Lentil & Vegetable Fried Rice 

Khichdi lentil, vegetable fried rice is an South Asian healthy dish made from rice, vegetables and lentils . Khichdi was the inspiration for the Anglo Indian dish and is also commonly considered to be the inspiration for the popular Egyptian dish called Kushari. In Indian culture it is considered one of the first solid foods that babies eat. 


Khichdi is a healthy but spicy and tasty as this ultimate comfort food of Indian cuisine requires knowledge of how to cook withmix of basmati rice and quinoa, and added vegetables like asparagus, green beans, zucchini, and carrots. The texture of the quinoa, rice and lentils gives you the feeling of a fried rice dish, without the added fat and calories. The  Indian spices like Turmeric, Cumin and Coriander are also added in dish. Hope you try it at home, and I hope you enjoy it as much!!


The Ingredients 
Serves 2 people

• 4 Tbsp Basmati rice
• 3 Tbsp Moong dal (lentils)
• 1 Tbsp quinoa
• Vegetables: 1 zucchini, diced; 1 carrot, diced; 1 lb asparagus, diced  (Note – you can also try this with Kale, Sweet Potatoes, Cabbage, Broccoli, etc – anything you like will work)
• 1.5 cups water
• 3 heaping tsp khichdi masala
• 1 Tbsp canola or olive oil
• Cilantro, chopped – garnish
• Optional: onion, garlic, ginger (to taste – I’d use a couple cloves of garlic, 1-2 tsp grated ginger and 1/4 onion for this amount)

Note: if you want to make your own Khichdi Masala from scratch – here are the proportions/ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp turmeric
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp fennel
• 1 Tbsp mustard seed
• 1 Tbsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Optional: Serve with 0% unsweetened Greek Yogurt

Instructions

Step 1: Wash the mixture of rice, moong dal (lentils) and quinoa until all the sediment is gone and the water runs clear.

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Step 2: Chop your veggies. Combine all the ingredients (grains + lentils + vegetables) in a large pot, add the masala. Note: If you want to add the onion / garlic / ginger, saute it in olive oil first and then add it to the pot.

Step 3: Bring everything to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes until all the water has been absorbed.

Step 4: Garnish with cilantro, serve with yogurt if you like!
 

Directions

1. Wash the mixture of rice, moong dal (lentils) and quinoa until all the sediment is gone and the water runs clear
2. Chop your veggies. Combine all the ingredients (grains + lentils + vegetables) in a large pot, add the masala. Note: If you want to add the onion / garlic / ginger, saute it in olive oil first and then add it to the pot.
3. Bring everything to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes until all the water has been absorbed
4. Garnish with cilantro, serve with yogurt if you like!

Notes

Note: if you want to make your own Khichdi Masala from scratch – here are the proportions/ingredients:

1 Tbsp turmeric, 1 Tbsp cumin, 1 Tbsp fennel, 1 Tbsp mustard seed, 1 Tbsp coriander, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp cayenne

 

Banana Ice Cream with Chocolate and walnuts 

Banana chocolate with ice cream or yogurt is all the rage these days. It’s kind of like the coolest healthy swap ever, because guilt-free ice cream that actually tastes delicious is hard to make but this dish is really easy to make. 

It’s crazy that just one simple ingredient bananas  can turn something like ice cream healthy. And you don’t need an ice cream maker to make it or any fancy equipment — all you need is a freezer and a food processor/blender.

Bananas and Ice cream or Plain Greek Yogurt serve as the base. You could do it without Greek Yogurt, but I’ve found that adding a bit of the yogurt gives it an even more ice-cream like consistency as an added benefit, you get a ton of protein from the yogurt, which helps this dessert to actually be a filling treat. You can also add in any mix-ins you’d like! For this recipe, I chose walnuts and dark chocolate.

But if you used frozen berries and peanut butter -  this recipe would turn into something you could eat as a meal.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 60 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Calories per serving: 177

Fat per serving: 8.4g

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 177 Calories, 8.4g Fat (2.8g Saturated), 29.7mg Sodium, 21.2g Carbs, 2.5g Fiber, 13.2g Sugar and 7.2g Protein

Ingredients

• 2 bananas (frozen)
• 3/4 Plain Greek Yogurt 
• 2 Tbsp dark chocolate chips
• 2 Tbsp walnuts
• Optional mix-ins: 1/2 cup frozen berries and 1 tbsp peanut butter, or 2 tbsp Pecans + 1/2 tsp cinnamon, the sky's the limit!

Directions

1. Place frozen banana chunks in a food processor. Blend until you have coarse crumbs.
2. Add the yogurt and blend 1-2 minutes or until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate and walnuts and pulse a few times until incorporated.
3. Serve immediately, or place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes for a firmer, more ice cream-like consistency.

Healthy Crispy Masala Dosa 

 

 Today’s menu was  protein packed and  no fermentation healthy Mix dal masala dosa – no rice added – we ate these all day long – breakfast , lunch and dinner Sounds good right

Super crispy – no one will believe you haven’t added rice.
They are VEGAN and GLUTEN FREE.  All lentils are naturally gluten free ,however if you are allergic to gluten please pick up a lentil pack which certifies gluten free .
Dosas/ Indian crepes are South Indian delicacy and a staple food in South India . But I haven’t come across a single Indian who doesn’t like dosas . They are ridiculously delicious and can be enjoyed any time of the day – be it breakfast , lunch , dinner or mid day snack . Dosas are quiet famous among the non – indians too . Restaurants worldwide have these beautiful Indian crepes on their menu and its savored by everyone . They are made various ways and  come with infinite filling possibilities and are considered healthy and appetizing.

Not only adults , the kids enjoy it too – in fact its all time favorite among the kids.

Dosas are generally made using combination of rice and dal . The duo is soaked for couple of hours , then grounded to a fine batter and batter is again set aside to  ferment for another couple of hours . No doubt fermenting is healthy but its kind of a long process and sometimes we need instant solution.
  
Dosas are generally made using combination of rice and dal . The duo is soaked for couple of hours , then grounded to a fine batter and batter is again set aside to  ferment for another couple of hours . No doubt fermenting is healthy but its kind of a long process and sometimes we need instant solution.
Dosas are quiet addictive and no one can be satisfied just having one .  




 Step 1

Soak the dal in water for 4-5 hours
Suggested other lentils that can be used –
whole moong , black eye peas , chickpeas , channa dal , red split masoor dal , toor dal and white peas.












Step 2 - Grind the dal to a smooth paste

Step 3 - It is important to use a non stick pan with width 12″ approximately. You can also use cast iron dosa pan. Apply tiny bit of oil or ghee around the surface and spread the dal paste when the surface is warm.

 Optional to add masala for more filling

Cook it till it turns golden brown, only need to cook one side and then scrap it out of the pan.
Super Duper Crispy                             

Instructions

1. Wash all dals together 3 -4 times with water until you see clear water
2. Soak the dals with with 4 cups or more water enough to cover the dal and soak it . Cover the bowl with a lid and let it stand for 4-5 hours , best is overnight.
3. It will almost double in size after soaking.
4. Drain the water if in excess and grind the dal in small batches , say 2 cups at a time .
5. Grind well to form a smooth batter . Add a tablespoon or 2 water to aid grinding if necessary. The batter is pancake / medium cake batter consistency. Let the batter stand for 15 minutes and then the batter is ready for use.
6. Add salt just before making

Ingredients

• 1 cup broken white urad dal
• 1 cup yellow split moong dal
• ½ cup split green gram dal / split green moong dal
• ½ cup orange masoor dal

Healthy south Indian chana masala

Hey guys this recipe is one of my all time favourite indian vegetarian dishes. I have posted the step by step guide with photos and recipes of my south Indian version of healthy chana masala. 
Why chana masala? 
This is something i enjoy making at home because its not time consuming and you cant really go wrong with the combined taste between chickpeas, spices and curry. The dish is filling, hearty and dependable.  
This recipe tastes just like the Chana Masala you’d get in a famous Indian restaurant but the best part is it’s super healthy for you! It doesn’t use any cream or butter it’s 100% vegan and gluten free. It’s rich and flavorful with just the right amount of heat and spice.Traditionally Chana Masala has quite a bit of oil in it anyway, but without that, it can actually be a very healthy and well rounded dish

Directions

Step 1: Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Add the oil and red onion and cook,
stirring frequently until it is deeply caramelized.
Reduce the heat to low.

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Step 2: Add the garlic, cumin seeds, coriander, ginger,
gram masala and cardamom pods, and fry them,
stirring constantly, until the cumin seeds pop and
the spices are fragrant and toasty, about 30 seconds.

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Step 3: Pour in the juice and the tomatoes from the can 
and crush them in the pot with a potato masher. 
Add the salt and the potatoes.
 

 

 

Step 4:  Raise the heat to medium-high, and bring the pot to a boil
Reduce the heat to medium, add the cilantro and cayenne,
and all of the rest of the spices, and simmer the sauce until it
reduces a bit and begins to thicken. Add the chickpeas,
and stir to combine.

Step 5: Keep simmering the curry on low until the chickpeas
and potatoes soften (about 30 minutes). Once the sauce thickens
and reduces down a bit, it will look like this.

 

                                                                         





Step 6: Serve and topwith  coriande.

 
Ingredients

• 1/2 – 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger (or 1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger)
• 1 tsp gram masala
• 4-5 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 tsp kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 Tbs cilantro leaves, roughly torn, plus more for garnish
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4-5 baby red potatoes, diced
• 6-8 Tbs plain non fat Greek yogurt, optional

Yield: 6 servings

Calories per serving: 227

Fat per serving: 3.3g

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 227 Calories, 3.3g Fat, 430.2mg Sodium, 44.2g Carbs, 7.3g Fiber, 7.5g Sugar, 9.9g Protein

ASIAN CHICKEN SALAD WITH GINGER SESAME DRESSING

Hey guys this my new post on how to make Asian chicken salad with touch of a ginger and sesame dressing. All instructions and recipes on how to make the dish is included in this post. Its really a tasty and healthy dish hope this works for you guys!
This dish is a combination of cabbage and cilantro mixed with crunchy carrots, bell peppers and snap peas all tossed in a delicious ginger sesame vinaigrette that has me so completely addicted, but whatever the case, this salad is pretty banging.  I usually like to make a big batch of this dressing to keep on hand in the fridge because, trust me, it’s THAT good, and I even like to marinate the chicken with it to add to the salad!  Simply chop up your cabbage, toss all in all your veggies and grill up the chicken.  It’s that easy!  Really you can add whatever veggies you like, I promise you can’t mess this up.  Feel free to add a variation of lettuce such as romaine, kale or spinach so you can get your greens in or you can always just leave it as is.  This really is my go-to salad that I love to make during the week for lunches. 

I do want to take a moment and share with you my obsession with fresh ginger.  Please do not use boring ground ginger that you can find on any given spice rack in this dressing.  Of course that would work too, but the taste will be completely different and the benefits of fresh ginger are really just too good to pass up!  Not only is fresh ginger good for your tummy and digestive tract, but it’s also great for your metabolism and, well, it just tastes so dang good!  

    Hope you all enjoy this salad and please let me know what other posts/recipes you’d like to see on the blog!       Any inspiration would be much appreciated!

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine cabbage, shredded carrots, snap peas, baby corn, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, green onions and fresh cilantro. Set aside.
2. To make the dressing - Using a blender or food processor, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic clove, honey and fresh ginger and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil in a steady stream and continue blending until mixture is creamy.
3. Using a meat pounder (or empty bottle), pound out the chicken breasts to a uniform thickness. Place chicken breasts in a plastic bag and add 2 tablespoons of the salad dressing. Make sure the chicken is completely coated and allow chicken to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.
4. To make the chicken - Pre-heat a grill pan or an outdoor grill on medium-high heat and add marinated chicken breasts. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and cook chicken about 4 to 5 minutes on each side until juices run clear. Transfer chicken to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes before cutting. This keeps them juicy!
5. Add cut up chicken to the salad and toss with the dressing OR keep dressing in a jar and distribute salad with chicken to 4 individual containers for lunches that week. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups napa cabbage, chopped
• 2 cups red cabbage, chopped
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ½ cup snap peas
• ⅓ cup baby corn
• ⅓ cup bean sprouts
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2 chicken breasts, pounded out
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• For the dressing:
• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• ¼ tsp. toasted sesame oil
• ¼ cup olive oil

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Serving Size: 2 cups of salad, 2 Tbsp of dressing + ½ chicken breast • Calories: 282 • Fat: 16.2 g • Carbs: 18 g • Fiber: 3.8 g • Protein: 16.3 g • WW Points+: 5 pts

     Tuna sweetcorn burgers

Method

1. Whizz the bread in a food processor to crumbs, tip into a bowl, then whizz half the sweetcorn until finely chopped. Add the chopped corn, remaining whole corn, tuna, cheese, spring onions and some seasoning into the bowl with the bread and mix well. Add the egg, bit by bit (you may not need it all), until the mixture is sticky enough to be shaped into four even-size burgers.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then cook the burgers for 5 mins on each side until golden and hot through the middle. Stuff into wholemeal buns with your favourite lettuce and a good dollop of salsa.

Ingredients 

85 g white bread, torn into pieces
198g can of sweeetcorn
2 cans of tuna (princess)
25g grated cheddar
3 spring oninons
1 beaten egg
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
wholegrain bread rolls, lettuce, salsa to serve with

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     Zucchini Noodles made with lemon and garlic spicy shrimp 

Today it's finally starting to feel like spring! Before you know it summer will be here. I've been concern about my unhealthy eating instead eating unhealthy food with lots of fats then going to gym to burn the fat instead I could eat healthy and reduce working hard in gym. Eating unhealthy and working out in gym does not have any potential benefits it’s pointless so it’s great to start the workout in in the kitchen first so now that winter is over I have been cutting down on my carbs and making my calories count. 

So I decided to make the spicy shrimp with garlic, zucchini noodles, tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon juice I enjoyed making this Easy low-carb, gluten-free and paleo-friendly dish for lunch. In this dish instead of using pasta I swapped it for zucchini noodles. It’s easier to make zucchini noodles using vegetable slicer as this can also help to cut sweet potato spirals, carrot ribbons and more!

 

 I find that the trick with zucchini is to not overcook it. Zucchinis are naturally pretty watery and if you cook them down too much, they turn into watery mush. This applies to all zucchini, but especially so with zucchini noodles. They really don’t need too much heat, all you want to do is soften them a bit. Zucchini noodles work awesome in this recipe but you can also use pasta instead. I found this gem of a recipe in last month’s skinny taste web site which happens to be one of my favourite sources for inspiration. The original recipe called for linguine and squid, but I swapped both out for zoodles and shrimps.

 

Directions

Step 1

Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil and crush red pepper flakes, add the shrimp and season with pinch salt and pepper; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add half of the garlic and continue cooking 1 more minute, or until the shrimp is cooked through and opaque. Set aside on a dish.

Step 2

Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil and garlic to the pan, cook 30 seconds then add the zucchini noodles and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Add the shrimp and tomatoes to the pan and squeeze the lemon over the dish. Remove from heat and serve.

Ingredients

·         1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

·         pinch crushed red pepper flakes

·         4 oz peeled and deveined shrimp

·         2 cloves garlic, sliced thin and divided

·         1 medium zucchini, spiralled

·         pinch salt and fresh black pepper

·         1/4 lemon

·         1/4 cup halved grape tomatoes

Zucchini Noodles (Zoodles) with Lemon-Garlic Spicy Shrimp 

Servings: 1 • Size: 1 zucchini + shrimp • Points +: 6 pts • Smart Points: 8

Calories: 235.5 • Fat: 9 g • Carb: 14.5 g • Fibre: 4 g • Protein: 25 g • Sugar: 4 g

Sodium: 179 mg (without salt) • Cholesterol: 173 g