Crave Bits

Tag: Health food

  • Goodness of a Salad

    Goodness of a Salad

     

    Salads the natural way of having nutrients with raw flavours. Salads can be simple easily from easily available veggies , nuts , pulses , cereals , fruits etc.Packed full of goodness, salads bring flavour to your diet plan each day. Eating salads is an easy way to eat your daily serving of vegetables and it is not so difficult. You can prepare a salad and take it to work with you or to an outing with family and friends. Why is it so important to have salads with each of your meal ? You can only answer this question once you have had addicted yourself to have salads each meal or each day . Its simple to prepare , easy to consume , jam-packed with nutrients , Highly fibrous which is another valid reason to addict yourself to salad. We often emphasis on fibre content in food and the reason being simple, eating a high-fibre diet can help lower cholesterol levels
    and prevent constipation, eating more fibre can help you feel fuller, eat less, and ultimately lose weight. Salads are full of fruits and vegetables , which increases your intake of nutrients and lowers your risk of getting ill fatally. Diabetes ,High Blood pressure, Low Blood pressure, Nausea , Weakness, Malnourishment these are fatal diseases you can avoid and prevent yourself from by consuming salads with your meals.If losing weight is your goal, you may want to start your meals with a green salad. That’s the best trick for a girl to move happily from XL to XS ( Why should I spare the boys from this joy ). Even if you team up your salad with a slice of fat its still okay rather than having a full fat mealand suffer the rest of your day as fat makes you lazy and dull ( Ugly too If I am being honest ). Raw vegetables and fruits are good source of water specially tropical fruits which help you get feel fuller and also charged up . If we talk more about goodness of fruits and vegetables so they are delicious, so mixing them in different combinations to create a salad ensures exciting meals.First, you eat food with your eyes. Salads have varied textures, shapes, sizes and colours which make them visually appealing and satisfying. We enjoy foods that are entice our eyes and also eat more of them.Eating a variety of textures keeps mealtime interesting. Salad ingredients can add a nice crunch which is much better for you than munching on cookies or potato chips.So by far I have given you enough of reasons to check out your diet plan and indulge yourself to healthy meals. It will not only give you reason to eat more also you can commit sin guilt-free by having junk sometimes. And moreover our gyms are running quiet well so admit yourself to a healthy regime.

    black-bean-salad

    Black Bean , Corn , Potato and Pepper Salad :

    Ingredients :

    For Salad: 1/2 cup kidney beans soaked overnight , 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme , 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano , 1/2 teaspoon salt , 1/2 cup boiled corn kernels , 1 onion finely chopped , 1 tomato finely chopped , 1/2 cup red pepper (red capsicum ) cubes , 1/2 cup green pepper(green capsicum )cubes , 100 g baby potatoes boiled and peeled , 100 g baby onions boiled and peeled .

    For dressing :1 tablespoon lemon juice , 1 teaspoon vinegar, 1 teaspoon crushed garlic , 1 teaspoon grated lemon rind ( the outer surface of lemon ), 1 teaspoon salt , 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilly flakes , 1/2 teaspoon pepper , 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint , 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon chopped green chillies ,5 to 6 tablespoon olive oil .To garnish you may use mint and coriander sprigs.

    Servings :  2

    Method : Boil the kidney beans with thyme , oregano and salt until soft but firm . drain the beans and set aside .Mix the remaining ingredients in the bowl.To prepare the dressing you need to blend all the ingredients listed above for it in a small bender jar .Toss the prepared veggies mixture in the dressing and lastly add the beans .Adjust the salt if you feel it doesn’t  suits your taste.Garnish it with mint or coriander sprigs and serve it at room temperature.

    Tip : Prepare this dish just before serving it else the nutrient value gets reduced and flavours do get mingled giving it a very liquid texture due to addition of salt before hand.

    download

    Carrot and almond Salad :

    Carrot being my favourite I always try and make different recipes which eventually turns out to be very tasty and nutrients. There is natural sweetness in carrots and we do get best of it during winter season . To sum up I would implement the richness of carrot in this recipe which is tasty , different and worth a try .

    Ingredients :

    For Salad :1/2 kg carrots peeled and coarsely grated, 2 small cucumber thinly sliced , 1/4 cup raisins soaked in water for 10 minutes , 1/2 cup sliced almonds without the skin ( to remove the skin just soak it overnight skin is peeled of easily ).

    For Dressing :
    I tablespoon lemon juice , 1 tablespoon honey,1 teaspoon dried ginger powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1/3 cup olive oil , salt to taste , Pepper to taste .To garnish finely chopped parsley. ( You may use dry parsley too)

    Servings : 4

    Method : Place carrots and cucumber in a glass bowl. Add raisins and toss to mix .

    For dressing :
    Add lemon juice , honey , ginger , cinnamon , olive oil , salt and pepper in a screw top jar . shake well to combine.Toast the almonds on a flat pan until they are golden brown in colour.Pour the dressing over the salad , and toss well .Sprinkle with almonds and garnish with parsley. Serve at room temperature.

    Yes ! I am slowly turning you all to health freaks which is why I am posting this article so that we all realise that health is a factor to be taken seriously . Today we all undergo a lot of stress and distress . Which gives us mental and physical fatigue. To avoid the same we all need to maintain a balanced diet , eat on time , and maintain a healthy lifestyle . It takes 15 minutes of our time to prepare such good recipes which are healthy and much better to eat than just plain oatmeal bowl. So do try them and Live Love Louder !!!

  • Chutneys are Yummy! Part 2

    Chutneys are Yummy! Part 2

    Chutney (also translated as Chatney or Chatni) is a family of condiments mainly associated with South Asian cuisine that usually contain some mixture of spice(s), vegetable(s), and/or fruit(s). Chutneys may be either wet or dry, and can have a coarse or fine texture. There are various types of chutneys.

    Traditionally, chutneys are ground with a mortar and pestle made of stone or an ammikkal . Spices are added and ground, usually in a particular order; the wet paste thus made is sauteed in vegetable oil, usually gingelly (sesame) or groundnut (peanut) oil. Electric blenders or food processors can be used as labor-saving alternatives to stone grinding.

    Chutney

    Let’s explore two new mouth-watering recipes of Chutneys which one can make easily at home!

    • Garlic Chutney:

    garlic chutney

    This is a fiery-spicy chutney made from garlic cloves and red chilies. It is a taste-enhancing must-have accompaniment for South Indian dishes like Dosa, Idli, etc. In this customized Indian Garlic Chutney recipe, garlic, soaked red chillies and coconut are first sautéed in oil, and then crushed with tamarind pulp to make delicious Chutney having a complex hot, sour and spicy taste altogether.

    • Ingredients:

    1)  8 chopped garlic cloves (skin removed).
    2)  2 whole dry red chillies, seeded and broken into pieces.
    3)  ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
    4)  1 teaspoon tamarind pulp.
    5)  ¼ cup water.
    6)  2 teaspoons oil.
    7)  Salt according to taste.

    • Directions:

    1)  Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, sauté the chopped garlic over a low flame for a minute and then transfer to a plate.
    2)  Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the same pan and sauté the dry red chillies over a low flame for 20-30 seconds. Again, transfer them to the same plate.
    3)  Let the sautéed garlic and dry red chillies cool for about 3-4 minutes. Transfer the garlic and the dry red chillies to the chutney jar of a grinder or food processor. Grind them until a medium coarse paste is formed.
    4) Add the grated coconut, the tamarind pulp, ¼ cup water and salt (according to taste) to the jar.
    5)  Grind them till a medium coarse paste is formed. Tasty South Indian Garlic Chutney to be enjoyed along with Dosa and Idli is ready to be served!

    • Tips:

    1)  You can also use 2 teaspoons of the red chilli powder in place of the usual dried red chillies.
    2)  Dry Kashmiri red chillies are specially added to get that nice red color and also to make a less spicy Chutney when compared to other varieties of chillies as such.
    3)  Replace the tamarind pulp with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice for a slight variation in the overall taste of the Garlic Chutney.

    • Preparation Time: 5 minutes.
    • Cooking Time: 5 minutes.
    • Servings: 6 (½ cup).

     

    • Pudina Chutney:

    pudina chutney

    Pudina (Mint) is an herb known for its medicinal benefits for indigestion, acidity, headache, dental and skin diseases. It is an integral part of Indian cuisine as well. This Pudina Chutney recipe makes for an extremely flavorsome and tempting Chutney prepared right from fresh mint and coriander leaves. However, its main taste comes from the tamarind paste which is added to give a nice tang to its spiciness. The whole texture of the Chutney is derived from the fresh coconut.

    • Ingredients:

    1)  ¼ cup fresh Pudina (mint) leaves.
    2)  1 cup chopped coriander leaves.
    3)  ½ cup grated fresh coconut.
    4)  2 chopped green chillies.
    5)  ½ inch piece ginger, chopped.
    6)  2 teaspoons tamarind pulp or lemon juice.
    7)  1 teaspoon sugar (optional).
    8)  Salt according to taste.
    9)  ½ cup water.

    • Note:

    This recipe requires tamarind pulp as an ingredient. You can easily find ready-made tamarind pulp to be bought in the market. If the tamarind pulp is not available, then you can also prepare it at home by simply following the directions which are given below-

    1)  Soak the tamarind in hot water for roughly 1 hour.
    2)  Remove the seeds of the tamarind.
    3)  Strain the whole mixture to prepare fresh and homemade tamarind pulp.

    • Directions:

    1)  Clean the mint leaves and the coriander leaves well by running them under fresh tap water.
    2)  Grind the fresh coconut, green chillies, ginger, sugar and salt together in the chutney jar of a mixer or a food processor until a very smooth paste is formed.
    3)  Add the mint leaves, the coriander leaves, the tamarind pulp (or the lemon juice) and ½ cup water. Grind again until a very smooth consistency of chutney is arrived at.
    4)  Fresh Pudina Chutney is ready to be served along with your favorite condiments!

    • Tips:

    1)  Replace the tamarind pulp with an alternative of lime juice for an even more delicious tang of the Pudina Chutney.
    2)  Store it in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. You can then use as and when it is required.
    3)  You can always add more water and adjust the spices according to your own tastes so as to make the Pudina Chutney more diluted and thin, or of a concentrated and strong flavor.

    • Preparation Time: 10 minutes.
    • Servings: 8 (1 cup chutney).

    So there you are – two delicious Chutneys which you can easily make at home by following some simple instructions. These are very good from the health point of view. They also acts as excellent taste enhancers.

    Keep watching this space for more delicious recipes!