Paneer Bhurji /Crumbled Cottage Cheese with Vegetables

Paneer - All time favorite for every vegetarians and that includes me as wel . It is high in Protein and Calcium and Taste heavenly and creamy . There are many forms of cooking Paneer like you can use it in your salads, saute it with vegetables ,Grill it , enjoy with Curry made with Spinach or Tomatoes or simply make a bhurji by crumbling and adding it with vegetables . It tastes equally good in every form .

Ingredients for Paneer  :

1 Liter full cream milk
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice

Other Ingredients :

1 Medium sized Onion
1 Medium sized Tomato
1/2 Cup Chopped Methi leaves
1/2 Cup Sweet corn kernels
1/2 Tablespoon Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds/Jeera
1/2 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Garam Masala
Salt to taste

Recipe :

1. Heat the milk in a pan, once it starts boiling, slowly add lemon juice and let it curdled, Switch off the flame . Strain the milk in a cheese cloth and collect the whey in another container or Pan . Take a cheese cloth with Paneer and put some heavy weight on it or hang it for 30-40 min , Paneer would be set .

2. Heat Oil in Kadhai or Pan , once heated add Cumin seeds and let it splutter . Add chopped onions, saute for 2 mins. Add Ginger -Garlic Paste and saute again for 5 mins till onions are cooked properly.

3. Add Chopped tomato, Salt, Turmeric powder and Garam Masala. Mix well and cook for 5 mins till tomatoes are cooked properly.

4. Add chopped methi leaves and corn kernels, cook for 5 mins. Add Crumbled Paneer and Mix well, cook for 3-4 Mins and switch off the Gas .

5. Garnish with Coriander leaves and Serve with hot Chapatis /Parathas.

Tips :

1. The remaining whey can be used to make dough for soft Chapatis.

Bottle gourd /Lauki with Coconut

Lauki is one of the many vegetable I hated as a child, I still remember my Mom's effort in order to include this not so favorite lauki in our diet. I now understand the importance of this humble vegetable in our diet and now it's one of my favorites too. This recipe is very quick and healthy . Lauki is low in fat and cholesterol and high in Vitamin C ,Dietary fiber ,Zinc ,Iron ,Manganese and thiamine. The recipe also includes Coconut which helps to boost immunity and nourishes your body with its many benefits .

Ingredients :

1 Medium sized Bottle gourd/Lauki
1/2 Cup fresh scrapped Coconut
3-4 Pieces of Garlic
1 Red Chili
Handful of Curry leaves and Coriander leaves
1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds/Jeera
1/2 Tablespoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Ghee
Salt to taste
1/2 Cup of water


Recipe :

1. Wash and Peel Bottle gourd /Lauki, Cut them into small pieces .

2. Take a Coconut, Garlic, Red chili, Curry leaves, Coriander leaves and Water in to Mixie Jar and grind them to a fine paste .

3. Heat a Ghee in the Pressure Cooker , Add cumin seeds and let it splutter . Add lauki ,salt ,Turmeric and saute for 2 min .

4. Add the prepared paste to lauki and Mix well and close the lid, Pressure cook for 10 mins till you get 2-3 whistles .

5 . Garnish with Coriander and Serve hot with Chapatis .

Tips :

1. I have used Ghee in the recipe in spite of Oil as it gives beautiful aroma along with balancing your body hormones .

High Protein Mix Lentil Pancakes/Dosa with Fenugreek leaves

We always make sure to eat high protein dishes in our Breakfast to feel energetic throughout the day and yes it also helps to shed those extra kilos ..As a vegan Lentils are the preferred source of protein for us and there are so many options available that you will never get bored of it . This Dosa is a combination of Rice and different lentils which makes it ideal protein rich Breakfast . Adding a Fenugreek leaves gives extra benefits of Calcium ,Phosphorus ,Iron and Vitamin C .

Ingredients :

2 Cups of chopped clean Fenugreek/Methi leaves
1/2 Cup Rice
1/2 Cup Split Moong Dal
1/4 Cup Chana Dal
1/4 Cup Masoor Dal
3-4 Tablespoon Urad Dal
1/2 Cup Poha
1/4 Tablespoon Methi seeds
3-4 Garlic pieces
Handful of Curry leaves and Coriander

Salt to taste
1 Tablespoon Sugar
3-4 Tablespoon Oil/Ghee

Recipe :

1. Wash and soak Rice,Moong Dal ,Chana Dal,Masoor Dal , Urad Dal ,Methi seeds together for 3-4 hours.

2. Wash and soak poha for 1/2 an hour

3. Grind all the pulses and rice together to get a smooth paste.slowly add poha and grind again . Transfer the batter in another bowl and ferment this for overnight or 7-8 hours.

4. Take a chopped methi leaves ,curry leaves ,Coriander and garlic in a Mixer and grind it .Add this mixture to a fermented batter .Add salt and Sugar .Mix well and keep aside .

5. Heat a dosa pan in low flame .Grease it with oil and pour batter to start making dosa . Close it with a lid and let it cook for 2-3 minutes .   When it is cooked flip and cook the other side . Serve immediately with coconut chutney or curd .


Tips :

1. The ratio of dal and rice are flexible . You can also try adding different lentils available in your pantry .

2. You can also use Spinach leaves instead of Fenugreek leaves .

Dal with Ambadi Bhaji

This is another famous recipe of Maharashtra .Ambadi bhaji is also known as Sorrel leaves which is tangy and mild acidic in taste. These leaves are an excellent source of Vitamin C along with the properties of body coolant and sharpen the appetite . This recipe is introduced to me by my maid , and since then this is one of my favorite dal recipe . The combination of Ambadi leaves ,Dal ,Peanuts,Ghee and Garlic creates Perfect blend of Nutrition and taste :)

Ingredients :

1 Cup Soaked Tool/Arhar Dal
1 Bunch of cleaned and Chopped Ambadi Bhaji
3-4 Pieces of Garlic
1 Table Spoon Ghee
1/4 Table Spoon Turmeric
1/4 Cup Peanuts
1 Cup water
Salt to taste

Recipe :

1. Pressure cook Dal with Ambadi bhaji ,Turmeric ,Salt, Peanuts and Water .

2. Once cooked add crushed Garlic and Ghee . Serve immediately with hot rice / Chapatis .

Toor/Arhar Dal with Kokum

Recently I discovered the benefits of Super food Kokum ,which is also a staple food of Maharashtra . This is easily available in local grocery shop . Here I am sharing a Toor Dal recipe with Kokum .I find this is the easiest way to incorporate this Super food in my daily Diet . So with the goodness of Protein you get from dal, Kokum is  an excellent source of minerals like potassium, magnesium and manganese hence making it a nutritious meal for your Lunch/Dinner .

Ingredients :

For Dal :

1 cup soaked Toor Dal
2-3 pieces dry Kokum
handful of Peanuts
1/4 Tablespoon grated ginger
1/4 Tablespoon Turmeric
Small piece of Jaggery
Salt to taste

For Tempering :

2 Tablespoon desi Ghee
1/4 Tablespoon Jeera/Cumin seeds
1/4 Tablespoon Sarson seeds
1/4 Tablespoon Hing
2-3 pieces of whole black pepper
2 pieces of clove
One small piece of Cinnamon and Bay leaf

Recipe :

1. Pressure cook all the ingredients listed under Dal.

2. Take a Tempering Pan and add Ghee . Once heated add the other ingredients listed under tempering and let it splutter . Add the tempering to cooked dal . Let it cook again for 5 min .Serve hot with Rice .

Banana and Oats Smoothie

This is another quick and healthy smoothie recipe to keep you full and energized all day . My husband loves this in the morning for breakfast  :)

Ingredients-
1 Banana
1.5 cup Chilled milk
3-4 tablespoon powdered Oats
2 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon Cinnamon and Cardamom powder
1/4 Spoon flax seed powder
4-5 Soaked Almond

Recipe:

Blend all the ingredients In mixer and serve immediately

Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie

This Strawberry Oatmeal smoothie makes a glorious breakfast to kick start your day . Blended with all the goodness of Strawberry,Oats and Milk this is super quick recipe that anyone can make.

Ingredients :

1/2 liter Milk
12-15 fresh Strawberries
2 tablespoon Honey
1/4 tablespoon Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Oats
1/4 tablespoon Vanilla essence (Optional)

Recipe :

1.Dry roast oats in a thick bottom Pan for 3-4 min . Allow it to cool then grind them. Keep aside

2. Put all the ingredients in a mixer and blend it until smooth. Serve immediately.

Tips :

1. You can replace milk with Yogurt also.

2. For easiness i have stored Oats powder so that it can be quickly used for recipes like smoothies  and Instant oats dosa .

Phirni - A Creamy Rice pudding

Phirni - A rich creamy Indian desert made with Rice and Milk. I still remember my trip to Amritsar when i was studying in Chandigarh, It was the first time I had tasted Phirni and since then i m in love with this Desert. It is traditionally served in small earthen pots also known as "Shikoras".Looking at it benefits it acts as an excellent coolant in summers. Also high in Calcium and protein, it is cool for Pittas, wet for Vatas and usually light enough for Kaphas to digest.

Ingredients :

1 Liter full cream Milk

1/4 Cup Soaked Rice for an Hour
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Tablespoon Cardamom Powder
1 Table spoon Gulkand
Pinch of Saffron
Almonds,Pistachios and Rose Petals to garnish

Recipe :

1. Grind the soaked Rice to a fine paste and keep aside

2. Soak the Saffron in one tablespoon of Milk and keep aside

3. In a heavy bottom Pan, boil milk. Once boiled slowly add Rice paste and Mix properly to avoid any lumps.

4. Let it cook  for 15 mins till rice gets cooked properly.

5. Add Sugar, Cardamom Powder, Saffron and Gulkand , Mix properly.

6. Cook again for 5-10 mins till you get thick consistency. Once cooked let it cool for an hour, Pour the cool mixture in cleaned earthen pots and garnish with Nuts and Rose Petals

7. Chill the phirni for 2-3 hours in refrigerator before serving .

Multigrain Laddu

We Indians have a special attachment with Laddus ,Isn't it ?? Whether we announce any good news i.e Marriage, New Job ,Results etc ,We like to break the news by offering delicious laddu . Laddu is the small sized-ball ,packed with power nutrients and deliciousness. It makes healthy snack if consumed in limitation .

I am sharing Gluten free Multigrain laddu recipe made with different grains and legumes .It is packed with Proteins ,Vitamins ,Minerals ,Calcium and Carbohydrates making a wholesome meal. So next time you  are in  hurry just grab one multi grain laddu and a drink a glass of milk :)

Ingredients :

1 cup Rice flour
1/2 cup Ragi flour
1/2 Moong Dal
1/2 Chana Dal
1/4 cup Urad dal
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom Powder
Ghee

Recipe

1. Dry roast Moong Dal, Chana Dal, Urad Dal separately in a medium heat till you get nice aroma. Allow it to cool . Grind them separately to get fine powder.Keep aside


2. Heat a ghee in a Pan, roast all flours together for 10 minutes till you get nice fragrant aroma . Add desiccated coconut ,sugar and Cardamom powder. Mix well and turn off the heat.

3. Allow it to cool for 5 min . Once the mixture is warm enough to hold in your hands start making small sized ball and store it in a Airtight container.


Tips :

1.You can adapt the recipe by changing and adding different proportions of grains.
2.I have used Sprouted Ragi flour for added health benefits.
3.You can replace Sugar with Jaggery.