Moong Sprouts and Veggie Salad

After a decadent Kulfi, it is only reasonable that I share something really healthy and this salad is one of the healthiest thing I have made of late. Without much ado lets see how I made it. This salad is definitely going to add to my presently almost non existent salad recipes on this space. It is not that I do not make salads, I just feel that they are something too simple and too easy to be blogged about. I love sprouts and felt that I must blog about this salad.

Here is something about moong beans one should know:

"Moong beans, apart from being a good source of protein also contain useful amounts of fibre, potassium, and B-vitamins. They contain low levels of fat, cholesterol and sodium. It is useful for those of us who want to increase their alertness and mental abilities. Phosphorous is also necessary for healthy bones and teeth, a fact which makes sprouted seeds desirable for babies and children."

How to make moong sprouts?


Soak the moong dal overnight and it will increase to twice its volume. Drain off the water and keep the moong dal in a warm place for 12-20 hrs for the sprouts to grow. The sprouts grow faster in warm environment. Sometimes, I heat the oven at 50-75 C for 5 minutes and then keep the soaked beans there, for the sprouts to grow.

Click here for the printable version


Ingredients:
1/2 cup sprouted moong beans
100 gm cherry tomatoes
1 carrot peeled and chopped
1/4 cup chopped onions
Lots of chopped coriander leaves.
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp chat masala
Freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Black salt to taste.


Serves 2


Process:
1. The moong sprouts can be cooked or used raw in salad. You can steam them too. I usually pour very hot water over a bowl of sprouts and cover it for 5 minutes and then use them in making my salad. The sprouts thus have a crunchy texture than the cooked sprouts.
1. Toss all the ingredients into a salad bowl and shake well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve immediately.

Note: You can add any veggie of  your choice. For example: chopped radish, cucumber, cabbage etc. 

Linking it to my event - Healthy and Hearty and to  Only Sprouts Event guest hosted by Priya and started by Pari.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Savoury Semolina Cake ~ A Healthy Snack!

I have recently finished reading a book I didn't enjoy much. So instead of writing a bad review and cribbing about it, I decided to do a food related post again. The book review can wait for a while. 

This recipe has been lying in my drafts for months now, I thought it would be good to post it now since, I have a food event running here with the theme -'Healthy & Hearty' and this one of the healthiest snack/bake I make regularly. It can be served for breakfast or afternoon tea and you don't have to worry about the portion size at all.

Savory Semolina Cake:
Recipe Source: Anjum Anand's Indian Food Made Easy
(Click here for the printable version:)

Ingredients:

2 tsp vegetable oil, plus extra for oiling the loaf pan.
1 cup semolina.
1 cup plain low fat yoghurt.
3 tbsp water.
¼ cup frozen peas.
¼ cup chopped onions(optional, i didn't use it)
¼ cup finely chopped carrot.
¼ cup chopped bell pepper.
¼ cup chopped green beans
1 tsp grated ginger
1 green chilli chopped finely.
Few curry leaves.
1 tsp red chilli powder.
¼ tsp turmeric powder.
1 tsp mustard seeds.
½ tsp cumin seeds.
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda.
1 tbsp sesame seeds.
A pinch of asafoetida
1 tsp salt

Serves 8.

Process:

1.Preheat the oven at 180 C and oil a medium loaf tin.

2. Mix together the semolina, yogurt, water, salt to make a batter of a medium thick consistency. Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilies and cumin seeds and cook for about 20 seconds until the mustard seeds have popped and the cumin is aromatic. Add the veggies and spices and cook for 2-3 minutes Stir into batter.

3. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and immediately pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle over sesame seeds. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

4. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and when the edges are crisp. Leave the cake to cool in the tin. Slice when cooled and serve with the chutney of your choice or ketchup.

Linking it to my event- Healthy and Hearty. Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Quick and Crunchy Masala Peanuts ~ In Microwave ~ For Blog Hop Wednesdays

If you want a quick snack, hassle free to make, then you have hit the right space. These crunchy masala peanuts just takes a few minutes to prepare and you will have only a couple to utensils to wash after you make them. This week for the new edition of Blog Hop Wednesdays, I was paired with Nirmala's Kitchen. Her space has a variety of dishes and I have bookmarked a number of her dosa recipes. But the moment, I saw this, I knew this is what I need to try right away. Needless to say, I love peanuts! I have used half the quantity as given in the original recipe. This is a healthy snack which uses little oil and can be prepared in a jiffy.

I know this post comes a day late but as the saying goes, 'Better late than never'. Do check out what other Blog Hoppers are up with. Lets check the recipe of Crunchy Munchy Masala Peanuts.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup peanuts
1 tbsp gram flour/besan.
1tsp rice flour
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
11/2 tsp oil
1/3 tsp salt or to taste
Click here for the printable version
Process:
1. Soak the peanuts in water for 10-15 minutes.
2. In a bowl add rest of the ingredients and mix. Drain the water and add the peanuts to the masala mixture.
3. Use your hands to lather the masala mixture onto the peanuts and then arrange it on a microwave safe plate in single layer.
4. Microwave it on a high for 1 minute and check. Remove any lumps. Repeat the process until they are crisp. I did it 4 times, 1 minutes each. Be careful when handling the plate as it will become hotter with each minute.
5. Let it rest for 10 minutes before munching as they will become crisp as they cool down. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee, it is even good on its own. Just keep an eye on the portion size as too much of anything isn't good.

Note: The time of making these can vary from microwave to microwave. I have a simple one which I use only for re heating food.

Also linking it to Healthy & Hearty hosted here & New Year - New Dish hosted by Nupur.

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

PS: I have a number of things to write about in my coming posts, both books and food and also about my New Year London visit. I will post the January Sweet Punch Challenge next. (Gosh! I am already a week late for that). Stay tuned.

Wrapping up 2011 and Welcoming 2012 ~ With Orange and Kiwi Salad~ A Healthy Start to the New Year!

Year 2011 had ended and we are already 3 days into the new year 2012. So, here is wishing you a very happy and prosperous new year! May the new year brings you new joy, good health and peace!

Hope you all had a great start to the new year. Mine was great. We went for a short trip to London and witnessed the spectacular new year firework show live. I cannot praise it enough. It was fantastic. I will elaborate on it in a later post but for now have a look yourself.

Video Courtesy: BBC

Now coming to the Wrapping 2011 part. I wanted to do the wrapping up post on 31st Dec 2011 itself, but couldn't manage the time to compose the post. I am doing that now. It is difficult to choose favorites of favorites but somehow I have come up with my top 5s. Here are my top 5 favorites from my blog in two categories: Books & Food.

Books:

1. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

2. The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

3. Jaya by Devdutt Pattanaik

4. The Tiger's Wife by Tea Obreht

5. Room by Emma Donoghue

Food:

1. Eggless Chocolate Brownie

2. Paneer Tikka with Minty Yogurt Dip

3. Malai Kulfi - Using Condensed Milk

4. Chocolate Truffles

5. Orange Spritzer

Do check out these if you have not already! 

To kick start the new year in a healthy way, I am sharing a simple fruit salad recipe.

Serves 1-2

Click here for the printable version

Ingredients:

1 Kiwi fruit, peeled and cut into wedges

2-3 clementines, peeled into wedges and the membrane removed

A dash of lemon juice, to taste

Black salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste

3-4 chopped pistachios for garnishing

Process:

Arrange the fruit pieces on a plate. Drizzle the rest of the ingredients over it. Serve immediately!

Once again, have a happy and healthy new year! 

Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!

Pear & Cardamom Smoothie~ For Blog Hop Wednesdays~ From Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes

Priya's Blog needs no introduction. Most of us in this blogging world must have come across her blog. It is one of the most frequently updated, versatile and has hundreds of recipes. It is a marathon task to pick up one recipe to try from there because if you spend even  half an hour on that blog you will end up bookmarking so many of her recipes. She has a space with the most wide variety of recipes and I am glad to have been assigned her blog for this edition of Blog Hop. But the problem was how to choose one.

However, I did manage to choose one- Corn and Chickpeas Seekh Kebabs after long hours of shuffling through  her recipes. But, give it to my poor planning, I didn't even realize it is Wednesday today and to make things worse I was missing some vital ingredients to make these kebabs. I am not an instant blogger. I take my time to ponder and compose a post. So, trying these kebabs are put on hold for a day, but, I am going to make them for sure.

Then started another sessions of zeroing on another recipe and this time I wanted a quick recipe with the ingredients I had at hand. What can be quicker than a salad or a smoothie. So, I decided on this Cardamom and Pear Smoothie.

Ingredients:
2 pears peeled and chopped.
1/2 cup low fat Yogurt
1 cardamom pod crushed finely
Sugar to taste

Process:
Add every thing in a blender and give a quick whiz. Adjust the sweetness to your taste. Pour into a glass and serve immediately!

The smoothie was satisfying and the cardamom added a wonderful flavor and warmth to it.  I enjoyed my glass of smoothie.

Check out what other Blog Hoppers are up with.

Thank you for stopping by. Cheers!

Spicy Corn Chaat ~ For Blog Hop Wednesdays~From Sizzling Tastebuds

It is time again for another edition of Blog Hop Wednesday. This week I am assigned Kalyani akka Mom Chef's blog- Sizzling Tastebuds. I would like to express my heartflet gratitude to Radhika for creating such wonderful event. It is indeed a pleasure to visit blog and try recipes from there. In this process I have discovered so many fabulous blog and I believe I will continue doing so. If you too want to be a part of this event check out this.

Coming back to the recipe I have chosen today, it is Spicy Corn Chaat. It is for them who are craving for a spicy chaat and yet are worried about junk food getting into their bellies. In my case, I have already put on quite a lot on my India visit, so I am trying to avoid anything that will add to my already increased waistline..:-(!

I too prepare a similar version often, but this one has loads of vegetable and hence for colourful and healthy too! Thank you Kalyani for this wonderful and healthy recipe.

Spicy Corn Chaat:

Ingredients:
1 cup boiled corn
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 tbsp chopped green pepper.
Handful of chopped coriander.
1/4 tsp Black salt
1 tbsp lemon juice.
1/2 tsp chat masala
a dash of freshly ground pepper.
chopped green chilli to taste.

Process:

1. Add all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl and mix.
2. In another large bowl, add all the other ingredients and corn preferably warm/mildly hot.
3. Pour the dressing over it and mix well. Serve immediately.

Check out what other bloggers are up with!
Thank you for stopping by! Cheers!