Quinoa Idli
Quinoa is a healthy grain rich in protein, fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. It is essential to incorporate whole grains and seeds in your daily diet. There are lot of Indian dishes you can make using quinoa. Idli is one of the staple Indian breakfast dish. It will be a great start for your day after having these super healthy Quinoa Idlis. Preparation time: 12 hours Cooking time: 15 minutes Yield: 25 to 30 idlis Ingredients: Quinoa – 1 cup Par boiled rice – 1 cup Whole urad dal – 1/2 cup Fenugreek seeds (methi) – 1 tsp Salt to taste Method of Preparation: Wash and soak rice, quinoa for 4 hours. Wash and soak urad dal for 1.5 hours. Soak everything separately. Grind urad dal separately. Sprinkle water in between. Batter should be light and fluffy....
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Fried Quinoa
Quinoa is a healthy wholegrain and you can substitute it for rice in many recipes. Fried Quinoa (rice) is very easy to make, delicious and a great source of nutrition. It is also suitable for the 28 days detox diet that I have written about. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes No. of servings: 3 Spice level: 3 out of 5 Ingredients: Cooked Quinoa – 2 cups Garlic – 4 cloves Minced ginger – 1/2 tsp Vegetables – 2 cups (red bell pepper, broccoli, snow peas, carrot, green peas and carrot) Green onions or spring onions – 2 to 3 Low sodium soy sauce or liquid aminos – 1 tbsp Hot sauce or Sriracha sauce – 1 tsp Canola oil – 1 tsp (can use cooking spray) Sesame oil – 1/2 tsp (optional) Salt and pepper to...
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Quinoa Oat Muffins (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)
I was looking for a healthy and delicious muffin recipe with whole grains for my 28 Day Weight Loss and Detox Diet. This recipe caught my eye in Pinterest and I decided to give it a try. I made a few changes to the original recipe and the output was delicious. I have used all gluten free ingredients. It definitely satisfies my sweet cravings and it is guilt free. When you are on this diet, do not eat more than one muffin per day. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes Yield: 9 muffins Ingredients: Oat flour – 1.5 cups Instant oats – 1/4 cup Oat bran – 1/4 cup Cooked Quinoa – 1/3 cup Almond butter – 3 tbsp Agave nectar – 3 tbsp Sugar substitute – 3 packets (I used stevia) Canola oil – 3 tbsp...
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Strawberry Kiwi Smoothie (Gluten and Dairy Free)
If you are looking for a delicious, dairy/gluten free smoothie then this is perfect for you. I have used almond milk which is very nutritious and has a nutty flavor. This is also perfect for the 28 Day Weight Loss and Detox Program that I have written about in our blog. Ingredients: Strawberries (fresh or frozen) – 10 to 12 (washed and cleaned) Kiwi fruit – 2 (wash and peel the skin) Almond milk (gluten free) – 3/4 cup Agave nectar – 1 tsp Ground flax seed – 1 tbsp Method of preparation: Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend till everything is smooth. Transfer it to a serving glass and you can top it with chopped fresh fruits. You can add a few ice cubes to the blender along with the other...
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Rice Porridge – Puzhungal Arisi Kanji
Parboiled Rice Porridge called Puzhungal Arisi Kanji in tamil is a healthy and delicious porridge which is perfect for both adults and kids. This is generally served when people fall sick. It is easy to digest, good for health and easy to make. Parboiled rice is used for making this dish. If you like it savory, you can substitute sugar and milk with buttermilk and salt. It is also perfect if you are diabetic. I always have the rice powder handy so that I can make this porridge for a quick breakfast or if I am sick. You can also add palm sugar or honey to this porridge. Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes No. of servings: 2 Ingredients: Parboiled rice – 1/2 cup For Porridge: Parboiled rice powder – 4 tbsp Milk – 1 cup Sugar...
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Oats Pongal
Oats Pongal is a healthy South Indian breakfast dish. This is a wonderful way to incorporate oats in your daily diet. It is nutritious and very easy to prepare apart from the fact that it tastes very close to the original Ven Pongal. This fiber and protein rich breakfast dish can be served with sambar/chutney. You can use gluten free oats if you are on a gluten free diet. If you want to avoid dairy, substitute ghee with oil. Try this wonderful dish at your home and enjoy a healthy and hearty meal… Cooking time: 30 minutes No. of servings: 4 Spice level: 2.5 out of 5 Ingredients: Rolled oats – 1 cup Split moong dal – 1/2 cup Ghee or clarified butter – 2 tbsp Choped ginger – 1 tbsp Cumin seeds – 3/4 tbsp Crushed black pepper...
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Homemade Granola
Homemade Granola is a mixture of rolled oats, nuts and dry fruits with oil, maple syrup and sugar. It makes a healthy breakfast or a snack or a topping in your ice cream or Greek yogurt. This is a basic granola recipe and it is very easy to make. Make your own cereals with your favorite mixture and mix it with cold or warm milk or munch as a snack. I have added all my favorite ingredients in my Granola. You can also include seeds such as pumpkin and sunflower seeds and other dry fruits such as dates, prunes and berries. If you start making your own cereals or granola bars you will never go back to the store bought ones. Believe me and give it a try!!! Ingredients: Rolled oats – 2 cups Slivered or sliced almonds – 3/4...
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Chayote and Carrot Stir Fry – Chow Chow and Carrot Poriyal
Chayote is know as Chow Chow or Bengaluru Kathirikkai in tamil language. This pear shaped vegetable is low in calories and rich in nutrition. We commonly use this vegetable in sambar and other curries. Today I have made a simple chayote and carrot stir fry which can be served with rice or roti. A simple low calorie dish for everyday meal with lots of nutrients. Ingredients: Chayote or chow chow – 1 (big) Medium size carrots – 3 Finely chopped shallots or onions – 1/2 cup A few curry leaves Oil – 1 tsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 1 tsp A pinch of turmeric powder Salt to taste Masala to grind: Oil – 1/2 tsp Channa dal – 1 tbsp Dried red chilies – 2 Fennel seeds – 1/4 tsp Method of Preparation: Heat 1/2...
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Plantain and Eggplant Curry (From Sri Lankan Kitchen)
Plantain and Eggplant is a wonderful combination for making curries which I learnt recently. I learnt this tasty curry from one of my friend called Shalini, from Sri Lanka. She is my neighbor and a good cook. This is a simple dish with lots of flavors. Coconut milk plays an important part and I would prefer homemade coconut milk for making this dish since it is fresh and lighter than the store bought ones. Check out my recipe for homemade coconut milk. If you are unable to make fresh coconut milk, try substituting canned coconut milk. Enjoy this dish and let me know your comments. Ingredients: Indian or Chinese eggplant or brinjal – 3 Plantain – 1 (medium size, about 5″) Chopped green chilies – 2 tbsp Sliced onions – 1/3 cup Curry leaves – 7 to 8 leaves...
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Chayote and Lima Beans Lentil Curry- Chowchow Mochakottai Kootu
I bought some frozen lima beans after studying about its nutrition facts and benefits. I made a South Indian lentil curry with chayote and lima beans which is a traditional dish. Chayote is called chowchow or seemai kathirikkai in tamil, lima beans also known as Butter beans is called mochakottai in tamil. Lima beans are available in different colors. They are rich in dietary fibers which reduces blood cholesterol level and the risks of cancer. They are also rich in protein, folate, vitamin B6 and B12, antioxidants, iron, manganese, calcium, potassium and more. I don’t think we need more reason to add this to our diet…;) Enjoy this nutrition rich food with rice or roti or as a side with rice and rasam/kuzhambu. Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes No. of servings: 5 to 6 Spice level:...
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Parangikkai Karamani Kootu – Butternut Squash and Lentil Curry
Butternut Squash is a type of winter squash which is pear shaped, has a yellow skin and an orange flesh inside. It has a sweet and nutty taste. It contains many important nutrients such as vitamin A and C, potassium, fibre, iron and magnesium. Since it has a sweeter taste, generally many of us don’t use this vegetable often in Indian recipes. But when it is not ripe it is not that sweet and can be used in making Sambar (Lentil Soup) and Kootu (South Indian Curry) or other dishes. It has a thick skin and it is generally peeled, stalks and seeds are removed before cooking. Their seeds are edible and contains oil and protein. You can serve them toasted as a healthy snack. Coming to Azuki beans (karamani or red chori), it is a good source of...
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Podalangai Poricha Kuzhambu (Snake Gourd Lentil Stew)
Poricha Kuzhambu is a traditional dish from Tamil Nadu which is prepared from lentils, spices and vegetables and served with cooked rice. There are different versions of this dish. This one is a simple and yummy recipe from my mom and one of my all time favorite dish. Different type of lentils such as toor dal, moong dal and channa dal can be used for this dish. Today I am going to make it with channa dal and moong dal (protein rich). The perfect combination for this dish would be paruppu usli or potato fry (urulai fry). My mouth waters when I imagine that… Ingredients: Snake Gourd – 500 gram (1.1 lb) Channa dal – 3/4 cup Moong dal – 1/4 cup Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Oil – 1 tsp Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp Dried red chilies...
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Pavakkai Pitlai (Bitter Gourd Sambar)
Bitter Gourd or Bitter Melon (known as Pavakkai in Tamil and Karela in Hindi), as the name indicates is a bitter vegetable with lots of precious nutrients and less calories. It is an excellent source of vitamins B1, B2, and B3, C, magnesium, folic acid, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, and has high dietary fiber. It is rich in iron, beta-carotene, calcium and potassium. It is known for its medicinal values. My mom always force me to eat karela saying it purifies your blood and is good for your heart. I should thank her for making me eat this vegetable. Now it has grown on me and I don’t hate to eat it anymore. On the contrary, my husband loves it. So I try incorporate it in my cooking as much as possible. It is popular in Indian cuisine. In South...
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Simple Brussels Sprouts Fry
Brussels Sprouts are leafy green vegetable and they look like a small cabbage bud. They are rich in protein, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. They are rich in vitamin A and C and said to contain sinigrin, which protect against colon cancer. Learn more about Brussels sprouts from Wikipedia or here. Today I have prepared a simple fry in Indian style which can be served with rice and sambar or rasam or even as a salad with chapathi. Do not over cook the vegetable since it will become too soft and releases an odour which some people may dislike. It is not ideal for people with thyroid dysfunction to eat this vegetable on a regular basis, although a reasonable intake once in a while wouldn’t hurt. Preparation time: 25 minutes No. of servings: 3 to 4 Spice level: 2.5 out of...
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Fusilli with Spinach and Arugula Pesto
Fusilli is spiral shaped pasta and is widely used . I have made a Spinach Arugula Pesto inspired by Giada’s Spicy Pesto. I have tweaked it according to my taste and it was creamy and delicious. If you like it more spicy add more jalapenos. I blanched spinach and arugula since I thought I may not like the raw taste of it and I was right. You can also add some basil leaves if you have. You can avoid cheese and use brown rice pasta to make it healthy. I hope you all like this dish. Preparation time: 40 minutes No. of servings: 5 to 6 Spice level: 2 out of 5 Ingredients: Arugula – 1 and 1/2 cups Spinach – 2 cups Avocado – 1 One and half jalapeno pepper with seeds (adjust to taste) Sun dried tomatoes –...
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Tomato Dal – Lentil and Tomato Soup
Tomato dal is a simple and tasty lentil dish popular in South India. It is a healthy, gluten free and protein rich dish and complements roti and rice. Also, Wish you all a Happy Thiruvathirai and Arudhra Darshan… You can check the recipe for Thiruvathirai Kali, which is the traditional dish for today. Ingredients: Toor dal – 1 cup Asafoetida – a pinch Oil – 1 tbsp Mustard seeds – 1 tsp Urad dal – 1 tsp Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Curry leaves – 5 to 6 Dry red chilies – 2 Garlic cloves – 5 Chopped ginger – 1 tsp Green chilies – 4 Finely chopped onions – 1/2 cup Large tomatoes – 2 Method of preparation: Pressure cook dal with a tsp of oil, a pinch of asafoetida and salt until cooked and slightly mashed. Heat oil in...
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Mixed Dal Curry – Mixed Lentil Soup
This is a protein packed lentil soup with no oil. This is a quick and simple recipe. And this is suitable for the 28 Day Weight Loss and Detox Program. I have used four types of lentils (dals) in this recipe. Lentils are a good source of protein and fiber along with folate, vitamin B and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%). I have added whole masoor dal, green split pea, split pigeon peas and channa dal (bengal gram) along with spinach. This is a healthy and tasty dal or soup. You can serve it with brown rice or white rice or roti along with a salad. Here you go… Preparation time: 30 minutes No. of servings: 5 to 6 Spice level: 3 out of 5 Ingredients: Whole Masoor...
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Pesarattu – Healthy Mung Bean Crepe
Pesarattu is a type of dosa or crepe from the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It has moong dal (muzhu pasipayaru), green chilies, ginger and salt. It is a protein packed and fiber packed dish and is suitable for the 28 Day Weight Loss and Detox Program. You can serve these crepes or dosa with chutney or Idli podi (spicy lentil powder). Ingredients: Whole green moong dal or green gram – 2 cups Grated ginger – 2 tbsp Green chilies – 3 to 4 (adjust to spice level) Salt to taste Oil or cooking spray Method of Preparation: Wash and soak whole moong dal in water overnight. Next day, drain the excess water and reserve the drained water. Grind it along with ginger, green chilies and salt to a fine batter (like the consistency of dosa batter). You can grind it in...
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