping myself, but microwave cooking kept me always skeptic. I been reading through a lot of articles and doing a little research on it, I was at utter shock to find the hidden health hazards of microwave cooking.
Listed the few health hazards of microwave cooking:

1). Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long term - permanent - brain damage by "shorting out" electrical impulses in the brain [de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue].
2). The human body cannot metabolize [break down] the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.
3). Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.
4). The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual [long term, permanent] within the human body.
5). Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food is reduced or altered so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.
6). The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.
7). Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths [tumors]. This may explain the rapidly increased rate of colon cancer in America.
8). The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.
9). Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.
10). Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

I really felt, its very harmful to take the hellish help from the microwave and its certainly inept to be in my kitchen. I have stopped using it... have you?