Microwave carrot halwa/pudding-low fat recipe

 Traditional carrot halwa or Indian style carrot pudding is a time consuming recipe and  often is loaded with fats,here is a shortcut microwave version that can be put together in minutes and is way less in calorific value.
  This is my 'run to' recipe when craving for sweets.The sweetener used here is agave, which is known to be very low in glycemic Index and is plant based ,so no artificial chemicals. perfect for your sweet tooth and your diet too. 1 tsp butter can be substituted with low fat butter ,but then-it's only human to crave for the melt -in- mouth buttery taste,so I'd rather not .Here comes the recipe:

Ingredients:
carrots-3                                                                      
milk-1/2 cup
butter-1 tsp
agave-1/6 cup or sweetener of your choice.
cardamom- couple pinches
almonds -few

Recipe:

• Wash,wipe and grate carrots
• add the milk in ,and microwave for 6 minutes
• add in the butter mix well and microwave for 6 to 7 more minutes,
• by now the carrots must be mushy,if not then cook for an additional minute or so until it resembles the consistency of pudding or halwa
• remove from microwave add in the cardamom powder and the agave or sweetener of your choice 
•  microwave a final time for 3 minutes.do not overcook the halwa once the sweetner is added.
• Toast some almonds in the microwave for 40 seconds stirring every 20 sec, add to garnish .

Here is a quick video tutorial:

stuffed pita pockets recipe

Easy breakfast or brunch this recipe can be made in a jiffy for curbing hunger pangs that attack unknown.

Makes 2 servings (3 each )
Ready made pita pockets : 6
eggs : 2 (can substitute potatoes for veggi or vegan version)
onion: 1 small
carrots:2
capsicum/green bell pepper: 1
red chili powder:1/4 tsp
pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
salt : 1 tsp
cilantro for garnish

• start by heating 1 tsp oil in a pan add the onions,saute till translucent
• add carrots and green bell pepper ,season with a little salt ,cook for few more minutes.
• add in the red chili powder and the pepper powder ,break in the eggs and scramble .
• cook until the eggs are done
• garnish with cilantro 
• warm up the pita either on a griddle or toaster and carefully open up to form a pocket 
• stuff each pocket with about 2 to 3 tbsp of the mixture. 
• enjoy with your favorite sauce .   

Thank you for visiting !

Instant oats Idli recipe

Healthy and quick (instant) oats idli are always an instant hit at my house - they are steamed,they have oats and cracked wheat,no rice or starchy ingredients and they have veggies too...what else can one ask for?The texture and flavor of this idli rarely resembles the Ooey gooey nature of Oats ,which makes it more like rawa or semolina idli .....the hard part is to stop munching them.Lets have a look on the preparation.

  Ingredients

• Oats : 1 cup
• cracked wheat :1/2 cup
• yogurt : 1/2 cup
• carrot: 1medium size grated
• green chilies:3 or as per taste
• curry leaves and mustard seeds for tempering
• oil for tempering
• water : 1/2 cup or as required
• baking powder or baking soda
• salt as per taste

Recipe

• Start by dry roasting 1 cup of oats for few minutes,let cool and grind to a powder
• next dry roast 1/2 cup of cracked wheat also known as daliya for about 2-3 minutes until it gives out a nice aroma,keep this aside.
• In a separate pan add some oil .temper with mustard seeds,add  grated carrot,green chilies,a few curry leaves and saute for few minutes.let this cool .
• now take a large mixing bowl and bring togather the powdered oats,the roasted cracked wheat and the tempered veggies.
• add to this half a cup of yogurt, required amount of salt and 1/2 a cup of water ,mix everything well ensuring there are no lumps.
• finally add 1/3 tsp of baking powder or baking soda ,mix well.
• grease idli moulds ,pour the batter and steam cook for 10 to 15 minutes.

The oats and cracked wheat mixture in this recipe can be roasted ahead of time in 2:1 ratio and stored for an instant version of idli.serve it warm with your favorite condiment .

Here is a quick video tutorial:

Thank you for visiting!

Veggie lover's pizza recipe

Calling all the veggie lovers, time for some wholesome and healthy homemade pizza .There was a time when hubby and i would order in pizza every Friday night ,but thanks to this recipe we really don't feel like going back to the store bought version any more! .

Ingredients:

• Medium size pizza dough  (for a home made low fat recipe follow the link:pizza dough)
• veggies -1 cup (mushroom,green bell pepper,onions and olives)
• pizza sauce -3/4 cup
• part skim mozzarella cheese-1/2 cup(reduce or increase as per taste)
• olive oil -2 tsps 

Method

• Prepare the base for pizza by spreading out the dough on a greased baking tray using both hands
• Once the dough is evenly spread brush with olive oil to ensure a crispy crust .
• Now spread the pizza sauce evenly with the help of a spoon or spatula 
• Add the veggies and top with cheese  
• Bake on maximum heat for first 5 mins .
• reduce the temperature to 375 F and bake for 20 mins or until the crust is golden brown .
• Done

There it is -the best comfort food for all time .

Thanks for visiting my blog .

Walnut and Banana loaf cake

hello friends!
 Craving for a dessert?try out this simple, no butter (yes none at all) loaf cake recipe that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth and at the same time goes easy on your diet .
  Banana and walnut are one of the perfect combinations that can be categories as comfort food .Follow the recipe below for a great tasting healthy treat.



      Ingredient list:
      will make one loaf

• wheat flour: 2 cups( I used whole weat flour)
• eggs : 1
• walnuts:1/4 cup
• banana :2 no.
• Milk    :1/4 cups
• vanilla essence :1tsp
• baking powder:1tsp
• baking soda:1/2 tsp
• agave or sugar :1/4 cup
• oil :1 tsp or cooking spray for greasing the tray

     Recipe:

• Step1- preheat the oven at 375f
• Step2-grease the loaf pan with cooking spray  
• step 3-Blend the wet ingrdients to a paste,if using sugar then blend it too.

• Step 4-measure out flour in a bowl ,add baking power and baking soda .
• Step 5 - pour the wet mix in the bowl and fold in well ,don't over work the batter .If the batter feels stiff use some more milk
• Step 6- add the 1/4 cup of walnut
• Step 7- bake for 30min or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The batter should be light and fluffy which ensure a soft and supple cake .Trick here is correct measurements ,if too much moister is added then the cake will be sloppy-and if too dry then the cake will be stiff -believe me when I say that ,coz I've had it all !
I don't like to add butter or oil in this recipe because the smooth paste of banana and egg imparts the much desired spongy texture to the cake, making it just melt in the mouth.
Walnuts are a good source of omega 3 and contain the good fats although one can always substitute it with nuts of their choice,feel free to experiment .Once I baked this loaf cake with choco chip and it turned out yummy.
The batter can also be poured into muffin pan which is a easy snack to go.This loaf cake is one of our favorite things to pack on an outing ,they stay fresh up-to 2 days if refrigerated.
I hope that you found this recipe helpful and interesting enough to give a try .
Thank you for visiting my blog.

Pizza dough recipe

Hi 

Everyone!

"Healthy pizza"sounds oxymoron right?but here is an attempt to make pizza from scratch  using very little fat .Lets start with the dough for crust .Following are the ingredients required for making two medium size pizza crusts 

• whole wheat flour :1 1/2 cup
• all purpose flour: 1 1/2 cup+extra for dusting
• water:1 1/2 cup( flour to water ratio - 2 : 1 )
• yeast:1pac or 1 tsp
• salt :2 tsp 
• sugar :1 tsp
• olive oil :1tsp

Making a dough can be tricky because their is no ideal water to flour ratio.Believe me,many a times in past I have pulled out pizza crust that look like rooftops,but remember patience and persistence is the key here.Follow the collage for step by step instructions.

• start by dissolving 1tsp yeast in 3tbs lukewarm water with 1 tsp sugar  .
• keep aside till foamy in a warm place 
• take a bowl and measure the flour, add salt .Now mix the yeast and remaining water
• cover this very sticky dough with a towel and let rest for an hour in a very warm place 
• An hour later the dough should double in size (proof)resembling picture (5)  if it fails to do so leave for another 30 min in a much warmer place.
• deflate the dough and start dusting to obtain a thicker consistency 
• transfer the dough to working area and start kneading with hands using dry flour 
• knead for few minutes folding the dough in until a nice shiny texture is obtained as in pic(8)coat with oil.
• cover the dough with a towel if you are going to use it  right away,if not then zip lock and refrigerate.  

Here is a quick video tutorial :

     This recipe is just a basic idea of a crust one can always experiment.I have tried it in 100%whole wheat which turned out well .Often i make the dough in advance for the weekend coz it freezes just perfect also saves a lot of prep time.I hope that this recipe was helpful and informative .
Thank you for visiting my blog!

  Follow the link for"chicken pizza recipe" and "veggie pizza recipe"

Smoothie

Hello friends

The climate has been super sunny  for the past few days which means super cool smoothies are back in season.Healthy and refreshing , smoothie is the best way to keep our bodies hydrated but some store bought ones can seriously shoot up the sugar level and have lots of artificial flavoring .This recipe is an attempt to make a lighter version of the entire nations favorite summer drink-Fruit Smoothie 

Makes two Tall glass 

Ingredients:

blueberries :            1/4 cup

Strawberry :            1/2 cup

banana :                  1 

milk :                       1 cup

vanilla essence :       1/2 tsp

agave/honey /sugar :as per taste 

One can easily add or omit  fruits as per preference but remember some fruits ,citrus in particular don't go well with milk .The sweeting part also is totally up to one's taste.In this recipe i have used agave nectar because it is very low in GI ,you can substitute with honey or any other sweetener or none at all.

Recipe:

1)slice the bananas and strawberries and place in the blender

2)add blueberries ,chilled milk and vanilla

3) pulse on and off till well blended

4)add the required amount of sweetener

5)pour in a tall glass 

for the topping on glass

6)slit a strawberry on the end and fix it on the rim of glass 

7)serve chilled 

The milk used here is fat free ,as I earlier mentioned this is a lighter version but you don't have to be paranoid like me use whole milk if you wish that will make the smoothie even more tasty ,also I cheated with the blueberries and banana both were frozen but they tasted none the less .I hope that you enjoy and try this recipe out, to beat the heat off -all summer long!

thank you for visiting my blog 

spinach flat bread

   Hi friends!

I'm back with a new recipe,Spinach flat bread which is commonly know as palak parantha is a famous north Indian main course dish , often served with fresh cream or butter .Here is an attempt to make the meal a little healthier by avoiding that extra fat, feel free to alter as per your taste .Following is the recipe :

INGREDIENTS
(Makes approximately ten to 12 parantha )

•  whole wheat flour - 3 cups
•  spinach cooked - 1 cup
•  water - 1/4 cup
•  turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp (adjust according to taste)
•  red chili powder - 1/2 tsp (,,)
• carom seeds -       1 tsp cumin seeds can be substituted

METHOD : 

step 1: wash and drain the spinach ,If u are using frozen spinach then skip the first two step.

step 2: boil the spinach with 1/4 cup of water for not more than a minutes because its going to cook later on       the griddle 

step3:wait for the above to cool down in the meantime measure out the flour in a bowl and add the carom or cumin seed 

step 4:once cool blend the spinach with salt and the spices to make a coarse paste.

step 5:make a well in the center of the bowl and pour the mixture into the flour 

step 6: knead the dough until a firm texture is obtain ,use more water if required adding very little at a time 

step 7:divide the dough into portions the size you want your bread to turn out .  

step8: with the help of both your palm make balls out of the dough and roll them out (tip:dip the parantha balls in dry flour occasionally while rolling out to prevent sticking to the rolling board)

step9: heat a griddle and flip them with very little oil until golden    brown 

step10: best served hot with chutney or ketchup

Enjoy

The dough can be refrigerated upto 3 to 4 days ,also the parantha itself can be frozen.

thank you for visiting my blog !

IT'S FREEZING

Hello friends,



 Growing up I always liked to snack on plantains ,especially a particular variety that thrives in southern part of India called karpurai vazhai -just yumm!.The once we get here in U.S may not be as delicious but are great in smoothies and cakes.

 I remember, back in India we never ran out of plantains and always ended up having more than we actually could eat,which still is the case ,and I believe most of us plantain lovers experience the same every now and then .Tell me, seriously, who wants that last piece of really ripe and sweet smelling fruit?, "you try to feed it to your sister ,brother or husband "telling them it's really full of fiber,believe me they ain't buying it! They never do



So Here is a quick trick that you can do to avoid wastage and save that extra penny !
Freeze it in 6 easy steps
Step 1 : take a cookie sheet and layer it with aluminum foil
Step 2 : cut the plantain into round pieces about an inch wide
Step 3 : line up the pieces on the try
Step 4 : freeze the tray for minimum 4 hours,I froze mine overnight.
Step 5 : Take out each piece carefully and ziplock it.
Step 6 : label it and put a date on the pack



You are a genius !
The reason why we cut them and freeze individually is to avoid lump formation .
The end product has an excellent shelf life .believe it or not I have read ,if frozen they can be used for 1year to 18months ,so don't forget to put the date on the ziplock also I read that a full freezer works better than an empty one because there is more insulation and Thats why I would never post a snap of my freezer ,it's super packed ! Last week I tried freezing spinach which turned out well,Right now sleeping in my freezer are: artichoke hearts ,sweet corn,blueberries,strawberries,green peas ,spinach ,thyme and oregano from my herb garden and some chicken. Looking forward to freeze more in the future: ),so  that's all friends for this time.
Find recipe for frozen plantain :
http://eshkrish2009.blogspot.com/2011/03/smoothie



Thanks for joining me!

BAKED SPRING ROLLS

     Are you in search of an appetizer that strikes perfect balance between taste and health ,well then your search ends here. These spring roll turned out so tasty that once out of oven vanished  in no time .  I bought  sheets for spring rolls about a month ago for  preparing"samosa",but that day never came and the idea of it faded ,so decided to do something much lighter ,and eureka!

RECIPE FOR BAKED SPRING ROLLS 

makes 8 rolls

INGREDIENTS :

onions           : 1/2 medium size

greens (can be any, i used curled mustard):1 cup

mushroom     : 1/2 cup

carrots          : 1/4 cup

sweet corn    : 1/4 cup

green peas    : 1/4 cup

soy sauce     :  2 tbs

oil                : 1 tbs + 1tbs for brushing the sheets         

Thai chili paste :can be adjusted to taste 

salt to taste 

spring rolls sheet :8 

METHOD

1.chop and dice veggies except peas and corn

2.heat a pan on medium add the onions and saute for a few minutes 

3.add 1 tbs of the soy sauce ,it helps tenderize the onions 

4.now add the carrots ,peas and corn saute for few more minutes 

5.add the greens,mushroom and remaining soy sauce reduce heat ,season with salt and Thai chili paste .

6.turn off the heat when greens start to shrink up.

7. divide this mixture into 8 parts and roll up in sheets

8.brush the rolls with 1 tsp oil and line up on a baking tray ,i use foil on tray to avoid cleaning up later .

9.bake in a preheated oven at 350 F ,or until golden brown,mine took about 20 min,take care and turn the rolls every 10 min or so ,to avoid burnt rolls .

10.Best serve hot with ketchup and green sauce 

One can even add meat but should make sure that the meat is either minced or shredded properly to cook through out  .Enjoy these very crispy and light rolls with steaming hot cup of tea or with any of your Favorite drink,go on give these babies a try!

 Wishing  all 

"BON APPETIT" 

BROWN RICE-VERY VERY SOUTH INDIAN RECIPES!

BROWN RICE ADAI/ CREEPS 

Hi friends
Today i want to share with u some of  my experiments with brown rice that turned out really well.I'm not going to bore u with the nutritional value of brown rice and bla bla ...decided to do that later in the blog ,so first thing first : presenting
"THE RECIPES" hubby survived



Perfect for breakfast ,crisp and healthy!
follow the recipe to trick ur loved once to eat brown rice :
Ingredients:
brown rice                1 cup
green mung               1/2 cup
yellow split peas        1/2 cup
red chillies                  2 pcs
fennel seeds(Saunf,sombu) few 
salt  as per taste .


Method  :
1.measure 1:1:2 ratio of green mung,yellow split peas and brown rice respectively  ,wash throughly .
2.soak rice and lentils overnight in 4 cups of water with red chillies and fennel seed .
3.make a fine paste of the above in a blender .Add salt according to taste .
4.use a ladle to pour mixture on a lightly greased hot griddle and flip if needed,note here adai batter doesn't need fermentation as dosa,so we can make creeps right away!
5. Serve with any chutney 

One can experiment with varying  the measures and also by adding new lentils ,i have tried with green split peas that gives it a green color ,adding grated carrots gives an orange and lightly sweet creep ,so try it and enjoy !

RECIPE #2

BROWN RICE PONGAL 

Here is a foolproof recipe that u will sure enjoy .

Ingredients  :
brown rice              1 cup
green mung             1/4 cup
cumin seeds            1 tsp
peppercorn             1 tsp
green chili               1
turmeric                  1/2 tsp
ginger                     1/2 inc"
curry leaves             few
salt                       as per taste
Asafoetida             1/4 tsp and oil  1 tsp
water                      3 cups




METHOD  :
1.Wash the rice and mung and set aside(note here as the brown rice takes relatively longer time to cook than the other rice its good if the mung and rice are soaked overnight or for 4 hours minimum.

2. Heat a pressure cooker and add 1 tsp oil add the cumin,peppercorn and curry leaves as soon as the pepper stars to pop add turmeric ,ginger and chili .


3. Add the washed rice and mung along with 3 cups water


4.just as the water starts to bubble add Asafoetida  and salt ,give it a good mix .

                     5.Close the lid and let whistle for 10 times (yes 10 ! )




      6.Serve with ur favorite chutney ,Its goes well with all but we like it with tomato chutney the best : ) !.
So friends i will keep adding more as my experiments keep rolling , till then :

      BON APPETIT!!!