Crossroads

Simple Veggie Soup

2008-06-28T18:16:00.001-07:00

OK, friends. I am back again after a long lull. Ask me what I have been doing and I have plenty of stories. I moved into my new job last year, and it took me long time to settle in the new environment. Missing gym and eating lunch out almost everyday gifted me some unwanted extra pounds. So after nearly a year of having excuses not to exercise I woke up one day said to myself “Enough being lazy, get up before it late, start moving.” and then I was juggling between my job and gym. It took me a year to understand that coming back home after work and saying “I feel tired to go to the gym” is purely an excuse to not exercise and pamper my taste buds.

Year 2008 has been really good so far. Lost the extra pounds that I gained last year, I am being quite regular in my exercise and I have made very good changes in my eating habits’. A major change has been including a lot of soups, veggies and fruits. So this year the weight that I have lost has been a pure result of changes in my lifestyle and food habits’. Nothing out of way or extra. It’s been really slow and not as much as expected, but I am happy with it. I have been involved in a lot of group exercises like Hip hop, Zumba, Yoga and step Aerobics. If nothing I just go for an walk. I was just too bored to get on to the treadmill. This has been a very pleasant change and “yoga” is my favorite right now. I have seen changes in my posture and flexibility in just 2 months.

And now that half of the year is over, I am getting back to my blog.

So friends that’s my story in short. I have missed you all so bad, but hey I did visit your blogs once in a while though I dint leave any comments. But I really do want to be a regular blogger, not just sharing my recipes but picking up good stuff from you all, and being in touch with you guys.

Thanks Christie (my colleague) for lending me the “Simple Classics Cookbook”, from which I have had many ideas for simple healthy meals , especially soups.

My recipe for today is a very simple but flavourful soup called “Veggie soup with tomato basil Sauce”

Ingredients:

2 ripe tomatoes (big)

1 cup cut spinach leaves (cut into stripes)

2 tb sp olive oil

1/2 yellow onion diced into cubes of ¼ th inch

1 small baking potato peeled and diced

2 cups mix veggies

(I used Mexican squash, Zucchini, Green beans, Carrots) All cut into same size as onions.

Other options can include baby corn, mushrooms, cauliflower or whatever you like.

½ cup packed fresh basil leaves

1 Tb Sp fresh Italian flat leaf parsley chopped finely.

6 cups chicken stock

1 big Garlic clove

½ cup tomato puree

Salt, pepper

For the Tomato Basil Sauce:

In a blender blend together 1 clove garlic, ½ cup tomato puree, ½ cup basil leaves, 1 t sp salt, 1 tsp pepper powder, 1 tb sp Olive oil. Set Aside.

For soup:

Heat the olive oil till warm. Add onions and sauté till they turn translucent but not limp. (4 min).Do not let them turn brown.

Add tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, parsley. Let it steam and cook for 4-5 min. Remember to keep the flame low. All veggies should be steamed and firm. Not over cooked or Mushy. Then add the chicken stock, raise the heat to med and bring to simmer. Add the beans and squash and bring the heat to low. Cook till just done (6-8min).

Add spinach and s/w off the gas. The spinach will cook in the heat of the ready soup.

Put the soup in a bowl and top it off with the basil sauce before serving.

This soup is the broth based soup I have ever had. Do not omit the basil sauce as it is this sauce that adds a distinct flavor to the soup. Please use fresh herbs for this recipe. The dried version will not give that flavour. Enjoy !

Happy New year

2006-12-29T09:53:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends
Wish you all a happy and prosperous new year ahead !
Thanks for remembering me ,dropping by and leaving me sweet messages. I Think I should come up with some good article soon :).
Miss U all
Neelu

Helllo

2006-09-20T09:31:00.000-07:00

Hello friends
Due to some personal inevitable reasons I am not able to take out time for writing my fav stuff , hence thought of informing you all that I am on a long blog break (which i really realy hate -I miss u all soo much ) else you all would wonder where I absconded !
I will be back as soon as possible- for now I am not sure how long I would be away !
luv
Neelu

Are fats really bad for health ?

2006-08-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

When I was reading articles about fats, one of the article has used the analogy of a house to explain how FAT is not always bad ! Yes friends, fats are not always bad and it’s necessary to have good healthy fat diet to keep your body strong just like building a strong house. Now you might think what’s good about fats? The term fat as in the fat stored in our body and that makes us look obese n unattractive has created a general notion among people that Fat is always bad. I am no different, and I too have been on a low fat diet for 3 whole years while in India. But now I understand that it is not the case. It is necessary to consume fat in moderate amount for a stronger body and that’s why I chose to write this article.

Why do we need fats?

Fats help our body in absorbing nutrients, nerve transmission, maintaining cell membranes etc. So if we eat a good diet full of nutrients and no fat how will our bodies absorb it? Fat is a essential part of our diet and that is why health conscious people should be savvy about it and understand the related facts.

Hero’s and the Bad guys (Reminds me of Gulshan Grover hahaha)

Fats even though have roughly the same calories in any form have different compositions and it’s this composition that makes it good and bad.

Saturated Fats as we all know are considered bad as they not only raise the bad cholesterol levels in our body but also lower the good cholesterol and give a helping hand to gain weight and increasing heart problems by clogging the arteries. On the other hand Monounsaturated Fats and Polyunsaturated Fats are considered to be good. (I am tempted to write about the atomic structure at this moment but I won’t delve into the atomic structure details – we are not studying chemistry - are we?)

The good fats lower the bad cholesterol, transports essential nutrients throughout our body, cushions and protect our organs, benefit our heart, boost our metabolism (good for weight loss) and strengthen our immune system.

Sources of fat - So where can we find these?

The sources of bad fats are Whole milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream; red meat, chocolate, coconuts, coconut milk, margarines; vegetable shortening, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, deep-fried chips; many fast foods, most commercial baked goods like cookies, crackers and pastries.

Good fats can be found in Olives, olive oil (which I Use for cooking everyday meals) , canola oil, peanut oil, cashews, almonds, peanuts, and most other nuts, avocados ,soybean, safflower, and cottonseed oils and fish.

How can we include Healthy fats in our daily diet?

Cook using healthy fats instead of butter, animal fat (like Ghee) or Margarine.

Snack on nuts instead of chips n bakery goodies.

Use fats with ingredients like vegetable oil as the main ingredient.

Include lean meat and fish frequently in your diet and cook it wisely (Grilling, baking, broiling as opposed to frying).

How much Fat should we consume daily?

Though good fats have numerous benefits, always remember the baseline-
Have it in moderation, Excess of anything will not give you the benefits! According to the food guide pyramid 30% of the total calories that we consume should come from fats and not more than 10% of that should be from saturated fat if you are moderately active.

You can find all the detailed information about fats on the label when you purchase products. Take time to go through it before you decide to buy it, it will help you make healthier choices. Low fat products are not always good because they might be loaded with other harmful ingredients like sugar. So make wise choice, research on brands and stick to them every time u make a trip to grocery store.

BPW Event on meeta blog

2006-08-01T11:48:00.000-07:00

Who doesn’t like chocolates and flowers. They are a gift loved by all, especially women and no wonder why we gift them when we cannot think of anything else.After seeing the BPW event on meetas blog I was sure about the picture postcard I would be posting – chocolates and flowers.
For me life would be incomplete without a chocolate because it not only gives instant energy but it is also a great mood enhancer and a delightful treat.Chocolate is made from fermented and roasted seeds of the tropical plant cacao and is available in myriads of variety and used in spectrum of recipes . If chocolate wasn’t there I think 50% of the deserts would not have existed! We have basic varieties in dark ,milk and white but by adding various other fruits and syrups we cannot guess how many varieties are available in the market .
And Flowers…..They bring life to a empty room, a smile to a face ,joy to heart and fill our soul with a fragrance.My favourites are roses and the same are included in the card. Aug 6 is a friendships day and what could be a better gift for a blogger friend than these. Dont you all agree ?

Roses are red voilets and blue ,sugar is sweet and my friends - so are you !!!!

Can anyone see the pictures on my blog ?

2006-07-28T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hello Friend this is one more frustrating moments on blogspot and its hightime i move to some other domain. Gues what ! I cant c any of my pictures Can you ?

Cannot Post Pics

2006-07-27T08:21:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends
I cannot upload the pictures of my recipes since last few days. Are you facing the same problem or does anyone know why this is happening ? I will appreciate your help in this matter because I try atleast 4-5 times a day to upload pics and the blogger doesnt seem to do the job!

Creamy ginger Cauliflower-Aloo

2006-07-25T12:50:00.000-07:00

This Curry is amongst my favorites. Its flavor will linger in your mouth till your brush and the aroma will definitely be more than inviting. When I made it for the first time I could not believe I had made it and since then I consider myself a good cook. This curry is a must have on the menu when guests are invited. Even after the you eat it stomach-full the aroma will make you want it more and you are going to be praised by your guests for the wonderful meal ! It’s definitely a must try recipe.

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets cut into med size chunks

2 cup potato Pieces cut into sizes same as the cauliflower

2 tb sp kasuri methi

2/3 cup Onion tomato paste

1 small onion cut into vertical petals

½ cup cashew nuts, 2 tb khuskhus, 1 cup milk

Salt ,garam masala, Turmeric powder, Chilly powder

2 tsp ginger finely grated, 1 tsp garlic paste

oil

Method:

Soak the khuskhus and cashew in hot milk for 30 min. Then blend well to form a paste. (you can add some saffron to hot milk for that wonderful orange hue along with cashews)

In a vessel bring water to boil, add tsp of turmeric, salt and add the veggies. Let boil for 2 min and switch off and let them soak in hot water for 5 min. Then drain the veggies and keep aside.

In a Kadhai pour some oil (4 tb spoons) and when hot add the finely grated ginger and garlic. When it starts to fry add onion tomato paste as well as onion petals and kasuri methi. Fry till the petals cook well and total mixture starts leaving oil. Add Garam masala, turmeric and Chilly powder to the onions according to taste (I add 2 tb sp each -chilly n garam masala and 1 tsp turmeric) And give the mixture a stir.

Then add the drained veggies, salt and mix well so that the veggies are coated. Add ½ cup water just enough to cook the veggies on steam it generates. Cover n let cook for 2 min. Then Open and stir well. Mix the cashew paste and stir so that all the veggies are evenly coated with the mixture. Add ½ cup water and let simmer till the veggies cook. DO NOT OVERCOOK.

Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Chapatis. I am sure the vegetable is going to leave you licking your fingers!

The cashew Paste adds incredible richness to the gravy . For variation you can add zucchini instead of potato or add your favourtie veggies but I prefer cauliflower because the creamy sauce really penetrates the florets and gives the vegetables nice taste !

Banana -fig smoothie

2006-07-17T10:44:00.000-07:00

The fruit I missed the most in USA is Fig. Figs we get here are no where near in sweetness to what I ate in India (and very expensive) . A good option to satisfy my craving for figs is using a drier version. I have always savoured this flavourful chewy fruit with cruncy seeds in barfis, ice creams or just plain.(I tried fig & nut barfi at home last diwali and it was awesome) Dried figs are very sweet and an important source of fiber , potassium, iron and cacium. And friends I recently read that dried fig puree can very well be substitued in baking goods instead of butter or apple sauce.You can make nutrition bars with fig puree, nuts and cruncy granola. The only down side is the sugar content of fruit. 50% of dried fig is sugar but it is anytime better than the processed white sugar. When I crave for desert I often nibble on a couple of these or dates (I love dates). What a sweet way to lose weight !

Recipe :

Blend together
1/2 cup crushed Ice
1/3 cup chilled 100% blueberry juice (Do not add more as the taste should be more of figs and banana not bluberry)
1/2 cup chilled vanilla soy milk (light version- fat free)
1 cup vanilla yogurt (I Used dannon fat free vanilla yogurt -80 cal /cup)
1/2 frozen banana (Do not add fresh banana- frozen banana gives a better smoothie)
10-12 dried figs (stems removed - Do NOT use fresh figs)

Blend well till the figs are really well crushed.Serve immediately. I am especialy fond of the chewy pieces in the smoothie, straining is not recommended otherwise most of the fruit will go waste . Enjoy this nutritious smoothie to replenish your body after a workout , in breakfast or as a snack !
Great entry for Meetas Beat the Heat

WaterMelon Art

2006-07-10T00:17:00.000-07:00

Friends, I just recieved a forward in my mail with these beautiful pictures I would Like to share with you all ! Hope you like them.
(I dont know if they are real or made up, I thought you all would like them and hence I decided to post these )

Maharashtrian Thalipeeth

2006-07-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

I don’t remember when I started eating Thalipeeth, May be because I am eating that since I started eating food. Nothing can be as Maharashtrian snack as a thalipeeth. It is nutritious and you will be amazed by the amount of variation you can do with this. Traditionally It is made with “Bhajani” that’s a special flour of mixed grains (I don’t know what grains in what proportion- but I promise I will get that recipe from my aunt as soon as possible and post it) but if that’s not available you can make it with jowar also. The Bhajani has a different taste you will love and people in India can get this readymade from the stores. It’s just not available in desi stores here. (The upwas bhajani and this bhajani are diferent so if you are going to buy it readymade from indian store make sure you buy the thalipeeth bhajani not upwas bhajani).

So Here goes the recipe with variations in bracket

Ingredients

Thalipeeth bhajani -3 cups

(jowar flour 2 cups , ½ cup besan ,1/2 cup rice flour, 1/3 cup roasted rava)

1.5 cup finely chopped onion

2 cups finely chopped coriander (I like more of coriander, you can use 1 cup if u wish)

(2 cups fresh (1 cup frozen) cut spinach or methi leaves or 2 bunches spring onions)

10-12 green chillies finely chopped

Home made loni or unsalted butter

2 tb sp Cumin seeds (ajwain seeds)

4 tb spoon dhaniya powder (optional)

2 tb spoon jeera / cumin powder

1 tb spoon turmeric powder

1 English cucumber grated / 1 cup water

1/3 cup ghee /oil

2 t sp salt (According to your taste –we eat less salt)

Method

Combine all the ingredients (except butter)and knead well to form dough. The dough should not be sticky or watery. Set aside for 30 min and knead well again. Kneading well is really important. Adding oil while kneading the dough makes it krispy.

Add water little at a time, knead well and be sure before adding more water.

Now wet a hanky or a cloth and lay it on flat platform.

Make small smooth ball as you would for chapatti (slightly bigger one) and lay on the wet cloth.

Wet your palms and start patting the dough ball into a circular chapatti shape.

(Do not use rolling pin, do it with your palm, if it starts sticking to your hand, wet palms again)

Thickness should be double that of a phulka. After it gets shape of chapatti make a hole in the center as shown in the picture.

Now here is the trick. Carefully slip your palm under the hanky such that the thalipeth rests on your palm (it should be like hand below hanky and thalipeeth on the hanky )and invert it onto a hot tava. Quickly remove the hanky. It will come off easily because its wet. Put a tea spoon of oil in the hole made and cover it as shown.

After a minute lift the cover and check if it has browned from the bottom. If it has browned nicely flip the thalipeeth on the other side. Do not cover this time and let it brown.

My Aaji does not use the hanky and directly pats the thalipeeth on hot tava, I don’t understand how she does that, but hanky method will save you from getting burnt.
Also If you feel its difficult for you to use hanky, make smaller balls and pat on hand and then invert it on tava.

Care should be taken while placing it on the tava because it’s a bit tricky and you have to be extra cautious so that the thalipeeth does not break and you don’t put your palm on the tava instead. Also take care to roast it on medium-high flame (not very high) for the crispy texture on outside

It tastes great with sweet homemade yogurt and a dollop of loni / butter.
Goes well with all types of raitas and pickles, my favorite is a relish called Chunda (sweet and sour raw mango relish)

Some people Prefer deep frying this thalipeeth which tastes great too, but then I feel drinking the extra oil is like losing the nutrition you get from thalipeeth. If you ever go to pune , you can to “sweet home” in sadashiv peth to eat the authentic Thalipeeth and I am sure you wont stop after 1. I Would Like to send this entry to Nanditas Weekend breakfast blogging

Daal Rota

2006-07-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

Today I suddenly remembered my friends ‘Maasi’ who had called me for lunch once and made the traditional daal-rota. My friend and her family basically hail from Rajasthan and they moved to our neighborhood when I was 10 yrs old. I quickly got friends with them. Anything my friends Maasi made was finger licking. I could not recollect how she baked the Rota but she did it in a big vessel filled with sand and the tava heating on that sand. Traditionally it is eaten with as much ghee as you can eat, but as you know I am not doing that . If you want to try it please go ahead and pour 1/2 cup of ghee on the Rota before you start eating it ! Also as shown in my pictures the Rota is as big a size of our palm, but the original Rota would cover the whole plate (it was 3 times bigger than what I made .) So If you can manage cooking such a big one try it !

For Rota

1-1/2 Cup whole wheat aata

½ cup besan

½ cup ghee

1/2 cup yogurt

2 tb spoon ajwain

2 tb spoon ghee/oil to brush before baking

salt to taste

Mix together all the ingredients (except 2 spoon used ofr brushing) and Knead a stiff dough. Cover it with a wet cloth and let stand for a couple of hours.

Later smear your hands with oil and roll out the dough as shown in picture with both hands. (Its like a rolling pin action with hands). After it forms a pipe like structure roll it in circular direction as shown leaving some place in between the turns. Press it gently and place on a greased baking sheet. brush lightly with ghee or oil .

Bake at 375 deg F till it turns golden brown and starts cracking. (usually takes around 35-45 min)

For Daal

1 cup Tovar dal

½ cup masoor dal

½ cup chana daal

2 tb sp ginger garlic paste

2 cloves garlic

1 tomato and 1 onion finely chopped

Coriander powder

Turmeric powder

chilly powder

hing, salt, curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilies

Wash the daals and pressure cook them with some turmeric powder, salt and hing

In a kadhai pour some oil, add seeds when they splutter add curry leaves, red chilies onion, chopped garlic and fry till onion starts wilting. Then add ginger garlic paste and all the 3 powders. Fry for a min and then add tomatoes and cooked daal. Bring to a boil and dal is ready. It should not be too thick or thin. It should be slightly thicker than sambar. Add coriander and serve with rota.

(you can dip the rota pieces in dal and eat it or just crush the rota add lots of dal mix it and eat it ! Anyways it tastes delicious)

Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

2006-07-07T09:49:00.000-07:00

Sorry friends for making you wait soo long for the recipe. But here it comes now ........

Ingredients :

1 cup chopped peeled Potato

2-1/2 cups chopped peeled Butternut squash

(I got readymade chopped pieces, It is a pain to cut it into pieces at home)

½ cup carrot pieces

32 oz Chicken stock or veg stock

1 onion chopped

2 pieces garlic minced

1 cup fat free sour cream

Garlic powder (optional)

salt pepper to taste

olive oil / butter (2 tb spoon)

Method :

In a pan add some oil/ butter and add onions and garlic .

Fry till they wilt. Then add the salt, squash pieces, veg stock, potato and carrots.

Cook till the veg are soft and mushy.

Add more water if necessary.

After cooking, Let cool.

Puree in a blender with the sour cream and reheat before serving.

Add a dash of pepper and sea salt /garlic powder and croutons.

2006-07-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were at the montrey bay and I clicked a few pictures there. Posting those...hope you like them. The blue drink is 32 oz of margarita served with fresh sea lobster and crabs on side. There is a strawberry tart and choco mousse as the desert and this complete lunch is enough to fill any kumbhakaran isnt it ? I really liked the decoration and I thought of capturing it in a picture.

Fresh sea food for sale. The famous clam chowder was given free for tasting and O how I like that soup, I had it with sour dough bread bowl for lunch and I was too hungry to click it.
Its a must try for sea food lovers.

Guessing game again

2006-06-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

YEs Its Squash soup ladies :) Thanks for all the guesses but only vaish and nandita got them rite :) This game is fun isnt it ?

Ok Can you guess what this is and what are the ingredients ?
Hey I am not imitating nandita :) lol .
When I came across this recipe I was really surprised that we can make this out of that :) and hence thought of adding it to the guessing game.
You have to guess what this and that is !!!

chillie pepper chiken curry

2006-06-30T13:28:00.000-07:00

Chillie Pepper chicken

This recipe is my mami’s pet recipe. As it was not allowed to cook meat in our house (my grandfather was very strict about it) it was mami who often invited us- the nonveg lovers, at her place whenever she made this chillie pepper chiken. Its very different from the trational curry (with lot of grinding n chopping involved) and I am a big fan of this because not only it is easier to make than usual curry but tastes good equally.

Ingredients

10-12 green chillies slit vertically

10-12 peppercons ,4-5 cloves

2-3 bay leaves

1 cinammon stick

1 tb sp jeera (cumin seeds)

2-3 big onions (you might think it’s a lot but trust me u need that much)

(total onions should fill half of your kadhai)

2 big tomatoes (cut into vertical petals)

1 bunch finely chopped coriander

turmeric powder

ginger garlic paste

½ cup yogurt

1 tb spoon red chillie powder

2 tb spoon soya sauce

salt

2 pounds (1kg boneless chicken)

(I used thigh cutlets)

Method :

Mix together yogurt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger garlic powder, Soya sauce and marinate the chicken in this mixture as long as you can. (max 12 hrs – min 2 hrs)

Cut the onions into thin vertical petals (longitudinally- Hurray no fine cutting !!!!)

In a kadhai add some oil (4 tb spoon is enough for nonstick cookware)

Add peppercons, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. When they pop up add jeera and green chillies n give it a stir. When jeera seeds pop up add all the onion and cook them till they become nice pinkish brownish color. Do not cover while cooking.

When they r cooked add tomatoes, turmeric powder and marinated chicken and cook till done. Do not add the water released by the chicken. Squeeze the chicken pieces and then add to the kadhai. Add salt and let cook till done. Do not add water. Chiken will cook in its own water. If atall it starts sticking to the pan add 1/2 cup of water.

Mix in lot of finely chopped coriander just before serving. Isn’t it simple ? No garam masala ,no dhaniya jeera powder, no coconut, simple and devine. Goes well with rice as well as roti.

Confessions in group of 5 meme

2006-06-27T11:19:00.000-07:00

Nandita and Priya have tagged me for this meme in group of 5. Thank you girls for tagging me and here comes my meme after a long wait ……….

5 Items in my freezer

Curry leaves

Green chilies (they last more than a month)

Grated coconut

Frozen veggies (peas, mix, methi and spinach)

Ice

5 items in my closet

3 suitcases (1 filled with my beautiful salwar suits and sarees which I haven’t got a chance to wear since I landed in USA and 2 empty).

Extra pillow, sleeping bag and blanket.

Jeans and Tshirts

All important documents box full of old books.

3 beautiful purses which I got from India and do not use.

5 Items in my car :

Shri ganeshaya namaha – a small staue of ganesha

Ipod accessories (stand, charger and cover)

Empty water bottles lying on the back seat (they keep on piling till we don’t have a third guest who we have to accommodate on back seat n clean it at that time J)

Local map and Atlas

Torch, insurance papers, pen and a cleaning cloth in glove compartment.

5 Items in my purse

Wallet (all cards, cash n license)

Small hairbrush, gloss and a compact with mirror

Pen

Old bills and grocery lists (They keep piling till one day I sit n clean my purse)

Cell Phone

I would like to tag ashwini and preeti (my latest blog buddy) for this meme

Welcome to my new template

2006-06-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

Dear friends.
Welcome to my new template. I wish to offer my sincere thanks to Preeti for helping me with my new interface. I hope you all will like it too.
Will be up with the meme in groups of 5 soon.

Problem solved

2006-06-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends
Somehow my blog wasn't visible in internet explorer.
As most of the users prefer IE (I Hate it personaly firefox is much richer) my blog wasn't visible to them. So I thought of just trying to change my template and see if it works and hurray it did !!!
So Now you can see my blog from IE too :) Thank god!!!
Pardon me if it is not arranged well , I will need to add few links because as I changed the template I lost all the customisation I had done ! Will be updated as soon as possible on priority basis.

Thanyou all for visiting my blog

Do U need the recipe or did you figure it out ??

2006-06-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

This is my favourite 50 cal desert, easy to make no fuss, no processed sugar added and fat free.
Need I say more ? You all are smart enough to figure the recipe but if u still need me to write the recipe for u I will !! For now enjoy this desert in the hot summer and dont feel guilty about it :)

Tips to be healthier #2

2006-06-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

I have written in one of my previous posts why it is necessary to lose weight and be fit.
For achieving this we have to remember that we eat to live, people who live to eat will find it difficult to be fit and active. I came up with a cute slogan “Don’t die eating ! do dieting J “ lol !!! Dieting does not mean starvation or suppressing hunger. It means eating healthier food and avoiding over eating and eating when not required. Just because your friend offers you couple of pieces of ferro rocher does not mean you gulp them down unless you feel you really want it. Just because some one gifted you a box of sweets does not mean you have to eat them. Well I don’t say don’t eat them at all but you should be aware of how much you are eating . This article will give you a few tips on how to be healthier:

Eat smaller plates”. Do not eat till you feel full. Leave some space to breath.
Drink water before each meal. I consume at least 3-4 liters (2.5 – 3.5 quarts) of water everyday (in summer – quantity decreases in winter but not considerably). Nothing is as refreshing as a cold glass of water. In fact I carry a small bottle with me in my purse and avoid drinking sodas when I have a sandwich out side. If at all I get in a mood to have soda, I have the diet one !!
Use low fat milk instead of full. I used full milk when I newly arrived in the states, but when my weighing scale started pointing to the right I started using low fat milk and now I use fat free milk. You will need some time to get adjusted to the taste but fat free doesn’t taste bad either. Remember you consume milk for its nutrients like protein and calcium and not fat.
Go for a walk after dinner. Nights are really cool n breezy after the hot days in summer. I remember me and my hubby went walking in the mall close by when it snowed 4 months in upstate NY. And what can be more romantic than a walk in a cool breezy night ?
Don’t skip meals. Eat frequently (smaller portions of course). Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day. People who skip breakfast tend to eat more throughout the day.
Include negative calorie foods in your meals frequently. (cabbage, celery, bell pepper etc).
Cut back on oils and animal fats like butter and ghee. Use olive oil instead. Olive oil is rich in monosaturated fat and anti oxidative substances. Canola oil is also a healthier option than peanut oil or vegetable oil. Use nonfat or low-fat sour cream, mayo, sauces, dressings, and other condiments.
Use apple sauce as a substitute for butter in baking cakes, cookies or brownies.
Clean your closet and donate clothes that are too big. Buy smaller size and keep it in front of you to remind you “you need to lose some pounds “.
Reward your efforts. It makes you feel good about yourself. Don’t reward by having a high calorie shake or ice cream, but buy buying yourself a good pair of sneakers or track suit.
Have faith in yourself and stick to the rules. Exercise and diet go hand in hand, so do exercise as often as you can.

Creame Of Asparagus Soup

2006-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Asparagus is a very old vegetable and dates back to the ages when fleets of roman ships were dispatched to gather this veggie for the emperors. What came to me as a surprise was it is a member of lily family which is a flower. It takes up to 3 years for crowns of asparagus to develop enough to begin producing shoots, but once they do, they can produce for up to 20 years. There are more than 100 varieties of asparagus, only 20 of them being edible. It has also proven effective in preventing birth defects and promotes a healthy heart health. It is a excellent source of Vitamin A, C and K and Folate. 1 cup asparagus had as little as 50 cal and 11% of daily fiber needs.

Ingredients :

1 pound fresh green thin asparagus

(remove the part that is not green)

5-6 celery stalks finely cut and threads removed

1 small onion finely chopped

1 small potato finely chopped

4 garlic cloves (Med-big) finely chopped

3 tb sp whole wheat flour

butter /olive oil

Salt pepper to taste

500 ml skim milk (hot)

Cut the asparagus and set aside the spears (1 inch length)

Cut the stalk into 1 inch pieces.

In a pan add the chopped asparagus, potato, celery

Add water just enough to cover them and bring to boil.

You can add more veg of your choice at this stage.

White sauce

In a pan add a tb sp oil and when it heats up add the garlic and onion.

Fry till onion welts

Then add the flour and stir till it starts turning pink.

When it starts turning pink add the milk and mix well .

Let the milk boil and turn into thick paste like kheer.

Allow the veg and white sauce to cool.

After cooling mix together and blend well in a mixie to form a smooth paste.

Again boil together the mixture and add the spears. The spears will cook in no time. Add water if necessary

Bring to boil and serve hot with croutons !

Dhansak - Parsi favourite

2006-06-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

“Dhansak” ,is a parsi cuisine , loaded with dhal and vegetables. I should have made it long back but I am happy I tried it now because it’s going to be on my menu frequently now. Parsi people arrived in India around 8th century and settled mostly on the west coat of India. They originate from Persia. There is an interesting narration as regards this -The King of that region (west coast of India) offered these refugees a cup full of milk, full to the rim to symbolically imply that their kingdom is full of people and they cannot accommodate more. In return Parsis added sugar to the milk and returned the cup indicating that they will be of immense help and would serve the kingdom loyally. The king was happy and allowed them to stay on the condition that they adopt the local culture and do not accept converts or convert anyone to their religion. They agreed and they stayed ever after ……

Coming back to the delicious dhansak – sweet and sour curry in lentil sauce it’s a very popular parsi curry served on many religious occasions. It can be made with chicken ,lamb, prawns as well as vegetables. So here goes my vegeterian version:

Ingredients
1 heaped cup lentils
(mixed lentils, I used toor, moong, masoor , chana and urad in equal proportions)
2 cups mixed veg – eggplant (small variety), zucchini, peas, bell pepper, potato, tomato, pumpkin, carrots etc
1 cup frozen spinach – cooked in till just done – don’t over cook it else it will lose its emerald green color as well as nutrition
1 small onion finely chopped
Kasoori methi -2 tb spoon
ginger garlic paste 1 tb sp (I used freshly grated –I inch ginger piece 3 medium garlic cloves)
2 tb spoon sambar masala
2 tb spoon pavbhaji masala
(you can use you favourite)
1 tb spoon cumin seeds
2 tb oil (I use EVOO) / ghee (tastes better)
Whole masala (whatever you like , I used bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cloves, peppercons and elaichi- 2 pieces each)
Amsul (4 pieces)
2-3 green chillies

Method :
Cook the lentils in pressure cooker with some salt, hing, amsul and turmeric powder.
In a pan pour some oil, add whole masalas,add cumin seeds & hing. When they splutter add onions, green chillies and ginger garlic paste.
When the onions start wilting add all the remaining veg (except spinach)and masalas and stir well to coat the veg with masala.
Cover and let cook. Do not add water. The vegetables leave some water and it is sufficient for them to cook. When the veg are cooked add kasoori methi and stir. The vegetables should not be overdone. (If you want them to be mashed and mixed with dal you can, I prefer not to overcook)
Remove the kokum pieces from the daal and pour the daal in the veg mixture. When it comes to boil add the spinach, stir and cover. Let is simmer for a min and its done.

Before serving you can pour some ghee on top and serve with chapatti or rice. Goes well with both. Extremly nutritious and tasty !

Guess Which veg r in here !

2006-06-19T18:21:00.000-07:00

Well I havent yet played the guessing game...so here is a very easy question for you all. Can you guess the vegetables shown in the picture ? The answer is obvious but there is one more....Can you guess what I am planning to do with these ? Hint : It will be made with daal ! Now that wont be difficult for you people, will it ? And people I want some suggestions to use my bellpeppers....They r still lying in the fridge......Help me :)

Ten Dishes I miss the most meme

2006-06-14T15:14:00.000-07:00

I have been tagged by Ashwini for this meme and for the first time ever I will be writing about the lovely food I had in India everyday. Me and my kid sis stayed away from our parents with our grandparents because my father was transferred every 3 yrs and all the elders in the house did not want this to affect our education. So mostly the recipes I mention are my ajjis/ grannys specialities than mom’s. But there are few pet recipes mom made every vacation we visited her. So I will be listing recipes by both here.

The first one I would like is mention is sanjachya polya (Mom special) made with love and doted with ghee served with limbu cha loncha (lemon pickle). Sanja is same as sooji ka halwa or sheera that we all know except that jagerry is used instead of sugar. It is then filled in chapatti just as we make stuffed parathas when it is piping hot, n hence a big pain to make . Enjoyed most when it comes straight from the tava to the plate, ashwini what r u doing…my mouth is already watering ..... !!!
All stuffed veggies , different masalas for different vegetables and till today I have not made any stuffed veg comparable to what my ajji makes. Her speciality includes bhindi, karela (bitter gourd), dodka(ridge gourd), capsicum and small brinjals.
All types of rices – masala khichadi, masale bhat, mutter bhat, narali bhat (sweet coconut rice with cashews and raisins), tondli bhat, phodnicha bhat and the list is endless. She should have been a professional chef instead of a teacher.
Aloo chi bhaji. No its not potato---- its Colocasia Leaves , known as aaloo in marathi. Confusing isn’t it ? I have a very fond memory related to these veggies when a north Indian friend of mine who managed to speak some marathi was invited for dinner and ajji made potato as well as Colocasia –known as aloo in marathi. Whole time we had dinner whenever she asked for potato(aloo in hindi) ajji confused it with Colocasia(aloo in marathi) and we had a hearty laugh.
All types of vadis : Colocasia vadis ,cabbage vadis, coriander vadis and patvadis (made from besan). They are steamed first and then shallow fried just before serving. Ajji usualy kept aside a generous portion of steamed version for me because I usualy avoided eating fried stuff. O I miss her soo much.
Mutter chi usal or zanzhanit peas rassa – another of ajjis speciality , spicy hot steaming green peas curry served with puri .
Tandalachi kheer or rice pudding– rice ,sugar and milk cooked together till we get thick consistency of milk and loaded with nuts and homemade shrikhand .
Thalipit , it’s a type of pancake made from a special flour. Flour is made by grinding roasted dals and wheat and spices. Topped with a dollop of loni (home made butter) and fresh sweet curds n pickle. I always get this flour from India when I come and its over in no time.
Spicy Sabudana khichadi and dahi.
Bhakri – jowar or bajra rotis served with greens like methi, chawli and lal math(made with only garlic n green chillies and no other spices). Absolutely healthy and simple.

I am done with 10 entries and I don’t know how many sub entries . My ajji has packed me lunch box right from Jr. kg to the last day of my office in India. (I left my job when I got married to be relocated miles away from her) but the fond memories of how she served us food with lots of luv will never go away from the heart. Today she is 81 and still actively engages herself in reading and trying new recipes and feeding my brother and my parents. Arent they lucky ??? Being a maharashtrian she is aware of (and even cooks) many north Indian (an endless list of parathas, chana-bhatura, rajma etc) as well as south Indian specialties like idly, dosa, uttapa, coconut chutney, Bisibeli bath ( which I absolutely love). She has magic in her hands when it comes to cooking and an experience of more than 65years . What bedazzles me the most is that she not only cooks maharashtrian food but other cusines as well. She cooks traditional as well as contemporary. She cooks almost everytype of food. Now if I start talking about her I am going to leave my other chores aside so friends I got to go !

I would like to tag Vaishali, Nandita, vineela, and archana.

Ashwini many thanks to you for giving me an oppurtunity to remember what ajji has done for us thank god for giving me such a wonderful aaji !