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Buckwheat Flour Recipes

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In an earlier blog I had written on Buckwheat (http://goqii.com/blog/know-the-health-benefits-of-buckwheat-a-wonder-grain/) I had mentioned about the various health benefits of buckwheat “a wonder grain” which is packed with amazing health benefiting nutrients. But, you would be wondering how does one eat this cereal to get all the nutrients present in it?

I have chalked out a few healthy and tasty recipes which can be made from this cereal. Buckwheat is available in two forms-grains and flour. Both the forms can be used for making various delicious recipes.

  1. Buckwheat Porridge

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Ingredients: 2 serves

  1. Buckwheat grains (100 gms)
  2. Sweet potatoes cut into small cubes (2 small)
  3. Green chillies finely chopped (1 no)
  4. Cumin seeds (1/2 tsp)
  5. Salt (to taste)
  6. Ghee (1 tablespoon)
  7. Flaxseeds/Pumpkin seeds/Sunflower seeds (for garnishing)

Method: Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Add cumin seeds, finely chopped green chillies and potatoes. Stir-fry for 2 mins. Then add buckwheat grains and sauté for 5 min. Add salt and 4 cups water. Mix all ingredients properly and close the lid of the pressure cooker. Let it boil till three whistles and then take off from the flame. When all the steam has been evaporated from the pressure cooker, open the lid and serve hot with Cucumber Raita (yoghurt salad). You can garnish it with flaxseeds/pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds to make it more nutrient dense.

     2. Buckwheat flour pancakes

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Ingredients: 2 serves 

  1. Buckwheat flour (200 gms)/Buckwheat grains can also be ground in the mixer into flour at home to get the purest form of flour.
  2. 1 small wedge of raw pumpkin
  3. 1 medium size potato
  4. Green chillies finely chopped (1 no)
  5. Salt (to taste)
  6. Oil (4 tsp) 

Method: Grate potato and pumpkin without skin. Add them to the flour. Also, add green chillies and salt. Then add water and make a batter of little thick consistency. Heat a non-stick pan. Grease the pan with little oil. Pour one big spatula full of batter into the pan and spread it into a round shape. Keep it thick. Add ½ tsp oil around it and let it get cooked for a min. Then turn it around. When done, take it off from pan and cut into two halves. Serve hot with coriander-mint chutney.

3. Buckwheat Tikkis

Kuttu Ke Aate Ki Poori - कुट्टू के आटे की पूरी (Fried Bread of Buckwheat Flour)

Ingredients: 2 serves 

  1. Buckwheat flour (100 gms)
  2. 3 medium-sized boiled potatoes
  3. Boiled peas (1/4th cup)
  4. Grated carrot (1 small)
  5. Fined chopped green chillies
  6. Salt (to taste)
  7. Oil (2 tablespoons)
  8. Curd & Coriander leaves (for garnishing)

Method: Mash boiled potatoes. Add buckwheat flour and all other ingredients and mix well. Make small round balls and flatten it. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it lightly with oil. Put, these round flattened balls in a pan and little oil around them. Let them cook from both the sides until turn reddish brown. Garnish with little thick curd and coriander. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

4.  Buckwheat flour flatbread (Parathas)

Ingredients: 2 serves 

  1. Buckwheat flour (200 gms)
  2. Unripe banana (1 no)
  3. Salt to taste
  4. Ghee (2 tablespoons)

Method: Boil unripe banana and mash it. Add salt and mashed banana to the flour and make a dough. Make small balls. Sprinkle some flour on the kitchen platform. Put the ball on it and spread it on kitchen platform into a small round shape like chapatti by pressing from hand. Put it in a non-stick flat pan and let it cook by adding ghee. Heat until it becomes golden brown in colour. Serve hot with yoghurt or potato curry.

5. Buckwheat flour Bread Pizza

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Ingredients: 2 serves

  1. 4 slices whole wheat bread
  2. 100 gm buckwheat flour
  3. Chopped onion (1 medium size)
  4. Chopped tomatoes ( 1 small)
  5. Grated carrot (1 small half)
  6. Finely chopped green chillies (1 small)
  7. Salt to taste
  8. Oil (4 tsp)

Method: Mix flour and chopped vegetables. Add salt and water. Make a batter of thick consistency. Pour 2 tbsp of this batter on one slice bread and spread well covering the whole front surface of the bread. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it with little oil. When the pan is heated, put the bread coated with batter in the pan upside down. Add ½ tsp oil and let it cook for a minute. Turn it, add ½ tsp oil again and let the other side get cooked. Take off the bread slice from the pan when both sides become golden brown. Serve hot with tomato ketchup or tamarind chutney.

 

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Hungry Kya! Here are 5 nutritious snacks recipes

paneer-wrapAlong with being a lifestyle coach and nutritionist, I play one more dual role that of a homemaker and a mother. The big question that always arises is what snacks can we make which are healthy and quick to make at the same time, right?

Here are few recipes from my recipe book which are not only healthy but fast.

1. OATS PATTIES

oats-patties

Ingredients Amount
Oats 1 cup
Capsicum 1 small
Carrot ½ no
Tomatoes 1 no
Spring Onions ½ cup
Gingerchilli paste 1 Tbsp
Lime ½ no.
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chilly powder ¼ tsp
Salt To taste
Oil 1 tsp

METHOD:

  1. Sprinkle water on oats. Continue this till it absorbs the water and becomes a bit sticky.
  2. To this add chopped capsicum, carrot, tomatoes, fresh onion with leaves, ginger chilli paste, lime, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well.
  3. Divide the mixture into two equal halves. Make a flat (pattice) pieces of it and cook in a nonstick pan on both sides.
  4. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Nutritional Benefits: Oats is rich in fiber and the veggies are a source of vitamins and minerals, lime juice makes the food alkaline. Overall it is a great dish to start your day with which will surely improve your immunity and overall health

2. Steamed Spinach breads (PALAK DHOKLA)

palak dhokla

Ingredients Amount
Rawa 1-2 TBSP
Gramflour 1-2 TBSP
Spincach (palak) (finely chopped) 1 bunch
greenchilli paste ½ Tbsp
Salt To taste
Oil 1 tsp

 

METHOD:

  1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a vessel.
  2. To this mixture add 1 tsp of warm oil.
  3. Add luke warm water to make the batter of some flowing consistency.
  4. Pour this mixture into a greased tin and steam the mixture for around 30 minutes.
  5. Garnish with Spinach leaves. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

 

Nutritional Benefits: This can serve as a super evening snack as it contains goodness of fiber, calcium, B vitamins of the spinach and is also a cereal pulse combination which improves the protein quality. Wholesome meal which is low in calories and has high satiety value.

3. FENUGREEK PANCAKES (METHI PUDLA)

methi pudla

Ingredients Amount
fenugreek leaves (chopped) ½ bunch
Wheat flour 1 TBSP
Bajra flour 2 TBSP
Onion 1 no.
Gingerchilli paste 1 Tbsp
Garlic paste ½ tsp
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Salt To taste
Oil 1 tsp

 

METHOD:

1.Mix all the ingredients except oil in a vessel.

2.Add water to make the batter of pouring consistency

3.Make two pancakes on a nonstick pan

4.Serve hot with tomato ketchup/ Mint sauce (Pudina chutney)

Nutritional Benefits: It is not only rich in B vitamins (fenugreek leaves) and helps in improving hemoglobin but due to the addition of onion, ginger, garlic it is highly anti-inflammatory and good for gut health. Researches prove that consumption of ginger, garlic and onion helps fight GI infections too.

4.Bottle Gourd and Semolina Pancakes (DOODHI-RAWA PANCAKE)

doodhi-rawa-pancake

Ingredients Amount
Semolina 3 TBSP
Bottle gourd 100 gms
Curds (skim milk) 3 TBSP
Gingerchilli paste 1 Tbsp
Carrot For garnish
Salt To taste
Oil 1 tsp

 

METHOD:

  1. Grate the bottle gourd.
  2. Add semolina, ginger chilli paste, curds, salt and make a batter of pouring consistency by adding water.
  3. Make 3 small pancakes on a nonstick pan by adding oil.

4.Garnish with grated carrot and coriander.

5.Serve hot with green chutney

Nutritional Benefits: Bottle gourd has multi benefits like it is high in fiber, helps curb the acidity too, good for heart, and the list goes on. Curds are rich in probiotics which improves the gut bacteria.

 

5. COTTAGE CHEESE VEGETABLE WRAP ( PANEER VEG WRAP)

paneer-veg-wrap

Ingredients Amount
Gramflour 2 TBSP
Capsicum ½ no
Carrot ¼ no
Tomatoes 1 small
Spring onions ½ cup
Paneer (COTTAGE CHEESE) 200 ml(20 gms)
Coriander leaves Few sprigs
Lime ½ no.
Turmeric powder ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder ½ tsp
Pavbhaji masala/ Garam masala ½ tsp
Salt To taste
Oil 1 tsp

 

METHOD:

  1. For the Wrap:

To the gram flour add chopped coriander leaves, red chilli powder, salt and make a batter by adding water

Pour this batter on a nonstick and make a chilla

  1. For the filling:

In a nonstick pan, take 1 tsp of oil. Add chopped capsicum, carrot, spring onions, tomatoes, paneer cubes and cook for a minute. To this add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, lime juice, pav bhaji masala or any garam masala (blend of ground spices like peppercorns, clove, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, cardamom, bay leaf, caraway). You can even use herbs instead of this . Mix well. Cover the pan for 1-2 minutes. Cook until done.

  1. Place this filling into the centre of the chilla and wrap it. Cut it into pieces. Garnish with spring onion leaves and tomatoes.
  2. Serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Nutritional Benefits: It is high in protein with cottage cheese and gram flour. It contains goodness of fiber, Vit C, vitamins and minerals and other phytochemicals too. Children love this most as it looks like a frankie/roll but the base is super healthy here. Also helps in improving immunity, hemoglobin, better growth.

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Healthy Recipe challenge

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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

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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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Quick healthy instant recipes

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Early morning cooking can be a nightmare for many people especially for the office goers who struggle with their morning meals and in this process often tend to skip their breakfast which is the most important meal of the day. Some struggle with their culinary skills and often have this excuse ready to skip their meals.

Try out these quick options to make your life easy and move to a healthy routine:

(1) Sandwich Spread: Here is a recipe of protein rich spread which you can use for your multigrain sandwiches. It is filling and rich of antioxidants. 

Sandwich Spread

Ingredients:

  1. Avocado
  2. One cup boiled chick peas
  3. One lemon squeezed
  4. A dash of olive oil
  5. Some salt and pepper

Procedure:

  1. De-seed the avocado and cut into pieces.
  2. Boil the chickpeas
  3. Add all the above ingredients in a blender along with lemon juice, salt, pepper, and olive oil. This recipe can be stored in the refrigerator and can be used for good 1 week.

(2) Oats Uttapam: This can be a great option to carry in the tiffin box too.

Oats Uttapam

Ingredients:

  1. 1 Cup Powdered oats
    b. 1 cup low fat yogurt
  2. Veggies of your choice

Procedure:

    1. Mix all the ingredients together. Add salt and cumin seeds. Can prepare this mixture a night before.
    2. Take the batter in a large spoon and pour it on the non-stick pan and spread. You can use some cold compressed coconut oil for greasing the pan.
    3. Once cooked flip the side and let it cook.

(3) Almond Mango Smoothie: This is a quickie to prepare and has a dose of essential vitamins. This is best made during the Mango season. This refreshing beverage will make you feel fresh and full.

Almond-Mango-smoothie              

Ingredients:

      1. A ripened mango
      2. Some soaked almonds
      3. To make it more nutritious some dates and walnuts will add to its value

Procedure: Blend all the ingredients together in a blender and have chilled.

(4) Sprouts sandwich: This is definitely a great easy snack recipe and full of nutrition.

Avocados_and_Sprouts
Ingredients:

      1. Multigrain bread
      2. Mix sprouts of moong, black gram
      3. Cut vegetables like onion, tomato, cucumber etc.
      4. To make it more protein rich you can add some cubes of cottage cheese or few peanuts.

Procedure:

      1. Take slices of multigrain bread
      2. Take sprouts and add vegetables of your choice, add some lemon to the chat.
      3. Put this mixture on the slices of bread. You can use some home-made spreads and paste like mint or tamarind paste instead of mayonnaise.

(5) Fruity Nutty yogurt: A delicious healthy smoothie, easy to make as well.

recipe414
Ingredients:

      1. Choose your favourite fruits
      2. Hung curd
      3. Some nuts like walnuts, almonds, raisins
      4. Honey or Jaggery by choice to add sweetness.

Procedure: Throw in all the ingredients in the blender and have it chilled.

Conclusion:

The above 5 recipes are quick, healthy and refreshing. These are good choices for those who are running out of time and are managing alone with their meals. These snacks can be taken any time of the day. They are healthy and easy to prepare.

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