Tag: recipes

Flourless Butter Oatmeal Cacao Cookies! Easy to convert to Vegan version!

Today’s recipe is absolutely a no-brainer. My kid and I made these together chatting, laughing and catering to the needs of a little monster without much attention to the measurements.The outcome is perfect. Take my word.

Let’s get into the recipe right away !

Ingredients

  1. Quick cooking Oats – Approximately one cup
  2. Cacao Powder – half cup
  3. Brown sugar – 4 TableSpoons
  4. Cashews – cut into small pieces – About 10
  5. Peanut Butter – 2 Tablespoons full
  6. Two Ripe Bananas
  7. Vanilla Extract
  8. Two Mejdool dates cut into small pieces
  9. Half stick of unsalted butter at room temperature

NOTES

  • I  added cashews and Dates but feel free to add any nuts and dried fruit
  • I coarsely blended oats but that is optional

Vegan Version

  • Just replace butter with Coconut oil. You will need 5-6 Tablespoons.

Procedure

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
  • In a medium bowl, cream together bananas, brown sugar, butter, vanilla extract, peanut butter.
  • Mix oats, cacao powder, dates and cashews pieces to the mixture and combine everything well.Make sure you do not over mix.
  • Grease the baking tray. Roll the dough into balls and place 1 inch apart on the cookie tray.Flatten each cookie with fork.
  • The cookies will not expand in size.Bake them for 15 minutes and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Well, That is IT! A perfect energizing evening snack along side plant-based milk or regular milk is ready.

I usually ask readers to try if they like the recipe.However, I urge all of you to prepare these for their nutritional value. Oats are among the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat.Combined with cacao, nuts coconut oil, dates and bananas, this turns out to be a powerhouse of energy. 

There is a saying in Hindi, “Ann se mann”, which means food becomes you and influences your mind and emotions. Lets eat well and live well:)

Cheers!

See you all with my next post

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Delicious and Nutritious Lunch special ! Quinoa with Beet Yogurt on the side

Hello Everyone !

Its been a while, isn’t it? There are so many things I want to share with you all and today I am able to get(read as “grab” lol) some me-time. So, without wasting further time, I will get straight to the point. This week onwards, I will share my lunch menus.Whats special about these menus is that they keep you full, energetic, suppress the need for post-lunch naps and last but not the least, you wouldn’t be running for coffee soon after your lunch. Yay !

If the above reasons are enough , do try the recipe ASAP 😀

Quinoa – put in simple words – is a wonder. It is a  power-house of vitamins, it has low glycemic-index, gluten-free and high in protein with all essential amino acids.

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To make this super-grain lunch, we need

  • 1 cup Quinoa
  • 1 cup grated carrot
  • 1 cup peas
  • 1″ ginger crushed
  • half onion
  • Salt, turmeric and black pepper
  • 1 tableSpoon Cumin seeds/powder
  • BIG cup of cilantro/coriander
  • Salt according to your taste
  • 1 tableSpoon lime juice

Procedure

  • Cook Quinoa according to packaging instructions
  • Warm a pan over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute onion till translucent. Then stir in ginger and cumin for 30 seconds or so. Be careful not to burn.
  • Then add rest of the vegetables. Combine these with cooked Quinoa and add salt, cilantro and drizzle lime juice before serving.

Beet Yogurt

  • 1 beetroot grated
  • 1 tablespoon all-spice powder/Cumin powder
  • 1 cup Greek Yogurt
  • Pink Himalayan Salt according to your taste
  • 1 teaSpoon of black pepper

Procedure

  • Whip the yogurt and add the ingredients above!  I added some pomegranate seeds which is optional.

That is it, my friends!

Please do not forget to like, comment and share with your near and dear if you liked the recipe.

Chau! See you with next healthy, nutritious and yes, easy to make lunch item with ancient grains!

 

 

 

Tasty and Healthy Spinach Pesto Sauce – One secret sauce for your Pasta, Fried Rice, Frankie, Zoodles and so on..

 

The recipe that I am going to share today will make your kids eat their greens without their knowledge, will make your guests ask for another serving of pasta, will make your toddler eat the entire sandwich loaded with goodness 😀

These are the basic recipes that are “quick-to-make on a hectic day” and can be converted into elaborate meals depending on our time and creativity.

Ingredients

  1. Spinach
  2. Nuts of your choice
  3. Black pepper 
  4. Himalayan salt
  5. half garlic pod
  6. Oil of your choice

Directions 

Blend, Blend, Blend with some water to make it into a creamy paste.

Recipes

Penne Pasta with Spinach Pesto – Kids’ favorite at playdates

  1. Cook pasta according to the packaged directions
  2. Sauté the veggies of your choice with tofu or Indian cottage cheese/paneer in Olive oil
  3. Add the spinach pesto and cook for one minute
  4. Add pasta 
  5. Pour about 3 table Spoons of milk and the drained pasta water
  6. Add parsley and serve with grated cheese

Spinach Fried Rice – A quick fix with leftover rice

Note: Add some red bell pepper to the spinach pesto and blend

  1. Melt butter in a pan and add veggies of your choice
  2. Add corn, peas , red onions and cook till they are softened.
  3. Add couple cloves and raw sesame seeds
  4. Add spinach pesto and cook for a minute
  5. Add rice and continue to cook till the rice turns a little crisp
  6. Add salt if needed

Spinach pesto Veggie Sandwich – Easy, Healthy and tasty lunch box option for kids

  1. Spread the pesto mixture on one slice and tomato sauce on the other
  2. Add red, yellow thinly sliced bell peppers  and basil leaves 
  3. Add the spice mix* (details below) 
  4. Be generous with the cheese and spread it over the sandwich. I love the grated Italian blend that I get from whole foods.
  5. I add a thick slice of paneer sometimes  but this is optional
  6. Grill and serve  with avocado slices on the side

Veggie Frankie

The above recipe works for this too!         

Spice mix

  • fennel seeds powder – 1 Tsp
  • coriander powder – 1 Tsp
  • white pepper powder – 0.5 Tsp
  • cayenne pepper (optional) – pinch
  • salt

 

If you would like to know any more recipes, please post it in your comments and I will answer asap!!

Will come back with an amazing hair oil recipe in my next post.

Till then, Chao!

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Super quick recipe for mango ice cream, with minimal ingredients!

My childhood memories are filled with the gracious mango tree that decorated our front yard. The enticing and fresh smell of ripe mangoes, kids pelting stones at the tree for the mangoes, we running to pick them up as soon as they dropped, my grandfather keeping soaking them in water before we could eat. Mmmmm.. just amazing!

It is not at all an exaggeration to say that many of us wait for summer to begin celebrating these magnificent fruits. The number of options that mangoes provide for quick delights, is endless: from long-lasting pickles (with just raw mangoes, salt, red-pepper, oil & mustard powder), to desserts, ice-creams and juices.

Today, I would like to share a simple recipe that you could use to prepare a home made mango ice-cream, with minimal ingredients, and in just few minutes.

 

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Ingredients

  1. Fresh Mangoes (Any kind – Mexican Style Mangoes, Indian Style mangoes – Kesar, Banginpally ) and puree them – 1/2 Cup
  2. Whipping Cream – 1 Cup
  3. Condensed Milk –  1/4 Cup
  4. Saffron soaked in one tablespoon of milk  – Pinch
  5. Cardamom and Fennel Seed powder – 1 Tb Spoon ( less cardamom and more fennel)

Procedure

  1. Take a chilled bowl and start whipping the cream till soft peaks are formed
  2. Fold in Sweetened condensed milk, mango puree, saffron ,cardamom and fennel seed powder
  3. Cover the bowl and store in freezer if you would like it to be icecream
  4. Store in refrigirator if you would like to use it as a topping on pancakes or waffles

Notes

  1. There could be many variations to this. One can add nuts of their choice and/or food color.
  2. I do this year after year with same ingredients as I felt this is more authentic.Also, with less ingredients, the taste of mangoes with subtle flavor of saffron and fennel seeds tastes heavenly.

Exquisite Oatmeal – The best way to start your day!

The whole meal in the Mornings – Super Healthy and Tasty!

If I have to mention two foods I love the most, I would say oatmeal and Khichdi.

They are easy on the stomach, super nutritious and are delicious. 
The recipe for my customized Khichdi is on the waiting list and I will post that soon. For now, lets start with the super comfort food, Oatmeal.
 
Before I jump into the recipe, I would like to share some quick facts about oats .
  • Oats are a whole-grain cereal and are among the healthiest grains on the earth
  • They are a good source of fiber, good quality protein and unsaturated fats
  • One variety of oats, Steel cut oats have less glycemic index than its other kinds.
  • Oatmeal is a well balanced breakfast 
For me, experimenting with Oats is a passion as they provide endless possibilities. It is like filling a blank white paper with myriad of colors. Today, I will share one variety that I make frequently as my family loves this including my three year old son!!
Ingredients
  • Oats
  • Flax Seeds
  • Chia Seeds
  • Fruits of your choice
  • Nuts of your Choice
  • Honey/Maple Syrup
  • Coconut (Optional)
  • Raisins/Mejdool dates
  • Pumpkin Seeds/ Sunflower Seeds
Thats it!
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Preparation
1.Cook the oats based on their type. If I use Steel cut oats, I soak them overnight. Else, it takes about 10 mins on stove top.
2. Once cooked, add enough quantity to your bowl and start adding colorful fruits of your choice .
  • I usually add strawberries, blueberries and  banana.
  • For a change, I sometimes cook strawberries(Mangoes in Summer) over low heat with coconut sugar and lemon and pour this mixture over oatmeal
3.Then add nuts of your choice. I add walnuts, almonds and green raisins or Dates
4.Sprinkle soaked chia seeds , flax seed powder and dry coconut
5.Pour honey as needed
Don’t forget to read the notes below to see the variations of what I do !
Notes:
  1. In the above picture, I added Activated Superfood that I got in Whole Foods which is high in Omega 3’s and 6’s
  2. We usually have an avocado , Flax milk or Greek Yogurt on the side with oatmeal
  3. I add less or no honey for my family most of the time because Raisins/Dates have enough sugar in them
  4. Adding Vanilla extract/ Orange Extract gives a different feel to the oatmeal
  5. Make sure you get everything Organic as much as possible
Nutrition Facts:
  • Oats contain Manganese, fiber, Iron, Vitamin B1 and B5,Folate and many antioxidants
  • Fruits are packed with many vitamins, minerals and photo nutrients and everyone should have three to four servings of fruit everyday. They help the human body to be fit, help it rejuvenate and disease-free.
  • Nuts and seeds are rich in energy, protein, packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and much discussed omega-3 fatty acids
  • They have good fats that are good for heart and do not increase the waist line
Do try this and let me know what you feel through your comments below.
Stay tuned to know the “skin benefits” of Oatmeal in my next post!
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