Crockpot Corn And Pepper Chowder

Happy Holidays to all of you! It is the best time of the year with happiness and joy all around you. Food, feasts and celebrations with friends and family are everywhere. I have been busy with the same and have been lazy on my blog posts. Though I was truly missing writing about all of them as I clicked pictures of all the great food that has been cooking in my kitchen. But it's never too late to share. So here I am after long. This Thanksgiving I wanted to use my CrockPot well which was last year's Thanksgiving purchase. I have always loved food made in slow cooker but honestly was not able to do justice to mine. So this season I thought I have to, no matter what. And the results have been very satisfying. I loved making this red pepper corn chowder in my crock pot. It had everything from hearty, warming , creamy and cornful satisfaction. 
This has become my favorite version of corn chowder. Because it is way healthier than the traditional corn chowder which is loaded with cheese and cream. Not to mention slow cooker cooking has great nutrients preserving advantages. The low heat, typically 200 deg F, covered pot so no exposure to light and ceramic pot for even heat distribution helps retain most of the food nutrients that are pretty much lost in high heat, open pot quick cooking. All this with no hassle one pot cooking is a win win. So let's dive down into the recipe

Recipe : Serves 6-8
1 large white onion, diced
2 medium red bell pepper, diced 
4 medium potatoes, diced
3 cups frozen corn
4 cups chicken/vegetable broth 
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/4 cup cheddar/jack cheese for garnish
chopped scallions and corn for garnish
** I used roasted red bell peppers to get the most out of the taste. This is optional.

• In a pan over medium heat, add oil and saute onions until translucent.
• In your slow cooker/crockpot add all the ingredients including onions except milk and garnish.
• Turn it on on low (approx 8 hrs) or high (4-6 hrs).
• When it is done, use a immersion blender to blend the ingredients. This will give you the creamy texture you would want in a chowder.
• Add the milk and mix well. Cook for another 30 mins. This would be typically right before you are getting ready to serve. 
• Add the garnish and you are done.

Enjoy!

The Better - Broccoli Cheese Soup

I simply love Panera Bread's Broccoli Cheddar Soup and can finish it up in the wink of an eye. But its addictive taste and velvety texture made me wonder the ingredients. Panera Bread company is honest and puts a complete ingredients list of their recipes on their website. Some ingredients I did not like were modified corn starch, hydrolyzed corn and soy protein. These are flavor enhancers and hidden sources of MSG. And by now most of us know how MSG plays tricks with our brain and body. For a complete list of hidden sources of MSG read here

So instead of having the broccoli soup at Panera every time now, I try to make it home with the taste very similar to my favorite and without any added flavor enhancers. Sometimes it may take a while to perfect the taste, but never give up and keep trying. All your effort is well worth as you feed your body the real food.

Recipe
4 cups broccoli heads, chopped
2 cups carrots, chopped
1 onion
2 cups reduced fat milk, at room temp or slightly warm
2 cups broth, chicken or vegetable
3 Tbsp whole wheat flour
2 Tbsp butter
1Tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup sharp cheddar
salt and pepper to taste

• In a stock pot, heat butter and olive oil.
• Add chopped onions and carrots and cook until translucent.
• Sprinkle flour and let cook for 1 min to take away the raw taste.
• Now slowly and stirring continuosly add milk. There should be no lumps and this should the smooth base of your soup. Use a whisk!
• Add nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir until it starts to thicken. 
• Now add broth, mix well and add broccoli.
• Cover the pot on cook on medium for 20 mins.
• After 20mins, remove the lid and use an immersion blender to puree the soup to your desired consistency. I like little bites of the veggies in mine for a heartier texture.
• Now add the cheese. Stir to mix and wait until it dissolves.

Serve in a bread bowl or with a side of bread! Bon Appetit!

Belly Bloat Fighting Juices

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Nothing is more frustrating for a wardrobe dream than a bloated belly. It can not only be embarrassing but also can cause a lot of discomfort. There is nothing more annoying than feeling sick in the stomach. Bloating is caused by accumulation of excess gas in the intestines. When food has not traveled to the small intestine, intestinal bacteria produces gas.  When this gas is not able to release, it causes the stomach to swell.

Overeating is not the only cause of bloating, though the most common. Many food and food habits also cause bloating. Like eating too much legumes, rich fatty foods. Swallowing air by eating too fast or habits like chewing gum, drinking with a straw are another causes for swelling up the belly. Skipping meals will also cause bloating as it decreases the produce of digestive enzymes creating imbalance in the digestion process.

Instead of skipping meals and snacking on the wrong foods before the big night outs, eat the right way to fight belly bloat and always look fabulous.

De-Bloat Juice #1
2 stalks celery
1 cucumber
1/2 lemon
1 pear
3 Tbsp cilantro

De-Bloat Juice #2
2 carrots
1 orange
1 beet root

Image Source

1/2 lemon

De-Bloat Juice #3
3 Tbsp Basil
2 cup watermelon
1/2 lemon
pinch cayenne pepper

De-Bloat Juice # 4
2 carrots
1 red apple
1/4 inch ginger root

De-Bloat Juice # 5
3 Tbsp parsley
1 beet root
1/4 cup berries
2 carrots

Juices should be taken on empty stomach for the best results. Starting the day with a glass of juice is a great way to give your body the best of everything. They are an essential part of my morning routine and have proved life changing.

How to eat fruits the right way read here...

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.

Favs Whole Juices and Smoothies

Our body is very intelligent. Any kind of discomfort or pain is its way of telling us that something is not right. Its like a software program always running in debug mode. We just need to feel and observe.

One of the most useful weight-loss tips I have always used and highly recommend is to shock the body once a week by eating whatever we want without counting calories. This 'whatever' is always from the school of fast foods and sugar high foods. For me, one day of the weekend is usually the 'eat whatever' day. I have realized that the next day my body on its own tells me that it is craving for healthy nutrient rich foods..the REAL food. 

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Whole fruit and vegetable juices are the quickest and most refreshing treats for the body under such requirements. Also, i prefer to have have my whole juices at room temperature. Foods at room temperature are easily digested by the body as compared to cold foods. 

Here are some of my favs whole juice recipes. And much thanks to Vitamix for making them beautifully in seconds.

Orange & Carrot Juice                                             Green Juice

3/4 cup water                                                                3/4 cup water
2 oranges                                                                       1 green apple
12-14 baby carrots                                                        2 leaves kale
1 tsp honey/agave                                                         1/2 cucumber


Berry Avocado Smoothie                    Banana Avocado Smoothie
3/4 cup water                                                                1/2 cup water
1/2 cup frozen berries                                                  1 large banana
1/2 avocado                                                                     1/2 avocado
8-10 almonds                                                                 8-10 almonds
1 Tbsp honey/agave                                               1/4 cup rolled oats

Pear Kale Juice                                                  Beet Carrot Juice
3/4 cup water                                                                3/4 cup water
1 green pear                                                                 1 medium beet
2 leaves kale                                                                  10-12 carrots
1 orange                                                                 1 orange/red apple
1 tsp honey                                                                 1 tsp lime juice                                                              

Carrot Ginger Soup

It was raining cats and dogs and all I wanted was some comforting, hot, nutritious lunch at home. With these requirements, soups fit in best. Sipping a bowl of hot and fragrant soup gives an amazing feeling of relaxation. This carrot ginger soup recipe is a very relaxing process from cooking through sipping as it fills the senses with lovely aromas.

Carrots are not only good for your eyes but also lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The rich orange color from the beta-carotene is a great supply of antioxidants nutrients our body needs. People with diabetes avoid carrots as they have high sugar content. True...but studies show 2/3 carrot daily can help regular blood sugar. The sugar is carrots is high compared to other vegetables. Its not high in sugar if compared to fruits or prepared foods. 

The carrot ginger soup is not only loved by carrot lovers but by those who try to avoid them :)

Recipe
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 lb baby carrots, chopped
3 cups broth
1 Tbsp butter
dash of nutmeg
salt pepper to taste
Greek yogurt and parsley for garnish

• Heat a soup pot and add butter.
• When the butter melts, add chopped onion. Saute until translucent.
• Now add chopped carrots and ginger.
• Add the broth. Cover the pot and let it simmer for around 40 mins.
• Puree the soup pot mix. 
• Add a dash of nutmeg.
• Serve in a bowl with a dollop of Greek yogurt and twig of parsley.

Eat Your Beverage # 2

I feel great being able to stick to the veggie and fruit cocktails daily in breakfast now. Due to its versatility and flexibility it never gets boring.  The challenge of incorporating veggies that you would normally not eat is fun. Keep up the mix n match and experiment to find taste that satisfies you.

Its hard to eat Kale and Beet just like that in food, especially in Indian cuisine  But then being away from a great superfood like Kale is like depriving the body from so much good. So mix them up in a juice cocktail. To know interesting facts about Kale read at the end of the post.

Here is another of my favorite which I made 4 days in a row :)

                                    1 Tomato                    1 Beet Root              1-2 Kale               1 Original Carrot       1 Large Pear


Blend all the above ingredients in a powerful mixer. If you like your juice sweet just enjoy the mix.

I add a tablespoon of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and crushed black pepper to mine to spike it up.










Interesting Facts About Kale

Kale is a form of cabbage, very close to wild cabbage. This vegetable is frequently used in Irish, German, Chinese and other Asian cuisines. It is most popularly used boiled, steamed, stir fried or microwaved.

Its nutritional values for Fat, Fiber, Protein, Sugars are not very different from cabbage EXCEPT that it contains amazingly high value of Beta Carotene Vitamin A, Iron, Calcium and Vitamin C. In case you do not find Kale where you live you easily substitute it for cabbage.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 100g or 3.5oz Amount Per Serving Calories  50 Calories from Fat 6 % Daily Value* Total Fat  1g 1% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol  0mg 0% Sodium  43mg 2% Total Carbohydrate  10g 3% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Sugars 0g Protein  3g Vitamin A 308% · Vitamin C 12% Calcium 14% · Iron 9% *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Nutritional Data by SkipThePie.org

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 100g or 3.5oz Amount Per Serving Calories  27 Calories from Fat 1 % Daily Value* Total Fat  0g 0% Saturated Fat 0g 0% Trans Fat 0g Cholesterol  0mg 0% Sodium  28mg 1% Total Carbohydrate  6g 2% Dietary Fiber 3g 12% Sugars 2g Protein  2g Vitamin A 20% · Vitamin C 3% Calcium 4% · Iron 2% *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Nutritional Data by SkipThePie.org

Eat Your Beverages #1

Lately I started Eating My Beverages! And does it feel great or what :) 

The importance of vegetables and fruits is not unknown. Eating recommended fruit servings daily is still doable but most of use are not able to do justice when it comes to recommended vegetable servings. Another known fact is importance of raw vegetables for a healthy body. But there are only certain vegetables you can eat raw. So the solution - Vegetable Juicing

Here Under 'Eat Your Beverages' I will post my raw food juice recipes. 

I do not buy 3/5 days detoxify plans as I think our body knows how to clean itself every night when we sleep. Its designed to do that. And instead of going on a few days detoxify plans, why not put in good clean things in the body everyday, so it removes toxins regularly. After all, you are what you eat. Before vegetable juicing I had to make conscious efforts to eat clean foods for my health. And being so careful all the time might not pan out well. But now after trying out vegetable juicing, life is so much easier. 

The thought of greens, squash, broccoli in my juice completely threw me off. But I found the trick :) Add a strong citrus fruit to the recipe and the juice just tastes of the fruit...Nothing more. All you need is a good blender and then follow your mind

Recipe #1

1/2 cup cabbage    

1/2 cup spinach

1 tomato halved

1 large orange

8-10 baby carrots

salt to taste

1 cup water

Mix everything well and that is it :) I do not strain my juice to get all the good fiber too.

It is recommended to have your juice fresh or latest withing 2 hrs of making. Also try to remain away from these juices post late afternoon.

Saffron Almond Milk - Miracle Appetite Suppresant

Sleepless college exam and assignments nights were made comforting by mom's saffron almond milk. I always wondered how come one glass of this tasty milk kept me going all night without dozing off. Well a recent study shows Saffron extract is a great appetite suppressant and can help control emotional overeating. I also saw this on the famous Dr.Oz show. 

Saffron consumed in right amount, has been proved to reduce sugar cravings or hunger between meals. So you eat less calories and slowly loose weight. Saffron is also long known for its anti-depressant properties.

That explains those long exam nights. Mom always knows the best :)

Recipe
1 cup milk
7-10 strands of saffron
5-7 raw almonds
5-7 pistachios
pinch of cardamom powder
sugar or honey to taste

• Soak almonds and pistachios for about 15min and grind in a paste with few tablespoons of milk. 
• Boil the remaining milk and add the paste, saffron, cardamom powder and sugar/honey
• Simmer for few more minutes as saffron releases that beautiful orange-yellow color
• Enjoy hot or serve chilled.

Rich Thick Hot Chocolate - Under 100 Cal

Many friends inboxed us question on our  post 30 Days Pinned...Tummy In that eating dinner early before 8 and then sleeping late invokes urge to eat something late night.

I cannot agree more. Its very hard to stick to a plan after 30 days and to me its not even practically possible, for most.  So I keep finding ideas that are healthy and yet let me indulge. 
I don't know about my sweet tooth as I can go without explicit sugar all day but crave something rich and sweet after dinner. Late nights, its tough!  I have got a perfect solution:) 

I indulge myself in a cup of thick rich hot chocolate "under 100 cal"

Made myself hot chocolate many times with the 1% or non fat milk and duh! The rich and thick texture of whole milk or half-n-half was missing. So this is what i did......

Recipe
1 cup fat free or 1% milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
sugar to taste
1/3 Tbsp cornstarch

I like mine spiced up so add cinnamon, cayenne pepper and orange zest occasionally.

Put everything together in a saucepan, bring to boil on medium high as you whisk it away.


And Ta Da! Rich Thick Luxurious Hot Chocolate Under 100 cal Night Delight.

Smoked Tomato Soup

Saturday night was a savior in preparation for the Superbowl night party food.

Nothing better than a hot bowl of roasted garlic tomato soup, served with a side of baked crispy veggies instead of a bread.

Such soup dinner nights are super comfy in terms of effort of cooking. And strengthens my belief in simple, tasty and healthy food.



Its again one of those recipes that fits into your least available prepping time ......
Recipe
4-5 large roma tomatoes
1-3 large red pepper
1 large onion
1 small potato
6-7 peeled garlic cloves
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp dry basil
black pepper to taste            
salt to taste
1 tsp of brown sugar

Method                           

• Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Cut all veggies (except garlic) anyhow you want, larger the better. Its anyways going to be blended so don't bother cutting a lot. Throw in a baking pan
• Put the remaining ingredients - garlic cloves, basil, pepper, oil, salt, sugar. 
• Let everything bake for 25 min. Your oven little more hot? No biggie..charred veggies adds onto that smoky flavor.
• Remove from oven and pick and remove those garlic cloves. There job is done, and a well one :)
• Transfer everything in a cooking pot, mix it all well with a hand blender. Saves work right:)
• Add water, yes no need to broth, for desired consistency. Bring to boil and serve hot.

Options to serve

• If you feel you need carbs, serve with your favorite bread, or
• Cut your favorite veggies, throw in the same pan you just now used. Your oven is already preheated. Bake veggies for 25-30 min 

Spilt Bengal Gram Soup

After a long work day, with irregular meals, its easy to get indulged in comfort foods. And a bad dinner is one of those biggest disaster you always wanna escape. So to avoid the same but still give myself a treat, it became another hearty soup night.

This hearty soup is made with following main ingredients  -

• Split Bengal Gram : Like garbanzo beans? Go for split bengal gram. Same nutrition..no split :) easily available in Indian grocery store or any international foods grocery store aisle.
• Bottle gourd/Opo : 18 cal in a cup, this vegetable is high in vitamins and fiber and known for lowering blood pressure. Not very popular in western cooking but dominates Indian domestic cooking. Believed to have originated from Africa...and now hopefully in your kitchen. It sure is a round small world.

Recipe                                                          

1 cup split bengal gram

1 cup diced Opo/bottle gourd

1-2 diced tomato

1tsp turmeric powder

3 cups water            

1tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp cumin seeds/powder

1 tsp vegetable oil/olive oil

pinch of asafoetida (click on name to read about this spice)

salt to taste

lemon juice to taste (optional)

coriander (optional)

This soup can be made in either a slow cooker or pressure cooker. My favorite is pressure cooker, simple reason being cooking time is less than 10 min. But mom style is slow cooker and it does brings out the best of taste. 

Method

• Heat the oil and add all spices. Wait for 1-2 min to let cumin seeds crackle ( if using seeds). 
• Add all veggies and split gram. Saute for 2-3 min to bring out the aroma. Add 3 cups of water.
• If using slow cooker, let it simmer for 3-4 hrs. If using pressure cooker, cook on medium high and wait for 2 whistles.
• Serve hot with chopped coriander or have it just like that. 
• Add lemon juice to taste in each serving if you like. 

Tom Kha Gai Soup

After my first post about the hotchpotch soup, this one in non forgiving, unfortunately. Need the right ingredients. But hey, whenever healthy cooking becomes bothering we find ways not to stick with it. So here I will make it simple.

Tom Kha Gai literally mean Chicken Galangal Soup

Most Thai recipes require authentic ingredients with which you can whip up any good Thai recipe.

Galangal -
call it a Thai ginger. But don't think of substituting it with ginger. Its aroma and flavor is no way gingery
Kaffir Lime Leaves -
known for its distinct citrus aroma
Lemongrass -
Asian citrus herb. But no lime can replace it. Its still easy to find fresh in grocery stores.
Palm sugar -
made from the sap of date palm know for it low glycemic index. Its the next gen Agave Nectar. Can be replaced with brown sugar for laughs n giggles

Now the big question is to find these non easily found authentic ingredients. Or if you find them, how to use them fairly. Lets be honest, some of these are not cheap and them going down the drain rotten after one use hurts. By all means, get all these fresh if u plan to make a thai menu for a week. As with all these, little goes a long way.

After few rounds of guilt when I had to throw these fresh amazing ingredients as I could not do justice with them, I made a discovery

Lobo Brand Tom Ka Paste

A packet full of awesomeness.

The only things u now need :)

Chicken/Tofu (choose as per food habits)
15-20 sliced mushrooms ( I like button or shitake)
2 can coconut milk
1 can water
brown sugar to taste
1/2 Tsp chopped cilantro
crushed chillies to taste

Place the packet in hot water so the paste inside comes out easily. Mix it with coconut milk, water and bring to boil. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil a few time and the soup is ready.

I like a lot of veggies in my soup so I also add broccoli, snap peas, baby corn, carrots. All depending on availability in my fridge.

Ain't that simply healthy. Enjoy!

Winter Minestrone

Minestrone means A Big Hotchpotch Soup

Even though I am a self-proclaimed perfection freak ;-) there are times I like hotchpotch. And why not when the hotchpotch is so delish.

There is no fixed recipe to this one. Goof around. But have a bowl full at least once a week. Especially if you play rat and mouse with your veggies.

My Minestrone Version

Grab tight your veggie tray and start chopping -
1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
1 cup onion
1 cup zucchini
3/4 cloves garlic
Handful Swiss chard..ahem sounds gourmet :) forget it grab spinach or kale

Now start opening those cans. Remember Go healthy go lowest sodium you can find. C'mon folks spend sometime in your grocery aisles. Good things don't come easy. -

1 can whole peeled tomatoes
1 can cannelloni beans (these are white kidney beans. so if you don't have this can simple use kidney beans)
2/3 cans vegetable broth (feel free to use drinking water if you are out of stock. No biggie)
1/3 cup dried any cylindrical pasta

I said I like my food tasty. So time for some seasoning -

1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley (excellent if you have fresh in garden or your fridge)
1/2 tsp dried thyme
salt to taste
pepper to taste
2 tsp olive oil

Recipe

• Saute all chopped veggies in a soup pot. 
• Throw in stock/water. 
• Add in canned tomatoes, pasta and seasoning. Let it simmer on low-medium for 20-30 min. 
• Dump rinsed canned beans. Again cook for 10-15 min.
• Serve piping hot with a dash of fresh grated Parmesan, EVOO and a wonderful slice of bread.

So folks here are a tasty combo of vitamins, minerals, essential carbs and fat folded well in a Tasty Messy Soup.