Oats Soup

Oats !!! I am in love with it. I just enjoy every meal with oats and don't get bored as i come up with so many variations. Last night i made this. It was really easy to make it.

So lets get started

Ingredients

Olive Oil
Onion 1 small
Garlic 3-4 cloves
Carrot 2 medium
Oats 1/4 cup
Skimmed Milk 1 1/2 cups
Water 1/2 cup
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Oregano 1/2 tsp
Salt
Coriander to garnish

Method

1. Chop onion, carrot and garlic and keep aside
2. Heat oil in a pan, add onion, carrot and garlic. Saute until onion turns translucent
3. Then add oats and roast well, say about for 2 to 3 mins
4. Add Oregano and black pepper, salt and saute
5. Now add water and cook the oats
6. Once cooked and water is absorbed add the milk and keep on low flame for 2 mins

Serve pipping hot and garnish with coriander

You can have the soup with soup stick or garlic bread

You can season the soup if required


Tips

1. Oats get thick in no time so add milk or water before your serve. Let the consistency be runny
2.  Dont over cook the vegs
3. Check the milk before you add, as if its not good it can curdle up

Tofu Grilled Sandwich

Tofu sandwich it was very filling and healthy too. I had actually had bought tofu to make a mousse but as there was no power then i decided to make this sandwich. I managed with ingredients that i had home. It was indeed tasty.

Ingredients

Brown Bread 4 slices
Olive oil
Tofu 1/4 cup
Tomato chilli paste or Pesto sauce as required for the spread
Onion 1 medium
Peanut Butter 1 tbsp (if using pesto sauce omit the peanut butter)
Black Pepper 1/2 tsp
Red Chilly Flakes a pinch
Green chilly 1
Cheese 1 cube

Method

1. Pat dry and grate the tofu
2.Chop the onion and green chilly
3.Grate or crumble the tofu in a bowl , add onion, green chilli, black pepper, red chilly flakes, peanut butter and salt. Mix the mixture well and keep aside
4.Grate the cheese
5.Spread olive oil and tomato chilli paste on the bread
6.Spread the mixture on the bread evenly on one slice and add the grated cheese and cover it with other slice. Press it well
7.Heat the pan with olive oil and place the bread on it and toast the bread until brown
8.Cut into squares or triangles and serve hot with your favorite sauce

Few tips

1. You can substitute tofu with panner
2. You can also use cheese slices
3.  You can also make the sandwich in a toaster
4 . You can add veggies of your choice like capsicum, carrot etc
5.  You can add spice according to your taste ( I like it spicy so made it spicy)
6.  You can omit the peanut butter if you don't like the taste

Oats aur Sev Sabji

Ingredients

Oil 2 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves 3-4
Ginger Garlic Paste 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
Onion 1(small)
Tomato (4 medium)
Salt
Water 1/2 cup
Masala oats 1 Packet
Sev 1 cup or more

Method

1. Heat oil in a sauce pan on a medium flame, add cumin seeds and saute for 2 mins
2. Add asafoetida and curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute for 3-4 mins
3. Add onion and saute well, add in tomatoes too
4. Cover the pan turn the heat to a low flame and allow the tomatoes to simmer until soft
5. Add water and cook for 1 min
6. Now add in the oats and mix well. You need to keep mixing to avoid lumps

7. Cover it again only for 2 mins and turn off the flame
8. When you are ready to serve,

 in a bowl spread the sev at the bottom layer

and above that the spread the oats sabji

 top layer decorate with sev and garnish with coriander

Serve hot with roti

Oatmeal chocolate mug cake

Its always a challenge when we need to think on what to cook ? Especially breakfast !!!! as we are in a rush to go to work and busy making lunch for family or kids. But as breakfast is the first meal of the day, it should be healthy and delicious too. And don't miss it.  I try and make simple quick recipes. My simple recipes will not let miss your breakfast any day. Every day there is something new on my plate. And i love doing this and its a surprise to myself too.

So i made this oatmeal chocolate mug cake for breakfast today. I love chocolates and wanted to experiment this recipe with coco powder and oat meal.

So what are you waiting for , i am sure you will run to the kitchen after you read this recipe

Ingredients

Mug 1
Oats 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp
Coco powder 1 tbsp
Baking powder 1/4 tsp
Sugar 1 tsp (i used brown sugar)
Vanilla extract 1/4 tsp
Honey 2 tbsp
Milk 3-4 tbsp
Salt  a pinch
Oil - to grease the mug

1.In a blender, grind oats coarsely and set aside
2.Grease your mug with olive oil
3.In the mug add oats flour, oats, baking powder, coco powder,salt and sugar. Whisk it well. I used a fork to whisk it
4.Add vanilla essence,honey and mix
5. Pour in the milk gradually until the batter is formed . The batter should not be liquidy not flooded
6. Make a final stir and sprinkle chocolate chips
7. Try and get the mixture as evenly as possible
8. Put the mug in the microwave for 2 minutes on 700 watts
9.Check if the oatmeal has set on top
10.Let it cool for about 2 mins once you remove from the oven

 Enjoy it with your favorite topping


Few tips

1. Dont pick a mug that's too large
2. You add some nuts too
3. Keep an eye when it goes around
4. Greasing the mug is important if not the cake will get stuck and the base and sides.
5. You can also use butter or any other oil to grease
6. You can substitute honey with banana

The new mocktail on my menu - Oats Kheer Shots

Yesterday was Eid and when i logged on Facebook i saw every one making some sweet dish. I also had a craving then. So then i decided i should also make something nice for me. But being on a diet and cant have sweets but that's not the case with me. I try and make it my way :-) I call it healthy bhi and sweet bhi. Both together. Yes try it and you will not stop with one spoon.

Ingredients

Milk 1 liter or as needed
Oats 1/4 cup
Custard Powder 1 tsp
Cardamom powder a pinch
Jaggery syrup 3/4 cup or as needed
Dry Fruits (Cashew, badam and raisins) handful
Ghee (optional)

Method

1. Roast the oats on a low flame until turns pink and keep aside. Also in the same pan roast the dry fruits
2. For Jaggery syrup, break the jaggery into pieces, you can also use a hand mortar. Once broken into pieces . Place it in a bowl and add boiling water to it. Just enough to submerge the jaggery. The jaggery will dissolve. Use a spoon to break the lumps. Now sieve it in another bowl and keep aside.The amount of jaggery also depends on how much of sweet you want in your kheer
3.Take the custard powder in a bowl add some milk to make it smooth and keep aside
4. Put the milk in a thick bottom pan on a low flame for 5 mins
5. Keep stirring with a ladle every 2-3 minutes scrapping down cream from all sides, ensure it doesn't burn the base
7. Boil until the milk becomes thick
8. Add the cardamom powder and stir again
9. Now slowly add the custard mix, oats and keep stirring. At this stage you would need to keep stirring continuously to ensure it doesn't catch lumps
10. Turn off the flame and add the jaggery syrup
11. You can serve it warm or chilled
12. The Oats Kheer stays 1-2 days good in the refrigerator

Few Tips

1. Stirring from time to time is important for it will not get burnt at the base
2. You can also roast the dry fruits in 2 tsp of ghee (I made a low fat version)
3. This Kheer will get thicken after a while, you can add milk to dilute while you serve
4. You can substitute Jaggery with condensed milk this will load richness to the kheer
5. Always add Jaggery at the end as there are chance of milk getting curdled

Oats sandwich

Whenever i am sick i live on breads. Otherwise i try and avoid due to yeast. This is when i am on a diet. Its been 6 months that i have been following a diet. I am planning to bake my own bread soetrime. I hope some day i do it.

Ingredients

Oats 1/4 cup
Bread 4 slices
Onion 1/2
Peas 2 tbsp
Olive oil 1 tsp
Curds (thick) 1/2 cup
Cumin powder - a pinch
Black pepper - a pinch
Red chilli powder - a pinch
Chilly flakes - a pinch
Tomato sauce 2 tsp
Salt
Olive oil  2-4 tsp

Method

1. Heat oil in a pan add oats and roast until pink.Once done turn off the flame and let it cool
2. In a bowl combine curds,oats, onion, peas, cumin powder, black pepper, red chilli flakes n powder and salt
3. Mix well
4. Apply olive oil on the bread and spread ketchup and this mixture on one slice of the bread

5. Apply olive oil on the other slice too and cover it and press lightly
6. Heat the tava and cook the sandwich until brown ( I normally put small plate on the sandwich and above that a moratar and press, i do this so that the sandwich it is grilled well. I don't have a toaster or a sandwich marker so use the old tradition)
7. Serve hot with ketchup

Enjoy!!

Cucumber n spring onion soup

Ingredients

Olive oil 2 tbsp
Cucumber 2
Spring onion 1 cup (Scallions, both white and green)
Ginger 2 tsp
Garlic 3-4 cloves
Veg stock 2 cups
Soya Sauce 1tsp
Black pepper 1 tsp
Vinegar 1 tsp (i used apple cider)
Red chilli flakes 1/4 tsp
Salt
Cream (optional)

Method

1. Wash and chop cucumber,spring onion, garlic and ginger

2. Heat oil in a broad pan, add spring onion, garlic and ginger. Cook over on medium flame until soft
3. Add cucumber. and cook gently until this also becomes soft
4. Now add the greens (left few aside for garnishing) and stir only for 2-3 mins
5. Add the vegetable stock and salt, you would add only 1/2 cup here. Cover and bring to boil.
6. Cook for 5- 7 mins
7. Remove from heat and let it cool and blend
8.Transfer the mixture to the same pan and add the remaining vegetable stock, soya sauce, vinegar  red chilli flakes and black pepper
9. Taste the soup and add more seasoning if required
10. Ladle into the bowls and dollop with cream and spring onion

Apple pie

Ingredients

Mcvities or Marie cookies / biscuits 4 + 2

Apple 1/2

Butter 1/2 tsp

Sugar 1 tsp

All purpose flour  or wheat flour 1 tbsp ( i used wheat flour)

Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp

Chocolate - As much as you like ( i omitted this) But my fiancee added to his bowl

Method

1. Peel and core the apple. Dice them OR you can also grate the apple
2. Crush the cookie / biscuits in a bowl.
3. Melt the butter
4. In the same bowl of the butter add two cookie / biscuits and mix well
5. Press down until you get an even coating across the bowl
6. In a other bowl add the diced or grated apple, sugar, all purpose flour and vanilla essence and put it in the micro oven for 1 minute

7. Press this also until evenly spread
8. Add the remaining cookie crumble

9. Put chocolate sauce and enjoy

Kala Chana Salad

Ingredients

Kala Chana 1 cup
Onion 1 medium
Tomato 1 medium
Green chilly 2
Lemon juice 2 tbsp
Chat masala 1 tsp
Black pepper 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method :

1. Wash and soak the chana over night
2. Next day rinse the chana 3-4 times
3. In a pressure cooker add 2 cups of water and pressure cook the chana for 3-4 whistles
4. Check if cooked properly, strain out the water and keep aside
5. Chop onion and tomatoes into cubes
6. Fine chop green chilles and coriander
7. In a bowl add the channa, onion, tomatoes, green chillies and coriander. Also add chaat masala, black pepper, salt and lime juice

8. Serve fresh

Green Tea

Green is considered to be one of the world's healthiest drinks. It contains highest amount of antioxidants of any tea.

 I have drink thrice a day. It keep me fresh through out the day.  I start my day with it and an apple.

I know this is very simple but most of the time we also go wrong. Sometimes its bitter, tasteless etc.

So thought i could share my style of making

Ingredients

Water 1 cup
Green leaves 1/2 tsp

Method

1. Boil water in a sauce pan
2. Switch off the flame and put the leaves in the pan and cover immediately. Cover only for a minute. DOnt keep the leaves in the water for too long as the tea will taste bitter.
3.  Strain the green tea in a mug or glass

I normally have it plain. You can add lemon or honey as per your taste.

Masala butter milk

This is the best to have during summers! And i am sure always do have it during that time. This cools our body and is very refreshing too.

Ingredients

Yogurt 1 cup
Cilantro
Cumin powder 1/4 tsp
Chaat masala 3/4 tsp
Black pepper 1/4 tsp
Salt
Water 1/12 cups
Ice 5-6 cubes

Method

1. In a blender add the above ingredients and blend expect the water . Just blend it once
2.  Now add water and blend again
3.  Pour in a glass and serve chill

Oreo Smoothie

When i had nothing to make when my fiancee was leaving back to Delhi. I also had no time and i want to give him some thing filling. So i made this for him. Made it the healthy way.

Ingredients

Oreo cookies 4
Milk 1/2 cup
Yogurt 1/4 cup
Coco powder  1/2 tsp
Ice 3 cubes

Method

1. Break the oreo cookies into small pieces
2. In a blender add the oero, milk, yogurt and coco powder, ice and blend
3. Pour the shake in a glass, garnish with cookie crumble and serve

Sanna Pakora - The Sindhi Style

This a favorite snack at any Sindhi' s house. Its crispy, crunchy and delicious. At my house whenever we had relatives come over this was the always there. An evening snack which can be had with chai

Ingredients

Gram flour 1 small cup
Onion 1 small
Green chilli 3
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
Coriander leves
salt
Baking soda -  a pinch
Water
Oil for frying

Method
1. Fine chop the onion, coriander and green chilli
2. In a bowl combine gram flour, onion, green chilli, red chilli, coriander, baking soda and salt
3. Add water little by little and make a thick batter
4. Finally add 1 tsp oil to this batter
5. Heat oil in a kadai
6. Take one spoon full of this mixture and drop gently into the oil
7. Reduce the flame and fry until brown
8. Take them out and drain out the oil completely. Once cooled down cut them to small pieces
9. Fry again until dark golden brown
10. Place them on a tissue so that the excess oil can be absorbed
11. Serve hot with your favorite chutney or ketchup

Small Bites - Raagi and Oats

Ingredients

Raagi 1 cup (full or powder)

Semolina 1/4 cup

Oats 1/3 cup

Yogurt 1 cup (not very sour)

Baking powder 1/2 tsp

For tempering

Oil 1 tsp

Curry leaves 5-6

Grated coconut (optional)

Mustard 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method

1. Grind oats and ragi coarsely. I did not have raagi powder hence used full ragi and hence grinded it too
2.  In a bowl combine oats, ragi, semolina, yogurt and salt. Add little water to make a thick batter. The consistency of this will be on idli batter. Finally add baking powder. Keep aside for 15 mins
3.  Prepare a steamer filled with water and place the plate over which you will use for steaming the bites.  You can also use a cooker and place the plate inside it. I did not have both handy. So i used kadai filled with water and placed a plate.
4. Now pour the batter on the plate/pan. Place the pan/plate carefully in the cooker or kadai
5. You need not use whistle if using a cooker, just cover it for 5-7 mins
6. Once you see the steam coming out lower the flame and leave it for 3 mins
7. Once steamed remove from the flame and keep aside
8. For seasoning heat oil in a pan, add mustard, cumin seeds and allow to splutter. Add green chillies. Remove and pour over the bites
9. Cool and cut them to the shape you like

Chivda

Chivda is a very popular snack in Maharashtra. Being in Pune how can i not make thi.

I had made this for the first time for my fiancee. I was not sure if he would like it. For the first time i made about 1 kilo :-)

When he tasted he loved it so much. Now i end up making it very often. Also my in laws love it. I guess after marriage this will become a weekly affair

But this needs a lot of patience as i took 2 hours.

Ingredients

Poha 1 cup
Peanuts 1/2 cup
Fired Gram 1/2 cup
Cashews 1/2 cup (split into halves if required)
Raisins 2 tbsp
Curry leaves 10 -15 (Dry)
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
White sesame seeds 1 tsp
Red chilli powder  1tsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Fennel seeds 1 tsp
Asafoetida powder pinch
Sugar 2 tsp
Oil for tempering 1 tsp
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Rinse and pat dry the cashews and curry leaves
2. I always have curry leaves washed and dried at home but if you don't have it handy you rinse and pat dry it
3. Heat oil in a kadai
4. Immerse the poha on a medium flame, fry till it expands. Dont make them brown. You will need to fry till its crispy. I fired the poha in two batches as i used a medium kada.
5. Remove the fired poha with a slotted spoon. Place it in a wide dry bowl . Do keep a paper towel on that bowl so that excess oil is absorbed
6. Next fry the the fired gram for a few seconds till they become crispy. Place this also on a paper towel
7.  In the same way fry cashew, peanuts and curry leaves. Fry each of them separately
8.  Remove the excess oil from the kadai, keeping 1tsp oil for tempering
9. Now in the same oil crackle the mustard seeds
10.Add asafoetida, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, sesame seeds. Lets the sesame seeds pop and change color
11.Switch off the flame and add turmeric powder, chilli powder,
12. Now stir in salt and sugar and mix well
13.Add all the fired ingredients - Poha, cashew, peanuts, fired gram and stir well
14. Add the raisins and stir
15. Crush the curry leaves and add them to the mixture
16. Stir well and roast for 2-3  minutes on a low flame. Stir it nicely until mixed
17. Taste it and adjust the seasoning if required. Switch off the flame
18. Let the chivda come to a room temperature and then store in a air tight container

Enjoy this chivda as a snack with coffee / tea

A tinch of love is required too :-)

Koki - Sindhi Paratha

Koki is a sindhi parathta. Being a sindhi i just love eating this.We normally eat this for breakfast with some pickle and papad. I normally like to have this with chai.

Ingredients

Wheat flour 2 cups
Onion 1
Green chilles 4
Coriander 1 tsp
Ghee or oil 3 tbsp
Annar dhna 1/2 tsp ( dried pomegranate seeds)
salt
Oil for shallow fry
Water

Method

1. Fine chop the onion, coriander and green chillies
2. In a bowl add the wheat flour, onion green chillies, coriander, annar dhan salt and oil
3. Mix well and add water little by little. This dough requires more oil and less of water to knead. You would knead really slow
4. Divide the dough into 3 -4 balls. Roll the dough on the rolling board with a rolling pin. Dont roll too much. ( You will not roll like the other paratha). Just roll it one or twice. It has to be really thick.
5. Now roast this on the tawa on both sides
6. Take it off from the tawa and roll it again on the rolling board. This time you will roll it until it reaches the thickness of a paratha. You will have to roll really slow as this could break
7. Place it on the tawa again and roast on slow flame adding oil or ghee on both sides
8. You will roast until small brown patches are found on the paratha

This koki is flaky and chewy

You can have it with curds, pickle, papad or tea

Healthy Laadu

When weekends comes , you always are happy and you want to do something. I am always excited about weekends as i get to cook and make something new. This weekend i wanted to make some sweet but healthy too so decided to make this healthy laadu.

Ingredients

Flax seeds 1/4 cup
Peanuts 1/2 cup
Oats 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder 1 tsp
Ghee 2 tbsp
Jageery 2 tbsp

Method :

1. Roast oats lightly on a pan until you get an aroma. This would take about 5 minutes. Once roasted keep aside to cool
2. Roast peanuts too on a pan on a low flame. This would also take about 5 minutes. Keep aside for cool. (i did not remove the skin but if you wish you can do the same)
3. Wash the flax seeds 2-3 times in water and dry roast them too. Roast until this splutters like mustard seeds . Ensure this doesn't get burnt

4. Grate Jaggery
5. Add the roasted oats, peanuts and flax seeds in a blender. Grind coarsely
6. Heat the ghee
7. Remove the mixture in a bowl and add jaggery n ghee
8.  Now mix gently and form laadu. Add more ghee if required

Store it in a air tight container.

You can replace dates instead of Jaggery.

You can also add dry fruits if you wish too. You just need to roast them and cut them fine and add in the mixture before you form the laadu.

A tinch of love :-)

Spinach and pomegranate salad with peanut dressing

This leafy salad was very refreshing and adding pomegranate gave a nice flavor. This was very eye appealing too.

Lets start making the salad


Ingredients

Spinach 1 cup
Pomegranate 1/2 cup
Tomato 1 (without seeds)
Sun dried tomatoes  5
Cranberry 1 tbsp
Cheese 1/4 cup (optional)  ( I used amul but you can use Feta or any other you like)

Dressing

Peanut 1/4 cup
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp
Ginger juice 1 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Brown Sugar 2 tsp
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Water add as needed

Method

1.  Use a pair of scissors to cut off the spinach roots. Most of the soil and grit comes from the roots. so remove them and wash well.
2. Pat dry and chop the spinach. Keep aside
3. Cut the tomatoes in halves , remove the seeds
4 . Use a small medium bowl to discard the pomegranate skin and the small bowl to hold the pomegranate seeds
5. Cut the sun dried tomatoes into small pieces
6. In a bowl toss the spinach, tomato, pomegranate, sun dried tomatoes and cranberry and keep aside

Dressing

 1. Roast the peanuts and keep aside
 2. Blend all the dressing ingredients together and add water as needed
 3. Pour the dressing over the salad and sprinkle cheese

Lemon oats

This was so easy and just took 5 mins and was filling.

Oats 1 cup
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Lemon 1
Salt
Peanuts

For tempering
Oil 1 tbsp (i used olive oil)
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Split gram 1 tsp
Bengal gram 1 tsp
Red chilli 3
Curry leaves 7- 8
Asafoetida 1/4 tsp

1. In a deep cooking pot roast the oats on a low flame for 3-5 mins. Once done keep it aside
2. In the same pot add oil followed by mustard seeds, allow to splutter
3. Add the dhals and let the color change to little brown and then add Red chilli, curry leaves and       Asafoetida
4. Now add the turmeric powder, salt and mix, then add water and bring to boil
5.  Add oats and mix well. Cover with a lid for and cook for 5 mins
6. Remove the lid and add lime juice and mix well and cook for 2 mins
7. While the oats are getting cooked roast the peanuts for 3 mins
8. Serve it hot and garnish with some peanuts

Italian Soup

I just loved the soup. It was filling and too healthy. I did not want anything else to go with this soup.

Ingredients 

Olive oil 1 tbsp

Cauliflower 1/2 cup

Spinach 4-5 leaves

Peas 1/2 cup 

Onion 

Carrot 1

Tomato 2

Garlic 4

Vegetable stock 2 cup 

Water 2 cup 

Bay leaf 1

Black pepper 1 1/2 tsp 

Oregano 1 1/2  tsp

Salt 

Pasta 1/4 cup 

Cheese 2 tbsp (If required)

Method 

1. Wash and chop the vegetables

2. In a large sauce pan add oil and gently saute garlic and onion for 5 mins. It should not turn brown. Splash water if they stick. Then add bay leaf

3. Place the vegetables and spinach and cook for 5 - 7 minutes on a low flame

4.  Season with black pepper, oregano and salt and saute for 2 mins

5. Now add in the vegetable stock and bring to boil for 4 mins. Then add water and cover the pan with the lid. It will take around 20- 25 mins on a low flame, cook the mixture until the vegetables are tender.

6. While your mixture is getting done, take a small pan add water and salt, boil for 2 mins then add the pasta. Leave it on the flame until cooked(don't over cook it). Once its done run it through some cold water and toss with olive oil.  ( I run through cold water and toss with olive oil as your pasta will not be sticky)

7. Once your vegetables are cooked add the pasta and keep on boil for 5 mins

7. Sever it hot and season with pepper and sprinkle some cheese 

You can add more seasoning as per your taste

Do add a tinch of love :-)

Crunchy Sprouts Salad

Last night before i went to sleep i had planned my lunch today. So i had decided to make sprouts but wanted to make it crunchy too.

This is a simple salad and can be eaten any time as a snack too.

Here you go 

Ingredients

Sprouts 1 cup

Onion 1/2

Tomato 1

Cucumber 2 (small)

Peanuts 1/4 cup

Sunflower seeds 1 tbsp

Lime 1

Coriander (to garnish) 

Salt to taste 

Method

1. Sprout the moong, if you don't have the time you can also buy them. These days you get them easily. However I prefer making the sprouts at home, for this recipe i have boiled it too. Dont boil it too much.I just boiled for 2 mins.

2. Drain out the water and keep the sprouts aside

3.Fine chop the vegetables 

4. In a bowl add you sprouts, vegetables , nuts , sunflower seeds, salt and squeeze lime. Finally garnish with coriander 

If you want it spicy you can add green chilli or red chilli

Over night Oats and Mango

Mango is one of favorite fruit but high on calories too. But i still prefer this than a sweet , cake or sugar. As this fruit has natural sugars. And now this is also the end of mango season and i see mango cakes, pudding and sweets but i am on diet and hence chosen this healthy recipe.

Ingredients

Oats 1/3 cup (Raw)
Milk 1/2 cup
Honey 1 tsp
Yogurt 1 tbsp (i made it with home made curds)
Vanilla essence 1/2 tsp
Chia Seeds 1 tsp
Mango  2 small

Method

1. In a half pint jar or container add oats, milk, honey, yougurt,vanilla essence and chia seeds.
2. Put the lid and shake well
3. Then add mangoes and mix throughout
4. Cover it back with the lid and refrigerate over night
5. Have it chilled the next day

  

Roasted Garlic Soup

Ingredients

Olive oil 2 tbsp
Onion 1
Oregano 1 tsp
Garlic 2 bulbs
Garlic 7 - 8 pieces
Potato 2 (small)
Black pepper corns 5
Black pepper powder 1/2 tsp
Red chilli flakes 1/2 tsp
Vegetable stock 1 cup
Water 1 cup

Method :

1. Make your vegetable stock
2. In a sauce pan, on a low flame add oil, garlic (with the skin),onion and potato, black pepper corn, red chilli flakes, oregano and saute for 20 mins

3. Ensure that it doesn't get burnt or catches the bottom
4. After 20 mins add water and cover with a lid for ten mins
5. You will cook until the garlic and potato is softened

6. Remove the garlic from the pan and peel off the skin
7. Chop the garlic into smaller pieces and add it back in the sauce pan
8. Add the vegetable stock, salt and black pepper powder
9. Turn off the flame once done
10. Cool and puree the soup in a blender
11. Return the puree to the sauce pan and boil for 7 mins
12. While the puree is boiling, take a small pan add the remaining oil and add the  chop garlic without skin, you will saute this for 5 mins. The color has to change to brown, ensure that it doesn't get burnt. Once its done place them on a tissue paper
13. Your soup would have boiled by now.
14 Ladle into a bowl and season with roasted garlic and some coriander stems or chives or spring onion or you can also add cream

I did not have chives so used the coriander stems.

Oats Bisibelabath

I always loved this recipe. I lived most of my life in south and rice is the staple food there. But being in diet i could not have rice hence i wanted to try this variation. It turned out good and i eat so much that i was full up until the evening.

Ingredients

Oil 1 tsp or ghee 1tsp
Oats 1 cup
Tur Dhal 1/4 cup
Carrot 1
Peas 1/3 cup
Tomato 1
Beans 4-5
Tamarind extract 1 tbsp
Jaggery 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Salt

For Tempering ( Now i skipped this stage as i wanted to stick to less oil but you can definitely do your tempering if you like it)

Oil 1 tsp
Mustard 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves 5 -6

Bisibelabath powder
Oil 1 tsp
Channa dhal 1/2 tsp
Urdu dhal 1/2 tsp
Coriander seeds
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Black pepper corn 5-6
Red chillies 2-3
Cinnamon stick 1/2
Cardamon 1
Cloves 1
Sesame seeds 1/2 tsp
Raw Rice 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Fenugreek seeds 1/2 tsp  ( i did not have so used kasuri methi)
Fennel Seeds 3/4 tsp
Curry leaves 5-8
Asafotedia 1/4 tsp

1. Wash, peel and cut the vegetables
2. Wash the toor dhal four to five times and keep aside
3. Now pressure cook the vegetables and dhal together
4. While the vegetables are getting cooked prepare the bisebelabath powder
5. Roast the ingredients with a 1 tsp of oil or ghee on a low flame for 2-3 mins
6. Blend the cool ingredients
7. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add mustard as they splutter, add curry leaves and mix.
8. Add onions and saute for 2-3 mins
9. Then add tomatoes and saute for another 3 mins, you would add turmeric and chilli powder in this stage
10. Now add the vegetables, dhal and jaggery and cook for 2 -3 mins
11. Add tamarind with a cup of water and cook for 5 mins
12. Add the bisbelabath powder and salt and mix. Mix well such that you don't find lumps of the spice powder
13. Add a cup of water and cook for 2 minutes
14. Add oats and mix. Place a lid and cover for 5 mins. Turn off the heat

At the time of serving you add ghee 1 tbsp
You could other vegs like potato, capsicum and cauliflower etc
Add more water if you require thinner consistency

I had this with some roasted dhal  and roasted peanuts.

Rustic tomato soup

Its rainy season here at Pune. How can i not have a soup when its raining. It so beautiful out here and i love to sip my soup in this weather.

This delicious soup took me an hour, but it was worth my time.

Garlic 5-6
Onion 1
Tomato 8-10 (small)
Carrot 1
Vegetable stock 1 1/2 cup ( Recipe below)
Coriander
Mint powder 1 tbsp
Oregano 1 tbsp
Red chilli flakes 1 tbsp
Olive oil tsp
wheat flour  1 tsp
Salt


1. Make your vegetable stock and keep aside ( i always have this stored in my fridge as its very handy for most of the soups)
2. Cut the tomatoes and carrot, keep aside
3. In a thick bottomed vessel over a medium flame heat oil. Add garlic and onion and saute for a 2 mins. Ensure the color doesn't changes
4. Add the tomatoes, and carrot and saute well for 5-7 mins
5. Now you would add red chilli flakes, oregano, mint powder, coriander and salt
6. Then add your vegetable stock and cover with a lid for half hour

7. The more it boil the better it tastes ( i boiled the soup for about 45 mins)

8. In a small bowl add the wheat flour and water. Mix well and add this to the soup. This ingredient will make the soup thicker. You need to keep mixing on a low flame to break part the lumps.

You can top up your soup with cheese if you want

A tinch of love and patience is required here :-) As this takes long but it is good to wait and have a yummy soup.


Vegetable stock 

Ingredients

Garlic cloves 8 minced
Onion 2
Carrot 2
Bay leaf 1
Pepper corn 10-12
Beans 3
Olive oil 1 tsp
Water 2 cups
Salt

( In the other recipes they use parsley, thyme, celery but i did not have any of them in stock so i used beans)

Method

1. Chop the vegetables into 1 inch
2. Heat oil in a vessel.
3. Add onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, pepper corn, beans. Cook for 5 minutes and stir frequently
4. Add salt and water. Keep it for boil for about half hour
5. Strain and discard the vegetables

Oats Almond Dates Milkhaske

Its been a while that i had oats. I was actually missing it big time. So then i decided that today will make it a Oats day. From morning until night.

I made this delicious milkshake for breakfast. Easy, Simple and filling what more can you ask for your breakfast and yes i forgot to tell you that this milkshake has natural sugar. So even better for our health.

So what are you waiting for :-) Try this recipe of mine and i bet it will be lip smacking 

Ingredients 

Oats 1/3 cup (Raw)

Almonds 5

Dates 1

Jaggery 1 tbsp 

Milk 1/2 cup 

Method

1. Put the above ingredients in a blender and blend. ( If its thick you can add some more milk)

I just had a small glass, you can double the quantity if required.

Lentil salad

A refreshing salad with diced vegetables and lentil

Toor lentil 1/2 cup
Cucumber 1
Carrot 1
Tomato 1
Coriander
Lime 1
Red chilli powder
Salt to taste

1. Wash the moong dhal changing water 4-5 times.
2.  Cover with water by 3 inches and bring to boil, turn down simmer until its tender. (add more water is required). Ensure your lentil is tender and dry
3. Dice all the vegetables and keep aside
4. In a bowl add the lentils and the vegetables
5. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder, coriander and squeeze lime and stir well

Garnish with some panner or tofu (optional)