Dry Fruits - India Gifts - Page 4

Low fat Vegetable Latkes With Cinnamon Apple Sauce

I love variety in breakfast,with time to spare and recipes in hand,why not make every breakfast an extraordinary one.On breakfast menu today are Latkes, traditionally prepared on Hanukkah,these are the crisp deep fried potato pancakes.I give them a low calorie make over without using eggs,frying in least amount of oil on stove-top or even better baking and casting the white potatoes with some vibrant vegetables to enhance the flavor and nutrition. Recipe Low fat Eggless Vegetable Latkes makes 18-20 small latkes Ingredients 1 medium Sweet potato,peeled and grated 1 big carrot,peeled and grated 1 medium russet potato,peeled and grated 1 large zucchini,grated 1 tablespoon Onions,finely chopped or minced 2 tablespoon wheat flour 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon(about 4 teaspoons) canola oil or cooking spray if baking Method Combine all the grated vegetable in a large mixing bowl.Add flour,season with salt and pepper and stir to distribute evenly. Heat about about 2 teaspoon of oil in a large non-stick pan or cast iron pan over medium heat.Carefully place about a tablespoon of the vegetable mixture on the hot oil and flatten a little using a spatula.I fried 6-7 at a time in the large pan.Flip after 4-5 minutes until golden brown and repeat on other side.Strain any excess oil on a paper towel.Add about a teaspoon of oil for each batch of latkes.Finish making the latkes with rest of the mixture.Keep warm in oven.Serve with Fat-free sour cream and Cinnamon apple sauce on side.

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Low fat Vegetable Latkes With Cinnamon Apple Sauce

Orange Ginger Drink

Berries are gone,Oranges seem like the only vitamin C rich fruit that survives through the frigid season.Orange is often recommended while recovering from a seasonal sickness for its richness in antioxidants Not just when sick,the Orange Ginger Drink is a rejuvenating anytime drink ,that might even drive away the winter blues.Blending the Orange with the pulp adds fiber.And ginger gives a zing besides enhancing the nutrition. Orange peel Don’t dispose the peel of the oranges,it has many good uses .I use the peel in the drink,which in some studies have shown to lower cholesterol.

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Mini Gingerbread House

Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse

I usually relish avocado as is,but to get my kiddo eat Avocado,this mousse was the best disguise.My boy was totally clueless about avocados in all the luscious chocolaty goodness. This wasn’t exactly my first attempt to create a vegan mousse,the earlier experiment was a miserable flop,didn’t ever want to combine chocolate with avocado.But when last week I bought these gorgeous bag of avocados on sale,in attempt to make avocados more appealing and kid friendly,I decided to give the choco-avo combo another go.This time I keep the cooking to minimum ,for Avocados tastes best when uncooked.The warmed up milk does the trick of melting the chocolate(kinda like truffles ),rest is just blending and serving.To make this a healthy dessert or snack,can’t stress enough to use the best quality dark chocolate ,and keep low in sugar to get the most benefits of both avocado and cocoa.

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Vegan Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce

Butternut squash is one of those nourishing staple vegetables available throughout fall and winter.The vegetable is uber-rich in vitamin A and has the nutrients to promote over all good health.It can be incorporated in many dishes just as the pumpkins. The puree of roasted squash is a fine filling for ravioli.With little experience of home made pasta making ,I used the American short-cut method by using store-bought ready to use wonton wraps for the pasta.The seeds in the squash when toasted and combine with fresh herbs and olive oil,served as excellent sauce with the ravioli. To Roast the Butternut Squash Cut the squash in to half lengthwise, lightly brushed with cooking oil, and place cut side down on a baking sheet.Bake at 375F for 45 minutes or until softened

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Pumpkin Seed Pesto Sauce

Baked Crunchies :Spiced Plantain chips and Pumpkin seeds

Baking is a good alternative to frying or deep frying ,with lesser oil used the food has lesser fat calories.Deep frying(or even over cooking)destroys some of the essentials nutrients like vitamins and antioxidants.Also prolonged heating(at temperature greater than 375F) or repeated reusing of vegetable oil at high temperatures can turn the fat into trans-fatty acids.Even though there are some guidelines to detect the number of times oil can be reused depending on the kind of oil used or temperatures it heated,but to be on safe side,I avoid deep frying as much as possible.

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Baked Crunchies :Spiced Plantain chips and Pumpkin seeds

Weekend Herb Blogging #206 Round Up.

Basil,rocket leaves and Chervil Graziana of Erbe in Cucina ( Italy ) made Herbed Grilled Salmon with blend of delicate herbs ,oil and lemon. Broccoli Anna ( Sydney, Australia ) of Morsels & Musings prepared simply delicious Broccoli & Stilton Soup with inexpensive ingredients using broccoli ,garlic oil,dried thyme and Stilton cheese. Rainbow Swiss Chard MangoCheeks ( Scotland ) of Allotment2Kitchen baked the glamorous ornamental garden greens,the Rainbow Swiss Chard Bundles with spicy potato and puy stuffing

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Weekend Herb Blogging #206 Round Up.

Health Nut Challenge 3:Healing Foods. Beet Greens and Vegetable Soup

” Healing is the act or process of curing or of restoring to health .” Why is good food diet recommended while recovering from a sickness, be it common cold or cancer? because good food heals,rejuvenates,comforts,helps the body regain its strength. For the third Health Nut Challenge : 1.Cook with any one or more of the following healing foods.Create any meal course – Appetizer,Soup,salad,drink,main entree or dessert.Avoid any such cooking method as deep frying or over cooking that will kill the nutrients in the foods.And use only healthy cooking oils like Extra virgin olive oil,Virgin pressed coconut oil,canola oil or any vegetable oil

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Health Nut Challenge 3:Healing Foods. Beet Greens and Vegetable Soup

Immune boosting Foods.Vegetarian Lasagna (with Kale,Zucchini and Broccoli).

The Flu scare sure has spooked us all more than ever this season.Besides the preventive measures such as getting the flu shot, washing hands often ,disinfecting and avoiding contact with sick people be sure to consume nutrient rich foods to build a good defense against infections. Eating from variety of fresh fruits and vegetables builds strong immune system.With flu season in full swing,it becomes all the more essential to make that right choice.Here are the important nutrients and good foods proven to build a strong defense against the infections and diseases.

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Immune boosting Foods.Vegetarian Lasagna (with Kale,Zucchini and Broccoli).

Pink Stuffed Buns

October is the breast cancer awareness month.Breast cancer is the single most common form of vicious cancers in women.According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year. Learn more about the what you need to know about early detection of the condition,prevention and care.Good Food always helps in balancing the over all functioning of the body.Here is my recipe for pink health- beet buns with stuffed cauliflower and turnip greens.

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Pink Stuffed Buns

Mini Chocolate Pumpkin Tarts

Conspicuous from the new header I bought and clicked the season’s first pumpkins.The markets are filling with these gorgeous antioxidant rich fruit,how could I not pick one?. I ignored them in the past but not anymore.This is just my second year of cooking with pumpkins and I have lot of recipes to try with them ,so expect to see some of my favorite pumpkin dishes this season. I find the cutting part particularly challenging,while some smaller variety can cut through with sharp knife,perhaps I did not have the muscle power for this particular pie pumpkin I also needed a hammer to pierce the knife in

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Mini Chocolate Pumpkin Tarts

Cocoa Dark Chocolate Macaroons…..with no feet?

Despite the missing “feet”(the ruffled bottoms) these Classic French Macaroons tasted delectable,were still chewy and brittle in texture.Over half a dozen attempts,I couldn’t figure out the reason why the bottoms did not develop each time as it were supposed to, in spite of taking all the care and caution as recommended by the expert bakers.May be its just a matter of practice,hopefully I’ll have good macaroon days in the future. I tried flavoring them with saffron,instant coffee but my favorite has to be the cocoa.There is a subtle difference between cocoa and chocolate .I use 100 % cocoa for the sandwiches and the filling is just Dark chocolate. The 2009 October Daring Bakers’ challenge was brought to us by Ami S.

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Cocoa Dark Chocolate Macaroons…..with no feet?

Well Balanced 3 Course Meals Round up.

Number of Entries : 16 Ivy at Kopiaste Viki at Viki’s Kitchen Sadhana and Muskaan at A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine Sadhana and Muskaan at A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine Sadhana and Muskaan at A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine Sangeeta at Healthfood DesiVideshi Sangeeta at Healthfood DesiVideshi Priya at Priya’s Easy and Tasty Recipes Priya at Priya’s Easy and Tasty Recipes Rahin at Lazzat Sushma at Perspicacious and here Shri at Tasty Touch Rekha at Plantain Leaf Lubna at Kitchen Flavours Me at Health Nut Me at Health Nut A big round of applause for all the participants of First Health Nut Challenge ! As promised one lucky winner gets the prize money.My buddy boy picked the winner.Congrats! Sadhana and Muskaan of A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine .The badge is yours to keep. Please do participate in Health Nut Challenge 2 :Guilt-free Snack

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Well Balanced 3 Course Meals Round up.

Oats Coconut Milk Pudding(Pradhaman)…No Eggs Needed.

Pradhaman in all its creamy and coconutty flavors reflects the exotic coastal state of Kerala in South India.The pudding makes the sweet side of the Sadya (big feast) served on banana leaf.Usually made with rice flakes,the whole oats seem to work just fine as the substitute for it.This delectable dessert is the creation of Madhuram at Eggless cooking ,the blog with amazing eggless baking ideas,is also featured this month for Tried and Tasted event,the hostess of the month is Poornima of Tasty treats . Recipe adapted from Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking Ingredients 1/2 cup Whole rolled oats *1/4 cup Jaggery ,grated[available in most Asian stores) 1 cup Water 1 cup(about 4 ounce) Lite Coconut Milk Roasted nuts and dried fruits for garnish *If Jaggery is hard to find use 2 tablespoon brown or white sugar,or 3 teaspoon Agave nectar. Method In a heavy bottom sauce pan add the jaggery ,oats and water.Bring to a slow boil and cook until oats are softened.Reduce the heat and add the coconut milk,let simmer for 4-5 minutes until thick and creamy.Serve warm ,garnish with roasted nuts and dried fruits

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Oats Coconut Milk Pudding(Pradhaman)…No Eggs Needed.

Classic Ratatouille

Ratatouille(pronounced RAT-EH-TOO-EY and literally meaning “Chunky stew to stir”) is a Classic French-Provençal dish with earthy flavors of abundantly fresh veggies.Dated back to 18th century France,the dish was poor farmer’s nutrient rich meal. I was introduced to this vintage recipe from the Disney-Pixar’s Comedy “Ratatouille”.The vibrant recipe at smitten kitchen inspired by the Movie itself was very impressive ,then I was thinking an easier method like the chop and toss method used in the Ratatouille pasta . A really good ratatouille is not one of the quicker dishes to make,as each element is cooked separately before it is arranged in the casserole to partake of a brief communal simmer.This recipe is the only one we know of which produces a ratatouille in which each vegetable retains its own shape and character.~ Julia Child More recently while browsing through Master Chef Julia Child’s Classics found really good ratatouille recipe that undoubtedly seemed the best to bring out the flavors for an ultimate,delicate and crisp ratatouille

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Classic Ratatouille

South Indian Style Spicy Pumpkin Chutney. Hosting WHB # 206

The hot chutney is reminiscent of the Spicy South Indian cuisine.The intense flavors from the chili peppers and the fresh spices gives the bland pumpkins a whole new makeover.Adjust the quantity of spices and make it milder or hotter.With the abundance of fresh autumn pumpkins the chutney turned out to be one of the absolute tasty eats of the season. Recipe adapted from Anudivya’s Roasted Pie-Pumpkin chutney Ingredients 2 cups fresh Pumpkin Puree 1 small plum tomato,finely hopped (optional) 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 green chillies or any other hot pepper 1 clove garlic,minced 1/2 inch ginger root,minced 1/4 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala (blend of cumin,coriander,cloves,cinnamon,bay leaf and cardamom) 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoon Extra virgin olive oil or Canola oil Method Heat the oil in deep pan or kadai on medium heat.Add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds,after a minute when seeds starts to splutter,add the chillies,minced ginger and garlic,saute for a minute or two then add the tomatoes and rest of the spices.Cover and Cook until tomatoes are soft and mushy 4-5 minutes.Now mix in the pumpkin puree ,let cook for another 5-6 minutes.Blend in processor for smoother texture,this is optional I did not blend mine.Serve with plain brown rice , flat bread ,mix in pasta, Dosa , Idli or spread on sandwiches.The chutney can be stored in clean air tight container in refrigerator for 2-3 weeks. I’ll be hosting the Weekend Herb Blogging for the week.Share your unusual delicious foods.Talk about the one unique ingredient used and please keep the entries exclusive(cannot be sent to other food events).For more rules check here and send your entries to YasmeenHealthnut AT gmail DOT com

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South Indian Style Spicy Pumpkin Chutney. Hosting WHB # 206

Kunafa, a Jordanian Sweet Pastry

For the month of September the ladies at Walima Cooking Club have relished the cuisine from the beautiful Historic country of Jordan in Middle East.The dessert pick was Kunafa,the festive Arabic dessert very popular during Ramadan,made by layering Cheese in between the crispy thin Kataifi pastry dough.The flavored sugar syrup and crunchy nuts are added for perfect finish.One can also use the thin vermicelli if kataifi is hard to find.And for the cheese the authentic recipes uses Naboulsi or Akawi Cheese ,which can be substituted by ricotta and fresh mozzarella together. *********************************************************************************** Recipe adapted from Diana’s Desserts .Also watch the video at Summer’s blog

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Kunafa, a Jordanian Sweet Pastry

Broccoli Puff Pastry Wraps

These crispy flaky snacks bundled in nutrition is my recreation of the wonderful Pepperidge farm puff pastry recipe .Tender Asparagus work beautifully,but as its not in season,I adjusted with next best veggie – broccoli, which is also more common in my everyday cooking.Blanch the broccoli to tenderize the vegetable before wrapping and baking.Wrap around the lightly spiced puff pastry,I had the home made puff pastry dough ,from the last Daring Baker Challenge.These are now served at Meeta’s Monthly Mingle : High Tea Treats ,the hostess of the mingle is Aparna of My diverse Kitchen. ^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^* Recipe Ingredients 8 broccoli florets along with 3-4 inch tender stalks or Asparagus with ends snapped. Puff pastry sheet,thawed and cut in 7-8 inch strips(I used Homemade Puff pastry ) 1 teaspoon of spice mix for sprinkling on pastry(I used cumin,pepper and salt) Method Preheat oven to 400F.

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Broccoli Puff Pastry Wraps

Eating Better for less…..Roasted Pepper Chickpeas Couscous Salad.

Healthy eating should not always be at exorbitant price.Its feasible to prepare decent nutritious meals everyday even on a modest budget.Considering the health costs of unhealthy diet in the long run its wise to invest a little now and avoid all the trouble later. Here are some ways to eat better for less money : * Eat Seasonal and Local Foods :The seasonal and local grown produce is always cheaper.Berries ,melons and stone fruits in summer,some fruits like apples,pears,bananas and oranges are available year around.In fall the overwhelming stock of pumpkins and squash can provide the much needed antioxidants for the season,and never throw away the seeds ,its rich in nutrients. * Pay Less – buy economical foods Beans and legumes are one of the most cheapest and nutritious source of food.Frozen beans like Edamame(baby soybeans) are a good choice of cheap nutrition.Buy them in bulk for lower price.Low fat milk ,Tofu and Organic eggs are other good sources of protein at no high cost.And among vegetables,the carrots,leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, sweet potatoes,potatoes,green peppers,tomatoes are fresh and affordable through the year.Buying bread from a local bakery can be lesser in price.Besides Rice whole grains like Oats,bulgur(broken wheat),barley and corn meal are most affordable.Nuts like peanuts and walnuts are cheaper than most other nuts.Cashews and Almonds are also cheaper when on sale.The whole grain pasta and couscous is one of the inexpensive staples.

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Eating Better for less…..Roasted Pepper Chickpeas Couscous Salad.

Archives August 2009

August 31 Walima Club :Iraqi Cuisine(Eggplant wraps,Date balls and Cardamom cookies August 27 Daring Bakers :Mini Dobos Torta August 25 Pineapple Ginger Chutney August 24 Chobani Greek Yogurt August 21 Ramadan Kareem :Joy from Fasting to Feasting Season II August 19 Vegan(and Vegetarian) French Onion Soup in a Bread Bowl August 17 Fiery Habanero and Grilled Corn Salad August 7 Ramadan Special : Suhoor and Iftar Meal August 5 Juicy and Nutty : Watermelon-Strawberry-Almond Salad August 4 Weekend Wokking Cheese Round Up August 2 Hosting Tried and Tasted : A Life(time) of cooking

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Archives August 2009

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