Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Joy Bauer & Buffalo Chicken Chilli
I was in India when I was asked by her team if I would be interested in partnering with her to reach out to her audience,Joy would earn a link to her site through my blog and to start with I was offered these wonderful books as a review give away. I was absolutely thrilled at the idea and once I went through the recipes in her book- Slim & Scrumptious I was overjoyed at having received these gems. Along with the fabulous recipes that the book has to offer,the introduction covers a lot of basic rules to eating healthy,wholesome fresh and nutritious food while keeping a check on your pockets too. I am very impressed with her simple and easy to maintain health guide while eating delicious & healthy meals cooked at home,the tips are so easy to stick to and follow if you are ready to have just a tiny bit of discipline. I have already tried so many recipes from her book with super success and have enjoyed the attention they got me . At the end of every recipe there is a nutritional information,which makes me and I am sure all of those out there who like to keep a check on their nutrient intake, very comfortable. I am also adding a link to her website at the end of the recipe.
The book on food cures starts with the Welcome to her office where she talks about her motto in life which is:
LIFE IS HARD......FOOD SHOULD BE EASY
I was drawn further into reading the book after the motto and have read it from cover to cover . I think her writing is honest and she offers very simple guidelines for all of us who enjoy their food but worry over what is right for our bodies. There is a line in her book which I will quote for everyone here," We have a strange love/ hate relationship with food. We want to eat cupcakes but be as slim as Jennifer Aniston."
This book in short is the answer to eating your way to a healthier life .With the right foods you can actually manage and treat some life threatening diseases. This book has become my reference point for so many unanswered questions about certain foods.
The book covers many aspects on healthy eating some of them you would be interested in are:
Decoding a nutritional Label
Loosing weight
Her 4 step plan for healthy hair/teeth & how to keep your skin healthy
4 step program for type 2 Diabetes
4 step program for Insomnia
4 step program for premenstrual syndrome
4 step program for migraine headaches
4 step program for Arthritis
These are some of the topics I have listed here apart from these there are charts on foods rich in anti-oxidants, ultimate grocery list,top 20 fruits and vegetables and nuts,meal plans and so on and so forth. I wish more and more people would read these and find healthy alternatives to a strong and beautiful life. Here I would like to quote Ann Curry news anchor for Today and dateline NBC on this book," Joy wants to help you live longer.What better gift could you give the people who love you?"
Here's a recipe I made from her book Slim & Scrumptious. I wanted to share this with all as I am a huge fan of buffalo wings and when I found this alternative to buffalo wings I was thrilled and could not wait to put it together and devour it till the last spoon. It turned out super fabulous and with less than half the calories that you will find in the standard chilli preparation. I enjoyed my Buffalo Chicken Chilli and did not have to worry about eating unhealthy . Kudos to Joy Bauer :)!!!!
Serves 4 [ serving size : 2 1/4 cups with topping]
Chilli
6 carrots,peeled,halved lengthwise,and sliced into half moons
6 stalks celery,sliced
6 cloves garlic,minced
2 pounds ground chicken breast(99% lean)
2 tbsps chilli powder
2 tbsp all purpose flour
4 cups low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
1/4 to 1/2 cup hot sauce
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Topping
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
Preparation:
1. Liberally coat a large pot or dutch oven with oil spray,and preheat it over medium high heat.
2. Add the carrots and celery and saute,stirring occasionally,until tender,about 10 minutes: add water,a tbsp at a time,as necessary to prevent scorching.
3. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute
4. Add the ground chicken,reapplying oil spray if necessary. Saute, stirring continuously and breaking the chicken into small pieces,for 5 minutes or until cooked through.As the chicken cooks,continue scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any large bits.
5. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and flour,and stir quickly to distribute them evenly.Immediately add the vegetable juice and hot sauce,and bring to a boil.Reduce the heat to low and simmer,partially covered,stirring occasionally,for about 20 minutes.
6. While the chilli is simmering,prepare the blue cheese topping; In a small bowl mash together the sour cream and blue cheese with a fork until well combined.Set aside.
7. Season the chilli with the salt.Ladle the chilli into serving bowls and top each with about 2 tbsp of the blue cheese topping.
Nutrition information: calories-369, protein-53 g,carbohydrate-33 g,total fat-4 g,saturated fat-1 g, cholesterol-135 mg,fiber-7 g,sodium-665 g
Notes From Me : I have made tiny changes to suit my needs- I made fresh tomato juice at home by running the tomato's in the food processor and and then sieving them. I used the left over chicken stock from earlier cooking( made fresh at home)
I have reduced the chilli powder and the hot sauce in the given recipe and would expect everyone to use it at their discretion.
Friday, July 22, 2011
What a Journey !!!
I am glad I have an audience to reach out to with this blog. I am also glad I do not restrict it to just my culinary insights but also refresh it with random musings from time to time,it brings the reader close to the author as the reader can put a face to the story/recipe and above all a personality to relate with in the given context . I have always been drawn to things in a similar fashion 
I have been away from my blog for a little over three months,but mind you I have been cooking on & off ,there were just too many things happening which were taking precedence over writing & I have to thank all my dear friends who sent out their heartfelt wishes for me on my holiday. Let me tell everyone that I missed reading your posts which have always inspired me to try and experiment with new ingredients. I am very happy and feel I am back in the routine , now that I have finally started to write on my food blog.
I had the most exquisite time on our family holiday,and I am so glad we made this trip for Manasi’s sake,she wanted to meet up with all her cousins,uncles & aunts before she set off for the college & got busy with school/internships and so many other things that she does. I stayed back longer for over a month and half and took Ashtanga Yoga classes at Mysore. I must admit I have found a new lease of life in my yoga practice. I feel healthier,more flexible and mentally I feel at peace with my surroundings,there is certainly less conflict within,and I am learning to be less hard on myself. The one hour & twenty minutes that I spend in the shala with my body, makes me more aware of my body and my breathing,I feel light mentally even though my body is sore after all the asanas,which are very challenging,but at the end of it all, I know I have unlocked some blockages and am moving a step closer to a healthier and satisfying life.So on all levels Yoga is very fulfilling for me. So on that note I also want my friends to know that I will be writing more on my progress in my asanas,as I do my practice. Of course I will write about my first love which is ,” Food” and occasionally throw in a bit of a yoginis perspective on food and life generally. BTW I have joined a yogashala here in CT and practice ashtanga 6 days a week.
BTW I have joined a yogashala here in CT and practice ashtanga 6 days a week.I never gave up on taking pictures of the food I prepared and food that was prepared for me by others ,so I have plenty of recipes to share with all. Also I will be doing a review for Joy Bauer & her books in my next post,it is long overdue as I was very graciously asked if I would be interested in writing this review on her books, I was obviously very excited as the name- JOY BAUER needs no introduction . I have gone through her books and also watched her on Today Show as their Nutritional Expert .
I will be sharing recipes from her book – Slim And Scrumptious,which has over 75 delicious,healthy meals your family will love as the title suggests Slim & scrumptious,I can bet you will be soon heading to the bookstore or order your copies online once you read and find out that Joy Bauer proves that you can eat rich,flavorful food day in and day out and Still be in the best shape of your life.
Her other book –Food Cures talks about treating common health concerns like – managing diabetes,treat arthritis,boost mood ,end migraines & drop pounds and so much more….
So stay tuned for some illustrated recipes from Slim & Scrumptious & some tips from Food Cures ,till you have ordered your copies to find out the hidden jewels in these books.
More in my next post so long...
Peace !!!
Monday, May 2, 2011
Alive & kicking !!!
Dear Friends and all my lovely readers,I thought I owe this to all of you-I am in India and enjoying life to the brim :))) I have not been posting lately but I promise I will start once I get back to my routine life. My trip to Kerala with my family was fantastic,we had the most amazing time in Thekaddy,Kumarakom &Cochin. I was hoping I will write a post on Kerela along with Kerela's exquisite cuisine, and also put up some pictures ,but I guess that will have to wait for now. I am taking liberties with time and there is no rush .I will have plenty of time for everything once I get back home (US)
Here is a couple of pictures from my holiday.Enjoy the pictures and stay well and happy :)!!!! Lots of love & hugs to all my wonderful blogger friends !!!!
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| In the bus which stayed with us throughout the holiday |
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| All my niece's & nephews in one of the lake resorts in Kumarakom |
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Thursday, March 24, 2011
Baingan Ka Bharta/Eggplant Grilled & Cooked in Onions& Tomatos
Friends-Buy the biggest eggplant which weighs around a ton ;) I learnt this from my mother-in -law,when I first started to go veggie shopping with her:) Her golden rule of thumb-When buying an eggplant for especially Bharta,"make sure it is heavy,you will get all flesh and less seeds." & when buying capsicums/bell peppers,"make sure you pick the lightest of the lot to avoid too much of seeds inside." I got more tips from her than I ever did from my mom in this department,and honestly they have all come very handy and I am sure you will remember these next time you are picking up an eggplant & bell peppers :)
I picked every eggplant and mentally weighed it and then put it down (people around me probably thought I was out of my mind or something ) finally I settled on this medium sized one which weighed around a pound & compared to the others in the lot it looked around the same in size but weighed comparitively more :)
Set the broiler on 500 d fahrenhiet and after poking the eggplant,cover it in a foil and keep it on the top rack right unedr the broiler for 20-25 minutes. Pull the top tray with your mitts on and insert a knife through the foil inside the eggplant if it goes through as smooth as a butter it is done. Let it cool. remove the skin or scoop the flesh with a round spoon and start the bharta preparation.
Ingredients you will need:
Onion: 2 medium sized very finely chopped
Tomato: 2 large sized chopped
Ginger: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Corrinader powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/4 tsp
Cilantro: 1 tbsp chopped for garnish
Green chilli: 2 whole( just for flavor)
Olive oil: 3 tbsp
Method:
Take a kadai and heat the oil.when hot slide the chopped onion and saute them till they turn a rich deep brown. You can sprinkle a little water in between if the onion start to stick at the bottom. Now when you have the desired color add the ginger,garlic and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomatos and the rest of the dry spices except the garam masala and cook till it gets a nice rich color and you see the oil appear at the edges. Now add the scooped eggplant and take a potato masher or with the back of a spoon,mash the eggplant intermittently till everything looks smooth and well blended ,now add the green chilli and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover the bharta ,sprinkle the chopped cilantro and the garam masala and squeeze some lemon jiuce and serve with roti's.
I picked every eggplant and mentally weighed it and then put it down (people around me probably thought I was out of my mind or something ) finally I settled on this medium sized one which weighed around a pound & compared to the others in the lot it looked around the same in size but weighed comparitively more :)
Set the broiler on 500 d fahrenhiet and after poking the eggplant,cover it in a foil and keep it on the top rack right unedr the broiler for 20-25 minutes. Pull the top tray with your mitts on and insert a knife through the foil inside the eggplant if it goes through as smooth as a butter it is done. Let it cool. remove the skin or scoop the flesh with a round spoon and start the bharta preparation.
Ingredients you will need:
Onion: 2 medium sized very finely chopped
Tomato: 2 large sized chopped
Ginger: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 1 tbsp
Salt: to taste
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
Corrinader powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/4 tsp
Cilantro: 1 tbsp chopped for garnish
Green chilli: 2 whole( just for flavor)
Olive oil: 3 tbsp
Method:
Take a kadai and heat the oil.when hot slide the chopped onion and saute them till they turn a rich deep brown. You can sprinkle a little water in between if the onion start to stick at the bottom. Now when you have the desired color add the ginger,garlic and salt and cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomatos and the rest of the dry spices except the garam masala and cook till it gets a nice rich color and you see the oil appear at the edges. Now add the scooped eggplant and take a potato masher or with the back of a spoon,mash the eggplant intermittently till everything looks smooth and well blended ,now add the green chilli and cover and cook for 5 minutes.
Uncover the bharta ,sprinkle the chopped cilantro and the garam masala and squeeze some lemon jiuce and serve with roti's.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Moong Daal & Chaval & Gobi / A complete meal
A very popular ,nutritious and wins hands down when it comes to one of those comforting meals. This meal reigns supreme in all the above mentioned departments in the Bhagia household. Also I had promised Mahir I would put this up on the blog especially for him-There are times when I am not around and he has to make long distance calls to get the recipe for these. So I know this should come in very handy for him and for those of you who are living the ,"forced bachelor" days. This is not at all time consuming and even easier for those of you who use separators in the pressure cooker to make two or three things simultaneously :)
Recipe For Moong Daal:
Moong Daal dhuli : 1 cup washed & soaked for 20 minutes
Salt: To taste
Turmeric: a pinch
Olive Oil: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves: 10-12
Tomato: 1 medium sized chopped
Cumin/Jeera: 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cilantro washed & chopped: 2 tbsp
Asfoetida: a pinch
Ginger grated: 1/2 tsp
Take the washed daal and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water, grated ginger,salt & turmeric and 1 tsp of oil to avoid the froth and spilling. After the first whistle,I let it cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes and then take it off the flame & let the steam release on its own.
Now take off the lid and mash the daal with the back of the spoon and add enough water to make it as thin or thick you would like it to be.I make it soup like to enjoy it with the rice and roti as well.
Keep it on medium flame again and let it come to a rolling boil,keep stirring it so it does stick to the bottom. Add the chopped cilantro also while it is boiling.
Meanwhile take a small kadai/pan and heat the remaining oil,when hot add the mustard,cumin and asfoetida,when it starts to splutter and the chopped tomato's and cook for a while, now add red pepper to this and pour this on the daal. You will get a nice rich color and it will make the daal look and taste very appetizing.
Recipe For Gobi:
Gobi: 1 small bunch of cauliflower washed &cut into small florets.
Ginger: 2 inch piece cleaned and chopped or grated
Onion: 1 medium chopped
garlic: 2 flakes chopped
Tomato: 1 medium chopped
Salt: to taste
Asfoetida: a pinch
Red Pepper: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala: a pinch or little more
Green chilli's whole: 3
Cumin: 1 tsp
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Method:
Take a kadhai, and heat the oil,when it turns very hot add the cumin,hing/asfoetida and let it splutter.Now add the chopped onions and grated or chopped ginger ,garlic and saute till golden brown.
Add the florets and saute them on high flame for 2-4 minutes. Making sure to give them a good shake every once in a while. Now add salt and turmeric and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid for 4 minutes or till the gobi is 3/4 th cooked.
Now take the lid off and add the remaining spices along with the chopped tomato's and cover it for some more time or till the gobi is cooked. I like the gobi to have a crunch so I do not cook it all the way but leave it 80% cooked.
Garnish it with chopped cilantro and also squeeze some lime juice before serving it with rice & daal.
Note: If Mahir can cook rice without a recipe then I am hoping every one can :0
Moong Daal dhuli : 1 cup washed & soaked for 20 minutes
Salt: To taste
Turmeric: a pinch
Olive Oil: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves: 10-12
Tomato: 1 medium sized chopped
Cumin/Jeera: 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp
Cilantro washed & chopped: 2 tbsp
Asfoetida: a pinch
Ginger grated: 1/2 tsp
Take the washed daal and pressure cook it with 2 cups of water, grated ginger,salt & turmeric and 1 tsp of oil to avoid the froth and spilling. After the first whistle,I let it cook on medium flame for 3-4 minutes and then take it off the flame & let the steam release on its own.
Now take off the lid and mash the daal with the back of the spoon and add enough water to make it as thin or thick you would like it to be.I make it soup like to enjoy it with the rice and roti as well.
Keep it on medium flame again and let it come to a rolling boil,keep stirring it so it does stick to the bottom. Add the chopped cilantro also while it is boiling.
Meanwhile take a small kadai/pan and heat the remaining oil,when hot add the mustard,cumin and asfoetida,when it starts to splutter and the chopped tomato's and cook for a while, now add red pepper to this and pour this on the daal. You will get a nice rich color and it will make the daal look and taste very appetizing.
Recipe For Gobi:
Gobi: 1 small bunch of cauliflower washed &cut into small florets.
Ginger: 2 inch piece cleaned and chopped or grated
Onion: 1 medium chopped
garlic: 2 flakes chopped
Tomato: 1 medium chopped
Salt: to taste
Asfoetida: a pinch
Red Pepper: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder: 1 tsp
Garam masala: a pinch or little more
Green chilli's whole: 3
Cumin: 1 tsp
Olive Oil: 2 tbsp
Method:
Take a kadhai, and heat the oil,when it turns very hot add the cumin,hing/asfoetida and let it splutter.Now add the chopped onions and grated or chopped ginger ,garlic and saute till golden brown.
Add the florets and saute them on high flame for 2-4 minutes. Making sure to give them a good shake every once in a while. Now add salt and turmeric and cover the pan with a tight fitting lid for 4 minutes or till the gobi is 3/4 th cooked.
Now take the lid off and add the remaining spices along with the chopped tomato's and cover it for some more time or till the gobi is cooked. I like the gobi to have a crunch so I do not cook it all the way but leave it 80% cooked.
Garnish it with chopped cilantro and also squeeze some lime juice before serving it with rice & daal.
Note: If Mahir can cook rice without a recipe then I am hoping every one can :0
Monday, March 21, 2011
Besan Wali Zucchini/Zucchini Cooked in Gram flour
Friends,I hope everyone had a great Holi with friends & family. We had a big get together in our house on the 19th which went on till the 20th afternoon ,there was lots of good food and sweets from Raj Bhog and we played with Abir/color,I wanted to put up a picture of me with my friends in holi colors,but it will have to wait due to technical difficulties :( And I cannot believe it is the first official day of spring here and it snowed for us :(
Personally I prefer eating anything cooked with Besan/Gram flour on a cold wintry or rainy day.So here is a very tasty zucchini vegetable cooked with besan from my drafts,it has been lying in there for quite some time,I must have cooked it on one of those cold wintry ,rainy days. This one is very simple to make and the besan and mango powder along with other non-dominant spices makes this zucchini dish very special and different from the regular zucchini fair :) So I hope you will give this one a try,here it goes:
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Zucchini: 4 cut lengthwise into two pieces and then cubed into 1- 2 inch pieces
Oil: olive oil: 2 tbsp
Red dry chili: 4
Kalonji/nigella seeds: 1 tsp
Gram flour: dry roasted 1 tbsp and then cooled
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 th tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Mango powder: 1 tbsp
Jeera/cumin powder: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Lime Juice : To squeeze at the end of the preparation is optional
Method:
Take all the dry spices in a big owl except nigella/kalonji seeds & the whole chilli's and mix the zucchini along with the spices in the bowl and give it a good shake.Leave it marinated in these spices for 10 minutes.
Now take a frying pan and heat the oil.When it is hot add the nigella seeds/kalonji and the whole dried chilli's,wait for a couple minutes before you add the zucchini to this oil. Now slide in the zucchini and stir it nicely in the oil. Fry it for a couple minutes,till you see a nice glossy coat on all.Now cover and cook with a tight lid for 7-10 minutes. Leave it a little crunchy,it tastes better when it has a nice crunch to it. Also make sure when you remove the lid to check on the doneness,do not let the water build-up from the steam drop in the zucchini,this will make the zucchini wet and when you cover it again it will get soft and will not be able to retain its crunchiness.
Enjoy this with roti's with some daal on the side :) Also don't forget to squeeze some lime juice if you enjoy it tangy & spicy.
Personally I prefer eating anything cooked with Besan/Gram flour on a cold wintry or rainy day.So here is a very tasty zucchini vegetable cooked with besan from my drafts,it has been lying in there for quite some time,I must have cooked it on one of those cold wintry ,rainy days. This one is very simple to make and the besan and mango powder along with other non-dominant spices makes this zucchini dish very special and different from the regular zucchini fair :) So I hope you will give this one a try,here it goes:
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
Zucchini: 4 cut lengthwise into two pieces and then cubed into 1- 2 inch pieces
Oil: olive oil: 2 tbsp
Red dry chili: 4
Kalonji/nigella seeds: 1 tsp
Gram flour: dry roasted 1 tbsp and then cooled
Red chili powder: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/4 th tsp
Coriander powder: 1 tsp
Mango powder: 1 tbsp
Jeera/cumin powder: 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Lime Juice : To squeeze at the end of the preparation is optional
Method:
Take all the dry spices in a big owl except nigella/kalonji seeds & the whole chilli's and mix the zucchini along with the spices in the bowl and give it a good shake.Leave it marinated in these spices for 10 minutes.
Now take a frying pan and heat the oil.When it is hot add the nigella seeds/kalonji and the whole dried chilli's,wait for a couple minutes before you add the zucchini to this oil. Now slide in the zucchini and stir it nicely in the oil. Fry it for a couple minutes,till you see a nice glossy coat on all.Now cover and cook with a tight lid for 7-10 minutes. Leave it a little crunchy,it tastes better when it has a nice crunch to it. Also make sure when you remove the lid to check on the doneness,do not let the water build-up from the steam drop in the zucchini,this will make the zucchini wet and when you cover it again it will get soft and will not be able to retain its crunchiness.
Enjoy this with roti's with some daal on the side :) Also don't forget to squeeze some lime juice if you enjoy it tangy & spicy.
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