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Healthy Eating: Black Sesame Seeds Chutney

black sesame seeds chutney

There are mainly 3 types of sesame seeds – black, white and red or brown. Of these three, black sesame seeds rank the highest, white medium and red falls the lowest in nutritional qualities. Let’s look at a black sesame seeds chutney or a spice mix recipe which will be moist due to sesame oil from the seeds. We can store it in an airtight container and relish it with roti, bhakri, khakara, idli, dosa or even rice. This is a very easy way to include sesame seeds to your daily diet. 

What You Will Need 

  • Black sesame seeds – one small cup
  • Salt – to taste
  • Dry red chili – 7 to 8
  • Garlic pods – 7 to 8

How To Prepare

  1. Dry roast black sesame seeds on medium flame. Remove them after they start popping and get roasted. Let them cool. 
  2. Next, roast red dry chilies till the moisture in them dries up. Remove this and let it cool.
  3. Now, add sesame seeds and roasted chilly and grind it to a coarse powder in a mixer grinder. 
  4. Once it seems blended well, add the garlic pods and salt and grind them so that they blend together nicely. 
  5. Your black sesame seeds chutney is ready! 

Benefits of the Black Sesame Seeds Chutney 

  • Sesame seeds are an excellent source of copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, vitamin B1, B6, Niacin, zinc, molybdenum and selenium. They’re also rich in dietary fiber, proteins and carbohydrates. 
  • Sesame seeds can prevent and control diabetes. They also aid in reducing the risks of cancer.  
  • Improves and supports bone health. 
  • As a strong anti inflammatory agent, they are known to reduce cardiovascular diseases and hypertension. 
  • Reduces signs of premature aging and strengthens muscle tissue and hair.  
  • Sesame seeds also protects DNA from harmful effects of radiation either from accidental or natural sources or by chemotherapy or radiotherapy

We hope you enjoy this Black Sesame Seeds Chutney. Do try it out and leave your feedback in the comments below. For more Healthy Recipes, checkout Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE cooking sessions on GOQii Play. 

#BeTheForce 

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Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes For Good Health!

carrots, beetroots and tomatoes

Stress, oily foods, greasy foods, smoke, smog and air pollution give rise to free radicals in our body. These free radicals cause cell damage and bring about aging in us. Antioxidants capture these free radicals and protect our cells and blood vessels from the damage caused by them. Thus, antioxidants are great for our skin, heart, metabolism and are anti-aging. Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes are among the vegetables that have the highest amount of these antioxidants. Carrots are rich in vitamin A that helps build immunity and eyesight, while beetroots have blood pressure lowering properties and tomatoes are heart healthy and skin brightening!

The combination of carrots, beetroots and tomatoes helps in weight loss and curb constipation as well. The nutrients of these are best absorbed when taken in combination with each other. Though available throughout the year, they’re the best during winter! Here are some easy ways to make very low calories, yet satiating recipes with this wonderful combination. 

3 Healthy Recipes Using Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes

1. CBT Juice
Want to get rid of toxins? Employ Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes for a cleansing, detox drink that will flush out all those toxins! 

What you will need: 

  • Carrot – 1 medium sized 
  • Beetroot – 1 
  • Tomato – 1 
  • Mint – 5-6 leaves
  • Coriander – 2-3 twigs 
  • Rock salt and lemon juice – to taste 

Method:

  1. Peel and roughly chop the carrot, beetroot and tomato
  2. Blend them along with mint and coriander leaves in a blender/juicer
  3. Add some water if required while blending to bring a juice like consistency.
  4. Add lemon juice, rock salt and mix well

Important: Do not strain, or you’ll lose all the good fiber. Drink the juice within 15 minutes of preparation or else the juice gets oxidised and may lose most of its healthy goodness. The best time to have this is on an empty stomach in the morning – do not eat anything for the next half an hour. 

2. CBT Salad
Confused about what to eat for lunch? Want something that’s filling and low on calories? Let this CBT Salad be your go-to recipe! 

What you will need: 

  • Carrot – ½ cup grated
  • Beetroot – ½ cup 
  • Tomato – ½ cup finely chopped            
  • Onion – ¼ cup 
  • Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon chopped
  • Mint leaves – 1 tablespoon 
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon 
  • Sesame seeds – 1 teaspoon 
  • Salt to taste 
  • You can also add: Yoghurt, chopped walnuts, feta cheese

Method:

  • Mix and toss all the chopped and grated vegetables
  • Add lemon juice and salt.
  • Garnish with chopped coriander and mint leaves
  • You can pour a temper of curry leaves and mustard seeds over this salad
  • Yoghurt can be mixed with this salad, to make a raita
  • Add some finely chopped walnuts or sesame seeds for a nutty flavour and the good fats.
  • Feta cheese will add some first class protein

Important: Wash all the vegetables properly. Squeeze the lemon just before consuming the salad. Salad should be consumed within 20-25 minutes of preparation to avoid the nutrients getting oxidised. Start lunch with this salad as it will curb post-meal glucose excursion. Aids weight loss, as it is filling and has less calories.

3. Soup
In the mood for soup? Here’s something we’re sure you haven’t tried before! 

  • Tomatoes – 5 
  • Carrots – 2 
  • Beetroot – 1 
  • Ginger garlic paste – 1 tablespoon 
  • Cinnamon stick – 1 inch 
  • Bay leaf – 1 
  • Ghee – 1 tablespoon 
  • Salt, cumin powder, chili flakes, fresh pepper, dry herbs (oregano, basil, parsley) to taste.

Method:

  1. Pressure cook the carrots, beetroots and tomatoes with the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and enough water to soak for 2 whistles
  2. Cool down the boiled vegetables. Discard the cinnamon stick, bay leaf and the skin from the tomatoes. Puree the rest in a blender
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a medium pot. Add the ginger garlic paste and be sure to not burn it
  4. Carefully pour the puree in the pot
  5. Add cumin powder, salt, chilli flakes and fresh ground pepper as per taste
  6. Bring to a boil on medium high heat, stirring the mixture a few times
  7. Sprinkle some dry herbs and serve hot! 

Important: The best time to have this soup is for a light dinner or a healthy evening snack. 

We hope you enjoy all the amazing benefits offered by this healthy combination of Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes! Do try out all the recipes and let us know in the comments below! For more on nutrition, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE sessions by experts on GOQii Play. 

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce  

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Healthy Eating: Masala Gur – The Best Winter Dessert

Masala Gur

Winter is the favorite season for many of us but it brings the challenge of keeping our bodies warm and staying healthy enough to fight off infections. On the other hand, it also leaves the body craving for food. You’ve noticed being hungrier during winter, especially for something sweet. Keeping this in mind, let’s look at a recipe that can help us satisfy that sweet craving, keep warm and boost immunity. Let’s learn how to prepare Masala Gur (Jaggery)! 

What You Will Need 

  • Jaggery – 100 gms 
  • Makhana (fox nuts) – 10 to 12 
  • Ghee – ½ tsp 
  • Sonth (dry ginger powder) – 1 tsp 
  • Ajwain (carom seeds) – ½ tsp 
  • Pinch of Black Salt 
  • Raw Peanuts – 2 tbsp 
  • Almonds – 10 to 12 (roughly chopped) 
  • Jeera – ½ tsp

How To Prepare 

  1. Grate the Jaggery into a bowl and keep it aside 
  2. Take a pan, add half a tsp ghee and roast the makhana in it till crisp. Move them to a bowl.
  3. Next, dry roast peanuts and rub their skin off. 
  4. Now, add the grated gur into a non stick heavy bottom kadai and let it melt on medium flame. 
  5. When you feel the gur is melted and is in a semi-liquid state, add the ajwain, sonth, jeera and black salt one by one into this melted gur. Stir well so that the spices blend well with the melted gur. 
  6. Next, add the makhana, peanuts and roughly chopped almonds to it. Switch the gas off and mix well. 
  7. Grease a thali or a plate and pour this hot gur mix in it and let it cool. Once it cools down and gets hard again, break it into small pieces. Your Masala Gur is ready! 

Benefits of the Masala Gur Recipe 

  • This masala gur can be a healthy substitute to high fat and refined sugar desserts
  • The saunth, jeera, ajwain and black salt aids good digestion, improves metabolism and provides heat to the body 
  • This treat should be enjoyed in small candy size pieces

We hope you enjoy making and eating this tasty Masala Gur winter dessert. Do try it and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play. 

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce 

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Healthy Eating: Millet Soup

millet soup

Believe it or not, Millets have been in the winter superfoods list since time immemorial. Millets are hardy grains and because they grow like weeds, they can withstand any temperatures (hot, cold and even drought). Let’s learn an interesting way to include this winter friendly superfood in our diet with a healthy Millet Soup recipe! 

What You Will Need: 

  • Curd – 1 cup
  • Bajra flour – 3 tbsp 
  • Water – 3-4 cups 
  • Boiled sweet corn – 2 tbsp 
  • Yellow & green bell peppers – 3 tbsp chopped
  • Carrot – ¼ cup chopped 
  • Onion – ¼ cup chopped 
  • Cabbage – ¼ cup chopped 
  • Coriander leaves – ½ cup chopped 
  • Desi cow ghee – 2 tsp 
  • Cumin seeds – ¼ tsp 
  • Green chilly – 1 tsp finely chopped 
  • Ginger – 1 tsp grated ginger
  • Coarsely ground black pepper – ½ tsp
  • Lemon juice – 1 tsp 
  • Salt to taste 

How To Prepare

  1. Take curd and bajra flour in a bowl and whisk to make a smooth mixture. 
  2. Gradually add 3-4 cups of water while whisking the mix. Add salt & pepper to this mix and keep it aside.
  3. In a pan, heat ghee and crackle cumin seeds. Add all the veggies except coriander leaves & sauté for a minute.
  4. Slowly add bajra and curd mix into the pan with sautéed veggies while stirring. Cook this on medium to low flame for 15-20 minutes.
  5. Turn the flame off, add lemon juice and fresh coriander. Your hot and tasty millet soup is ready! 

Highlights of the Millet Soup recipe 

  • This soup is the perfect option when you are hungry but want to have something warm and light.
  • It is high in iron content 
  • It’s all organic as millets are naturally non-GMO and pesticide free 
  • Millets are not only high in macronutrients like protein and fiber but are also a powerhouse of many vitamins and minerals too.

We’re sure this Millet Soup will become your go-to winter recipe. Try it now and let us know your thoughts in the comments below! For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

Eat healthy and #BeTheForce 

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