Green Tomato & Spinach Curry in Coconut Sauce(Thakkalikai Keerai Kootu)

Summer months are the peak for tomatoes, with very little effort they give a lot of produce in the backyard.

These tomatoes are very low in saturated fat, high in dietary fiber, iron, manganes, magnesium, niacin,

phosphorus, potassium and Vitamin A, B6 and C. Spinach is a good source of iron and a dietary super food.

Coconut & Split Peas are a good source of protein.

With my backyard flooded with ripe and green tomatoes, tomato would find its place in one or other way.

Soups, salad, chutney etc. This is one such easy and very tasty dish and cooks pretty fast too.

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Green Tomatoes – 4 medium sized

Spinach – 1 cup(chopped into pieces)

Salt – 1 tsp

Cooked Toor Dal(Split Yellow pea) – 1/2 cup

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

Green chili – 2 or to taste

Rice flour – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Water

For Tempering

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Split Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Curry Leaves – 4 to 5

Method

1) Wash and chop the green tomato into small pieces.

2) Add 1/2 cup of water and salt, asafoetida piece and cover and cook till tender.

3) Keep stirring in between and add little water if required, there is no need to

add lot of water as the vegetable itself when let out water when cooking and

we are going to make a thick stew and not a watery one. So don’t dump in lot

of water when cooking.

4) Grind grated coconut, green chili, rice flour, cumin seeds and little bit of water and

grind to a smooth paste.

5) Add this paste to the cooked tomato and simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to be

combined with the vegetable and for the gravy to thicken and then switch off.

6) Heat a small pan or ladle and add a tsp of coconut oil, once hot add the mustard seeds.

After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add urad dal, curry leaves and stir till the urad

dal turns slight golden brown and then transfer this to the tomato coconut gravy and

combine.

7) Serve this dish with hot rice & rasam or with flat bread of your choice.

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Split Chick Pea Coconut Milk Pudding

Split Chick Pea/Bengal gram/chana dal is very high in protein and very low in glycemic index. This bean

looks just like yellow split peas, is more closely related to garbanzo beans, or chickpeas.

The differences are that chana dal is younger, smaller, split, sweeter, and has a much lower glycemic index.

Coconut is a tropical fruit that is rich in protein. Coconut contains a PH that is good for the skin,

supporting the natural chemical balance of the skin.

Panela(Jaggery) is unrefined sugar and is rich in vitamins and minerals and a good source of iron.

Unlike refined sugar this doesn’t cause cavities nor source of empty calories.

Yes everybody like to relish on sweet things, yes i make it too but i make sure they do contain some

nutrition and are not made of refined sugar. A sweet which is not totally junk. This kheer is made with

protein rich Bengal gram and Coconut milk and sweetened with Jaggery and fruit pieces. Try this awesome

tasting kheer and you are sure to like it.

Preparation Time – 5 Minutes

Cooking Time – 30 Minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Chana Dal – 3/4 Cup

Jaggery – 1 Cup(Increase this based on your liking)

Coconut Milk – 1 Cup

Chopped Banana & Jack fruit pieces – 1/2 cup

Ghee(Clarified Butter) – 1 Tbsp

Cashes – 1 Tbsp

Chopped Dry Coconut Pieces(Copra) – 1 Tbsp (optional)

Cardamom powder – 1/4 tsp

Water – 2 1/2 cups(Adjust this according to the thickness desire)

Method

1) Wash and rinse Chana Dal and pressure cook with 1 1/2 cups water for

three whistles.

2) Once the pressure is released, remove the chana dal and mash it to get

a coarse texture with a masher, make sure not to make a paste all we need

is slightly mashed chana dal.

4) Add water, coconut milk, cardamom powder, jaggery and boil till

the jaggery is well dissolved at this stage add more water if desired based

on the consistency you require.

5) Heat a pan and add the ghee, saute the nuts till golden brown and remove

it and saute the dry coconut pieces till they are crisp. Garnish the kheer

with nuts, roasted coconut pieces along with the ghee and fresh fruit

pieces and serve hot or cold.

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Low fat Cottage Cheese(Paneer) Balls

Paneer is the most common South Asian Cheese. It is an unaged, acid-set,

non-melting farmer cheese made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice.

The texture of paneer is similar to farmer cheese. It is suitable for vegetarians

as no Rennet is used in making this cheese. Paneer is a very good source of

Calcium, B-vitamins, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and protein.

Paneer balls are sure tasty snacks and normally are deep fried and in most of

the recipes potato is used for binding. Because i am a carb watcher i opted

for this low carb recipe by using two slices of multi whole grain bread and

powdered chia and used Appam Pan for cooking instead of deep frying.

Even with all these substitutes they did taste great.

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes

Cooking Time – 20 Minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Grated Paneer – 1 cup

Whole (Multi) Grain Bread – 2 slices

Onion – 1 chopped finely

Ginger garlic paste – 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala – 1 tsp

Red Chili powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1 Tsp

Powdered Chia – 1 Tbsp

Oil – 1 Tbsp

Water

Method

1) In a bowl combine grated paneer, chopped onion, turmeric powder, garam masala

powder, red chili powder, ginger garlic paste and powdered chia.

2) Soak the bread slices in little bit of water for a second and

immediately take them out and squeeze out the water.

3) Add these squeezed out bread pieces to paneer mixture and then add salt to this

and combine thoroughly and roll them into even round balls.

4) Heat an Appam pan in medium heat and add a few drops of oil in each of the groove

and then place the balls in each of the groove.

5) Cover and cook till one side turns golden in color .

5) Flip over and leave till the other side is well cooked, remove from appam pan.

6) Serve with ketchup your choice as a quick guilt free snack.

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Ragi Sweet Appam

Finger millet is actually a seed which is much more superior to rice or wheat in
nutritional terms, providing highest levels of calcium,antioxidants, phytochemicals and high
levels of dietary fiber which makes it easy and slowly digestible. This slow digestion is very useful for
people with diabetes as it does not cause any sugar highs. The bulkiness of the fiber and the slower
digestion rate makes us feel fuller for a longer time. Black Chick Pea & Green Mung bean are very
good source of protein, iron and dietary fiber. This is very ideal for carb watchers, kids and people
on gluten free diet.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 10 to 15 Minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Finger Millet(Ragi Flour) – 6 oz

Whole Green Mung Bean Flour – 2 oz

Whole Black Chick Pea Flour – 2 oz

Jaggery powder - 1/3 cup or to taste

Banana – 1

Elaichi powder – pinch

Coconut(Small Chopped pieces not grated) - 1 heaped Table spoon

Salt – pinch

Water

Oil/Ghee(Clarified butter) - 2 tsps

Powdered Chia/Rice Flour – 1 Tbsp (This addition is to prevent the batter from sticking to

your cook ware, Chia and rice flour both will do its job perfectly)

Method

1) Add little bit of water to the jaggery and heat it till all the jaggery dissolves. Switch off and let this

cool for few minutes.

2) Meanwhile slice the banana and make a puree and add it to the jaggery.

3) Add elaichi powder, salt and the coconut pieces to the dissolved jaggery.

4) Now combine all the three flours and add the jaggery mixture to this and add enough water to make

Idli batter consistency and add the powdered chia.

5) Heat the appam pan and add drops of oil in each of them and then pour the batter. Cover it and

let it cook till one side is completely cooked.

6) Now turn it and leave till the other side is cooked.

7) Serve it hot and enjoy.

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Tomato Banana - Bell Pepper Eggplant Curry

Tomatoes even though are available all year round, they are at their peak taste during the summer months.

This summer we had a lot of Tomatoes, Bell Pepper, Banana Pepper and Egg plant in our backyard.

Combined with the goodness of different vegetables in different colors, they were not only a feast for

the eyes, but for the taste buds and a guilt free and healthy food for the body. Very easy to make

and go easily with rice or flat bread. this curry was a sure hit. Try it out and you will be happy you

did.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 15 minutes

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Plum Tomatoes – 4

Japanese Eggplant – 2(Chopped into medium sized pieces

Bell Pepper – 2 (Red & Green each one chopped into medium sized pieces)

Banana Pepper – 2(Cover your hands with gloves and slit open, remove the seeds, cut into

medium sized pieces)

Onion – 1

Red Chili powder – 1 tsp or to your taste

Salt – 1 tsp or to your taste

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Oil – 2 Tsp

Coriander(Dhania) powder – 1/2 tsp

Garnishing Cilantro – 1 tbsp optional

Method

1) Heat a pan, and add 2 Tea spoons of oil and add the mustard seeds once the oil is hot.

2) Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the Onion and saute till they are translucent.

3) Now add the eggplant, bell pepper, banana pepper pieces and saute for 5-7 minutes

till they become tender.

4) Add the tomato pieces, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder and saute on high

heat for 5 more minutes and switch off. Do not simmer the stove at this point, because

adding salt will make the vegetables to become little watery. So cook on high heat and

switch off.

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Mung Bean & Vegetable Salad

Getting bored of the same old salad, try these colorful and nutritious ones which will please your taste

buds and are good for you. Combined with the goodness of legume and all the colorful vegetables, these

can be had along with your meal or as a snack. Mung Bean is very easy to digest and are a good source

of protein and low in glycemic index. If you are looking for a filling and low carb salad go for this one

who can even eliminate the carrot and use the rest of the vegetables. They taste equally good even

without the carrot in them.



Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 2 minutes

Serves – 2



Ingredients

Split yellow Mung Bean – 1/3 cup

Carrot – 2

Cucumber – 1 (small sized one and not the size of a foot long)

Bell pepper – 1/2 cup chopped finely

Green onion/scallion – 3 stalks

Chopped cilantro – 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp or to taste

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder – pinch

Green Chili – 1 chopped finely

Grated ginger – 1 tsp



Method



1) Wash, rinse and soak the mung bean in enough water up to twice its height and let this sit

for an hour or two.

2) Peel and grate the carrot, peel and chop the cucumber into fine pieces and also

the bell pepper, scallion and cilantro.

3) Rinse, drain the water completely from soaked mung bean and to this add the

grated carrot, chopped cucumber, bell pepper, scallion and cilantro.

4) Heat a small pan and to this add oil and the mustard seeds, once the mustard seeds

stop spluttering add asafoetida powder, green chili, grated ginger and add this

content to the mung bean bowl.

5) To the mung bean add nu salt and lemon juice, stir and combine and serve.

This directly goes to the Innovative Salad Event-Cucumber.

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Chayote in Spicy Coconut Sauce(Chow Chow Kootu)

Chayote are sold as "Chayote Squash", though they are not really a squash -- they're gourds that are treated as Summer Squash in cooking. Chayote have a little bit less water in them than does Summer Squash, so they will stay a bit firmer after cooking. A medium Chayote has 50 calories, and is a good source of potassium. If the chayote has small thorns on its skin, they fall under the Spiny Chayote category. The peel of the chayote can also be made into chutney, except for the spiny variety. The chayote doesn’t have much taste on its own and all the spices dumped in while cooking is well absorbed by them. They are very easy to cut and cook, next time when you see them in your grocer don’t forget to buy and try out.

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes

Cooking Time – 25 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Chayote – 2 medium sized
Salt – 1 tsp
Cooked Toor Dal(Split Yellow pea) – 1/2 cup
Grated coconut – 1/2 cup
Green chili – 2 or to taste
Rice flour – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Water
For Tempering
Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Split Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – 4 to 5

Method

1) Wash, peel and chop the chayote into small pieces.
2) Add 1/2 cup of water and salt, asafoetida piece and cover and cook till tender.
3) Keep stirring in between and add little water if required, there is no need to
add lot of water as the vegetable itself when let out water when cooking and
we are going to make a thick stew and not a watery one. So don’t dump in lot
of water when cooking.
4) Grind grated coconut, green chili, rice flour, cumin seeds and little bit of water and
grind to a smooth paste.
5) Add this paste to the cooked chayote and simmer for 5 minutes for the flavors to be
combined with the vegetable and for the gravy to thicken and then switch off.
6) Heat a small pan or ladle and add a tsp of coconut oil, once hot add the mustard seeds.
After the mustard seeds stop spluttering add urad dal, curry leaves and stir till the urad
dal turns slight golden brown and then transfer this to the chayote coconut gravy and
combine.
7) Serve this dish with hot rice/quinoa & rasam or with flat bread of your choice.

 

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Purple Cabbage in Coconut & Yogurt Sauce(Mor Kootu)

Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C. It is also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate,

vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Cabbage is also a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1),

riboflavin (vitamin B2), calcium, potassium, magnesium, vitamin A, and protein.

Avoid buying precut cabbage, either halved or shredded, since once cabbage is cut, it begins to lose its

valuable Vitamin C content.

Preparation Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Chopped cabbage – 4 cups

Salt – 1 tsp or to taste

Yogurt – 1/4 cup

Grated coconut – 1/2 cup

Rice flour – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Green Chili – 2 or to taste

Asafoetida powder – a small pinch

Water

For Tempering

Coconut Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Split Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – few(around 5-6 leaves)

Method

1) Add chopped cabbage, salt, asafoetida powder and 1/2 cup water to a pan. Cover and cook

till cabbage is tender and in between stir so that it is evenly cooked top to bottom and add

water if required.

2) Grind coconut, green chili, cumin seeds, rice flour and little bit of water and grind to a fine

paste.

3) Add this paste to the cooked cabbage and simmer for 5 minutes so that all the spices are

well combined and mixture is cooked and becomes thicker.

4) Heat oil and add mustard seeds, once the seeds stop spluttering add the urad dal and curry

leaves. After the urad dal slightly browns transfer this content to cabbage mixture and stir to

combine.

5) Once this cooked cabbage is slightly cooled may be after 15-20 minutes add the yogurt

and stir and serve with Rice or Flat bread.

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Radish Salad

Radish is low in Saturated Fat, cholestrol, high in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Riboflavin,

Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 2 minutes

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Radish – 1 long or 2 small

Cucumber – 1 (small sized one and not the size of a foot long)

Tomato – 1 medium sized

White onion – 1 small

Chopped cilantro – 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp or to taste

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder – pinch

Green Chili – 1 chopped finely

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Method

1) Peel and grate the radish, peel and grate the cucumber and let this sit for a while as the water

will come out. Squeeze the water out and gulp it down as this will be very refreshing. Now chop

the onion, tomato and cilantro into fine pieces and add it to the radish and cucumber.

2) Heat a small pan and to this add oil and the mustard seeds, once the mustard seeds

stop spluttering add asafoetida powder, green chili, grated ginger and add this

content to the radish salad bowl.

5) To the mung bean add nu salt and lemon juice, stir and combine and serve.

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Parrupu Thogayal(Yellow Split Peas Chutney)

Are you worried about your cholesterol level? Eat split peas! Full of soluble fiber, peas help to bind up

cholesterol-containing bile and move it out of your body. If you are diabetic, or have it in your family,

split peas can be your best friend. Peas help stabilize your blood sugar levels while providing a steady

supply of energy. Studies have shown that type 2 diabetics who eat at least 50 grams of fiber per day

can lower their cholesterol, their triglycerides

Preparation Time – none

Cooking Time - 20 minutes

Serves – 4 to 6

Ingredients

Split Yellow Peas / Toor Dal – 1 cup

Red chili – 4 to 6 or to taste

Black pepper – 1/2 tsp

Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup

Salt – 1 tsp or to taste

Water

Coconut Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal – 1 tsp

Asafoetida powder - pinch

Curry leaves – 4 to 5

Coriander leaves chopped – 1 tbsp

Method

1) Heat a pan and add a tsp of oil and to this add the Toor Dal, red chili and black pepper and saute for

few minutes till the yellow color of toor dal turns slight golden brown. Do not keep till it is dark brown

other wise you will get a bitter chutney.

2) Switch off and let this cool, after it is cold enough to handle by your blender transfer all the

sauted contents and the coconut, salt to a food processor and grind till a fine powder. Now add water

little by little and grind it into a smooth paste.

3) Heat oil , add mustard seeds, once this stops spluttering add the urad dal , asafoetiday powder,

curry leaves and leave till golden brown and then transfer this to the ground paste and combine evenly.

4) Serve this with hot rice and ghee (clarified butter).

Notes – This is one of the simplest dish one can prepare but it does taste awesome. My mom doesn’t

do any tempering and serves the ground paste as it is with some pepper stew for which i will post the

recipe later.

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Tomato Pachidi(Tomato Yogurt Dip)

Finding ways to use the lycopene rich tomatoes, try this simple raita/pachidi/dip and it does

taste awesome with all the nutrients in them.

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good

source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. In addition,

tomatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, copper, niacin, vitamin B2, magnesium, iron,

pantothenic acid, phosphorus, vitamin E and protein. Yogurt is a good source of calcium and pro-biotic.

Preparation Time – 5 minutes

Cooking Time – 5 to 7 Minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Tomato – 2 to 3 small or 2 medium or 1 big Chopped finely

Green chili – 1 or to your taste(chopped)

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Yogurt – 1 cup(8 oz)

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder –pinch

Method

1) Heat a pan and add oil, once this oil is hot add the mustard seeds. After they stop spluttering add

the asafoetida powder, green chili, grated ginger and the tomato pieces.

2) Saute on high heat for 5 minutes till the tomatoes become tender.

3) Let this cool for 10 minutes and to this add salt and yogurt and serve it with rice

or flat bread of your choice.

4) You can also use it as a dip for your veggies, a low fat and nutritious one.

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Tomato & Pepper Salad

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good

source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. In addition,

tomatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, copper, niacin, vitamin B2, magnesium, iron,

pantothenic acid, phosphorus, vitamin E and protein.

With salads being a part of our everyday meal, i literally run out of ideas. I try different colored vegetables

to get different nutrients and also not to get bored with the same type of salad everyday. Try to replace

your regular salt with Nu salt to get a potassium rich and low sodium salad.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – none

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 2 medium sized chopped finely

Chopped bell pepper – 1/2 cup(red, green and orange) into fine pieces

Onion – 1

Chopped cilantro – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp if tomatoes are not sour

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp

Olive oil – 1 tsp

Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp or to taste

Method

1) Combine chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro in a bowl.

2) To this add nu salt, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper.

3) Toss to combine evenly and serve.

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Apple Banana Strawberry Smoothie/Shake

Apples are a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C. Most of the apple's fiber

is contained in its skin, as is the majority of its quercitin. Since peeling results in

the loss of apples' flavonoids and most of its valuable fiber, choose organically grown

apples whenever possible. Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential

mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Strawberries are good

source of vitamin c and manganese, dietary fiber, iodine, potassium, folate, vitamin B5,

B6 and K.

Fruit smoothies not only fill you up but also recharge you, i can have this anytime

of the day and do not filter the juice and separate the fiber. Use a good quality

blender which will blend the pulp into a smooth paste and enjoy a cup full of

high fiber, nutritious smoothie.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 0

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Apple – 1

Banana – 1

Strawberry – 1 cup(Chopped)

Raw Milk – 1 1/2 cups

Raw Honey – 2 Tbsp (adjust according to your taste)

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Ice cubes – optional

Vanilla Extract – few drops optional

Method

1) In a blender add the diced apples, banana and strawberry pieces.

2) Add 1/2 cup of milk and puree the fruits into a smooth paste.

3) Now add the rest of the milk, water, raw honey, ice cubes, vanilla extract

and blend and serve in tall glasses and enjoy

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Cabbage Coleslaw with Avocado Dressing

Cabbage is an excellent source of manganese, calcium and potassium. It is a very good source of iron,

phosphorous, magnesium. It is also a very good source of fiber, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. Further,

sodium, zinc and copper are found in good amounts in cabbage. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C,

B1, B2, B6. It also contains good amounts of Vitamin K, A and Protein. If you cook cabbage for a longer time

most of its nutrients will be lost. So take care not to over cook.

I have used Nu-Salt instead of regular salt in this recipe so it is safer for people looking for low sodium

recipes. Personally i don’t like the taste of Nu-salt but when substituted in salads like this with the

taste of lemon, pepper and the addition of sweet fruits one can literally not notice the taste. I prepare

a raw salad for my family, but when prepared for guests who are not used to raw salads like this

i blanch them slightly to make it tender. So the choice is yours, but after blanching do not discard

the water but use it in your cooking.

Preparation Time – 20 minutes

Cooking Time – 5 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Shredded Cabbage – 3 cups

Carrot – 1 cut into thin strips

Red & Green bell pepper – 1/2 cup(Cut into thin strips)

Pineapple pieces – 1/4 cup

Grapes – 1/3 cup halved

Avocado – 1-2(1 if big or 2 if small)

Lemon juice – 1 + 1/2 half of lemon

Nu-salt – 1/4 tsp

Ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Olive oil – 1/2 tbsp

Method

1) Boil water and to boiling water add the shredded cabbage, carrot and

bell pepper strips and cover for 1 minute.

2) Exactly in a minute drain the water and rinse with cold water, save

both the blanched and rinsed water as it will contain nutrients of the cut

vegetables and use it in your cooking.

3) If you prefer a raw salad like me skip 1-2 and come to step 3, combine

the shredded cabbage, carrot, bell peppers, grapes and pineapple pieces.

4) Peel and scoop out the avocado pulp in a bowl and then add oil, lemon juice

black pepper, nu salt and mix thoroughly.

5) Add the shredded vegetables to this avocado pulp and combine thoroughly

and serve.

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Avaraikai(Hyacinth Bean) & Mung Bean Curry

Hyacinth beans come in two different colors purple and green and they are a very popular vegetable

in India. The immature pods are low in calorie and a good source of Vitamin A & C and once matured

the seeds are similar to kidney beans as far as nutrition profile is concerned. For now try this nutritious,

high fiber curry and enjoy. You can find this hyacinth bean in the Asian Indian store.

Preparation Time – 15 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Hyacinth beans – 3 cups (Chopped into long thin strips)

Mung bean (split yellow dry) – 1/4 cup

Red chili – 1 or increase this as per your taste

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal split – 1 tsp

Curry leaves – 3 to 4

Coconut oil – 2 tsp

Asafoetida – pinch

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Grated Coconut – 1/4 cup(optional)

Water

Method

1) Rinse, wash, peel the edges of the hyacinth bean. The edges will be little stubborn and cut

and peel it on both the sides.

2) Chop them into thin strips similar to the way you chop the regular green beans.

3) Heat a pan, add oil and once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds.

4) Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add red chili, asafoetida powder, urad dal and curry leaves.

5) Once the urad dal is slightly brown, add the chopped hyacinth beans, Mung beans, turmeric

powder, salt and 1 cup of water.

6) Cover and cook till done and add more water if required and cook till it becomes a dry

curry and all the water evaporates.

7) Add grated coconut, mix evenly and serve.

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Avocado Mango Milk Shake

One-fifth of a medium avocado, or about one ounce, has 50 calories and contributes nearly 20 beneficial

nutrients to the diet. Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4%

of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 8% folate, 4% fiber, 2% iron, 4%

potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene. Mango is a good source

of Vitamin A, C and dietary fiber, but is high in sugar, so if you are on a diabetic diet and looking for

low glycemic diet, Mango is not for you. Raw milk is a good source of calcium.

Cooking Time – 0

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Avocado – 1

Mango – 1

Milk – 1 1/2 cups

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Raw Honey – 1 Tbsp or to taste

Ice cubes few(optional)

Chia seeds – 4 Tbsp

Water – 12 Tbsp

Method

1) Soak the chia seeds in water and let this sit till you serve.

2) Peel avocado, deseed and put the avocado pulp in the blender.

3) Peel, deseed the mango and place the pulp in the blender.

4) Add half a cup of milk and blend into a smooth puree.

5) To this add the rest of milk, water, honey and ice cubes and blend.

6) Spoon the chia gel in 4 glasses and pour the milk shake on top and serve.

Chia seeds are a very good source of omega-3 and helps you in staying full

for a longer period of time. So enjoy this fortified milk shake and stay healthy.

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Silk Squash(Chinese Okra/Peerkangai) Chutney

Chinese Okra is a popular vegetable used extensively in many Asian Countries. A long, thin squash with a dull-green

skin, Chinese Okra has deep, narrow ridges which give it a star-shaped slice when cut. So named because of

its similarity in taste and texture to okra, Chinese Okra is usually eaten young, before it becomes bitter.

Steamed, sautéed or braised, the flesh becomes soft and tender and can be stir-fried or deep-fried. It is a very

good source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. Try this chutney out, with a tangy, spicy taste. They

are not only good for your taste buds and good for you too.

Preparation Time – 20 mins

Cooking Time – 15 mins

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Chinese Okra – 3

Red Chili – 4 to 5 (increase it to make it even more spicy)

Asafoetida – small piece

Tamarind – 1/2 size of lemon

Salt – 1 tsp or increase it more to your taste

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Urad Dal Split - 1 Tbsp

Method

1) Wash, peel and cut the Chinese okra into small cubes. Make sure to peel the hard green

part and use only the white interior part.

2) Heat oil in a pan and once hot add mustard seeds and asafoetida piece.

3) Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the urad dal and once it is slightly brown

add the chinese okra pieces to the pan.

4) Saute for a 10 minutes till the vegetable becomes tender and then switch off and

add the tamarind pieces to the sauteed vegetables to soak in the hot vegetable itself.

5) Once the Chinese okra is cooled enough, add salt and grind in a blender to a coarse

to smooth paste.

6) There is no need to add water when grinding, but after grinding if you want to

make it little thinner, add some more water and adjust the taste of the salt accordingly.

Enjoy with Idli, Dosa, Rice or spread in pita bread and stuff with veggies and enjoy.

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Okra Curry

Okra is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is high in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A,

Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium,

Manganese, Protein, Riboflavin, Niacin, Iron, Zinc and Copper.

Preparation Time – 20 minutes

Cooking Time – 20 minutes

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Okra – 1 pound

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Onion – 1 chopped into thin long strips

Salt – 1 tsp or to taste

Thick Sour Yogurt – 1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp

Red Chili powder – 1 tsp or to your taste

Coriander Powder –1/2 tsp

Garam Masala powder – 1/4 tsp optional

Method

1) Wash, rinse, drain and dry the okra nicely before cutting it.

2) If the okra is wet, while cutting you will get lot of gooey stuff in the knife and it will taste

slightly different. Chop the head of the okra off and slit then into 4 parts and chop then into

an inch long piece

3) Heat a pan and add two Tbsp of oil and once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds.

4) Once the seeds stop spluttering add the chopped okra and saute for 5 minutes, now add

the sliced onions.

5) Do not add the onions first as they will absorb half of the oil.

6) Add 3/4th of the salt and leave the okra in the stove for another 15 minutes till they

are well cooked.

7) Combine red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, coriander powder and

1/4 tsp of salt to the yogurt.

8) Combine thoroughly and add this to cooked okra and leave in the stove for 5 minutes

till the yogurt is well absorbed by the okra and the water if any in the yogurt is evaporated.

Notes – The yogurt will reduce the stickiness of the okra. You can also use tamarind

to reduce the stickiness, will post another version of that curry soon.

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Coconut Chutney

Coconut is high in fiber, but its most plentiful nutrient is fat, the oil that accounts for 85 percent of the

calories in coconut meat. Roasted Split Chick Pea is a good source of protein.

This delicious and nutritious chutney elevates any ordinary dish to an extraordinary taste. This is

a very popular chutney made in the Southern part of India. I love it so much, i eat by itself instead of using

as an accompaniment. Can be used as a dip too.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 2 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

1 half of a coconut – Shredded finely

Roasted Split Chick Pea(Channa Dal) – 1 Tbsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Green Chili – 2 or to taste

Water

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida – a pinch

Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves – 3-4 leaves chopped

Method

1) In a blender add the coconut, roasted split chick pea, salt, green chili

and grind to a fine powder.

2) Now add 2-3 Tbsp of water and once again grind to get a thick paste.

3) Do not add water in the beginning itself because sometimes the

coconut milk and oil will separate and float from the paste.

4) After grinding to a fine paste, now add water to get a desired consistency

and add more salt if required.

5) Heat oil and once warm add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds

stop spluttering, add asafoetida, urad dal and curry leaves.

6) Once the urad dal becomes slight golden in color transfer the tempering

to the ground chutney. Stir thoroughly, serve and enjoy.

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Multigrain Bread with no refined flour

Know what you Eat – Wheat, Oats all in its natural unrefined state, features a host of important
nutrients. Therefore, to receive benefit from the wholesomeness of the grain it is important to choose
products made from whole grain flour rather than those that are refined and stripped of their natural
goodness.  Ragi(Finger Millet) is a super food which contains nearly 15% protein, contains high amounts of fiber, B-complex vitamins including niacin, thiamin, and riboflavin, the essential amino acid methionine, lecithin, and some vitamin E. It is particularly high in the minerals iron,
magnesium, phosphorous, and potassium. Brown rice protein is very good source of protein can be
easily tolerated by people who are allergic to whey protein, soy protein etc, 1 scoop 20gm of brown
rice protein contains 12g of protein.

If you look for whole grain bread in the store most of them will have whole grain combined
with flour or bread flour and not 100% whole grain, unless specifically mentioned.
So when i came across this recipe which was  simple to make , i wanted to try it out. Instead of just
whole wheat, i added oat flour, finger millet flour and organic brown rice protein to fortify it.
I should say i got a thumbs up from my official taster(my elder one), meaning the recipe passed
the taste test and which is always a tough task.

Ingredients

Wheat Flour - 2 Cups
Oat Flour - 1 cup
Ragi(Finger Millet) Flour – 1/4 cup
Organic Brown rice protein powder – 1/4 cup
Instant yeast – 1 packet(2 1/2 teaspoons)
Water – 1 1/3 cups
Vegetable Oil – 1/4 cup
Non fat dried milk – 1/4 cup
Honey – 1/4 cup
Salt – 1 Teaspoon
Method
1) In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir till the dough starts to leave the sides of the bowl.
2) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased surface, oil your hands, and knead it for 6 to 8 minutes,
or until it begins to become smooth and supple.
3) Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover the bowl, and allow the dough to rise till puffy
for 60 minutes.
4)  Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled work surface, and shape it into an 8-inch log.
Place the log in a lightly greased 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan, cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic
wrap.
5) Allow the bread to rise for about 1 hour, or until it's crowned about 1 inch above the edge of the pan.
A finger pressed into the dough should leave a mark that rebounds slowly.
6) Preheat an oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for about 30 minutes, the bread is baked
fully, when you thump the bottom it should sound hollow.
7) Cool it on a wire rack after baking and slice once cooled completely.
8) Enjoy with some peanut butter and honey for breakfast, lunch or snack.

About Brown Rice Protein
You can find organic brown rice protein in your health food store or online. I got mine from
mothernature.com, the brand name is Tribez nutrition. It is slight brown in color and a very fine powder
and tastes little like brown rice flour. You can add it to smoothie or add it to porridge and cook, add
it to your flour while baking. Infinite possibilities. There are so many brands out there but check for
the organic one’s and buy.

Event Participation

1) The bread goes to Baking with Whole Grains – Brown Rice hosted by Madhuram of egglesscooking.com.

2) Sending this to Kids Delight Wholesome breakfast hosted by Srivalli.

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