Mini Ragi, Mung & Kala Channa Sevai/Idiyappam( Finger Millet & Bean String Hopper)

Are you looking for more ways to loose weight. Then try to cut down on your Grain, Sugar, Starchy vegetable & fruit consumption and slightly go towards pseudo grains like Ragi, Quinoa etc. Both these are seeds but actually used as grain and are gluten free. Ragi  is very rich in calcium and iron. Dark brown in color and with a sweet taste, nutty flavor and with complex carbohydrates. Gluten free and easy to digest ragi is good from Infants to Old aged people. Here I have used Ragi flour along with protein rich Black Chick Pea flour and green mung  bean flour. Both these beans are rich in protein, iron and very low in glycemic index. I served this with Tomato Kurma (Tomato & Coconut Curry with Spices). An unbeatable combination, try this out and let me know, what you think about this recipe. Made into small mini string hoppers my elder one loves this.



Preparation Time - Nil

Cooking Time - 45 Minutes

Serves - 3 to 4





Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 12 oz ( 1 1/2 Cups)

Green Mung Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Kala Channa Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Salt - 3/4 Tsp

Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Water - 4 Cups



Method



1) Take all the three flours, combine evenly and set it aside.



2)  Boil the water in a wide mouthed vessel, once it starts boiling add the salt and the oil and slowly add the combined flours little by little stirring with a heavy spoon continuously so that there are no lumps formed. Switch of the stove and combine thoroughly so that there are no dry spots or the water is evenly mixed with the flours. Cover it and keep it aside for 5-10 minutes and then take out and spread them in wide plate for around 20 minutes to cool down.



3) Grease your hand and as well as the Idli plates. Take a string hopper maker (Idiyappam press), roll out balls of dough and place them in the Idiyappam press and press them in the greased Idli plates.  Now steam the idli plates for around 10 minutes. Repeat the same process till all the dough is exhausted.

Event Participation

This goes to Champa's Kids delight mini bytes an event started by Srivalli.

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How to make Coconut Milk

Have you heard of the term BPA - bisphenol? BPA is a an industrial chemical that has been used to make certain plastics and resins. Epoxy resins can be used to coat the inside of metal products, such as food cans, baby formula cans etc. This chemical is really dangerous and the cumulative effect of being exposed to even minuscule amounts of BPA from cans, bottles, plates and all other sources over the years can eventually spell serious trouble for your child. Now do you understand what I am coming to? Yes instead of grabbing a can of Coconut milk next time try making it at home. So simple and easy to make, 100%  all natural without any "EPOXY RESINS". You can add Coconut milk to vegetable dishes, milk shakes instead of milk, ice creams. Will soon post ice creams using Coconut Milk.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - Nil

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Grated/Shredded Fresh Unsweetened Coconut - 1 Cup (Packed)

Water - 2 1/2 Cups

Method

1) Soak Coconut in 2 cups of water for at least an hour. Now pour this in your blender and blend on high speed for 1-2 Minutes

2) Pour the content through a strainer and collect the coconut milk in a container below. 

Squeeze out the collected pulp and once again place it in your blender and add the reserved half a cup water and blend once again. Repeat the same step as above and squeeze out the pulp thoroughly and use it in garnishing your vegetable curries.

Note - You can also warm the coconut milk slightly and add Xylitol to sweeten it and 1/2 tsp of freshly crushed black pepper and enjoy during winter months.

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Mixed Cabbage Stir Fry (Curry)

 Red(purple)  cabbage is one of the most nutritious and best tasting vegetable around. Cabbage in general helps in lowering the cholesterol and has lot of cancer preventive properties. Cabbage is a low GI vegetable and can be included as part of daily meals even for people with weight issues and people with diabetes. This is one of the simple curry that can be done in a jiffy, do not over cook as lot of enzymes are lost in the procedure.



Preparation Time - 15 Minutes

Cooking Time - 15 Minutes

Serves - 4





Ingredients



Purple Cabbage - 6 Cups(Shredded, Chopped into thin pieces)

White cabbage - 2 Cups(Shredded or chopped into thin pieces)

Dry red chillies - 2 to 3 or depending on taste

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Asafoetida powder - pinch (avoid this in case of gluten intolerance)

Coconut Oil - 2 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Split Urad Dal - 1 Tbsp

Curry leaves - few

Grated Coconut - 4 Tbsp



Method



1) Heat a wide mouthed and heavy bottomed pan and add oil. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the split urad dal and asafoetida powder.



2) After the urad dal slightly browns add the cut red chillies and in a few seconds add the curry leaves and then add the purple cabbage and 3/4 th of the salt and cover and cook for few minutes. Once this is slightly done, add the white cabbage and add the rest of the salt and cover and cook for few more minutes.



3) In around 10 minutes the cabbage will be tender and also because of covering and cooking there would be little bit of water in the bottom of the pan. Increase the heat and stir fry for 5 more minutes till the water evaporates.



4) Add the grated coconut, saute for few seconds and switch of the stove and serve. Enjoy!!

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Green Mung(Green Bean), Paneer and Veggie Cutlets/Burgers

Have you ever checked out the ingredient list in store made veggie burgers? Either they are made out of Soy or some kind of beans with binders like potatoes or eggs. But if you have to make one with a no soy, no egg, no potato and no grain,  how do you make these cutlets. I wasn't too sure until I made cutlets. So far I have baked them at least 3 to 4 times in batches of dozens. They taste good, good for you and freezes well and can be had straight as cutlets with some tomato ketchup or chutney or can also be  had as a burger in bun with some cheese and veggies. Green Mung Bean is a very good source of protein and dietary fiber and low in glycemic index. Paneer or Cottage cheese is a good source of calcium and protein. I added powdered chia which is a good source of omega 3 and 6 and spiced up with some garam masala and red chili pepper for the extra kick. They tasted awesome. Who said healthy food doesn't taste good!!! Now getting on to the recipe.



Preparation Time - 15 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 to 40 Minutes

Serves - 10 to 12 depending on the size





Ingredients



Sprouted Green Mung Beans - 2 Cups

Grated paneer(Cottage Cheese) - 1 Cup

Chopped mixed Veggies - 1 1/2 Cups(Onions, green, yellow, orange, red bell pepper)

Powdered Chia - 2 Tbsp

Garam Masala - 1 Tsp

Red Chili powder - 1 Tsp or to taste

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Amchoor (Dried Mango powder) - 1 Tbsp or to taste

Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Split Chick Pea Flour(Besan) - 1 to 2 Tbsp





Method



1) Heat a pan and add a tsp of oil. Once the oil is warm add the chopped vegetables and saute for few minutes till tender.



2) To the vegetables add the sprouted mung bean salt, red chili powder, garam masala powder and saute for 2 minutes and switch off the stove.



3) Once this is cooled down, transfer the mung bean and vegetable mixture to a food processor and blend without adding any water into a coarse mixture.



4) Preheat a baking oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie tray with parchment paper.



5) To the mung bean and veggie mixture add the grated paneer, amchoor powder, chia powder and the rest of the coconut oil and mix thoroughly to form  a dough.



6) Try to roll into a ball and flatten it with your hands and place it in the baking tray. Repeat the same thing for the rest of the dough and leave enough space between the patties.  If the dough is too sticky add a Tbsp or two of besan(split chick pea flour) to the dough.



7) Now bake for 15 to 20 minutes on each side, by flipping them in between depending on your oven.



8) Remove enjoy with some chutney, ketchup or as a burger with toasted bun, veggies, mustard and cheese or after cooling completely freeze well.

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Four Lentil Adai(Savory Pancake) with Fenugreek leaves & cilantro

If you are looking for a savory pancake, low in carb, gluten free, high protein and grain free. Then this dish is definitely for you. So easy to make, soak, grind and spice it up with few greens and make. With some Chutney as a side dish and with a cup of CCC Smoothie it makes a total balanced break fast or a lunch and fill you up for hours. Try this out and let me know how you liked it.





Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 to 30 Minutes

Serves - 3 to 4





Ingredients



Channa Dal(Split Chick Pea) - 1/2 Cup

Toor Dal(Split Pigeon Pea) - 1/2 Cup

Urad Dal(Whole or Split either is fine) - Handful

Yellow Mung Bean - Handful

Ginger - 1 inch piece (peeled)

Dry red chili - 2 to 3 or to taste

Coconut - 1/2 Cup

Curry leaves - few (5 to 6 leaves)

Chopped Cilantro - 1/2 Cup

Chopped Fenugreek leaves - 3/4 Cup

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Water - 1/2 Cup

Sesame Oil - 10 Tsp



Method



1) Wash rinse and soak channa dal, toor dal, urad dal and yellow mung bean overnight.



2) Drain the water from the soaked lentils and in a food processor add these lentils, curry leaves, salt, ginger piece, coconut and add water and process into a smooth paste.



3) To this add the chopped fenugreek leaves and cilantro and add more water if desired. The consistency of the batter should be that of pancake or slightly thinner(for a crispier pancake) but  not too watery.

4) Heat a iron griddle and once it is hot take a ladle full of batter and make a circle and pour 1 tsp of oil around it.

5) Cook on medium heat and once it is well cooked, flip it and cook the other side.

6) Serve hot with sambhar or chutney of our choice.

Event Participation

1) This goes to Herbs & Flowers in Platter hosted by What's Cooking, an event started by PJ.

2) Sending off to Breakfast club hosted by Krithi's Kitchen an event by Fuss Free Flavors.

3) This also goes to the Breakfast Mela an event by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all Seasons.

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Asparagus Stir Fry with Sesame Seeds

It is a well know fact that one of the best way to improve good health is to eat lot of fresh minimally processed organic vegetables. Asparagus one of the best vegetables for good health and is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fiber. Also Asparagus and few other vegetables like Avocado, broccoli contain lowest residual pesticide load, making them them the safest bet among conventionally grown vegetables.

This is a easy to do stir fry and takes less than 10 minutes and tastes awesome. You can have it as a snack or include as part of your main course. Whichever way you have they taste great and more than that they are so good for you.

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes

Cooking Time - 10 Minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Asparagus - 1 Bunch

Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste

Fresh ground Pepper - 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Sesame Oil - 1 Tsp

Coconut Oil - 1 Tsp

White Sesame seeds - 1 Tbsp

Method

1) Wash, rinse and chop the asparagus. If the stems are thick then cut and discard them if not you can slightly trim the stem edges and use them. 

2) Separate the thick parts of asparagus from the thin parts as they need to cook a little longer than the thin tender parts.

3) Heat a wide mouthed pan, add a tsp of sesame oil and coconut. Once the oil is warm, add the sesame seeds and toast for a few seconds and now add the thick parts of asparagus and cover and cook for 5 minutes in medium heat.

4) Now add the thin tender parts and cover and cook for 5 more minutes.

5) Increase the stove flame to high and add the salt and cook on high heat so that if there is any water let this evaporate and then switch off.

6) Add freshly ground pepper and enjoy.

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Quinoa Peas Pulao/Pilaf

Quinoa is a highly nutritious food from South America. Quinoa is rich in protein content, complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids, especially lysine, which is required by the body to grow and repair tissues. Apart from Protein it is also a good source of  iron, calcium, potassium, copper and magnesium. If you are looking for a gluten free diet, Quinoa is a boon for you. The high protein content and low carb content will make this a best fit for people with diabetes, childhood asthma,  migraines and vegetarians aiming for a high protein diet.



Do you eat Quinoa on a daily basis and are getting bored with your usual Quinoa salad recipes, try this one out and I am sure you would love the taste and flavor. Very easy and quick to make, this recipe is a sure keeper. I served this with Paneer Makhani an Indian Cottage Cheese dish cooked with spices & salad, a complete balanced and great tasting lunch.



Preparation Time - 20 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Cooked Quinoa - 1 1/2 Cups

Frozen Green Peas - 1/2 Cup (defrosted)

Onion medium sized - 1 (Chopped into thin slices)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chili - 2 or to taste

Coconut Oil - 2 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 Tsp

Salt - 1 Tsp or to taste

Garam Masala powder - 1 Tsp

Toasted cashews - 8 to 10 (broken into pieces)



Method



1) Heat a pan and add a tsp of oil, once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the fennel seeds and the ginger garlic paste.



2) Saute this for a few minutes till the raw smell of the ginger garlic paste is gone and it is slightly browned. Now add the chopped green chilies and the onions and add 1/4 tsp of salt and cook till the onions are translucent.



3) Now add the green peas and another 1/4 tsp of salt and 1/4 cup of water. Cook till the peas are tender. (Add more water if required but do not add a lot because we just need 1 to 2 Tbsp of water when we add the cooked quinoa)



4) Now add the cooked quinoa, rest of the salt, garam masala powder and simmer till the water as well as the spices are absorbed by the quinoa and switch off the stove. Add a tsp of the remaining coconut oil for good flavor and garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted nuts and serve.

Event



This goes straight to Only Fusion Recipes hosted by Priya of Now Serving and an event started by Pari.

Sending this to WWC-Quinoa for Dinner hosted by Ohtastensee an event started by Sanjeeta.

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Mullangi Sambar(Radish Stew)

Sambar is a stew  made with vegetables, cooked split pigeon peas, tamarind extract and spices. This is  a very common South Indian(Asian) side dish and is normally served with rice or Idli (Steamed Rice & Lentil Dumplings) or Dosai(Savory Rice & Lentil Pancakes).  Or you can just have it as soup, very filling, flavorful and nutritious dish. You can add any single vegetable or mixed vegetables to this stew. I make them quite often with radish because of their nutrition profile. Radishes are high in dietary fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium, riboflavin , vitamin B6, Calcium and Magnesium.

Preparation Time - 15 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Small Red Globe Radish - 1 pack

Cooked Thoor Dal - 1 1/2 Cups (Cooked and mashed)

Water - 4 Cups

Tamarind - small lemon sized ball or a big goose berry sized ball( soak them in little bit of water, once it softens, adding 1/2 cup of water each time squeeze out the juice for 3 times and keep it aside. After soaking, take the softened tamarind and the top portion of the juice alone as you might notice little bit of sediments getting deposited in the bottom).

Sambar Powder - 1 1/2 Tsp or to your taste based on the spiciness of your choice

Salt - 1 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Rice Flour - 1 1/2 Tsp made to a thick paste by adding a Table spoon of water

Onion - 1

Tempering

Coconut Oil - 2 Tsp

Mustard seeds - 1 Tsp

Asafoetida - 1 small piece or 1/4 Tsp (For gluten free avoid this)

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 Tsp

Green Chili - 2 to 3

Method

1) Wash, rinse and  slice the radish into thin slices.

2) Add 3/4 tsp of salt and 1 cup of water little well above the surface of the radish and boil for few minutes. (5-7 minutes)

3) Once it is half cooked, add the remaining salt, sambar powder and squeezed out tamarind extract and boil till the raw smell of tamarind is gone.(8-10 minutes)

4) Heat another small pan add the oil and once this is hot add the mustard seeds, asafoetida piece or powder. After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add  fenugreek seeds, green chili and once the fenugreek seeds slightly brown add it to the boiling tamarind juice.

5) Now add the mashed  thoor dal, rice paste and the remaining water and simmer for 5 minutes and then switch off.

7) Serve this with cooked quinoa or rice and enjoy.

Note - I like my sambar to be little thick like a stew, if you want it to be thin add more water and accordingly adjust your salt and spiciness at stage 3.

Event Participation



1) This goes to MLLA-34 hosted by Desi Soccer Mom an event started by Susan.



2) This goes to Cooking with Whole Foods - Toor Dal hosted by Veggie Platter an event started by Kiran

.

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Eggless Almond Flour Scones(Grain & Sugar free)

Almond Flour is a blessing for people on a gluten free and grain free diet. Even though the texture of the baked goods can't be compared with the  one's made out of regular refined flour or wheat flour. I feel the taste is incomparable with a nutty flavor and taste. Best of all too good for your body with high protein and low carbohydrate. I made these scones  for a evening snack and we had a few right away as they do taste the best when taken fresh out of the oven.



Preparation Time - 5-10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 10-15 Minutes

Serves - Makes 8 Scones



Ingredients



Almond Flour - 1 Cup

Clarified Butter - 1 Tbsp(Ghee) (If you increase this quantity cut down the quantity of water)

Xylitol - 2 Tbsp or more to taste(You can use maple syrup but cut down on the water and add 1/2 Tsp of baking soda)

Powdered Chia - 1 1/2 Tbsp

Vanilla extract - 1/2 Tsp

Salt - 1/8 Tsp

Water



Chopped Pecans - 1 Tbsp

Raisins or Cranberries - 1 Tbsp(Cranberries taste much better than raisin . Chocolate chips, chopped dates, apricots, dried cherries options are unlimited)



Method



1) Combine Almond flour, Xylitol, salt, powdered chia,  well with your hands.



2) To this add pecans, raisins, melted clarified butter, vanilla extract and add water little by little kneading this into a stiff dough.



3) Preheat oven to 375 Degrees Fahrenheit and line a cookie tray with parchment paper.



4) Make a circle and flatten them with your hand slice them across and make 8 parts out of each circle using a pizza cutter and them arrange each of the scone with enough spacing between and bake for 10-15 Minutes till the top browns.



5) Cool them in a wire rack for few minutes 5 to 10 minutes and serve them warm with butter, fruit preserves or as it is.



Note - You can substitute Xylitol with maple syrup and if using maple syrup cut down the water and also add half tsp of baking soda.

Event



This goes straight to Priya's(Now Serving) fast food not fat food event.

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Ragi(Finger Millet) & Besan(Split Chick Pea Flour) Poori

Eliminating gluten from diet is a big thing, one has to miss out so many delicious dishes like Poori, Roti (Flat Bread), Fluffy cakes. But when on such kind of diet, one has to be very creative and come up with alternate for all these simple pleasures. This poori is one such thing, which I made a few months back. I wouldn't say it was soft, fantastic and fluffy. But if you on a no gluten diet, this is worth a try.  I normally restrain from fried foods and do it very occasionally, not because of any fat restrictions. Our only restrictions are carb and sugar, but when you fry foods most of the nutrients are lost. Coconut oil and ghee (clarified butter) or butter are only oils that are stable at high temperatures and don't turn into toxin and are good for frying. Indeed they are expensive and that is another reason, I shy away from frying and do it once in couple of months.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Serves - 4 to 6 (Depending on the size)



Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 1/2 Cup

Besan(Split Chick Pea) flour - 1/2 Cup

Ajwain (Bishop weed) - 1/4 Tsp

Salt - 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Water



Coconut Oil for deep frying



Method



1) Combine the ragi flour, besan, ajwain and salt.



2) Heat a wide mouthed pan and add coconut oil for frying and keep this in medium heat.



3) Slowly add water little by little and combine to make a stiff dough.



4) Pinch out four to 6 equal sized balls.



5) Press it slightly and dust it with little flour and keep on the palm of one hand and using another hand slightly keep pressing in all the sides till you get a thin circular shape.



6) Now put it in the hot oil and fry till one side is well cooked and using a slotted ladle turn to the other side and after that is also cooked, drain the excess oil and place it in paper towel covered colander.



7) Serve this hot with the side dish of your choice and enjoy. I served this with mung dal(bean), palak(spinach) & yogurt

Event Participation



1)  This low carb and high protein healthy Poori's goes to Fast Food not Fat Food event by Priya of Nowserving.

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Ragi(Finger Millet), Green Mung, Black Chick Pea Cutlet

A grain free, gluten free,  a super diet for people with diabetes, carb & weight watchers, easily digestible can be given for kids and even infants. Apart from all these very filling,  tastes very good, very versatile and very inexpensive. Can any food fall on these categories? Ragi or Finger Millet is the one that would fit all these description. This seed used as a grain is extremely nutritious one. Instead of just Ragi, I have combined Green Mung Flour and Black Chick Pea flour to make this as a well balanced dish with complex carbohydrate and protein. I make this often either by adding chopped raw onions and green chili or by combining mixed vegetables. The simple cutlet just with onion and green chili tastes absolutely great when compared to the latter.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 Minutes

Serves - 4



Ingredients



Ragi Flour - 12 oz ( 1 + 1/2 Cup)

Green Mung Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Kala Chana Flour - 4 oz (1/2 Cup)

Salt -1 Tsp or to taste

Coconut Oil - 2 Tbsp

Water - 30 oz (1 1/2 times the flour)



Chopped Raw onions  - 1 Cup

Chopped Green Chilies - 2 or to taste

Chopped Ginger - 1 inch piece



or



Combination of finely chopped and sauteed vegetables with salt -1 Cup(Carrots, Bell Peppers, Beets, Onions etc)



Method



1) Combine the Ragi flour, kala channa, green mung flour and keep it aside.



2) Heat a wide mouthed pan with water and once it starts boiling, add the salt and the combined flours.



3) Simmer and keep stirring thoroughly  till you a form a thick dough.



4) Set this aside to cool down, once the dough is cool enough to handle with hand, add the chopped onions, green chili, ginger pieces or the sauteed vegetables.



5) Grease your hands and combine the vegetables to make a well formed dough. You should be able to make a ball out of the dough and flatten it with your palm. If the dough is too thick and dry add little bit more of warm water.



6) Heat an Iron griddle and make patties out of this dough and cook on both sides by adding little bit of coconut oil and serve hot with some Onion Pickle.

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Lemon Quinoa(Quinoa Lemon Pulihora)



Quinoa is a highly nutritious food from South America. Quinoa is rich in protein conten, complete protein as it contains all the essential amino acids, especially lysine, which is required by the body to grow and repair tissues. Apart from Protein it is also a good source of  iron, calcium, copper, potassium and magnesium. If you are looking for a grain free as well as gluten free diet, Quinoa is a boon for you. The high protein content and low carb content will make this a best fit for people with diabetes, childhood asthma,  migraines and vegetarians aiming for a high protein diet.

 The seed of quinoa has a coating of saponin that imparts it a bitter taste and is quite toxic. It needs to be soaked for minimum 30 minutes and rinsed under cold running water to remove this coating. Very easy to cook and so good for you. This can be easily substituted for any rice dish instead of rice

Preparation Time - Nil

Cooking Time - 25 Minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Cooked Quinoa - 2 cups

Red or Green Chillies - 4 (more if you want it spicy)

Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Coconut Oil - 1 Tbsp

Sesame Oil - 1 Tbsp

Channa Dal - 1 Tbsp (Soak this in water for 20-30 minutes)

Chopped curry leaves - 4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste

Turmeric Powder - 1 Tsp

Lemon Juice - 1 Tbsp or to taste



Method



1) Heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds and once it stops spluttering add asafoetida powder, drained channa dal, chillies, curry leaves. Saute for a minute till the channa dal slightly browns.



2) Now add the turmeric powder and sautee for a few seconds and switch off the stove.



3) To this add the lemon juice and salt.



4) To the cooled Quinoa add a tbsp of Sesame Oil and toss it and then add it to the lemon juice mixture and combine well.



5) Now add the roasted peanuts  and serve with raita.



Note - Soak Quinoa in water for atleast half an hour, rinse and drain. Add 2 measures of water to 1 measure of Quinoa and salt to taste and cook till it fluffs up. Remove quinoa and let it cool completely. Infact for this lemon quinoa if you have left over quinoa from the previous night, refrigerate it and then take it out nextday and warm it. The left over, refrigerated quinoa doesn't have a mushed texture, so it tastes much better than freshly cooked quinoa.







Event Participation



1) This goes straight to Twist the traditional an event hosted by My Innovative Kitchen.

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Pineapple Salsa/Salad

Pineapple is such a perfect juicy fruit with its a vibrant tropical flavor that balances the tastes of sweet and tart. Pineapple is available year around at a very nominal price. I  made this salad with the leftover pineapple and few of the veggies in hand and it tastes delicious. Try out this flavorful salsa and you are sure to love it.



Know what you Eat - Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Vitamin C is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, defending all aqueous areas of the body against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells. It is also a good source of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, copper and dietary fiber.



Cooking Time – None

Preparation Time – 10 – 15 Mins

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Fresh Pineapple - 1 1/2 cups (Chopped)

Red Onion - 1/4 cup (Chopped finely)

Green & Red Bell Pepper – 1/2 Cup(Chopped Finely)

Fresh Lemon Juice – 1 tsp

Finely Chopped Jalapeno Pepper - 1/2-1 tsp. (or to taste, if serving for kids replace this with powdered black pepper) 

Finely Minced fresh ginger – 1/2 tsp

Salt -  1/2 tsp(or to taste)

Finely Chopped Cilantro - 2 Tbsp



Method



1) Combine pineapple, red onion, green & red bell pepper, ginger and chopped  cilantro.                    

2) Add Jalapeno or Black pepper, Salt and Lemon Juice.

3) Chill 2-3 hours to marinate flavors and then enjoy.

4) Enjoy with some baked corn tortilla chips as a guilt free snack.

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Adai - Protein Dosa

Nutritional Info - Legumes are an excellent source of easily digestible protein, fiber, iron, folic acid, and other B vitamins. Legumes are rich in soluble fiber, which has been shown to help improve insulin resistance. Legumes contain low levels of sodium and high levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium - a combination that is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Folate, a mineral also found in abundance in legumes, is thought to reduce blood levels of homocysteine, a compound that can boost heart disease risk.



Adai is an authentic South Indian main dish made with a combination of rice and lentils. It can be had for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Cooking Time : 20 min

Preparation Time : 10-20 min

Serves 4 to 6.







Ingredients



Thoor Dhal - 1/2 cup

Channa Dhal - 1/2 cup

Whole green moong - 1 cup

Brown Rice - 1 cup

Split Urad Dhal - handful

Green or Red chilly - 1 or to taste

Salt to taste

Ginger - 1 inch piece.

Curry leaves - handful

Asafoetida - 1 small piece.

Onion - 1 finely chopped.

Oil

Water





Method to make Adai



1) Rinse and soak the rice and dhal together for 2-3 hours.

2) Drain the water from the rice/dhal and add the ginger, curry leaves, green or red chilly, asafoetida and salt.

3) Use a blender and grind the above to little coarse mixture.

4) Add the chopped onions or you can use your own variation of grated cabbage, carrot, scallion etc to the batter.

5) Heat the iron griddle and pour a ladle full of the batter and make a round dosa, put a small hole(circle shape) in the center of the batter,

as it will evenly and quickly cook.

6) Pour a tsp of oil and once it is cooked on one side , turn and place the other side of the adai and remove it once cooked.

7) Serve it with avial, sambhar, chutney, milagai/Chutney powder.

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Coconut Quinoa

Know what you Eat - A recently rediscovered ancient "grain" native to South America, quinoa is high in protein, the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Quinoa's amino acid profile is well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, also quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. Coconut is a tropical fruit that is rich in protein. Coconut boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance. It quickly creates a nutritional boost of energy that lasts. Coconut prevents weight and obesity problems by speeding up the metabolism.



I love coconut rice and wanted to try it with quinoa. Quinoa has a very slight bitter taste, which was totally unnoticeable in this dish. The sweetness and flavor of coconut, gave quinoa a total new makeover. This dish is guilt free with less carbs and power packed with protein.



Cooking Time - 10 minutes

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Serves - 3 to 4



Ingredients



Cooked Quinoa - 2 cups

Unsweetened Grated Coconut (fresh if possible) - 1 cup

Red or Green Chillies - 4 (more if you want it spicy)

Roasted Peanuts - 1/4 cup

Coconut Oil - 2 tbsp

Broken Urad Dal - 4 tsp

Chopped curry leaves - 4 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 tsp or to taste



Garnishing



Roasted Cashews - 4 tsp

Chopped cilantro - 4 tsp



Method



1) Soak Quinoa in water for atleast half an hour, rinse and drain. Add 2 measures of water to 1 measure of Quinoa and salt to taste and cook till it fluffs up.

2) Remove quinoa and let it cool completely.

3) Heat oil, add mustard seeds and once it stops spluttering add asafoetida powder, broken urad dal, chillies, curry leaves. Saute for a minute till the urad dal slightly browns.

5) Now add the grated coconut and keep stirring continously for few minutes till the coconut slightly browns evenly.

6) Switch off add roasted peanuts, salt and cooked Quinoa and mix thoroughly.

7) Garnish with cashews and cilantro and serve.

8) If you are planning to cook and store this dish, saute the coconut for few more extra minutes.

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Brown Rice Pongal

Good to Know -

Brown rice contains complex carbohydrate that provides 15 essential nutrients, including B-vitamins, niacin and potassium. Brown rice is a very good source of selenium, which is essential for thyroid hormone metabolism and immune function. Selenium is an antioxidant that helps in DNA repair. Lab tests have shown that selenium can inhibit proliferation of cancer cells by inducing them to undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death.

Cooking Time: 30 min

Preparation Time: 5-10 min

Serves – 2



 Ingredients

 Brown basmati Rice - 1 cup

Moong Daal - 3/4 cup

Ginger grated – 1/2 tsp

Green Chilly – 1 to 2 (optional)



Tempering



Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp

Cumin- 1/2 tsp

Curry Leaves - few

Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tablespoon

Ghee - 1 tablespoon

Grated ginger – ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste



Method of Preparation

 1) Soak brown rice overnight or atleast a minimum of 1hour, it is not mandatory to soak but soaking brown rice adds one more amino acid and makes it easily digestible.

2) Add moong daal and rinse and add water (for 1 cup rice i use 2 1/2 water and 1 cup daal - 1 cup of water).

3) Add green chilly, half of grated ginger, half of asafoetida and salt and pressure cook the dhal and rice.

4) Remove the cooked daal and rice and mash it using a potato masher.

5) Heat oil and add mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering add black pepper, cumin, asafoetida, and ginger and curry leaves.

6) Add this to rice and dhal and add ghee and pongal is ready to serve.



Note - If you want to thicken it further put the mashed pongal on a stove top on a low heat and simmer till it thickens to your consistency, if you want it little thinner add more water and salt and simmer for 2-3 to three minutes. Once the pongal starts cooling down, it will thicken automatically.



Pongal is a South Indian main dish prepared with rice and lentil, instead of using white rice i substituted it with brown rice for a healthier version.

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Chinese Vegetable Brown Rice

Know What you Eat - Green Onions, Scallions are actually baby onions picked before a large bulb has formed. Don't confuse them with spring onions, which have larger bulbs.

Cooking Time - 15-20 min

Preparation Time - 15 min

Serves - 4 to 6

Ingredients

Brown rice - 2 cups

Broccolli florets - 1 cup

Bell pepper(Red & Green) - half each

Carrots(big) - 2

Scallion - 1 bunch

Onion - 1

Water

Salt to taste

Soy sauce - 1 1/2 table spoon

Vinegar - 1 table spoon

Red chilly sauce - 1 table spoon (or to desired spiciness)

Oil - 2 table spoon + 1 tsp

Method

1) Soak rice in water for 30 mins.

2) Boil water in a pan(for each cup of rice I used 1 3/4 cups of water) add rice, 1 tsp oil, 1 tsp of salt and wait for few minutes for it to cook.

3) Watch carefully and once the rice is cooked, remove from stove and pour cold water and put in a colander for it to drain completely .

4) Make sure the rice is not overcooked and each grain is separate, if it is overcooked this dish will not come out properly.

5) Heat a pan add 2 table spoons of oil and stir fry on high Onion first for 2 mins, Carrot and Broccolli for 3 mins and Bell pepper for 1 minute.

6) Now add the chopped scallion soy sauce, vinegar and red chilly sauce and add the rice.

7) Combine gently so that the rice is coated with all the spices and switch off the stove.

8) Now taste the rice and if desired you can add some more salt and oil if you need more greasy rice.

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Lemon Rasam(Soup)

Rasam is a spicy, tangy South Indian soup prepared with tamarind juice or lemon along with pepper and other spices.

Know what you Eat - A half-cup of juice meets 100% of the RDA for vitamin C.

Cooking Time: 10 to 15 mins

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Serves : 2 to 3

Ingredients

1 Small sized tomato chopped into pieces

Green chilly - 1 (if you want really spicy increase it)

Chopped Ginger - 1 tsp

Chopped Cilantro - 2 table spoons

Asafoetida - 1 small piece or 1/2 tsp

Water - 3 cups

Cooked thoor dhal along with turmeric powder - 1/2 cup

Rasam powder - 1 tsp

Lemon - Juice of half lemon (Increase this if you want to taste it more tangy)

Tempering

Oil - 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Garnishing

Chopped Cilantro - 1 tsp

1) In a pan combine water, tomato pieces, green chilli, asafoetida, rasam powder, cilantro, ginger,salt and boil for about 10 minutes.

2) Once the tomato pieces are well cooked, add the cooked toor dhal and let this boil for 2 minutes till the dhal is well combined. Switch off.

3) Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering transfer it to the cooked tomato dhal mixture.

4) Let this cool for few minutes then add the lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.

5) When the rasam is boiling hot, do not add the lemon juice as it will become bittter.

6) Cilantro is normally used only for garnishing at the end, but when boiled along with all the spices the aroma will be awesome.

This dish is our contribution to RCI-Pondicherry Cuisine, hosted by Lavi as an entry from Tamil Nadu. RCI was originally started by Lakshmi.

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Brown Rice Pasta & Black Beans Salad

Know what you eat:



Just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily value for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are important for a healthy nervous system.



Black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other legumes. In addition to lowering cholesterol, black beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, black beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. You may already be familiar with beans' fiber and protein, but this is far from all black beans have to offer.







If you are looking for whole grain pasta, try out brown rice pasta. It tastes much better than whole wheat and the fiber content is much more than whole wheat.











Cooking Time - 25 mins



Preparation Time - 10 mins



Serves - 4





Ingredients







Cooked brown rice pasta - 3 cups



Cooked rinsed & drained black bean - 1 cup



Chopped vegetables - cherry tomatoes, scallion, celery, black olives



Salt to taste for pasta, bean







Dressing





Olive oil - 2 tbsp



Lemon juice - 1 tbsp or to taste



Onion powder - 1/2 tsp



Garlic powder(optional) - 1/4 tsp



Dried Oregano - 1/2 tsp



Dried parsley - 1 tsp



Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp



Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste.







GarnishingChopped cilantro or parsley











Method





1) Cook pasta as per directions, rinse in cold water and drain completely.



2) Soak black bean overnight and add salt cook till soft. Remove, rinse and drain the water completely.



3) Whisk all the salad dressing ingredients.



4) Combine cooked pasta, black bean and the chopped vegetables.



5) Add the salad dressing and toss gently to combine.



6) Garnish and serve.

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Sesame Quinoa

Know what you Eat - Quinoa, is an extremely nutritious seed. It has a protein value that is extremely

high (12-18%) and the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential

amino acids. Quinoa is easy to digest and naturally contains no gluten. It is also a good source of

dietary fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, and iron. If you are on a weight loss program or aiming for a

high protein low carb diet, go for quinoa. Rice, Wheat, Corn, barley even if they are whole grains they

do add to weight problems, but a seed based diet like Quinoa, Ragi(Finger Millet) will allow you to

take charge of your weight. Even though whole grains, contribute an important part in the food

pyramid there are various views on this and some believe these to be the cause of obesity, diabetes

etc. But it is very difficult to eliminate grains, when you are used to a grain based staple.  But substituting

it with seeds like Millet, Quinoa at least one meal of the day will really help in moving towards the direction.



When you are changing your eating pattern and substituting your staples with new things, you do get craving

to eat the things you liked. Quinoa and finger millet are slowly replacing our staples. Inorder not to get bored and make it more appetising, i try susbtituting quinoa with different rice varieties, which i am used to and this is one of them.



Preparation Time – 5 mins

Cooking Time – 25 mins

Serves – 2



Ingredients



Sesame seeds – 1/4 cup

Red Chili – 4-6 or to your taste

Salt – 1 tsp or to your taste

Quinoa – 1 cup

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Split Urad Dal – 2 Tsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Curry leaves – few

Water



Method



1) Rinse and soak and rinse sesame seeds in enough water for 2 hours.

2) Rinse and soak for 30 minutes.

3) Drain the water completely from the sesame seeds.

4) Cook the Quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water till they are fluffed up or

you can pressure cook for 1 whistle and switch off.

5) Heat a pan and add the drained sesame seeds and keep stirring till they

are evenly popped.

6) Leave the sesame seeds to cool for few minutes.

7) Meanwhile take the quinoa out and let it cool down. I actually make this

using quinoa cooked from the previous day, which is refrigerated to get

a nice separate grains.

8) Grind the sesame seeds with red chili and salt to coarse to fine powder.

9) Heat a pan, add oil and add the mustard seeds, once they stop spluttering

add urad dal and a pinch of asafoetida powder and the curry leaves.

10) Add this oil to the quinoa and then add the sesame powder and mix well.

11) Serve this with raita, yogurt with raw vegetables of your choice for a quick, healthy and balanced

meal.



Notes -  Add sesame powder according to your taste more or less and the

left over sesame powder keeps well in the refrigerator for at least 2-3 weeks.









Event Participation



1) This goes to Cooking with Sesame seeds event hosted by Priya.

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