Apple Kheer ( Apple Pudding)

Happy Sankranti to all my readers.Today is Makarsankranti.This marks the beginging of spring in India. This is one of the few Hindu festivals that is celebrated on 14th January every year.Usually sweets made with till ( sesame seeds) like till laddoo ( balls) and till chikki ( brittle) are made and distributed to mark this occasion. I didn't have time to make this. But I wanted to make a quick dessert for my kids.

I decided to make apple kheer ( pudding).The reason I made this was because I wanted to make a very easy and relatively healthy dessert. I love kheer and can eat a bowlful. But I avoid gluten , therefore didn't want to use the regular flour Sheviyan ( vermicelli). It is also the season of apples, so we have apples in plentiful at home. I decided to grate some of the apples and use that instead of the vermicelli. I used a little condensed milk instead of sugar which also reduced my cooking time ( not that apples require much cooking, but thickening the milk gives the pudding a better taste). The end result was a delicious kheer that my kids & I loved. I don't think I would go back to making kheer using vermicelli ever again! I have also made this kheer without the usual cashew nuts and slivered almonds as my son is allergic to nuts. I have used pistachio powder to be garnished on top after serving ( not for my son).

Servings: 6-8 ( 1/2 cup per person)

Ingredients :

Apples: 2 medium sized( sweet variety)
Water: 1/2 cup
Milk: 7 oz ( room temperature).
Condensed milk: 7 oz ( 1/2 of 14 oz can)
Cardamom powder: from 2 pods of cardamom
Saffron threads: 2-3 ( optional)
Raisins:  1 tbsp
Ghee ( clarified butter): 1/4 tsp
Cashew halves: 1 tbsp ( for garnish, optional).
Pistachio powder: 1 tsp ( for garnish, optional).

Method:

Wash, peel and grate apples. 

Add it to a small pot with 1/2 cup water. Cook it for 10-15 minutes until tender. 

Add the condensed milk, saffron thread and mix well. 

Turn off the flame, keep aside.

In a skillet/pan, heat a little ghee on low heat. Add cashew halves and raisins. Sauté them for a few seconds until they start turning golden in color. Turn off the flame.

Add this to the pot with the apple and milk mixture.

Garnish with pistachio powder.

Can be served hot/warm or cold.

Enjoy! I am bringing this to some of my favorite blog parties: Throwback Thursday , Angie's Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays! Two of my favorite blogger friends who post some of the best stuff on earth are co-hosting the Fiesta: Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart!
A big shout out to both of them!

Cooking made easy:  

If you don't have condensed milk, use regular whole milk. You will however have to cook it for a longer period of time until the milk reduces to half the amount. Add sugar as per individual taste.

Tip for healthy living:

Substituting shredded apples for vermicelli not only makes the dessert gluten free, it also reduces the calories. Any fruit is counted as negative calories and therefore more of it can be eaten. Apples have several health benefits including essential vitamins and minerals and much needed dietary fiber.

Food for thought:

Everything that is done in the world is done with hope. Martin Luther

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Bhajje Amshe ( Red Swiss Chard/Red Amarnath in a spicy coconut sauce); Diabetes Friendly Thursday

With the Holidays behind us, so is the indulgence in calorie-rich foods . The New Year is here and with that is a newer us with renewed resolutions. Well, I don't know if anyone will stick to their resolution, but we should definitely make even greater effort to eat healthy! With this thought in mind our team of dedicated DFT bloggers have teamed up to bring you some delicious recipes overloaded with greens! 

So go ahead and enjoy the winters with Team DFT with Greens Overload! Bringing some hearty dishes with seasonal greens. 

                      Creating Recipes with a Cause! I am a proud DFT blogger. 

                                        To learn about DFT, Read this Link! 

                                        To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

My contribution to this is our very own " Bhajje Amshe". This is nothing but Red Amarnath leaves cooked in spicy coconut sauce.The reason I say " our very own" is because this is not a recipe that I invented. This has been in our culture, in our homes for generations. My mom made it, her mother made it, so on and so forth.

This is a very traditional recipe that is so easy that it is cooked without even much thought and effort going into it! The point of me telling you all this is that, someone who is a diabetic, doesn't necessarily have to go about finding new recipes to eat!! There is plenty in our everyday cuisine that diabetics CAN eat! It is all about being mindful of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat! This dish is traditionally served with rice but can be eaten with roti or chapati.

When it comes to rice, it makes a big difference whether you are eating white rice, parboiled rice,matta rice or brown rice as white rice has the highest glycemic index while brown rice has the lowest. Lower the glycemic index, better the food.It also matters whether you are eating rice or kanji. Kanji is rice with the water. We people from South Kanara, traditionally eat kanji for dinner. Kanji makes you feel fuller faster due to the water content in it.

Bhajje Amshe served with kanji made out of matta rice.

Bhajje Amshe is usually made with Red Amarnath leaves which is available only during the summer months here. Therefore, I have made this dish using Red Swiss Chard which is easily available in any supermarket. The dish looks pretty much the same whether you use Red Amarnath or Red Swiss chard. If you are not a coconut fan or are apprehensive about making a sauce using coconut, you could alternatively make a simple sauté using the same greens.The recipe for the sauteed version is here.

Servings: 4-6 ( 1-1.5 cups per person)

Ingredients:

Red Amarnath/ Red Swiss chard: 1 medium-sized bunch
Water: 1/2 cup+1 cup( may not need all).
Freshly grated coconut: 2/3rd cup
Dried Red chillies: 2-3 ( can be adjusted based on individual spice level)
Dried tamarind: marble sized portion
Salt: to taste
Garlic: 6-8 cloves
Coconut oil: 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the red Amarnath or red swisschard thoroughly. Chop it finely and add to a pot containing 1/2 cup water. Add 1/2 tsp salt and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the flame and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep aside.

Grind together freshly grated coconut, red chillies and tamarind to a fine paste, adding water as needed little at a time.  Your masala is ready.

Add the ground masala to the cooked red Amarnath/ red Swiss chard and bring it to a boil. Turn off the flame.

Tempering:

Heat coconut oil in a skillet/pan on low heat.
Peel and chop the garlic cloves into medium-sized pieces. Add this to the hot coconut oil. Sauté the garlic until it turns golden brown.

Now add this to the prepared swisschard and coconut sauce mixture.

Served with brown rice & salad

Serve hot with rice/roti.
I am bringing this to some of my favorite blog parties: Throwback Thursday ,Angie's Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays! Two of my favorite blogger friends who post some of the best stuff on earth are co-hosting the Fiesta: Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart!

Cooking made easy:

Quite often people shy away from greens as they do not know how to clean them and are therefore unable to get rid of the sand/dirt in the greens! There is nothing more repulsive than sand in your mouth while eating! There is an easy, foolproof way to clean the greens. Rinse the greens and then soak them in cold water with a few drops of vinegar for a few minutes. The vinegar takes care of any bugs, pesticides while the water will have the sand/dirt settle at the bottom. Although not advised, to be foolproof, you can chop the greens and soak it again in water for the second time. You will not be disappointed.

Footnotes (Tip for healthy living):

We are all aware of the multitude of health benefits of including green leafy vegetables in our diets. From providing essential vitamins like vitamin A, K, E, calcium, iron and folic acid to dietary fiber, the benefits are quite a few.Regular intake of greens in the diet may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and may be even cancer.
Swiss Chard is a powerhouse of antioxidants and an excellent source of vitamins A,C,K, magnesium, potassium, iron and dietary fiber.

Red Amarnath is also an excellent source of Vitamin A and beta carotene and is used to heal several skin conditions.It is an excellent source of dietary fiber and is used to treat constipation. 

Garlic is known for its anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic properties.

Fresh coconut has been used in the South-Indian diet for time immemorial! Studies have shown that coconut is also high in dietary fiber and may contribute to maintaining a healthy body weight.

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

Do Check out the other DFT contributors  and their links!

1. Sonal's Methi Mushroom

http://simplyvegetarian777.com/2016/01/13/methi-mushroom-curry-no-oil-no-onion-garlic-curry-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

2. Shailja's Chana with Dill

https://shailjatomar.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/kadhai-chhole-with-fresh-dill-leaves/

3. Apsara's Gluten free Spinach Rotis

http://eatingwelldiary.com/2016/01/13/the-perfect-gluten-free-spinach-roti-flatbread-for-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

4. Swati's Multigrain Spinach and methi rotis

http://www.letscookhealthytonight.com/multi-grain-spinach-and-methi-roti/

5. Sarika's Collard Greens and Chana

http://www.spicezone.com/collard-greens-and-chanaa-dft/

Food for thought:

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. William James

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Gluten-free Tabbouleh; Meatless Monday

I was introduced to Tabbouleh during my stay in the Middle East. It is a staple in their diet. It is a refreshing salad.It is usually made with parsley & Bulgar wheat. Some add mint to this salad while others don't. I had a big bunch of fresh parsley from the rooftop garden at my work.

I decided to make Tabbouleh. But, I, as a rule, avoid gluten. I therefore decided to modify this salad and make it gluten-free. Instead  of Bulgar wheat, I used cauliflower! Yes, believe it or not, cauliflower!! It came out delicious!

My husband loved it and so did all my colleagues at work. You must try it. I used this recipe as the base and made my gluten-free substitutions.

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients :

Cauliflower florets: 2 cups
Flat leaf parsley: 1 big bunch
Tomatoes: 2 medium-sized, diced big.
Cucumber: 2 medium, deseeded and diced. I used Persian cucumber.
Onion: 1 small, diced fine.
Lemon juice: 1/4 cup
Lemon zest: 1 tsp
Extra virgin olive oil: 1/4 cup
Salt: as per taste
Freshly ground black pepper: 1/2 tsp

Method:

Wash the cauliflower florets and dry them using a paper towel. Using a food processor, shred them until they look like tiny grain of broken wheat. Take the shredded cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl. Cook it in the microwave for 1-2 mins. Keep aside.

Take the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, salt and pepper in a little jar . Close the lid of the jar and shake well. Keep aside.

Wash the parsley thoroughly. Air dry it. Separate the leaves from the stems and keep aside. Using a sharp knife, chop the leaves as finely as you can. Do not use the food processor for this step ( I used it for part of the leaves and was not happy with the result! I was being lazy!:()

Take the chopped parsley in a bowl. To it, add the chopped tomatoes, onion and cucumbers. Mix well.

You can either mix in the shredded cauliflower and then mix in the dressing or you could arrange the parsley mixture as the base, place the shredded cauliflower in the center and drizzle the dressing on top. I prefer the former as the flavors of the dressing and the parsley blend nicely into the cauliflower transforming it into one flavorful dish!

It tastes even better the next day!

Enjoy!

I am bringing this to some of my favorite blog parties: Throwback Thursday, Angie's Fiesta Friday # 102   and Saucy Saturdays! Two of my favorite blogger friends are co-hosting the Fiesta: Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart!

Cooking made easy:

One of the best way to clean herbs is to soak them in water that has a few drops of vinegar in it. Remove the leaves and spread it on paper towels or dish cloth and leave it there for sometime.

Tip for healthy living:

Parsley is a potent herb that has several health benefits. It is rich in several vitamins like Vitamin C, B12, K & A. It is supposed to support the immune system. It is even purported to have anti-cancer properties. In the middle eastern countries it is believed to be an aphrodisiac.

Food for thought:

Don't be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. John D. Rockefeller

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Double Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

Doesn't the name of this muffin make you drool?? Yes, it is every bit just as delicious as it sounds, if not more!! There is a very interesting story about how I came to make them! My daughter was attending a educational workshop during Fall which ended just before the holidays and they had a class party for the culmination of it. I was told that there were 30 kids in her class and was provided with a list of stuff that she could choose from to bring for the party.

I always like to make something and send as opposed to store-bought, as it is much healthier and without any added preservatives and such. I also get to control the quality of the ingredients used and the amount of sugar in it. I decided to make something that was easy to carry, easy to serve and eat, would appeal to the kids and was nut-free. I decided to make muffins as it wad easy to carry, serve and eat.

Anything chocolate is usually liked by kids so I decided that I would make chocolate chip muffins. I made it healthier by adding bananas to it and added variety by making 2 dozen chocolate chip muffins and 2 dozen double chocolate chip muffins!! That was a lot of muffins I made that day! They were all gone by the end of the day!

The kids all wanted to eat the muffins and came back for seconds! I took some to work too. The recipe for the Banana Chocolate Chip muffins can be found here and the Banana-nut muffins here.

 Oh, by the way,did I tell you guys that this post is dedicated to Christina Angie from Fiesta Friday on the grand beginning of her 101th Fiesta Friday!! Bubbly Jhuls and Mr Fitz are the co-hosts this week! Iam also linking this post to two other blog parties Throwback Thursday and Saucy Saturdays!

Servings: Two dozen muffins

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: 2cups+ 1/2 tbsp
Baking soda: 1 tsp
Salt:1/4 tsp
Ground cinnamon: ½ tsp
Ground nutmeg: ¼ tsp
Vanilla extract:1 tsp
Butter:1/2 cup
Brown sugar:3/4 cup
Eggs: 3
Overripe bananas: 2 cups(4 bananas),mashed
Cocoa powder: 4 tbsp
Milk: 1/2 cup
Chocolate chips: 1/2cup + 1/2 cup

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Line a muffin tray with cupcake liners and keep aside. If you don't have liners, you could just grease it.

Mix 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with 1/2 tbsp flour and keep aside.

Mix the cocoa powder in warm milk and keep aside.

Using a electric mixer,beat together the butter, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg  in a medium bowl until creamy.

Add the eggs one at a time,beating well after the addition of each egg.

Add the mashed bananas and mix  until smooth.

Add the cocoa and milk mixture. Stir.

Now add the flour in little by little stirring with a wooden spoon. Mix until all the flour has been incorporated. Do NOT overmix. Over mixing results in tough muffins!

Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips into the batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tray.

Now place 3-4 chocolate chips on top of each muffin.

Place the tray on the center rack of the oven and  bake for 15-20 mins at 350 deg F. or until a toothpick  comes out clean when inserted into the center of the muffin.

Take the muffin tray out and let it  cool for 10 minutes before removing  them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Best when served warm with a glass of milk.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

The best way to store muffins is to individually wrap them in cling film and store them in an airtight container. You can keep them outside for 2 days. If you intend to store them for 2 days, it is best to refrigerate them. You can warm them lightly in the microwave before eating/serving.

Tip for healthy living:

Whenever possible feed your children food that has been the least processed. This mean avoiding anything that comes in a packet! If readymade, look for stuff that is in the refrigerated section or in the deli or bakery section of the supermarket. Of course, home-cooked food is the best!

Food for thought:

The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone. Harriet Beecher Stowe

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Fall/Winter Fruit Salad; Meatless Monday.

Happy New Year Everyone! May 2016 bring much happiness to each one of you. I wanted to start off the New Year on a healthy note. Hence, I am bringing to you this recipe that I was part of the spread at the parties in my home.

For me, any party is incomplete without some fruits on the table. Whole fruits can be kept handy but they are merely decorative as most people don't reach out and eat an entire fruit during a party. However if you keep a platter or bowl of cut fruits, they are more likely to be consumed, at least 50% if not more! Fruits make for a great choice for guests who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free or have nut allergies and you weren't aware of it beforehand!! They will have something to eat! Fruits are healthy and make for a great dessert choice . You can make serving fruit even better by making a fruit salad; without ice cream of course!! Here is a fruit salad recipe that uses fruits available during Fall/Winter. Hence, I decided to name it " Fall/Winter Fruit Salad". It is a very easy recipe that everyone will enjoy!

Servings: 8-10 ( 1 cup per person)

Ingredients:

Clementines/mandarins: 4, peeled and sections removed.
Pomegranate seeds: 1/4 cup
Apples: 2 medium-sized, peeled, cored and diced.
Pears: 2 medium-sized, peeled, cored and diced.
Craisins: 2 tbsp
Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
Orange juice: 1 tbsp
Sugar: 2 tbsp
Chat masala: 1/2 tbsp

Method:

Take all the ingredients listed above in a bowl. Mix well.

Serve chilled. I am bringing this to Throwback Thursday , Saucy Saturdays & Fiesta Friday #101. Fiesty Jhuls and the calm Mr Fitz are co-hosting!!

Cooking made easy:

To prevent cut apples/ pears from becoming dark, squeeze a little lemon/orange juice and mix well.

If you don't have chat masala, you can add 1/4 tsp each of  cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder. This gives it a nice flavor.

You can add more or less fruits based on availability and individual preference.

Tip for healthy living:

Fruits are not only a great source of daily recommended vitamins and minerals, they are also a great source of much needed fiber.It is recommended to included 4-5 servings of fruits a day.

Food for thought:

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. John Henry Newman

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!