Carrot Salad

Ever wondered why Carrot is good for your eyes? It is because of the beta-carotene present in them. In addition to giving the carrot its name and orange color, it also converts to vitamin A in the body which helps improve vision. The Vitamin A forms a purple pigment called rhodopsin the eye needs to see in dim light. Rhodopsin production is spurred by vitamin A, raising the effectiveness of the light-sensitive area of the retina. Not getting enough vitamin A can actually lead to night blindness. The beta-carotene in carrots is an anti-oxident combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration. Even though carrots are so good, being a root vegetable and sweet in taste, be mindful of...

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Dates Doodh Peda

Doodh Peda is an Indian sweet, which is made by simmering milk for few hours and condensing it and adding sweetener to it. I am not boasting this as a health food but this definitely is a much healthier version of the regular doodh peda. This is made from unprocessed raw milk, rich in Calcium and protein and using the iron rich date syrup in place of refined sugar. Try it out and i am sure you will like it.Preparation Time – NothingCooking Time – 20 Minutes(Few hours if you prepare Mawa from Scratch)Serves - 6IngredientsGhee(Clarified Butter) –2 TbspKhoya/Mawa/Unsweeted Condensed Milk – 1 CupDate Syrup – 1/2 CupMilk – 1/4 CupSaffron few strandsCardamom Powder – 1/2 TspMethod1) Mix the khoya and date syrup well, and warm it over a low fire....

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Green Plantain Curry(Vazhaikkai Curry)

Plantain is very rich in potassium, and it is commonly prescribed by doctors for people who have low level of potassium in their blood. The potassium in plantain is very good for the heart and helps to prevent hypertension and heart attack. It is also rich in magnesium, phosphate, vitamins A, B6, and C which helps maintain vision, good skin, and build immunity against diseases. Plantain is low in fat, high in fiber and also high in starch. However the carbohydrate in the green unripe plantain is stored as a complex starch, slowly released after cooking and it is a good inclusion in a diabetic diet. But if you are on a diabetic diet plan include this as your starch food and not just treat it as a vegetable. Preparation Time – 10 Minutes Cooking...

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White Pumpkin Curry in Coconut & Yogurt Sauce (Poosanikai Mor Kootu)

White pumpkin is used widely in Indian Cuisine, and is considered much superior to its orange counterparts. Unlike the orange pumpkin, the white pumpkin doesn’t taste sweet and is very watery. This is a low glycemic vegetable and very ideal for people with diabetes and who are on a weight loss plan. Also the juice of white pumpkin is believed to be a very good brain stimulant. The white pumpkin by itself doesn’t have any taste of its own and the addition of coconut and and sour yogurt and green chili gives it a tangy spicy yummy taste and flavor. You can find white pumpkin in your local Asian Indian store.Preparation Time – 10 MinutesCooking Time – 20 MinutesServes – 2IngredientsChopped White Pumpkin – 4 CupsSour Yogurt – 1/3 cupGrated Coconut...

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Green Mung Bean & Split Chick Pea Curry

Green Mung Bean & Split Chick Pea are widely used in Indian Cuisine and they can be found in Asian Indian Store. Both these legumes are very good source of protein without any fat associated with them and low in glycemic index, good source of iron and fiber. These are good for people who are on a weight loss diet, growing children and people with diabetes.With all the spices added to the bean, they simply enhance the flavor and taste and are sure treat to eat. In all these gravy types, normally lot of butter or cream is added, but i just skipped these two and added milk instead to get a creamy gravy. Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients, it is a very simple curry with few spices and in fact these are the base spices which...

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Kadai Paneer

Paneer/Cottage cheese is a vegetarian cheese made without rennet which is a very good source of calcium and protein however it is high in fat, so watch out and eat in moderation. Kadai paneer is a famous Indian side dish which is made with cottage cheese, bell pepper and spices and tastes fantastic with flat bread or rice or just tastes great by itself.Preparation Time – 10 MinutesCooking Time – 15 MinutesServes - 4IngredientsPaneer Cubes – 2 CupsCubed Bell Pepper/Capsicum/Shimla Mirch – 1/2 cupSliced Onions – 1 CupChopped Tomatoes – 1 CupGinger Garlic Paste – 1 TspTurmeric powder – 1 TspRed Chili powder – 1 TspDried Fenugreek leaves(Kasoor Methi) –1 TspOil – 1 TbspClarified Butter – 1 TbspBay leaf – 2Cloves – 2Cinnamon - 1Salt – 1 Tsp or...

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Onion Pickle(Thokku)

Life without Onion, would be impossible for me. It just not only adds taste and flavor to the dishes youcook but has immense health benefits.Onions have a variety of medicinal effects. Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems. Onions are a rich source of flavonoids, substances known to provide protection against cardiovascular disease. Onions are also natural anti clotting agents since they possess substances with fibrinolytic activity and can suppress platelet-clumping. The anti clotting effect of onions closely correlates with their sulfur content. Preparation Time – 15...

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Cilantro Peanut Chutney

This inexpensive and tasty herb is a powerful natural cleansing agent. Cilantro has been effectively used to help remove heavy metals and other toxic agents from the body. The chemical compounds in cilantro actually bind to the heavy metals, loosening them from the tissues, blood and organs. Cilantro's chemical compounds then aid to transport these harmful substances out of the body through elimination. Cineole and linoleic acid are two primary components of organic cilantro that contain anti-rheumatic and anti-arthritic properties. These two components also help purge extra water present in the body due to swelling. Cilantro also contains oleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid and ascorbic acid (vitamin-C). Each of these elements are effective...

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Beetroot Salad

Containing the powerful antioxidant betacyanin, which gives beetroot its deep red hue, this vegetable purifies the blood and has anti-carcinogenic properties. Research shows it boosts the body’s natural defenses in the liver, regenerating immune cells. Also contains silica, vital for healthy skin, fingernails, ligaments, tendons and bones. With all these health benefits, i do include this veggie in my food very often. This salad is very easyto prepare and very nutritious too. Try out and let me know, how you liked it.Preparation Time – 15 MinutesCooking Time – 2 MinutesServes – 2IngredientsBeetroot – 2Onion – 1Lemon Juice – 1/2 tsp or to tasteSalt – 1 tspTemperingOil – 2 tspMustard seeds – 1/2 tspAsafoetida powder – 1/4 tspGrated Ginger –...

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Cauliflower & Coconut Curry

Cauliflower contain compounds that may help prevent cancer. These compounds appear to stop enzymesfrom activating cancer-causing agents in the body, and they increase the activity of enzymes that disableand eliminate carcinogens. A cup of boiled cauliflower is an excellent source of Vitamin C, B5, B6, manganesefolate and dietary fiber.Lot of people don’t like cauliflower for its smell, with the aroma of the few spices and a dash of gratedcoconut to enhance the taste, i would surely say this curry will work well even with a cauliflower hater.Try it out and let me know, how you liked it.Preparation Time – 10 MinutesCooking Time – 15 MinutesServes – 4IngredientsCauliflower – 1 Dry Red Chili – 2 or to tasteCoconut Oil –1 TbspAsafoetida powder...

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Tindora(Small Gourd) Masala Curry

Know What you Eat - Tindora (Little Gourd,Coccinia grandis) is rich in beta carotene, very low in glycemic index and helps in regulating blood glucose. A very easy to make and a really tasty curry goes very well with rice, quinoa or Indian flat bread. Cooking Time: 20-30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Serves: 2 to 3 Ingredients Tindora - 1 Pound Asafoetida Powder - 1 pinch Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp Salt - 1 tsp or to taste Masala Curry Powder Red Chilli - 2 to 4 or to taste Chana Dal (Split chick pea) – 1/2 table spoon Peanuts – 1/2 tablespoon Sesame seeds – 1/2 tablespoon Coriander Seeds - 1 table spoon Fennel Seeds – 1/2 tsp Grated Coconut – 1 Tbsp Oil – 1 Tsp Tempering Oil - 2 tsp Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp Split Urad Dal(split black lentil)...

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