Green Classic Smoothie

Ingredients: Strawberries - 7 Clementine -1 Banana- 1 Milk 4 0z Spinach - 1 Handful Water- 8 OZ Process: Blend all the ingredients till the structure is smooth and silky I will upload pic soon..

Health and Fitness

I am not going to give long lecture on health and fitness in this post. These two words are the leading money making market trends. On any processed we see there will be positive things with big and bold letters like 20% percent less fat than the leading brand potato chips. 5g more protein than the leading brand cheese. this is a misleading information to the customers as no label will talk about how they are reducing the fat or increasing the protein. In the process of making it less fat and more protein they might be adding more cholesterol or to make it taste good any taste improvers can be added. But information will not enclosed anywhere. Several of these gimmicks played by the sellers including the top brands I feel that we are not leaving in a safe world. Any comments ....

Recap

I want to blog from long time but was not able to recover my email and login ..I would say that is the first and most important reason for my absence all these days. Let me now take time to explain why I finally made effort to figure out a way to make a post.. I want a change A change in life style... my definition for Life style change is different from others. I am a wife, mom to a 33 month old son , work full time for a IT firm and everything for my family. Am I doing justice to everything I do ???.. My simple and straight forward answer is a big 'NO' If I can do everything I want for a perfect world Want to be a fully organized mom who feeds her son everything prepared from scratch at home, feed all the family with healthy recipes , be organized , think positive ..of all this the reason why I think about life style change is for "WEIGHT LOSS" I know now I fall under the regular category of 60% of people in the world who want to loose weight and look like a model :) But my life style change purpose is not only weight loss but to be perfect in everything I do in my life. I would love to discuss more but need to attend a party today evening..so for now I would like to take break and talk to you again

I am back !!!

Hello Everyone , I am back ... sorry I was not in touch for many years... As now I am back I have so many things to share ...stay in touch and keep reading

Nutrela Matar Pasanda

This is actually the recipe back of the box but made small modifications to it and it came out really well. Those who like spicy food please add chillies to the recipe.
Ingredients:
Nutrela Mini Chunks Half box or 100 grams
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Ginger and garlic paste 1.5 table spoons
Onion 1 big diced
Turmeric powder 1 pinch
Tomatoes 2
Green peas 50g may be 3/4 cup
Garam masala 1 Tsp
Corriander Powder 1 Tsp
Oil 3 Tbsp

Procedure:
Take a wide pan and add oil to it. When the oil is hot add onions and stir fry until they turn golden color
In deep dish boil water, add salt and oil to it. Add soya granules and allow them to boil for 5-10 minutes.
Squeeze the granules and set them a side
Add ginger garlic paste and let t cook until raw smell goes.
Add dice tomatoes and let it cook until everything is cooked well.
After the gravy cools down grind it into paste.
In the wide pan add jeera,turmeric, green peas, and boiled soya granules and allow them to cook for 2-3 minutes later add the grinded paste and some water add garam masala, coriander powder chilli pwd and salt. Let it cook for 5 minutes stir in the middle to avoid burn at the bottom

Serve wit roti, rice or Pulav.

Comming Soon...

Quinoa Fried Rice

Quinoa, Corn, Squash

I don't know what to name this Dish so I named it with Ingredients
Ingredients:
Quinoa .5 cup Raw
1 Squash
1 yellow Squash
Sausage or chicken or chickpeas ( some protein :)) Optional
Corn As needed
Goat cheese or Mozzarella Cheese balls (optional)
Garlic
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes

Procedure:
Cook Quinoa after thoroughly washing add 2 cups of water and cook in Rice cooker or on Stove top with Some salt

Add oil to a sauce pan stir fry pieces of garlic, squash, yellow squash, sausage Pieces and allow them to cook

Add red pepper flakes and quinoa add allow it to cook for few more minutes , when everything seems to be dry add corn and after couple of minutes add the Cheese and turn off the stove.

Note: In my Pictures I did not add sausage or chickpeas or cheese but stir fried some tofu on the side.
Adding lemon juice before serving really increases the taste.
You can substitute Quinoa with Cous cous also

Liquid Moong

It was my favorite and one of the authentic Gujarati dishes. I used to stay in one Gujarathi aunties house when I used to work in Baltimore. This was made by her every Tuesday. I used eat it for two days back to back without any hesitation.
Though I did not make as tasty as her I was almost there when the first time I made it today. When I asked her for the name she told it as liquid moon So not sure of the dish name.
Ingredients:
Whole Green Moong Dhal 1Cup
Musturd Seeds 1.5 Tsp
Jeera Seeds 1.5 Tsp
Methi Seeds .5 Tsp
Curry Leaves 1 String
Corriander Leave 7 Stems
Tomato 1 Sliced thin
Onion 1/4 Onion diced
Green Chillies 5 or according to taste
Tamarind Paste 1.5 TBsp
Corriander Powder 1.5 Tsp
Curd 2 TBSp
Garlic 3 Cloved Minced
Salt According to taste
Chilli Powder 1 Tsp
Sugar Optional 1 Tsp
Water 3+2 Cups
Oil 3 Tbsp

Procedure:
1. Wash and Boil the Moong Dhal with 3 Cups of water Salt and Turmeric Powder
2. Heat oil in deep Pan and season with mustard,curry leaves, Methiseeds.
3. Once the muster seeds splatter add onion, chillies and Garlic(minced)
4. When the onion is cooked add some turmeric, chilli powder and cooked Dhal
5. Add some water it should be like thin sambar when you see this consistency
6. Once the dhall starts boiling add enough salt and tamarind paste, corriander powder, Sugar and simmer it for few more minutes.
7. In the middle add some curd or buttermilk and allow it to boil for 2 minutes and turn off the stove .

8. Add coriander Leaves and serve with Roti or hot Rice or Jeera rice.

Healthy Choclate chip cookies.

Ingredients
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chocolate chips
Recipe source from http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/bevs_chocolate_chip_cookies.html
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Grind oats in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth and creamy. With the mixer running, add the dry ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
3. Drop the dough by heaping teaspoonfuls, at least 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until firm around the edges and golden on top, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Tips & Notes
• Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Per cookie: 99 calories; 5 g fat ( 2 g sat , 2 g mono ); 11 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 1 g protein; 1 g fiber; 64 mg sodium; 55 mg potassium.
Carbohydrate Servings: 1
Exchanges: 1/3 starch, 1/3 other carbohydrate, 1 fat

Beetroot Fry

Ingredients:
Beetroots : 3 medium size
Salt
green chillies optional
Seasoning ingredients:
Mustard seeds
Cumin Seeds
Curry leaves
oil
Dry red chillies optional

Procedure:
Cut beetroot into small cubes after peeling
Cut green chillies as small as possible
Add oil to a wide pan and allow the seasoning ingredients to splutter.
Add green chillies and fry for couple of minutes
Now add the beet root fry them untill the raw smell goes
Add salt to make them cook quickly when the raw smell is gone add red chillie powder
and fry for couple of minutes and the kurala pudi ( see the receipe ) Now fry them till they are nicely roasted.

Squeeze a lemon at the end for extra Kick :)

Kurala Podi.

Ingredients:
Black Gram Dal or Urad Dal 1/4 Cup
Channa Dal 1/2 Cup
Peanuts or ground nuts 1 cup
Sesame seeds 1/4 cup
Dry Curry Leaves 1/4 Cup
Dry Coconut powder 1/4 cup (optional)

Procedure:
1. Dry Roast all th ingredients one by one except the curry leaves



2. I added the sesame seeds at the end when Chana dhal is almost done with roasting.

3. Let them cool down
4. Grind them into Coarse powder.


Usage: Store the Powder in air tight container and use in all type vegetable curries or fries.
Note: As the Protein content in vegetables is less his powder gives the Protein boost for any vegetable making it tasty and healthy at the same time.
Coconut Powder adds more taste to curries but it has more fat calories too
These ingredients made me about 500 Grams of powder. The bottle I am showing can hold 500grams. I used some powder in beetroot curry.

Shrimp Curry in Cocunut gravy

Ingredients:
Coconut powder 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Coriander powder 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Curd/Yoghurt 2 tsp
Curry leaves(chopped) few
Ginger garlic paste 1 & 1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies(chopped) Few
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Salt taste
Onion ½ cup
Pepper powder taste
Shrimp 2 Lb
Turmeric Pwd ½ Tsp
Red chilli(Whole) few
Oil To fry

Procedure:
Put oil in a wide open non stick pan.Add red chillies & mustard seeds to it till they crackle.Add cumin seeds ,chopped onion & coconut powder .Saute well . [Note:-Avoid frying onions till they are golden brown] 2. Add green chillies,salt,curry leaves & saute well on medium flame.Add ginger garlic paste ,turmeric powder,coriander powder,curd,red chilli powder & mix well till the mixture dries. 3. Strain excess water & add shrimp to the masala prepared .Mix well & cook slowly till the water from shrimp has oozed out & mixture has dried. 4.Sprinkle pepper powder as seasoning . 5.Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves & lemon juice

Stuffed Mushrooms

I tried different receipes in regard to this stuffed mushrooms. This is not a winner in my view but those who like the goat cheese taste will like it for sure.
Ingredients:



18 lg. unblemished mushrooms, wiped clean
1/4 c. dry white wine(optional)
1/4 c. chopped onions
1/4 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 tbsp. fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 lb. spinach, stems removed, the leaves washed, drained, squeezed dry & coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Plain Bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmissan cheese
3 oz. goat cheese

Carefully pull out the mushroom stems and chop them finely, either by hand or in a blender or food processor. Set the mushroom caps aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the wine, 1/4 cup of water, 2 tablespoons of the onions and the basil over medium heat. Bring the liquid to a boil and cook the mixture for about three minutes.
Return the skillet to the burner and reheat the contents over medium heat. Add the chopped mushroom stems, butter and 1/8 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring frequently, until all the liquid is absorbed, six to eight minutes. Transfer the chopped stems to a bowl.

Wash the skillet and return it to the burner. Add the oil and heat it over high heat. When the oil is hot, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of shallots and the garlic. Immediately place the spinach on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until all of the liquid has evaporated, about four minutes. Transfer the spinach mixture to the bowl containing the chopped mushrooms stems and sprinkle with pepper. Stir to combine. Break the goat cheese into small pieces directly into the bowl, then carefully fold in.

With a teaspoon, mound the spinach and cheese mixture into the mushroom caps.top with the mixture of Parmissan Cheese and Bread crumbs. Place them in a baking dish and bake until they are browned on top and heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

Asparagus Curry

Ingrdients:
Asparagus 1 bunch
Senagapappu 1 Tbsp
Minapappu 1 Tbsp
Avalu 1 Tsp
Jeera 1 TSp
Curry Leaves Optional
Kurala podi 2 Tbsp (Receipe I will update soon)
Dry coconut 1 Tbsp
Green chilies small 10(cut into small pices)

Procedure:
This is pretty simple receipe
1. Heat oil in a pan. Keep the seasoning ingredients fry till they splatter.


2. Cut the asparagus into 0.5cm pieces.
3. Add the asparaggus and chillies to the seasoning and fry for a minute or 2 and close the lid
let it cook for 5 - 10 minutes stirring in the middle.

4. Open lid and cook for another 5 minutes stirring now when the asparagus is fully done aadd the Kurala podi and Dry coconut and turn of the stove
5. Serve with rice or roti

Wheat milk pudding or Godhuma pala halwa

Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat. ( washed and soaked in water for 6-8 hours) 1-2 cups milk (whole milk preferred) 1-2 cups sugar (as per ur taste buds) Ghee or clarified butter 1/4 stick
Procedure:
1. Soak wheat in water untill they are soft and blend it into coarse paste and extract the milk out of it with the help of tea filter or cloth.
2. keep the wheat milk to a side with out disturbing
3. heat a wide pan and pour milk and sugar to it. Add the wheat milk and stir constinously. If the sweetness is not sufficient we can add it at the end.
4. stir continously untill it reached the thick consistancy make sure the sweetness is sufficient and turn off the heat.
5. pour into a plate which is oiled and cut into pices.
Note: This is very good for children and old people with no teeth. An healthy way to eat carbs.

Dates Cake

Though I like cake I used to think what is healthy with this and I started to hate it. But I still love my childhood eating what ever we like Cake, moon biscutts, Of course I love the baked food.
Though I tried to avoid them.. They chase me ........ :) (just escaping )
after all I found some healthy healthy alternative...I am not sure whether it is 100% healthy but it is with some good alternatives.....

Ingredients:
Dates 20 ( soak in warm water for 1 hour)
Walnuts 1/4 cup cup ( Optional) Chopped
Condensed milk 14 Oz
Butter 1 stick or 1/2 cup
Baking Soda 11/2 tsp
Baking pwd 1 tsp
All pupose flour 11/4 cup Hmm I did not find any healthy alternative for this dirty ingredient Will Find it soon........
2 eggs

Procedure:
1. Blend dates into course paste
2. Mix eggs, Dates paste, condensed milk, Butter in to good mixture
3. Now mix the dry ingredients Flour, Soda , Baking pwd together very very well
4. now mix the paste and the flour to good mix and add wall nuts. ( give atleast 30-50 strokes)
if you have a hand mixer like me that will save you yours muscle power :)
5. pour into a square or round nonstick cake ware and bake at 350 for 40min or till the surface turns brown.
6. you dont believe this is much better than the original receipe.

Indian Cake

I like the cake we used to eat in our childhood made by our mother. Fresh and sponge like cake fresh out from the bake.HAAAAAAA Yummy.....

Ingredients:
All purpose flour 2cups
Butter 1.25 Cup
sugar 1.25 cup
Milk 2/3 Cup
Eggs 3
Baking powder 2tsp
Vanila essence 1.5 tsp
Salt .5 tsp
TutiFruti optional

Mix all the Dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt)
In wide bowl mix butter, eggs, vanilla essence with a hand mixer thoroughly
Add sugar slowly while mixing
Then add the Flor mix with the hand mixer
Add the tutu fruti and mix with spoons
Pour the mixture in a Oven safe dish. At 350 bake for 40 min.

My cake came out very well I will upload my frens photos while tasting it :)

Rava Idli.

These ingredients makes around 12-15 Idlies.
Ingredients:
Semolina or Bomabay rava: 3/4 Cup (12 Tablespoons)
Curd or yogurt
Salt
Tempering Ingredients:
Oil
Cashewnuts(optional)
Uradh dhal
Bengal Gram or chana dhal
Mustard
Ginger
Green Chilli
Pepper (optional)
Carrot( optional)

Procedure:
1.Mix semolina with yogurt and keep a side for 30 min. (Tip: The batter should be similar to idly batter thickness)
2. Give the seasoning with Ghee or oil with all the ingredients in the tempering list (except Carrot).
3. Apply ghee to the idly plates.
4. Place sufficient batter in each
5. take some water in the pressure cooker and pleace these plates stand in the Cooker and cook under pressure without Vistle for 15 min.
6. Serve with Ginger pickle or any pickle

I forget to take pictures and ate idly :)

Cabbage carrot raw mango curry

Ingredients:
Cabbage 1 finely chopped
Carrot 1 big size grated
mango 1 half grated
Coconut optional
salt optional
oil optional
Pappula podi ( powder of dry roasted peanuts, chana dhal, uradh dhal)
or senagapappu karam ( the one we used to eat with idlis) Optional
Curd optional
Chillies (as per your tastebuds)
seasoning optional


Procedure:

The reason why I mentioned some of the ingredients as optional is because they are not necessary and you can fine me making the curry with out all this.
But if you are much concerned about the taste add all these optional ingredients.
Some people dont like cabbage. I fall in the same category till the time Iw ent to hostel. After entering into the hostel life I used to love all the vegetables and learned the importance of moms dishes.
Cabbage, Cauliflower, plantain, beetroot, carrot what not all the veggies are my favorites. I will stop my boring explanation here :)

1. heat the pan and add oil 1 tbsp and season with mustard seeds and cumin.
2. Add chana dhal, uradh dhal, green chillies, curry leaves and close the lid and make them cook for 30 sec.
3. Add cabbage and close the lid. Stir in the middle.

4. Cook it soft untill the cabbage smell goes away. If you dont like the cabbage smell at all add some curd at this time along with salt.
5. Add carrot and mango and make it cook for few more seconds.
6. Add coconut, pappula podi and turn off the flame.
6. Serve it hot with Roti.

Thepala chekka or serva pindi

This dish is dedicated to those who love indian snacking :)

INGREDIENTS:
Channa dal cup 1/2 soak in water for minimum 30min
curry leaves bunch Chopped
ginger garlic paste 1tsp
Green chillies 3 or as per the tastebuds
Oil As needed
onion number 1 chopped fine
red chilli powder tsp 1
Rice flour 250Grams
salt as needed
sesame seeds 1 tbsp
water As needed



Procedure:
1.Mix all the ingredients by adding water as needed. make soft dough.



2. add 1-2 tsp of oil to a non stick saute pan and keep the dough on the pan and spread it evenly. (tip: apply oil to your hand before spreading)
3. spread the dough evenly and make holes with your finger. Pour a drop of oil in each hole.

4. Cover it with a lid and cook on low-meedium heat untill the water in the dough evapourates and top surface appeared to be cooked.
5. You can turn the chekka or serva pindi if you want.

6. Serve it hot.


Note: Cook on slow flame. So that the bottom does not get burned.