Dates and Nuts Roll

I wanted to write this post the day I made this recipe. But things don't go as planned when you are occupied with Diwali preparations and a toddler running around all the time. I hope everyone had a beautiful Diwali and still savouring the delicious snacks and sweets. 

Every year, I ask my family what would they like me to cook for the Diwali dinner. And this time my husband suggested to go all healthy for anything and everything I prepare. Diwali is one festival where I let go of my healthy hat and go out all traditional. But I did not want to pass on my husband's suggestion. With a lot going on around me, I had really no time to think out of the box. All I could do was to best utilize my in stock pantry items. Dates and nuts make that list. I was extremely happy with the results and the fact that start to finish it took 15 min to prepare this beautiful looking dessert. 

Recipe
1 cup chopped nuts mix; almonds, pistachios, cashews, walnuts
1.5-2 cups chopped dates
1 tsp of cardamom powder
1 tbsp toasted white sesame seeds
1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter

• Dry roast the nuts mix on medium heat. This should take not more than 5 mins.
• Meanwhile, grind the chopped dates in a food processor until they become a big lump.
• Remove the nuts from the pan and add little ghee/clarified butter and add the dates. Cook on low-medium for 6-8 mins until dates become pulpy.
• Turn off the stove. Add the nuts mixture and cardamom powder and mix well. When the mixture is almost room temperature make a roll out of it. Tight and compact. 
• Spread the toasted sesame seeds on a cutting board and cover well the dates nuts roll.
  
• Cover with aluminium foil and put it in the refrigerator for at least 30 mins.
• When ready to serve, cut into discs and serve.

It tastes best at room temperature. It is soft, chewy and lot of texture due to nuts. And no need to quote the healthy benefits. And...it just looks so pretty! What do you think?

Happy Festivals!

Quinoa Amaranth Almond Porridge

As a toddler mom, the moment I wake up and leave my bed starts my rush hour that lasts for the rest of the day and the night. I always wanted and knew I would have a super active one and my wish has come true. Not to mention it's overwhelming but I would not have it any other way. I see several pinterest posts and youtube videos for toddler activities and get super excited to try them with my little one. The moment of truth hits when I start those with her and she is done in 5 mins and moves on to doing something completely different. I am still in the process of figuring out where are those calm, patient and listening to instruction kids in the videos found.

In this short time it is very clear to me that my little darling daughter is a foodie like me. She is not picky. But well, she totally knows her tastes well already. And is very unforgiving if her food does not taste good. Yeah, you got it right. She would not let me take shortcuts in preparing her meals. Huh..my little drama queen! But what else could I have expected. As a result, am constantly in the process of spinning up nutritious and flavor bursting foods. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I like to keep it that way for everyone. My pediatrician recommends engaging all food groups in one bowl for kids so they get the most from those few bites. That makes sense right? However, I cannot put variety of foods on her plate as they will all be sent flying up in the air. So mommy has to prepare a bowl full of superfoods. And am glad this recipe is no fail every single time. Talk about superfoods in a bowl and mine has everything and anything you can think of...TaDa!!

Quinoa, Amaranth, Almonds, Milk, Nut Butter and Dates

Yes that's the recipe friends. It's that simple:) I will add below few instructions for more clarity

Recipe

1 Tbsp quinoa, overnight soaked is better for faster cooking

1 Tbsp Amaranth (rajgira in hindi) seeds, puffed

1 Tbsp powdered almonds, or any nuts of your choice

1 tsp of your favorite nut butter

1 Tbsp of dates paste

1 cup of milk

• Add everything except the nut butter and dates paste in a bowl and bring to a boil. Let it simmer covered for 10-12 mins. 
• Turn off the stove and mix dates paste and nut butter.

You can mix and match the grains. nuts and nut butter of your choice. This porridge can never get boring. The texture is creamy and luxurious. Just what you want to wake up to every morning. I add dates and nut butter after turning off the heat to preserve maximum nutrients of these pure ingredients. And not to mention, this isn't just for kids. In my household, we all look forward to having this. Healthy breakfast is the best start of the day.

Almond Natural Sugar Brittle

It has been a while since I last wrote a new blog post. The new mom life is keeping my hands full. It is hard to capture pictures of new foods I make and write about them. But my good little one still allows me to spend enough time in the kitchen. Guess she will be a foodie like me and I am really praying she likes her veggies :) As a busy nursing mom it is very important to keep healthy snacks handy. And most important is that the recipes should be quick, easy and fast. As making a trip to the grocery store is more challenging than spending 30 mins in the kitchen.

Last week I made for myself some easy peasy protein packed Almond Brittle with Date Palm Jaggery. And yes it takes only 15 mins...like literally! Jaggery is an essential part of Indian culture and has several health benefits. To start with basics, it is a more complex sugar form than refined sugar so does not spike blood sugar levels. Its unique deep flavor and rich aroma adds great taste to any sweet recipe. Jaggery is typically made from sugarcane or date palm. The juice is boiled for hours and hours in a thick iron vessel with constant stirring. The preparation method makes jaggery high in mineral content. A picture is better than a thousand words and I found this informative picture about benefits of jaggery

Source

So while you reall all about jaggery, I will dive down to the Almond Brittle recipe.

2 cups raw almonds

1/2 cup jaggery, powdered

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

• Oven roast almonds at 350 deg F for 20-30 mins
• Prepare a cookie sheet well rubbed with ghee/butter
• Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan boil water and add jaggery. Stir continuously until it boils. Reduce to hard ball consistency. This takes around 8-10 mins on medium high heat.
• In a food processor, roughly chop roasted almonds.
• As the jaggery syrup reaches firm ball consistency, turn off the heat. Add almonds, ghee, cardamom powder and salt. Quickly mix all ingredients thoroughly.
• Spread on the cookie sheet and let it set for 40-50 mins
• Cut in pieces and store in an air tight container. It stores well at room temp in the air tight container for several weeks.

Almond Natural Sugar Brittle

It has been a while since I last wrote a new blog post. The new mom life is keeping my hands full. It is hard to capture pictures of new foods I make and write about them. But my good little one still allows me to spend enough time in the kitchen. Guess she will be a foodie like me and I am really praying she likes her veggies :) As a busy nursing mom it is very important to keep healthy snacks handy. And most important is that the recipes should be quick, easy and fast. As making a trip to the grocery store is more challenging than spending 30 mins in the kitchen.

Last week I made for myself some easy peasy protein packed Almond Brittle with Date Palm Jaggery. And yes it takes only 15 mins...like literally! Jaggery is an essential part of Indian culture and has several health benefits. To start with basics, it is a more complex sugar form than refined sugar so does not spike blood sugar levels. Its unique deep flavor and rich aroma adds great taste to any sweet recipe. Jaggery is typically made from sugarcane or date palm. The juice is boiled for hours and hours in a thick iron vessel with constant stirring. The preparation method makes jaggery high in mineral content. A picture is better than a thousand words and I found this informative picture about benefits of jaggery

Source

So while you reall all about jaggery, I will dive down to the Almond Brittle recipe.

2 cups raw almonds

1/2 cup jaggery, powdered

1 tsp cardamom powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup water

1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

• Oven roast almonds at 350 deg F for 20-30 mins
• Prepare a cookie sheet well rubbed with ghee/butter
• Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom pan boil water and add jaggery. Stir continuously until it boils. Reduce to hard ball consistency. This takes around 8-10 mins on medium high heat.
• In a food processor, roughly chop roasted almonds.
• As the jaggery syrup reaches firm ball consistency, turn off the heat. Add almonds, ghee, cardamom powder and salt. Quickly mix all ingredients thoroughly.
• Spread on the cookie sheet and let it set for 40-50 mins
• Cut in pieces and store in an air tight container. It stores well at room temp in the air tight container for several weeks.

Healthy Methi Malai Mutter (No Cream Version)

Methi Malai Mutter is so true to its name recipe. Because whosoever came up with this recipe for the first time ever must have been a simple human who innocently used the main ingredients as the name of this exotic preparation. That said, this rich  lip-smacking recipe is one of the must have menu items in the big fat Indian weddings. Due to its high fat content, from malai/cream, it might not make it to the list of healthy recipes. But instead of being deprived, I tried this new version which is protein rich and heart healthy. Most health freaks must have already got the hint to the recipe twist. And I bet ya'all won't be able to tell the difference between the regular and the modified version :)

So instead of Methi Malai Mutter, mine became Methi Yogurt Mutter! All 3 ingredients are boosting with health benefits. Methi or Fenugreek might be the less discovered ingredient by the non Indian crowd. Fenugreek is rich in dietary fiber, protein and essentials vitamins and minerals. It helps lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels, and may be an effective treatment for both type 1 and 2 diabetes. And much is already known about the health benefits of mutter(peas) and yogurt. So getting straight into the recipe that I cannot wait to make again.

Recipe
1 cup fresh methi/fenugreek  leaves, chopped
or1/2 cup frozen fenugreek/methi leaves, thawed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 cup greek yogurt or hung curd
1 tomato, pureed
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp brown sugar/honey
salt to taste
1 red onion
1/2 cup almonds
2 tsp poppy seeds
2-3 cloves fresh garlic
1 inch ginger
1-2 green chilies

• In a blender, grind onion, poppy seeds, almonds, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Set aside.
• Set a medium pan on medium heat with 1 Tbsp of oil.
• Add cumin seeds and turmeric. As the seeds crackle add fenugreek leaves and peas. Saute for 6-7 min or until softened. Set aside.
• In a pan, heat 1 Tbsp of oil and add the blender onion mix. Cook well on medium to completely take away the raw smell. This may take around 10 mins. Stir occasionally. 
• Puree the tomato and add to the cooked onion mix.
• Add cinnamon powder, salt, sugar and garam masala power. Mix well.
• Add the yogurt and mix well. Hung curd or greek yogurt has no water content so you need not worry about the yogurt separating due to heat.
• Now add the cooked peas and methi leaves mixture. Cover and simmer for 5-7 mins.

Serve hot with chapatis or parathas or naan. Bon Appetit!

Dates and Nuts Ladoos

It's December and the temperatures are already too low that the space heaters are turned on the whole day. Winters is my favorite time of the year. I love to get cozy in plush coats and blankets. And have the kitchen and pantry stocked up with warm and comforting foods and spices. I can not really list but the favorites would be cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Old cultures like Indian and Chinese focus a lot on types of food specific to the season. I too believe in that quite strongly. A simple argument would be that if we change our wardrobe for every season then the food that goes inside our body should change too. That said, there is a lot of emphasis on eating foods that provide energy and warmth to keep the metabolism high and keep the body warm during low temperatures.

These dates and nuts ladoos are great energy food to keep the body warm from inside. Other than the health benefits, they taste amazing. The deep dark taste from the dates is satisfying beyond words without making these ladoos overly sweet. These are made exclusively with dates which is a natural source of sugar and low in glycemic index. So it does not cause blood sugar spikes. Unlike most Indian sweets, these require no skills either and dates do most of the work needed. So let's dive into the recipe :)

Recipe
2 cups raw almonds
2 cup raw cashews
or 4 cups of your choice of mixed raw nuts
3-4 Tbsp poppy seeds
1/2 cup charoli/chinronji (optional)  ** can be found in any indian grocery store
4 cup seedless dates
1/4 cup ghee/clarified butter

• Dry roast all the nuts and poppy seeds for 2-3 min on medium. Set aside.
• In a food processor, grind seedless dates until they crumble into tiny pieces and start to stick together as if forming a dough. Set aside.
• In the food processor, pulse the dry roasted nuts mixtures to blend them well but maintain the coarse texture.
• Heat a large saute pan on medium. Add the ghee and dates paste. Heat for 3-4 min until dates become soft. Add the nuts mixture and heat for minutes, stirring continuously. 
• Remove from heat and let it cool for 5 mins.
• With your hands, start mixing in so the dates get spread evenly. 
• While the mixture is still warm, start making balls. This would be fairly easy as dates are sticky.

You can use any combination of nuts like almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios. Though I will suggest to stay away from walnuts due to their strong taste. You can also use dry shredded coconut. The key is to have close to 1:1 ratio of dates and nuts.

Enjoy! Stay warm and cozy this winter :)

Baked Whole Wheat Spinach Tofu Samosa

Hi all! I am sure everyone is having a blast this summer and enjoying the sun. The picnic baskets, beaches, barbeques and drinks to keep you cool are all the fun summer brings along. I have always found barbeque in hot summer quirky. But then it rocks together so why bother. The sizzling sound on the grills and the hot food together with some iced drinks is beyond perfect. 

Apart from the traditional American barbeque foods, I always love bringing in the flavors of my Indian origin to the food. Simple things like grilled corn on the cob drizzled with lemon and spicy salt instead of butter gives a homely pleasure. Likewise serving hot Samosas. Samosa is not a barbeque food but it fits into any occassion for all Indians. I come from North India where it is not an exaggeration if I call Samosa as the religion for any snack time ;-) Traditionally, it is deep fried spicy potatoes filled pastry. 


Samosa is characterized by its deep fried flaky buttery crust. It has evolved a lot with time. People use their choice of fillings from potatoes, peas, lentils to meats. After All, food is all about creativity. Here is my healthy take on it - I fill it up with spinach and tofu yummy filling with just the right spices. Use a whole wheat dough and bake it instead of deep frying. This not only saves a lot on calories but also adds in lot of healthier components like fiber, protein and essential vitamins and minerals. As always, eating healthy does not mean giving up your favorite foods. It is just about doing it the right way. So here is the recipe -

Whole Wheat Spinach Tofu Samosa
serves 8

For the filling
4 cups fresh spinach
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 block of firm or extra firm tofu, drained, dried and crumbled
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1tsp red chilli flakes
salt and pepper to taste

For the dough
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 Tbsp oil of your choice, I used virgin coconut oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
cold water

• To make the dough, mix all ingredients except water. Work the oil with your fingers in the flour mixture.
• Now use cold water to knead a smooth but firm dough. This is very important.
• Cover with a damp towel and set aside for 30-40 mins minimum.
• Preheat the oven at 400 deg C
• Meanwhile, work on the filling. Heat a saute pan with 2 tsp of oil. Add the onion and cook for few mins until translucent.
• Add spinach and cook it down. This will take couple of mins.
• Turn off the heat and add spices and crumbled tofu. Set aside to cool at room temperature.  **The tofu should be quite dry. If not, remove all the excess water from the filling mixture by straining through a strainer. 
• Make dough balls of about 3 inch each in diameter.
• Roll them out evenly in round disc shape of around 6 inch diameter.
• Now depending on how you like decide the shape you want for your samosa If you want triangles (like shown in my picture) cut the disc in half which will make 2 triangle cones. Else make it a crescent shape.
• So fill in the mixture in your decided cutout and carefully seal the ends. This is imp. You can use water to make perfect tight edges.
• Prepare a baking sheet and line with parchment paper. Line up the filled samosas and brush with your choice oil. I used a mix of vegetable and olive oil.
• Bake in preheated oven for around 30-40 mins. If your samosas do not get the brown covering, broil them on low for 2-3 mins.
• Serve with ketchup or your fav chutney.

** whole wheat samosas are best enjoyed fresh for the crispy flaky crust. If you want to use these for later, use more of all purpose flour in the dough.

Homemade Whole Wheat Naan

Naan, is the ultimate Indian bread. I had never thought of making naan at home but sometimes the situation is a good enough driving force. Last weekend I made the north Indian favorite Rajma (kidney beans curry). Rajma is THE thing in north India. Someone once said, if Rajma had a twitter account then it would have +1 million followers:)
Rajma is served with basmati rice. As we are not big rice eaters, I did not realize that I was out of rice in my pantry until after the curry was made. But could not settle for having Rajma with plain chapati. So tried my hands on instant homemade naan and loved the way they turned out. It was easy especially with the cast iron skillet which acts quite like a tandoor oven, that is traditionally used for preparing naan.

Here is the simple recipe -

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 packet instant active dry yeast
1 tsp sugar
yogurt to knead the dough 

• Mix all dry ingredients and knead a soft dough using yogurt.
• Let it rest for 5-10 min.
• NOTE: If using traditional active dry yeast, prepare the yeast as instructed on the packet and knead the dough with warm yogurt. Let the dough rest for 1-2 hrs to rise. Instant active dry yeast saves this time.
• Heat the cast iron skillet on high. This is very important.
• Meanwhile, roll the Naan in your favorite shape.
• Oil the hot cast iron skillet and put the rolled naan carefully. 
• Cook on each side for 2 mins.

Top it with some butter, rub some fresh garlic, garnish with cilantro leaves. Or rub over some pesto! Enjoy hot.

Frankie Egg Roll

India calls it Frankie egg roll and the rest of the world would see it as a wrap. In any case, this wrap is a wholesome meal high in protein and a full serving of veggies of your choice. Unlike most wraps, Frankie egg role is usually made with thin and soft wrap, so you do not need to worry about lots of carbs either. Growing up, it was my favorite after school snack. And as an adult, it is one of the favorites go to quick lunch or dinner items. Wraps are fun to make. In less time you get to experiment with condiments, fillings and everything inside it. Frankie egg roll is basically egg omelette wrapped together with a full serving of your favorite veggies wrapped in a chapati (Indian whole wheat bread). You can use any whole wheat wrap though. And if you want to make your own chapatis find the recipe here 

I like whole eggs. If you have not heard yet, the studies have proven that egg yolks are not the cause of bad cholesterol leading to heart diseases. Years ago, when scientists found cholesterol as the cause of heart problems, the foods with high cholesterol became the prime target. Now 25 years later scientists have realized that dietary cholesterol does not cause heart problems. It is the cholesterol our bodies produce from the high saturated and trans fats foods we eat. So banish the notion that egg yolks are unhealthy. Enjoy whole eggs to take advantage of all essential vitamins and minerals including Vitamin D. And as always, keep things in moderation.

Recipe
serves 1
2 whole eggs
1 green bell pepper
1 red onion
1 Tbsp cilantro
tomato ketchup
1 chapati or any whole wheat wrap

• Heat a frying pan with 1 tsp olive oil.
• Saute onions and peppers for 3-4 min. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Set aside.
• Use the same pan to cook a 2 eggs omelette. Set aside.
• Turn off the stove. Heat the whole wheat wrap in the already heated pan.
• Assemble you Frankie with omelette, onions and pepper and cilantro. Add a hint of tomato ketchup or any of your favorite dressing.

Almond Cashew Dates Milk

Arctic blast has been hammering north east with winter storms one after the other. The west coast surely cannot complain but they have been getting their share of chills and weirdest weather patterns this year. Staying indoors and warm is the key.These chilly months demand a strong immune system to fight cold and flu viruses. There is nothing more pleasing than sipping a hot beverage and watching the snowfall from your window. But it is important to avoid added sugars and overloading your body with caffeine. 
Today I want to share with you all a yummy and comforting milk beverage recipe made with the best healthy ingredients. This is my Mom's recipe which got passed on to her by my GrandMaa. As a kid, i hated milk in any form except this. Even today, I tend to avoid drinking milk except made following this recipe.

The ingredients are as simple as you see up in the tray - Almonds, Pitted Dates, Cashews, Black Pepper and Saffron. None of them need any introduction for health benefits. They are high in antioxidants to build a strong immune system.  Another great feature of this recipe is that the nuts are soaked. Soaking nuts helps our body to absorb the their maximum benefits...Read more here

So lets get going -

1/3 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup cashews
8-10 pitted dates
7-8 whole black peppercorns
1 tsp cardamom powder
3-4 strands of saffron (per cup)

• Soak the first four ingredients overnight.
• Next day, drain the water and throw all the soaked ingredients in a food processor to make a thick paste. Use few tablespoons of water to get an even consistency....like pesto.
• Mix in the cardamom powder.
• Store the mixture in fridge for upto 10-12 days easily. 

Whenever you want to make your beverage, heat one cup of milk with 1 heaped tablespoon of the mixture and also add few strands of saffron for the luxurious taste. If you like it sweeter, add some honey.

Instant Stuffed Rava Idli

Rava Idli, is a steamed cake made from semolina. It is made in a special mold and eaten with chutney. These small treats are a great snack and can also make a good light dinner night. With each Idli cake just under 70 calories and no added oil, they are a good source of fiber, protein and just the right amount of carbs. They are pretty much fat free. Each cake of rava idli packs almost 3 gm of protein which is great for a light snack.

The rava idli ready to use mixture is readily available in any Indian grocery store. My fav brand is MTR Rava Idli. The mixture can be made at home in no time and stores well in the fridge for months (**recipe below). To make the Rava Idli more interesting for a light dinner night, I like to stuff them with vegetables. This modified version not only makes it wholesome but gives a nice spin on regular idlis.

Recipe
1 cup **rava idli mix
1/2 cup yogurt
3-4 Tbsp of water, if needed
1 cup frozen peas
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup spinach (optional)
1.2 cup carrots, finely chopped (optional)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste

• Mix the rava idli mix and yogurt and keep aside.
• To prepare the stuffing, heat a pan on medium high with 1-2 tsp of oil.
• Add cumin powder and red chili powder to hot oil. Now add onion and cook until translucent.
• Add remaining vegetables and salt. Cover and cook for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, check in the rava idli yogurt mix. The batter should be pancake consistency. Add few Tbsp of water if needed.
• In the Idli mold, pour 1 Tbsp of rava idli mixture and top with some stuffing. Cover the stuffing with another Tbsp of rava idli mixture.
• Repeat this for every idli cake.
• In a pasta pot, boil 1-2 cups of water. Place the prepared Idli mold and cook in high steam covered for 12~15 mins.
• Remove from the pan and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 mins.
• Serve hot with your fav chutney.

**Rava Idli Mix Recipe

1 cup semolina (rava)

2-3 green chili, finely chopped

1/2 cup broken cashews

8-10 curry leaves

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp chana daal

1-2 tsp oil for tempering

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Add all the above ingredients EXCEPT semolina. Cook to hear the mustard seeds crackle.
• Now add the semolina and dry roast of low medium for 10-15 mins.
• Let the mix cool at room temperature.
• This stores well in an air tight container in fridge for 2-3 months.

Spinach Kadhi

Kadhi is a popular North-Indian food. It is a mild spicy sour sauce with yogurt and chick pea flour base. The texture of the base sauce and on what goes inside the base sauce depends on the regional recipe. Like Punjabi Kadhi is a thick base sauce with fritters. Gujrati Kadhi is thin base sauce with little sugar making it sweet and sour recipe. Sindhi Kadhi has base sauce and variety of vegetables. In a nutshell, with a great base sauce, pretty much everything that goes inside is added on flavor. Kadhi is usually served piping hot with rice or naan. The base in itself is very healthy as the only main ingredients are - chick pea flour, yogurt and water. 

In my home, everyone loves Kadhi. Though I have grown up eating more of Punjabi Kadhi, my fav is Gujrati kadhi or other variations I make by putting different vegetable combinations. I enjoy it as a soup. It is very comforting. One of my fav is Spinach Kadhi. It is quick, easy to make and very healthy.

Recipe
2 cup fresh chopped spinach or baby spinach 
1 medium red onion
1 cup yogurt or greek yogurt
1/4 cup chick pea flour (Besan)
3 cups water

4-6 curry leaves
2 tsp black mustard seeds (rai)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1tsp ginger paste
1 green chili
1 Tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
pinch of asafoetida
salt to taste

• In a bowl, whisk together yogurt, water and chick pea flour until smooth.
• Heat a sauce pan, add clarified butter (ghee). When it melts add all the spices in the second section above and saute for a min. 
• Add chopped onions and cook until translucent.
• Add the the yogurt sauce base and bring to boil in medium high. Keep stirring during this time.
• After a boil, put the pan on medium low and add spinach leaves. Cover and let it simmer until the spinach is cooked.

Serve with a plate of rice or if like me, just pour in a bowl and enjoy as soup.

Corn Chaat

"If it looks real and beautiful, eat it"

Corn syrup is a 'stay away from' food ingredient. But sweet corn is a great addition to any healthy diet plan. Though it is high in carbohydrates, it also has high phytonutrients and antioxidants. Corn is high in manganese which is involved in the formation of bones and other enzymes for metabolism. It is great food for improving digestion. Corn also provides moderate protein. 1 cup of corn has 146 calories, a little over 5 gms of protein and 31 gm pf carbs. Corn is low in fat. 

Summer is here. And you will have many nights when you would want a light dinner. A bowl of any clear soup with the side of corn chaat is a great combination. Its tangy and chewy and is a feast for your taste buds. And with the beautiful colors, its just so pretty to look at. The deal breaker, it takes less than 5 mins to cook. 

Recipe
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 medium roma tomato, deseed and chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
2-3 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup green beans (optional)
1 tsp paprika
salt to taste
lime juice to taste

• Heat a saute pan on medium high with 1tsp of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add green chilies and onions and cook until onions are translucent.
• Add corn and paprika. Cook on high for 1-2 min.
• Remove from heat and add tomatoes, salt, cilantro and lime juice. Serve hot or cold.

Low Carb Masala Khichdi

Khichdi is Mac n Cheese of Indian household. It is basically prepared with rice and lentils of your choice. It is the ultimate comfort food and has many variations adapting to the region it comes from. Khichdi was one of the most favorite food items of the Great Mughal Emperor - Akbar and was prepared in 7 variations. 

My favorite version of khichdi is the Masala Khichdi. For me its origin is my mom's kitchen. Back in the childhood days, Khichdi at my home had 2 variations - first when someone had stomach issues and the other indulgent go all out recipe, the Masala Khichdi.  I made my own variations to make it low carb and healthier by adding lots of vegetables to make it join my fit recipes club.

Recipe
Serves 5-6
1/3 cup rice
1/3 cup washed yellow moong daal
1/3 cup split green moong daal
1 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 green chilies
1/2 cup frozen green beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small white potato, chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 1/2 cup water
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp ginger paste
pinch if asafoetida

• Heat a pressure cooker on medium flame and add ghee to melt.
• To the melted ghee add, cumin seeds, asafoetida, turmeric powder, green chilies and ginger paste and cook for a minute.
• Now add onion and cook until translucent. Then add all the other vegetables. Saute for 1-2 mins.
• Add rice, yellow moong and green moong. Saute for 2-3 min.
• Add all the water and pressure cook on medium high until one whistle.
• Serve hot with raita.

Note: If you do not have a pressure cooker, use a simple stock pot or slow cooker and follow all the steps above in the same order. Cook until 30-40 minutes until the rice and lentils are cooked. Slow cooking only makes it taste better!

Instant Khaman Dhokla Idli

Sometimes just playing with shape of a traditional recipe becomes so much fun. As am reducing the use of microwave cooking, planned to make the tasty Gujrati go-to snack Khaman Dhokla in my Idli pan in steam instead of microwave. It was fun. 

This quick snack is healthy and tasty. It is made with chick pea flour and yogurt which gives each serving (1 piece) around 3 gm of protein. Each serving is ~120 calories. The garnish of fresh cilantro, curry leaves and mustard seeds gives a very satisfying and fulfilling taste. It scores high on the charts of instant, fresh, healthy and tasty snacks.

Recipe
serves 8 pieces
Dhokla
1 cup chick pea flour
2 Tbsp semolina
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp green chilies, crushed
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp fruit salt (ENO)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
Tempering
1 tsp oil
1 tsp black mustard seeds
7-8 curry leaves
1/4 cup water
1 Tbsp sugar

• In a large pot heat enough water that will not touch the bottom of the pan you will use for steaming dhokla. I used 2 tier idli pan.
• In a bowl mix all ingredients for dhokla except fruit salt and lemon juice.
• Add the fruit salt and lemon juice and mix quickly. DO NOT over mix.
• Divide the batter equally in pan molds.
• Steam for 12-14 min.
• When done, remove from molds and place on a serving platter.
• Prepare the tempering using oil, mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• As the seeds crackle, remove from heat and add sugar and water. Put back on heat and wait for one boil.
• Spread the mixture on the dhoklas.
• Garnish with fresh cilantro and enjoy with your fav chutneys.

Oats Poha Breakfast

Poha or Flattened Rice, soaked and then lightly fried with vegetables is a staple breakfast in many Indian homes. This form of raw rice is easily digestible. Back in the days, when human lifestyle involved less sedentary jobs, a quick n easy breakfast giving good portion of carbs to start off the day made full sense.But probably not today. It is difficult to completely give up on old favorites recipes. But to fit them in today's lifestyle can be easy with little modifications.

I made this Oats Poha and simply loved it as it did not alter the authentic taste instead added all the nutrition from oats.

Recipe
serves 4-6
1 cup Poha, do not prefer thin
1 cup old fashion oats
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 tsp black mustard seeds(rai)
2 green chilies
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp sugar

• Wash oats and poha in luke warm water 2-3 times so they soften. Drain and let it air dry in strainer. This takes around 20-30 min.
• When the above mixture is well dry, add the turmeric and salt.
• In a pan heat 1 Tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and green chilies to splatter.
• Now add onions and peas and cook until onions are translucent.
• Lower the heat and add the oats and poha mixture. Mix well as if you are folding it in. So they soft oats and beaten rice do not break.
• Remove from heat.
• Add sugar, lime juice and chopped cilantro for garnishing.

Tofu Stuffed Bell Pepper

Did you know one bell pepper has twice the amount of Vitamin C than an orange? Yes that is true. A medium orange has around 85% of Vitamin C vs a bell pepper that has 160%. So Tangy is not always Vitamin C.

Vitamin C is much needed for stronger immune system, healthier blood vessels, strong teeth and skin. These days we cant get enough of vitamin C. Be it from the supplements to face serums. Foods like bell pepper are high in essential vitamins. So get good in and get good out.

I love this preparation of stuffed capsicum. Its heartwarming and high protein with the crunchiness of grilled corn and cashew nuts. Green bell peppers are the best for this recipe as they have a slight bitter taste which compliments the stuffing.

Recipe

2 green bell peppers, halved

1/2 pack firm tofu, drained and mashed

1/2 cup frozen corn

1 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup cashews

1/2 cup boiled potato, mashed

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

salt to taste

• Preheat oven at 400 deg C
• Rub the inside and outside of halved capsicum with some salt and olive oil.
• Heat a pan on medium high. Add frozen corn and do a pan grill. Remove from pan and keep aside.
• Now add 1 Tbsp vegetable oil.
• Add onions and cook until translucent.
• Add tofu and potato and crush with a spatula and mix well. Cook enough so tofu dries out.
• Remove from heat. Add corn, cashews, all the dry spices and salt. Mix well.
• Fill in the stuffing in the capsicum. Bake for 10 min covered and 10 more minutes uncovered.

Corn Peas Tater Tots Patties

Some cleanups are delicious :) :) 

Every 1-2 months I like to cleanup my freezer and start over. Last weekend was one of those days. But a coincident that my fridge too was all empty. Nothing to cook. As I was in no mood to eat out and just laze around at home, I noticed I had just enough frozen corn, peas and tater tots for some kinda warm toasty patties. I made two platters, one for my husband one for myself and lunch was done - indeed a healthy one.

Recipe
Serves 8
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen corn
10 pieces tater tots
salt to taste
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1 slice whole wheat bread

• In a bowl, microwave peas, corn and tater tots for 3-4 min.
• Crush well with hands when they are at room temperature. Trust me, no tool works the wonder of your hands.
• Add all the spices and salt and mix well.
• In a food processor, tprocess the slice of bread to make fresh bread crumbs.
• Heat a griddle on medium high and coat with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make round patties and cover both sides with bread crumbs.
• Cook on medium heat, each side for 3-4 min.
• Serve hot with ketchup or mayo or any dressing you like.

mexican

Sprouts Tangy Salad (Spourts Bhel)

Indian cuisine snack list is not complete without 'chaat'. So for those who do not know what is 'chaat' here is a quick definition - savory delights, usually fried dough, mixed and served with potato, onion, variety of masala and sweet n sour chutneys. The word 'chaat' in itself means tasting delicacy. But like with many other traditional foods, modern age foods, though inspired by original, are modified to fit in the healthy menu.

The chaat above has all traditional flavors but with a twist of all healthy ingredients. The main ingredient is mung bean sprouts. 1 cup of mung bean sprouts has less than 30 calories and high amount of 28% Vitamin K, 23% of Vitamin C, 16 % Folate and 5% of iron. Can you really ask for more given the fact it is just 30 cal? Also, they are one of the easiest to make at home. Raw mung bean spouts in fridge easily last upto 2-3 weeks. I will put in the method as a note in the end.

Recipe
serves 2
2 cups mung bean sprouts, steamed
1 onion, diced
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
2 Tbsp tamarind sweet chutney
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder
a pinch asafoetida
1tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
1/4 cup Indian sev or crushed Indian Papdi (optional)

• Steam the mung bean sprouts in any steamer for 7-8 min. Drain.
• Heat a pan with 1-2 tsp of oil and add a pinch of asafoetida (add asafoetida to hot oil).
• Saute the drained sprouts in the pan for 4-5 min. Let it cool.
• Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, toss together onion, tomato, cucumber, lemon juice, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder.
• Now add the cooled mung sprouts and tamarind chutney and toss again to mix well.
• Garnish with Indian sev or crushed papdi.

Note: Making Mung Bean Sprouts At Home

• Soak 1 cup of mung beans overnight.
• Drain the excess water next morning and leave it semi covered on the kitchen counter for two days, preferably at the spot which gets a little sunlight.
• If the mung beans look to dry the second day, sprinkle some water.
• At the end of two days you will beautiful crispy long sprouts.

india

Egg Curry

Life Tastes Good 

With Spice !! 

Indian spices changed the world of cooking and curries changed the menus. I get a thrill seeing at least 2-3 recipes using Indian spices on any FoodNetwork show in a day. 

Once a co-worker asked me what are curries and I said like sauces are with herbs, curries are sauces in Indian cuisine with spices.



We Indians love our curries and there are so many of them. There is no one curry for everything. With the combination of right spices, anything to everything tastes great in a curry. And spicy need not be hot..its a big misconception. 

This Egg Curry is a very popular menu item in the street side restaurants called 'dhabas', originally run by punjabis. Traditionally these 'dhabas' were popular among road warriors as a pit stop for great food. Eggs are not very popular during lunch or dinner in traditional Indian cuisines until they are served with this great tasting curry. The spicy...not hot...egg curry is served with the hot lentil soup and oven fresh Indian bread - naan or roti or rice. Slurp Slurp!

Egg Curry Recipe
4 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and cut in halves
1 onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, grated
1 inch ginger grated
2 green chili, finely chopped
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp red chilli powder (increase qty as per your heat tolerance)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

• In a pan, heat oil. Add cumin seeds to crackle.
• Now add ginger, garlic and green chili. Saute for 1 min.
• Add chopped onions and cook until translucent.
• Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder. Cover and let cook for 5-7 min until oil separates from tomatoes.
• Add 1/2 cup water and cook the curry covered for 6-7 min.
• Add boiled eggs and cook for 3-4 min. You can remove the yolks at this step if you want or use some yolk to thicken the curry.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Egg Curry with Lentil Soup (Daal) is great food for a healthy diet rich in protein.

india