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 !

Shalllow fried fish

2006-06-14T13:36:00.000-07:00

Another one for low carb series, this is cod fish made in a different way than usual method. Usualy I just apply some tikka masala and broil it in oven or grill it, but this is another version , the one my mom makes. Just that she adds too much of oil and I am using the non stick spray :)

Ingredients
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tb spoon crushed red chilies / red chillie powder
(vary this acording to your needs)
2 egg whites
1 tb sp dried parsley or herb of your choice
garlic salt 1 t sp
salt
cod fish fillet (u can use ur favourite)
toasted sesame seeds
1 tea spoon olive oil
Pam nonstick sray

Method
mix all dry ingredients
Wash the fish fillet well. Dip it in this dry mixture.
Then dip it in egg whites.
Again dip in the dry mixture and put it in a heated shallow pan.
Spray the pan with the nonstick spray before you start to cook the fish.
When it is just getting done drizzle a few drop of oil around the side of fish.
Cook till done (crispy brown on both sides).
Serve with your choice of freshly grilled veg or steamed brocolli.
Very healthy, less fat, aims towards 2 servings of vegetables and above all low carb.

Any Ideas ?

2006-06-14T13:30:00.000-07:00

I went grocery shopping yesterday and found these lovely baby bell peppers in red orange n yellow. They were so tempting that I bought them without even thinking what I am going to do with 2 pounds of peppers....except grilling. So I would appreciate if you all can gimme ideas for using these.
Dont they look lovely ?????

Plaintain & Yam Curry

2006-06-13T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yam is easily available in american grocery stores and as I dont go to desi stores that often I usualy end up shopping in local grocery stores. You can find yams in the section of potatoes and onions. These red colored vegtables are naturally sweet in taste and have lovely orange color beneath the red skin.They are used similar to potaotes but have sweeter taste and are a very good source of fiber. They are a high source of sugar and hence I dont use it that often but they have a good storage life ( you can store for emergency) and I like to have it once a while as a break form cabbage ,cauliflower and spinach. I also combine Plantain with it some times . Plaintains look like raw bananas, but are bigger,longer and have thicker skins. Both these vegetables are high in carbs and sugar and not recomended for weight loss but it is necessary to have a variety of vegetables for other benefits they have such as Vitamic C and fiber. Also as these vegetables are high in carbs, so I usualy try to eat less carbs of other kind ( rice or chapati) and balance the meal.

Ingredients:

1 medium Yam cut into chunks
1 plaintain
Powders : red chillie, coriander, cumin 1 tb sp each
turmeric powder : 1 tsp
1 tb oil
Cumin seeds ,curry leaves, hing
roasted peanut powder : 2 tb spoon
Corriander and freshly grated coconut to garnish

Method
In a vessel bring water to boil. Cut the plaintains into thick rings (6 pieces for 1 plaintain)
When the water starts boiling add the plaintains and let them boil till the skin starts to seperate.
This take around 15 min - 20 min on high heat.
By that time cut the yam into chunks and microwave it till half done.
When palintains r cooked, wash it in cool water and remove skin.
Now cut each piece longitudinaly into 4 pieces. You will know at this stage if it is cooked by just giving some pressure to the pieces . If they break easily they are done, else let them boil for some more time.
You are almost done with the recipe now as both of the vegetables are almost cooked.
Now in a kadhai add a sp of oil. Add cumin seeds, curry leaves. When they splutter add all powders and both vegetables and salt.
Add 1 cup of water and let simmer.( If needed you can addsome more water but 1 cup is sufficient usualy.)
When done garnish with coriander and coconut.
Goes well with chapati but I like have it alone :)
Hope you will like this too.

Rice flour cookies

2006-06-05T14:12:00.000-07:00

After seeing the cookies on Sonalis blogs how could I wait longer to try those. I love Indian sweets but as I consider them to be pure junk (lots of ghee n sugar) , I usualy avoid buying them. So here is my version of cookies inspired from Persian Rice Cookies .
I have tried reducing ghee and sugar used in original version thus reducing overall calories.
I will definitely call them low fat because 1/2 cup ghee made more than 20 cookies. This ofcourse does not mean u can binge on them if you want ot lose weight. Having a couple of these once a while is acceptable :)

Ingredients

1.5 cups rice flour
1/4 cup melted ghee
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cup readymade rose syrup
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sugar substitute
4 oz egg whites (used readymade nulaid brand)
1 tb cardamom powder 1/4 cup coarsley crushed alomnds cashews n pistachios

Method :
Whisk together egg whites, sugar, rose syrup, ghee, cardamom powder,apple sauce
Mix in a pan the rice flour and chopeddry fruits.
Pour in the whisked mixture and knead the mixture to form a dough. Knead really well til lthe dough is smooth. Make small balls and press them gently to form the shape as shown in the picture.
Bake at 350 F for 15 min or till they start cracking on the top.

Apple sauce helps keep the cookies soft from inside so I use it often in baking anything !
The rose syrup imparts a lively pink color n flavour to the cookies. If you are not rose flavour crazy you can try using your favourite syrup, but i really liked this one !

Cabbage Salad

2006-06-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

Cabbage and bell peppers are both known as negative calorie vegetables. You must be wondering - "negative calorie -now whats that ?" . Well there are some vegetables which when eaten consume more calories to digest than calories they have. This salad has cabbage as well as bell peppers which are negative calorie. So enjoy this salad and lose weight :).
I prefer to serve it with tandoori chiken or grilled fish.
(The Picture shows grilled fish with grilled veg ,tofu and my favourite salad !)

Ingredients :
1 cup finely shreded cabbage
1/3 cup finely shredded carrots
1/3 cup finely cut red onion
1/3 cup finely cut bell pepper (any color you want - the more colors the more wonderful this salad looks)
1/3 cup finely cut red sweet tomatoes
few seedless red grapes cut into halves
(you can use green if u like those, but they should be sweet)
salt , pepper, 1/2 lemon juice

Toss together all hte ingredients just before serving. You can pre cut them and refrigerate them till serving time. Do not add salt too early before serving or else all veggies will leave water.
Great with any meal. Please limit the quantity of grapes and carrot as they contain considerable amount of sugar. A mix of green and red cabbage also looks beautiful.

Mutter mushroon curry

2006-05-31T10:22:00.000-07:00

I am very much in favour of the readymade curry masalas we get in desi stores here because they not only taste good but also save us soo much of time and energy. This curry that I made hardly took 10 min and tasted great. So here is the reciepe :

Ingredients
4 shallots cut longitudinally
1 onion paste (approx 1/2 cup)
3-4 tbs Pathaks Chiken tikka masala
(u can use any curry masala which has ginger garlic onion cilantro paprika and dhaniya jeera powder. Personally I prefer pathaks brand though.)
onion - tomato paste (recipe for this is given below)
1/4 cup ketchup (optional)
1 t sp chat masala
2 cups mushrooms cut into quarters
1 cup peas
cilantro and grated paneer to garnish.

Method:

Note:
Onion tomato paste recipe
Cut 2-3 big onions longitudinally.
Pour some oil (2 tbl sp) in a kadhai and put all the onion petals in it. While adding it to kadhai rub the cut onion bye hand so that the petals seperate.
Let the onions cook till they turn golden brown. Keep stiring in between to avoid sticking.
After they cool put it in a mixie, add a can of tomato puree and churn well it it turns into a smooth paste.
Store it in air tight container to be use any time you want. Make sure no water gets into the mixture. This can be used in most of the indian curries and saves a lot of time to cut onions everyday for gravy. It stays well for more than a week. I make it often when long weekends are nearing so that I dont spend much time in cooking.

Pour some oil in a kadhai. (I always use non stick cookware which saves me a lot of oil).
When the oil is hot add shallots and fry till they are half cooked or till they turn translucent.
Once done add tomato onion paste (this paste is already cooked see note below) to it and fry for some time.
Then add the tikka masala and keep stirring till it coats well on shallots.
Now add the mushrooms, peas, chat masala, salt and 1/3 cup water, mix well and let it simmer.
Do not add much water. If it starts sticking add little water (1/4 cup) at a time and keep stirring. You dont want to make a liquidy curry, it should be of the consistancy of paste.
Cook till done, remember that veg should not be over cooked.
Garnish with cilantro and paneer and serve hot with naan, pulao , rotis or your favourite bread !

To make a gravy just add some oil, put this paste fry for some time and then add your favourite masala powders, peanut powder etc and veg. I always keep a variety of masalas for different taste in different veg . (For ex:goda masala, garam masala, kanda-lasun (onion garlic) masala etc. ) When I get coriander/ cilantro , I always cut off the stems and store leaves in a ziplock. These cut stems are wsahed well and added to the paste above while grinding. But this will give your onion paste a darker color so its optional.

The low fat cake loaf

2006-05-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

Well it was a long weekend and I needed something to carry with me on the trip. Ofcourse haunted by the thought that "something should be healthy" I tried morning glory muffins with some modification and it did turn out great !!
I just substituted the veg oil in the recipe by 1 cup apple sauce and yes it worked well, the cake remaine moist throughout the trip and noone could make out it was absolutely fat free (low fat to be precise !)

Juz look how beautifully it came out from the container , no sticking atall !!!

Something about glycemic index

2006-05-23T10:12:00.000-07:00

Glycemic index describes the ranking of carbohydrates according to their effect on blood glucose level. Choosing low GI carbs (those that do not fluctuate blood glucose level to a large extend on consumption) will reduce health risks like diabetes, heart problems, cholesterol levels, and help in maintaining as well as losing weight.Try to switch to low GI index food to lose weight and embrace a healthy life style.

Tips on how to switch to low GI foods:

Choose breakfast cereals based on oats and brans

Use whole grain breads, stone ground flours and brown rice over others

Include fiberous fruits and vegetables

Try to choose at least 1 food item with low GI in each meal.

Try new foods with low GI. Cook more of lentils, beans and legumes.

Use vinaigrette instead of a creamy salad dressing. It's lower in fat, plus the acidity of the vinegar slows digestion, lowering the meal's GI.

Remember that choosing low GI foods is just a step towards eating healthy. This does not mean you should not consume high GI foods at all. High GI foods have other health benefits and should be consumed in moderation.

You can find the list of foods and their corresponding GI on

http://www.carbs-information.com/

Garlic spinach stir fry

2006-05-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

Can you give me the name of the famous comic strip character who loves spinach and gets instant energy by eating it!!! Well if you don’t know ask your kids (if u don’t have kids I will tell u :-) ), it’s the famous Popeye sailor. A serving of spinach (1.5 cups shredded) has only 40 cal with a whopping 5 grams of dietary fiber and 0% fat. It is a significant source of vitamin A, Vitamin C and Iron. No wonder why Popeye chooses these wonderful jade greens over others. This recipe is dedicated to the great sailor who encourages his fans to eat more spinach.

Ingredients

3 green chilies finely chopped

3 medium garlic petals chopped length wise

2 crushed dried red chillies (just crush it with hand, it should be broken into 2-3 pieces)

moon dal 2 tb spoon

1 lb fresh baby spinach leaves

turmeric powder

1 medium onion chopped (not very finely)

salt ,oil, mustard seeds ,hing, curry leaves

Method :

Soak the mung dal in hot water for 20-25 min.

(I microwave it for 2 min n let it soak for 20 min)

Take a kadhai, add some oil, just 1 spoon is enough.

Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves.

When the seeds splutter add garlic and green chilies.

When garlic starts turning pink add onions and fry till they turn translucent.

Then add salt, turmeric, red chilies, mung dal and give it a stir.

Start adding the spinach leaves. Add a small amount at a time and keep stirring so that the leaves are wilted (just done). Go on adding more till you add 1 lbs. Keep string in such a way that the fresh ones that you add go to the bottom of the pan and the wilted ones come to the top. Keep the gas on medium heat. Do not cover while cooking. This vegetable will leave some water while cooking. It will taste bad if over cooked. Remember reheating will overcook, so its best when freshly made.

Cook till all the leaves are just done. Don’t over cook else spinach will lose its lovely color.

Excellent for weight loss, tastes great with roti or side with daal rice.

Masala Papad

2006-05-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

I just thought of informing you all with a trivia how to roast /fry a papad without hassle.

To roast a papad or even kurdai you can just microwave it for a min.

If you want to eat it fried , just brush the papad with oil on both sides (hardly a few drops) and microwave it to enjoy the fried papad :) without any oil (do few drops count ?)

You can top the fried papad with finely chopped tomatoes , onions , cucumber , redchillie powder, chat masala to get masal papad.

Now thats easy, can increase 1 menu item when guests r invited and no hassles atalll !

Chakolya or waran fala

2006-05-22T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is another one from aajis recipes which i absolutely love because it tastes wonderful, saves a lot of other work like washing more utensils, there is no major cutting and cleaning involved and is quick to make. While in India this was made often in our house and we all use to enjoy it hot especially during the rainly season (with no electricity we use to call it candle light chakolya hahahahhaha...romantic isnt it :) ) .

Ingredients
Tor dal 1 cup
Turmeric powder
Chillie powder
Goda masala (or garam masala)
Amsul (dried kokam)
mustard seeds
coriander
chapati dough
salt and a small ball of jagerry
Curry leaves
your favourite spices (i use cinnamon n cloves)
Dried red chilles
Chopped garlic 1 table spoon

Method :

In a cooker mix dal , turmeric powder, hing, salt and kokum / amsul. Pressure cook the dal with favourite spices .

By that time roll chapatis and cut them into bite sized pieces with the help of a knife as shown in the picture.

Take care the pieces dont stick to each other. 2 chapatis are sufficeint for 1 cup dal .

Now pour some oil in kadhai, when it is heated add seeds, garlic , curry leaves and red chillies.When garlic starts turning brownish add your dal. Mix in red chillie powder , jagerry and goda masala.

Make sure the dal is thin enough but not very watery. When the dal starts boiling start adding the chapati pieces one by one . Let it boil, keep stiring so that it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Let cook. Remove a piece and check if its done. The dal will start getting thicker as the chapati cooks in it. When done, serve hote with ghee. (I dont eat ghee obviously :))

Garnish with coriander.

This is a very healthy recipe because it is not loaded with ghee/oil and is a rich source of protien as well as healthy whole wheat carbs ! Serve alone or with papad .

Zucchini squash raita

2006-05-19T17:59:00.000-07:00

Zucchini is one vegetable which is low in calorie and easily available in all American grocery stores and the raita tastes similar to the sponge gourd raita my ajji made. I loved the raita while in

India

but unfortunately could not find it here. People in

India

can substitute sponge gourd for this recipe. Zucchi has only 35 calories per cup, a great source of fiber 1.5 gm/cup, potassium and folic acid. (Some resources say it has 20 cal/ cup but no matter what it definitely is a low cal vegetable). It can also be used in gravies like aloo gobhi or even grilled like I did with turkey burgers. It has a mild flavor n its enjoyable. Here is the recipe ,its very simple n makes a great raita !!!!

Method :

2 Zucchini squash – slender and medium size.
(don’t choose long and fat ones, slender smaller ones r more flavourful)

3 green chilies (finely chopped) - vary number according ot preference( no chilie powder please)
Curry leaves
Jeera ,hing, oil ,salt, tea sp sugar,
Roasted peanut powder
(I make this powder n store in fridge, lasts for more thna 1-1.5 months, can be used in many veg, raitas)
1 cup dahi /yogurt

Method :

Cut the zhucchini into small pieces .

Heat a kadhai, put a sp of oil, add jeera, chilies, curyleaves, hing.

When seeds cracle add zucchini pieces and let cook on med. Do not cover while cooking otherwise it will leave water and make it soggy. It cooks fast in about 7-8 min. Do not over cook.

When cooked add salt, sugar, peanut powder and let cool.

Mix the yogurt just before serving, add coriander or grated fresh coconut if you want for variation.

PZ : Do not peel it to get max benefits !!

I am sorry I confused between sponge guard n ridge gourd.......This recipe can be made with sponge gourd n not ridge gourd !!!

Pictures coming soon……

The perfect low carb dinner

2006-05-17T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ok friends,
Now here comes my first time trial recipe which turned out yummy.....BBQ turkey burgers with grilled veggies. I never thought turkey could taste soo close to chiken with desi masalas. This is a perfect low carb dinner (I skip carbs if meal is very rich in protien, n lean meats are rich in protien) and fun to make. I call it "turkey with a desi touch". We just bought a new grill and I had to use it yesterday :).....So here is the recipe

For the burgers
1 pound chiken/turkey (ground)
Pathaks chiken tikka masala (3 table spoon)
(you can use any tikka malasa because it saves a lot of time n energy of mixing all ingredients individualy)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 bunch parsley / coriander/ cilantro
1 cup ground bread crumps
salt to taste

For grilled veg
Veg of your choice rubbed with olive oil salt n pepper
I used Red bell pepper, asparagus and green squash or zucchini (I love all of them)
Other recommendations are yellow squash, tofu, paneer, tomatoes, other colored bel peppers etc. You can also have corn on the cob if u r BBQing !!!

Method :
For the burger patties combine all ingredients
and make small patties. Places them on a greased aluminium foil.
Get the grill ready, when the coal is on fire n red hot throughly place the sheet on the grill.
Roast till dark brown on both sides.
Place veggies on the side of the patties and roast till it shows brown marks n both sides.
Serve the patties with veg and your favourite sauce (I avoid sauce).
Enjoy !!!!

Ground turkey is 99% fat free and we are not adding any oil in burgers so they are close to fat free, yummy (more than wht i had imagined) and veggies have just a rub of oil which does drip off while cooking...so friends its a very good, healthy n delicious meal. Try making your meals a fun like this one.....eat healthy, stay healthy :)

If you dont have a grill you can make this in the oven on broil mode.
If BBQing Use good tools to prevent injury. The grill is not costly, n tools r cheap too....So if u r a non veg lover U can definitley invest in one.

Grapefruit and Weight loss

2006-05-16T15:12:00.000-07:00

Grapefruit is a large citrus fruit related to the orange lemon family. While in India I never heard about the “grapefruit”. As a citrus fruit lover trying one was indispensable when I saw one in the super market and I hated it the first time I ate it. It was not like orange or sweet lime but had a slightly bitterish taste. After reading about the fruit and the benefits it had for human health I gradually started having it once a while and started liking it. Now it is a regular fruit I buy along with others.

There are many varieties in grapefruit but the most common I have seen in grocery shops here is the ruby red (Name from the ruby red colored flesh of the fruit). Red grapefruits are a bit sweeter than white /yellow ones and hence it’s a smart choice if u don’t have taste for bitter fruits. Being red in color indicates its richness in vitamin C and good for immune system (same characteristics as strawberries.). Research has also shown that grapefruit lowers cholesterol and heart diseases and aids in weight loss by lowering insulin levels. They are low in calories (only 75 calories in 1 cup of fruit) and high in fat burning enzymes. It also protects against kidney stone formation and colon cancer as well.

So include Grapefruit in your diet and be happy for the benefits you are reaping !!

(Eating grapefruit alters the levels of several drugs in the blood if you are on certain medication. Consult your doc before consuming it if you are on medication)

Boost your metabollic rate

2006-05-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

Metabolic rate is the rate at which our body burns calories. When we consume energy it is necessary to spend it, otherwise it will be stored as fat. Higher the metabolic rate, more calories we burn in each activity we do and less energy is converted into fat. Therefore it is important for us to maintain or increase our metabolic rate appropriately. There are many factors which influence our metabolic rate and hence directly related to weightloss.

Muscle to fat ratio: The more muscular body the more calories we burn.
Exercise: We boost our metabolic rate by exercising and our body continues to burn calories even after the exercise. Hence exercise and being physically active is necessary to lose weight.
Frequency of eating: Metabolic rate increases during digestion process. Thus, the longer we starve , lower the metabolic rate. Have frequent smaller meals.

After understanding the basic factors influencing the metabolic rate you must have got an rough idea about how we can shoot up our metabolic rate and hence boost the energy expenditure. All the 3 factors stated above are directly related to each other. This is how :

To increase the muscle : fat ratio it is important to gain muscle and lose fat. To gain muscle eat protein rich foods like low fat dairy products and lean meat. I personally prefer to take a protein supplement because I m more of a veggie but I do eat low fat meat once a while. Muscle is metabolically active than other body tissue and hence more muscle contributes to burning more calories.
Intensive exercise (within your capacity) helps burn fat -especially resistance training. It not only shoots up the metabolic rate during exercise but also few hours after exercise thus burning more calories even while you are at rest. So exercise often and do weight training.
I recently switched from 3 meals a day to 5 meals a day plan after some research and I have personally experienced higher level of energy since then. Small regular meals contribute to increase in the metabolic rate according to my readings. They give you a fuller feeling leaving you less hungry thus avoiding overindulgence in the goodies.

In conclusion balance your diet by eating adequate protein, exercise often, do resistance training, have smaller frequent meals to boost your metabolic rate to lose weight. I hope these tips will get u off to a good start !

Fruity brunch

2006-05-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

A fresh bowl of fruits is always refreshing for all the seasons and of course a healthy option for brunching. Today I had a bowl of fresh strawberries and apple for my mini lunch with low fat cottage cheese.

Strawberry
The bright red colored and fresh looking strawberry is a versatile fruit and can be used in variety of recipes like smoothies, salads, baked goods and jams. Rich in vitamin C they not only add color to your meal but also make it a pleasurable meal with its unique sour and sweet taste. A cup of this fruit has only 50 calories and is a great fruit snack on.

Apple
A medium apple has only 80 calories and it provides us with a multitude of benefits. It is rich in fiber which is necessary to lower blood cholesterol and improves bowel function. Apples also aid in weight loss because they make you feel fuller. Opt to snack on one daily instead of going to the cafeteria to fetch a muffin or banana loaf with a latte. You gonna save tons of calories over a year with this delicious fruit.

And lastly low fat cottage cheese- A cup of low fat cottage cheese has 100 calories with 25 cal coming form fat. It has 14 grams of protein , rich in calcium and tastes great with fruits.

So an apple, berries and cottage cheese total contribute around 225 healthy calories which is accpetable for 5 meals a day plan. Just slice an apple and a few berries , mix them in a bowl and top with the cottage cheese. Serve chilled !

Burn few extra calories everyday

2006-05-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Noone likes to keep a track of how many calories we eat or spend everyday, but trust me unless you do so you wont know how much you need to cut down on food and add to the exercise to lose weight. According to my research burning 3500 calories will reuslt in 1 pound weight loss. This means cutting down on food by 500 calories everyday (thats nearly 33% of daily intake) or cutting down by a some and burning some by exercise. Here are a few tips on how to burn around 100 more calories everyday in addition to your regular routine.

Walk it off people !!! Do not use your vehicle to travel short distances. Save gas ,save pollution and burn calories. A 30 min walk will save you 100 calories ! You can break it into three 10 min short walks.

Take stairs wherever possible instead of the lift or elevator. Go shopping on weekends instead of lazing around on the couch. Try to keep yourself physically active.

If you have a cycle, use it 10 min a day to burn 10o cal.

Do squats or spot marching for 5 min before you eat anything. If you eat 5 small meals a day , this is going to add 25 min of workout and that means burning more than 100 calories !

Park your vehicle a few blocks away from your destination or on the next street. Walk that extra distance to your office or the mall.

Get up 30 min early and start your day with streching and free hand exercises with weights or some cardio. Invest in a pair of light weight dumbells and keep them handy. Try working with them as often as you can !

If you own a pet, play with it or take your dog for a walk everyday. Play with your children in the park instead of just sitting and watching them.

Gardening is also an engageing activity to help keep you active.

Wash your own vehicle instead of getting it washed from someone else.

If your "kaamwali bai" does not turn up dont go door to door searching for her, instead do the chores yourself.

Fit any form of physical activity in your life as easily as possible so that you keep up with it. Listen to music while working out to cheer you up and include others with your activities so that you dont get bored ! And yes you are not going to lose weight just by this....you have add 45 min of real sweaty workout to get that tires of fat flat.

Love that Pasta

2006-05-09T13:36:00.000-07:00

Who doesnt like Pasta ??? But my version of pasta is going to be healthier, full of veggies and healthy carbs, than the traditional pasta which is loaded with cheeze and made out of white bleached flour !

Ingredients:
Vegetables cut into thin stripes.
(Zucchini, yellow squash, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, carrots,red onion etc)
Tofu (optional)
Garlic salt, salt and pepper
Olive oil
Your favourite whole wheat/ multigrain pasta
(I used the "healthy harvest" wide noodle style (yolk free), but rottini or spaghetti also go well with this)
Low fat or fat free pamezan cheese
dry basil /oregano or parsley

Cook the pasta according to directions.
Rub the veg and tofu with salt ,oil,pepper and parsley(or your favourite dried herb) and broil them in oven till they turn brownish.
Mix the pasta and veg , sprinkle some olive oil and pamezan cheese and its ready.
Drizzle some garlic salt if you are a garlic fan.
(Inspired from foodnetwork.com)

Peppers are available in a broadspectrum of colors, and Red bell peppers contain eleven times more beta carotene than green bell peppers according to one of the articles I read recently. They are also rich in vitamin C and that means they are a bliss for your skin and immune system. Make the pasta really exiting by adding many colorful vegetables and you will near your goal of 3-5 serving of veg/day.

WaterMelon Lassi

2006-05-08T13:53:00.000-07:00

I love the cool juicy red sweet fruit, a boon in summer - the watermelons . A cup of this fruit has only 45 cal and it is a very good source of vitamin A and C. It instantly replaces the fluids lost during exercise and is a great thirst quencher. I made watermelon lassi today with the sprout salad and that was my mini lunch after the work out. (I am on 5 mini meals a day diet). Here is the recipe -

Blend together :
1 cup sweet seedless watermelon
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup ice(crushed)
water just enough to blend it together (about a cup).
pinch of salt and cumin powder.

Blend and serve, the pink colored lassi is really refreshing. If you want it sweetish you can add a table spoon of sugar instead of salt and cumin powder but i wont recommend that- refined sugar should be avoided as far as possible.

Sprout Salad

2006-05-08T13:11:00.000-07:00

After a hardworkout today I was totally exhausted and needed a high protein kick to get going ! (Protein makes me feel fresh specially from shakes and usals (beans)).
So I decided to make sprout salad which is a good source of protien. Moath/ Muth beans when sprouted give a nutty flavour and make a nutritious salad. I usually have sprouts in the fridge (either moath or mung ) so that I can make salad or usal whenever i want. I just love them. Whenever I make usal I try to skip or go light on the carbs like chapati , bread and rice and just have the usal topped with my favourite raw red onions and tomatoes.
Here is the very simple recipe for a nutritious nutty salad.
(To get the sprouts soak a cup of beans in warm water overnight, and then next morning drain and place them in a sprout maker. They will sprout in 8-10 hrs.)

Ingredients
Sprouted mung or moath beans -1 cup
1/3 cup finely chopped red tomatoes
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
1/3 cup english cucumber (seedless)
salt , pepper to taste
1 tb spoon lemon juice
a pinch of chat masala(optional)
handful of finley chopped coriander.

Wash the finely chopped onion and squeeze water out of it before tossing it into the salad.
Just toss all the ingredients together and serve chilled ! Aint that easy ?
The cool cucumber, sour n sweet tomato, nutty sprouts and crispy onion really make a good combination, definitely worth a try !
u gonna love it.....

For the Bellpeper lover

2006-05-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

An easy stir fry recipe you will love. Goes well as side with rice or roti. The red and green bell peppers impart thier own flavours along with tempting color combination !

Ingredients
1 big onion
1 big green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 med ripe tomato
garam masala
cumin powder
salt ,oil
(precooked 1 cup soya granules [strictly not chunks] if you want a boost of protien)

Cut onions,tomatoes and bell peppers in medium (approx 1 cm )square shaped pieces. Seperate the onion petals buy roughly rubbing them.
In a kadhai pour oil and when its hot add onions and stir fry till they strat turning translucent but not done. Cook on high flame so tht they remain crispy.
Then add bellpeppers and fry for a couple of min add all powders, salt, tomatoes, and soya granules.
keep doing till tomatoes r cooked but not soggy and your side is ready to be served !
serves 2-3 people and all fat it has is 1 tablespoon oil you use.

Smart eating out

2006-05-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Eating healthy outside is really important because if you don’t you are going to ruin your weeks workout especially if you are trying to lose that fat. So my dear friends here I am again to give you some tips on how to eat healthy out.

Have a small fruit at home before you go out to eat, this will make you feel less hungry and save some calories.

Always choose whole grain bread for sandwiches if the restaurant offers that. For Indian restaurants I choose to order tandoori roti without butter instead of white flour buttered naan.

Order salad and have it before you start your main course. Order a fat free or low fat dressing on the side with your salad instead of creamy fatty ones. Sometimes just a squeeze of lemon and drizzling of salt and pepper is enough. (If you can live without the dressing).

Having a broth based soup before main course will also aid in eating less of the main course. Creamy soups are usually high in calorie, so avoid them unless you are sure about the food value.

Plan ahead what you are going to eat, if possible visit the restaurants website to see the menu, and decide ahead. Some menus are ridiculously high calorie (upto 1700 or may b even more), try to avoid them.

Order grilled or broiled meat instead of deep fried. Request to broil it without butter or with light options if available.

I know for most Indians its difficult to avoid the bhelpuri ,paani puri stalls, but hello !!!! The puris are deep fried, you are not going to lose weight if you eat this type of junk! Opt to go for a juice stall and have fresh fruit juice instead of bhel loaded with farsan. Make bhel at home where you can control the ingredients if you must have it!

If the serving size is large don’t try to finish it off. Stop eating when you are full and pack the rest to go.

Stay away from French fries. Ask yourself “Is it worth to let go the whole weeks workout ? “ Get a side of baked potato or steamed veggies instead without any sour cream or butter.

If you are in a mood for pasta, tomato based sauces are healthier as compared to creamy sauces, so go for it.

Try to have unsweetened tea or just plain water instead of beverages. This is going to save you lot of calories!

Share your desert or carry some home. Check if the restaurant offers frozen yogurt instead of icecream or you can go out to an ice-cream parlor and get a fat free or sugar free frozen yogurt instead of ice cream instead of eating a calorie loaded cheese cake at the same restaurant.

If you eat out and you know you have consumed extra calories, eat light the next day and increase your workout by 10-15 min everyday for a week to burn those off! A stitch in time saves nine, so work it out before they pile on your tummy.

Scrumptious oatmeal

2006-05-01T16:21:00.000-07:00

There are so many spices available at home which can add to the flavour of oatmeal without adding those extra calories we find in the favoured oatmeals in the market.The saffron imparts a lovely orangish hue to the oatmeal which welcomes you by its aromatic fragrance as well as satisfies your taste buds. I have yet to try this with other fruits but banana goes with it very well. The next time I want to try it with dates and fresh coconut.Here is my edition of gourmet oatmeal:

Ingredients

cardamom powder- just a t spoon (Elaichi powder)
1 ripe banana -mashed
saffron few strands(8-10)
1 cup instant oatmeal
1.5 cup milk (I use skim milk, quantity depends upon consistancy desired)
Jagerry (2 table spoon)
(optional for people who want to take short on sweet and few extra calories and ready to compromise on the sweetness, you can try adding splenda but jagerry imparts a wonderful flavour).
unsalted shredded nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts etc)

Mix together all the above ingredients and cook in microwave or on stove till done.
serve hot, decorate with shreded unsalted nuts or cut fresh fruit if desired.

Spagetti squash Pasta for the carb concious

2006-05-01T13:40:00.000-07:00

If you are on a low carb diet, trying to loose weight or trying to eat healthier....This is the recipe for you!

Here is my first recipe- the spagetti sqash pasta, its quick and nutritious and I hope you like it!
When cooked, the flesh of spaghetti squash can be pulled apart to form slender strands that resemble spaghetti. It has a mild taste and crisp texture and hence it can be a perfect substitute for the white pasta .

Ingredients

Olive oil Garlic 2 petals finely chopped
spring onion : 3-4 bulbs cut into 2 inch pieces
capsicum/ bell pepper(1/2): cut longitudinally
Onion cut into thin slices
(your favourite veg whatever you think would taste great with this- I like mushrooms, zucchini etc)
1 Med spagetti sqash
tomato based pasta sause
roasted peanuts
salt n pepper
Red chillies
Tofu

Method:

Give deep cuts to the squash and cook in microwave for 4 min.

Remove, cut the squash into 2 pieces vertically and cook it in microwave till well done but not soogy...usualy takes 4-5 minutes more.Deseed them.

After cooling scoop the flesh of the squash, it has a spagetthi texture.Take care not to handle it roughly otherwise the strands may break.

In a wok add olive oil, and when the oil is really hot add garlic ,all veg, red chillies, tofu etc and stir fry on high till done but veg are still crispy.

Add the squash some salt n pepper add peanuts if desired and serve with the pasta sause....

PS: The veg should be cut as thin as possible and vertically. You may add your favourite herbs for variation !. 1 medium squash serves 2 !

2006-04-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

“Dieting” does it sound scary ???? Most of us die eating without realizing what we are eating and what effect is it going to have on our body in long terms. So let us take a step towards being healthy- “Realization”. Realizing that eating healthy should be one’s lifestyle and not a compulsion or a temporary phase to lose weight, will aid in stepping forward towards our goal of fitness. Excess weight leads us towards diseases like obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart diseases and the list is endless. This will result in frustration and lack of confidence. Remember you feel good when you know you look good and you look good when you are healthy. Set goals to make healthy food choices wherever you eat and exercise often.

Here are a few tips on how to eat healthy :

Have a variety of food (grains ,legumes, daals, fruits and veg)instead of eating same meals everyday. Have chapatti one day, bhakri the next and thalipeeth the third day.

Make it a rule to eat fruits everyday. An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

Avoid over eating. Have limited portion size.

Include skim dairy products (yogurt, buttermilk, skim milk, fat free cottage cheese) in your diet.

Don’t skip your breakfast. Have a nutritious breakfast like oatmeal or whole grain cereal.

Limit amount of tea/ coffee to 2 cups max /day. This will also limit sugar intake.

Try to avoid deep fried food or sweets. Don’t look for excuses to eat sweet.

Dump the junk (cookies, chips, sev, farsan etc) and make a list before you go grocery shopping. If you don’t buy junk you wont be tempted to eat it !

DON’T reward your children by giving them junk food like cookies. Include your whole family into this and encourage each other to eat better.

Include raw food in one of your meals (cucumber, carrot, beet, cabbage, raddish etc).

I hope these tips will help you to get started. Start gradually, don’t push yourself too hard and most important thing “don’t do it as compulsion, do it for yourself”. Good Luck !

2006-04-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

My blog will be solely devoted to health related articles particularly for weight loss . I am a firm beliver of the statement "A healthy body has a healthy mind" and I will be adding my entires on how to try to achieve this in simple steps. I will be also posting healthy recipes you can all enjoy.
My belief that "health is wealth" has prompted me to start writing about it and hopefully encourage others to give it a thought.

The recipes might not suit people with any allergies or people having diabeties or any other health disorders. Also some recipes might not aid in weight loss but most of them will be healthy options.