Tag Archives: online dietician india

  • 31
    Dec 16
  • 0

Appam ( Fermented Rice Pancakes)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 

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Ingredients for Appam (without yeast):

  • Raw Rice : 2 cups
  • Coconut: 1 cup grated
  • Salt to taste
  • Baking Soda: 1/2 tsp(traditionally made using toddy or yeast)
  • Water as needed for grinding
  • Oil for greasing pan

Method:

  1. Wash and soak the rice for 5-6 hours (you can soak it in the morning, then grind it in the evening).
  2. Grind it in a mixie along with the coconut and water till you get a smooth paste.
  3. Let it ferment overnight. In the morning add some salt, baking soda and some water and make it into a smooth batter.
  4. Heat a non stick appam chatti ( or a mini wok) on medium heat. Pour a ladle of batter in the center, then swirl the pan to spread the batter on the sides of the pan (the centre should be a little thicker than the sides)
  5. Cover and cook for about a minute.
  6. Uncover, add a little oil along the sides of the chatti/wok.
  7. Remove the appam (if you want it crisper, cook a little longer till the edges start browning) and serve along with stew (veg/chicken) or chutney or curry (chicken/ goat/ egg).

 

 

 

 

  • 23
    Dec 16
  • 0

Turmeric Milk (Turmeric Latte/How to make Golden Milk)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 

 

Turmeric is a plant that has a very long history of medicinal use, dating back nearly 4000 years. In India, turmeric is used not only as a principal spice but also as a component in religious ceremonies. In Ayurveda and the Unani systems, turmeric has a long history of medicinal use for purifying the blood , as an antioxidant which is beneficial nasal and throat congestion and has been traditionally used for its anti-microbial and anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients for Turmeric Milk/ Golden Milk:

  • Milk: 1 cup (Organic grass fed cow’s milk if possible)
  • Turmeric Powder: 1/4 tsp- 1/2 tsp
  • Honey (optional): to taste
  • Pepper/cinnamon/saffron (optional): a pinch

Method:

  1. Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Add the turmeric powder and stir till it is completely dissolved in the milk (you could add the other spices if you like)
  3. Remove from heat and pour into a cup/mug.
  4. Add the honey (optional) and drink when it’s still warm.

The best time to drink it is before bedtime as it can help you sleep better (though you can drink it anytime). It helps build immunity to coughs and colds and makes a great drink in the fall/winter.

Another great way to keep coughs & colds at bay during winter is Adrak Chai or Ginger Chai Latte. Here’s the recipe for Ginger Chai Latte/Adrak Chai

 

  • 20
    Dec 16
  • 0

Adrak Chai (Brewed Ginger Tea Latte)

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Ginger has many medicinal properties and has long been used in Ayurveda and other traditional medicinal systems for improving digestion, reducing intestinal gas and alleviate nausea and vomiting (including morning sickness) and reducing the pain during menstrual cramps. Ginger is also used in Ayurveda to reduce phlegm and coughs, colds and breathing difficulties. Research has also shown it has anti-inflammatory properties also reduces inflammation and makes it a great pain reliever for athletes and arthritis.

In our house, we switch to ginger tea (adrak chai) the moment it starts to get cold (which is usually in autumn) and switch to cardamom tea in summers.

Ingredients For Adrak Chai or Ginger Tea Latte: Serves 4

  • Milk: 2 cups
  • Water: 2 cups
  • Tea leaves: 4 teaspoons ( we use orange pekoe)
  • Ginger: 1 ” piece
  • Sugar/Stevia: to taste

Method:

  1. In a saucepan, heat the milk and water and add the tea leaves.
  2. Grate the ginger (you could also crush them and add) and add it to the saucepan.
  3. Let the tea boil for 8-10 mins on low heat.
  4. Switch off, strain the brewed tea and add sugar/stevia.

Note: We like our tea with a lot of milk, but you can reduce it or even just have black tea with ginger. You could also add cardamom or other spices like pepper,cinnamon. We prefer our tea with just one spice at a time 🙂

Fresh ginger contains greater levels of gingerol and other anti-inflammatory compounds.

Storing Tip: You can store fresh ginger in the freezer and grate it while frozen directly into your saucepan.

Another great recipe for keeping coughs and colds away is Turmeric Milk/ Turmeric Latte or Haldi Doodh. Here’s the recipe : How to make Turmeric Latte/Golden Milk

 

 

 

  • 14
    Dec 16
  • 0

Spaghetti Squash (and a Low-carb dish)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 

So what’s so great about me putting up a photo of a plate of spaghetti??
Look more closely-that’s not your regular spaghetti-it’s a SQUASH!!!!! A couple of weeks back when I was chatting with my brother, he had mentioned that he had recently tried spaghetti squash and that got me intrigued and I quickly put it on my shopping list. I found it quite easily,but I wasn’t too sure if it was the right one as it looked no different from the rest of the squash where it was kept( I guess I was expecting something which at least vaguely resembled spaghetti),but the label on it very clearly said “Spaghetti Squash” and also had cooking instructions (thank you very much).

The instructions said that I could either bake it or microwave it-I microwaved it on high for about 7-8 minutes(after piercing the rind) and let it cool for sometime before cutting it open-and voila, there was the spaghetti just staring at me-beautiful!!!

Spaghetti squash

I hadn’t even thought of what to do with it. I could make spaghetti(after all it was named after it) or I could use it as noodles. Since this was the first time,I settled with a simple spaghetti dish with sauteed vegetables along with grated Parmesan cheese (you could try adding chicken, meatballs).  The result was a nice crunchy dish( and it was all vegetables!!) which was very filling.

Spaghetti Squash

Next time I’m going to be a little more adventurous and try out something new-maybe a salad, or maybe a stir-fry dish,or use it as noodles. Any suggestions??

Question: How would you like to try out Spaghetti squash?

  • 01
    Dec 16
  • 2

Green Apple and Mint Chutney

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 

I had picked up 3 Granny Smith apples in the hope of turning it into a chutney that a friend had made.Well,the recipe involved some cooking and since I was feeling too lazy for that, thought I’d make it like raw mango chutney.So,I peeked into the fridge and got out all the stuff that goes into a regular chutney-mint leaves,cilantro,ginger,lemon,green chilies and put them all in the blender with the cored and peeled apples. The resulting Green Apple Chutney which came out of the blender reminded me of the “chaat” taste and so I blended some sugar and a little roasted cumin seeds,and the result was great. The Green Apple Chutney can be eaten with meals,mixed with yogurt and used as a dip, or used as a spread in a sandwich.Here’s what I blended together for the Green Apple Chutney:
Ingredients for Green Apple and Mint Chutney:

  • Granny Smith apples/tart cooking apples-2 nos.(peeled,cored and chopped)
  • Mint leaves-10 numbers
  • Coriander leaves/Cilantro-2 tablespoons
  • Green chilly/Serrano-1 no.
  • Ginger-1/2″piece
  • Lemon juice-2 tablespoons
  • Jeera/Cumin seeds-1 tsp(roasted)
  • Jaggery/Stevia-2 tsp/to taste (optional)
  • Salt-to taste

Method:

  1. Put all the ingredients into a blender and blend till you get a fine paste.
  2. Adjust salt and sugar according to your taste.
  3. Serve the Green Apple Chutney with sandwiches, as a dip or as a salad dressing.
  • 29
    Nov 16
  • 0

How to motivate yourself to Exercise?

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Top 5 ways to beat workout shyness

 Are you one of those who keep putting off exercising to ‘tomorrow’? Do you start your New Year’s resolutions with ‘Start exercising daily’ but never seem to be able to ‘start’ or if you do start never are able to do it for more than a couple of weeks? We all know that we should exercise, but some days it’s tough to get moving: not enough time, too tired, no energy. Here are some tips to beat workout shyness:
1. The ‘Buddy’ system: get a friend/ relative/spouse/ neighbor to workout with you. Having a partner makes it more difficult to miss the gym when a spell of laziness hits you, and you are likely to work out harder once you are there. The best part of having a workout buddy is that after you complete, you’ll have somebody to cut loose and celebrate with! You’ll also have somebody to continue working out with in order to keep yourself in your best shape possible.
2. Buy a whole year’s package: basically pay up. Money is the ultimate motivator. A whole year’s gym package would probably cost you a bomb and you’ll find yourself being regular just to get your money’s worth (if not anything else).
3. Set a goal: To start with, set small attainable goals like exercising for five days a week for at least 45 minutes each time. Once you attain this, then you could go one step further by either increasing the intensity of training or by increasing the time for exercising, etc.
4. Find a workout that is fun: Exercise need not be limited to working out in a gym. You could find some fun activities like dancing, jazz exercising, aerobics, playing a sport that you love (like tennis, basketball, squash, etc). Sometimes the fun element in these can make you look forward to it rather than detesting the thought of it!
5. Reward yourself: Every time you achieve a goal, reward yourself-it could be going for a movie, meeting up with friends, a facial, a new dress, getting a new hair cut or buying yourself a gift certificate to a spa (go ahead and pamper yourself, you’ve earned it!)

President Obama makes time for exercise whenever he can-so what is YOUR excuse??

Along with these tips, don’t forget the health benefits of exercising:
• Helps manage your weight,
• Combats diseases like osteoporosis, heart diseases, certain types of cancers and diabetes,
• Improves your mood,
• Promotes better sleep and
• Boosts your energy levels.

So pack a bottle of water, wear a snazzy exercise outfit and hit the gym (or the dance floor/ tennis court, etc) and watch those extra layers of fat melt away. You may even surprise yourself by fitting into the pair of jeans from your college days!

  • 22
    Nov 16
  • 0

Collard Upkari (a Mangalorean style stir-fry)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 
LoveToTakePhotos / Pixabay

Collard Greens

“Upkari”(or stir-fry) is a very simple vegetarian dish which is a regular in most Mangalorean households. You can make ‘upkari’ with any vegetable (cabbage,beans,radish, string beans,etc) or with any green leafy vegetable. ‘Upkari’s’ are traditionally made by adding the chopped vegetable/leaves to the tempering along with one or two slit green chillies and cooked till done. At the end, a garnish of freshly grated coconut(Mangalore is a coastal town in Southern India and has an abundance of coconut trees,and hence the use of coconut in almost every dish) is added which gives it the characteristic flavor.
I’ve modified the recipe for the collard upkari by adding some chopped onions, and a pinch of asafoetida(hing) as I like the flavor it adds to the dish.

Ingredients for Collard upkari:

  • Collard leaves (or any green leafy vegetable) : 1 bunch (chopped)
  • Green chilly:1-2(slit length wise)
  • Onion-1/2 medium (finely chopped) optional
  • Coconut: 2-3 tbsp(freshly grated/frozen)
  • Salt to taste

For the tempering:

  • Oil: 1tsp
  • Mustard seeds: 1tsp
  • Urad dal: 1tsp
  • Asafoetida/hing: a pinch(optional)
  • Curry leaves: 3-4 (optional)

Method:

  1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and urad dal.
  2. When the mustard starts to pop, add the asafoetida and the curry leaves.
  3. Add the chopped ginger,slit green chillies and onions and saute till the onions turn translucent.
  4. Add the chopped collard (or any of the other vegetables/green leafy vegetables) and stir-fry for 10mins.
  5. Then add a little water, salt to taste and cover and cook till done.
  6. Garnish the collard upkari with the coconut scrapings. Serve hot with a dash of lime (goes well with dal and rice).
Note: You can add 1/2 cup of split moong(wash and soak for 15 mins-add at step 5 with the water) or cooked pulses(kabuli channa) to add some protein to the dish.

Q. Which is your favorite recipe with greens?

  • 09
    Nov 16
  • 0

Crispy and Spicy Kale Chips

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Kale is packed with vitamins A, C , E,K, calcium , fibre and protein. The protein in kale contains all the 9 essential amino acids and hence is comparable to the protein found in meat or poultry.

Other than making sabzi’s, smoothies and salads with kale, here is a quick and simple snack recipe with kale. Crispy and Spicy Kale chips can be eaten as a snack or in lieu of papad/pickle with your meals.

Ingredients for Crispy and Spicy Kale Chips:

  • Kale: 1 big bunch (wash and dry)
  • Salt: to taste
  • Red chili powder: 1/2 tsp (add more if you like it spicier or omit entirely if you want just salted)
  • Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
  • Olive oil: 1-2 tbsp

Method:

  1. Preheat oven to 275F  (135C).
  2. Dry the kale leaves thoroughly. You can use a salad spinner for this
  3. Remove any large stems from the kale, and tear the leaves up into bite-sized pieces.
  4. Put the kale in a salad bowl and add the olive oil, red chili powder, cumin powder,  salt and toss well until the leaves are evenly coated.
  5. Spread the leaves out on a baking tray in a single layer (do not overcrowd, make a second batch if there is more) and bake for about 20-25 minutes (till they get crispy). Keep a watchful eye on your batch to prevent burning.
  6. Cool and enjoy as a snack or as a crispy side with your meals.

Here are other Healthy Snack Ideas:

  1. Baked Sweet Potato Fries/snack
  2. Baked Carrot Fries/snack
  3. Fruit Chaat/ Fruit Salsa 
  4. Khaman Dhokla
  5. Handvo
  6. Fish Cutlets/Patties

 

  • 07
    Nov 16
  • 0

Alasande Kalu (Lobia) Gasi (Black Eyed Beans in a thick coconut gravy)

Category:Indian Dietitian Online,Online Dietician India Tags : 

Black Eyed Peas are high in Vit A, fibre, potassium and folate and is known to help in relieving constipation, keeping sugar levels in check and in lowering cholesterol levels.

This is a Mangalorean recipe and is served with rice. It can be made with Indian yam /potato or even with Mangalore sautekai (mangalore cucumber).

Ingredients for Alasande kalu gasi :

  • Black Eyed Beans (Alasande kalu) – 1/2 cup (Soak overnight)
  • Tomato – 1 large (chopped)
  • Grated Coconut – 1/2 cup fresh/desicated
  • Red chilli powder: 1 tbsp
  • Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
  • Potato: 2 small cubed or Indian Yam(Suran/Suvarnagadde): 1/2 small, cubed (OPTIONAL)
  • Cumin/jeera powder: 1/4 tsp
  • Salt: to taste
  • Coriander/ cilantro leaves: 3 tbsps chopped (for garnish)
  • For Seasoning:
  • Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
  • Urad dal: 1 tsp
  • Channa dal:1/2 tsp
  • Dry Red Chilli: 1
  • Hing/asafoetida: a pinch
  • Curry Leaves : 10
  • Garlic: 4 cloves (crushed)
  • Oil – 3 tsps

Method:

  • Pressure cook the black eyed beans ( the beans must be tender, but still firm and hold shape).
  • Meanwhile grind the coconut, red chili powder, coriander powder and jeera powder with a little water till you get a fine paste.
  • Heat a kadai, add a tsp of oil, add the potatoes/yam (optional) and fry for 2-3 minutes.add the tomatoes and saute. Add some water and close and cook the potato/yam and tomato .
  • Add cooked black-eyed beans and salt.
  • Add the ground paste to the cooking beans. Adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding water.
  • For seasoning, heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds,urad and channa dal. When the mustard starts to pop, add the dry red chillies,  curry leaves, hing and crushed garlic.
  • Fry for a minute, then add this to the gravy. Mix and close the gravy and let it sit to infuse the flavours of the seasoning.
  • Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice or even phulkas.
  • 29
    Oct 16
  • 0

Easy Microwave Doodh Peda (Condensed Milk Peda)

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This is a quick peda recipe and takes just 3-5 minutes. A tasty recipe for when you are in a hurry and still want to make a dessert or mithai. I make this for Diwali. Sweets are fine if you don’t eat it on a daily basis and also know when to stop. Festivals, birthdays and special occasions definitely deserve a sweet treat.

Ingredients for Microwave Doodh peda:

  • Instant Dry Milk (Milk Powder) – 2 cups (150gm)
  • Sweetened Condensed Milk – 1 can (aprrox 396gm)
  • Unsalted Butter – 110g (1 stick)

Method:

  1. In a microwave safe dish, melt the butter, then add in the milk powder and condensed milk and mix well.
  2. Cook in the microwave for a total of  3 minutes, mixing well after every minute.
  3. After 3 minutes, mix well again and leave aside for it to cool down.
  4. After it has cooled down enough for you to handle(say 5-10 mins), grease your hands and make balls (You can also take the entire mixture and flatten it on a greased sheet with a rolling pin and use different shapes (cookie cutters) to have cute shapes).
  5. Gently press the balls and flatten them a little and place a raisin or a sliver or pista/badam.

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