Ramen/Maggi noodles Made Healthy!!

You don't believe me do you?? It is true.. Ramen can be made healthy..
Check out my Buckwheat Mushroom Rice Ramen.

So what exactly is Ramen?? Ramen has many names. Ramen in India is popular as Maggi noodles. Basically these are instant noodles that comes with a seasoning packet( tastemaker) that can be ready in 2 minutes!! The biggest issue with ramen that makes it unhealthy is the seasoning packet or tastemaker that most often than not has monosodium glutamate amongst other ingredients that makes ramen  so desirable. Not to mention the fact that these noodles are made out of white bleached flour with little nutritional value!

With all that being said, how do we make these noodles healthy?? Basically, by taking away the undesirable ingredients and adding nutritient-rich ingredients. Instead of using plain water, we use vegetable broth to cook the noodles. A variety of vegetables are sautéed and added on top of the noodles. Now does it sound healthy, nutritious and delicious??Also, do not forget that Maggi is available in atta version and oats noodles. Here in US, we get buckwheat and rice noodles/ramen. 

Whatever said and done, all of us at some point in our lives have lived on Ramen/Maggi ( remember college days??) or had it when we didn't have anything else in our pantry.. someway or the other, Ramen remains a comfort food... With the weather yo-yoing, people look forward to a bowl of Ramen to warm them.

Check out the recipe to see how you can make it, enjoy it but in a guilt-free manner.

Prep time: 5-10 minsCook time: 8-10 minsTotal time: 13-20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Instant noodles ( Maggi/Top Ramen): 2 packets
Water/ vegetable broth: 4 cups
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Onion: 1, medium, sliced lengthwise.
Green Pepper: 1 medium, sliced lengthwise
Red Pepper: 1 medium, sliced lengthwise.
Mixed vegetables: 2 cups ( any combination can be used; I used frozen peas & carrots)
Green chilies: 1-2, chopped fine ( optional)
Tomato: 2 medium, sliced lengthwise.
Lemon wedges: 4-8 nos
Salt: to taste
Cilantro: 1 tbsp for garnish, optional

Method:

In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water/ vegetable broth to a boil. While waiting for the liquid to boil, prepare the veggies.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauté pan or frying pan. 

Add sliced onions. Sauté until the onions wilt. 

Add the frozen vegetables, chopped green chilies & sauté for 2-3 mins until the peas & carrots are slightly tender. 

Add the sliced Bell peppers. Sauté for 2 mins. 

Add salt & cilantro ( reserving some for garnish). 

Turn off the stove.

Break the noodles & add it to the boiling liquid. 

Continue to boil for exactly 2 mins. Turn off the stove. 

Cover the pot and let it sit for 1-2 mins.

Take 4 serving bowls. 

Divide the noodles equally into them. 

Divide the veggies into 4 equal portions. 

Top each bowl with the cooked vegetables , slices of tomato and a wedge of lemon. 

Garnish with little cilantro.

Serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

Any combination of frozen & or fresh vegetables can be used. Just keep in mind the cooking time for the vegetables. If the vegetables take long to cook, cook them separately and then add to the sautéed onions.

Tip for healthy living:

Adding 3-4 colors of vegetables to your dish ensures that you get a variety of essential vitamins and other nutrients through your meal. The color of the vegetable is usually an indicator of the nutrient that they are rich in. For examples, the orange color of carrots indicates that they are rich in beta carotene.

Food for thought:

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. John wooden

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