Change of Taste: From alternate milks to delicious diet plans, a pick of places to order for healthy indulgence

Monsoon Harvest gets it right in the sweet spot—all the right nutrients and ingredients yet flavourful, sweet, not heady, and very affordable.

In India, meals are an entire ritual unto themselves, ones that have over the years sadly been hastened along or shortened for convenience. We don’t spend the same amount of time preparing or consuming any repast as our ancestors used to. And it certainly doesn’t help that we eat more often while binge-watching some series online on our laptops/tablets rather than conversing around a table with family. Well, not here to judge, but merely share some recommendations of good comestibles that I have tried recently, all as part of my stay-at-home adventures.

Only Earth alternate milk: I have to admit that the idea of alt milk is more obtuse to me than the taste. While some do have almost half the carbon footprint of regular milk, others like almond milk need 14.5 litre of water just to produce one almond! And all are too darned expensive for average folk to make the switch for daily consumption. Nevertheless, for the more privileged and concerned, I tried two alternate milks—oat and coconut origin—from Only Earth in my cereals, coffees and even milkshakes, and found them to be quite yummy.The inherent flavours constantly remind that it isn’t milk, but the consistency and taste were appreciable. Oat milk is sustainable and absolutely delicious, and even if I can’t have it all the time, will definitely add it to my cart now and then.

Monsoon Harvest: For long, I have hunted for the perfect breakfast cereal that wasn’t too sugary nor too austere. So far, the market seemed full of stuff that was either intended to give even an adult a sugar high before 10 am or else so strict, dry and chewy that it felt like one was masticating on some expensive hipster cardboard dust. Monsoon Harvest gets it right in the sweet spot—all the right nutrients and ingredients yet flavourful, sweet, not heady, and very affordable. Finally, I don’t need to beg my foreign-returning friends to bring me a packet or two each time.

Giani Ice Cream: A big homegrown name in the cold dessert space, Giani’s new variants are smooth, creamy and delectable, and one is even vegan! Now, I would never buy anything vegan, but their hazelnut was definitely worth a second serving. The other flavours Mocha Brownie and Ferotella were as amazing as their names suggest. Well-priced and delivered right, it gets my green tick!

Nucros diet plans: I like the idea of someone else deciding what I should eat as long as it’s tasty. Recently, I went with Nucros, a brand that does various types of meal plans. I went with their Keto plan, a first for me. Keto is basically about eliminating carbs from the diet (fats, proteins and essential nutrients stay). This teaches the body to subsist by burning fat instead of relying on calories, eventually leading to loss in weight/inches. Well, three days of keto eating made me realise that I can eat a lot richer and royally, but remain carb-free. I had a nutritionist on call who even advised how to go back to a regular meal cycle once I stop in order to retain the good effects. And unlike what one thinks, you can enjoy a drink as well—just stick to spirits and avoid wine and beer. I did this for three days and did feel less bloated. Or more precisely, on the fourth day, when I switched back to regular meals, I felt a lot of bloat almost immediately. I would highly recommend trying a subscription meal plan with Nucros, especially if you are looking to jumpstart your fitness regime.

Shunya: I am always sceptical of new brands making cola because I feel our palates are too tainted by the few big brands out there. For me, it’s Thums Up all the way. Well, the cola from Shunya could be the next choice, and a more frequent one, considering that it’s less harmful to my health. I won’t (nor recommend you to) up the intake of cola just because this one comes with ashwagandha and stevia (instead of sugar), but I will be happy knowing that an indulgence needn’t be too taxing on my general health.

The writer is a sommelier