TENDER GRILLED CHICKEN PITA POCKETS WITH HUMMUS AND GREEN BEANS Filed under ( Appetizers and Snacks, Breakfast and Brunch, Chicken and Mutton, Low Cal recipes )

Lebanese style recipe- Pita bread with tender, juicy chunks of Chicken, makes for a complete meal and it is healthy to boot! Most of the prep work can be done a day ahead, then all it takes is last minute assembling and you have dinner on the table in minutes.

Ingredients-

• Pita bread- 4 (sliced in half to make 8 pita ‘pockets’)
• Boneless chicken- 500 gms (cut up into bite sized pieces)
• Ginger +garlic paste (fresh)- 1 tbsp
• Fresh yogurt- 1 cup
• Fresh French beans- 250 gms ( top and tail)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Grated cheese, sliced onions, tomatoes and lettuce- acc. to requirement
• For the Hummus-
• Boiled chickpeas-1 cup
• Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
• Garlic- 2 plump cloves (minced)
• Tahini- 1 tbsp
• Olive oil- 2 tbsp

Method-

In a large bowl combine the yogurt and ginger-garlic paste, toss in the Chicken pieces, add salt and pepper and mix to coat evenly.Leave for at least 2 hours.

Pre heat griller and grill the chicken pieces for 20 minutes or till golden, keep warm.

Boil or steam the green beans, sprinkle salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the Hummus-

Combine the Chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic and tahini and blend in a blender, add salt to taste.Dish out in a serving bowl, drizzle olive oil on top.

To assemble and serve-

Lightly roast pita and fill pockets with the tender chicken, lettuce and onions, top with grated cheese and grill for a further 10 minutes till cheese is golden and bubbling.

Serve with the warm beans and Hummus.Enjoy!

RIDGE GOURD PEPPER CHUTNEY Filed under ( Low Cal recipes, Pickles and Chutneys, Sauces/Dips and Spreads )

Saw these beautiful pink flowers in full bloom in the garden today, can anyone tell me their name??

I have never cooked with ridge gourd before, only seen pictures of it on a lot of blogs, so the other day after getting a couple of them from the farmer's market decided to look up what to cook with them.The search led me to Mahanandi with Indira taking this humble gourd to new heights, I had to make this unusual Low calorie and nutritious chutney soon...it was delicious, tangy and really hot! Try it!!
There were a couple of things I did differently, like I added like a bit of cayenne pepper and more onions and also blended the chutney to a smoother consistency in a blender.
  RIDGEGOURD PACHADI (Beerakaya) recipe adapted from Mahanandi
Ingredients-

• Ridgegourd-1 peeled and chopped
• Onions- 2 medium, peeled and chopped
• Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper-1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp
• Cayenne pepper (deggi mirch)- 1/4 tsp
• Oil-a splash

Method-
Heat a kadhai and add a splash of oil, add cumin seeds and black pepper and toast for a few seconds, next tip in the onions and ridge gourd pieces and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring well, add cayenne pepper and salt and mix well, lastly add tamarind paste and let cool to room temperaure. Cool and blend till smooth.Enjoy with rice or paranthas.

GUILT FREE! CREAMY STRAWBERRY YOGURT Filed under ( Ice Creams and frozen desserts, Low Cal recipes, Sweets and Desserts )

Caught hold of the last bunch of strawberries just as they are waltzing out to Dreamland, that means from now on , will be dreaming only sweet dreams of them! ...
I have had a long , deep fascination for strawberries maybe because, living in India, we only read about them and tried to imagine the flavors as described,It is only fairly recent that we have had access to fresh strawberries, earlier we just had to resign ourselves to that nasty, fake, artificial colour and flavor.
Today I was in the mood for something very simple yet full of flavor and deeply satisfying, yet bereft of any of the guilt that desserts usually possess, thus this recipe came to mind, rich, creamy and luscious , pure pleasure without the guilt!
To make

• Fresh strawberries-250 gms
  
• Curd-500 gms
• Sugar or sweetener - acc. to taste and sweetness of berries

Method--

1. Wash and hull the strawberries, puree half and chop the rest.Hang curd in a muslin cloth to drain out the whey preferably for 2 hours.
2. In a blender or with a hand mixer blend in the hung curd with the pureed strawberries, sweeten and fold in the chopped berries, chill and enjoy!!

HOMEMADE DATE OAT MUESLI (SUGAR FREE!) Filed under ( Breakfast and Brunch, Low Cal recipes )

Muesli is a great way to start your day, a healthy combo of complex carbs, nuts and fruits, it can be deliciously combined with Milk or yogurt for a filling breakfast or as a anytime snack.
I was fed up with buying expensive, sugary, manufactured muesli, so decided to simply make my own, it turned out really good!, low fat and absolutely no added sugar!
I carry this muesli in my tiffin too for a nourishing mid-meal snack or when I crave something sweet after meals.

To make this you require-

• Oats- 1 cup
• Corn/Wheat flakes-1/2 cup
• Almonds and raisins-1/2 cup
• Chopped dates-1 cup
• Flaxseeds-2 tbsp
• Clarified butter/butter-1 tsp

Method- Heat butter in a heavy bottom pan, add the oats and toast till fragrant and just starting to turn golden, at this time your kitchen will be filled with a heavenly aroma of the oats being roasted in ghee, slice almonds and add to the pan stirring all the time, tip in flaxseeds , dates and raisins, switch off flame and let cool, lastly combine the corn/wheatflakes, mix well and store in an airtight container.
Serve with either Milk or yogurt and your choice of fresh fruit.Delicious and crunchy :)

LOW CAL FRUITY SANDESH WITH ORANGE SAUCE Filed under ( Low Cal recipes, Sweets and Desserts )

If you are one of those people who thought “nutritious” and “delicious” couldn’t mix, you are in for a happy surprise! Because that’s just what the following recipe is all about…tasty, healthy, simple… that you and your family will love.

To be fit and healthy, modifications in diet are required, but at most times people trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle or trying to lose weight or suffering from a medical condition get frustrated with a monotonous diet and a long list of foods that one has to avoid.And that is exactly the right time to refer to the following recipe...

Sandesh is a classic Bengali sweet made with fresh chenna/paneer which is often flavored in a variety of ways.In this recipe a fascinating combination of low fat paneer and citrus fruits like oranges/raspberries/strawberries make this delicacy rich in Calcium and Vitamins.

Ingredients:

• For Sandesh-
• Low fat fresh paneer(homemade with skim milk)-50gms
• Low fat/Skim milk powder-2 tsp
• Skim milk-1 tbsp
• Honey/Stevia/sweetener- 1 tsp
• For the orange sauce-
• Fresh orange juice-1/3 cup
• Cornflour-1/4 tsp
• Sweetener-1/2 tsp
• Lemon juice-3 drops
• Fresh chopped fruits(choose from raspberries/strawberries/apple/papaya/oranges)-1/4 cup

1. For the sandesh-Combine all the ingredients and blend to a smooth paste in a blender, spread on a serving dish and chill.
2. For the orange sauce-Combine all the ingredients in a pan and mix well, cook till sugar has dissolved, cool completely.
3. To serve- Garnish the sandesh with the chopped fruits, pour sauce on top and serve or serve sauce separately.

Nutritional value/serving

• Calories-46 kcal
• Protein-3.2 gms
• Fat-2.8 gms
• Calcium-66 mg

TANGY TOMATO THOKKU Filed under ( Low Cal recipes, Pickles and Chutneys )

This tangy pickle is my favorite, and I got the recipe from a colleague who used to regularly bring it in her tiffin.I think I have added a few of my own ingredients along the years and now a jar is always there in my fridge.
This thokku is used in many ways as a bread spread, a vegetable, a chutney and with freshly steamed rice too, great when you want an instant perk up to a regular meal, it is also bursting with Vitamins and since very little oil is used it also qualifies as really healthy.
The tomatoes I used were plucked straight from the garden and so were the curry leaves :)

Ingredients-

• Fresh red and ripe tomatoes-1/2 kg
• Curry leaves- 5-6
  
• Oil-1 tbsp
• Asafoetida-a pinch
• Methi seeds-a pinch
• Deggi mirch-1 tsp
• Red Chilli powder-1/2 tsp OR 1 Green chilli chopped
  
• Salt to taste
  

Method-

1. Wash and dry tomatoes.
2. Chop roughly into small pieces
3. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan, add the asafoetida, curry leaves and methi seeds, let sputter.
4. Add tomatoes and cover, cook for 20 minutes, then add deggi mirch and seasoning.
5. Cook till oil separates
6. Spoon into clean glass jars and cool, refrigerate
7. This chutney lasts for several weeks in the fridge

Tomatoes growing in my garden

"KANJI" CALLING... Filed under ( Low Cal recipes, Mocktails and drinks )

There is something wildly addictive about this drink, which comprises of Water and Black Carrots!
Yes I am referring to the ever popular "kanji", I remember as a child we used to love it but my mom always gave us little, as it is supposed to be enjoyed in little quantities, my guess is that too much upsets the stomach or perhaps because of the kick it has, it was off limits for kids :)
They also say that it is best enjoyed chilled while basking in the sun, I have a bottle chilling and just the thought of it is making me salivate, it is so impossibly delicious and great for weight watchers, yet incredibly simple to make.
The carrots used are the black variety, that lend a gorgeous shade to this drink.
Ingredients

• Black carrots-4
• Water-2 liters
• Mustard seeds-2 tbsp(powdered)
• salt-2 tsp
• Red chilli powder-1/2 tsp

Method-

1. Wash and scrape the carrots, be prepared to have your hand stained purple or wear gloves.
2. Chop Carrots into longish pieces.
3. Take a big glass jar, big enough for 2 liters of water and combine all the ingredients together, give it a good shake.
4. Leave jar in the sun for 5-6 days for the drink to ferment and sour.
5. Taste the kanji, adjust salt if required, chill and serve in glasses with a fork to fish out the pieces of carrots.

DOUBLE PROTEIN BESAN CHEELAS WITH SWISS CHARD Filed under ( Appetizers and Snacks, Low Cal recipes, Vegan Recipes )

WISHING YOU ALL VERY HAPPY NAVRATRAS!

I totally disliked besan cheelas as a child, reason being mom used to make tasteless big blobs of cheelas, seemingly uncooked in spots and serve them for breakfast, they used to kill my appetite on the spot....Don't get me wrong, my mom cooks up some superb fare but sadly for some things she completely succeeded in putting them off for life for me.
Until I recreated and re tasted these...
Now first let me explain what cheelas or pooras are, they are thin pancakes or crepe like, primarily made of besan(chickpea flour) to which a variety of seasonings and fillings can be added.In this recipe I have combined the benefit of Bengal gram with chickpea flour crepes and swiss chard plucked fresh from my garden.I suppose this recipe is good for Vegans and all those following the South beach diet and looking for a new recipe.


INGREDIENTS-

• FOR THE PANCAKES
• Chickpea flour(besan)-1/2 cup
• Ginger+garlic paste-1/2 tspGreen chillies chopped-1
• Coriander- few leaves, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Ajwain seeds-1/4 tsp

FOR THE FILLING

• Bengal gram(chana dal)-1/2 cup
• Ginger+garlic paste-1/2 tsp
• Swiss chard-1/2 bunch (substitute with spinach if unavailable)
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Turmeric-1/4 tsp
• Garam masala-1/2 tsp

METHOD-

1. Prepare the filling first-Combine half of the swiss chard and the chana dal well as the rest of the ingredients listed under filling.
2. Add about 1/2 cup-3/4 cup water and give 5-6 whistles in the pressure cooker or till Bengal gram is tender, dry up any remaining water by keeping on low flame, keep aside.
3. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the cheelas or crepes, add just enough water to make a pancake like consistency.
4. In a nonstick pan smear very little oil and spread out the batter like dosas, cook till brown on both sides, make pancakes like this out of all the batter.

TO ASSEMBLE-
Take a cheela and spread out the chana dal mixture on it, layer with some more fresh Swiss chard, roll up, cut and serve with mint chutney and tomato ketchup.Enjoy!

HEALTHY WHOLEWHEAT (ATTA) SOFT BREAD Filed under ( Cakes and Bakes, Low Cal recipes, Rice/Rotis/Noodles and Breads )

I love bread, particularly soft, white bread, as a child, bread was a staple in the house and we used to substitute it regularly for chapatis or rice, not a very healthy habit though but you know some habits are so hard to kick! Even now I love to soak up the last of the gravy with a slice of bread, it's really one of the simple pleasures of life.
In an attempt to eat healthy I have however completely stopped buying white bread and have switched to Wholewheat/multigrain/brown bread instead, a long standing wish was, however to be able to bake my own bread, I did that today and have a delicious, fresh, soft homemade loaf sitting on the dinner table. Now I can indulge to my heart's content and really not feel guilty about it.
For 1 medium loaf you require-
Wholewheat flour (atta)- 250 gms
Milk-1/2 cup
Fresh curd/yogurt- 2 tbsp
Butter- 30 gms (diced)
Salt-1/2 tsp
Sugar-2 tsp
Fresh yeast-2 heaped tsp
Egg-1
Sesame/poppy seeds- for sprinkling over
Method-Combine milk and curd, add sugar heat till milk is lukewarm, stir in the yeast and wait for 10 minutes till frothy.Measure out flour in a large basin, rub in the butter so that it is like breadcrumbs, add salt.Break egg in a bowl and reserve little for egg wash, add rest to the milk mixture, now knead a dough by making a well in the center and adding the milk mixture, knead into a smooth dough.Oil a bowl and put the ball of dough, turning over so that the oil coats the ough, cover with cling film and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place till double in bulk.After an hour remove cling film and punch down dough, if you wish you can now shape and leave for second proofing and then bake.I however for lack of time, shaped dough into a simple braid and baked the dough immediately. Brush with reserved egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds, bake shaped dough in a preheated oven (200 C ) for 35-40 minutes or till golden on top.
The bread came out slightly crusty on top but wonderfully soft inside and the smell of baking bread filled the entire house, it was really a wonderful experience, one which I will be repeating as much as I can :).
This healthy wholewheat bread is on its way to the Wild yeast blog, check out all the yeasted goodies there!