Quick n Healthy

Posted in Desserts, Entertaining, Quick n Healthy, Spring - Summer Special

Blueberry Delight

Holidays are here and so is the season of sweets and extra-calories. When my friends came over last night, I wanted to serve them a quick healthy dessert. I understand Healthy & Desserts can not fit into one sentence but this was an exception. First of all it was a petite dessert made with ‘camouflaged’ greek yogurt mixed with homemade Blueberry compote and apple chunks. When it comes to dessert presentation is what matters the most, rightt?  So, here is  how I did it. [purerecipe] Happy Holidays!

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Posted in Quick n Healthy, Snacks, Spring - Summer Special, Superfoods

Kale Chips

We all know we should eat green leafy vegetables. And I am sure you have come across Kale Chips too. Are they easy to make? Yes and No. They are easy to make for the most part, but can easily be messed up. When I first made Kale chips, I had no idea how Kale tastes. Its slight bitter taste does call for Indian touch like chaat masala or your favorite seasoning. If “green” and “leafy” do not strike a bell in your mind, here is why Kale is a clear winner when in comes to nutrition. Type of Green Calories…

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ulunthan kali
Posted in Desserts, Quick n Healthy, South Indian

Ulunthan Kali

This was my first time participating in Indian Cooking Challenge and I was very excited about it. Srivalli had asked us to prepare a traditional sweet from Tamilnadu. I had never heard the name before and surprisingly none of my Tamil friends were familiar with its name – “Ulunthan Kali”. As Srivalli explained, its known by various other names such as  Kummayam or Adi Kummayam or more popularly Thiruvadhirai Kali. The recipe was given by Padma. The most impressive thing about this dish is its ingredients.; urad dal, rice, jaggery and sesame oil; all combined together to make a deliciously…

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BalGopal
Posted in Festival Special, Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy

गोपाळ काला / Gopal Kala for Krishna Janmashtami

Krishna Janmashtami कृष्ण जन्माष्टमी, the birthday of Lord Krishna is celebrated all over India. In Maharashtra its popularly known as Gokulashtmi and it’s celebrated along with “Dahi Handi” with enormous zeal and enthusiasm. People make a human pyramid by standing on each other and the top most person tries to reach the “handi”, a clay pot filled with curd and aims to break it with his hand. This depicts Lord Krishna’s childhood and his love towards butter. We worship bal gopal (बाल गोपाळ ) and we prepare his favorite dishes which include sweets and savory dishes. Then on the midnight of…

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Watermelon Cooler
Posted in Quick n Healthy, Salad, Smoothie

Celebrating National Watermelon Day!

Watermelon is a wonderful wonderful summer treat. Nothing beats the sweet, sugary, red juicy watermelon bites. Very low in calories and rich in Vitamin A & Vitamin C, it’s also a great source of potassium. Today watermelons get their made up holiday, 3rd August is celebrated as ‘National Watermelon Day’ in America. Hence, I am sharing some of my favorite watermelon treats. Personally watermelon juice is my favorite. Squeeze a few drops of lime juice and sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala and you will have a refreshing cooler in no time! Watermelon Quinoa Salad is a popular recipe and…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Subji / Curry

Vangi Batata (Eggplant Potato curry) Unbeatable!

Eggplants in Creamy Sauce loaded with Healthy Fats! I have adapted my mom’s recipe of “bharli vangi” (भरली वांगी) to make it super simple and extremely delicious. The one thing I like about eggplant is it’s readily available in all grocery stores and this curry does not need any special ingredients. It’s super easy and super delicious. Ingredients 5-6 medium sized eggplants 2-3 small potatoes (optional) For masala – 1 tb spoon cumin-coriander powder 2.5 tb spoon peanut powder (दाण्याचे कूट) 1 tsp kala masala (गोडा मसाला) 1 tb spoon shredded coconut 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1/2 tsp sesame seeds…

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Posted in Breakfast, Continental, Quick n Healthy, Snacks

Spinach Pancakes

Hearty and Healthy twist to traditional pancakes Imaging a light fluffy pancake topped with butter, maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh berries…. Yum! Pancakes are great for breakfast pleasures but they are not healthy! Today I decided to transform this classic American breakfast into a savory, healthy dish with Indian touch. I used multi-grain flour instead of all purpose flour. I substituted sugar with salt and red chili powder, stirred in lots of  veggies like finely chopped spinach, cilantro, tomatoes and red onions with some coriander-cumin powder together with fennel seeds and ajwain seeds for an extra kick. The result? Outstandingly tasty and…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Salad, Winter Special

बीटाची कोशिंबीर / Beetachi koshimbir / Beet Salad /

Sweet, salty, tangy, crunchy beet salad  Beets are highly nutritious and calorie friendly root vegetables. They are a unique source of phytonutrients called betalains which provide antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and detoxification support. These betalains undergo a steady loss as cooking time increases, so make sure you keep steaming time for beets under 15 minutes. Reference –whfoods.com This is a simple, easy to make, yet a tasty recipe from my mom.   Ingredients 2 cups shredded steamed beet (around 2 medium beets) 1/4 cup ground roasted peanuts 1/4 tsp fennel seeds (optional See Notes below) 1 tsp lemon juice 2 tsp तिळाची चटणी or 1 tsp sesame…

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Posted in Maharashtrian, Quick n Healthy, Salad, Winter Special

गाजराची कोशिंबीर / Gajarachi Koshimbir / Carrot Salad

Eating salad is a proven way of cutting down calories without compromising on necessary nutrients. A typical Maharashtrian Koshimbir is the best example of such a salad. Even if you don’t like raw carrorts, I bet you will enjoy this Gajarachi Koshimbir –   Ingredients 2 fresh medium carrots, grated 1 medium tomato, chopped 2 tb spoon peanut(groundnut) powder 1 tb spoon sugar 1 tb spoon fresh lemon juice 2 medium green chiliis, finely chopped salt to taste 4 springs of cilantro, finely chopped This is the simplest recipe so far. Grate carrots , chop tomatoes and ground roasted(optional) peanuts. Mix everything…

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Posted in Breakfast, Quick n Healthy, Smoothie, Spring - Summer Special

Blackberry Smoothie

Nutritious yet delicious delight The easiest way to enjoy fresh blackberries is to have thick creamy blackberry smoothie. Add fresh washed blackberries with thick greek yogurt, honey and some milk and give it a quick whisk in a blender. Nothing can be more filling than a glass of sweet creamy blackberry smoothie loaded with antioxidants.   Blackberry Benefits – 1. Blackberries are one of the top ten foods containing antioxidants. The anthocyanin, the antioxidants give blackberries their deep purple color help in memory retention and prevent the risk of hypertension. 2. Blackberries are packed with polyphenols helping to prevent cancer and…

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