Quinoa Salad

Quinoa (pronounced as kinwa) is a kind of grain which originated in South America. Quinoa contains a balanced set of amino acids thus qualifying for a very good source of proteins especially for vegetarians.

So here goes the recipe for the protein boost -

Ingredients

1. Quinoa ( 1 cup)
2. Pomegranate (optional) or dried cranberry
3. Beetroot 1/2 cup sliced in long thin strips
4. Walnuts 1/2 cup
5. Lime juice to taste

Recipe

1. Cook quinoa as you wound cook rice. I cooked my quinoa in a rice cooker. The water to quinoa ratio was 2:1. It took about 20 minutes to cook.
2. Add the sliced beetroot, walnuts, pomegranate, lime juice and serve.
3. You could put it in the fridge and serve it cold as well.

If you like quinoa check out the next recipe on this same grain - Quinoa Pullav

Potato Wedge Fry

Is there anyone out there who doesn't desire fatty foods? If yes then that person has truly attained food nirvana.

Why do human beings crave fatty food ? Throughout our human history fat has been seen as key fuel to our survival. Human beings are biologically programmed to crave fat. Then there is good fat and bad fat and so on an so forth we can go on writing about ldl, hdl cholesterol blah blah.

Coming back to fatty foods, our bodies do need some dose of fats every now and then. With an oven we can replace traditional deep fried stuff with nearly 99% less oil and still produce a really satiable fry.

Here is the recipe to potato wedge fry - Let me know what other veggies did you try cutting down the fat by using the oven ?

Ingredients -

1. Potatoes
2. 2 tbsp oil
3. Chilli powder, Salt

Recipe

1. Cut the potatoes into a wedge shape.
2. Steam cook the wedges until they are just about done.
3. In a pan put some oil, let the cumin seeds crackle. Add turmeric powder, salt, chilli powder.
4. Mix the steam cooked potatoes. Take care not to destroy the shape. Ensure that all the potatoes get a light coating of the chilli powder.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F.
6. Lay the potato wedges in a plate. I line the tray with parchment paper and lay the potato wedges on them.
7. Cook for about 20 mins or until they get roasted.

Serve with rice and sambar or eat as is.

Yummy crunch crunch...

Kale Soup

The first thing I am reminded of when I look at Kale is fractals. Kale are beautiful ornamental plants. To know more about fractals here is a link to an excellent article - Fractal Food
In the supermarket I have often been bowled over by their beauty but never had the courage to actually buy them. Until one day when a friend of mine thrusted me with a big bunch of organic kale produce from a nearby farm. I ran out of spinach (a staple at my home) and started using kale in every dish in lieu of spinach. One could not tell a difference. My daughter who is more judgemental about my cooking actually ate this soup without any reservations.

I would highly recommend this nutritious Kale soup. Its loaded with vitamins, anti-oxidants. Go get your bunch today and enjoy their goodness.

Kale Soup

Ingredients

1. 1 Bunch Kale
2. 1 potato
3. 2 medium sized onions
4. 4-5 garlic cloves
5. 1/4 cup milk or cream

Recipe

1. Pressure cook all the ingredients. In the absence of pressure cooker, cover and cook all the ingredients in good amount of water.
2. Puree the cooked veggies
3. Add the milk. Add salt and pepper.
4. Bring to a boil.

Serve hot with some bread.

Avocado Paratha

Avocados are high in fat content, fiber, known to reduce the bad cholesterol, has more potassium than what one banana can offer and has a natural buttery texture. All this makes it a highly desirable component in a vegetarian diet. So I was dismayed when my daughter refused to have this fruit as is or with bread. I needed to include this in her diet and this is what I came up with - Avocado paratha. The result was soft parathas.

Ingredients

1. 1 Ripe Avocado
2. Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
3. Salt - 1/2 tsp

Procedure

1. Remove the skin and seed of the ripe avocado, mash it nicely to make it like a paste consistency.
2. To the whole wheat flour add the avocado paste, add salt
3. Add lukewarm water and make a soft dough from it.
4. Take one lime size ball, roll it out to make a thin circular disc
5. Heat a pan.
6. Add the chapathi to the pan. Cover the lid and let it cook for 2-3 mins
7. Once you see small bubbles turn to the other side and let it cook again covering the lid for 2-3 mins.
8. Once both sides are mildly cooked, put it on fire directly to make it puff like a poori. I have an electric stove and I use a mesh to put it on top instead of directly putting it on the coil.
9. Apply butter if necessary.
10. Serve with curd or other side dishes as available.

Full circle

It has been a long time since I last blogged. It has been busy with work, kids, birthday parties, navarathri. Of course the list of things only seem to grow.

I have come a full circle when it comes to making dinner for my now 4 year old daughter. I started giving her "kichdi" (a mushy meal comprising rice, mung dal pressure-cooked) when she was 10 months old. Now after experimenting with various toddler friendly, pre-schooler friendly dinner menus, I have comfortably settled down once again with "kichdi" - this time making it a little more sophisticated with variety of grated vegetables. Phew - so much for my experiments.

Here is the recipe for the kichdi -

Combine 1/2 cup rice, 3/8th cup mung dal, grated carrots, grated vegetables. Add 3 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt and pressure cook. Once done add ghee and serve.

For the grated vegetables - I have used broccoli, potato, squash, spinach, zucchini, cauliflower, carrots, beetroot with great success.

Here is how it looks. Not an exciting picture but assure you kids will love it reminding us that simplest of meals are just enough to satisfy them

Garden Bounty

Colorful eggplant.



Crunchy sweet snow peas.



The carrots were a surprise. We had almost forgotten that we had sowed carrot seeds too. It took nearly 8 months to blossom and mature after a long period of hibernation in the *cold* San Diego winter.

Quick Soy Beans Subzi

It was one of those days when I was not in a mood to prepare an elaborate dinner. Luckily I had soaked some soy beans soaked overnight. With that little advance planning this dish was made real quick and was sumptuous. With no extra masala added, this recipe can bring out all the natural flavors very nicely. Pressure cooker is recommended for this cooking. Not only does it retain all the nutrients but it also helps in cooking the soy beans thoroughly. I warmed up some slices of sourdough bread to go with this subzi.

Ingredients

1. Soy beans - i cup soaked overnight
2. Onions - 1 chopped finely
3. Tomatoes - 2 big chopped
4. Potato - 1 medium size sliced in cubes
5. Green chillies - 2-3 depending on the intended spice level
6. 1 inch ginger finely grated

Preparation

1. In a pressure cooker add 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add cumin seeds and when it crackles add the chopped onions, chillies, ginger.
2. After sauteeing the onions, add the tomatoes and potatoes
3. Add the soaked soy beans.
4. Add 1 tbsp amchur powder or 1 tbsp tamarind paste (optional step)
5. Close the pressure cooker and let it cook nicely.

Serve hot with chapathis, pullav or some bread.

Mixed Vegetable Soup

By this time you might have realized that soups are one of my favorites. They are easy to prepare, nutritious and healthy. This soup could be had with some bread rolls for a simple nights dinner. I got some bamboo shoots and water chestnuts from a chinese store. Peeling the water chestnuts is a hassle but completely worth the effort. The bamboo shoots when cooked in water lends such aroma to the soup. Also the crunchiness of bamboo shoots makes it fun for the teeth to masticate. Don't despair if you don't have bamboo shoots. You can still prepare this soup with other vegetables listed below. Preparation time of 15-20 minutes can yield a fiber rich soup. Enjoy !

Water Chestnut

Ingredients

Sumptuous soup for 4 people

1. Carrots (2) cut into circular discs
2. Beans 10-12 cut length wise half inch long
3. Bamboo shoots 1 cut into small discs
4. Long white Radish - 1/2 cut into discs
5. Bean sprouts - 10-12
6. Cauliflower florets - 1 cup
7. Brocoli florets - 1 cup
8. Cucumber - 1 medium sized
9. Zucchini - 1 medium sized
10. Celery sticks - 2-3
11. Edamame seeds - 1 cup
12. Water Chestnuts - 1/2 cup


Recipe

1. Add all the cut vegetables to enough water covering the vegetables and set it to boil.
2. Once vegetables are nicely boiled, add salt, pepper, italian seasoning (optional) and bring to boil for 10 minutes.
3. Serve hot with bun rolls.

Book Review

The recipes in this blog have one theme in common - providing low-fat, fiber rich, protein rich vegetarian recipes. I dislike processed foods. I believe that cooking a healthy meal on a daily basis is a challenge which can be easily overcome with little advanced planning. Exercise combined with nutritious meal contribute towards a healthy weight and life-style.

The best way to lose weight is not by eating less, but by actually eating well balanced and nutritious meals. I was thrilled to see this book - You on a Diet. Highly recommended.

Wheat Rava Upma

Wheat Rava Upma

Wheat is rich in fiber. What is all this hype about fiber and why should this be so important for healthy living ? Fibrous foods help us feel satiated with small amounts. They release energy slowly for many hours after their intake, thereby reducing the need to stuff oneself with other kinds of food.

Upma refers to cooking wheat rava in water. Toss in sliced carrots and cut beans and edamame seeds to enrich the fiber and protein content. Spice it up with grated ginger, green chillies and garnish it with coriander. All in all the recipe takes about 30 minutes to prepare (including the cutting of vegetables).

Serve with yogurt and treat your stomachs to a nutritious wholesome meal.

Onto the algorithm -

Ingredients

Makes for 2 people

1. Wheat rava - 1 cup
2. Carrots diced - 1/4 cup
3. Edamame seeds - 1/2 cup
4. Cut beans - 1/4 cup
5. Diced onions - 1/4 cup (optional)
6. Ginger - 1 inch long grated
7. Cumin seeds
8. Cilantro
9. Green Chillies 2-3 (as per taste)

Recipe

1. Boil about 3 cups water separately in a vessel
2. In another container, add 1 tbsp oil of your choice
3. Put in the cumin seeds. Once the cumin crackles add the diced onions, ginger, green chillies
4. In the same container add the wheat rava and shallow fry for 10 min
5. Steam cook the carrots, beans and edamame seeds separately.



6. Add the vegetables to the rava
7. Add the boiling water, salt and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
8. If necessary add a little more warm water to it and cook until done.
9. Add chopped cilantro

Serve with yogurt.

As a variation you may add juice of 1 lemon after removing it from the stove.

Want to know more about wheat ? Click on this link.

Asparagus Soup

Soups are perhaps the easiest to prepare. Salad and soups make for a good night's dinner effortlessly.

This soup provides an unique texture and crunchy tasting without using the usual not so healthy croutons. This is yet another simple and healthy recipe.

Cut the asparagus heads and set it aside.Pressure cook the asparagus stems and onions. This ensures the flavors and nutrients are not lost. As this is being cooked, mildly sautee the asparagus heads.I prefer to sautee it without oil to give it its crunchy taste. Alternatively brush the asparagus heads with little olive oil and bake them for 10 minutes in the oven at 375 F. Blend the cooked items and dilute (fill in) it with the same broth that comes out of pressure cooking to desired/soupy consistency. Throw in and enjoy.

Here is a more step by step approach to the preparation -

Ingredients

1. 10-12 asparagus
2. onions
3. Pepper
4. Salt
5. Garlic cloves (2 or 3)
6. 3 0z milk (optional)

Preparation

1. Cut the asparagus heads and set aside
2. Trip the ends of the stalks
3. Peel off the external skin of the cylindrical stalks
4. Cut the stalks into smaller cylinders
5. Pressure cook them in water along with the garlic cloves and onions
6. Blend them in a mixer finely
7. Add water if necessary and cook them on the stove for 5-10 min
8. Add salt and pepper to taste
9. Garnish with the roasted asparagus heads.

Snack recommendation

Yearning for a delightful cracker or two to go with your cup of tea or looking for a dip for your soup? Here is a crunchy cracker which goes very well with any kind of dips or just as is. The La Panzanella crackers are low fat baked goods. So enjoy couple of crackers guilt free.

I found the cracker irresistable with jalapeno-cilantro hummus dip. Yum Yum...

Banana Muffins

This recipe is perfect when you don't have the mind to throw your over-ripe bananas and neither are willing to eat it. In fact ever since I came across this recipe I wish for my bananas to ripen faster so that I can get to make this muffin.

I have come up with this recipe after trying out several combinations for the sugar, proportions of the wheat flour to the white flour. This combination seems to work best. I used ground flax seeds instead of oil or eggs. Ground flax seeds is rich in the good fatty acids and also acts as an egg substitute. Reducing the sugar to below 1/2 cup brings out a bitter after taste.

Ingredients

1. Applesauce - 1/2 cup
2. Sugar - 1/2 Cup
3. Maida or All purpose flour - 1 cup
4. Whole wheat flour or Spelt flour - 1/2 cup
5. Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
6. Baking Powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt (pinch)
8. Melted Butter - 3 tsp
9. Walnuts - 1/4 cup
10. Bananas - 4
11. Ground flax seeds - 3 tsp
12. Brown sugar 1/8th cup
13. Raisins - 3 tsp
14. Cinnamon - 1 tsp

Preparation

1. Mix the bananas, applesauce, melted butter and blend it make a fine mixture.
2. Add the flax seeds to warm water and mix it with the banana paste prepared above.
3. Mix the all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, whole wheat flour in a separate bowl.
4. Add the wet mixture to the dry flour mixture and blend it nicely. Add walnuts and raisins, mix well.
5. Grease the muffin moulds and pour the mixture into each one of the mould. Top it with mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon powder.
7. Preheat the oven to about 375 F. Put the muffin mould in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the tootpick comes out clean when inserted in the muffins.

This recipe was modified from the original

Thin Crust Pizza ... from scratch (low-fat)

My tryst with making pizza at home was confined to buying the crust, sauce and vegetables from a store and then assembling them all and baking them in the oven. I had the inertia to not venture into this unknown territory of pizza crust preparation. Well thanks to my friend who bolstered my confidence by giving this simple wonderful recipe for making the crusts. You ought to try it out to see how simple this recipe actually is...

Ingredients for crust

1. 1 cup whole wheat flour
2. 1 cup bread flour or 1 cup hi-gluten flour
3. 1/4 tsp quick rising yeast
4. 1/4 tsp salt
5. 1/2 tsp olive oil

Preparation

1. Mix all the above ingredients
2. Knead the dough for 10 minutes until the dough is really soft and does not stick to the sides of the container.
3. Continue to fold, press and stretch (kneading) with your hands for another 5 minutes.
4. Close the container and let it rest for 5-6 hours

Pizza dough

Ingredients for the pizza

1. Tomato pizza sauce (store bought)
2. Mozzarella cheese 1 cup ( or as per your taste)
3. Broccoli - 1 cup
4. Pineapple cubes - 1 cup
5. Zucchini - sliced 1/2 cup
6. Capsicum - sliced 1/2 cup

Preparation

1. Once the dough has risen knead it gently for another 1-2 minutes.
2. Smear the dough in some whole wheat flour and roll it into a disc shape with a rolling pin
3. Place the rolled out pizza in a perforated pizza pan (check out how it looks like here
4. Spread a layer of tomato sauce
5. Decorate the veggies on top of the tomato sauce layer
6. Add the mozzarella cheese lastly.
7. Pre-heat oven to 450 F
8. Place the pizza pan and let it bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese melts.

You can add cheese while making the dough for the crust. Options to modify the crust to give different flavors are endless. Let your imagination be your guide.

If you have tried a herb crust or other variations, share with us.
Enjoy your pizza !