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.

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.

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].