Very Berry Oatmeal Cookies

Oatmeal makes a very hearty staple breakfast, but on its own its very bland so just finding some new ways of eating oats ... This is my variation from traditional  Oatmeal cookies which uses whole wheat flour instead of all purpose flour and honey in place of sugar and off course lots of healthy berries.Now my hubby and I are really really digging these Healthy Cookies.  Where have they been all my life? It's such an easy way to eat your oats.  I'm trying to eat a serving of oats a day, but sometimes I just can't face another bowl ... So these cookies are coming in mighty handy!  And depending on the size I make them, three or four cookies are a half cup serving oats.  I love eating four cookies for breakfast ~ it seems so indulgent, but it's not! I think it's a great evening snack for my husband after coming from office. Needless to say, these are the new favorite way to eat oats.  It just amazes me that they have no refined flour and sugar added.  Eating cookies is just so much more fun than eating a bowl of Oatmeal, wouldn't you agree?  :) 

Preparation Time : 30 min

Cooking Time : 10 min

Ingredients :

1 Cup whole wheat flour stiffed

Pinch of salt 

1/4 Teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 Cup Oats (I have used Quaker Oats here)

1 egg

1/2 Cup Margarine/Butter

1/4 Cup Honey 

1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla essence

3-4 Teaspoon Milk

Handful of berries(I have used dried blueberry and Cranberry)

Direction :

Preheat the Oven.Take a Butter,Honey,Egg,vanilla essence in a large bowl and whisk it. In another bowl add flour,salt,baking soda, and stiff it.Now add Oats and the wet ingredients from the first bowl slowly. Add a little milk if needed to make a ball of dough.Take a greased baking Tray and divide the dough in to equal balls and arrange them on the pan , pat them to get a round shape.Bake them for about 10 min or until light brown.Remove from oven and let it cool.Store them in an air tight container and enjoy with your evening tea 

Ragi Laddoos

Ragi is also known as Finger Millet. This healthy food is rich in calcium,protein,iron and fiber. It has many health benefits, some of which are treating anemia,Bone development, controlling Diabetes, Cholesterol and also aids to weight loss.In some recipe you can try include ragi and convert it into healthy recipes ,Like ragi dosa , laddos , idli, roti. Here is the first recipe of delicious and healthy Ragi laddoos.




Preparation Time : 10 min
Cooking Time  : 40 min

Ingredients :

2 Cup Ragi flour
1/2 Cup Ghee
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Spoon Cardamom powder

You can also add handful of dry fruits like almond, cashews , raisins

Recipe :

Heat the ghee in thick bottom pan , add ragi flour and saute in low flame for 15-20 min till you get nice aroma.Add sugar ,cardamom and dry fruits . Let it cool for some time. Start making small balls and the laddoos are ready to eat.

Chattisgarhi Delight "Fara - Rice Dumplings"

Chattisgarh is a small state in Central India also known as "Bowl of Rice". Having an age-old tradition of delicious items, Chhattisgarh Recipes truly give a real treat to the taste buds.Most of the dishes uses Rice as a main ingredient . Here i am sharing one of my favorite recipe "Fara" or you can call it rice dumplings in simpler version.

Ingredients :

1 Cup Rice flour
1 Cup Cooked rice
Salt to taste
Pinch of Sugar
1 tablespoon Sesame oil

For Tempering:
1 small tablespoon Mustard seeds
2 table spoon white sesame seed
2 dry red chilis
5-6 garlic cloves
Sesame Oil

Chutney 
 1 riped tomato
1 green chili
coriander
 

Direction :

Take a cooked rice in a bowl and add rice flour, sesame oil, salt and sugar. Prepare a tight dough.Spread some oil in your palm and start preparing small sticks out of the dough. Take a pan, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, Let it splutter then add garlic , sesame seeds ,red chili. Add 1/4 cup of water , then slowly add the sticks prepared from dough and let it cook in slow flame till it turns golden brown.

For Chutney ,Roast the tomato in burner . Peel the outer skin and mash it . Add chopped coriander, Green chili and salt. Enjoy Hot Fara with Tomato Coriander chutney.

Chocolate Blueberry Carrot Cake

Who said you can’t have your cake and eat it too? Birthdays, holidays and other celebrations just aren't complete without cake! However, traditional cake recipes are often loaded with fat, sugar and calories, taking some of the joy out of enjoying dessert. We have transformed the typical cake recipe by limiting the use of full-fat ingredients, making healthier substitutions that will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth. So bake up one of these delicious healthier cake recipes for your next celebration—and enjoy eating it too.
Recipes for baked goods are actually very flexible.They can withstand a considerable amount of toying, alteration and experimentation . I have subjected a good number of recipes to a torture test to see how much alteration they could handle to make them healthier. Most of them have turned out very well.

Preparation Time : 30 min

Cooking time : 4-5 min

Recipe

Ingredients :

- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup  Olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup sugar
-  2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 flat  teaspoon baking soda
- 1 flat teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 & 1/2 cups grated carrots
- a couple handfuls of semisweet chocolate chips,walnuts and Blueberry

Directions :

Preheat microwave oven to 180 C , lightly grease a cake pan . Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder,cinnamon, salt, and cocoa powder in another bowl. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla mixture until pale, add flour mix and beat until well mixed (I used an electric mixer), add grated carrots,blueberry and walnuts and mix well. Bake for about 4-5 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 minutes, and now you can enjoy the healthy and yummy cake.

The Very First Post...

Cooking always excites me as I am hardcore foodie.A passion since childhood.I remember as a kid how i used to watch cookery shows and trying out dishes .... Also baking cake with my mum and sis , so much fun we had cooking together although it was occasionally :) But once I got married I realized I couldn't get away the limited kitchen knowledge i had... As soon as we got married we moved to Chicago for an year or so and there my tryst with Cooking started.. I learn by experimenting with tastes that i experience.Sometimes they don't always work and sometimes i can create heaven on spoon.I am always on the look out for that odd recipes that is easy to whip ,more healthy and tastes yummy as hell.. 

Here's hoping that I manage to do what i set out to do when i created this blog, and provide you an informative and entertaining place to get great healthy recipes and loads of other stuff !!!!