SAY YES TO SPROUTS! Filed under ( Soups and Salads )

They are bursting with vitamins, extremely light and easy to digest and great as an all time snack, yes! I am talking about sprouts, any kind of sprouts, chana, mung-dal, or any bean.

Method of making sprouts-There are two different methods one is the traditional method ,in which you just tie up the dal/bean in a clean muslin cloth and keep sprinkling water every few hours,within 2-3 days the sprouts will be ready, a relatively new way is using the sprout maker(see pic below), this is a steel dibbi (container) with several small holes in it on the top,sides as well as the bottom ,you put the dal/beans in it and just keep dipping it in water or putting under running water so that water seeps into the holes ,in two days sprouts are ready, any way you make them do try and include this source of vitamin C in your diet.

               

the sprout-maker                

    

 light and crunchy- sprouts salad

THINGS I DO WITH SPROUTS-

• Add chopped tomato,onion and cucumber,sprinkle lemon juice and chaat masala ,saute lightly ,makes a refreshing salad (see pic above).
• Serve this salad on top of fried papad, cut into triangles, serve immediately
• Toss a handful into fried rice/noodles/soup
• Add it to yogurt with tomato, onion, salt and pepper- delicious raita is ready
• Make regular onion-tomato masala add sprouts ,garam masala and salt, serve with chapatis and yogurt for a complete meal
• Grind alongwith dosa batter for an extremely nutritious dosa
• Combine with any leafy green vegetable like amaranth OR
• Just enjoy them raw and crunchy as shown below

                                                                              mung-dal sprouts  

ARMENIAN CHICKEN~WALNUT SALAD Filed under ( Dry veg.and Side Dishes, Soups and Salads )

Never knew that I would learn so many dishes from my Armenian friend!, well it has been very satisfying and leaves me wanting more of this lovely cuisine...

Since it is so hot here, we wish to eat just the lightest of things and salads are top priority, this lovely light summer salad with a subtle lacing of garlic and the crunch of walnuts is just perfect!, we really enjoyed it with crisp toasted bread and since it is so easy to put together everyone was surprised that dinner was on the table in hardly any time at all!! For this salad you require-

• Chicken- 1 boiled and deboned (reserve stock for soup of your choice)


• Walnuts-1/2 cup


• Eggless low fat mayonnaise-1/2 cup


• Plump garlic cloves-2


• Coriander/Cilantro-1/2 cup, chopped


• Fresh ground pepper-acc to taste


• Salt-acc to taste

Method- With a sharp knife chop deboned chicken and keep aside, crush garlic cloves.In a large bowl combine all the ingredients together, adjust seasoning as well as the amount of mayo, chill for at least an hour, (you can prepare this salad even a day before).serve with soup and crisp bread slices.

SPICY CHICKPEA SALAD ON DIET~DAY 3 Filed under ( Appetizers and Snacks, My Diet Logs, Soups and Salads )

Day 3 and the cravings hit hard today, I don't know whether it was because I was thinking about it or because my body was missing all the sugar it was so used to? :), I wanted something "chatpata", so I made this spicy salad-but I am STILL CRAVING CHOCOLATE!..

• Boiled Chickpeas-1 cup


• Onion- 1 large finely chopped


• Tomato- 1 large chopped


• Green chillies-2 chopped, deseeded


• Tamarind pulp- 1 tbsp


• Lemon juice-2 tbsp


• Salt and red chilli pwdr- acc. to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and toss well, mashing the chana's a little too, season acc. to taste, serve with kulchas if desired.I had just the chana salad.

This recipe triggers back memories of College days in Punjab University, where we used to eat these everyday off the roadside vendor with a huge brass vessel atop his bicycle,a very common sight in North India and a boon for the students who could, at times afford only this- Chana and two kulchas for Rs.5/- :)

Well coming to DAY 3, this is what I had today-

• Early Morning-Tea-1 cup sweetened with Sugar free Natura+handful of besan bhujia


• Breakfast- Buttermilk- 1 glass with sweetener and 1 tsp Protinex powder +1 Besan and soya chapati with bittergourd vegetable


• Lunch-2 Besan soya chapatis +bittergourd veggie


• Evening-1 large bowl Spicy Chickpea salad(recipe above)+ 1 glass Cucumber and spinach juice


• Dinner-Rajma-1 katori+1 egg cooked in non-stick pan


• Exercise- half an hour walk

TOMATO SOUP ON VALENTINE'S DAY?? Filed under ( Appetizers and Snacks, Soups and Salads )

Some are baking heart shaped chocolate cakes, some are cooking up elaborate meals for their beloved but I am stirring up a simple pot of Soup b'cause that is what my husband loves the most!, and this is not your regular tomato soup but a strong, nutritious blend of the most healthy veggies and also the most appetizing and digestive herbs so after 5 bowlfuls and a very satisfied look on his face I know Valentine's day is going to be great!!
To make this soup you need-
Tomatoes-1 kg
Carrots-2
Amala-1
Beetroot-1 small piece
Mint- 1 large handful, with stalks
Coriander- 1 large handful, with stalks
Ginger- 1 small piece
Black peppercorns-4-5
Cloves-4-5
Green chilli-1
Black cardamom-2
Sugar-4-5 tsp
Salt and black pepper
for garnishing if desired
Fresh cottage cheese (grated)
Bread Croutons
Fresh cream
Method-In a pressure cooker,combine all the ingredients except those reserved for the garnish, add 4 cups water and give 5-6 whistles, strain and season, serve piping hot with any or all the above garnishes.
And heyy you know what, just to keep looking at everything that reminds you that today is Valentines day, I have downloaded the most amazing Valentine Wallpapers, you can too- just click here. Enjoy your day!- the wallpapers and soup too!! :)

THUKPA ~ A SPICY TIBETAN SOUP Filed under ( Soups and Salads )

The first time I had this soup was in Darjeeling, out of sheer curiousity-the name itself got me interested as to what it might be,and I haven't forgotten the taste ever since....

All of you who have ever been to this part of India would totally agree-the place is breathtakingly beautiful, I had gone there on a school trip - my first ever experience of staying away from home for  10 days! Can you imagine the sense of freedom :) only any of you who have studied in a Convent will be able to understand what I am talking about!!!

Anyway's apart from eyeing all the guys around (haha the good ol' days) ,we learnt a lot too- mainly about Buddhists(the place is dotted with beautiful monastries)we also saw Sikkim, Gangtok and all the neighbouring areas.Darjeeling has loads of Tea-gardens as all of you know, we bought several tins of this prized tea back with us.

Sikkim has Tiger Hill close by ,which is supposedly the closest you can get to seeing the Sun rise anywhere on Earth,we had to get up at 4 in the morning and jeep's take you up a very steep hill, almost vertical -then all you got to do is wait with chattering teeth and bitter winds -for the Sun to rise,but it's totally worth it,the Sun as it rises seems HUGE right in front of you,if you can imagine in your head what I am talking about,the Sun is so close you will feel direct heat on your face-Memorable sight!

Last but not the least the huge variety of Orchids and the Cuisine you get there, makes you want to go there again and again and again...

Now let's make the Thukpa first !

Ingredients-

• Tomatoes- 5 large and ripe
• Ginger & Garlic paste-1 tsp
• Carrots-1/2 cup sliced
• French beans- 1/2 cup chopped
• Cabbage- few leaves (tear into bite-sized pieces)
• Cauliflower- separate into small florets
• Aji-no-moto- a pinch
• Green chillies- 2 sliced
• Noodles/pasta- 1/2 cup raw
• Lemon juice- 1 tbsp.
• Chopped coriander/cilantro-a handful
• Sugar- 1/2 tsp
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method-

Chop tomatoes roughly add ginger and garlic and give several whistles in the pressure cooker, cool, blend and strain.

Put on heat again ,add the rest of the ingredients except for salt, lemon juice ,cabbage, coriander and ajinomoto and cook till veggies are done but still crunchy, add the seasonings and cabbage, cook for few seconds, garnish with cilantro and serve- SLURP! SLURP!

                   

                         Thukpa- a spicy Tibetan soup

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