In today’s fast paced life, we are constantly chasing our goals and in the process neglecting our health and body’s needs such as rest, sufficient sleep, lots of nutrition and water. Only when we listen to our body’s needs, will it help us in return, to achieve our targets and support our daily activities.

There are innumerable reasons for not eating nutritious foods. Some of the reasons are lack of time, cooks at home or sometimes its sheer lack of knowledge on what to buy from the market, how to match two ingredients and what to do with the leftovers etc.

Well, I have tried to easy your difficulty by sharing some of the quick and easy recipes which may help you sort out dinners for all your 5 busy working days! I am sure you will love these dishes! Enjoy it guilt free! These dishes will not only do justice to your workouts but, also ensure good nutrition supply for a healthy and energetic you!

DAL KHICHDI

Serves 1; preparation time 15 minutes

Ingredients:

15gms Daliya 10gms Yellow moong dal 10gms Chana dal 25gms Bottle gourd 25gms Cauliflowerv  25gms French beans 10gms Green peas 1 Tomato 2-5 curry leaves 2 big green chilies A tiny piece of cinnamon

2 cloves 1tbsp oil/ghee 1tsp cumin seeds 1tsp mustard seeds 1/2tsp hing 1tsp red chili powder 1tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp garam masala 1tsp kitchen king masala Salt to taste Coriander for garnishing

Method:

• Wash and soak the mentioned dal and daliya for about 10 minutes
• Chop bottle gourd, cauliflower and French beans to medium sized cubes.
• In a pan, put some oil, let it heat, then add mustard seeds, hing, cumin seed, curry leaves and green chilies. Let it simmer for a few minutes. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and the kitchen king masala. Mix well.
• Add the chopped veggies and green peas. Mix well.
• Now drain and add the soaked dal and daliya mixture. Mix well.
• Add about 250 ml water, mix well for a few minutes. Add salt to taste
• Now transfer this into a pressure cooker vessel and let it cook for 15 minutes.
• Once the cooker is done, you will notice the ingredients have been cooked leaving no water behind, if there is some water left, let it cook for another 5 minutes.
• Transfer it in a serving plate, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve with chilled curd.

PAV BHAJI

Serves 1; preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

10gms Yellow moong dal 10gms green moong dal 15gms white peas 10gms red gram dal 25gms cauliflower 25gms green peas 20gms green capsicum 2 tomatoes

1tbsp ghee 1tsp cumin seeds 1tsp hing 1tsp turmeric powder 1tsp red chili powder 2tsp Pav Bhaji masala (or add as per your taste preference) Salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak the pulses and legumes for 10 minutes in hot water.
• Chop cauliflower in small pcs. Mix it with green peas.
• In a pressure cooker vessel, mix the pulses, legumes, cauliflower and green peas, with water and add some salt. Let it cook in the pressure cooker for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, finely chop green capsicum and grate the tomatoes and make a puree. In a pan, add some ghee and let it heat. Add cumin seeds, hing, and let it simmer. Now add green capsicum and tomato puree, let it cook. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and pav bhaji masala. Cook this on low flame.
• Check if the pressure cooker is done. If yes, remove the pulses mixture and mash it lightly.
• Now add the pulses mixture to the cooked tomato puree mixture. Mix well until everything blends well and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• Transfer in a serving bowl. Garnish it with fresh coriander leaves and serve with multigrain breads and piece of lemon.

 

BESAN PANCAKES:

Makes 3-4 pancakes, preparation time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

100gms besan flour 1 big tomato, shredded 1 big cucumber, shredded 30gms bottle gourd, shredded Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2 green chilies (optional)

1tsp red chili powder 1tsp turmeric powder 2tsp ginger + chilies paste (if available, to make it spicy) 2tbsp curd Salt to taste

Method:

• In a bowl, take besan flour. Add shredded tomato, cucumber, bottle gourd and coriander leaves.
• Add salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger chilies paste and curd. Mix well. Add very little water if required. We need a slightly flowing consistency of the batter to make pancakes.
• In a pan, heat 1tsp oil, spread the batter, top it with some green chilies and some coriander leaves.
• Let it cook on both sides on medium flame.
• Serve it with green mint chutney mixed with some curd.

ANEER FRANKIE:

Makes 3 Frankies.

Ingredients:

15gms pearl millet flour (bajra) 15gms white millet flour (jowar) 10gms whole wheat flour Salt to taste 60gms Paneer, shredded or crushed 30gms Yellow capsicum, finely chopped 30gms red capsicum, finely chopped

30gms green capsicum, finely chopped Coriander leaves, finely chopped 2-3tsp Kapol’s Frankie masala 1tsp jeera masala Salt to taste Ginger chilies paste (if available and to make it spicier)

Method:

• Make a roti dough by mixing all the three flours with water, some oil and salt. Cover it and keep it aside
• In a bowl mix all the capsicums and coriander.
• Add salt, ginger chili paste, Frankie masala and some jeera masala. Mix well. You may add come dry mango powder if you like it tangier. Add the shredded paneer to this mixture.
• Mix well and make (3) rolls of this mixture.
• Using a rolling pin, make 3 rotis of the dough.
• In a pan heat some oil and cook a roti. Let it cook properly front and back. As the texture changes, add some green phudina chutney (optional) and spread it over the roti. Then keep a paneer roll on one end of the roti, and gently roll the entire roti. Let it stay on the pan if you like it crispy.
• Serve it with ketchup, green phudina chutney or chilled curd.

STUFFED MOONG DAL DOSA

Makes 7-8 dosas

Ingredients

10gms Green moong dal 10gms Yellow moong dal 10gms Urad dal 10gms Red gram dal 10gms Lentils 10gms Bengal gram dal For the stuffing: 40gms Paneer, shredded 40gms corn kernels

Coriander leaves 15gms coconut, shredded 2 green chilies, finely chopped (optional) Ginger chili paste Salt to taste Grounded black pepper 1tsp garam masala Dried mango powder (aamchur) to taste

Method:

• Wash and soak all the dals in 3 cups hot water for 15 minutes.
• In a bowl, mash the paneer, corn and coriander leaves.
• Add salt, ginger chili paste, garam masala, some grounded black pepper, dried mango powder and finely chopped chilies (optional). Mix well.
• The soaked dals must have become tender. Grind this in a mixture with minimal water. We need the batter to be dense and have flowing consistency.
• In the batter add some salt and grounded black pepper.
• In a pan, heat some ghee, pour a spoon full of batter and spread it in round motion.
• Let it cook on the bottom. Flip it, and let it cook for a few minutes. Flip it again and check if it’s slightly brown.
• Then add some of the paneer and corn stuffing on the dosa. Let it cook for a few minutes.
• Fold the dosa in two, or you can roll it all the way. Cut in pieces and serve with green phudina chutney or some tamarind chutney.