Friday, January 21, 2011

Fenugreek Idli / Vendhaya Idli | Idli Dosa Recipes




Last night I made Vendhaya Idli for dinner. This is a regular feature in our household but this is the first time I am trying this dish. Fenugreek is the key ingredient in this idli which gives the color, taste and texture to this one.





Ingredients:
Idli Rice - 4 cups
Fenugreek seeds - 2 heaped tbsp ~ a handful
Urad dhal -  1 1/2 tbsp
Salt - to taste





Method:
Wash all the ingredients

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs are Everywhere!

Shedding Some Light on the Next Generation of Light Bulbs

If you were going to make a major purchase—like, say, a car or a new home—you’d probably sit down and carefully work out the numbers: initial investment, projected long-term costs, depreciation and rate of return, etc. Have you ever considered doing the same for something as basic as a light bulb? Not likely, right?

Nevertheless, there’s a new generation of lighting options making an impact on the market and it may benefit you in a big way to compare these new bulbs to the ones you’re currently using. Let us break it down for you:


Different Kinds of Light Bulbs

There are two primary types of light bulb: fluorescent and incandescent.

Incandescent bulbs are the most widely used and probably the main kind you have in your home. With their classic “bulb” shape and thin metal filament, these are the cheapest and most common type of household bulb. With a few minor exceptions, these kinds of light bulbs are essentially the same as the one first invented by Thomas Edison over 100 years ago.

Fluorescent lights, on the other hand, don’t have burnable filaments but use electricity to stimulate phorsphors and other gases within the bulb to produce light. For years, their size and construction made them useful only for commercial or institutional use. Unlike incandescent bulbs, they could not be easily screwed into a table lamp. And the quality of light that they produced only made them useful for overhead use. Until now.


Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

You cannot go into a home or hardware store today without noticing the growing prevalence of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs – or CFLs. These funny-looking spiral bulbs cost a little more than incandescent initially, but over time they can help you save a bundle. Compact fluorescent light bulbs fit into any standard light socket and come in a variety of sizes, for everything from microwave ovens to overhead lighting fixtures. Compared to traditional incandescent light bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs last anywhere from four to ten times longer and use more than 25% less energy. They can recoup their costs in as few as three months, so they can mean big savings for just about anyone who lives indoors and uses electric lighting.


Not Your Grandfather’s Fluorescent Bulbs

One of the most common misconceptions about compact fluorescent light bulbs is that they are the same as the old tube-shaped, overhead fluorescent lights so many of us toiled under at school or in the office. We all know these kinds of fluorescent lights to buzz and hum, flicker and blink, and cast a harsh and unflattering light over everything.

Unlike those long, fragile, awkward tube lights of yesteryear, today’s compact fluorescent light bulbs use advanced technology that has virtually done away with all the problems of early fluorescent lights. Gone are the magnetic ballasts that took several minutes to charge the bulb, causing that trademark flicker and buzzing sound. CFL’s use multiple phosphors rather than mono-phosphors, which means the light is cleaner and softer while the electronic connection is stronger and more consistent.


Other Benefits of Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Compact fluorescent light bulbs last longer and use less energy, so there’s less waste. You’ll use significantly fewer bulbs over your lifetime and won’t have to replace light bulbs nearly as often. You’ll cut your energy usage, which will save you money on electricity costs. You’ll also be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint, cut down on energy usage, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect the environment.

Making the switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs is good for your home, good for your wallet, and good for the planet! It’s one of the easiest yet most effective things you can do to make your home greener and more energy efficient.



Related Information from Horizon Services…

Important Facts About Geothermal Heating and Cooling

Get In On This "Ground" Floor Opportunity!

With the growing interest in "green" technologies and energy-efficiency in the home, one of the most popular environmentally and energy conscious innovations in the last several years is geothermal heating and cooling. Geothermal heating and cooling is a process that uses the natural heat storage capacity of the earth or ground water as a source of energy efficient heating and cooling.

Geothermal heating and cooling systems use a special kind of heat pump -- very similar to the air source heat pumps many homes use today -- to draw warm or cool air from below the earth's surface. Long considered prohibitively expensive, this eco-friendly type of home heating unit is becoming more and more affordable while still offering a clean, natural source of heat that can significantly lower utility bills. If you think it might be time to take a closer look at geothermal heating for your home, here are some things you should know.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling is Not Science Fiction
While many green technologies might seem like something out of a futuristic adventure movie, the reality of geothermal heating and cooling is here. Not only is this alternative heating/cooling method widely available all over the country, but its popularity is spreading. According to one source, requests for geothermal heating and cooling systems installation rose more than 266% in one year alone. The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) estimates that roughly 50,000 geothermal heat pumps are installed in American homes each year.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Won’t Break the Bank
You will absolutely pay more up front for a geothermal heat pump than you would for a conventional heat pump or furnace. But the money you’ll save on home heating and cooling costs will add up so quickly that the device will more than pay for itself in just a few years. The EERE says that a geothermal heat pump allows owners to recoup additional costs in about 5 to 10 years. Furthermore, with so many homeowners—and home buyers—looking for environmentally responsible amenities, having a geothermal heat pump installed could be a major selling point when it comes time to sell your home.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Can Go the Distance
The internal components of a geothermal heat pump will last about 25 years. The outdoor and underground mechanisms can last twice as long. Not even a high end furnace will keep running that long.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling is Versatile
Geothermal systems can also cool your home in the summer using the same ductwork you use to circulate heat in the winter. You’ll help reduce pollution and your monthly energy bills with a simple flip of the switch. You can also find geothermal heat systems are capable of heating your hot water, which can save you even more money.

Geothermal Heating and Cooling Can Save You Even More
Modern geothermal heat systems are easy to install, energy efficient, and more affordable than ever before. Many state governments are still offering rebates and discounts for homeowners who choose to install these environmentally-friendly systems in their homes. You could save thousands of dollars off the cost of a geothermal heat pump by taking advantage of these programs. And you may still qualify for federal credits if your system was installed after December 2007 and you have not yet applied for the incentives. A quick search of the Internet will reveal much more information about discounts, incentives, rebates, tax credits and programs available in your state or from the federal government.

As demand for alternative energy and home products continue to increase, it’s obvious that geothermal heating will maintain a pattern of growth for some time. Wait long enough, and there’s a good chance that the high initial cost will come down enough to make this heating system an affordable option for a majority of homeowners. But whether you decide to take the plunge or wait it out, there’s no denying that geothermal heating is a significant step toward environmental responsibility that doesn’t require a sacrifice of performance or lifestyle.

Contact Horizon Services

If you are interested in learning more about Geothermal Heating and Cooling contact Horizon Services today!

DE (302) 250-4043
PA (610) 616-4265

Related Heating and Cooling Information from Horizon Services...

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