Healthy recipes Archives - Page 4 of 12

May 8, 2021 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: Hydrating Summer Bowl

During summer, our bodies crave for some chilled drink or ice cream due to the immense heat. But given the current pandemic situation and the fact that anything available outside is loaded with refined sugar and unhealthy fats, it might not be the best option as you need to keep your immunity up and stay cautious about your health. But we understand your craving and hence, here’s a healthier alternative – your very own hydrating summer bowl which will help you beat the heat and you can enjoy it guilt-free!

What You Will Need

Sabja Seeds – 1 tsp
Fresh Hibiscus flower – 1
Diced mango cubes – one small bowl
Pomegranate – 1 small bowl
Grapes (cut in half) – 1 small bowl
Fresh Coconut water – half glass

How To Prepare

Soak the sabja seeds in half a glass of coconut water for fifteen minutes.
Boil a cup of plain water, soak the hibiscus flower petals in this hot water for a minute or two. Then put it into the refrigerator to chill.
Next, in a big bowl, add the sabja seeds along with the coconut water. Then add all the diced fruits and the chilled hibiscus water.
In the end, add some crushed ice for the crunch and enjoy this guilt free summer bowl.

Health Benefits Of the Hydrating Summer Bowl

Sabja seeds are rich in fiber and help combat the heat inside the body
Coconut water hydrates you and is full of electrolytes – a must have during summer
Hibiscus makes it more antioxidant rich, helps lower blood pressure, improves immunity, releases constipation, reduces inflammation and also helps reduce hair fall.

We hope you try this Hydrating Summer Bowl! If you do, do share your pics with us on social media, tagging GOQii! Let us know your experience in the comments below. For more healthy recipes, check out Healthy Reads or tune in to LIVE cooking sessions on GOQii Play.

To get more such recipes, nutrition and diet tips, subscribe to GOQii and ask your GOQii Coach: https://goqiiapp.page.link/wssu

Eat Healthy, Stay Home, Stay Safe and #BeTheForce

March 13, 2021 By Meenakshi Sharma Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: Eggless Whole Wheat Jaggery Marble Cake

This Cake reminded me of my childhood Britannia cakes. We, as kids, could not stop at one slice. The minute that packet was opened, the whole cake vanished with no crumbs left behind. Marble Cake has both vanilla and chocolate flavors and two distinct colors are mixed together to create a marble effect. To top it all, this gorgeous marble cake is a stress buster for me and made my life super special over the weekend. It is a perfect cake to accompany a cup of Tea or Coffee. Bake a loaf and gift it to your loved ones. I am sure they will love it.

What You Will Need

(1 cup= 200 gm, 1 tbsp=15 gm , 1tsp= 5 gm)

Whole wheat flour – 2 cups
Odorless oil/Pure ghee – ½ cup
Jaggery powder/syrup (melt jaggery in ⅛ cup water) – 1 cup
Cocoa powder (unsweetened) – 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Baking powder (7.5gm) – 1 ½ tsp
Baking soda (5gm) – 1 tsp
Warm water – 1 cup (can be replaced with milk)

How To Prepare

Preheat the oven at 350*F/180*C for 10 mins. Take a normal size Cake Loaf Pan (7-8 inches) and grease it lightly. You may also line it with a parchment paper for easy handling.
Take a big bowl and sift 2 cups of flour, baking powder and baking soda into it. Mix it well with a fork and set it aside.
In another bowl, add ghee/oil, curd and mix well. Add jaggery powder/syrup and beat the mixture till jaggery dissolves.
Add all the dry ingredients and mix gently with a cut and fold method. Add ¼ cup warm water/milk and fold it again. If you feel the batter is thick then slowly add warm water/milk till the batter is in flowing consistency (DO NOT OVERBEAT THE BATTER).
Now divide this batter into 2 equal parts.
In one part of the batter, add vanilla essence. Mix it well till incorporated in the batter. This is your vanilla Batter.
In the other half of the batter, add the cocoa powder. Mix well with a fork till well incorporated and therefore, the whole of this batter turns chocolate brown in color.
To pour the batter, add 1 tbsp vanilla batter first at the bottom of the greased pan.Then pour the 1 tbsp chocolate batter on top.Tap the pan on the counter a few times so that the batter settles down evenly with no gaps in between.You may pour the vanilla and chocolate batters in the pan in an alternate sequence or the sequence of your desire, could also be chocolate first and vanilla later. However you want to do it.
Keep it in the oven for 30-40 mins. at 180*C. After 30 mins, check the cake with a toothpick. If it comes out clean then remove the cake tin from the oven and keep it on a cool down wire rack . Demould the tin when it completely cools down. (If it sticks on a toothpick, then bake it for more than 10 min. at 160*C .Temperature may vary in different ovens/OTGs.
Cut it into small pieces according to your choice and store it in a steel or glass container in the refrigerator for a week. Enjoy a hearty slice of your Marble Cake with a cup of coffee or tea.

Why Is This Marble Cake Healthier Than A Bakery/Store Cake?

We are adding whole wheat flour in a cake which has more fibre, packed with B vitamins, while a bakery cake is made with maida (refined flour). Eating maida raises your bad cholesterol (LDL), makes you put on weight, clogs arteries, raises BP, disrupts blood glucose, keeps you hungry, causes you to crave for sweets, causes mood swings and ruins your health. People eat it because they’re probably unaware of its consequences.
We are using jaggery as a sweetener in cake, which is a good source of iron, helps in maintaining the electrolyte balance, aids digestion and helps prevent water retention thanks to its potassium content. Bakery cakes are loaded with white sugar and contain only empty calories without any nutrients. Excess sugar creates higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes and fatty liver disease.
In Bakery cakes, they use shortening and margarine, which are Trans Fats (Hydrogenated fats) that raise your risk of heart disease. They also raise your “bad” cholesterol levels, lower your “good” cholesterol and cause inflammation, therefore, hardening of your arteries.

We hope you enjoy this Whole Wheat Jaggery Marble Cake recipe. 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

February 27, 2021 By Aruna Bhatia Leave a Comment

Healthy Eating: 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

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

February 17, 2021 By Mrinali Dwivedi Leave a Comment

Carrots, Beetroots and Tomatoes For Good Health!

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:

Peel and roughly chop the carrot, beetroot and tomato
Blend them along with mint and coriander leaves in a blender/juicer
Add some water if required while blending to bring a juice like consistency.
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:

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