Mung sprouts Poha/ Flattened rice with green gram sprouts

It's a constant challenge for me to churn out a different, tasty,nutritious and well presented breakfast option without repeating every single day for my kids.Kids get bored of food so fast.And breakfast being the important meal of the day is needed for health and mental well being both for adults and children.

During one of those mornings when I hadn't decided what to make for the kids' lunchbox the previous night,these sprouted green mung came to my rescue.As I opened the fridge in the morning groggy eyed after a late night ,these bright green sprouts peeped from the shelves invitingly giving me an instant idea to use them in a nutritious combination with beaten rice or Poha.The Eureka moment worked and the combo was a hit with the kids,the lunch boxes came back polished clean.

Green gram sprouts are always readily found in my pantry as I use them in salad,Upma,poha,pulaos etc.The humble sprouted mung beans are nutritional powerhouses And are a favourite because of their ease and taste.Low calorie and high in vitamin C these can be used in burger patties,for making stews or a easy one pot casserole with mixed veggies.

I am sending this healthy and delicious breakfast to Sadhna 's event My Legume Love Affair and Srivalli's event Come, Join us for breakfast.

You Require  ( 2 Servings)
1C Poha or flattened Rice
1/2 C Sprouted Green Gram or Mung
1/4 C Peanuts
1/2 fresh lime
1 medium Onion , chopped
1 green chilli,chopped
5-6 curry leaves
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 -2 tbsp refined oil
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh coriander ,chopped( optional)

Method

• Wash the flattened Rice in a big strainer making sure not to wash it too much as the rice tends to break and let the water drain out.Add salt and lime juice to it and keep aside.
• Steam the sprouts in a microwave for 2 mins .
• In a pan or wok heat the oil,add the peanuts and fry them till done,when they start crackling  add mustard seeds and curry leaves and let them splutter.
• Add the chopped onions and chillies and fry till transparent, now add the sprouts and turmeric and sauté for a minute.
• Lastly add the poha or flattened rice on low flame and mix till the turmeric gets incorporated properly and the poha looks yellow uniformly.
• Add the coriander and cover it and switch off the flame.
• Uncover after 2 minutes and serve.
• Enjoy with a cup of ginger tea.

A minty avocado,watermelon and a feta salad

Whether it's indulging in a third large cup of coffee ,an extra slice of pizza in lunch ,too much beer in Tuesdays Happy Hours or just binging to your hearts content during the festive season,the result is the same.You feel like crap afterwards.The more you eat in excess the more emptier you feel.

After the larger than life Indian festivities which revolve a lot around tempting delicacies and mindless eating it's time to detox now with some recipes screaming health.Its a good time to cleanse your body of the toxins with the Christmas air setting in,much reason to eat,shop and be merry ....again!!

Dietary detox is basically eliminating certain foods, avoiding alcohol and caffeine and loading up on fresh fruits, veggies and juices.Sometimes it results in weight loss and increased energy. Starting your
meals with a salad helps you to attain weight loss and reap many health benefits too.

Salads are a meal in itself or accompaniment to a meal.The word Salad itself sounds so healthy...light,quick and easy to digest.But a salad can turn treacherous if we top it up with creamy,cholesterol laden dressings and fatty high calorie mix ins.


This refreshing Avocado watermelon feta salad not only screams health but is tasty too and the mint leaves impart a fresh minty flavour to it.The dressing is lime juice,seasonings and a drizzle of olive oil which is essential fats and is needed by the body to absorb nutrients from the salad.

This salad is being shared with Lisa of Lisa' s kitchen and Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes for their blog event No Croutons Required this month.

03 Servings
You require

01  large Avocado,peeled and diced
01 long Cucumber,peeled and diced
01 C watermelon,diced
01 medium Tomato,diced
01 small red onion,sliced thin
100 gms Feta cheese,cubed
2 tbsp ,fresh mint leaves,chopped
1/2 C pomegranate kernels
Juice of 01 Lime
Extra virgin Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• In a large bowl ,add all the ingredients except the lime,olive oil and the seasonings.
• Squeeze the lime juice on the top, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper .
• Stir gently and serve.

Guchhi Dum Biryani(healthy version)

The other day it was already more than 12 in the afternoon when I entered the house after my normal weekly market trips.I had an hour in hand to make a filling ,sumptuous lunch for the foodies in my life.The first question thrown to me when they enter the house is "aaj khane mein kya bana hai?"...so much for taking me for granted!Sometimes I also sweetly reply(if I am in a grrrr kind of a mood)Lauki and Karela...Love the look on their faces :)

I rummaged the fridge  to scoop out something of the previous day but then I was in for utter dissapointment.The packet of mushrooms peeped out from my shopping bags  and before I could put it on the kitchen counter the Sanjeev kapoor's Khana khazana"Accompaniments "drew my attention which was lying on the microwave.And lo and behold! the combo did wonders....I rustled up a delicious Mushroom Biryani within an hour with a Aloo ka raita.The saffron and kewra with the whole garam masalas and the aroma of the Basmati wafted through the whole house when my hubby dear entered for lunch.Seeing the pleased look on his face I knew what was coming and before he could open his mouth I silenced him By saying "Aaj khane mein Karela bana hai"!!!

This is a healthy version of Mushroom Biryani and is made with only 2tsps of oil.I gave the name Guchhi to it as it sounded very Nawabi and a little different.Mushrooms are called Guchhi or Khumbi in Hindi.The Biryani turned out to be amazingly tasty and was relished by all of us.

You Need

Fresh button Mushrooms-15 to 20 medium sized,cut into quarters

Basmati rice   -1 1/2 cups,washed and  soaked for 1/2 an hour

Onions-2 medium sized,sliced long and fine

Ginger-1" pc

Garlic-5 cloves

Fresh corinder leaves-1/4 medium bunch,chopped

Fresh mint leaves      -1/4 medium bunch,chopped

Tomatoes  - 2medium sized,pureed

Skimmed milk yoghurt -1/2 cup,whisked

Saffron-5-6 strands,soaked in 1/4 cup warm skimmed milk

Bay leaf -1

Cloves-4

Green cardamoms-2

Black cardamoms-2

Cinnamon- 1"stick

Mace - 1blade

Oil-2tsp

Red chilli pwdr-2tsp

Coriander pwdr-1 tbsp

Crushed Peppercorns-1/2 tbsp

Cumin pwdr-1/2 tsp

Turmeric pwdr-1/2 tsp

Garam masala pwdr-1/2 tsp

Kewra water(optional)-4-5 drops

Salt to taste

Method

1. Peel, wash and grind ginger and garlic into a fine paste.
2. Boil 4 cups of water in avessel,add bay leaves,cloves the cardamoms, cinnamon, mace and 1 tsp of salt.When the water starts boiling,add rice.
3. Cook for 8-10 mins ,stirring frequently or till rice is 3/4th done.Drain in a colander.
4. Heat oil in anon stick pan,add onions,stir fry on high heat till onions turn translucent.Add ginger garlic paste and cook briefly.
5. Add chilli pwdr, coriander pwdr, crushed peppercorns, cumin pwdr and turmeric pwdr.Stir fry a little and add pureed tomatoes.
6. Continue cooking over high heat till masala is fairly thick.Add yogurt, garam masala pwdr and half the quantity of chopped coriander and mint leaves.Stir well and cook for 2 mins more.
7. Add mushrooms and salt to taste and stir fry on high heat for 2 mins and remove from heat.
8. Arrange the cooked rice and mushroom masala in alternate layers in a biryani handi or an oven proof dish, sprinkling the chopped coriander and mint leaves ,the kewra water and the milk with saffron.Ensure that the topmost layer is of rice .
9. Cover the assembled Biryani with a tight lid and seal the edges with a kneaded Atta (wheat flour) dough.
10. Keep the dish on a tawa or iron griddle and cook on low heat for 10 - 15 mins.Alternatively cook in a pre heated oven at 160 deg C for 10- 15 mins.
11. Break open the seal and serve Biryani immediately with a raita of your choice.

Enjoy!!

Steamed Chicken with tangy Spinach and Mushroom sauce

I feel like ranting and raving to everybody I meet that I have started blogging AGAIN finally!I feel elated, on top of the world today while I am typing my post.Taking care of 3 kids(hubby taken into consideration) is not an easy task but then taking some time out for yourself is everybody's birthright.Though I am not able to read or watch my favourite programs but then I am sure blogging is surely going to give me immense satisfaction at the end of the day.

Today's recipe is steamed chicken with a thick tangy spinach and mushroom sauce.A very healthy dish.Those who cannot have steamed chicken can shallow fry the marinated chicken breast with a little olive oil.The tomatoes impart a tangy flavour and a rich red colour to the sauce.The recipe provided here serves 2 persons.

You will Need:

For the Sauce:

Chicken Breast- 2 Pcs

Onion - 1 medium, finely chopped

Spinach - 1 and 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Mushrooms(button)-6-7 medium sized,sliced

Tomatoes -2 medium sized

Garlic - 5-6 flakes

Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Salt and pepper to taste

Marinade:

Salt and pepper to taste

lemon juice -1 tbsp

Oregano - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken breasts with salt ,pepper,oregano and lemon juice for an hour .
2. Steam the pieces in a steamer for 25- 30 minutes.
3. For the sauce heat some olive oil in a pan, saute the sliced mushrooms .Stir fry till golden.Transfer to a plate.
4. Heat the rest of the oil in the pan,add garlic,fry till light brown.
5. Add the chopped onion,fry till they turn translucent.
6. Add the tomatoes and cook till the oil separates.
7. Now its the turn of chopped green spinach,cook the spinach till a little dry,the water from the spinach imparts a saucy texture.
8. Finally add the sauteed mushrooms with the seasonings.

Check the seasonings and serve the sauce with the steamed chicken or pour generously over it.The recipe is a hit in my household .I normally serve it with garlic bread and some steamed veggies.

Mixed dal or protein dosa

Dosa I am sure is an universal favourite, an authentic, south indian crepe or pancake which is served either plain or with a variety of delicious fillings.Its normally served with a bowl of tart sambhar and spicy chutneys.

During the initial years of my cooking experimentations I had a huge mental block for making dosas.All the processes involved like soaking,grinding,fermenting made it look like an uphill task for me.But my family's love for dosas won and today after all these years the dosa making process seems a miniscule project :)

There was a time when continuously for two months dosa was not made in my kitchen...can you guess the reason why?I forgot to soak the dal and rice every single night for two months :P can you believe this?That is when i felt the need to maintain a to-do list and started scheduling errands and tasks....that was the most productive way to complete them.This forgetfulness bug entered my mind when Mishti was few months old and I had to deal with a cluttered house, a never ending sleep deprivation,the e mails I needed to write,the phone calls I needed to return and top of that my hubby was out sailing in deep seas.I could barely remember the date or day,felt as if my brains were turning to mush,something which was entirely out of my control.During those hard times the simplicity of to- do lists made a tremendous difference in my upside down life.Oops! where is this leading to....from dosas to to-do list!

Back to those yummy crispy dosas.....this protein packed mixed dal dosa is one of my friend Chitraa's recipe who belongs to Kerala.Since the day I had it at her place it has been a regular in my kitchen too.This dosa is more or less like Adai ,the only difference is that this recipe has more rice and needs fermenting.

This mixed dal dosa goes to Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons for her Dosa mela.

You need:
1/4 cup tuvar dal or toor dal( pigeon peas)
1/4 cup urad dal(split black gram)
1/4 cup yellow moong dal(split green gram)
1/4 cup channa dal(yellow gram)
1 cup raw rice
1 cup boiled rice
5-6 black pepper
2-3 dry red chillies
a pinch hing(asofoetida)
1/2 tsp turmeric pwdr
1/4 cup oil or ghee(clarified butter)
salt to taste

Method:

1.Soak the dals (pulses) and rice in 2 seperate vessels for 5-6 hrs or overnight.Soak the red chillies and the whole black pepper with the dals.
2.Grind the soaked dal and rice the next day,add salt ,mix thoroughly and keep it in a warm place for 4-5 hrs so that the mixture ferments nicely.
3.Before making dosas add the asofoetida and turmeric pwdr and mix nicely. The hing or asofoetida helps in avoiding gases which normally attack because of the dals.
4. For making dosas the step by step recipe is here.
5.Serve the dosas with a chutney of your choice.
The chutneys in the plate have been adapted from the talented Sailu's kitchen.... tomato chutney and coriander curd chutney. She has a plethora of delicious Andhra delights in her blog.
.

Healthy eating-Spinach and Sprouts Upma-WBB

Few days back I was going through an article in a magazine and the title loomed large" Eat well and stay slim forever".Sounds so wonderful and perfect ...isn't it?? It needs so much of will power and effort not to over indulge in artery clogging fast food and less nutritious stuff.Sometimes we just opt for convenience over quality.Our eating habits are so ingrained that we are not aware of them.Health problems like indigestion,obesity,blood pressure clogged arteries are all because of increasing stress,imbalance in our lives and an unhealthy eating pattern.In today's world individuals juggling busy schedules and convenience foods is a common occurrence.

There are times when I just ignore the smell, the look , the taste and just wolf down the food without paying any attention.I have been trying to make a conscious effort from my side not to repeat these and have dinners and weekend meals together...no watching TV, no phone calls basically a distraction free meal so that we pay attention to what we eat, eat less and enjoy more.The eat less part is definitely for me:)).

Healthy eating requires planning and effort to include variety of food in your meals and following a perfect diet plan which I have been trying my best to inculcate in my household for the benefit of my 6 yr old growing up daughter and my hubby whose profession as a fighter pilot demands it.It is crucial for a fighter pilot to be fighting fit and in an excellent heart condition to be able to withstand the high and low gravitational forces when piloting a jet at high speed. He needs to have a perfect eyesight,quick reflexes and the ability to stay cool under pressure.

For my hubby who nurtures the passion and fascination of scudding through the sky with the ability to defy gravity with a multi -million dollar piece of machinery , the patriotic fervor, the hard work he has put to make his dream come true would be emotionally tormenting if he is scooped out of the profession because of any health problems . A mere weight gain and they are ordered to stop flying till they get back to shape!! For me it's a constant challenge everyday to rustle up a healthy meal and mentally rehearse" Healthy Eating"!!:)



Well thanks to WBB-Weekend Breakfast Blogging I ended up with a really long writeup.WBB is the brainchild of Nandita of Saffron Trail and is hosted by Suganya of Tasty Palettes this month.I am sending my spinach and sprouts upma as my entry to this event.
Breakfast is the most important and energy enhancing meal of the day.Eating breakfast everyday makes a big positive difference in your health.This nutrition packed upma is a hit in my household and I am sure you all will enjoy it.

You need:
1 cup sooji( semolina)
2 cups water
1 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
5-6 curry leaves
1 green chilli chopped
a pinch hing(asofoetida)
1 cup green mung sprouts
1 cup chopped or minced spinach
1 small onion chopped
2 tomatoes (blanched and chopped)
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
salt to taste,juice of 1/2 lemon

Method:
1. Dry roast the Suji( semolina) till it becomes brown and fragrant, keep it aside.
2. In a wok heat oil,add hing ,rai green chillies and curry leaves.
3. When it starts spluttering add onion,fry till it looks transparent and then add tomatoes.Saute
for 2 mins.
4.To this add sprouts and cook for 2-3 mins.
5. Add the spinach,salt,pepper and cook for 5 more mins stirring on low heat.
6.Add water and bring to a boil.Add lemon juice.
7. Add suji,stirring continuously and cook till dry.Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.

This recipe is from Nita Mehta 's Low Fat Recipes but lot of ingredients have been added by me according to our tastes.Enjoy the healthy breakfast !!