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,

RAAGI ROTTI(NAACHNI FLOUR CRISPY FLAT BREAD)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

After few months I am writing about other recipe than for PPCS. Sorry people, it was tough time to manage whole lot of things at one time. I will make it a point to post at least one recipe each week. Gone are the days where I used to post 4 to 5 posts in a week.

Today I am here with a very healthy recipe. In Kannada there is a proverb "raagi tindavanu nirogi" means the person who eats raagi everyday will never get any diseases. And yes, thats very true, my own experience and have seen people who are having no health issues. I have seen people recovering from many chronic diseases. They say its good to have Raagi Ganji in the morning for breakfast. But I don't have that patience and may be I will not like it that much, bland ganji!!!

So, making it little interesting, and turning it into an item song from a normal one, I followed the Thaali peeth! (Masala Rotti) recipe and made these crispy raagi rotis. Its not new nor I invented it, its very regular in our villages. I am just adding it in my blog with few clicks. May be my grand mother will laugh if she reads this, as it is a very regular food for her. 

Coming to the recipe,

To make 4 normal size rottis :

Ingredients :

Raagi Flour - 1 cup(either you used the store one, or if you have a chance make it at home which is again time consuming, I used the store one)

Wheat flour - 1 tbsp

Rice flour - 2 tbsp(to make the roti crispy)

Salt to taste

Onion - 1 big or 2 small, finely chopped

Green chilly - 2, finely chopped

Fresh curry leaves and coriander - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Hot water - 1/2 cup or less

To roast:

oil - 1 to 2 tsp for each rotti

Method:

Take everything except hot water and oil in a big wide bowl.

Mix well. Add half of the hot water and mix well, check if you can make the soft dough with it. Or else add some more or sprinkle (exact word!) water to make the dough just soft. 

Make the tawa hot,

Take foil and cut into a two palm square size.

Keep the foil on a platform or roti making plate

apply 1/2 tsp of oil on it and spread it.

Take one small ball size of dough, keep on the foil and slowly press it to give the normal roti size. 

You can apply some water to your fingers to make the work fast.

Once the tawa is hot, sprinkle half tea spoon of oil on it, 

Take the foil and invert it on the tawa. wait for 10 seconds, Slowly remove the foil so that it leaves the rotti on tawa.

fry for half a minute and turn it on the other side. Add another tea spoon of oil so that it gets crisp.

Fry it till it gets crisp(may 2 to 3 minute)

Remove and repeat with other dough.

Serve hot with ghee, pickle, curds and papad with onion, don't want any thing!! have it just like that. 

Keep Smiling, 

HEALTHY BLACK URAD DAL RICE (FOOD REMAKE)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

So again I am here for the PPCS EVENT. This time I got my partner Balachandrika of http://www.ennillam.com. She has prepared a very healthy rice and yes it is, and a very good way to feed black urad dal to your kids without any problem. I loved it, my kids loved it(surprisingly my younger one took second help). I too prepared Brinjal curry with it as even Balachandrika had given in her post. My method is different but tasted good with the hot rice. Thanks Bala for this healthy and delicious recipe. 

Please visit her place for the detailed recipe as I have copied exactly the same. And for the brinjal curry, I will post it in a week. (Its a promise this time). 

http://www.ennillam.com/2013/11/healthy-urad-dal-rice-ulutham-parupu.html

She has explained it with step by step photos. Enjoy. 

Sending this to Jagruti's 

Keep Smiling, 

VEG MAKHANWALA FOR PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

This new trial is for you all and for potluck party dearies.

I just tried it without any plan in my head. (That's what happens always), but this one is awesome. It almost tasted like the restaurant one, may be better than that :-)

Its perfect with naan, paratha, puri or simple plain rice.

My 2 year niece had it plain in a bowl just like that. What else other appreciation I need then?

Coming to the recipe,

Ingredients :

Mixed vegetables - 1 big cup, finely chopped into cubes)

(fresh beans, carrot, Cauliflower, green pea)

Green chilly - 1 finely chopped

Onion - 2 big

Tomato - 2 big

Oil - 1

salt to taste

red chilly powder - 1 tsp or to taste

Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Milk - 1/4 cup or fresh cream 1 tbsp

Hung curd - 1 tbsp or Normal curd, try to sieve it and remove water

Butter - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Kasuri methi - 1 tsp(optional)

Kitchen King masala powder - 1 to 1 1/2 tsp(MUST FOR THIS)

Fresh Coriander - 1 tbsp for garnishing

Method:

• First fry all the mixed vegetables and green chilly in 1 tsp of ghee till they are soft(around 10 minutes).
• Keep it aside.
• While you are frying these,
• Boil the onions and tomatoes separately either in a vessel on a  stove top or in Microwave for 2 minutes.(I used the MW)
• Allow these to cool.
• First grind the onion into paste, transfer into a bowl.
• Then paste the tomatoes. Keep it ready.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
• Add the onion paste, fry for few minutes.
• Add the tomato paste and mix well. cook for 2 minutes.
• Now add red chilly powder, kasuri methi, haldi and salt and hung curd. Mix well and cook till it leaves oil from the sides.

• Add the fried vegetables and milk, mix well. Add the Kitchen king masala.
• Cook for few minutes. add the butter before removing it from the heat.
• Garnish with coriander and serve hot.

Sending it to the event  

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng... 

 Keep Smiling,

EGGLESS SATHUMAAVU/HEALTH MIX VANILLA CAKE (Food Remake)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

 Hi All,

How are you?

If you observe the previous months, I have posted the recipes only for this PPCS event. (Trying to adjust the timing for everything), And today I am here with Manjula's healthy cake, and this is really healthy, We all loved the taste, the flavour, the texture and everything. I enjoyed it with my cuppa coffee. Its really yummy. Its little bit dry but you don't feel when you eat. 

Here is the link for original recipe. 

http://desifiesta.blogspot.in/2013/10/eggless-sathumavu-health-mix-vanilla.html

I used lemon juice instead of Vinegar as I was not having it. 

Shall I repeat the ingredients and the method of making it? Just copy and pasting it. (with your permission Manjula)

Ingredients
Maida - 1 cup
Sathumaavu/ Health mix - 1/2 cup(I used MANNA HEALTH MIX)

Cocoa Powder - 2 tbsp
Condensed milk - 3/4 cup, I used the Nestle brand
Baking pd - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1/2 cup ( extra if needed )
Vanilla  essence - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 3 tbsp

Method

• Sieve maida, sathu maavu ,baking pd, baking soda in a bowl.
• In another bowl add  all the wet ingredients  except lime juice and mix well.
• Grease and flour the cake tin and preheat the oven at 350F or 180 degree C.(I used 6" pan, may be the larger one gives the best result)
• Slowly fold the dry flour  with the wet  mix to get  a semi liquid batter.
• Add extra milk if you feel the batter is very thick only to make it semi liquid .

• At the last minute add the lemon juice  and mix the batter nicely.
• Immediately transfer the prepared batter in the greased cake pan.
• Bake this in preheated oven at 350 F for 15 - 20 min till a toothpick inserted in the cake come out clean.
• Once the cake is done cool it in the wire rack and turn it upside down in a plate.

 May be I used the smaller tin because my cake came out but it was puffy.

 

 Sending this to 

 Keep Smiling,

SPROUTED MOONG PARATHA for PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you? Busy month it was, kids had mid term exam, I was down with fever. Still suffering from Sinus attack. 
Though kept few recipes ready to post but could not because of not having much strength to sit in front of the system. 
But as I did not wanted to break my participation here in this event I I thought of bringing Parathas for this party. Easy, healthy and tasty. Goes well with any gravy or just pickle or curds. 

Coming to the recipe,

 

Ingredients:

Green moong, Matki ( Moth) and Black  Masoor dal - 1 cup, soaked for one day and drained and kept either tied in a cloth or in a colander for a dayor till they sprout

Whole black Masoor dal is a must as it gives nice texture to the dish and tastes different.
Whole wheat flour - 1 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - to taste
Green chilly - 1 small, finely chopped

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Amchur powder - 1 tsp

Haldi -1 tsp

Curry leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped

Garlic - 4 cloves, finely chopped(optional)

Oil - to roast

Ghee 1 tsp for each Paratha

Method:

Boil the sprouted moong in open vessel till soft.

Drain and mash it.

Transfer it to the big plate.

Add all the ingredients except oil and ghee.

Add water little by little to make soft dough.Adjust the seasoning. 

Divide into medium ball sized equal parts.

Roll into thick parathas.

Heat tawa and roast till crisp with little oil on both the sides. Before removing spread  a tsp of ghee on it. 

Serve hot with pickle or curds and paratha. 

My both the kids loved it with sauce.  

Sending it to the event  

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng... 

 Keep Smiling,

SPICY RAJMA MASALA (KIDNEY BEANS CURRY) for PPCS (FOOD REMAKE)

Tried and tasted by Nivedita 

Hi All,

How are you? Today is 28th and the day of posting  PPCS partner's  recipe. I am here with Sutapa urf Mon Sg (of Sutapa's Indian Cuisine)'s rajma-masala.

Its really spicy and tangy and wonderful combination with paratha, phulka or even a bowl of hot rice. I had it with thaalipeeth. (actually I liked it so much and did not wanted to wait till lunch time) It is simple but very tasty. Even perfect for small parties. 

As I have followed the exact recipe from her blog, I think its fine if I don't give the whole recipe here. Please do visit her blog to follow the recipe. 

HERE  is the link for her recipe 

 Sending this to Jagruti's original event which is hosted this month by Sowmya Karthy of nivedhanams.

 

Keep Smiling, 

OKRA IN KOKUM CURRY for PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

10th of September! I am here again, presenting you my recipe for POTLUCK PARTY CYBER STYLE which is started by Jagruti and this month Sowmya Karthy of  http://nivedhanams.blogspot.in/ is hosting the event. 

OKRA or LADY FINGER or BHINDI again! Yes! last time I brought Okra Chutney which was liked by many of you all. This time also I am with Okra dish. I had planned something else for the party but when I tasted this curry I thought this special curry should go to our Party first.

Without much introduction lets go to the ingredients directly. 

 

Ingredients:

Okra or  lady finger - 10 to12 big

Oil - 1 tbsp to fry 

Lime juice - 1 tsp

Kokum - 1tbsp soaked in warm water for 1/2 an hour(i tbsp is enough as kokum is strong)

Salt to taste

Red chilly powder - 2 tsp or as per the taste

Haldi - 1/4 tsp

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Oil - tsp 

To make curry powder

Dry roast

Coriander seeds - 2 tsp

Urad dal - 1 tsp

Chana dal - 1 tsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Pepper - 1 tsp

Green chilly - 1, chopped

Curry leaves - few

Fresh coconut - 2 tbsp, grated

Ginger - 1/4"

 

Method:

Wash and pat dry the bhindi , cut into 1" pieces. 

Fry in a pan with 1 tbsp oil till light brown adding a dash of lime juice.

Dry roast all the ingredients in a pan and when cold, grind into a coarse powder. Add the kokum paste and grind into fine paste.

Heat oil in a kadai.

Add the ready paste and fry till it leaves the sides. Add  salt, jaggery, salt and haldi. Mix well and cook for few minutes. 

Add 1 cup of water and cook for a minute. Check the taste and consistency of the curry. Adjust it if necessary. 

Add fried Okra. Cover and cook for 3 minutes.

Remove from the fire. Wait for some time(at least half an hour) before serving so that okra gets the curry taste in it. Make it hot before serving.

Serve with Chapati or hot rice and ghee and Paapad. 

Sending it to the event 

Keep Smiling, 

SPICY POTATO GRAVY

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you? Life is busy. We need to be very quick like the chefs in big restaurants. When we have kids, we should cook like a robot as we don't know when they get hungry and ask for something to eat. As mother's universal rule, we always want to feed them good home made healthy food and we should be prepared for the same. Why am I giving so much introduction to this post? Because I made this gravy on my younger daughter's demand which was surprising for me. She is a fussy eater, she likes very few food and suddenly she felt like eating chicken curry. When ever I make chicken curry, she eats only the curry as she does not like chicken. As the Shravan month is going on, this was the first time I stopped making non veg at home. I did not wanted to break this rule. So I convinced her that I will give the curry and went to kitchen to prepare something which tastes nearer to the chicken curry. Then I saw the potatoes. 

Here is the next story of my potato gravy. Its quick and very tasty. You will forget the chicken taste if you are a non vegetarian. 

Ingredients:

Potato : 3 big

Green chilly - 1, finely chopped

Salt to taste

Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tsp

Red chilly powder  

Curds or yogurt - 1 tbsp

 to make paste

Onion - 1 medium 

Tomato - 2 medium(check the sourness)

Ginger and garlic paste - 1 tsp(fresh)

Fresh coriander - 1/2 bunch

Cinnamon - 1/4" 

Clove -2

Cardamom - 3 seeds

Pepper - 4 to 6

Method:

Boil the potatoes either on a gas stove with little water for 10 minutes or use Microwave for 5 minutes to boil the potatoes.(I used the microwave).

Once cold, peel and cut into small cubes. Keep it aside.

Mean while, take all the ingredients under"to make paste" label, grind into a smooth paste.

Heat oil in a pan or kadai, add the green chilly and ground paste and fry till it starts leaving its sides. Add salt, haldi, red chilly powder and curd. Mix well. Add the cubed potatoes and fry for some time. Add 1 cup of water and boil for few minutes. Add that extra tsp of oil and cook for two more minutes. Adjust the seasoning and remove from heat. 

Garnish with fresh coriander and serve it with hot rotla or chapati or roti or naan or hot rice. We all loved it with chapati.It goes well with Puri also.

Keep Smiling, 

O(pen)ATS SESAME, GINGER BARFI for PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

So how are you all?Girls from POTLUCK PARTY CYBER STYLE ! Are you all ready with the recipe from your partner's blog?

I am here with Nayana's recipe. Actually, she has posted Coffee n White Chocolate Panna Cotta  for the party . But,  sorry dear, my family is allergic to Gelatin and agar agar. I did not wanted to take a chance by preparing your dish. But I will make it some other day when I will be having guests at home.
And to get agar agar is a big problem in my city. I need to search a lot. China grass is available. I have used to many times in making custard but it has not set properly and don't want to spoil the dish. 

I checked her recipe index and most of her Western desserts are with Agar agar.  Then I thought of making some Indian sweets. At first I chose mysore-paak, but when I saw this recipe, I was happy because it has til and ginger which are my elder daughter's favorite and it has oats which makes it healthy. 

Please do visit her page for wonderful recipes.

The link for this recipe in her blog is HERE. 

Coming to MY recipe,

I have reduced the quantity as I had only 1/3 cup(80ml) of til. Still I got 10 medium size barfi.

And my barfi turned out white as the jaggery I used is white one. 

Ingredients :

Sesame Seeds - 1/3 cup

Oats - 1/3 cup 

Jaggery - 1/3 cup

Fresh Ginger grated - 1 1/2" or 2"

Ghee - 1 tbsp(I thought of pampering my barfis little bit)

Method 

Dry roast the sesame seeds till they splutter 

and oats separately for 10 minutes.

Allow to cool.

Grind the ginger for few seconds in a mixi. Add both the sesame seeds and oats. Churn to make course paste.

Grease a small plate with ghee and keep it ready.

Heat ghee in a thick bottomed kadai. 

Add the jaggery and bring it to a boil. 

Check the consistency  by taking a drop and putting it in a cold water bowl. If it hardens immediately then the syrup is done. 

Add the ready paste(or mixture). Mix well. 

Spread it on a greased plate. 

Allow it to cool. Cut into desired shapes.

Your healthy sesame seeds, oats and ginger barfi is ready to serve. 

My daughter and my hubby both enjoyed these barfis,

Thanks Nayana for such an easy and wonderful sweet recipe.

Sending this to Jagruti's event 

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng...

Keep Smiling, 

LADY FINGER OR OKRA CHUTNEY FOR PPCS

Tried and tasted by Nivedita

Hi All,

How are you? Festival time ladies. More work for us, more fun for family members, specially kids. All are waiting for the sweets, snacks and special main course.

Wait, I am not posting any special food for the party. Today I am here with a very simple side dish. Chutney is the basic item in a thali in any Indian food.

If you have not tried it before, you will really like it. Its different.

And can you guess with what we had this spicy chutney?? We had it with PAAPDIS. :-)
I got this recipe from my closest, dearest friend Renu, thanks dear :-) 

Jagruti has named me "CHUTNEY QUEEN" Trying to keep the title :-)

Coming to the recipe,

We need very few ingredients to make this chutney.

Ingredients:

Lady finger(Okra) - 150 gm(big ones, you can see in the photo, I took 12)

Oil -1 tbsp

Green chilly - 6 to 8(depends on the chilly, I took more because I wanted it spicy)

Fresh Coriander - 1 small bunch

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Crystal Salt to taste(optional, you can use the normal table salt)

Garlic - 1 small bulb(6-8 cloves)

Lime juice -1 tsp+ 1 tsp

Method :

• Wash and dry wipe the lady fingers and keep it aside.
• When dry, cut into round pieces.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai.
• Fry the cut lady finger pieces for some time.
• Add 1 tsp of lime juice to remove the stickiness.
• Add Green chilly and peeled garlic.
• Fry all till brown.
• Let it be cool.
• Separate the chilly and garlic.
• Take the cleaned fresh coriander, cumin seeds, chilly and garlic in a mixi.
• Grind into a coarse paste.
• Add the fried lady finger and just turn the mixi for few seconds. 
• Transfer into a bowl, add a tsp of lime juice. Adjust the seasoning. 

Enjoy it with chapati, hot rice and ghee or even a curd rice.

My husband brought the Paapadis in the evening when I made this chutney. My elder daughter and him both enjoyed the Paapadis with this spiciest chutney. 

This is my entry to 

Jagruti's  event:

Potluck party, Cyber style! - Fun and the Challeng...

Keep Smiling,