Corn Kebabs

Another quick recipe. Kebabs are basically meat dishes which originated in Persia and later adopted by the Middle East. They are generally grilled on the skewer over coal. But for convenience, people make them on pans.

Ingredients
1 Cup Corn Kernels  
2 Big Potatoes (boiled)  
2 Onions (chopped)
1 tablespoon Ginger (chopped)  
3 Green Chilies (chopped)  
Salt to taste  (1 teaspoon)
 1 teaspoon oil
Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
Oil for deep frying // shallow frying

Method
1. Boil the corn kernels in just enough water to cover the corn for about 2 minutes & drain all the water.

2. Coarsely grind the corn kernels. Do NOT use water at all because the corn itself has water.

3. In a pan, heat the oil, add the cumin seeds, SALT, onion & stir fry until the onion is translucent.

4. Add ginger and green chili

5. Finally, add the corn paste & the mashed potatoes. Mix well.

6. Finally, add Red Chili Powder, Garam Masala Powder (& adjust salt) and give it all a nice mix.

7. Let it cook on medium flame until the mixture becomes thick and starts leaving oil. (the water gets evaporated! )

8. Make small balls of the mixture. And press them to make round disks. If the mixture is still not thick enough, you can mix some bread crumbs or semolina or cornflour.

9. Arrange them on a pan & put 1 drop of oil on each kebab and cook on medium flame.

10. Turn it over (after about 3-6 minutes) and let it cook on the other side.

Your KEBAB is ready! Serve with some tomato ketchup! ☺

*Alternatively, you can deep fry it too.

Simple Muesli (Healthy Breakfast)

Muesli is one of the easiest and most popular breakfast item. When you don't have the time to cook and eat a fresh homemade breakfast, opt for Muesli (and not the roadside sandwiches!). 
You get ready to eat Muesli in the market. But you can also make and store it at home. For this, you'll need -

Oats
Dried Apricots & Figs
Dried Almonds (and any other dry fruits)
Cornflakes
Assorted fruits (to be added before eating)
Milk or Yogurt (to be added before eating)
Honey (to be added before eating)

Method
1. Dry roast porridge oats.
2. Chop the dry apricots, almonds & figs 
3. Mix them with cornflakes and apricots, almonds, figs etc. Store in airtight container.

4. While serving / eating, take a little mixture in the bowl, add some fruits (optional), honey(optional) and milk or yogurt and eat up! ☺

A healthy breakfast reduces the risk of late night cravings. So, no matter how busy you are in the morning, keep 5 minutes aside to have a hearty meal! And I guess it goes without saying - NO TV, Newspapers or Books while eating! :-D

 

Don't Lose You Mind Lose Your Weight - Book Review & Sample Diets

Hello everybody!

This post is neither about any food recipe nor any exercise. (I should perhaps widen my blog's purpose again! ☺) Its about this wonderful book that I read; titled "Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight" by celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. Unlike many other diet books, this one clicks because she tells what everyone wants to hear but are scared to : This books tells you to EAT. ☺ 

Mesmerized by what she puts forth in this book, I attended her workshop with Manali Shah. And believe me, she looks so good!! She may genetically be thin, but you just know when you look at a person whether he/she is fit or not. When you workout regularly and eat well, you have this certain quality that people can tell you are healthy. Rujuta Diwekar looks amazingly fit! Having heard her talk, (she talks very casually! Not at all like giving advice) I am all charged up!

I read this book again and now, I've finally decided to not just give this one a try, but to incorporate her principles into my daily life! (I'll write about these principles later) I have decided to follow her principles religiously for the next 30 days (to begin with) and then blog about the effect!

Like many people, I succumbed to societal pressures and tried many fad diets and all I've lost is my gullibility! Oh, and my worst enemy is was my tongue! I admit, I do dream of the day when there will be a magic pill that will stop a Cheese Pizza from evilly settling in inconvenient places.

Rujuta Diwekar

So, back to the book. It is a no nonsense, to-the-point book that will uplift your spirits (if a diet book tells you that you can eat anything you want and still lose weight, wouldn't you squeal with delight? ☺) The corner-stone of her book are the 4 principles of eating correctly, which are:-

A. Eat something within the first 10-15 minutes of waking up. ► Extension - never wake up to tea/coffee/beverage. Eat something fresh (like a fruit)

B. Eat every 2 hours and in smaller quantities. (more on portion size later..)

C. Eat more when you're more active and eat less when you're less active

D. Finish your last meal at least 2 hours prior to sleeping.

Some of the other principles she suggests -

1. Eat freshly prepared food.

2. Don't smash/juice your fruits and vegetables.

3. Eat good fats like clarified butter/ghee, cheese, cottage cheese etc.

4. Since we don't get all the required nutrients in our diet, it is a good idea to take Vitamin & Calcium supplements. But do consult an expert before you do so!

5. For a diet to work, it has to be PERSONALIZED. Generalization never works

6. Remain loyal to your genes. Eat what you have been eating all your life.

7. Eat local, think global! ☺ ☻

8. Never obsess with your weight! It is not an indicator of good health!

9. Do not blame yourself for the little slip ups. Just get back to routine.

10. Make exercise a non-negotiable part of your plan (& your LIFE!)

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some sample diets prescribed by her. You will have to alter it according to your convinience, taste, comfort, availability etc.

I. DIET No. 1

7.15 a.m.: 1 banana
(Breakfast, gym days) muesli + skim milk + 1 scoop whey protein
(Non-gym days) 2 egg whites + 1 slice of whole wheat toast
10 a.m. to 10.30 a.m.: A handful of peanuts
1.30 p.m.: 1 roti + vegetables + dal
3.30 p.m.: a bowl of curd
5.30 p.m.: Soy milk – any flavour
7.30 p.m.: 2 egg whites or 1 chicken breast + home made vegetable or veg salad

II. DIET No. 2

5 am - Wake Up & a fresh fruit

6.30 am - a glass of milk + 1/2 tablespoon of Whey Protein (I had my Multi-Vitamin here)
8:30 am - A home cooked breakfast (Idli, Dosa, Poha, Roti Sabji, Upma, Chilla, Dhokla, Puri Bhaji etc.) [[these are Indian breakfast. Switch with your local healthy breakfast option]] {good time to cheat}
10:45 am -  1-2 Roti / Tortilla + Veggies + legumes (dal)
1 pm - 1 bowl of Legume Salad / or any other salad + 1 glass buttermilk
3 pm - Peanuts / Makhana (Foxnut) {good time to cheat}
5 pm - Slice of Cheese (don't GASP! It is healthy! ☻) OR A simple sandwich
6-7 pm : Workout time
7:15 pm - 1 bowl of Rice, Veggies, Dal + 1 scoop Whey Protein in WATER + 1 teaspoon Flax Seeds {good time to cheat}

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So, you get the idea?? Both these diets have Indian foods. But no matter where you live, you can eat according to your genes and the local produce. A healthy food is one that gives more nutrients than it gives calories! In my opinion, whether you are an Indian or not, you must read this book! It is an eye-opener! It is a perfect book not just for weight-loss, but for improvement of overall health! ☺

If you are in India, you can easily order this book from FLIPKART. They accept cash on delivery! No hassles, perfect service! ☺ And it is cheap! Here's the link.

Or stay tuned to read more tips and posts about healthy living....

Greek Salad

Greek Salad is a summer salad of the (obviously) Greek cuisine. For people who are wondering why I've been posting chocolates and cakes since I talked about adopting a healthy lifestyle, here's a post to put an end to that "WHY"! (and it was my birthday! I couldn't have substituted a salad for the delicious cake!)


I did not try this recipe. My friend Manali Shah of Nothing Intellectual did. You can check out her post HERE. Or, for the benefit of the lazy (oops! sorry! please do come back to my blog!) I'm re-posting it here (with her permission of course!) But I have tasted greek salad once. Its light, healthy and tasty!! But honestly, not something I would have everyday! I like my food cooked. I'm not a big fan of salads. But when garnished with delicious toppings, who am I to say no?

In Manali Shah's words....

"Endive lettuce, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, kiwi, black olives and tomatoes – sprinkled generously with Olive oil. My Greek salad was colourful and delectable! And the whole thing took hardly a few minutes to make!
I had never tasted feta cheese before and trust me, it is heavenly. It’s undoubtedly the best cheese I’ve ever had. If you’re in Mumbai, you can buy it from Foodhall at Palladium, Phoenix Mills and at Godrej’s Nature’s Basket outlets."

So, there you go - a healthy recipe! Don't eat it for breakfast, lunch AND dinner! If you really love it, have once in a day! Who know, eating too much of raw veggies may turn you into a cow! heheh.. kidding! Anyhoo, here's a recipe I found on Tarla Dalal's site. If & when I make it, I'll post pictures.

Ingredients

2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (khumbh)
1 cup pitted black olives
1/2 cup green olives
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup greek dressing or italian dressing
1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Method  

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours to blend flavors. 

2. And does taste yummmm!!!!!

Happy Eating!!!

Yelai Vadaam (Steamed Rice Pancakes)

I guess most of you wouldn't have heard of "Yelai Vadaam". It is one of the lesser known foods of the Iyengars (a caste in South-India). South-Indian food is usually very healthy with subtle flavors, steamed or cooked with a minimum oil. It has all the goodness required to nourish our mind, body & soul. And yet, we go looking out for cheese, sauce, pasta etc! :-D Well, as they say - the grass is greener on the other side.

Anyways, back to Yelai Vadaam - it's an endangered specie! My grandmothers used to make them often! Until last year, I used to beg my mom to make it and she used to oblige like once a year! But not anymore! Coz I've realized how simple this dish is! ☺It is a time consuming process - but so worth the effort!

"Yelai" in TAMIL (a south-Indian language) means LEAF. This dish is usually made on a palaash or banana leaf. Although, these days, you have a variety of other options! :-)This is perfect for breakfast (although you have to PLAN!) or a snack..

(This makes enough for 2 people)
Things you'll need
Plain White Rice- 200 grams
Asafoetida / Hing/ Perungaayam - 2 teaspoon
Carom Seeds / Ajwain / Omam - 1 tablespoon
OR
Jeera / Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste around 3 teaspoons
Oil - as required (1 teaspoon)
Lemon juice - 1-2 teaspoons (optional: only if the batter has not fermented fully)
Green Chili paste - 1 tablespoon (optional)
** Banana Leaf & Rice cooker
OR an  elai vadaam stand
OR a stand to hold plates & steam
*** If you don't find banana leaf, you can use the other method of steaming them on a plate. OR you could use any edible large leaf OR saran wrap that hold up when steamed

Method
ALTERNATIVE  1: Using Banana Leaves

1. Soak the white rice for 2-3 hours.

2. Drain & grind the rice with little water into a thin batter. Add the salt, mix well & leave it in room temperature for 2-3 DAYS. I have a huge grinder at home. I used that. Use only if you intend on grinding large amounts of batter! A normal mixer/blender is okay for small quantities.

3. After the 2nd or 3rd day - add asafoetida, cumin/carom seeds, adjust salt and mix well. It should be of pouring consistency. Since the batter has been kept for 2-3 days, it must have become sour. This is perfectly okay. Add lemon juice if you want more sourness.

4. Keep the steamer ready. Invert a large vessel on it & heat 2 cups of water in it.
5. Take the banana leaf and cut it into 4 quarters. smear it with a drop of vegetable oil. Now spread about a ladle-full of batter onto the banana leaf (you have to do this one at a time), in a circular motion (like you would for a dosa/pancake) and try to spread it as thin as possible.

6. Carefully place the leaf on the vessel in the steamer. Close the lid & steam (cook without whistle) for about 2-3 minutes.

7. You could just peel it off the leaf and eat it hot; Or you could roll it up into a cigar-shape; Or, you could add some stir-fried veggies and roll up to make a steamed Indian-style spring roll! Or you could eat it with molagai podi (more on this later)

ALTERNATIVE 2: In case you don't get a banana leaf :-
1. The steps 1-4 are the same.
2. Keep the yelai vadaam stand ready. It is a stand with detachable thin pates to make this dish. Smear a drop of oil onto the plates & put the batter on the plates (as thin as possible)

3. Arrange the plates on the stand & steam it for about 2-3 minutes.

4. Peel & eat! If you are finding it difficult to peel, use some water to moisten the edges!

ALTERNATIVE 3: Use flat plates.
If you can't do the 1st or the 2nd option, here's another way of making it -
1. Again, steps 1-4 are the same.
2. Heat water in a deep bottomed pan. Invert a large vessel with flat bottom.
3. Take a flat plate, smear some oil & pour the batter.
4. Keep the plate on the flat-bottomed vessel. Close the whole pan wih a large vessel & let it steam for 2-3 minutes.
5. Peel & Enjoy!

ALTERNATIVE 4:
Once you make these, you can either eat them up right away, or dry them up & fry & eat! That tastes lovely too!

VERDICT: ooo! Its was lovely! I love its texture! Me and my dad just compete with each other to decide who gets the larger share! We both love it steaming hot while my brother likes it dried & fried! Inspite of making over 100 Rice pancakes (yelai vadaams) we gobbled it up in 10 minutes! And we saved only 8 of them for my brother! ;-)

I'm sending this post to Krithi and Denny's "Serve it Steamed" Event! ☻
                        
Also sending it to Radhika's Let's cook - Scrumptious Breakfast event

This is the VERY FIRST time I'm participating in a food blog event!  Although I don't expect to win, (you should see some of the entries! What perfection!!! Compared to theirs, mine is very simple!) I thoroughly loved cooking for the event PLUS eating it too! :) ☺