Sweet Dalia (Cracked wheat): Nutritious breakfast

Sweet dalia is a nutritious breakfast for growing kids and especially new moms. It is rich in iron and protein with fewer calories. Cracked wheat is high in fiber.

Ingredients:
Approx. 2 servings

• Broken wheat (Dalia) – 1 cup
• Grated Jaggery (Gur) – 3/4 cup
• Clarified butter (Ghee) – 1/4 cup
• Cashews, Almonds – 1/2 cup (coarsely chopped)
• Cardamom powder (Elaichi) – 1 tsp
• Golden raisins - 1 tbsp
• Milk – 1 cup
• Water – 2 cups
• Freshly grated coconut – 1/2 cup(optional

Method:

1. Dry roast coarsely chopped cashews and almonds and keep aside.
2. In a heavy bottom pan, roast Dalia with ghee on medium-low heat.  Let it roast for 7-8 minutes or till it gives roasted aroma.
3. In a sauce pan, add water and milk. Bring it to a boil.
4. Add it to roasted Dalia. Mix well to avoid any lumps. Cook it covered for 3-4 minutes on low heat.
5. Add grated jaggery and grated coconut. Mix well.
6. Add cardamom powder, golden raisins and roasted nuts to dalia. Let it cook for few more minutes, till it turns dry.

Serve warm.

Moong dal Cheela: Savory crepe for breakfast

Moong dal (yellow split lentil) is very healthy and easy to digest. It can be used to make these simple crepes with onions and green chilies. Enjoy these crepes for breakfast or evening snack.

Ingredients:
Approx. 4 servings

• Moong dal (yellow split lentil) - 2 cups
• Ginger - 1 inch piece grated
• Green chili - 1 finely chopped
• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Fresh Cilantro - 2 tbsp finely chopped
• Salt as per taste
• Cooking oil for pan frying

Method:

1. Wash and soak moong dal in water for around 4 hours.
2. Grind the dal, green chili and ginger to a smooth paste. Add little water if required.
3. In a large bowl, add batter, chopped cilantro, turmeric powder, salt and cumin seeds.
4. Add little water to make the batter of a thick pouring consistency. Mix well.
5. Heat a tawa (griddle) or a non-stick pan. Apply ½ tbsp oil to it.
6. On medium heat, pour a ladle full of batter and spread it in a circle, moving from the center to the outer edges like making dosa or any pancake.
7. Pour a teaspoon of oil along the sides, and let it cook on medium heat. Flip and let it cook on each side till it becomes golden brown.
8. Repeat the above process with the remaining batter.

Serve hot with Green cilantro chutney or ketchup.

Methi Paratha (Fenugreek leaves Indian bread)

Methi paratha is a great source of nutritious elements. Methi has anti-diabetic medicinal value for type-1 and type-2 diabetes. Aside its nutritional and medicinal benefits, methi parathas are great for breakfast, traveling, picnics or just snacking with pickles anytime.

Ingredients:

Approx. 8 Methi parathas

• Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
• Besan (gram flour) - 2 tbsp
• Fresh methi or Fenugreek  leaves - 2 bunches
• Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Yogurt (dahi) - 2 tablespoon
• Cooking oil - 4 tsp

Dry Spices:

• Chaat masala - 2 tsp
• Ajwain - 1/4 teaspoon
• Jeera (Cumin) seeds - 1 tsp
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
• Garam Masala Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Clean methi leaves thoroughly.
2. Finely chop methi leaves and keep aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, besan, chopped methi leaves, chopped green chilies, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, all the dry spices and salt. Mix well.
4. Knead soft dough of the above mixture, adding little water at a time. Keep the dough aside for half hour.
5. Divide the dough into small balls of suitable size and roll it out.
6. Cook these parathas on medium hot griddle. Turn them over to cook evenly in golden color on both sides. Apply little ghee/oil on each side and cook more for 30 seconds.

Serve garma garam Methi paratha with raita (flavored yogurt) on the side.

Eggless banana walnut muffins

Eggless banana walnut muffins
This is a classic recipe for making eggless banana walnut muffins. You can substitute walnuts with any nut of your choice for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• Ripe bananas - 3
• Sugar - 3/4 cups
• All purpose flour – 1.5 cups
• Baking soda  - 1 tsp
• Baking Powder – 1 tsp
• Salt  - 1/2 tsp
• Melted butter - 1/3 cup
• Flax seed powder -1 tbsp + 3 tbsp water
• Walnuts – 1/2 cup coarsely chopped
• Brown sugar – 2 tbsp
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mash bananas and keep side.
3. In a small bowl, add flex seed powder with 3 tbsp water. Mix well.
4. In a large bowl, sift all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder. Add mashed bananas, flex mixture, sugar, vanilla extract, chopped nuts, salt and melted butter. Mix well.
5. Line the muffin pan with paper muffin cups. Pour the above mixture in each cup. Sprinkle brown sugar on each muffin top. It gives crunch and beautiful brown color to muffins. Bake for 25 minutes or till done.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve banana walnut muffins warm or at room temperature for breakfast.

Paneer Kathi Roll

Paneer kathi roll is chapatti roll filled with spicy paneer filling and green chutney. Kathi rolls are great for lunch boxes or picnics. The filling can be altered according to your choice of vegetables. Enjoy this easy and versatile recipe.

Ingredients:
For Kathi roll : Approx. 4 servings

For Spicy Paneer filling:
Indian cottage cheese (paneer)  - 1/2 lbs or 200 gms
Sweet onion – 1 cup thickly sliced
Green bell pepper - 1 cut in thick slices
Tomato ketchup – 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds (Jira) – 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chaat masala - 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

For Chapattis/ Rotis:
Whole wheat flour (atta) - 1 cup
Water – 3/4 cup
Salt to taste
Green Chutney – 1 cup

Method:

• For Filling: Cut paneer in long sticks and soak them in medium hot water for 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, when it starts crackling add sliced onions. Stir fry on high heat for a couple of minutes. Add ginger, garlic paste and green bell pepper and stir fry for couple of more minutes. Add paneer.
• Finally add tomato ketchup, chaat masala, red chili powder and salt. Mix well and keep aside.
• For chapattis or rotis: In a bowl or food processor combine wheat flour and water and knead into soft dough. Divide the dough into eight equal portions. Roll out each portion into a thin chapatti or roti.
• Heat shallow pan or tawa and cook each chapatti lightly on both sides. Set aside.
• Apply green chutney on one side of the chapatti, put some filling in the center and roll up tightly.
• Warm these rolls on the tawa or pan just before you are ready to serve. Cut each roll diagonally and serve.

Serving suggestion:
Wrap these rolls in aluminum foil and enjoy these warm kathi rolls with hot and sweet mango chutney.

Note: Fresh tortillas can be used in place of chapatties/rotis.

Eggless banana nut bread

Ingredients:
For 1 Banana nut loaf:

• Whole wheat flour - 1.25 cups (You can substitute with All purpose flour for traditional recipe)
• Chopped walnuts - 1/4 cup
• Chopped pecans - 1/4 cup
• Ripe bananas - 3 mashed
• Unsalted butter - 1/2 cup melted
• Baking soda - 1 tsp
• Flax seeds powder - 2 tbsp (egg substitute)
• Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
• Brown sugar - 1 cup
• Brown sugar - 2 tbsp for sprinkling on the top
• Salt - 1/4 tsp

Nutritional Facts of flax seeds:

Flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber including lignans, an abundance of micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids (table). Flax seeds may lower cholesterol levels, especially in women. Initial studies suggest that flax seeds taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast and prostate cancers. A study done at Duke university suggests that flaxseed may stunt the growth of prostate tumors, although a meta-analysis found the evidence on this point to be inconclusive. Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels. There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content though excessive consumption without liquid can result in intestinal blockage. Consuming large amounts of flax seed may impair the effectiveness of certain oral medications, due to its fiber content, and may have adverse effects due to its content of neurotoxic cyanogen glycosides and immunosuppressive cyclic nonapeptides.
Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Grease a non stick loaf pan with some butter. Keep aside.
3. Prepare flax paste, i.e. 2 tbsp flax seed flour + 6 tbsp water, mix well.[Flax seed flour works as egg substitute]
4. In a large bowl, sift  flour and baking soda.
5. Now add, chopped walnuts, pecans, mashed bananas, butter, Flax seed powder dissolved in water, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.
6. Transfer the batter to the pre greased loaf pan.
7. Sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar on the top. It gives beautiful brown color and crunch to the bread.
8. Put the pan in the oven for 45 minutes or an hour. Insert a skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean, banana nut bread is done.
9. Take it out of the oven, cool it completely and then slice it.

Serving suggestions:
Serve banana nut bread slice with vanilla ice-cream or a cup of coffee.

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

Serving healthy breakfast isn’t that hard. This easy recipe calls for what you mostly have in your refrigerator and pantry. And yes it requires no cooking skills.

Ingredients:
Approx. 4 servings

• Organic vanilla yogurt – 2 cups
• Fresh strawberries – 10
• Walnut & Pecans –  1/2 cup
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal – 2 cups [Or any cereal of your choice]

Method:

1. Lightly toast walnuts and pecans in a pan. Crush them in small bites. Keep aside. Cut strawberries in quarters and keep aside.
2. Take four tall glasses to serve parfaits. Layer each glass with 2 tbsp of vanilla yogurt. Now add 4-5 strawberry pieces, add 2 tbsp of cereal and 1 tbsp of nuts.
3. Repeat the same sequence, yogurt, strawberry, cereal and nuts in all four glasses. Garnish with strawberries.
4. Serve immediately or for later use, cover these glasses with cellophane wrap and refrigerate.

Enjoy as a yummy and healthy breakfast.

Tricolor Bread Pakora

 

 










Ingredients : For bread pakoras : 8 pieces

For stuffing:
Potatoes  - 2 boiled and peeled
Onion -  finely chopped
Green chilies  - 1 finely chopped
Cilantro - 2 tbsp finely chopped
Roasted Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1 tsp
Chaat masala - 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

To make cover:
Bread   -  4 slices
Besan (gram flour)   - 1.5 cup
Red chili powder  - 1/2  tsp
Turmeric  powder  - 1/2  tsp
salt as per taste

For pakora assembly:
Tomato Ketchup  - 1/2 cup
Green chutney -1/2 cup
Cooking oil for deep frying

 

Method:

• In a bowl, prepare stuffing, by adding boiled and peeled potatoes, Onions, green chilies, cilantro, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder, amchur powder, chaat masala and salt. Mash it all together. Keep aside.
• Take one bread slice, apply a thin layer of ketchup on it . Cover it with another bread slice. Now apply a layer of potato stuffing on it. Cover with another bread slice. On this slice apply a thin layer of green chutney and finally cover it with a bread slice.
• The whole sandwich should have following layers:  Bread  - ketchup - Bread  - Potato stuffing - Bread  - Green chutney - bread .
• Cut the whole sandwich in 4 quarters. Quarters are easy to manage while frying. Keep them aside.
• For the covering batter: In a bowl, take besan, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Now add some water to make a smooth batter. Batter should not be runny.
• Now take each sandwich quarter, dip evenly in the above batter and fry it in medium hot oil.
• When the pakoda looks evenly golden on all sides, take it out and drain it on the kitchen towel.
• Let it cool a bit. Now cut it diagonally to reveal all the layers.

Enjoy with a cup of hot tea or cool lemonade.

Vegetable Dalia [Broken wheat pilaf]

This is a very healthy and nutritious recipe for the breakfast or for lunch. Broken wheat or Dalia has high ratio of calcium, vitamins, iron and other essential nutrients which are critical to the growth and health of the body. Broken wheat is a great source of daily fiber. It becomes even healthier, when we add all the vegetables we have. It makes it more flavorful and yummy.

Ingredients:
For Vegetable Dalia [2 servings]

Dalia (Cracked wheat) – 1 cup
Sweet onion – ½ cup (sliced)
Green peas - ¼ cup (fresh or frozen)
Green beans – ¼ cup (fresh or frozen)
Tomato – ¼ cup diced
Carrots – ¼ cup diced
Cauliflower -1/2 cup (cut into small florets)
Jeera (Cumin seeds) – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Green chili – 1 tsp minced [OPTIONAL]
Ghee [Clarified butter] -1/2 tbsp
Cooking oil – 1tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

• In a pan, dry roast Dalia with ½ tbsp of Ghee or butter till it becomes golden. Keep aside.
• In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Add sliced onions to it. Sauté till it becomes translucent.
• Now add peas, beans, cauliflower, tomatoes and carrots to it. Sauté for 1 minute.
• Add all the dry spices to it. Mix well. Add roasted Dalia to the vegetables in the pressure cooker.
• Add 2.5 cups of water to it. Pressure cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.
• Vegetable Dalia is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestion:
Serve hot Dalia with fresh yogurt and masaledaar achaar [spicy pickle].

Methi ke bharwan tikke

Ingredients: For methi ke tikke [ Approx. 8 pieces]

For Cover:

Whole wheat flour - 1.5 cups

Butter - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 pinch

For filling:

Fresh Methi leaves (Fenugreek leaves) - 1 bunch

Potatoes - 1 medium [OPTIONAL]

Fresh crushed garlic - 1/2 tbsp

Fresh crushed Ginger - ½ tbsp
Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Dry Spices:
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp
Amchur powder - 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala powder - ½ tsp
Salt as per taste

Method: 

• To make dough, in a large bowl add whole wheat flour, butter, salt and some water to make even but little stiff dough. Keep aside.
• To prepare filling, Clean the methi leaves and cut finely. Keep aside. Boil, peel and cut potatoes into small cubes and keep aside. 
• In a pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida powder. When it crackles, add crushed garlic and ginger. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. 
• Add cut methi leaves and boiled potatoes to the pan. Mix well and cover the pan for few minutes.  
• Now add all dry spices (turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala powder and salt). Mix well.Cook it uncovered till the filling becomes dry.
• To make tikke, divide the dough into 8 balls. Roll the balls into 6 inches diameter circles. On each circle, place 2 tbsp of methi filling. Bring all the sides together and make it into tikke.
• On the medium hot griddle, place two tikke at a time. Cook the tikke on both sides till it becomes golden brown.

Enjoy garma garam tikke with green mint chutney on the side.

Healthy Brunch: Dal ke Parathe

Healthy Brunch: Dal ke Parathe
Dal ka parathe is perfect for Sunday brunch. It is healthy and flavorful. You can use also leftover dal for this recipe.
Ingredients:
For Dal ke Parathe: [5  servings]
Wheat Flour – 2 cups
Moong dal [Split yellow lentil] – 1 cup
Onion -1 cup chopped finely
Fresh chopped Garlic -1/2 tbsp
Fresh chopped Ginger -1/2 tbsp
Green chilies- 1tsp finely chopped
Cilantro -1/4 cup finely chopped

Dry Spices:Cumin seeds (Jira) – 1 tsp
Fennel seeds (Saunf) – 1 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) powder -1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Cooking oil for lightly shallow frying the parathas

Method:

• Wash Moong dal thoroughly. Boil washed moong dal using very little water and some salt or pressure cook it. When it is done, keep aside. For this recipe you can also use leftover dal for the parathas.
• Combine wheat flour, onions, ginger-garlic, green chilies and cilantro. Also add all the dry spices and finally cooked dal. Mix it all and knead well into dough. If necessary add very little water.
• Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and make even balls of it.
• Roll the dough balls into 8 inch diameter circles. Cook the parathas on hot griddle [tava] or a pan using very little oil on both the sides till it turns golden brown. Drain on the paper towel and keep aside.

Enjoy garma garam parathas with raita (yogurt) and achaar (pickle).

Healthy Vegetable Idli (Veggie Rice cakes)

Healthy Vegetable Idli (Veggie Rice cakes)
Idli is one of the healthiest southern Indian breakfasts. Plain Idli is great but with vegetables it is awesome. It can be served as a breakfast, evening snack or as a meal with sambhar and chutney. Idli is soft and easy to eat so kids love it too.

Ingredients: For Vegetable Idli (4 servings)
Idli batter – 4 cups
Vegetables – Carrot, cabbage, green beans [shredded] -1.5 cups
Tomato- 1 thinly sliced [Round]
Cashews – ½ cups
Cilantro leaves – ½ cup leaves
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Green chilies – 2
Curry leaves – 5-6
Cooking oil – 1 tbsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Prepare Idli batter as usual or buy it from any Indian grocery store.
• In a pan, heat cooking oil and add mustard seeds. When it starts splattering, add green chilies, curry leaves and vegetables. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Do not cook the vegetables completely as they will be cooked later with the idli batter.
• Add salt to the vegetables and cool it for few minutes.
• Add the vegetables to the Idli batter and mix well.
• For making Idlies, grease the Idli molds and arrange tomato slices in some of the molds, or cilantro leaves or cashews. Now pour the idli batter in each mold and steam it.
• Once the Idlies are cooked, keep the molds aside for few minutes to cool down and then gently take the idlies off the mold and flip them. Arrange the vegetable side up in the serving plate.

Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy warm Idlis with green cilantro chutney or coconut chutney and sambhar.

Aloo-Palak Paratha (Stuffed Indian bread)

Aloo-Palak Paratha (Stuffed Indian bread)
Aloo – palak paratha is great for brunch, breakfast or anytime meal. Instead of aloo-palak, only palak can be stuffed for different taste. Leftover aloo palak subzi can be used for stuffing. This paratha is a hit for lunch box meal too.

Ingredients:
For Aloo-palak Paratha [8 parathas]
Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
Spinach – 1 bunch fresh or 1 packet frozen
Potatoes – 2 medium sizes
Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder -  ½ tsp
Coriander powder – 1/ 2 tbsp
Garlic -1/2 tbsp finely chopped
Green chilies- ½ tbsp finely chopped [OPTIONAL]
Asafoetida powder – ¼ tsp
Ajwain – 1 tsp
Water (enough to make dough)
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Combine whole wheat flour, half cumin seeds, ajwain seeds and 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
• Mix together well and add water slowly to make soft dough. Knead well to make it even.
• Keep the dough aside for 10-15 minutes.
• Peel and cut potatoes in small cubes and keep aside. Clean and cut fresh spinach finely or thaw frozen spinach.
• To prepare stuffing, in a pan, heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil and add remaining cumin seeds to it. Let it crackle. Add asafetida powder, garlic, green chilies to it. Cook for a minute. Add cut potatoes and spinach. Mix, cover and cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat.
• Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder to it. When potatoes are fully done, cook it uncovered for 7 more minutes. Take off the flame and let the stuffing cool down. Mash the stuffing and divide it into 8 equal parts.
• Divide the dough into 8 parts.
• Take one part and make a ball of it. And then with the help of rolling pin, roll it and stuff the golf ball size stuffing into the dough. Roll the parathas lightly into 6-7” diameter.
• On the hot griddle, fry parathas one at a time till it becomes golden brown on both the sides. . Repeat the process with the remaining 7 parts of dough.

Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy with fresh yogurt and your favorite pickle anytime of the day.

Onion-Green Chilli Uttapam

Uttapam is one of the great tasting South Indian snack or breakfast. It has many different versions but Onion-Green Chili is one of my all time favorite. Instead of onion-chili, you can add any fresh vegetable of your choice .


Ingredients:
For Onion-Green Chili Uttapam [6 uttapams approx.]
Idli / Dosa Batter – 2 cups [ Ihave used Idli batter ]
Sweet Onions – 1 cup finely chopped
Green Chilies - 3-4 chopped
Cilantro -1/3 cup chopped
Cooking oil for shallow frying
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Heat griddle or tawa. Take one ladle of Idli batter and pour in the middle of the griddle.
• Spread the batter as pancake and add one teaspoon of oil along the edges.
• On the top spread chopped onions, green chillies and chopped cilantro evenly. Let it cook on the medium flame for a minute and then  cover the uttapam with a lid. Cook for another 2 minutes.

• Remove the lid and add few drops of oil on top of onion and chillies.
• Gently flip the uttapam to the other side and cook for couple of minutes.
• Uttapam is ready when it is golden brown in color.

Serve hot with  green/coconut chutney and sambhar.

Medu Vada

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m a big fan of South Indian snacks. Medu vada is one of those. It is easy to make you can serve it as a meal with sambhar and chutney or just anytime snack only with chutney.It’s a kid’s friendly snack.

Ingredients:
For Medu vada (4 servings)

Urad dal - 1.5 cups

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1 pinch

Freshly ground black pepper - 1tsp

Green chilies - 2

Curry leaves -8

Cooking oil to fry

Salt as per taste

Method:

• Wash Urad dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 6-7 hours.
• Grind soaked dal with green chilies in fine paste using very little water. Add asafoetida powder, cumin seeds, black pepper and salt to the paste.
• Mix the batter for few minutes. It will incorporate some air to the batter and make it light.
• Heat cooking oil for frying the vadas.
• Apply some oil to your palm and take some batter on it. Shape it round and make a hole in the center with your finger. It takes some practice to make the shape.
• Deep fry the doughnut shaped vadas in oil. It should be golden and crispy.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve hot with green chutney or coconut chutney for snack and with sambhar/chutney for meal.