Foodie tales

A delicious su mmer Indian dessert  full of mango  flavors . Nutritional value of one serve of Mango Falooda: Energy:  271 Kcal Carbohydrate:  55 grams Protein:  6 grams Fat:  3 grams Cooking time:  15-20 mins Serve:  1 person Ingredients:         2 tsps of sabja seeds (Basil seeds)- soak it in ½ cup of water        Handful of falooda sev or thin vermicelli, boiled and strained        2 tbsps. of mango puree or pulp without sugar        3 tbsps. Milk of your choice (you can add ½ tsp of jaggery or honey to give sweet taste to milk. As mango is a sweet fruit, this step is optional)          ½ medium sized mango, peeled and chopped in small pieces        1 tbsp of mixed dry fruits        ¼ cup of any other fruit. I took pomegranate, you can take strawberries, cherries, apple etc. (its optional)   Layering of Falooda:       In a serving glass, first add soaked sabja seeds (only seeds, not the water it was soaked in).       Then add chopped pieces of the mango fruit, and slowly add milk ab

Mangifera indica  L . (mango) is commonly known as “the king of fruits” because it is the most popular fruit in tropical regions. It is the national fruit of India and the Philippines, and the national tree of Bangladesh. There are many different kinds of mango which vary in color, shape, flavor, and seed size. Although mango skin can be green, red, yellow, or orange, i n color, inner flesh is mostly golden yellow. From pickle to aam ras, we all wait for summer to make delicious recipes using this fruit. This fruit is not only delicious but also boasts an impressive nutritional profile. Mango fruit is rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and  poly-phenolic flavonoid  antioxidant compounds. This fruit is an excellent source of Vitamin-A and flavonoids like  β -carotene, α -carotene, and  β -cryptoxanthin. These compounds have been known to have antioxidant properties and are essential for vision. Vitamin-A also required for maintaining a healthy mucosa and skin.

This quinoa platter contains:  Vegetable quinoa pulao, sautéed paneer and salad Serves:1 person Cooking time: 25-30mins Vegetable Quinoa Pulao: Ingredients:- ¼ cup uncooked quinoa 1 tsp Olive oil or any cooking oil ½ tsp of jeera (cumin seeds) 1  tsp of finely chopped green chilli ¼ cup finely chopped onion ¼ cup boiled sweet corn ¼ cup chopped mixed bell peppers Salt for taste Instructions:- Take ½ cup quinoa in a fine strainer and rinse well in running water (rinse quinoa nicely before cooking to remove bitter taste). Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds. Then add green chilli, onion, bell peppers and saute for about a min. Saute till the onions become translucent and then add boiled corn, mix it well. Add the quinoa. Mix very well and saute again for 1-2mins on low flame. Then add water. For 1/4 cup of quinoa 1.25 cups of water can be added. I added 1.5 cups water for a more fluffy and soft texture. Stir well and add salt as per taste. Cover the cooker with its lid and

Are your kids turning their nose up at the sight of a fruit? There's hope! Here are a few tricks to getting them to eat more fruits...   Just peel a banana, give it a mid slit and add any available fruits like jamun (Indian Blueberry), pomegranate, grapes, pieces of apple and so on.... Drizzle some honey, maple syrup or chocolate sauce  for glaze and sweet taste..., let the kids enjoy their crazy nutritious Banana... To know the health benefits of banana fruit, follow this link: https://aditi-tibarewala.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-tale-of-forgotten-banana.html

Dressing : ½ tbsp of almond/wheat flour (switching from refined flour/maida as choosing healthy is always a better option) ½ tsp of olive oil (butter is strict no no!!) ½ cup milk of your choice ¼ tsp of your favorite herbs like oregano, thyme, chilli flakes, dried basil Pepper and salt to taste Salad Layers: ½ cup boiled Wheat Pasta of your choice ¼ cup boiled Broccoli ¼ cup mixed Bell peppers Handful of boiled Sweet Corn           (Vegetables can be changed based on your choice! But remember to add loads of greens!) Putting it Together:       1.     Take a saucepan, add oil over low heat and stir in flour, salt and pepper. 2.      Cook over medium heat and add milk gradually by stirring it constantly until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. 3.      Now just layer your mason jar by adding sauce at the bottom, then the boiled pasta followed by vegetables of your choice. 4.      Stir, spill and enjoy!  Nutritional Value of medium sized(300 grams) saucy pasta salad jar:    E

“Cinnamon” also known as “Dalchini” in hindi, is one of the most important and common  spices used daily all over the world. In India, most curries and gravies are incomplete without  adding this spice. Due to its exotic flavour and aroma, it is a key kitchen ingredient in every  household and is also commonly used in baking. Cinnamon is made by drying small strips of  the inner bark of cinnamon tree stems, which are finally curled into rolls called “cinnamon  sticks”. These sticks are then ground to produce cinnamon powder. Health Benefits of Cinnamon: Cinnamon primarily contains, vital oil like “cinnamaldehyde”, mostly used for its anti-microbial and anti -inflammatory activity. It not only has antioxidant, anticancer, cardiovascular disease lowering compound, but also has been reported to have activities against neurological disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Cinnamon is known to help lower the blood sugar level in diabetics patients It is also known to

Your Quinoa Quest ends here…. Quinoa is included in the “whole grains” category, gaining popularity due to its many health benefits. It is pronounced as “ kveen - vaa ”. Most common types of quinoa available in grocery stores are white, red, and black. Consumption of quinoa has become increasingly popular among people interested in improving and maintaining their health status by changing dietary habits. Both seeds as well as sprouts of quinoa are excellent examples of ‘functional food’, defined as foods lowering the risk of various diseases.     Quinoa is nutritionally same or superior to other commonly consumed cereals due to following health benefits: They are a good source of proteins: 100 grams of cooked quinoa provides 4-5 grams of proteins. Thus, it can be used as a vegetarian substitute of protein nutrition and can be included in the diet. The content of essential amino acids is higher in quinoa than in most common cereals. Quinoa has a high content

We know bananas are an affordable, always available, most edible but overlooked fruit. Across the world they vary in color, size, shape and  are commonly used as a natural home remedy circling an upset stomach, ulcer or acidity. Many of us have misconceptions about banana consumption contributing to weight gain. However, a medium sized banana contains only 90 calories, which makes it a great evening or mid -morning snack to munch on rather than sugar loaded or oily fried treats. Carry one as a snack and your stomach will be thanking you whenever a sudden hunger pang grips you. Bananas contain tryptophan, an amino acid that helps our body to produce Serotonin, that aids our body to regulate sleep, so from now if you get late night munchies, reach for Banana, your body will thank you for this perfect bedtime snack.! Banana is also an excellent source of potassium. A single banana provides us with 23% of the potassium that we need on a daily basis. Potassium benefits the m

Eating out? or Carrying multiple snack boxes which are invariably a spill hazard? Just carry a healthy jar and spill it over in a bowl to eat. Preparing a salad jar for your lunches can make it a lot easier to resist temptation when faced with fast or unhealthy food options. These jars are handy and easy to eat even in jam packed schedules. And, we can always make extra jars and use them as side salads for brunches or dinners. They can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, but consuming it on the same day will taste fresher. There are so many combinations that we can prepare and enjoy every day of the week. Moreover, the best thing is we don’t need to purchase a lot of ingredients, just switching to or adding our favorite ingredients/dressings in each salad can easily serve a different taste combination each day. The main mantra that needs to kept in mind is: Keep the wet ingredients away from the greens.,This means things like salad dressing, chopped tomatoe