Making a healthier Idli using Foxtail Millet

Idli and dosai are two dishes which can be easily experimented with, with a variety of whole grains. If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you'll know that my whole-grain find of this year is Foxtail Millet- you'll find a couple of recipes featuring them already. It's thanks to our online grocery store that stocks a lot of these ancient grains and greens that you won't find in supermarkets that they end up finding their way in many new dishes I experiment with. While I've been using the millet grain in salads, patties, upma etc, this time I bought the foxtail millet idli rava to try making idlis. It turned out reasonably soft, definitely denser than white rice idlis- but that's the whole grain effect- the end products always turn out denser. The advantage of this being you can't eat as many idlis as you can of the regular ones. Initially you could try substituting 50% of the rice / idli rava with this millet rava and then go to a 100%. 

In India: Tinai, chamai, kavalai, kambankorai are some of the names for millet in Tamil. Nuvanam is millet flour. The gruel made from millet, the staple of Ancient Tamils, is called kali, moddak kali, kuul, and sangati. Korralu (Telugu), Navane (Kannada) [Source: Wikipedia]

An idli is a healthy dish as it is, being a combination of a rice and lentil (udad dal), makes a complete set of amino acids, resulting in a good quality protein. So you can alternate between regular idlis and those made using millets, to get more fiber and a variety of nutrients.

A healthier version of Idli

Foxtail Millet Idli
Makes roughly 32 or more idlis, depending on the size, you could use this batter over 3-4 days for a variety of dishes such as dosai, uthapam, kuzhi paniyaram etc.

1 cup whole or split udad dal (without skin)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
2 cups foxtail millet rava (or use 1 cup millet rava and 1 cup rice)
2 tsp salt
Optional
finely chopped veggies to add to idlis
1/2 tsp Grated ginger, mustard seeds, chana dal, red chillies tempered in oil to add to batter before steaming

Soak the udad dal + fenugreek seeds in plenty of water. In another bowl, soak the rava in water that covers it completely.
After 3 hours- drain water from udad dal and grind to a fine paste in the mixer or wet grinder. Remove in a big bowl.
Squeeze all the water from the millet rava and grind this to a fine paste too. Add to the udad dal paste and mix well, adding salt. Add upto 1/2 cup water if batter is very thick. 
Place in a large container with a fitting lid. This will expand to nearly double volume over 8-10 hours, so keep accordingly in a sizable container.
Once fermented, you can either use this immediately to make idlis / dosa or place in refrigerator immediately and use when required (within next 3-4days).

Remove the required quantity of batter 
To make idlis, lightly grease the idli moulds with oil, pour batter into each mould (not more than half capacity), top with any chopped veggies if required, close the pressure cooker lid but remove the weight so that this steams and doesn't pressure cook. If you have a special idli maker, then use that. Keep the flame on high and then reduce to medium once the steam is in full flow. Steam for around 12 minutes on medium flame. Open the cooker after 10 minutes or so, removing the idli stand. Sprinkle some cold water on top of each mould and with a sharp edged steel spatula or a knife, unmould each idli cleanly.

Serve with any chutney or your choice, or molagapodi or ketchup for the kids. 

Other recipes using Foxtail Millet
Salad with nutrition facts included
Millet-Basil Patties

Making a healthier Idli using Foxtail Millet

Posted by admin

Idli and dosai are two dishes which can be easily experimented with, with a variety of whole grains. If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you'll know that my whole-grain find of this year is Foxtail Millet- you'll find a couple of recipes featuring them already. It's thanks to our online grocery store that stocks a lot of these ancient grains and greens that you won't find in supermarkets that they end up finding their way in many new dishes I experiment with. While I've been using the millet grain in salads, patties, upma etc, this time I bought the foxtail millet idli rava to try making idlis. It turned out reasonably soft, definitely denser than white rice idlis- but that's the whole grain effect- the end products always turn out denser. The advantage of this being you can't eat as many idlis as you can of the regular ones. Initially you could try substituting 50% of the rice / idli rava with this millet rava and then go to a 100%. 

In India: Tinai, chamai, kavalai, kambankorai are some of the names for millet in Tamil. Nuvanam is millet flour. The gruel made from millet, the staple of Ancient Tamils, is called kali, moddak kali, kuul, and sangati. Korralu (Telugu), Navane (Kannada) [Source: Wikipedia]

An idli is a healthy dish as it is, being a combination of a rice and lentil (udad dal), makes a complete set of amino acids, resulting in a good quality protein. So you can alternate between regular idlis and those made using millets, to get more fiber and a variety of nutrients.

A healthier version of Idli

Foxtail Millet Idli
Makes roughly 32 or more idlis, depending on the size, you could use this batter over 3-4 days for a variety of dishes such as dosai, uthapam, kuzhi paniyaram etc.

1 cup whole or split udad dal (without skin)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
2 cups foxtail millet rava (or use 1 cup millet rava and 1 cup rice)
2 tsp salt
Optional
finely chopped veggies to add to idlis
1/2 tsp Grated ginger, mustard seeds, chana dal, red chillies tempered in oil to add to batter before steaming

Soak the udad dal + fenugreek seeds in plenty of water. In another bowl, soak the rava in water that covers it completely.
After 3 hours- drain water from udad dal and grind to a fine paste in the mixer or wet grinder. Remove in a big bowl.
Squeeze all the water from the millet rava and grind this to a fine paste too. Add to the udad dal paste and mix well, adding salt. Add upto 1/2 cup water if batter is very thick. 
Place in a large container with a fitting lid. This will expand to nearly double volume over 8-10 hours, so keep accordingly in a sizable container.
Once fermented, you can either use this immediately to make idlis / dosa or place in refrigerator immediately and use when required (within next 3-4days).

Remove the required quantity of batter 
To make idlis, lightly grease the idli moulds with oil, pour batter into each mould (not more than half capacity), top with any chopped veggies if required, close the pressure cooker lid but remove the weight so that this steams and doesn't pressure cook. If you have a special idli maker, then use that. Keep the flame on high and then reduce to medium once the steam is in full flow. Steam for around 12 minutes on medium flame. Open the cooker after 10 minutes or so, removing the idli stand. Sprinkle some cold water on top of each mould and with a sharp edged steel spatula or a knife, unmould each idli cleanly.

Serve with any chutney or your choice, or molagapodi or ketchup for the kids. 

Other recipes using Foxtail Millet
Salad with nutrition facts included
Millet-Basil Patties

Foxtail Millet & Basil Patties - Another recipe using this wonder grain

Foxtail Millet is clearly my best food discovery of 2013 so far. I've eaten it in place of rice, added it to salads, made tiffin items like upma, tomato 'baath' and it has never disappointed me. The best thing with this grain is that by controlling the extent of the cooking, you can get it mushier (to eat with the accompaniments you would eat rice with) or al dente enough with each grain separate (for salads). By cooking it to a mushier texture, you can also make these superbly textured and flavorsome patties. They don't have much of a taste by themselves so you'll have to add strongly flavoured ingredients to make these delicious patties - which is why I've chosen basil, garlic, onions and cheese. But go ahead and try your own flavour combinations.

A few nutritional pointers about Foxtail Millets
It's naturally gluten free, so those who cannot eat wheat and wheat based products and don't want to eat rice for all your meals, this is a very nutritious alternative to providing the necessary carbohydrates in whole grain form.
It contains twice the iron of wholewheat and very rich in magnesium. Magnesium is known to reduce migraine attacks, reduces severity of asthma and keeps blood pressure under control.*
It also contains a good amount of silicon. "It contains 4 times the amount of silicon in whole wheat (160mg/100g) which is required for hair growth, blood circulation, protection from mental fatigue, arthritis and infection.*
[*Source: Laugh With Health: Your Complete Guide to Health, Diet, Nutrition & Natural Foods, Manfred Urs Koch]
The high fiber and protein content make sure that you stay full for a long time after eating millets. 
This grain is extremely diabetic friendly, so if you are cooking for diabetics in your family, make sure you stock up on this grain at home. I will go ahead and say that is the best alternative to quinoa available in India, locally grown and wont cost you an arm and leg and a huge carbon footprint that it takes to import the grain from the other end of the world. 

Do read my story Superfoods in your Backyard published in Mint this week!

Recipe for Foxtail Millet & Basil Patties

Ingredients
3/4 cup foxtail millets
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar or any other hard cheese
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper (or more as per taste)
1 tsp salt
2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil or any other cooking oil

Directions

1. Rinse the millets in water, place it in a container that will fit in the pressure cooker and add 1 3/4 cup of water to it. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and on sim for 5-7 minutes. Once the cooker is cool enough to open, remove the millets, mash with a spoon and keep aside.
2. To the mashed millets, add all other ingredients and mix well with fingertips.
3. If you want to make this gluten free, omit breadcrumbs and use 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed instead.
4. Divide this into 6-8 balls and flatten on your palm to make patties as shown in the photos and keep in one layer on a plate.
5. At this stage you could cover the plate with cling film and refrigerate for few hours until you need to make them.
6. Grease a non stick tava, once moderately hot, place the patties in one layer. Once the bottom side turns golden brown, turn to the other side and cook for another 5 minutes until crisp and golden.
7. Serve immediately with ketchup, chutney or marinara sauce.
8. Omit the chillies if you are sharing this with young kids :)

Foxtail Millet & Basil Patties - Another recipe using this wonder grain

Posted by admin

Foxtail Millet is clearly my best food discovery of 2013 so far. I've eaten it in place of rice, added it to salads, made tiffin items like upma, tomato 'baath' and it has never disappointed me. The best thing with this grain is that by controlling the extent of the cooking, you can get it mushier (to eat with the accompaniments you would eat rice with) or al dente enough with each grain separate (for salads). By cooking it to a mushier texture, you can also make these superbly textured and flavorsome patties. They don't have much of a taste by themselves so you'll have to add strongly flavoured ingredients to make these delicious patties - which is why I've chosen basil, garlic, onions and cheese. But go ahead and try your own flavour combinations.

A few nutritional pointers about Foxtail Millets
It's naturally gluten free, so those who cannot eat wheat and wheat based products and don't want to eat rice for all your meals, this is a very nutritious alternative to providing the necessary carbohydrates in whole grain form.
It contains twice the iron of wholewheat and very rich in magnesium. Magnesium is known to reduce migraine attacks, reduces severity of asthma and keeps blood pressure under control.*
It also contains a good amount of silicon. "It contains 4 times the amount of silicon in whole wheat (160mg/100g) which is required for hair growth, blood circulation, protection from mental fatigue, arthritis and infection.*
[*Source: Laugh With Health: Your Complete Guide to Health, Diet, Nutrition & Natural Foods, Manfred Urs Koch]
The high fiber and protein content make sure that you stay full for a long time after eating millets. 
This grain is extremely diabetic friendly, so if you are cooking for diabetics in your family, make sure you stock up on this grain at home. I will go ahead and say that is the best alternative to quinoa available in India, locally grown and wont cost you an arm and leg and a huge carbon footprint that it takes to import the grain from the other end of the world. 

Do read my story Superfoods in your Backyard published in Mint this week!

Recipe for Foxtail Millet & Basil Patties

Ingredients
3/4 cup foxtail millets
1/2 cup roughly chopped basil
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar or any other hard cheese
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper (or more as per taste)
1 tsp salt
2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp olive oil or any other cooking oil

Directions

1. Rinse the millets in water, place it in a container that will fit in the pressure cooker and add 1 3/4 cup of water to it. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and on sim for 5-7 minutes. Once the cooker is cool enough to open, remove the millets, mash with a spoon and keep aside.
2. To the mashed millets, add all other ingredients and mix well with fingertips.
3. If you want to make this gluten free, omit breadcrumbs and use 2 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed instead.
4. Divide this into 6-8 balls and flatten on your palm to make patties as shown in the photos and keep in one layer on a plate.
5. At this stage you could cover the plate with cling film and refrigerate for few hours until you need to make them.
6. Grease a non stick tava, once moderately hot, place the patties in one layer. Once the bottom side turns golden brown, turn to the other side and cook for another 5 minutes until crisp and golden.
7. Serve immediately with ketchup, chutney or marinara sauce.
8. Omit the chillies if you are sharing this with young kids :)

Eggless Buckwheat Crepes : Health on a plate

Last Saturday, I looked at my dinner plate and I felt "Damn, it should be illegal to eat this healthy on a Saturday night." Yes it was so good that it was bad. And we were watching a brilliant brilliant series to add all the necessary wickedness and spice to this healthy plate. 

You may think food bloggers have proper weekly menus and they are always on the top of what to feed their families every single day. In my case, that's so wrong. I print out menu formats. I order my weekly produce and groceries and think of making a plan that will use them in the most systematic manner. But no, that never happens. I'm best when I'm impulsive. And sometimes there are so many bits of assorted vegetables leftover that even the most creative part of my brain wont figure out how to put them together. 

I've come up with an idea for such situations. One is to make this all forgiving Tamil dish called Poricha koottu where you throw in every possible vegetable (well, not actually, but it works), add mashed dal, a freshly ground masala and you're done. It tastes fabulous with steamed rice or broken wheat or any such grain. The other idea is if there are 3-4 leftover veggies, microwave them individually and then saute them individually in some olive oil and garlic, adding a pinch of salt and lots of pepper in the end. This is much better than 'boiling' them. Microwaving them for a short burst of time with very little water (1-2 tsp) keeps them crunchy while not keeping them raw and then everything tastes fabulous with garlic and olive oil. 

But this post is about buckwheat crepes. Having had the authentic French style buckwheat crepes (galettes) from our local pizzeria run by a French lady and her husband, I was inspired enough to buy a bag of buckwheat flour. I tried making crepes using a traditional recipe (using butter, milk, eggs). While the crepes turned out beautiful, the smell of eggs was not the most pleasant feeling for me. This is my own improvised recipe that's egg free and gluten free, because I've used rice flour along with buckwheat instead of all purpose flour. You do need a good non stick skillet / dosa pan to be successful with this. 

Recipe for Eggless Buckwheat Crepes
Makes 5-6 crepes

Ingredients
1 cup buckwheat flour*
1/3 cup rice flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
butter or oil to grease pan

Directions

1. In a mixer jar / food processor, add the flours, salt and water. Spin for 30 seconds, open the jar and bring the contents together using a spatula. Run the mixer for 30 seconds more until you get a smooth batter. Remove this into a bowl and keep covered for 30 minutes. 
2. You can refrigerate this if you plan to use this much later.
3. Just before making crepes, add baking soda, add the vinegar on top of the soda and 1-2 tsp of water and beat the mixture well. It will fizz up a bit and the batter will become light.
4. Grease a non stick skillet. Wipe off excess oil / butter with kitchen tissue. When the skillet is moderate hot, take a ladleful of batter, pour it in the centre and with back of ladle quickly make outward circles to spread the batter to an 8" thin lacy round. As soon as bubbles appear all over the crepe (around 45 seconds) turn it to the other side. Cook for 20 seconds, fold it in half and half again and keep warm.

There's another indulgent way to eat buckwheat crepes. Smear Nutella throughout the crepe and roll it up. 
Also, my other favourite way to eat these is with a filling of sautéed spinach and ricotta or feta cheese.

Buckwheat flour is  naturally gluten-free, high in iron, fiber, protein, selenium and zinc. Read about the numerous health benefits of buckwheat.

*Food Shopping Guide:
You get buckwheat flour in the Gluten Free shelf of Godrej Nature's Basket. It's also available in various organic and health food stores. The one I buy from Nature's Basket is ground along with the skins making it healthier and higher in fibre.

Eggless Buckwheat Crepes : Health on a plate

Posted by admin

Last Saturday, I looked at my dinner plate and I felt "Damn, it should be illegal to eat this healthy on a Saturday night." Yes it was so good that it was bad. And we were watching a brilliant brilliant series to add all the necessary wickedness and spice to this healthy plate. 

You may think food bloggers have proper weekly menus and they are always on the top of what to feed their families every single day. In my case, that's so wrong. I print out menu formats. I order my weekly produce and groceries and think of making a plan that will use them in the most systematic manner. But no, that never happens. I'm best when I'm impulsive. And sometimes there are so many bits of assorted vegetables leftover that even the most creative part of my brain wont figure out how to put them together. 

I've come up with an idea for such situations. One is to make this all forgiving Tamil dish called Poricha koottu where you throw in every possible vegetable (well, not actually, but it works), add mashed dal, a freshly ground masala and you're done. It tastes fabulous with steamed rice or broken wheat or any such grain. The other idea is if there are 3-4 leftover veggies, microwave them individually and then saute them individually in some olive oil and garlic, adding a pinch of salt and lots of pepper in the end. This is much better than 'boiling' them. Microwaving them for a short burst of time with very little water (1-2 tsp) keeps them crunchy while not keeping them raw and then everything tastes fabulous with garlic and olive oil. 

But this post is about buckwheat crepes. Having had the authentic French style buckwheat crepes (galettes) from our local pizzeria run by a French lady and her husband, I was inspired enough to buy a bag of buckwheat flour. I tried making crepes using a traditional recipe (using butter, milk, eggs). While the crepes turned out beautiful, the smell of eggs was not the most pleasant feeling for me. This is my own improvised recipe that's egg free and gluten free, because I've used rice flour along with buckwheat instead of all purpose flour. You do need a good non stick skillet / dosa pan to be successful with this. 

Recipe for Eggless Buckwheat Crepes
Makes 5-6 crepes

Ingredients
1 cup buckwheat flour*
1/3 cup rice flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vinegar
butter or oil to grease pan

Directions

1. In a mixer jar / food processor, add the flours, salt and water. Spin for 30 seconds, open the jar and bring the contents together using a spatula. Run the mixer for 30 seconds more until you get a smooth batter. Remove this into a bowl and keep covered for 30 minutes. 
2. You can refrigerate this if you plan to use this much later.
3. Just before making crepes, add baking soda, add the vinegar on top of the soda and 1-2 tsp of water and beat the mixture well. It will fizz up a bit and the batter will become light.
4. Grease a non stick skillet. Wipe off excess oil / butter with kitchen tissue. When the skillet is moderate hot, take a ladleful of batter, pour it in the centre and with back of ladle quickly make outward circles to spread the batter to an 8" thin lacy round. As soon as bubbles appear all over the crepe (around 45 seconds) turn it to the other side. Cook for 20 seconds, fold it in half and half again and keep warm.

There's another indulgent way to eat buckwheat crepes. Smear Nutella throughout the crepe and roll it up. 
Also, my other favourite way to eat these is with a filling of sautéed spinach and ricotta or feta cheese.

Buckwheat flour is  naturally gluten-free, high in iron, fiber, protein, selenium and zinc. Read about the numerous health benefits of buckwheat.

*Food Shopping Guide:
You get buckwheat flour in the Gluten Free shelf of Godrej Nature's Basket. It's also available in various organic and health food stores. The one I buy from Nature's Basket is ground along with the skins making it healthier and higher in fibre.

Carrot-Date Energy Ballz

Right now in the valley of the sun it smells sickly sweet like orange blossom heaven. It only last for a few short days when the dozens of orange trees that line so many streets here in Arizona start to bloom. The petite white flowers make me swoon as I drive home from work taking in deep breaths of the fragrant, cool March air. Add that to the brilliant multi colored desert sunsets behind the darkening mountains that surround us here and I am in euphoria.






It makes me miss one of my closest and dearest friends, Becky. She went to school with me here in Phoenix many, many years   not to long ago and the blooming orange trees were one of her most favorite things. She moved back to her home town of Indianapolis shortly after we graduated but she keeps coming back here to visit me as often as life permits...... usually around orange blossom season. I so do wish I could bottle up natures most perfect fragrance for her.

PHOTO CREDIT

I'm glad that this no-cook, no-fuss sweet and healthy snack that I'm going to share with you has orange zest in the ingredient list, otherwise my little story would seem superfluous, because I always have a well thought out point to my ramblings and didn't want to throw you all off......  errrr.


I just love healthy grab-and-go snacks, especially when they take all of 10 minutes to throw together. I cringe when I see people with all of the boxed, processed "health" snacks in their carts and wonder if they really believe that they are healthy and convenient.

I found this recipe on Skinny Jeans Food and was pleasantly surprised at how amazing these little snacks were. I was a bit skeptical about the raw oat thing but they turned out to be one of our new favorite snacks. Sweet, simple and the orange zest really made the flavors POP.

Eight ingredients, THAT'S IT!

Using a food processor to finely shred your carrots is key to getting the ballz to stick together.

Chia Seeds are an excellent source of fiber, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants. They are also the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids among non-marine whole food items

I used barley oats instead of regular oats because they were in my freezer but after doing some research it seems that barley oats are higher in {nutritional} calories and a bit lower in fiber and protein than regular oats. So unless someone knows of a good reason other than to help your teenage wrestling champion put on some weight than I'm going to stick with regular whole oats next time.

Grind the oats to a fine consistency in your food processor.

Silvia at Skinny Jeans Foods named these wonderful goodies Amaze Ballz  and  fittingly so. I enjoyed them at work for an afternoon pick me up and just two of them kept me satisfied until dinner.  I brought a couple with me hiking for an energy boost and packed them in kids lunch boxes for a fun surprise.

Skinny Foods site is dedicated to single serving portions for those of you without an army to feed. I obviously had to double this recipe. They didn't last long between school snacks and me grabbing a couple every day to take with me on my adventures. Next time I will make even more as they keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Amaze Ballz


1/2 cup rolled oats

5 medjool dates (the organic ones at whole foods are amazing!)

7 walnut halves, chopped

1 TB chia seeds

zest of one orange

1/2 TB maple syrup

1/2 ts vanilla extract

1 carrot, grated

Pour the rolled oats in the food processor and chop until finely ground. Remove the pit of the medjool dates, and chop them with a knife. Add piece by piece to the ground oatmeal flour (so that they distribute better). Process long enough that the mix starts to get sticky. Now add the remaining ingredients, and processes until the mix comes together (quite a sticky dough). Take small portions and roll them between your hands in a ball like shape. Store in the fridge! Enjoy!

1 amazeball: 54kcal

This post is linked to:

Carrot-Date Energy Ballz

Posted by admin

Right now in the valley of the sun it smells sickly sweet like orange blossom heaven. It only last for a few short days when the dozens of orange trees that line so many streets here in Arizona start to bloom. The petite white flowers make me swoon as I drive home from work taking in deep breaths of the fragrant, cool March air. Add that to the brilliant multi colored desert sunsets behind the darkening mountains that surround us here and I am in euphoria.






It makes me miss one of my closest and dearest friends, Becky. She went to school with me here in Phoenix many, many years   not to long ago and the blooming orange trees were one of her most favorite things. She moved back to her home town of Indianapolis shortly after we graduated but she keeps coming back here to visit me as often as life permits...... usually around orange blossom season. I so do wish I could bottle up natures most perfect fragrance for her.

PHOTO CREDIT

I'm glad that this no-cook, no-fuss sweet and healthy snack that I'm going to share with you has orange zest in the ingredient list, otherwise my little story would seem superfluous, because I always have a well thought out point to my ramblings and didn't want to throw you all off......  errrr.


I just love healthy grab-and-go snacks, especially when they take all of 10 minutes to throw together. I cringe when I see people with all of the boxed, processed "health" snacks in their carts and wonder if they really believe that they are healthy and convenient.

I found this recipe on Skinny Jeans Food and was pleasantly surprised at how amazing these little snacks were. I was a bit skeptical about the raw oat thing but they turned out to be one of our new favorite snacks. Sweet, simple and the orange zest really made the flavors POP.

Eight ingredients, THAT'S IT!

Using a food processor to finely shred your carrots is key to getting the ballz to stick together.

Chia Seeds are an excellent source of fiber, fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants. They are also the richest source of Omega-3 fatty acids among non-marine whole food items

I used barley oats instead of regular oats because they were in my freezer but after doing some research it seems that barley oats are higher in {nutritional} calories and a bit lower in fiber and protein than regular oats. So unless someone knows of a good reason other than to help your teenage wrestling champion put on some weight than I'm going to stick with regular whole oats next time.

Grind the oats to a fine consistency in your food processor.

Silvia at Skinny Jeans Foods named these wonderful goodies Amaze Ballz  and  fittingly so. I enjoyed them at work for an afternoon pick me up and just two of them kept me satisfied until dinner.  I brought a couple with me hiking for an energy boost and packed them in kids lunch boxes for a fun surprise.

Skinny Foods site is dedicated to single serving portions for those of you without an army to feed. I obviously had to double this recipe. They didn't last long between school snacks and me grabbing a couple every day to take with me on my adventures. Next time I will make even more as they keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Amaze Ballz


1/2 cup rolled oats

5 medjool dates (the organic ones at whole foods are amazing!)

7 walnut halves, chopped

1 TB chia seeds

zest of one orange

1/2 TB maple syrup

1/2 ts vanilla extract

1 carrot, grated

Pour the rolled oats in the food processor and chop until finely ground. Remove the pit of the medjool dates, and chop them with a knife. Add piece by piece to the ground oatmeal flour (so that they distribute better). Process long enough that the mix starts to get sticky. Now add the remaining ingredients, and processes until the mix comes together (quite a sticky dough). Take small portions and roll them between your hands in a ball like shape. Store in the fridge! Enjoy!

1 amazeball: 54kcal

This post is linked to:

Cran-Apple Millet Breakfast Bake

When you have 4 hungry kids at the breakfast table a box of cereal disappears in about 10 minutes flat. If we had cereal every morning I figure we would be spending about a million dollars a month on the stuff, not to mention all the sugar that comes in even the 'healthy' varieties.






I have been experimenting with whole grains like whole oatmeal, millet and quinoa for healthy and frugal breakfast alternatives. Millet is one of my favorite grains because it is one of the healthiest and simplest choices out there. Millet is a whole grain, complete protein, gluten free and contains the complete vitamin B complex and more of the amino acid lysine  than wheat, rice, oats or corn.


Millet's mild taste and soft texture make it an ideal choice for breakfast porridge's and bakes. You can simply throw it in a pot with (3-1 times) water and cook it for 20 minutes, add cinnamon, some nuts and dried fruit  or put it in your stone ware and add some of your favorite, seasonal fruits and slow bake it like I did here. Millet can also be put in your slow cooker and cooked overnight for an instant breakfast in the morning.

Cran-Apple Delight!

You Will Need:
1/2 cup Millet
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 cup whole, fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 Apples, unpeeled and chopped
2 TBSP  Coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


In a small sauce pot bring water to a boil. Add millet and salt, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Scoop into a ceramic baking dish and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes till the top is golden brown.
Serve in cups with a dollop of cream if desired.  This goes well with a nice hot cup of herbal tea.
Enjoy not feeling heavy and over sweetened. This can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.

Notes:

I boil the millet first to reduce baking time but if you wish you can skip this step and pour all ingredients into your baking dish and bake for 60-75 minutes covered, then 10 more minutes uncovered.


Millet is a very mild tasting grain so the spiced in this dish are important to amp up the taste bud pleasure experience.


The coconut oil is added to help prevent the porridge from sticking to the dish and more importantly for it's incredible health benefits.

Cran-Apple Millet Breakfast Bake

Posted by admin

When you have 4 hungry kids at the breakfast table a box of cereal disappears in about 10 minutes flat. If we had cereal every morning I figure we would be spending about a million dollars a month on the stuff, not to mention all the sugar that comes in even the 'healthy' varieties.






I have been experimenting with whole grains like whole oatmeal, millet and quinoa for healthy and frugal breakfast alternatives. Millet is one of my favorite grains because it is one of the healthiest and simplest choices out there. Millet is a whole grain, complete protein, gluten free and contains the complete vitamin B complex and more of the amino acid lysine  than wheat, rice, oats or corn.


Millet's mild taste and soft texture make it an ideal choice for breakfast porridge's and bakes. You can simply throw it in a pot with (3-1 times) water and cook it for 20 minutes, add cinnamon, some nuts and dried fruit  or put it in your stone ware and add some of your favorite, seasonal fruits and slow bake it like I did here. Millet can also be put in your slow cooker and cooked overnight for an instant breakfast in the morning.

Cran-Apple Delight!

You Will Need:
1/2 cup Millet
1 1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 TBSP Coconut Oil
1 cup whole, fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup walnuts, chopped
2 Apples, unpeeled and chopped
2 TBSP  Coconut sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger


In a small sauce pot bring water to a boil. Add millet and salt, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Scoop into a ceramic baking dish and cover with a lid or foil.
Bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10-15 minutes till the top is golden brown.
Serve in cups with a dollop of cream if desired.  This goes well with a nice hot cup of herbal tea.
Enjoy not feeling heavy and over sweetened. This can be enjoyed for breakfast, brunch or even dessert.

Notes:

I boil the millet first to reduce baking time but if you wish you can skip this step and pour all ingredients into your baking dish and bake for 60-75 minutes covered, then 10 more minutes uncovered.


Millet is a very mild tasting grain so the spiced in this dish are important to amp up the taste bud pleasure experience.


The coconut oil is added to help prevent the porridge from sticking to the dish and more importantly for it's incredible health benefits.

Crock Pot Barley Pilaf with Summer Squash, Sugar Snap Peas and Fresh Berries with Citrus-Mint Dressing

This is another recipe that I came up with out of necessity for a few reasons.

One.  It's to stinking hot to even consider turning the stove on. The thought of it makes me tired and cranky.

Two.  My budget is less than glamorous at the moment and so I'm having to get really creative with my meatless dinner recipes so as not to have a full on revolt happening. Four meat loving kids and a hungry husband can be dangerous unless I come up with something filling and flavorful for dinner.

Three.  I have a big bag of barley in my pantry that has been staring at me for the last several weeks asking me why it's been neglected.





Well, necessity is the mother of invention right? And this one turned out so very good that I decided to share it with you lovely people. Barley is a whole grain and very healthy. When I think of barley my mind goes straight to barley soup made with mushrooms, carrots and maybe beef. I can't even imagine eating soup while it's 118F degrees outside so I went with my usual flawless plan; a crock pot, more veggies and a bit of fruit to sweeten it up. Bravo!



Throwing the barley and dried mushrooms (best invention ever) into the crock pot with home made chicken stock was simple and sweat free. I tossed in some summer squash and sugar snap peas, raw and threw together a simple mint vinaigrette using my cute little hydroponic mint plant really pulled this together into a sweet dinner. Even the kids liked it!



TIME    4 HOURS (CROCK POT)        SERVES 6

Ingredients:

1 cup dried barley
3 cups chicken broth (preferably home made)
handful of dried mushrooms (I used shitake)
1 teaspoon salt
3 summer squash (yellow)
large handful sugar snap peas
large handful fresh blueberries
4-6 fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds or nut of choice
chopped lettuce to serve on (I used a head of red leaf because it was cheaper)


Place barley, broth, salt and dried mushrooms in crock pot. Cook on med-high heat for about 4 hours checking after 3 hours.

Meanwhile, chop squash into small bite size pieces, slice strawberries and sugar snap peas. When barley is done spoon on top of chopped lettuce and sprinkle veggies and fruits and nuts over top. Serve with Citrus Mint Dressing.  (A Strawberry Vinegraitte would be nice too)


FOR THE DRESSING

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves from your cute little indoor herb garden
1 clove garlic or shallot
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime or orange juice depending on your fancy
1/4 cup EVOO or  grape seed oil
if you prefer you could use vinegar instead of citrus. I've used both.
1/3 cup white wine or champagne vinegar

Blend all ingredients in a blender until combined. You can whisk if you'd like but I find the ingredients tend to separate much faster.

This post is linked to:

Fresh Food Friday
Seasonal Saturdays
21st Century House Wife
Tasty Tuesday's

Crock Pot Barley Pilaf with Summer Squash, Sugar Snap Peas and Fresh Berries with Citrus-Mint Dressing

Posted by admin

This is another recipe that I came up with out of necessity for a few reasons.

One.  It's to stinking hot to even consider turning the stove on. The thought of it makes me tired and cranky.

Two.  My budget is less than glamorous at the moment and so I'm having to get really creative with my meatless dinner recipes so as not to have a full on revolt happening. Four meat loving kids and a hungry husband can be dangerous unless I come up with something filling and flavorful for dinner.

Three.  I have a big bag of barley in my pantry that has been staring at me for the last several weeks asking me why it's been neglected.





Well, necessity is the mother of invention right? And this one turned out so very good that I decided to share it with you lovely people. Barley is a whole grain and very healthy. When I think of barley my mind goes straight to barley soup made with mushrooms, carrots and maybe beef. I can't even imagine eating soup while it's 118F degrees outside so I went with my usual flawless plan; a crock pot, more veggies and a bit of fruit to sweeten it up. Bravo!



Throwing the barley and dried mushrooms (best invention ever) into the crock pot with home made chicken stock was simple and sweat free. I tossed in some summer squash and sugar snap peas, raw and threw together a simple mint vinaigrette using my cute little hydroponic mint plant really pulled this together into a sweet dinner. Even the kids liked it!



TIME    4 HOURS (CROCK POT)        SERVES 6

Ingredients:

1 cup dried barley
3 cups chicken broth (preferably home made)
handful of dried mushrooms (I used shitake)
1 teaspoon salt
3 summer squash (yellow)
large handful sugar snap peas
large handful fresh blueberries
4-6 fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup slivered almonds or nut of choice
chopped lettuce to serve on (I used a head of red leaf because it was cheaper)


Place barley, broth, salt and dried mushrooms in crock pot. Cook on med-high heat for about 4 hours checking after 3 hours.

Meanwhile, chop squash into small bite size pieces, slice strawberries and sugar snap peas. When barley is done spoon on top of chopped lettuce and sprinkle veggies and fruits and nuts over top. Serve with Citrus Mint Dressing.  (A Strawberry Vinegraitte would be nice too)


FOR THE DRESSING

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves from your cute little indoor herb garden
1 clove garlic or shallot
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime or orange juice depending on your fancy
1/4 cup EVOO or  grape seed oil
if you prefer you could use vinegar instead of citrus. I've used both.
1/3 cup white wine or champagne vinegar

Blend all ingredients in a blender until combined. You can whisk if you'd like but I find the ingredients tend to separate much faster.

This post is linked to:

Fresh Food Friday
Seasonal Saturdays
21st Century House Wife
Tasty Tuesday's

Home Made Banana-Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars {and a Secret-Under Cover Give Away!}

I'm always thinking of healthy, home made snacks I can throw together for myself and the troops. I love a good snack that is loaded with good ingredients. One that will keep you feeling satisfied and energetic (not too energetic when it comes to the kids, there's a fine line...) and most importantly, one that is grab and go! Go. Go. Go. We are always on the run here; play dates, park outings, sports, practices, errand running, Dr. appointments and so on and so forth. There's nothing worse than being out and about with cranky hungry kids (and mommies) and having to go through a drive-thru or stop and a 'convienience' market for a processed, uber unhealthy, over priced snack. *yuchh! 

At the very least I try to grab a re-usable/home-made bag {snack bag} of mixed nuts and dried fruit and maybe some cheese sticks to take with me. Keeping a bag of mixed nuts in your cars center console will come in handy for emergency snacking and help you keep off that weight and save money! All good things in my book.

Then there's the issue of healthy school snacks. You know how I feel about that right?  Passionate.
I've mentioned my thoughts on sending processed and sugary snacks to school for my kids. It really, really isn't very hard to make home made granola bars, whole grain cookies or fruit bars. They come in so many forms your bound to find one that works for your family.

Also, again at the very least send fruit (yes, your kids will eat it if they are hungry and they know that holding out and whining will get them 'fruit' gummies or twinkies). Some of our favorite school and at home snacks are; Whole fruits, veggie medley with hummus or buttermilk-poppy seed dip,  mixed nuts and dried fruit, cheese sticks, Greek yogurt with pumpkin seeds and dried fruit, whole grain crackers with nut butter etc. These all work for you too! All are wonderful mid-afternoon pick-me-up's!

There are lots of  simple, school box friendly snacks for you right........ here on my blog. Go on, try one!

Let me know what you think and your favorite ideas for school snacks, I'd LOVE to know!

The secret to these granola bars is this cereal. It's very gently kissed with chocolate.

Who doesn't want to be kissed by chocolate?

I'm not talking about the 'other' chocolaty cereals that are loaded with sugar.

This brown rice cereal is just ever-so-slightly sweetened and a whole grain to boot.

Secret Under Cover Give Away!

O.K. If any of you can tell me what type of  plant I have dangling in the background I will send you TWO of my home made, super cute reusable snack bags! (pics coming soon)

 {To the first person with the correct anwnser!}

For the Banana-Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars

You Will Need:

1 cup slivered almonds
1  cups cashews, coarsely chopped
1 cup banana chips, chopped
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I use Coach's Oats)
1 1/2 cups {chocolate flavored} brown rice crisp cereal
* 1 cup brown rice syrup (sold at Whole Foods and other “natural” stores)
1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract



Putting them together:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the oats, almonds and cashews on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for  8-10 minutes, or until they start to brown a bit. Remove from oven and let cool.
In the meantime, line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside {can use butter or coconut oil}. Now, mix the rice cereal, banana chips and cinnamon in a big bowl. Add the oats and nuts once they’ve cooled.

In a small saucepan, heat the syrups, salt and vanilla extract over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Once the syrups come to a gentle boil, continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the syrup begins to thicken, then pour it over the oats and nuts mixture. Mix everything together so that the syrup evenly coats everything in the bowl.

While it’s still warm, pour the contents of the bowl into your prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, pat everything down so it’s nice and compacted (I did this again after about 10 minutes to make them nice and compressed). Let cool to room temperature. You can also put them in the fridge for a bit since this’ll make cutting easier.

Cut them into square or rectangles as you please.  Store them in a airtight container in the refrigerator.

recipe very slightly adapted from Bitchen Camero
 
 

 
*Brown Rice Syrup

 
* brown rice syrup = rice syrup = rice bran syrup = rice malt = yinnie syrup  

Notes:   Health buffs like this because it contains complex sugars, which are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.  It's about half as sweet as ordinary table sugar. Some rice syrups include barley malt, and may pose a problem for people with gluten allergies.  Substitutes:  maple syrup (substitute 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons liquid for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR molasses (substitute 1/2 cup for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR barley malt syrup (substitute 3/4 cup for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR honey (substitute 3/4 C honey plus 2 tablespoons liquid for every cup of brown rice syrup)
 
The Cooks Thesaurus

Like this post? Love my blog? Please vote for me

{Healthy Mamma}

to be one of  babble.com's Top 100 Mommy Bloggers

It would mean the world to me!

Thanks!

Home Made Banana-Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars {and a Secret-Under Cover Give Away!}

Posted by admin

I'm always thinking of healthy, home made snacks I can throw together for myself and the troops. I love a good snack that is loaded with good ingredients. One that will keep you feeling satisfied and energetic (not too energetic when it comes to the kids, there's a fine line...) and most importantly, one that is grab and go! Go. Go. Go. We are always on the run here; play dates, park outings, sports, practices, errand running, Dr. appointments and so on and so forth. There's nothing worse than being out and about with cranky hungry kids (and mommies) and having to go through a drive-thru or stop and a 'convienience' market for a processed, uber unhealthy, over priced snack. *yuchh! 

At the very least I try to grab a re-usable/home-made bag {snack bag} of mixed nuts and dried fruit and maybe some cheese sticks to take with me. Keeping a bag of mixed nuts in your cars center console will come in handy for emergency snacking and help you keep off that weight and save money! All good things in my book.

Then there's the issue of healthy school snacks. You know how I feel about that right?  Passionate.
I've mentioned my thoughts on sending processed and sugary snacks to school for my kids. It really, really isn't very hard to make home made granola bars, whole grain cookies or fruit bars. They come in so many forms your bound to find one that works for your family.

Also, again at the very least send fruit (yes, your kids will eat it if they are hungry and they know that holding out and whining will get them 'fruit' gummies or twinkies). Some of our favorite school and at home snacks are; Whole fruits, veggie medley with hummus or buttermilk-poppy seed dip,  mixed nuts and dried fruit, cheese sticks, Greek yogurt with pumpkin seeds and dried fruit, whole grain crackers with nut butter etc. These all work for you too! All are wonderful mid-afternoon pick-me-up's!

There are lots of  simple, school box friendly snacks for you right........ here on my blog. Go on, try one!

Let me know what you think and your favorite ideas for school snacks, I'd LOVE to know!

The secret to these granola bars is this cereal. It's very gently kissed with chocolate.

Who doesn't want to be kissed by chocolate?

I'm not talking about the 'other' chocolaty cereals that are loaded with sugar.

This brown rice cereal is just ever-so-slightly sweetened and a whole grain to boot.

Secret Under Cover Give Away!

O.K. If any of you can tell me what type of  plant I have dangling in the background I will send you TWO of my home made, super cute reusable snack bags! (pics coming soon)

 {To the first person with the correct anwnser!}

For the Banana-Chocolate Crisp Granola Bars

You Will Need:

1 cup slivered almonds
1  cups cashews, coarsely chopped
1 cup banana chips, chopped
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (I use Coach's Oats)
1 1/2 cups {chocolate flavored} brown rice crisp cereal
* 1 cup brown rice syrup (sold at Whole Foods and other “natural” stores)
1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract



Putting them together:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the oats, almonds and cashews on a cookie sheet and toast them in the oven for  8-10 minutes, or until they start to brown a bit. Remove from oven and let cool.
In the meantime, line a 9 x 13 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside {can use butter or coconut oil}. Now, mix the rice cereal, banana chips and cinnamon in a big bowl. Add the oats and nuts once they’ve cooled.

In a small saucepan, heat the syrups, salt and vanilla extract over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Once the syrups come to a gentle boil, continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes until the syrup begins to thicken, then pour it over the oats and nuts mixture. Mix everything together so that the syrup evenly coats everything in the bowl.

While it’s still warm, pour the contents of the bowl into your prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula, pat everything down so it’s nice and compacted (I did this again after about 10 minutes to make them nice and compressed). Let cool to room temperature. You can also put them in the fridge for a bit since this’ll make cutting easier.

Cut them into square or rectangles as you please.  Store them in a airtight container in the refrigerator.

recipe very slightly adapted from Bitchen Camero
 
 

 
*Brown Rice Syrup

 
* brown rice syrup = rice syrup = rice bran syrup = rice malt = yinnie syrup  

Notes:   Health buffs like this because it contains complex sugars, which are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.  It's about half as sweet as ordinary table sugar. Some rice syrups include barley malt, and may pose a problem for people with gluten allergies.  Substitutes:  maple syrup (substitute 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons liquid for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR molasses (substitute 1/2 cup for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR barley malt syrup (substitute 3/4 cup for each cup of brown rice syrup) OR honey (substitute 3/4 C honey plus 2 tablespoons liquid for every cup of brown rice syrup)
 
The Cooks Thesaurus

Like this post? Love my blog? Please vote for me

{Healthy Mamma}

to be one of  babble.com's Top 100 Mommy Bloggers

It would mean the world to me!

Thanks!

Gingered Millet with Japanese Veggies. Detox, Day 1

I'm not going to call it a New Year's Resolution per say, but more of a cry for help. Out of sheer and desperate need to fit into my clothes again I've decided to kick it into gear. We already eat mostly healthy most of the time but I have to admit that there are many things I need to re-evaluate about what I put into my mouth every day and my lack of exercising as of late. I've been content with blaming it on being a busy mom, having other priorities and most recently the Holiday's. I need to stop making excuses and start doing, like I said before, it's a wardrobe emergency!

So I've browsed the Internet for detox and diet strategies which are plentiful right now and found some great tips and wonderful recipes and snack ideas. Nothing drastic, I don't believe in diets in general but rather being very conscience of what your eating and making it a Goal for Life. More Raw veggies and fruits and whole grains. Less meat, NO processed foods or sugars or refined carbs. My body and mind are crying for this. I'm listening my friend.

So join me on my journey over the next few weeks of extra healthy snacks and meals. I'll be sharing not only the best recipes that will have you feeling your best but also tips and tricks I've learned along the way!
I would really appreciate any and all tips or thoughts on what's worked for you as well!

 Recipe slightly adapted from Whole Living

TIME   40 MINUTES     SERVES  4-6

You Will Need: 


1 cup millet
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cup water 
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 small bok choy, chopped and rinsed well under cool water
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds

DRESSING
3 tablespoons sesame oil  (could use extra virgin olive oil also)
3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar




Putting it All Together:

• Place millet and ginger in a small saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and water. Bring to a boil, stir once, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork, add beans.


• Steam shiitakes in a steamer over boiling water, covered, for 3 minutes. Add carrots and bok choy and steam 4 to 6 minutes more. Remove steamer from heat.

• In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar to make dressing. Season with a dash of salt.


• Transfer millet to bowls and garnish with steamed and remaining raw vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over top and sprinkle with sunflower seeds

PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Tips:

1.  Make sure to steam and NOT stir fry veggies, this is obviously much healthier and part of the 'detox'.
2. Make an extra cup of millet and save for 'the day after tomorow' for a healthy whole grain breakfast with added nuts and fruit.
3. Chop extra cabbage and green onions and save for easy salad toppings

Keep a journal of your thoughts, progress and struggles!

I'm sending this over to Hearth and Soul  for her home made and healthy blog hop!
Also to Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday's at La Bella Vita!
 Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday's
My Sweet and Savory Meatless Monday's
 So many great ideas!











ENJOY!

Gingered Millet with Japanese Veggies. Detox, Day 1

Posted by admin

I'm not going to call it a New Year's Resolution per say, but more of a cry for help. Out of sheer and desperate need to fit into my clothes again I've decided to kick it into gear. We already eat mostly healthy most of the time but I have to admit that there are many things I need to re-evaluate about what I put into my mouth every day and my lack of exercising as of late. I've been content with blaming it on being a busy mom, having other priorities and most recently the Holiday's. I need to stop making excuses and start doing, like I said before, it's a wardrobe emergency!

So I've browsed the Internet for detox and diet strategies which are plentiful right now and found some great tips and wonderful recipes and snack ideas. Nothing drastic, I don't believe in diets in general but rather being very conscience of what your eating and making it a Goal for Life. More Raw veggies and fruits and whole grains. Less meat, NO processed foods or sugars or refined carbs. My body and mind are crying for this. I'm listening my friend.

So join me on my journey over the next few weeks of extra healthy snacks and meals. I'll be sharing not only the best recipes that will have you feeling your best but also tips and tricks I've learned along the way!
I would really appreciate any and all tips or thoughts on what's worked for you as well!

 Recipe slightly adapted from Whole Living

TIME   40 MINUTES     SERVES  4-6

You Will Need: 


1 cup millet
One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 cup water 
1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 small bok choy, chopped and rinsed well under cool water
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
3 scallions, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons toasted sunflower seeds

DRESSING
3 tablespoons sesame oil  (could use extra virgin olive oil also)
3 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar




Putting it All Together:

• Place millet and ginger in a small saucepan. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and water. Bring to a boil, stir once, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes. Allow to rest for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork, add beans.


• Steam shiitakes in a steamer over boiling water, covered, for 3 minutes. Add carrots and bok choy and steam 4 to 6 minutes more. Remove steamer from heat.

• In a small bowl, whisk together oil and vinegar to make dressing. Season with a dash of salt.


• Transfer millet to bowls and garnish with steamed and remaining raw vegetables. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour dressing over top and sprinkle with sunflower seeds

PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE

Tips:

1.  Make sure to steam and NOT stir fry veggies, this is obviously much healthier and part of the 'detox'.
2. Make an extra cup of millet and save for 'the day after tomorow' for a healthy whole grain breakfast with added nuts and fruit.
3. Chop extra cabbage and green onions and save for easy salad toppings

Keep a journal of your thoughts, progress and struggles!

I'm sending this over to Hearth and Soul  for her home made and healthy blog hop!
Also to Fresh, Clean and Pure Friday's at La Bella Vita!
 Midnight Maniac Meatless Monday's
My Sweet and Savory Meatless Monday's
 So many great ideas!











ENJOY!

Pumpkin-Cranberry Streusel Muffins

I've officially discovered the world's best muffin. Don't be jealous, I'm posting the recipe right here for you to try. ;) I took a basic recipe for pumpkin muffins and cut out most of the fat and a lot of the sugar and then  added delicious, All Natural flavors and Whole Grains. Oh if only you could smell my house right now!

Don't forget to stop by my previous post for Stuffed Acorn Squash and leave your favorite healthy Fall recipe! I'ts quick and easy and a great way to share all of the healthy recipes out there with others!

You Will Need:

1 cup *Whole Grain Flour    (see below for options)

1 cup Oat flour

2 tablespoons flax meal mixed in 1/4 cup tepid water

1/4 cup Wheat Germ 

1 cup light brown sugar + 2 tablespoons for topping

1 cup *pumpkin puree

1 cup fresh cranberries + 1/4 cup chopped for topping

1 cup walnuts chopped + 1/4 cup for topping

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t ground ginger, 1/8 t allspice, 1/8 t nutmeg




Putting it all Together:

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Prepare muffin pan by lightly rubbing Crisco on the inside of the tins and then lightly dusting flour over the inside of tins. * Crisco doesn't absorb into the batter like butter, oil or baking spray's.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat oil, applesauce and sugar. Add egg, beat until well combined. Add pumpkin beat 2 more minutes. Add dry ingredients half at a time. Mix to combine. Fold in cranberries and nuts, don't over mix.

Spoon batter into muffin tins almost to top. In a small bowl combine chopped cranberries, chopped walnuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle onto top of muffins. Bake at 400F for 20-23 minutes until toothpick comes out dry. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

 * Important Health Note on Whole Grains

Whole grains are cereal grains that contain germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Wholemeal products are made by grinding whole grains in order to make wholegrain flour. Whole grains are a natural source of protein as well as a source of carbohydrates and are made into many different kinds of foods.

Wholegrain products can be identified by the ingredients list. Typically, if the ingredient lists "wholewheat," "wholemeal," or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a wholegrain food item. On the other hand, terms such as "enriched" and "bromated," among others, could indicate that the food lacks wholegrain. Whole grains are healthier than their enriched counterparts.[citation needed]



*** "Wheat flour" (as opposed to "wholegrain wheat flour" or "wholewheat flour") as the first ingredient is not a clear indicator of the product's wholegrain content. If two ingredients are listed as grain products but only the second is listed as wholegrain, the entire product may contain between 1% and 49% whole grain.[1] Many breads are colored brown (often with molasses) and made to look like wholegrain, but are not. In addition, some food manufacturers make foods with whole-grain ingredients, but, because whole-grain ingredients are not the dominant ingredient, they are not wholegrain products. Contrary to popular belief, fiber is not indicative of whole grains. The amount of fiber varies from grain to grain, and some products may have things like bran, peas, or other foods added to boost the fiber content

* Common whole grains include:

Wheat

Oat

Barley - Hulled and Dehulled (not Pearl)

Maize

Brown rice

Farro

Emmer

Einkorn

Rye

Spelt

Millet

Quinoa

Amaranth

Triticale

Teff

Sprouted Grains

 
 
 
 

Pumpkin-Cranberry Streusel Muffins

Posted by admin

I've officially discovered the world's best muffin. Don't be jealous, I'm posting the recipe right here for you to try. ;) I took a basic recipe for pumpkin muffins and cut out most of the fat and a lot of the sugar and then  added delicious, All Natural flavors and Whole Grains. Oh if only you could smell my house right now!

Don't forget to stop by my previous post for Stuffed Acorn Squash and leave your favorite healthy Fall recipe! I'ts quick and easy and a great way to share all of the healthy recipes out there with others!

You Will Need:

1 cup *Whole Grain Flour    (see below for options)

1 cup Oat flour

2 tablespoons flax meal mixed in 1/4 cup tepid water

1/4 cup Wheat Germ 

1 cup light brown sugar + 2 tablespoons for topping

1 cup *pumpkin puree

1 cup fresh cranberries + 1/4 cup chopped for topping

1 cup walnuts chopped + 1/4 cup for topping

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup applesauce

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice OR 1/2 t cinnamon, 1/4 t ground ginger, 1/8 t allspice, 1/8 t nutmeg




Putting it all Together:

Pre-heat oven to 400F. Prepare muffin pan by lightly rubbing Crisco on the inside of the tins and then lightly dusting flour over the inside of tins. * Crisco doesn't absorb into the batter like butter, oil or baking spray's.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat oil, applesauce and sugar. Add egg, beat until well combined. Add pumpkin beat 2 more minutes. Add dry ingredients half at a time. Mix to combine. Fold in cranberries and nuts, don't over mix.

Spoon batter into muffin tins almost to top. In a small bowl combine chopped cranberries, chopped walnuts and brown sugar. Sprinkle onto top of muffins. Bake at 400F for 20-23 minutes until toothpick comes out dry. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.

 * Important Health Note on Whole Grains

Whole grains are cereal grains that contain germ, endosperm, and bran, in contrast to refined grains, which retain only the endosperm. Whole grains can generally be sprouted while refined grains generally will not sprout. Wholemeal products are made by grinding whole grains in order to make wholegrain flour. Whole grains are a natural source of protein as well as a source of carbohydrates and are made into many different kinds of foods.

Wholegrain products can be identified by the ingredients list. Typically, if the ingredient lists "wholewheat," "wholemeal," or "whole corn" as the first ingredient, the product is a wholegrain food item. On the other hand, terms such as "enriched" and "bromated," among others, could indicate that the food lacks wholegrain. Whole grains are healthier than their enriched counterparts.[citation needed]



*** "Wheat flour" (as opposed to "wholegrain wheat flour" or "wholewheat flour") as the first ingredient is not a clear indicator of the product's wholegrain content. If two ingredients are listed as grain products but only the second is listed as wholegrain, the entire product may contain between 1% and 49% whole grain.[1] Many breads are colored brown (often with molasses) and made to look like wholegrain, but are not. In addition, some food manufacturers make foods with whole-grain ingredients, but, because whole-grain ingredients are not the dominant ingredient, they are not wholegrain products. Contrary to popular belief, fiber is not indicative of whole grains. The amount of fiber varies from grain to grain, and some products may have things like bran, peas, or other foods added to boost the fiber content

* Common whole grains include:

Wheat

Oat

Barley - Hulled and Dehulled (not Pearl)

Maize

Brown rice

Farro

Emmer

Einkorn

Rye

Spelt

Millet

Quinoa

Amaranth

Triticale

Teff

Sprouted Grains

 
 
 
 

Whole wheat penne in spinach sauce

I love penne and my husband loves spaghetti. Penne because, i like how the pasta gets the sauce inside the tubes - the ridges hold on to the sauce. Since I am the resident chef of our home, you'll find penne being the most-often cooked pasta. We love saucy sauces - well you know what I mean, more stuff around the pasta, instead of the dry pasta dish. We both love aglio-olio, where minimalism is the key, just good olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes - but that said, we do love the saucier versions better. Sometimes you'll find more veggies than the pasta in our dishes and we like it that way too.
This luscious spinach sauce was a result of me going overboard last week in the farmers' market. When you get 12 bunches for Rs.10, you can't really blame me can you? I washed, cleaned and cooked the leaves, pureed them and put the stuff in the freezer. It was a smart move, reducing a big bag of greens into a small container, besides cooking and freezing the leaves when they were at their freshest.

So when the day came to make the pasta, most of the work for the spinach sauce was already done - what remained was to pulse it with some fresh paneer and chillies and it was ready. It is indeed as simple as that.

Let me also assure you that I have not used any of my non-existent photoshop skills on this pic - the sauce is as green as it is seen in the picture and it looks like that even as I am about to eat it from the plate - no fooling you on that!

Recipe for Penne in Spinach Sauce
Serves 3-4 with a salad or a vegetable side dish

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta
Roughly 3/4 kg spinach, leaves and tender stems plucked
1 tsp olive oil
4-8 cloves garlic, peeled (4 if large, 8 if small)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 green chillies
1/3rd cup paneer or ricotta cheese (I made fresh paneer from 1/2 litre milk, using white vinegar)
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Making spinach puree -Wash the plucked spinach leaves and tender stems 4-5 times in a clean sink of water or in a large tub. Dry over kitchen towels. Put these into a large pot. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup water and let the leaves wilt. Toss around so the leaves are evenly cooked. Remove from pot, and puree along with any residual water. This can be frozen for upto a week and used as necessary. 3/4 kg of spinach will yield roughly 2 cup of spinach puree.
2. Cook pasta according to instructions on pack, drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
3. Making paneer - Bring 1/2 L cow's milk to boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and add from 1-2 tsp of white vinegar, stirring around till the milk curdles leaving a clear whey. Filter out pressing lightly. Reserve the whey for use in soups or to make dough for chapatis or bread.
4. In a wok, heat 1-2 tsp olive oil. Throw in the crushed garlic cloves and sliced onions. Saute on medium flame for 2-3 minutes till soft.
5. In a blender, puree together the spinach puree, paneer, sauteed onion-garlic, oregano, salt and chillies. Check for salt and adjust. This is your spinach sauce for the pasta.
6. In a large wok, bring together cooked pasta and the sauce, mixing gently till pasta is fully covered. Use some of the reserved pasta water if you want to thin down the sauce. Add freshly ground black pepper over the top, any fresh or dried herbs of your choice and serve.

I served this with cauliflower baked in tomato sauce, recipe of which will be posted shortly.

Notes

• You can serve with some cheese grated on the top, this will gain most kids' approval :)
• The sauce can be made minus the paneer but I used so as to up the protein quotient of the dish. You could use ricotta cheese from a tub to cut down on the preparation time or use store bought paneer.
• Some steamed corn added to this pasta will add lovely colour and a sweet crunch to the dish.

If you like spaghetti and your partner likes penne, by all means use spaghetti for this dish!! 

Since there is a perfect event to enlist this recipe, it's going for the Healing Foods event at My Culinary Experiments started by Siri's Corner

Whole wheat penne in spinach sauce

Posted by admin

I love penne and my husband loves spaghetti. Penne because, i like how the pasta gets the sauce inside the tubes - the ridges hold on to the sauce. Since I am the resident chef of our home, you'll find penne being the most-often cooked pasta. We love saucy sauces - well you know what I mean, more stuff around the pasta, instead of the dry pasta dish. We both love aglio-olio, where minimalism is the key, just good olive oil, garlic and chilli flakes - but that said, we do love the saucier versions better. Sometimes you'll find more veggies than the pasta in our dishes and we like it that way too.
This luscious spinach sauce was a result of me going overboard last week in the farmers' market. When you get 12 bunches for Rs.10, you can't really blame me can you? I washed, cleaned and cooked the leaves, pureed them and put the stuff in the freezer. It was a smart move, reducing a big bag of greens into a small container, besides cooking and freezing the leaves when they were at their freshest.

So when the day came to make the pasta, most of the work for the spinach sauce was already done - what remained was to pulse it with some fresh paneer and chillies and it was ready. It is indeed as simple as that.

Let me also assure you that I have not used any of my non-existent photoshop skills on this pic - the sauce is as green as it is seen in the picture and it looks like that even as I am about to eat it from the plate - no fooling you on that!

Recipe for Penne in Spinach Sauce
Serves 3-4 with a salad or a vegetable side dish

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat penne pasta
Roughly 3/4 kg spinach, leaves and tender stems plucked
1 tsp olive oil
4-8 cloves garlic, peeled (4 if large, 8 if small)
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 green chillies
1/3rd cup paneer or ricotta cheese (I made fresh paneer from 1/2 litre milk, using white vinegar)
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Making spinach puree -Wash the plucked spinach leaves and tender stems 4-5 times in a clean sink of water or in a large tub. Dry over kitchen towels. Put these into a large pot. Add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 cup water and let the leaves wilt. Toss around so the leaves are evenly cooked. Remove from pot, and puree along with any residual water. This can be frozen for upto a week and used as necessary. 3/4 kg of spinach will yield roughly 2 cup of spinach puree.
2. Cook pasta according to instructions on pack, drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
3. Making paneer - Bring 1/2 L cow's milk to boil. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat and add from 1-2 tsp of white vinegar, stirring around till the milk curdles leaving a clear whey. Filter out pressing lightly. Reserve the whey for use in soups or to make dough for chapatis or bread.
4. In a wok, heat 1-2 tsp olive oil. Throw in the crushed garlic cloves and sliced onions. Saute on medium flame for 2-3 minutes till soft.
5. In a blender, puree together the spinach puree, paneer, sauteed onion-garlic, oregano, salt and chillies. Check for salt and adjust. This is your spinach sauce for the pasta.
6. In a large wok, bring together cooked pasta and the sauce, mixing gently till pasta is fully covered. Use some of the reserved pasta water if you want to thin down the sauce. Add freshly ground black pepper over the top, any fresh or dried herbs of your choice and serve.

I served this with cauliflower baked in tomato sauce, recipe of which will be posted shortly.

Notes

• You can serve with some cheese grated on the top, this will gain most kids' approval :)
• The sauce can be made minus the paneer but I used so as to up the protein quotient of the dish. You could use ricotta cheese from a tub to cut down on the preparation time or use store bought paneer.
• Some steamed corn added to this pasta will add lovely colour and a sweet crunch to the dish.

If you like spaghetti and your partner likes penne, by all means use spaghetti for this dish!! 

Since there is a perfect event to enlist this recipe, it's going for the Healing Foods event at My Culinary Experiments started by Siri's Corner

Couscous with roasted vegetables - Happiness in minutes

Sorry, sorry, sorry - for this long absence from the blog. Each time I thought it was time to get back here, something would come up and I would think that deserved more priority. Now I realize, that with a baby on hands, baby will always be priority, but I've got to assign some degree of priority to other things in life as well, blog included.

Today was a nearly perfect day - with things going as planned, rains generously hitting the city, water crisis in the house somewhat better, chores getting done before schedule and one dirty window sill cleared of pigeon droppings, and me managing to catch 2 episodes of Jeeves and Wooster in the afternoon while Atri was sleeping. And hey, the little boy entertained himself with a kitchen towel, a tomato and a cooker-vessel. Was that a sign??

If so many nice things in one day could not propel me to start posting on this beloved food blog, then probably nothing could. Besides, what I cooked this evening for supper turned out so colourful and camera friendly, especially to a person behind the camera who off late has been clicking just her baby.

It's a simple couscous and veggies, one plate dish - very high on the health quotient and surprisingly high on taste factor too....in short it is a speedy way to make ourselves happy at dinner time. You can choose any variety of squash on hand as an addition along with any number of fresh herbs as a garnish. I used what I had on hand and the result has turned out superb. Next time I will also consider throwing in some eggplant wedges to roast along with the other veggies. I have added Nutrela granules to up the protein content, but it is optional.

Couscous with roasted vegetables
Makes one generous plate
Time taken - Under 30 minutes, but under 5-7 minutes of active time

Ingredients
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp Nutrela granules
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 2 cups boiling hot water

1 tbsp olive oil
4-5 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium carrot - peeled, cut into diagonal slices
1/2 medium beet - peeled, cut into diagonal slices
1 medium green bell pepper - cut into strips
1 small onion - peeled, cut into thick slices
1/4 cup shredded cabbage
Handful of frozen peas
2-3 green chillies, whole
1 tsp dried oregano (I used one sachet of oregano seasoning that comes in with pizza delivery)
Fresh basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper to garnish




Directions
Place the couscous, Nutrela granules and salt in a large bowl and pour a cup and a half of boiling water on the top. Mix with a fork, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. If it gets too dry, add some more water, cover and wait a few more minutes, before fluffing up with a fork. Keep aside.

In a large skillet, heat a tbsp or more of olive oil. Throw in smashed garlic cloves, let them turn light brown on a medium flame. Next add all veggies except frozen peas (if using fresh shelled peas, then add that in along with the rest). Turn them around on a medium-high flame for 2-3 minutes. The veggies must not overcrowd the skillet - let them be spread out in a layer as they get roasted on a low to medium flame for 7-10 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and oregano. You can add some chilli flakes for extra spice.

Spread the couscous on a large plate and transfer the roasted veggies over it. Flavour with some extra virgin olive oil on top, fresh basil leaves and more freshly cracked pepper.

Dig in.

Couscous with roasted vegetables - Happiness in minutes

Posted by admin

Sorry, sorry, sorry - for this long absence from the blog. Each time I thought it was time to get back here, something would come up and I would think that deserved more priority. Now I realize, that with a baby on hands, baby will always be priority, but I've got to assign some degree of priority to other things in life as well, blog included.

Today was a nearly perfect day - with things going as planned, rains generously hitting the city, water crisis in the house somewhat better, chores getting done before schedule and one dirty window sill cleared of pigeon droppings, and me managing to catch 2 episodes of Jeeves and Wooster in the afternoon while Atri was sleeping. And hey, the little boy entertained himself with a kitchen towel, a tomato and a cooker-vessel. Was that a sign??

If so many nice things in one day could not propel me to start posting on this beloved food blog, then probably nothing could. Besides, what I cooked this evening for supper turned out so colourful and camera friendly, especially to a person behind the camera who off late has been clicking just her baby.

It's a simple couscous and veggies, one plate dish - very high on the health quotient and surprisingly high on taste factor too....in short it is a speedy way to make ourselves happy at dinner time. You can choose any variety of squash on hand as an addition along with any number of fresh herbs as a garnish. I used what I had on hand and the result has turned out superb. Next time I will also consider throwing in some eggplant wedges to roast along with the other veggies. I have added Nutrela granules to up the protein content, but it is optional.

Couscous with roasted vegetables
Makes one generous plate
Time taken - Under 30 minutes, but under 5-7 minutes of active time

Ingredients
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp Nutrela granules
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 - 2 cups boiling hot water

1 tbsp olive oil
4-5 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
1 medium carrot - peeled, cut into diagonal slices
1/2 medium beet - peeled, cut into diagonal slices
1 medium green bell pepper - cut into strips
1 small onion - peeled, cut into thick slices
1/4 cup shredded cabbage
Handful of frozen peas
2-3 green chillies, whole
1 tsp dried oregano (I used one sachet of oregano seasoning that comes in with pizza delivery)
Fresh basil leaves and freshly ground black pepper to garnish




Directions
Place the couscous, Nutrela granules and salt in a large bowl and pour a cup and a half of boiling water on the top. Mix with a fork, cover and let it sit for 5 minutes. If it gets too dry, add some more water, cover and wait a few more minutes, before fluffing up with a fork. Keep aside.

In a large skillet, heat a tbsp or more of olive oil. Throw in smashed garlic cloves, let them turn light brown on a medium flame. Next add all veggies except frozen peas (if using fresh shelled peas, then add that in along with the rest). Turn them around on a medium-high flame for 2-3 minutes. The veggies must not overcrowd the skillet - let them be spread out in a layer as they get roasted on a low to medium flame for 7-10 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper and oregano. You can add some chilli flakes for extra spice.

Spread the couscous on a large plate and transfer the roasted veggies over it. Flavour with some extra virgin olive oil on top, fresh basil leaves and more freshly cracked pepper.

Dig in.