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Healthy Eating: Beetroot Mix Dal Dosa

beetroot mix dal dosa

Depending on your preferences, beetroot can be the most loved or most hated vegetable on your plate. Now, whether you hate it or love it, you can’t deny the fact that beetroots are extremely healthy for you! They are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Beetroots are low in calories, help reduce blood pressure and improve digestive health, among many other benefits.

Enriching your normal day meals with a superfood always fetches you more nutrients! Today, let’s make beetroot more interesting than it already is by preparing this beetroot mix dal dosa! It is packed with protein and all the nourishment from beetroots!

Let’s get started.

What you will need:

  • Chana Dal – 2 tbsp
  • Moong Dal – 2 tbsp
  • Toor Dal – 2 tbsp
  • Urad Dal – 2 tbsp
  • Rice – 2 tbsp
  • Shredded beetroot – 1 medium sized
  • Garlic – 5-6
  • Shredded Ginger – 1 tsp
  • Green Chillies – 2
  • Finely Chopped Coriander – ½ cup
  • Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil

How to Prepare

  1. Take a bowl and mix all dals and rice after washing them thoroughly. Add 1 cup of water to it and soak for 4-6 hrs.
  2. Once soaked, remove excess water and blend it together in a mixer and make a smooth paste. Add 2 tsp of water if required. Keep the batter aside in a bowl.
  3. Now, add beetroot, green chillies, jeera, ginger and garlic in a blender jar and blend it all without adding any water.
  4. Mix the beetroot paste with blended pulses thoroughly.
  5. Add salt and coriander to the batter and allow it to settle for 10-15 min.
  6. Now heat a nonstick pan, brush some oil and using a spatula, spread the hot pink batter on the pan. After cooking it on one side, flip it over.
  7. Serve it hot with coconut chutney.

Highlights of the Beetroot Mix Dal Dosa:

  • Best way to start your day! The proteins keep you full and beetroot gives you all the essential vitamins and minerals such as folate, manganese, potassium, iron, Vitamin C along with very important nitrates. These nitrates help in reducing blood pressure.
  • It is a must to try for kids as the color fascinates them.
  • Also instead of beetroot you can incorporate blanched spinach or even carrots.

Did you find this recipe new and exciting? Will you try it? Let us know in the comments below!

For more healthy recipes, click here or reach out to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching.

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Amaranth: The Healthy Supergrain That No One Knows

AmaranthIn India, this supergrain is called Rajgira (royal grain) or Ramdana (grain given by Lord Ram), for its amazing utility and health benefits. In English, it is known as Kingseed or Amaranth (derived from a word which means ‘never ending’ in Sanskrit). All these names are quite accurate. Read on to know more about this wonderful grain!

What is Amaranth?

Amaranth is a weed which seems like a cereal. Hence, it is known as a pseudo-cereal. It is a small, round, light colored grain having a crunchy texture which can be eaten raw or in any other form just like wheat or rice.

It was first grown in Peru 8,000 years ago by the Aztec civilization. Today, it is grown all over the world, including India. It gained most of it popularity in the last 50 years when it was studied in the US for its health benefits.

What are the Benefits Derived from Amaranth?

Amaranth is truly a class apart from other grains and cereals. It has the highest energy per 100gm among all grains. When compared to wheat, it has twice the amount or more of minerals such as Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Potassium in the cooked form while also having more of Proteins, Healthy Unsaturated Fats and B Vitamins.

Amaranth is also gluten free, which makes it suitable for the gluten intolerant. It is a more nutritious option than other substitutes like Sorghum (Jowar) and Finger Millet (Ragi).

Amaranth is one of the best plant sources of protein (14gm protein per 100gm). The protein content is almost similar to animal sources like cheese which makes it a must in vegan and vegetarian diets. It is rich in Lysine – an essential amino acid which is very rare in other vegetarian protein sources.

Amaranth also has the distinction of being the only grain having Vitamin C in it. The grain also has fairly high amounts of Albumin which is hard to find in plant foods. Moreover, one serving of uncooked Rajgira can give 105% of the total RDA of Manganese which is needed for normal brain and nerve functioning among other things in the body.

Apart from all these nutritional benefits, it has therapeutic benefits too. Rutin, a compound found in Amaranth gives relief from high blood pressure. Other constituents of this wonderful grain can also protect one from several forms of cancers. Being rich in fiber and free of gluten, it also aids people suffering from stomach issues.

How Do You Eat It?

It can be eaten either raw or in other forms like roasting, boiling, etc. Just like wheat, it can be made into a flour which can be used to make flatbread (rotis) too.

One must note that it has some compounds which inhibit the absorption of a few nutrients only when eaten in the raw form. When cooked in any form, these compounds are eliminated and it can be eaten without any worries.

Another big advantage of Amaranth is that it can also be eaten during fasting as it is not a cereal unlike wheat or rice. Being low in calories, high in proteins, vitamins and other vital minerals, it is substantially better than other options.

So go ahead and eat some Amaranth. You can even make flatbreads and use this superfood in your daily life! If you found this article useful, share it with friends and family! Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more on nutrition, click here or speak to an expert by subscribing for GOQii’s Personalised Health Coaching here.

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All Natural Amla Murabba: A Recipe To Level Up Your Health!

amla murabbaAmla, Amalaki or Indian Gooseberry is one of the most important part of many Ayurvedic medicines. It is a powerhouse of not just antioxidants and vitamin c, but also a good source of calcium, iron, phosphorus, carotene, vitamin B and fiber. Available for consumption in various forms like churna, juice, candies, pickles and supplements, benefits of this superfood are innumerable.

This is a highly recommended food for common problems like hair fall to severe health concerns like helping in preventing the formation of cancer cells. The list of benefits is endless but commonly it is a great remedy for boosting immunity, improving gut health and liver function, preventing pancreatitis, balancing hormones, lowering blood pressure and reducing arthritis related pain due to inflammation.

Many of you have eaten Amla Murabba which is whole Amla simmered in sugar syrup, flavored with cardamom and saffron. Amla Murabba is such an invaluable preserve that you can’t afford to miss it! But what about the people who don’t have time for a long process of making Amla Murabba or are trying to discard white sugar completely from their diet? For them, I have a fantastic and hassle-free, all natural recipe! It can be made with just 2 ingredients, however, you can always add some more flavors to enhance the taste and of course, the nutritional benefits as well.

What You Will Need

  • Amla – 500 gms
  • Raw organic honey – 250 gms or more
  • Rock salt – ¼ tsp
  • Black pepper powder – ¼ tsp
  • Saffron – 3-4 strands
  • Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp

How to Prepare 

  1. Wash and completely wipe the Amla dry 
  2. Grate the amla, discarding the seeds and add all the flavoring ingredients like salt, saffron, cardamom and black pepper to it. 
  3. Fill this mixture in a glass or a ceramic container (just like traditionally used for pickles or any other preserves) and pour the raw organic honey over this mixture.
  4. As the honey makes its way to the bottom, make sure it completely covers the amla mixture. You can add more honey if you wish to. 
  5. Cover the container and keep it in sunlight for 4-5 hours for approximately 10 days. You can eat this mixture right away but keeping it in sunlight increases its shelf life. 
  6. After 10 days your all natural Amla Murabba is ready.

Please Note: Make sure everything from your hands to the Amla to the glass container are all dry. Any moisture is unfavorable for this kind of a preserve.

Highlights of the Amla Murabba  

  • Honey was used as a food preservative in ancient times. It works as a preservative because the high concentration of sugar in honey forces the water out of any yeast or bacteria cells that could otherwise contaminate the food. Along with that, honey itself has innumerable health benefits.
  • This recipe requires no cooking, hence, all the benefits of Amla are well packed which otherwise get destroyed during cooking.
  • Keeping it under the sun helps incorporate powerful benefits of sunlight as well in this recipe.

Hope you are as excited as I was after finding this recipe. Do try it and let me know your feedback in the comments section below! 

Want to try more healthy recipes? Check out Healthy Reads or ask a GOQii Coach by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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Tasty and Nutritious Recipes Using Moringa Leaves Powder

recipes using moringa powderMoringa has pretty much become a household name by now. Commonly known as Drumstick, this south Indian staple has made its way to the Top 20 Superfoods today. It has been praised widely for its health benefits. A fun fact about it is that almost all parts of the tree are used in different dishes or as a part of different herbal medicines but its leaves are the richest in nutrients. In western countries, dried leaves are sold as a supplement in powder or capsule form.

I was aware of the incredible benefits of this tree but a few days back, a headline on the last page of a newspaper grabbed my attention. It said that some self-help groups from South India made few food products using Moringa leaves. When these were fed to malnourished children, their nutritional status improved a lot in just three months. So I decided to give it a try.

Taste Test

Generally, I love using fresh leafy green vegetables but as Moringa wasn’t available in my locality, I had to buy a pack of Organic Moringa leaves powder from the GOQii Health Store. I have eaten drumsticks in many vegetables & curries but I’ve never used or eaten its leaves – hence, I had no idea about its taste. When I opened the pack and tasted a pinch of that powder, I didn’t like it. I honestly didn’t. It tasted like henna or Mehndi powder. I realized that it is easy to eat it as it is. So, I started thinking of different ways to use it without compromising on taste.

Recipes Using Moringa Leaves Powder

The good part about these recipes using Moringa leaves powder is that I ensured it didn’t affect the taste much while enjoying all the goodness it had to offer.

1. Green Smoothie

What you will need:

  • Banana – 1 medium
  • Apple – ½ medium
  • Kiwi – 1
  • Almonds – 7-8 (soaked overnight and peeled)
  • Oats powder – 1 tbsp
  • Flaxseed powder – 1 tsp
  • Chia seeds – 2 tsp (soaked)
  • Spinach leaves – handful
  • Organic Moringa leaves powder – 2 tsp
  • Coconut/Plain water – 1 glass

How to prepare: Add all the ingredients except ½ glass coconut/plain water in a blender and blend till you get a smooth mixture. Pour in the rest of the coconut water and pulse again for a while. Your super healthy and filling green smoothie is ready.

2. Cheesy Moringa Uttapam

What you will need for batter:

  • Semolina (Sooji) – ½ cup
  • Oats powder – ¼ cup
  • Rice flour – ¼ cup
  • Curd – ½ cup
  • Salt to taste
  • Lemon juice – ½ tbsp.
  • Organic Moringa leaves powder – 2 tsp
  • Coconut crush – 1 tbsp

For topping:

  • Onion, Tomato and Capsicum – 2 tbsp each finely chopped
  • Green chilly – 1 chopped
  • Green coriander – 2 tbsp chopped
  • Grated cheese – 1 tbsp
  • Oil – 1 tsp for shallow frying

How to Prepare:

  1. Combine all the ingredients for the batter in a big mixing bowl and add water gradually while stirring to make a dosa batter of desired consistency. Keep it aside for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Heat a nonstick pan and pour the Uttapam batter over it.
  3. Immediately sprinkle a few drops of oil on the sides and add the chopped vegetables. Let it cook from one side.
  4. You can cover the pan so the vegetables steam properly. Once done, turn it over and cook for another 2 minutes.
  5. Flip it again and sprinkle cheese over the veggie side and cover it.
  6. Turn the flame off after a minute and let the cheese melt with the help of the steam inside.
  7. Your Uttapam is ready! Enjoy it with green, coconut or tomato chutney.

3. Moringa Multigrain Masala Paratha

What you will need:

  • Bajra flour – ½ cup
  • Maize (Makka) flour – ½ cup
  • Moringa Leaves powder – 1 tbsp
  • Potato – 1 big boiled and grated
  • Salt to taste
  • Chaat masala – ½ tsp
  • Red chilly powder – ¼ tsp
  • Coriander – 2 tbsp fresh and chopped
  • Ajwain powder – ¼ tsp
  • Hing powder – 1 pinch
  • Ghee – 1 tsp

How to prepare:

  1. Combine all the ingredients except ghee in a big mixing bowl & make a soft dough using warm water.
  2. Keep this dough aside for 15-20 minutes to rest.  After 15-20 minutes, heat a tawa on medium flame.
  3. Divide the dough in 4-5 equal portions and roll each one. Place one round ball of dough onto a flat surface and start patting it into a flat round shape using your hands.
  4. Use a rolling pin to gently flatten the paratha. If the paratha keeps breaking while flattening, you can also place the dough between two plastic sheets or parchment paper and flatten it out using a rolling pin.
  5. Place the paratha on the hot tawa. When the paratha is slightly cooked, flip it over to cook the other side. You will see small brown spots starting to appear.
  6. Put ghee on both sides. Turn the flame to low and cook till it turns to a light brown shade.
  7. Shallow fry the paratha till it is completely cooked and your Moringa multigrain masala paratha is ready!

Surprising Uses of Moringa Leaves Powder

This article was all about how you can eat Moringa leaves powder but you’ll be surprised to know that there are some other uses like making scrubs and face packs as well, so your skin can get a healthy dose of nutrition!

  • Mix 1tsp Moringa leaves powder with 2 tbsp thick curd and 2 tbsp oats powder. This makes a wonderful body scrub for sensitive skin.
  • Mix 1 tsp Moringa powder with 1 tbsp Multani mitti. Add 1 tsp of honey and rose water each for a face pack that can give you glowing skin.
  • Mix 2 tsp Moringa powder, 1 tsp curd and 1 tbsp tomato juice for a tan removal face pack.

These were just my experiments to get the benefits of Moringa leaves in powder form. Try them and let me know if they work for you. Is there a way you use Moringa? Share them with us in the comments below.

For more awesome facts on food and nutrition, check out other articles on Healthy Reads or ask an expert by subscribing for Personalised Health Coaching here: https://goqiiapp.page.link/bsr

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