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5 HEALTHY TASTY SALADS

We always think salads to be dry and boring. How would you like it, if you get some super tasty salads combined with goodness of health?

Do go through these recipes and trust me post this, you will not like to miss salads in your meals

  1. TOFU/ PANEER STIR FRY SALAD

Paneer Salad

 

Ingredients Amount
Tofu/ Paneer ½ cup
Onion 1 no
Tomato 1 no
Bell pepper(any or all color) 1 no
Brocolli 4-5 florets
Baby corn 5-6 no
Salt To taste
Pepper powder To taste
Oil 1 TBSP
Oregano (optional) To taste
Chilli flakes (optional) To taste

METHOD:

  1. Dice the onion, tomatoes, bell peppers and tofu/ Paneer in same size.
  2. Heat 1 TBSP of oil in a pan. Once the oil heats up, saute the veggies and Paneer/Tofu on a high flame for a couple of minutes and add salt and pepper powder as per taste.
  3. Serve hot.

 

  1. SWEET POTATO SALAD

Sweet Potato Salad

 

Ingredients Amount
Sweet potato 500 gms
Onions 2 no
Bell pepper 1-2 no
Crushed garlic 2-3 cloves
Baby corn 7-8 no.
Brocolli 5-6 florets
Coriander leaves Few sprigs
Pepper Powder 1 tsp
Salt To taste
Ricebran Oil 1 TBSP
Lime juice ½-1 no

METHOD:

  1. Steam and Peel sweet potatoes, and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut onions and bell peppers into quarters, and cut each quarter into half.
  2. In a pan, add 1-2 TBSPricebran oil. Add crushed garlic, onions, broccoli and baby corn. Cook for a minute. Toss together sweet potatoes. Sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper.
  3. Sauté until golden brown. Sprinkle lime juice over it.
  4. Garnish with coriander leaves

 

  1. MOONG CHAT

Moong Salad

 

Ingredients Amount
Whole moong 2 TBSP
Curds made of skim milk 100 gms
Tomatoes 1/3 cup
Onion 1/3 cup
Red chilly powder ¼ tsp
Green coriander chutney 1 tbsp
Date chutney 1 tbsp
Salt To taste
Roasted jeera powder ¼ tsp

METHOD:

1.Sprout the Moong.

2.To the sprouted Moong add curds(beaten), chopped tomatoes, onion, red chili powder, green coriander chutney, date chutney and roasted jeera powder. Mix well

3.Garnish with coriander leaves and date chutney. Serve chilled.

 

  1. BOILED CHANA SALAD

boiled chana salad

Ingredients Amount
Kabuli chana 2 TBSP(unsoaked)
Tomatoes ½ cup
Onions ¼ cup
Lime ½ no.
Red chilly powder ¼ tsp
Salt To taste

 

METHOD:

1. Soak 2 TBSP of Kabuli chana for more than 8 hours. Boil them

2. Add the chopped onions and tomatoes.

3. Add red chilli powder, salt and lime.

4. Mix well. Garnish with coriander and serve.

 

  1. CUCUMBER RAITA 

cucumber raita

Ingredients Amount
Curd (made of low fat milk) ½ cup
Cucumber 1 whole
Coriander leaves Handful
Jeera powder ½ tsp
Pepper powder ¼ tsp
Salt To taste

 

METHOD:

1. Grate the cucumber into curd.

2. Add the chopped coriander leaves to the mixture and mix well

3. Add pepper powder, salt and jeera powder.

4. Serve chilled with any of the main dishes/ flat breads

P.S- You can also use mix veggies, bottle gourd, and pumpkin instead of cucumber

BENEFITS OF THESE SALADS:

  1. Nutrient dense- Rich in vitamins, minerals and flavonoids
  2. Has good protein content
  3. Fiber rich- Good for your digestive system
  4. Immune booster- Rich in various vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and water content, helps cleanse your system

These are some of the basic salads which everyone can make at ease to give a break to their boring salad plate. So which salad are you trying today?

If you have some interesting salad recipes, do share it with me. Will love to hear it from you

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Dressings/Seasonings : The “MAKE-UP” to your Salads/Soups

salad-dressing

DRESSINGS and SEASONING’S to foods is what make-up is to your face. The wrong types can make you look cakey and fake. Similarly, the wrong choice of toppings to your foods can mask the benefits of your salads, soups or sautéed veggies.

Now the next question rushing through your mind would be: So what’s the swap?
I agree sometimes the condiments make the meal; but the wrong ones are not at all goal friendly.  These 6 swaps can help you slash the fat content and boost nutrients — without sacrificing the flavours !

1. EAT THIS : Avocado / Nut butters , NOT THAT : Butter .

Let’s go natural and explore the benefits of Nature’s butter: Avocado. Factory made butters can mean a lot of saturated fat, sodium and preservatives. The avocado fruit is loaded with good fats   (heart healthy) called MUFA’s. Plus it has loads of Vit E (anti-oxidant) and Potassium (important for cardiac health and muscular contractions). It also can help to de-bloat since it acts as a natural diuretic.

All nuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids so grinding them can give a buttery texture. Make them into a paste with a slight drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle some Himalayan pink salt/Kosher salt and Voilà ! Walnut, peanut, almond, cashew, hazelnuts. you just name it!

USE: Spread it on your whole wheat toast, add a dollop of it to oatmeal and enjoy the creamy goodness knowing that per tablespoon, it packs 3/4 fewer calories. You could even take a tablespoon of it to stave off afternoon hunger pangs.

2. EAT THIS : Hummus / Thick yoghurt , NOT THAT : Mayo

Is it the white creaminess of mayo that makes you reach out for that jar ? You must try Hummus. This switch results in half the fat for double the amount and since its made from garbanzo beans and garlic, it can boost your intake of protein, minerals and antioxidants.
What more? Add some cilantro or mint leaves for some flavour. You will seriously forget mayo.

Or, blend yogurt, lemon juice, pepper and spices. Yogurt provides a smooth, creamy consistency and it easily absorbs flavors you add to it, so a spoonful or two is sure to be delicious. Its rich in gut friendly bacteria, protein and calcium. Something that the mayo missed out on.

USE : Try it on an open faced sandwich , a whole wheat wrap or as a dressing to a salad.

3. EAT THIS : Vinaigrette  , NOT THAT : Ranch

There is a bonus over here. Vinegar has been shown to control blood sugar levels and curb fat gain. The pectin content in it makes you feel fuller for longer.

Feel free to add variations like: apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, rice vinegar, wine vinegar.  It all becomes even more interesting with the addition of herbs, spices and flavourings. Ginger, garlic, basil, oregano, dill, black pepper, mint and mustard are all perfect examples.

For some reference, you could visit : http://paleoleap.com/salad-dressing-and-vinaigrettes/

USE: Drizzle it on your salads, marinate the veggies and roast them , in sautéed vegetables , add them to soups.

4. EAT THIS :Spicy Mustard / Home-made Salsa , NOT THAT : Ketchup.

Let us strictly say NO to ketchup. Each tablespoon packs about a teaspoon of HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP aka Refined Sugar. It’s said that one fourth of a bottle of ketchup is sugar. Ketchup lovers.. Hope you are listening?
Kick up the flavour with Mustard (commonly Dijon mustard) . The presence of cancer fighting anti-oxidants similar to the ones present in broccoli or cabbage is like an added feather.

Salsa are typically made of tomatoes, onions, chilies and cilantro. It’s rich in cancer fighting lycopene. You can easily make a large batch and let it sit in your fridge for a couple of days.

USE: It’s actually a part of Mexican cuisine, but goes well with sandwiches, lentil pancakes , vegetable dips.

5. EAT THIS : Fruit purées , NOT THAT : Jam/Marmalades 

Not even kids! This one again has a LOT of sugar and preservatives. Cook the fruits from your favourite jams, such as strawberry, apple, guava, in a saucepan at medium heat with water. Add water if you want a spreadable purée. Use fresh mint, lemon rind, cinnamon or nutmeg to enhance flavours without adding sugar.

USE : It can be used very much like the jam, in between breads , as a flavour to yoghurt , breakfast cereals, etc.

6. EAT THIS : Nuts/seeds, NOT THAT : Croutons

Crave for that CRUNCH ? Whether they’re whole-wheat or white, baked or fried, croutons don’t offer much nutritional value. Only fat and bad carbs.
Try tossing crunchy veggies like bell peppers (best if coloured), celery, carrots strips or heart-healthy nuts and seeds. Seeds can be anything like, sunflower, flaxseeds, sesame, pumpkin , watermelon.
USE: Croutons are generally add-ons to salads and soups. So next time you hit the salad bar, skip the croutons (even if it says ‘whole-wheat’) and ask for some nuts/seeds.

This is what I could put up together. I mainly emphasise on Soups, Salads and Whole wheat toasts, since these are trending at the moment in the quest for something healthy to eat when we go out.

Sadly, the Sauces and Seasonings block their nutritional punch and make your efforts go down the drain. So let these swaps still keep you in love with lettuce and at the same time tantalize your taste buds.

(Wondering, how to go about it ? Read this blog on Summer Salads by Coach Manisha :https://goqii.com/blog/tag/summer-salad/ and dress it up taking help from above. )

Disclaimer: People with nut allergy do not try the salad dressing and salads that contain nuts.

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Healthy Soups in a Bowl!

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I still remember those days when I was following a light dinner habit as suggested by one of the health professionals for reducing my fat percentage. I would add lots of raw veggies to keep my stomach full and get the nutrients. But, later on, it got very monotonous and I terribly started disliking the idea of eating raw veggies. That led me to the thought of how these could be incorporated into my daily meal so as to get all the nutrients without putting too much effort of chewing it raw?

Bingo! I came up with several soup ideas. Today, I am sharing some of these soup recipes for the benefit of all.

Soup, a liquid food that can be cold or hot. You can throw in a variety of ingredients such as  meat, veggies mixed with stock, water or other liquids into a slow cooker in the morning before you leave for work or school and return home to a delicious meal in the evening

The wealth of ingredients in a bowl of soup provides a good balance of carbohydrates, protein and fats as well as the vitamins and minerals required to create energy and keep us going without getting tired.

Soup is healthy: Perhaps the easiest way to add vegetables to your daily meals is to have a soup. Eating vegetables is part of a healthy diet so veggie soups are highly recommended.

Soups are slimming and help you lose weight. Of course, that is if you strictly follow a weight-loss plan and exercise well. A bowl of soup packs minimal calories but is very nutritious.

Soup fills you up because it stretches the stomach. You easily feel full so it’s ideal to eat soup at the beginning of every meal.

Soup is easy to make and can make you feel better.

Ever wondered why a soup is recommended to people who are sick? That is because soup is easily digested and good for health.

Here are some hot and cold soup recipes:-

1.  SPRING ONION AND PEAS SOUP

Ingredients:
Spring Onion/Scallions – 1 bunch
Peas – 2 Cup boiled
Onion – 1 Medium chopped
Garlic – 1 Pod chopped
Olive Oil – 2 tsp
Vegetable Stock/Water – 3-4 Cups
Salt & Pepper – To taste

 Pea Soup

Method:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan sauté chopped onions, garlic and 1.5 cup boiled peas for 2-3mins.

Add finely chopped spring onion bulbs to this and sauté for 2-3mins.

Remove from the stove and let it cool for a while.

Blend it all to make a paste.

Heat 1 tsp of oil in a vessel, add chopped spring onion greens and ½ cup peas and stir fry for 2-3mins.

Add puree and veg stock and seasoning.

Cook until 1 boil & serve piping hot.

Serve with soup sticks or toasted brown bread slice.

2. DETOX SOUP

Ingredients

Tomato- 2 in nos

Pumpkin- 100gms

Carrot- 1 in no

Cabbage-100gms

Broccoli- ½ cup florets

Bell pepper- cut into julienne (red, yellow, green)

Ginger, garlic and chilli paste- 1 tsp

Olive oil- ½ tsp

detox-soup-7988-January-09-2016

Method:

Pressure cook tomato, pumpkin, carrot, cabbage, ginger garlic & blend to make a puree.

SauteBroccoli florets, bell pepper in olive oil.

Add the puree to it and water to make the soup consistency.

Serve piping hot.

3. HERBAL OATS SOUP

Ingredients     
Oats – 4 tablespoons
Garlic – 1 pod

Celery and Parsley- 1 stalk each
Pepper – 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Vegetable-Oats-Soup

Method

Roast oats in a heated vessel.

Add chopped garlic, celery and parsley.

Add 2 cups of water, salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

4. Green Gram (MOONG) SOUP WITH Cottage Cheese (PANEER)

Ingredients:

¾ cup Moong (Green Gram)

2tbsp Paneer( Cottage Cheese) chopped

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tspJeera (Cumin seeds )mustard

1/4thtsp, hing (Fenugreek), pepper.

2 tbsp ghee (Clarified Butter)

Salt to taste.

mung_toor_dal_soup1

METHOD:

Soak Green Gran (Moong) for 6hrs. Cook in a pressure cooker. Blend it and strain.

Heat clarified butter (ghee) in a pan, add cumin seeds, mustard, fenugreek seeds and green gram liquid.

Add lemon, salt, pepper, cottage cheese and cook for 2 min

Serve piping hot.(This is a high protein soup)

5. SUNSHINE DELIGHT.

Ingredients

Yellow Squash (pumpkin) – 100gms

White squash (pumpkin) – 100gms

Carrot- 1 in no

Onion- 1 in no

Ginger- a small piece

Garlic- 1 pod

287689-pumpkin-soup-halloween

Seasoning:

Salt & pepper- according to taste

Lime juice- 1 tsp

Method:

Pressure cook all veggies and then blend to make a Puree.  Add 1 cup water and cook until it comes to boil. Add seasoning and garnish with shredded carrot and pumpkin seeds.

Serve piping hot.

6. AVOCADO SOUP

Ingredients

½ seedless cucumber

1 medium avocado

1 shallot

2 tbsp. plain yogurt

2 tbsp. fresh mint

1 sprig fresh mint

4 tsp. fresh lime juice

1½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

¼ tsp. ground cumin

1 radish

s01-sweet-potato-avocado-soup-sort

Method:

Place the cucumber, avocado, shallot, yoghurt, 2 tablespoons mint, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and 1 cup cold water in a blender, and process until smooth.

Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with the radish and remaining mint leaves. Perfect soup for this summer.

7. COLD CUCUMBER SOUP

Ingredients

3 medium seedless cucumbers

¾ c. Thinly sliced green onions

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tsp. Sea Salt

½ tsp. Freshly ground pepper

1½ c. vegetable broth

½ c. sour cream

cuke

Method:

Place cucumbers, green onions, lemon juice, lemon zest, sea salt, pepper, and vegetable broth in a blender or food processor and puree.

Stir in sour cream and chill until very cold, about 1 hour.

Serve topped with additional chopped cucumber, green onion, and lemon zest.

8. WATERMELON GAZPACHO

Ingredients:

About 8 cups watermelon, cubed

1 medium cucumber
1 medium tomato
2 medium shallots¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
No-Cook-Gazpacho-Recipe-Platted-e1434139708782

Chop the watermelon into rough cubes. Place it in a blender and blend (the blended amount should fill a 1 ½ quart blender). Pour into a bowl or container, and set aside.

Cut the cucumber in half; remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon. Peel the cucumber halves, then roughly chop them into a few smaller pieces. Roughly chop the tomato into quarters. Cut off the ends of the two shallots and peel them; cut them into quarters.

Place the cucumber, tomato, shallots, and ¼ cup loosely packed basil leaves into the pitcher of the blender. Blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into the container with the watermelon mixture and mix them with a spoon until fully combined.

Stir in 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 2 to 3 hours, until cold.  If desired, garnish with a few drops of olive oil.

Try some of these soups and drink your wealth of nutrients with this bowl.

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Healthy Recipe challenge

dry-fruit-fudge-500x500
The Festive Season is just around the corner. Festivals uplift our mood and make our lives better. Apart from rejoicing with family and friends, the most important thing of all is the amount of food you get to pig out on. And, there’s no doubt that during every Indian festival there’s a huge spread at the table and everyone gathers for a massive feast.

We’ve all starved during the festive season to make enough room for the sudden influx of gorgeous dishes and that’s totally acceptable.

We start the season with ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’, a ten day Hindu Festival celebrating beloved Elephant- headed god’s birthday. His pot-belly is a clear sign of what an avid eater he is and we follow his stubby footsteps on this day and fill ourselves to the brim with delicious foods. A variety of foods is prepared which include lots of sweets and high dense foods.

When I decided to write a blog I came up with the idea of throwing healthy recipes challenge to my Players. The idea was – ‘We can eat healthy foods without being guilty’.   Some of the players took this challenge and have come up with healthy options of food which can be eaten during fasting and non-fasting days during the festive season.

Here is what the players have come up with

1) Player Parigna

-Idea: Recipe for Fasting foods.

Recipe: Fruits and nuts with hung sweet curd

-Ingredients: Curd, Honey, fruits and nuts

1
-Method of Preparation: 

Mix 1 tablespoon honey in a bowl of curd. Tie this mixture in a soft muslin cloth and hang it for 2 hours. Cut seasonal fruits into small pieces. Chop some nuts of your choice. In a big bowl, mix hung cured, pieces of fruits and nuts.

2) Player- Vaibhav Sahu

Idea: Traditional sweet dish

Recipe: Dry Fruit Fudge

Ingredients: 100gm of Cashew nuts, almonds, 50gms Fox Nut (Makhana), dry coconut cut in thin long stripes, 50gm watermelon seeds, 100 gms Jaggery with a little water.

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Method of Preparation:

Heat clarified butter in a pan and fry the Cashewnut, Makhana (Fox Nut), Almond. Dry roast the watermelon seeds separately and keep them aside, dry roast watermelon seed keep aside. Take 100gms Jaggery mix with a little water, heat it in a pan and make a thick syrup. Remove the jaggery syrup and let it cool. Then put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Grease a mould with clarified butter (Ghee) set the mixture in a dish and allow it to cool. Your dish is ready to eat.

3) Poonam Kanakagiri

Idea: Healthy Salads

Recipe: Carrot Salad

Ingredients: Carrots grated 2cups, ¼ cup soaked split Green Gram (Moong dal), 2 tablespoons grated coconut, 2tsp lemon juice, salt, some fresh ginger chopped, some chopped cilantro, 1/4 tsp oil

a
The method of Preparation: Take 1/4th tsp of oil and prepare a seasoning of mustard seeds, split Chick Pea (Channa dal), Split Black Gram (Urad dal) green chillies, Ginger and curry leaves, add the seasoning and the rest of ingredients to carrots and mix. And serve.

4) Khushboo Sinha–

Idea: Healthy meal option

Recipe: Sattu (Toasted gram flour) Pancake with Dal Cutlet

Ingredients: For Sattu Pancake: Sattu (Toasted gram flour), Chopped onion, green chillies, coriander, 1tsp mustard oil   

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The method of preparation: Add chopped onion, green chillies, coriander, 1 spoon of mustard oil and some water to the Sattu and bind it. Stuff this Sattu mixture in whole wheat flour and make pancakes.

Ingredients: For Dal:Toor Dal (Pigeon peas or arhar dal) – ½ cup, Water –1 cup

For Cutlet:Whole wheat flour (Chapati atta) – ½ cup,  optional, Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon, Red chili powder – ½ teaspoon , Asafoetida – a pinch, Salt – to taste, Water- 3/4th Cup.

Mix the dal with water in a pressure cooker and cook till 6-7 whistles. Then turn off the stove. Let the pressure go down by itself. While the dal is pressure cooking, make the dough for Cutlet. Take all dry ingredients (Wheat flour, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafoetida) in another bowl. Mix well.  Make Small Cutlets. Work with one flattened disc at a time. Roll it into about 12-inch diameter circle. Make sure that it is not too thick or too thin. Transfer it to a plate, cover it with clean kitchen towel. Roll the same with second dough ball.

Now add two-three Cutlet at a time into boiling dal and stir it so they do not stick to each other. If you add all cutlet at once they will stick and make a big lump. So make sure to add few at a time and after adding stir it once. Then add few more and stir. Let it simmer for 10-12 minutes and don’t forget to stir in between. If needed add some more water. Taste one Cutlet piece to check if it is cooked. Once cooked turn the stove off.  Lastly, add chopped coriander leaves and serve.

5) Mani Singhal

Idea: Fasting Recipe which serves as traditional food offered to God.

Recipe: Coriander (Dhaniya) Porridge

Ingredients:

1 Cup –Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya)

3/4 Cup – Brown Jaggery Sugar (Boora)

2 tbsp – Ghee (Clarified Butter)

7-8 – Chopped Almonds

2 tsp – Raisins

15-16 – Halved Cashew nuts

Method- Heat 1 tsp clarified butter (ghee) in a pan or wok and sauté cashew, almonds until golden brown, add raisins sauté for 30 seconds remove from wok and keep aside. In the same pan heat remaining clarified butter (ghee) add powdered coriander seeds and sauté for 4-5 minutes with continuous stirring or until raw smell goes and it becomes brown and engulfing the kitchen with its aroma. Transfer to a plate or bowl and allow to cool completely. Add powdered brown Jaggery sugar (boora), nuts and mix well to combine sugar and coriander powders together, using your hand is very good option to mix well.

6) Kavya

Idea: Healthy puffed paddy sweet balls (LADDOO) recipe

Ingredients: Puffed Paddy – 3 cups Jaggery – 2 cups Black Sesame Seeds – 1/4 cup Cashews or Groundnut or Almonds – 1/4 cup(dry roast and crushed) Cardamom powder – 1tsp Clarified Butter (Ghee) – 1/4 cup

The method of Preparation: Dry roast cashew/groundnut/almonds. Once cool crush to pieces • Dry roast the Black Sesame Seeds till they splutter • coarsely powder the Puffed Paddy.

mamra_ladoo
Method • Mix the Puffed Paddy powder, crushed peanuts cashew nuts, roasted sesame seeds, cardamom powder and clarified butter (ghee). • Place a heavy bottom pan/kadhai with 1/4cup water. Add jaggery to it. Bring it to boil in medium flame. When the jaggery melts completely – keep stirring and splash few drops of the jaggery syrup to a bowl of water. If the jaggery syrup does not dissolve and it crystallizes then it’s ready. It should be of sticky consistency. Turn off the flame. • Add this Jaggery syrup to the Puffed Paddy balls (Laddoo) mixture from step 1 and mix well. • Grease your palm with little clarified butter (ghee) and make round balls (Laddoos) of the desired size. • Healthy Puffed Paddy Laddoo is ready to serve. •

Pls Note: Puffed Paddy contains the husk and is rich in fiber content. • Using Jaggery instead of Sugar makes it healthier and Jaggery also contains iron. • Adding dry fruits of your choice is optional making it healthier and tastier. We can store this for few days and eat in between main meals.

These are wonderful recipes shared by the players who believe that festivals can also be healthy. Eating healthy is beneficial in the long run. The healthy recipe challenge was a way to motivate the players to be involved and try something new and innovative. And, am I glad to say that they have done a wonderful job.

Hope, everyone reading this blog will enjoy these recipes during this festive season.

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