Eat Nutritious, Feel Fabulous - Challenges that we all should take !

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you all?Wishing you all a very happy new year. Everyone is busy around making new resolutions and Trying(!!) to keep. Today Me and Jagruti are here for something else. We don't want you people do make some resolutions and trying hard to keep those. We want you all to do some commitment and follow it regularly.

Resolutions are to break but not commitments.

Dearies, we are here to bring some awareness about what actually is a real healthy food and its benefits. We would like to invite all of you to join us and lets make our and our loved ones life healthy.

I learnt a great lesson in the life and always push myself to keep fit and healthy. May be I am off and on in between but always follow at least three things.

Some simple rules for good life:

Regular exercise and brisk walking at least for 45 minutes,

Meditation

Good food,

Lot of water intake.

Laughing

 I am not talking any thing new or I am not a guru in any of these fields. But this is what I have realized and I have committed myself to maintain these. Will you join me too. Not actually only me, its WE, Me and Jagruti.

Lets hear it in Jagruti's  (of Jagruti's Cooking Odyssey) words:

"What is the real meaning of healthy? These days this word is constantly thrown around without truly understanding it's real value. With so many claiming to be eating healthy, there is still a massive increase in the general public developing all sorts of health related illnesses. 

The only way to combat all of these illnesses is to eat well and to do plenty of exercise. There are so many nutritious foods out there that can increase our well being and health. wholegrain, proteins and essential amino acids, good fats and fruits and vegetables! It's about eating all of these in moderation. If we can incorporate more of these foods into our diet, then our overall health is sure to improve!

Obviously, simply adding a piece of fruit to your calorie loaded dessert doesn't suddenly make your dish healthy. Adding heaps of sugar to your nutritious porridge is completely against the point! A bit of vegetable puree to fried food won't magically make it beneficial. It has been scientifically proven that eating certain foods together cancels their nutritional value. For example foods with calcium will prevent any iron being absorbed in the body, so eating these together in the same meal isn't going to help!

I want to search for recipes that actually are healthy and full of nutrients. That use all of the true ingredients out there, that have medicinal benefits to the body. I want all of you to come up with recipes that do have health benefits, where every ingredient in the recipe can provide the body with a different nutrient. This recipe could be one that's been passed down the family, or your own creation!

The focus is on low GI and low fat!

I was thinking over the past few months to start this challenge, one day our fellow food blogger Nivedita of Nivedita's Kitchen mentioned the same and then we both decided to go ahead with this project.

So why wait any longer, it's new year, let's make a new start ! Let's cook with nutritious food in right manner and share with the world out there. If you are thinking same as me and Nivedita, join us and let us know if you want to be a part of this challenge. 

So let's Eat nutritious and feel Fabulous !

Guidelines to follow :-

• Prepare dishes with Wholegrain, Vegetables, Fruit, Legumes,Seeds, Nuts, Natural sweeteners or low fat dairy or Non-dairy products without loosing their vitamins and minerals. These type of dishes won't be allowed e.g. Cake baked with little fruit or Baked samosa made with AP flour as there is no nutrition in AP flour so no point to either bake or fry. Do you know what I mean ? 
• Recipe which are allowed only contains ONLY 1 tsp. fat or sugar per serving.
• Only Vegetarian dishes will be allowed.
• Can cook Breakfasts, lunch, Dinners, Snacks or drinks.
• Me and Nivedita will be hosting this challenge over alternative months.
• We all will post our recipes on 20th of every month.
• Use of logo and link of this announcement page is MUST.
• If you want to join us please email me at jagrutiscookingodyssey1971@gmail.com

• or you can mail at nivedita.mt@gmail.com

This month Jagruti is hosting the event. So please send your recipes to her blog.

Keep Smiling,

AN EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT~KNOW YOUR NATURAL SWEETNESS~MAPLE SYRUP OR DEMERARA SUGAR

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Its more than a year that I hosted any event. Before, my blog had at least one event in a month and I always enjoyed participating in the events hosted by other blogging friends. Those events always encouraged me to try new recipes and I enjoyed those challenges.

Now a days, because of some personal hindrances, I am not able to post regularly any thing, forget participating or hosting any event.

Few months back, when Jagruti asked me whether I am interested in hosting her event I could not say no because I wanted to come back again and its always pleasure to host her event. She is a lady with so much enthusiasm.Check her blog and you will come to know, her site is hosting many events at a time with different and unique themes.

Coming to my theme for the event Announcing Series event~Know Your Natural Sweetness by Jagruti,

I have chosen two sweets!! yes!, Maple Syrup OR Demerara Sugar

To be honest, till today I have not tried Maple syrup in any recipes, so its new challenge for me. I have not tasted also how it tastes. Still I need to search for the Maple syrup in my town and not sure about getting it.

When I went through Wikipedia, I was surprised to see that maple syrup is extracted from maple tree. And its less in calorie!! That makes it more interesting.There are many things we don't know!! Click here to know more about maple syrup.

Demerara sugar is commonly used in baking substituting the white sugar for many reasons. Its known as natural brown sugar.

I am inviting you all to take part in the event..

Coming to the rules of the event...

1. Cook or bake any recipe using EITHER Maple Syrup OR Demerara Sugar,

2. Please post the entries between 1st of November and 30th of November 2012.

3. Please send your entries with details of your post to my email id               nivedita.mt@gmail.com

4.Linking your post to this event announcement and Jagruti's Event Announcement is compulsory.  

5.Adding the event logo is highly appreciated as it helps others to know about the event.

6.Multiple entries are welcome. 

7.Only one post from archived posts is welcome.

8. Non-bloggers are invited to participate in the event. Please mail me your recipe with a photograph of the dish to the mail id nivedita.mt@gmail.com

ALL ARE INVITED TO PARTICIPATE AND MAKE THIS EVENT SUCCESSFUL.

Keep Smiling,

CELEBRATE SWEETS -FRUITS & VEGGIES WITH RAKS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

SO HOW IS LIFE GOING ON? BUT PLEASE DON'T ASK ME!!! I AM NOT ABLE TO MANAGE MY TIME WELL. ITS LIKE THE WORK NEVER ENDS. NO SLEEP, NO REST... I HAVE BECOME A JUGGLER TO BALANCE ALL THE WORK ALL ALONE. HOPE TO BE BACK SOON TO MY REGULAR BLOGGING.

TODAY I AM HERE TO ANNOUNCE MY EVENT "CELEBRATE SWEETS" WHICH IS GUEST HOSTED BY RAKS  OF "RAK'S KITCHEN"

PLEASE VISIT HER SITE TO CHECK THE DETAILS AND SEND THE ENTRIES. 

• SWEET POTATO BUNS / ROLLS AND ANNOUNCING AN EVENT!...
• 

Keep Smiling,

CELEBRATE SWEETS WITH SHAMA

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

My event "CELEBRATE SWEETS" is going on successful. All thanks to all the wonderful bloggies who have participated and supported me.

This month, Shama of EASY2COOK RECIPES is hosting the event and the theme she has selected is Sweet breads/Buns/Croisants. 

Here is the detail of the event.

CELEBRATE SWEETS - SWEET BREADS/BUNS/CROISSANTS EVENT

'

I hope this time also you will participate and support the event. 

Waiting for your entries..

Keep Smiling,

Event Announcement "Only Original Recipes" and Giveaway :-)))

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

I am very happy. I am hosting the event after a long time. My happiwala thanks to  Pari of Foodelicious, who has started this unique event. And the theme I have got is also unique :-)

The theme is "ONLY ORIGINAL"  Yes, your recipe has to be original and creative. 

"A man without an imagination or creative is like a bird without wings" said by a great person.

This is a great opportunity to share your original recipes.

And you have two giveaways to win:

1.The first giveaway is from the CSN stores for US/Canada/Germany and UK readers.Check out Pari's space for more details of the give away.
2.The second giveaway is exclusive for Indian readers from the well known Indian cook book author Tarla Dalal's on Pizza and Pasta. Visit her website www. tarladalal.com. for her yummy, wonderful, easy, useful Vegetarian recipes.

The winner of the CSN stores giveaway will be chosen by Pari based on the links that readers leave in the giveaway page, 

Winner of the book from the partcipants in India, will be chosen by Me by random.org or any random method,. He/ she has to provide me with an address in India within two days of the winner declaration else a new winner will be chosen by me. 

Coming to the rules of the event:

• Prepare any dish which is your and ONLY YOUR innovation. It should not be copied from any book, blog or other source. The recipe you prepare should be  the brain child of ONLY you.

• It can be a simple tea with a twist or a baked cake with very different flavor or ingredients. Imagination knew no bounds!!

• Any number of fresh entries can be sent but only 2 entries from the archive will be accepted. 
• Prepare any original recipe and post from 1st March till 31 March.
• Archived entries to be reposted, else will not be accepted.
• Only vegetarian entries (egg allowed) will be accepted.
• Use of logo is mandatory as it helps spread the word.

The entry should be linked back to my event announcement page and Pari's event announcement page.

Format of entry (please stick to the format below, while sending the details)

name :

blog's name:

blog URL:

recipe name:

recipe link:

pic  resized to 300pixel:

Country:

(this is an important field to be filled, as it will be easy for Pari and me to know whether you are  from India or abroad, hence applicable for which gift)

Please send the details to "nivedita.mt@gmail.com" before March 31.

I will post the round up within 7 days of event completion unless there's an emergency. .

Non bloggers can also participate, send the entries to 

my email id: nivedita.mt@gmail.com

The participants from  US/Canada/Germany and UK: please leave the link in Pari's event announcement page in comments section so that you will not miss the chance to win.

Waiting for more number of entries with your great imagination and creativity and original recipes.

Keep Smiling,

Event Announcement ~ "Complete My Thali(CMT)-Pickle"

            

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Hey!! One more feather in my cap for event hosting! I love Events! That makes me more responsible person! It makes me alert. It encourages me to try new dishes.

This time, it is from Jagruti's Joy of Cooking. Her event Complete My Thali - Event Anouncement ! which started last month and is continued for 6 months, with each theme holding for 2 weeks.

And there is a genuine cause behind this event :

Read in her words:

"After each and every round up the host will choose winner and will make winners dish....I will make that dish too, and in the end (about 6 months) I'll have my complete thali...
Every event comes with a prize, so when my thali is complete I will give the value of that one thali to someone else in the world who doesn't have the blessing of even a small amount of the food on the thali...The money will go to UNICEF...."

Now, coming to my theme, I have taken the most interesting and everyone's favorite : PICKLE!! Yes! The thali in not complete without a pickle. Pickle is a side dish and is a must in Indian food.  From a kid to an old person, pickle is loved by everyone. I have many sweet memories with this!(stealing from kitchen, sharing with my friends...)

My Theme is

 "Complete My Thali( CMT ) - PICKLE"

In India, it is popular as Achaar  and can be prepared with many vegetables like mango, lime, garlic, ginger, tomato, cucumber, carrot, gooseberry, Chilli.... You name it and with few specific masala the pickle is ready. Usually the oil and the salt are the main ingredients while making pickle, and either green chilly or red chilly powder to make it spicy.

In some regions pickles prepared with meat or fish are very famous.

Home made pickles are very common and very tasty too. 

Read more here...

Lets see the rules for the event:

1.Prepare Pickle recipe with anything edible!!(be creative) and post it in your blog between 

October 5th to October 19.

2.Multiple entries are allowed.

3.Archived posts should be updated with this page link and  Jagruti's Main Page.

4.Send the entries to nivedita.mt@gmail.com with following details :

Subject : CMT-PICKLE

Name :

Blog Name :

Recipe Name:

Recipe Link:

Photo:

5.Non bloggers can send their name and the recipe with photos to nivedita.mt@gmail.com

6.Please use logo and the do not forget to link it to this page and Main Page.

Come Join me to support the wonderful cause with Jagruti by participating in this event.

Keep Smiling,

Mixed Fruit Curry for "COOK AND CLICK -4"

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Next recipe for the event   "Cook and Click" . This is for SEPTEMBER 11th to SEPTEMBER 20th. Cook  Click here also for the details Event Announcement - "COOK AND CLICK" :

I took it from "BAY BOOKS COOKERY COLLECTION"

THE QUANTITY GIVEN IN THE BOOK IS FOR 6 PERSONS. 

YOU CAN REDUCE THE QUANTITY ACCORDING TO YOUR NEED.

I have changed only one ingredient from the original recipe as I do not get this here at my place. If you are getting it, you can use the same:

Crystallized ginger - 4 to 5 pieces

(I do not get it here, so I will use the normal ginger) - 1" piece - peeled and cut

Hot water

Onions - 2, chopped

Butter - 60 gm

Crushed coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Curry Powder - 1 tbsp

Plain flour - 1 tbsp

Veg stock or chicken stock - 2 cups

Lime juice - 2 tsp

Black pepper - 2 tsp, freshly ground

Grate coconut - 3 cups

Chopped mixed fruits - 4 to 5 cups(Melons, peaches, plums, grapes, bananas, apples, pears or any other fruits available)

Fresh cream - 2 tbsp

1 If using crystallized ginger :

Cover ginger with hot water for a few minutes to remove sugar, drain, pat day and chop.

2. Sauté onions in butter until tender.

3. Stir in ginger coriander seeds, curry powder and flour.

4. Cook gently for minutes.

5. Gradually add stock, stirring rapidly.

Bring to boil, add lemon juice and season to taste.

Simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in coconut, fruits and cream.

(there is no salt mentioned in the book, but I feel we should add little salt as per taste)

I hope at least this time I will get few clicks. This is very interesting curry!

Send the following details before SEPTEMBER 20THto nivedita.mt@gmail.com with subject "COOK AND CLICK- 4" :

your name, 

blog name, 

url of the link  and 

the photo attached.

Non bloggers can send the details to my mail.
NO need to retype the recipe. Just link back this one in your post. 
Please share your experience about this dish.

If you already got this recipe in your archive, share the experience.

Any suggestions, new ideas are welcome. 
(If you have any special recipe which you want cook with others here, you can send it to me. I will add it in the event with your details, whenever possible)

Keep Smiling,

DETAILS OF THE EVENT "CELEBRATE SWEETS"

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

Its a long time pending job which was very essential to promote the event started by me. I am happy that my friends are ready to host it and continue the series. Thank you every one for the support, all who are ready to host the event and each one who is interested in participating in the event.

And a special thanks to Priya Yallapantula of  "Mharo Rajasthan's Recipes - Rajasthan A State in Western India" who helped me to draft this post.           

Ground rules for the event

• Post the recipe in your blog from ......
• Send it to my email id nivedita.mt@gmail.com with "CELEBRATE SWEETS~         " as a subject.

• You can send as many entries as you wish.
• For archived posts,
• o If the recipe is posted within two months, just update the post and link back to my event.
• o If the recipe is posted earlier, please update, repost and link bank it to my event.

• Placing the logo will be highly appreciated as it will be easy to spread the news about this event.
• Non bloggers can send their entries to my email.

Below is a list of past and future hosts.

I know its not visible here, please click above to read. (I could not make it better to fit in this to be visible)

If you are interested in hosting the event for a future month (which is still not booked and in the future too), please feel free to email me @ nivedita.mt@gmail.com with the month and sweet you will be interested in.

(Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm - Sir Winston Churchill)

Keep Smiling,

Microwave Easy Cooking - FRUITS, Event Announcement

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

When Valli mailed me to check whether I can host her MEC event for this month, I was happy. Few months back , she had given me the chance to host it. But I was not so much confident to handle any event. Now I am!(Am I? you all should tell me!) 

Thank you Srivalli for giving me a chance to host this event. 

I had few options in my mind for the theme. Finally, I chose FRUITS.

I love the color, the texture, shape and everything about  the fruits. Not to forget at all about the nutrition and the energy!(I am eating Banana while writing this).Nature is so kind for gifting fruits to us.

Are you ready to try new dishes with fruits cooked in Microwave?

As this event is in blog world since 2 years, all our old friends know the rules. But here are the rules again for newbies and for me!

1. Cook any Vegetarian/ Non vegetarian food with FRUIT as a main ingredient  in the MICROWAVE  and post it in this month in your blog.
2. Please note that the cooking process has to be done fully in the MICROWAVE. You can use blenders / food processors but NO use of other measures  to cook.
3. Make a link back to this announcement and Srivalli MEC announcement page. 
4. Use of  logo is mandatory, as it is easier to spread about the event.
5. Multiple entries are allowed.
6. Recipes from archives can be accepted ONLY if updated as current posts.
7. Recipes submitted to other events are also permitted.
8. Non bloggers are always welcome.
9. The deadline is September 30, 2010
10. Once the posting is done, mail the following details to nivedita.mt@gmail.com with the subject  MEC-FRUITS

• Your name :
• Blog name :
• Name of the recipe :
• URL of the recipe :
• Name of the fruit used :
• A picture of your creation. :

Be creative and try new dishes with fruits and bake, cook, steam or anything but ONLY IN MICROWAVE.

Keep Smiling,

Reminder for my new event "Cook and Click" - Apple and Onion Bake

Tried and tasted by Nivedita
Hi All,
I think there is some mistake with my new event announcement. As I got few mails asking, when am I going to start this event.
So here is the reminder and re invitation to all of you for my new event
Event Announcement - "COOK AND CLICK" :

Recipe for this week: (I felt, this is interesting and good starter)

APPLE AND ONION BAKE:

Onions - 6, sliced(round)

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Tomatoes - 2, thickly sliced

Bread crumbs - 1/2 cup

Apples - Peeled and sliced

Green chillies - 2, finely chopped and seeds removed

Chopped coriander - 2 tbsp

Veg stock(you can use Maggi cubes to make) - 1 cup, heated

Procedure :

1. Lightly sauté onions in 1 tbsp ghee. Remove with slotted spoon.

2. Sauté tomatoes. Drain off juiced through strainer and reserve.

3. Sauté breadcrumbs in remaining ghee to brown lightly.

4. Grease baking dish and arrange onion, apple and tomato in alternate layers.

5. Put chillies, coriander and reserved juiced into hot stock and pour over vegetables. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over top.
6. Cover and bake at 190 degree C or 375degree F for 30 minute.

7 Uncover and cook another 15 minutes.

Serves 4.

(Source : Indian Cookery by Bay Books Cookery collections)

I  had announced the last date for submitting this recipe as 16th August, but Now as many of you were not aware of the event, I want to extend it till 20th August. 

Hoping to get more clicks from your cameras!

Send the following details to nivedita.mt@gmail.com with subject "COOK AND CLICK" :

your name, 

blog name, 

url of the link  and 

the photo attached.

Non bloggers can send the details to my mail.


Please share your experience about this dish.

Any suggestions, new ideas are welcome. 
(If you have any hidden or unknown recipe, you also can send it to me. I will add it in the event with your details, whenever possible)

Keep Smiling,