When we think about broccoli, it’s the shape of the florets that come to our mind and we picture it in salad or crudites, but it can also be used to make soups that are delicious and pretty to look at. Broccoli is the most nutrient rich of all the vegetables and belong to ‘cruciferous vegetables group’. Low in calories and high in vitamins and nutrients, it’s a perfect diet or health food. This herbed broccoli soup is a wonderful way to get your cruciferous veggie intake.
Vegan Meat Masala
I know what you are thinking right now, “How can a vegan dish have meat?” ‘Well, it can”. Jack fruit or ‘kathal’ is one of those unique fruits that is used as a meat substitute for vegetarians and vegans. When young and green, the fruit has a mild flavor and meaty texture. When ripe, it has a strong fruity flavor that can be eaten raw as a fruit or used in desserts. In India people don’t wait for the fruit to ripen and consume it while it is still very tender. I grew up eating it in curries, pickles, semi dry dishes, and rice preparations like biryani. The fruit is rich in energy, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals and free from saturated fats or cholesterol making it more nutritious than many starchy staples. When cooked well, using heavier spices like black cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf in the preparation, it is indeed a satisfying meat alternative.
Oats and Peanut Butter Energy Balls
I constantly get emails from readers and I really enjoy having conversations with people who need help and find balance with a life changing diet. Just last month I was exchanging emails with a parent whose 9 year old daughter is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. Both are auto immune diseases and both involve food intolerances that require constant vigilance. I sympathize with this parent and can imagine the challenges she faces every single day trying to make sure it’s safe for her daughter to eat outside the house. Her email prompted me to put together this post as I thought there may be many other parents seeking the same information.
I have this oats and peanut butter balls recipe that I am making from about a year. I love it as it keeps you energized and satisfied for hours, where a sugary treat might perk you quickly, but make you crash back down just as fast.
Lemongrass Infused Clear Chicken Soup
You don’t feel like eating much when you are sniffling, sneezing and have sore throat. Drinking hot liquids is one of the thing that helps to relieve symptoms, move mucus and keep you hydrated. But a good bowl of salty soup can do wonders and make it easier to recover from flu symptoms by giving your body the energy and nutrients it needs to fight the cold. At such times, it’s quite handy to have broth at home. If it is homemade, then that’s well and good, if not even boxed broth is delicious to transform into healthy soups. This is a light, fresh and zesty soup with plenty of flavor. The slow cooked juices of lemon grass and ginger helps soothe the sore throat and warm you from inside. Lemon grass has a citrus flavor that goes really well with spicy ginger. The whole house smell fantastic and the best of all it is fast and easy to prepare.
Hope you like it!
Steamed Fish in Mustard Sauce (Bengali Style)
Today, I’m bringing a simple but interesting preparation of Bengali steamed fish (Bhapa Ilish) to go along with plain boiled rice. The bengali diet includes a lot of fish and the use of mustard oil, seeds and paste. I am not a bengali to claim that fish is staple at our home or I liberally use mustard but I do try to eat fish once or twice a week , cooked in different ways. I made this dish for a group of friends who are bold enough to try something new at my home. There are two ways of preparing bengali style steamed fish, in a steamer or in oven. I like the oven method better because it is cooked and served in the same dish, reducing the amount of time needed for cleaning afterwards.
Apple Crumble Pie
I hope you are enjoying the gorgeous weather and the beautiful colors of autumn. One of the gifts that this season brings is the arrival of fresh local apples. Perfect on its own or in crumble, pies, chutneys or cider, apples just sparkle with flavor and goodness. Since it stated raining this week I decided to make a scrumptious apple crumble pie. It’s so amazingly delicious with classic flavors of fall.
Reader’s Request: Aloo Samosa-glutenfree of course!
Samosas are flaky, crispy and triangular shaped pastry shells that cocoon seasoned potatoes, peas, lentil or meat. They are the most recognizable finger foods in Indian cuisine. They are deep fried which makes them so addictive and if you are like me you might eat 2-3 in one go and still have a hankering for more.
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