Saturday, September 17, 2016

Quick Tofu Masala | Easy Side-dish under 30mins


For the final day of this week, I would share one of my easy go-to recipe for a side-dish which is a low-fat version of Paneer Butter Masala and it works perfect with Tofu in place of Paneer. Tofu is a good source of Protein and contains all the 8 essential amino acids. It is low in carb and is helpful for weight loss.This recipe is very simple - no grinding of masala or tedious steps involved yet this Quick Tofu Masala is absolutely delicious and makes for a great side-dish for Roti or Pulao / Biryani. Adding just a little low-fat / skimmed milk will make the gravy rich and creamy. Also, I always have Everest Shahi Paneer Masala handy which had a unique flavour for any Paneer or Tofu based gravies. Try this Quick Tofu Masala for a heathy, yummy side-dish.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Cabbage Small onion Salad | Diabetic Recipe


Cabbage is one of the essential veggies to be included abundantly in a Diabetic diet. It is very low in calorie and has a high fiber content and a low Glycemic Index. Cabbage had a lot of antioxidant and anti-hyperglycemic properties which makes it an excellent Diabetic-freindly food. For those weight-watchers, make sure you bring Cabbage to your table often and see amazing results with your weight loss goals. I have already shared a rich and creamy Low-fat Cabbage Soup recipe. For today, its a very simple and easy Cabbage onion Salad which can be made in a jiffy. Cabbage with small onion / chinna vengayam is a nice combo and the nutrients in both are retained the maximum in this Salad.

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Mudakathan Keerai Soup | Balloon Vine Soup


Balloon Vine or Cardiospermum Halicacabum is called as Mudakathan keerai in Tamil and it has amazing anti-inflammatory properties which makes it a great medicinal plant. Regular use of this Mudakathan keerai in diet is helpful in treating joint pains and arthritis. It is easily available in local markets. Make sure you buy fresh leaves for maximum benefit. This herb can be easily grown at home with little or no maintenance at all. Few months back, when I was suffering from severe back ache and knee pain, I was suggested to drink this Mudakathan Soup everyday and it really helped relieve the intense pain. Together with some strengthening exercises, I could find a great relief. As with most medicinal plants, this Mudakathan Keerai Soup can be included in Diabetic diet. Check out the recipe for one of the easiest Soups which takes no effort at all in making. Instead of straining the leaves after boiling, I find it better to consume the leaves also. It may be quite strong, but a little adaptation will get you going with the taste of this medicinal Soup.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Low Calorie Tomato Soup | Tomato Moong Dal Soup


Soups are great for a healthy and low-calorie diet, if the addition of cream and high amounts of butter is avoided. This Tomato-Moong dal soup is very nutritious and light and makes a great substitute to regular Tomato soup. The creamy texture of this soup is attained by the addition of moong dal which is also a good source of protein. Instead of big onions, I have used the Small onion / chinna vengayam which indeed added a unique flavour to the soup. This Tomato-Dal Soup recipe is easy to make and can be whipped up in under 30mins. 

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Nellikai Sadam | Amla Rice Recipe

Amla or Indian gooseberry is considered to be a 'Kaya-Kalpa' berry, according to Ayurveda. It has all the six tastes viz, sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent which are essential for a healthy diet. Amla is said to increase the life-force or the 'Prana Shakthi' and is Sattvic in nature which is soothing to the brain. An Amla a day provides all the essential nutrients to the body. Rich in Vitamin C, Amla rejuvenates the cells, strengthens the organ systems and tones up the tissues. No wonder, it plays a vital role in Diabetic diet too. Coming up today is an easy recipe for Amla Rice / Nellikai Sadam which is suitable for Diabetics. My kids like to have it for their Lunch box as well. 

Monday, September 12, 2016

Kala Chana Chaat - Diabetic friendly Recipe


Hope you are enjoying this Cooking Carnival together with me. As most of you know, I have picked up 26 diet recipes which I categorise under one sub-theme each week. And, for this week, its going to be 6 Diabetic-friendly recipes. When I decided on this theme, I gathered some info from my amma (MIL) who is managing her diabetics very effeciently. She is a very strong woman who strictly follows the prescribed diet and never gives in to cravings. For day 1 of this week, it is a healthy Chaat recipe made with Black chickpea or Kala Channa, which is rich in protein. Hence, it makes up for a filling mid-meal snack or a side-dish.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Oats Apple Phirni | Low Calorie Phirni recipe | Under 10-mins Dessert


I had bookmarked this recipe from Tarladalal's cookbook long back and wanted to try this for a super-delicious Low-calorie dessert. Today being the last in Low-Calorie recipe series, this Oats Apple Phirni would be a perfect choice. Kids and we adults too loved the Apple-Oats combo and the best thing is that I didn't add sugar or any other sweetener at all. Nevertheless, the Phirni turned out so yummy. Crunchy bits of Almonds and some pomegranate seeds added to the richness. 

Friday, September 09, 2016

Low fat Atta ka Sheera Recipe | Microwave Atta Halwa in 5mins

For Day 5 of this week's Low Calorie recipes, I would share an easy to make dessert recipe. Atta Sheera or Atta Halwa can be made healthy by reducing the sugar as well as replacing the ghee with Oil. I tried to cut down on the quantity of fats used but that did'nt affect the end result. The Atta sheera turned out so well and I was asked for the recipe by my friends who tasted this. This yummy dessert can be whipped up in just 5mins time..Microwave oven does the magic. Off to the recipe now!

Wednesday, September 07, 2016

Cream Of Cabbage Soup | Low - Calorie Cabbage Soup With Broccoli

Soups are our comfort food which also happen to be a healthy alternative for most weeknight dinners at home. For a quick and healthy dinner,I always resort to one of the easy soup recipes such as this Bean and Mixed Veg Soup which works with pretty much any combination of veggies and/or beans. Another family favourite is this creamy Cabbage soup which I love to include in our everyday menu as often as possible. Cabbage is a Powerfood which is low in calorie and high in fiber and it works wonders in aiding weight-loss and helps with lowering Blood pressure and Cholesterol. In this soup, onion and cabbage are blended with low-fat skimmed milk into a smooth puree and you'd swear it included cream. Even those of you who don't like the strong smell of cabbage would enjoy this. Spare an extra 5-7mins to top it with Broccoli bits which you sure would love to munch on while relishing the soup.

Preparation time - 5mins
Cooking time - 20mins
Serves - 4

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Mixed Veg Dal Paratha - Low-Calorie Paratha Recipe


Today's recipe under Low-Calorie Veg Recipe is going to be an Indian Bread. When talking about breads, almost all Indian breads are Flatbreads which are made in a Tawa on Tandoor without the addition of leavening agents. This Mixed Veg Dal Paratha is a regular on our weekdays' menu. It is packed with lot of veggies together with moong dal and is a Complete meal by itself. You don't have to spend time for making a side-dish. Just a plain curd or pickle would go well with this Paratha. I find it very easy to make for busy weeknights. Pick veggies of your choice and make variations with different legumes for variety in flavours. Do remember not to add too much Dal as it makes the Paratha dough sticky. 

Monday, September 05, 2016

Low-Calorie Broccoli Kofta - Appe Pan Recipe

After the first week of Cooking Carnival with Healthy Diet Smoothies, this week is going to be Low-Calorie Veg Recipes. I have come up with some healthy Low-Calorie Vegetarian recipes, all of which are kids-friendly and have been approved by my kids. First in the series would be Low-Calorie Broccoli Kofta. Koftas are everyone's favourite either dry as an appetizer / Starter or with a gravy. Ever since I started using Appe pan for Koftas using little oil, Iam in love with that and have tried many recipes in Appe pan. There is absolutely no change in the delicious taste and I feel it preserves the flavour at its best. Being on a weight-loss diet, I prefer to include more veggies and Kofta is an interesting way to include them. I had prepared the Kofta dough the previous night and have cooked it the next morning for kids' lunch box and its a super hit among their friends. Check out the recipe below..



Saturday, September 03, 2016

Carrot Nuts Breakfast Smoothie


After some healthy, herbal and Green Smoothies, Iam coming up with a delicious, kids-friendly Smoothie which my kids really love. I always make sure to include Carrots in their everyday menu in one form or the other. I could see my daughter's eye power is improving considerably with Carrots. This recipe has an aromatic nutty flavour which goes well with Carrot.

Friday, September 02, 2016

Papaya Herbal Smoothie Recipe


For the second day of this week, I have yet another Herbal Breakfast Smoothie recipe which is loaded with an array of health benefits from the herbs used. Tulsi, a variety of Basil is a great immunity booster and Betal leaf is known for its digesitive power and healing and is extensively used in Ayurveda. Curry leaves and the Greens are great sources of Iron. I have used Papaya in this Smoothie. You could swap any of your favourite fruit. Since Iam not used to Herbal drinks, I found it little hard to take in the taste. But, I felt this Herbal Smoothie light and refreshing and have incorporated it into my diet. Drinking Smoothies after a good workout and a hot shower feels great. Try this and lemme know how you liked it.

Thursday, September 01, 2016

Banana Greens Smoothie - Weight loss diet Recipe

This space had been silent for a year now due to some personal commitments and Iam now back for good. It was a hard time for me to stay away from blogging which I was passionate about. With my hubby and girls' support and encouragement, I could now get back on my toes. And it is very much exciting and motivating to start with a Mega Blogging Marathon which will last for this month of Sep. Blogging Marathon is the brain child of Srivalli who comes up with innovative themes every month. This month, we, a bunch of blogger friends will be coming up with an array of yummy recipes on all days with only Sundays as holidays. Come, join me for a Cooking Carnival at IndianVegKitchen. I have picked up Indian Veg Diet Recipes as my theme with Sub-themes for each week.