Sweet Potato Tacos

This sweet potato dish is an Indian version of tacos. While growing up we only ate sweet potatoes as a snack - slow roasted in the clay oven - just the thought of it makes me drool. Anyhow, I was skeptical trying to make a meal out of sweet potatoes but we absolutely love the end result.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp. chili flakes
•  sea salt
• 2 medium onions (I like using red onions for this)
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound / 500g), scrubbed and cut into cubes
• ½ cup – ¾ cup / 125ml–175ml water or vegetable broth
• eggs (optional)
• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Lime juice to taste

Serve with:
sliced avocado
chapatis, tortillas or pita bread
hot sauce
extra cilantro

Process:
1. In a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, melt the oil over medium heat. Add the spices, including the chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the onions along with a few pinches of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they have caramelized.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to mix with the onions and spices. Add about ½ cup water or broth, cover skillet with a lid and let cook undisturbed for 10-12 minutes, this will allow the sweet potatoes to steam. (If the potatoes are not cooked through, put the lid back on and cook for another five minutes or so, adding more water if necessary. If there is water in the pan remaining, simply remove the lid and allow it steam off.) Once the sweet potatoes are done, squeeze a little bit of lime juice.
4. Optional:To cook the eggs, make a few divots and crack eggs into them. Put the lid back on and allow the eggs to cook for about 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the eggs separately as per your liking (the recipe suggested runny yolks.)
5. We ate this with corn tortillas -  just before serving, add chopped avocado, cilantro and egg.

Asparagus & Beets Stir Fry

Like most of the recipes posted so far, this one too involves minimal effort but with oh- so spectacular results. This recipe was recommended by a dear friend - Gaurav who is
incredibly creative in the kitchen.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Asparagus 
• 1 medium onion - sliced
• 2 medium beets
• 2 cloves of garlic - whole
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes - sliced
• 2 eggs -boiled
• 2 oranges
• some kind of cheese (optional)

Process

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop the beets into bite sized pieces - place them on a tray - spray with little bit of olive oil and salt and pepper. Let them cook for about 20-30mins. (Mine took about 20 mins)
• Put the eggs for boiling on the side
• Take a pan, add olive oil and sauté the whole garlic cloves till they are fragrant. 
• Add the sliced onions and let them cook for a couple of minutes and then add the cut asparagus Let them cook for a few minutes - till they are done to your liking. I like mine a bit crunchy.
• Mix the cooked beets to this mixture
• Garnish with - cut cherry tomatoes, boiled eggs and orange slices.
• Serve while still warm

Raspberry Chia Jam - Super Simple

As much as I love trying our new creative recipes, I love making basics such as pasta sauce, tahini or nut butters. One thing that I never thought of trying was making jam at home - the idea never allured me - it seemed like wasting fresh fruit to me. But boy was I wrong !! this Raspberry jam is so simple and tastes divine - way way better than the store bought variety.

Here is how to go about it:
Ingredients:

• 3 cups fresh raspberries (can use frozen too)
• 1 juice of orange
• 1/4th cup honey (can use agave or maple syrup)
• 2 tbs chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• small pinch of cinnamon
• dash of salt (v.v little)

Instructions:

1. Add raspberries, orange juice and honey in a pan - and bring it all to a boil (try and keep the flame on medium low)
2. After a boil - add the chia seeds and turn the flame down to minimum and let it simmer for about 15 mins (Next time, I am planning to add chia seeds after I remove it from the stove)
3. Take it off the stove - add vanilla, cinnamon and sea salt.
4. Chill in the fridge

Zucchini Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin Sauce

Let me begin by saying that I have been a lifelong hater of pumpkin, I tried the typical Indian veggie version of it as a kid and immediately disliked it and have not had it ever since. However, off late I have been exploring new ways to eat pumpkin/squash - there are so many great recipes out there. The first one I tried was this and I absolutely loved it. I have eaten Zucchini noodles with summer veggies but adding the pumpkin sauce makes it perfect for winters. A word of caution - do not make this recipe expecting it to taste like your regular pasta - it will not - the flavors are rich but still will need some getting used to (or maybe it's just my pumpkin fear that's coming out)

To make noodles out of veggies, I use this simple spiralizer and it works great for me. I am planning to graduate to this one soon - which will work better, if you are cooking larger quantities or have the storage space for it.  

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large zucchini

Pumpkin Sauce

• 1 sugar pumpkin - roasted then pureed
• 1 medium green apple (swapped it with lime juice)
• ½ cup fresh sage - chopped
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp roasted pumpkin seed oil (can skip it - I didn't have any)
• Juice of 1-2 oranges
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (using some for baking)
• pinch of turmeric
• black pepper
• sea salt to taste
• Garnish: roasted pumpkin seeds, dash of cinnamon, fresh black pepper, roasted pumpkin seed oil (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Slice the sugar pumpkin in half, placing the flesh side up. Sprinkle little bit of cinnamon powder. 
3. Bake the pumpkin on a well greased baking sheet for 45 minutes or until tender. 
4. Scoop out the pumpkin from it's skin, puree the pumpkin with all remaining sauce ingredients.
5. Adjust seasonings to taste - I had to add more lime juice
6.  Transfer the pumpkin puree into a pot on the stovetop to heat through again. 
7. Make Zucchini noodles and serve with pumpkin sauce on top and garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and black pepper. 

NOTES:

• I had leftover sauce, which made for a yummy evening soup the next day - just added little bit of more water and heated it.
• Since the size of pumpkins vary a lot - the seasonings will require some major adjustments. I had to add at least juice of 1 lime to make it work for my palette. 

Recipe Source: Nutrition Stripped

Facial Massage Technique

Found this video on how to do an effective at home facial massage - learnt quite a few helpful tricks so thought of sharing it here. Its a bit long - but you can watch it in parts as she discussing 3 different forms of massage.

Source: Link

Spicy Cauliflower, Kale, and Pomegranate Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 5-6 cups)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Dash red pepper flakes (skip if don't want too spicy)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 -1 lemon's juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 bunch of Dinosaur Kale
• 1 cup purple cabbage - shredded 
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the cauliflower florets with two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large mixing bowl, and then add the chili powder, paprika, coriander, cumin, pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until the cauliflower is evenly coated with the spice rub. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is getting crispy. Turn off the oven and set the cauliflower aside.
2. Whisk the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil together with the lemon juice, honey, and some salt and pepper to taste for a quick vinaigrette. Massage the vinaigrette into the kale, working until the kale is wilted and evenly coated. (Pull your sleeves up and massage the kale for 5-7 mins till it becomes soft in texture)
3. Toss in the purple cabbage, pomegranate arils, and the roasted cauliflower.
4. Adjust seasoning - salt, lime juice etc per taste

Recipe Source: Choosing Raw

Eating Raw Foods

Since the time I have become conscious of my food choices, I have read conflicting views on raw food diet v/s cooked foods. There are people who are completely off anything cooked and then there are some who believe eating raw food puts a lot of strain on your digestive system. I fall somewhere in the middle - I believe both cooked and raw food has its own specific advantages and I like to eat a good mix of cooked and raw stuff. The ratio changes from season to season - I tend to eat more raw in the summers and move to a warm diet made of more cooked food as winters approach. Here is what I have understood and concluded: 

There is no denying that temperature changes the chemical structure of the food, in turn destroying many of the vital nutrients our bodies need for optimal health and healing. That being said, not all heating is bad as cooking some foods such as grains and lentils unlocks their nutrients. This is a well know fact that all enzymes in the food are deactivated at a wet­-heat temperature of 118 degrees Fahrenheit, and a dry-­heat temperature of about 150 degrees. That is why foods and liquid at 117 degrees can easily be touched but liquids over 118 degrees will burn you - this is nature's way of telling you that the food is still alive and full of active enzymes. Because of this reason, these days I try and cook everything on a very low heat especially dals and Indian style veggies - it definitely takes longer but at the same time doesn't require constant monitoring and since I am not worried about burning anything I usually take care of other chores while the food is getting cooked. Investing in a good slow cooker might be another good way to transition to slow cooking.

I wanted to go a bit deeper into the role of enzymes and how they aid in digestion - I was quite fascinated by what I found. There are three major classifications of Enzymes: 

Metabolic Enzymes: The largest enzymes which play a role in all bodily processes including breathing, talking, moving, thinking, behavior and maintenance of the immune system. A subset of these metabolic enzymes acts to neutralize poisons and carcinogens such as pollutants, DDT and tobacco smoke, changing them into less toxic forms that the body can eliminate. 

Digestive enzymes: As the name suggests these enzymes help in digestion and there are 22 of these in total. Most of these enzymes are produced by the pancreas. They are secreted by glands in the duodenum (a valve that separates the stomach from the small intestine) and work to break down the bulk of partially digested food leaving the stomach.

Food Enzymes: These are present in raw foods and they initiate the process of digestion in the mouth and upper stomach. Food enzymes include proteases for digesting protein, lipases for digesting fats and amylases for digesting carbohydrates. 

This is why including raw foods in your diet is so important: The enzymes in raw food help start the process of digestion and reduce the body’s need to produce digestive enzymes. A diet composed exclusively of cooked food puts a severe strain on the pancreas, drawing down its reserves of enzymes. If the pancreas is constantly overstimulated to produce the enzymes that ought to be in foods, the result over time will be inhibited function.

As I mentioned in an earlier post - digestion is the most energy consuming function that our body performs. Depending on what you are eating your body may take anywhere from 15-30 minutes (juices and fruits) , 2 hours (salads etc) to up to 8 hours to digest improperly combined meals (food combination - a topic that needs a whole new post). Whenever you eat something - your body stops any of the repair or healing process that it might have been working on to focus on digestion and assimilating the food that you have just eaten.  When you eat raw foods - you are aiding digestion by providing the enzymes that help break down the nutrients in the food - thus helping the body spend less energy on digestion. The simple carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients available in fruits and veggies are readily used as fuel by the body. That is the reason, you will not feel lethargic and sleepy after eating even a big bowl of salad. 

• Apart from their nutrient content and digestive assistance, raw fruits and veggies tend to be more bulky because of their higher water content as compared to their cooked versions - this extra bulk helps full you up - making you less likely to over eat. 
• Another effect of eating raw foods is higher content of fibre in your diet which results in better elimination and detoxing of your system. 
• Also, since you will be assimilating higher percentage of nutrients from raw foods your body will be well nourished on the cellular level and therefore may not have as many cravings as a result.  I have to tell you something about cravings - when you are eager to eat a particular food - its your body's way of telling you that you are low on that particular nutrient and need to refuel it. For eg. when you crave chocolate - your body is actually is asking for the magnesium in the cacao butter used in chocolates that helps in reducing stress and promotes relaxation. (NOTE: Although, the whole craving phenomenon is a bit more complicated than this - will write another post on this)
• You also get more variety of foods in one meal when eating raw thereby getting a more wide variety of different nutrients. For eg- a typical salad contains a mix of a couple of vegetables and greens whereas a cooked meal usually contains 1-2 veggies and a type of grain. 

When you transition to diet higher in raw foods, you might experience some uncomfortable symptoms like increased bowel movement, headaches etc as your body is trying to detox and eliminate as much waste as possible (because it does not know for how long this raw food diet will last and its built to take the most advantage of a good opportunity but when the system realizes that this is more permanent change  - it kind of settles down) These symptoms are all temporary and last anywhere from a day to at most a week.

Organic + Local: While we are on the topic I cannot stress on the importance of choosing not only organic produce but locally produced food as far as possible. Eating Organic ensures that your immune system will not have to waste its precious energy on fighting off toxins that sprayed on conventional produce. But going organic is not enough at least not in my opinion - what is the point of Organic if my tomatoes are coming all the way from Mexico and spending multiple days in transit. Try and shop at your local farmer's market or opt for CSA (community supported agriculture) boxes. In my personal experience, organic food tastes better than conventional produce for sure, but there is a marked difference in store bought organic produce and farmer's market stuff. 

Over the last 2 years I have gradually increased my intake of raw foods. On an average, I will say our diet is bout 50% raw. Our weekday breakfasts are usually a glass of green juice and a fruit bowl, some kind of salad for lunch on most days and dinners are almost always something cooked. Weekends are when we eat a typical Indian meal - with dry cooked veggies (sookhi sabzi) or Rajma-Chole etc. This format works well for my household and like everything else in life you will have to find your sweet spot.

Mung Sprouts & Cabbage Poriyal

All this time the only way I knew how to eat mung sprouts was to mix them in salads - my go to summer salad was mung sprouts mixed with watermelon and few other ingredients. But Eating sprouts in winter has always been a challenge for me and this warm cabbage poriyal is a great way to add mung to your winter meals.

Mung sprouts are a great source of Vitamin C, folate, iron and Vit B complex. They are a good source of protein and fibre too. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup cabbage - finely chopped 
• 1 cup mung sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut (I used dried grated coconut)
• 2-3 tbsp Lime juice
• Salt
• Pepper

Tempering Ingredients

• 2tbsp Sesame Oil or Coconut Oil 
• 1 pinch heeng / asfoedita
• 10-12 springs fresh curry leaves
• 1tbsp urad dal (split)
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1tbsp green chillies - chopped
•  1 tsp green chillies - chopped
• 2 tsp ginger - minced

Method:

• Heat oil in the kadhai and add heeng and mustard seeds first.
• Then add the minced ginger, curry leaves, urad dal and green chillies - let them all sizzle for a few seconds
• Now add the cabbage. Toss and stir fry for 3-5 mins. ( I did not have enough green cabbage so I added some purple one too)
• Add salt and pepper
• Mix well and add the coconut.
• Take off the stove - add sprouts and lime juice 
• Serve warm or at room temperature

Turmeric Lemongrass Tea

Turmeric has been a staple spice in Indian households for ages but off-late I have started using fresh turmeric in my morning juice because of its immune boosting and anti-inflammatory properties.
A few days ago I came across a tea recipe using Turmeric that is just perfect for the cooler temperatures ahead.

Serves: 1-2

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups water
• 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced (I grate it directly on the pot)
• 2 tsp ground turmeric (or 1 inch turmeric root)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (or 2-3 cinnamon sticks)
• 1 tbsp lemongrass tea
• 2-3 peppercorns (optional)
• 1 green elaichi/cardamom (powdered)
• 1tsp saunf/ fennel seeds
• TO SERVE: sliced oranges/lemon, honey, juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon coconut oil (all optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a small saucepan, bring water to a boil, add ginger root, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, saunf, peppercorns and sliced oranges.
• Simmer for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat. Add lemongrass tea - steep for 3 minutes and then take out.
• Pour in a tea mug,
• TO SERVE: add coconut oil (optional), honey to taste, and fresh lemon juice. Enjoy hot or warm.

This tea can be made in so many different ways - You can simply add the spices that you have on hand or omit the ones that you don't like. I usually don't add honey and have yet to try the addition of coconut oil.

Recipe Source: Nutrition Stripped

Millet & Broccolini Salad

This is one of the few non-raw meals which I make pretty often for lunch. I love the idea of incorporating different varieties of grains in our diet especially with the wheat heavy Indian diet that most of us are used to. Millet can sometimes feel a bit dry - so I try and take it off the stove when it's still a little moist.

Here are some of the Benefits of Millet:

• Gluten free
• Alkaline in nature - thus help balance the pH levels
• Good source of fibre
• Low Glycemic index than wheat and rice
• High in protein - 1 cup cooked contains about 12-15% of your daily protein intake
• Niacin (Vit-B3) in millet can help lower cholesterol and helps in reducing triglycerides.
• It acts as a prebiotic - thus help feed the microflora (the good bacteria) in your system
• Only CON: Potential Goitrogen - People with thyroid problems should take millet in moderation because it contains goitrogens that might suppress thyroid activity. Unlike cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower where cooking reduces the goitrogen levels, millet's goitrogen levels infact increase when cooked.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups dry millet (I use Pearl Millet - pictured above)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 bunches of broccolini or baby broccoli
• handful of pitted kalamata olives - chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro
• handful of pine nuts + more to garnish

Vinaigrette:

• 4 T fresh pesto (recipe below)
• 4 T balsamic vinegar
• serious pinch of sea salt

METHOD:

• Dry toast millet in a saucepan for a few minutes until nutty and brown. (If in a hurry, I skip this step and directly boil it)
• Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. 
• Roughly chop the broccolini, pour some coconut oil, sprinkle with a couple pinches of sea salt and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until crispy. (Can totally do this in skillet)
• Mix the cooked millet, roasted broccolini, kalamata olives and parsley in a bowl
• Combine the dressing ingredients and mix well and add it to the millet mixture
• Add more salt to taste.
• Garnish with pine nuts

Pesto Recipe

• 3 cups fresh basil, sans stems
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I use much less oil- and add it progressively to get the right consistency)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 4 small/medium cloves of garlic
• sea salt

the how: throw it all in a food processor and blend. Add salt to taste

Recipe Source: A house in the hills

I garnished this with a boiled egg

Greek Salad with Sundried Tomatoes & Olives

This is one of the first few salads that I learnt to make and it's still one of those recipes that I turn to whenever I need to whip up a quick and healthy lunch. Its super easy to make if you discount the amount of chopping involved (working moms can chop the veggies in advance if need be).

INGREDIENTS

• Mixed Salad Greens
• A few handfuls diced Bell Peppers, use a variety of colors
• A few handfuls Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
• Cucumber - diced (I prefer Persian ones)
• Small red onion - diced
• Handful of Green Onions
• A handful of Kalamata Olives
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Sundried Tomatoes (I use dried ones - use kitchen scissors to cut them)
• Few pinches of Garlic Powder (optional)
• Black Pepper & salt
• Dressing: Squeeze Lemon Juice & drizzle Olive Oil
• Crumbled Feta cheese/ Goat cheese (totally optional - I use goat cheese once in a while)
• Chopped dill & parsley or cilantro (optional)

METHOD

Start with the salad greens - at times I chop them a bit - so they are easier to eat

Add all the veggies

Top with sun-dried tomatoes, Olives, cheese (if using), salt & pepper, garlic powder

Add the Lime juice and olive oil

Garnish with chopped dill & parsley or cilantro 

Recipe Source: FamilyFreshCooking

Tip of the Week

Spinach & Mung Daal Idli

This was my first attempt at making idlis - although I love them a lot, I have never tried making them. In fact no one in my house has ever made them - which should tell you that I am the best cook in my family in generations;)

Anyhow, coming to the recipe  - instead of going with the good old rice idli, I found this spinach dal recipe by Tarla Dalal which sounded really cool and easy to make plus I loved the healthy ingredients.
Makes - 12 idlis

Ingredients

1/2 cup yellow mung dal  - soaked for 3 hours and drained

3/4 cup blanched and roughly chopped spinach

1-2 green chillies, roughly chopped

2 tbsp yogurt

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Eno/Fruit Salt 

1/4 tsp oil for greasing

Method

1. Combine the yellow moong dal, spinach and green chillies and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste without using any water.
2. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the yogurt and salt and mix well.
3. Just before steaming, add the fruit salt to the batter and pour 2 tsp water over it - Mix well as soon as the bubbles form.
4. Grease the idli moulds using oil, put spoonfuls of the batter into idli moulds and steam in a steamer for 10 to 12 minutes or till the idlis are cooked.
5. Cool slightly, serve immediately with sambhar or chutney.

I love this Tomato-Peanut chutney with it:

Burmese Tomato Chuney

Recipe From Health Food Desi Videshi

This is a super simple and super tasty chutney

• Chop 3 large tomatoes
• Chop 1-2 green chillies
• Chop a handful of cilantro leaves
• 1/4th cup of roasted peanuts (Or dry roast raw peanuts on the stove)
• Lightly fry 2-3 whole garlic gloves in 1 tbsp of mustard oil
• Salt 

Put everything together in a blender and make a coarse paste.

Can add cut onions for topping when serving

Buckwheat Upma

This recipe is a twist on the Dalia Upma that I make very frequently at home. Recently my cousin suggested that I swap dalia for Buckwheat groats.
Besides being gluten free, Buckwheat is  full of Vitamin B complex, fibre and is highly anti-inflammatory making it great for people with arthritis. It's also a very good source of protein and has been proven to help reduce LDL (the bad cholestrol) and increase HDL levels (the good kind).

Toasted Buckwheat

Raw Buckwheat 

I prepare buckwheat the same way you make dalia - toast it in ghee for few minutes and then add water and let it cook for a 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye out when it's cooking because if you let it be on the stove for too long it becomes mushy very quickly. You can also get toasted buckwheat groats - buy these if you want to save sometime in the morning.

The recipe in itself is pretty simple can be made under twenty minutes for a healthy lunch option:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cooked Buckwheat groats/dalia
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin)
• Lots of chopped curry patta . 
• 1 medium chopped onion , 
• 2-3 chopped tomatoes 
• 1 chopped Bell pepper ( I add whichever ones I have on hand)
• one chopped green chilly and 
• 1 tbsp Ghee/Oil

Process:

• Heat coconut oil in a kadhai and add mustard seeds and jeera followed by fresh curry patta
• Now add all the veggies in one go - and let them cook uncovered for a few minutes
• I like it the veggies crunchy so I make it a point to not overcook them
• Finish with salt and pepper

Steamed Cabbage tikkis/cutlets

To be honest I had my doubts about how would this turn out to be - the idea of cabbage in pakoras didn't sound too appealing. But since I love the steamed Dal dumplings that I make regularly I decided to try them out - and to my surprise they were quite yummy and easy too. It makes for a quick snack on weekend afternoons. 

I tried two versions of this - one was plain steamed and the other was shallow fried on the tawa but difference here was that you fry them after they have been steamed thus reducing the amount of oil and time used. 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)

1tbsp suji

1 cup cabbage - finely chopped

1 tbsp each ginger+garlic+green chilly - paste

1 tsp haldi

1 tsp ajwain

handful of cilantro - chopped

salt

oil - I used coconut

Process:

• Mix all the ingredients with a little water to form a thick paste - thick enough to form tikkis/cutlets
• I used my steamer basket to steam them - grease the basket with little bit of oil and place the tikkis
• Steam for 5-7 minutes approx - do the toothpick test to check if they are fully cooked 
• If you want them fried then put the tikkis immediately on a hot tawa with a bit of oil - the outside will get crisp and brown pretty quickly.
• Serve with any chutney - I like dhaniya chuntey with it. 

Recipe Source: Health Food Desi Videshi

Both steamed and fried versions

Roasted Squash Salad with Spicy Sunflower seeds

This is a great salad for the cooler temperatures. I am not a big fan of squash at least not the winter variety and this salad completely changed my mind about it - loved the mix of slightly sweet and spicy flavors. I have already made it twice in the past two weeks - so I strongly suggest you to give it a try.

Serves 4

Recipe Source: Crunchy Radish

For the Roasted Squash

Ingredients

• 1 small acorn squash — seeds scooped, sliced width-wise to create half moons
• 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Freshly ground black pepper

Process

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. 
• Coat squash with coconut oil, maple syrup, and black pepper in a bowl. 
• Spread squash slices out on sheet pans and roast until golden and caramelized, around 45 minutes.

For the Spicy Sunflower Seeds

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp harissa (can substitute with regular chilli powder)
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp honey

Process

• Mix together coconut oil, harissa, and maple syrup in a bowl. Toss seeds in oil and spice mixture to evenly coat.
• Turn down oven to 350. Using one of the same sheet pans from the squash, spread seeds out evenly. 
• Roast for 10 minutes, tossing with a wooden spoon half way through cooking. (This will likely produce more spiced seeds then you need for the salad. You will not be mad about having leftovers.)

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients

1 tbsp poppy seeds

Juice of 1 lemon (can add more if need be)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Process

Whisk all ingredients together.

For the Salad

Ingredients

4 cups mixed seasonal greens 

Top with goji berries or any other sweet dry fruit (optional - I didn't add any)

-Mix it all in a salad bowl  - the greens+the squash+sunflower seeds+ dressing

Tip of the Week

I don't know about you but I have always had a bloody hard time cutting sun-dried tomatoes especially because I do not buy the oil soaked ones. I recently found out and tried it out - using your kitchen scissors to cut sun-dried tomatoes makes it super easy!!

Spinach Carrot Muffins

These muffins make a tasty and healthy snack or can be eaten during lunch. I was super excited to make them over last weekend but the big bummer came when I realized I had forgotten to add baking powder to the mixture. By the time I realized my mistake, the muffins were already half baked - so the end result was not as fluffy and light as I had expected but I ate them nevertheless considering all the good stuff that went into them.

Makes 12 small muffins

Ingredients

• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 1/3 cup cornflour (this is not corn starch but real corn flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder (V.Imp)
• 3 tbsp flax seeds - powdered
• 1/2 tsp salt & pepper
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup yogurt 
• 200 g fresh spinach leaves (roughly chopped)
• 2 carrots (grated)
• 1/2 onion (grated)
• 1/2 lime (juice) 
• 1 clove garlic (mashed)
• top with: 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

Process

• Set the oven at 350°F.
• Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. 
• Whip egg and yogurt in another bowl. 
• Add spinach, carrots, onion, lemon and garlic, stir for a minute and then add all the dry ingredients.
• Pour in muffin tins, top with pumpkin seeds and bake for 25 minutes.

Recipe Source: Green Kitchen Stories

Beauty is truly Skin Deep

Let me start by saying that the human skin absorbs almost 60% of the products that you apply on it. So, everything from your soap, lotion, shampoo to your night creams are being absorbed directly into your system. There is so much information out there regarding the toxic chemicals beings used in all the skin and hair care products today and that includes even the most expensive and upscale designer brands and yet we tend to ignore this as 'How much careful can you be?' At least was my stance as I used to find the jargon mind numbing and way too confusing. Anyhow, I have tried to break down the whole issue in simpler to understand terms but still its a long read full of scientific sounding names:

US federal government doesn’t require health studies or pre-market testing on personal care products. Manufacturers are free to put just about anything they want into cosmetics which include everything from soaps, shampoo-conditioners, skin creams to deodorants, sun screens and toothpastes. Many of the things we use as “soap” are actually harsh detergents or chemical cocktails. There are at least 100 chemicals that have been banned in Europe but are not regulated in the US. Deceptive packaging is another problem - the industry goes to great lengths to hide the chemicals used - just because the label says 'Natural' it doesn't mean that a product is chemical free. Its important to look beyond the labels and keep an eye out for the actual ingredients used. Here is a list of the few toxins found in most skin and hair care products:

SLS or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: is one of the biggest culprits. Also, marketed under the variant SLES (Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate) or Sodium Laureth Sulfate. SLS is widely used in all kinds of soaps, hair shampoos even car cleaners and floor cleaners because of its corrosive powers - it attacks grease readily. It cleans the skin by corrosion i.e it rips your skin of its vital protective oils and thereby messing up the skin's ability to effectively regulate moisture. Just to let you know SLS is also used for testing in labs as a skin irritant. SLS is used on test animals to irritate their skin and then test the effectiveness of the various healing lotions.

Another serious issue with SLS is related to nitrate contamination. SLS reacts with many types of ingredients used in skin and hair care products and forms nitrates (nitrosamines) that are a deadly class of carcinogens. And because of the severe penetrating power of SLS, large amounts to these carcinogens are being absorbed into your system via your skin. (Source)

Synthetic fragrances: Artificial fragrances are usually added to mask the strong smell of various toxic chemicals used in the product. Whether its soaps, perfumes or deodorants, the manufacturers are not bound by FDA to reveal the ingredients of the fragrance as they are considered 'trade secrets' which basically means you have no way of knowing what's in the perfume you are using. Most of the time, synthetic chemicals and cancer-causing toxins like phthalates are used to make fragrances last longer. Phthalates are not listed as ingredients on product labels; they can only be detected through laboratory analysis. Two of the most toxic phthalates, DBP and DEHP, have been banned from cosmetics products sold in the European Union but remain unregulated in the US.

Parabens:  Parabens are most common in personal care products that contain significant amounts of water, such as shampoos, conditioners, lotions and facial and shower cleansers and scrubs, in order to discourage the growth of microbes. Parabens have been found in biopsies from breast tumors at concentrations similar to those found in consumer products. Avoid products with any word with paraben at the end (methylparaben, ethylparaben, isobutylparaben, propylparaben)

or hydroxybenzoic acid or hydroxybenzoate. (Source)

Triclosan: This chemical, most often found in antibacterial soap is believed to disrupt thyroid function and hormone levels in people. The Environmental Protection Agency registers it as a pesticide, highly toxic to any living organism. When it mixes into wastewater, it can cause sex changes in aquatic life (Imagine that!!).  Health experts also believe that overuse of this and other antibacterial chemicals is promoting the growth of bacteria that are resistant to antibacterial treatment. It also creates dioxin, a carcinogen that has been found in high levels in human breast milk. Dioxins again have disruptive effects on the endocrine system and negatively affect thyroid functions. 

Few other chemicals to be aware of: (Source)

Benzidine: While benzidine is no longer produced in the US, it can be imported. It's a dye, used in hair colors, and guess what - its a carcinogen
Coal Tar: This carcinogen, while regulated by the FDA, is used to add color to cosmetics.
Lead & Aluminum: It's mostly found in lipstick, and can harm your brain (This needs a whole new post - coming up later)

Propylene Glycol: is the active ingredient in antifreeze. It is also used in makeup, toothpaste and deodorant. Stick deodorants have a higher concentration of PG than is allowed for most industrial use. Direct contact can cause brain, liver and kidney abnormalities. The EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with it. And yet, the FDA says we can put it in our mouths!!

DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine):

These three chemicals are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can form cancer-causing agents 

Think long and hard the next time you are in the market for any kind of skin or hair product (soaps, shampoos, creams, deodorants, toothpaste etc) and consider the long term effect of repeated use of these chemicals. You can visit the EWG's (Environmental Working Group) website to read more on the topic and even find out the safety ratings of your products.

My Solution:

Since finding out about all these harsh chemicals in my so called beautifying products - I have moved to as natural alternatives as possible. In fact, nail paints are the only chemical laden products that I still use and after writing this piece - I guess that switch will happen sooner than later. My philosophy is simple I pick up products with the shortest and most easy to understand list of ingredients. Here is the list of the brands of various products I like:

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Soaps: I talked about them in this post. Here are the ones I use

• Camamu Soaps: Its a Portland based company that sells these handmade soaps. You can find them on Amazon also at times. I am a big fan of their soaps. I use their body bars (WeedyGoat soap & Queen Bee soap) as well as shampoo bars (in particular the Henna shampoo and the Neem oil one). They use simple natural ingredients (few are even organic) that are all listed - its a big relief to see no crazy sounding chemicals in the list.
• Bubble Farms Soap Company: Another local company based in Alameda. They use pure beeswax and honey from local beehives to make small batches of soap. Again what I love is their short and simple ingredient list. They are not available on Amazon but you can order them on their site.
• Griffin Remedy: Another brand that I use at times, its made locally here in San Francisco. I particularly like their hand soaps and Anant likes his hand/body lotion - not too sticky. Although, for all their other products I find the ingredient list to be a too long and complicated for my liking. Find them on Amazon here
• Dr. Bronner's Pure Castille Soap: This is one of the most popular brands used by health conscious people plus it the least expensive of all It has a clean and simple ingredient list and the best part is that this soap is multi-purpose i.e people use it as a shampoo, body soap, dish cleaner and to wash clothes. They also sell an even milder baby soap. Here is the Amazon link

I don't really use any conditioners, if I feel my hair is getting too dry - I just put some yogurt in my hair for 10 mins before washing it off.

Deodorants: 

Burt Bee's Herbal Deodorant: This is a very popular product although I have yet to try it. I am planning to make this my next purchase. Find it here on Amazon

Schmidt's Natural Deodorant: I have been using this for a while and quite like it. Although, it comes in a jar and it takes some time to get used to its application - it does it's job and I really like the Bergamot + Lime combination

SoapWalla Deodorant Cream: This is another good brand but I have not personally used it. I don't think will be giving it a try as the 1st two options fit the bill perfectly for me.

ToothPaste:

Nature Gate: This is the brand I used till last month - I was happy with it in terms of the flavor and the cleanliness aspect. In fact the ingredient list is decent too with the exception of  mysterious 'natural flavor' used.

Uncle Harry's: This is the one I am using currently - its unlike your regular toothpastes - as in it has a more spicy flavor and definitely takes some time getting used to but I am happy with the results so far and love its short and sweet ingredient list.

Creams & Lotions:

We use different kinds of pure oils in place of creams and lotions. The most common being organic
Coconut oil - I used it as body lotion and Anant uses it instead of hair gel

Argan Oil: I absolutely love this Josie Maran oil. Its super light and gets absorbed into your skin pretty quickly. It works best as a night face and eye cream.

Jojoba Oil: I use this as a day moisturizer after shower as its light and works for pretty much all skin types.

Sunscreen: Badger is the only brand I have found that has acceptable ingredients but boy is it sticky. I use it only when I am planning to be in the sun the whole day - like a park or beach otherwise I let my skin make some much needed Vitamin D

Shaving Cream for Men: Proraso is the brand we use. It is a cream (not foam) and works best with old fashioned shaving i.e with a classic open double edged razor. I find this brand only on Amazon

Men's Deodarant: Anant uses Aubrey Organics Men's Stock and is quite happy with it

I think this just about covers all the products that we use. 

Broccoli Roll w/d Leftover Chapati

This is one of my all time favorite recipes to make on a weekday morning especially if we had made chapati's the night before. Its simple, tasty and healthy and requires very few ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup besan (chickpeas flour)
• 1 bunch broccolini
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp of ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
• Red chilly powder to taste
• salt and pepper
• Ghee for cooking
• Sriracha (optional)

Process:

• Make a thick paste of besan by adding all the masalas in it. 
• Add a bit of oil in pant and add diced garlic. Cut the broccoli/broccolini in small bite sized pieces and add it to the pan. Let it cook for a few minute - I take them off when they are still crunchy
• Smear the besan on one side of the chapati and put it on hot greased tawa- besan side down. Cook it well - the chapati will start coming off the tawa and then you can cook it a bit on the other side too if you want too - I usually skip it.
• Put the broccoli on the besan roti, I add a bit of Sriracha sauce and roll the roti in half moon.
• You can eat it with a side of dahi. I also added some alfa alfa sprouts

Steamed Dal Dumplings

These dal dumplings make a healthy snack as they don't involve any frying - we even eat it at times for lunch. I use my idli mould to make them - it makes good sized portions and are easy to steam. I usually serve them with the tomato garlic chutney (the cooked version). They are called bhapouri in Hindi and are apparently a very common household snack in a few regions - I had personally not heard of them until I came across this recipe:

Ingredients:
Should make about 4-5 snack portions for 2 people

For the Paste:

• 1 cup Dhuli Masoor (soaked overnight or a min of 4 hours)
• 2 Tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch ginger - minced/grated
• 3 garlic cloves (use more if they are small in size like in India)
• 1-2 dry whole red chillies as per taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

Add to the Dal Paste:

• 1 cup onions -diced
• handful of chopped cilantro leaves

Process:

• Blend all the first six ingredients in the food processor to make a thick paste - I don't usually add any water - but if you feel the need then add few tbsp of water. Keep the paste slightly coarse.
• Add the chopped onions and cilatro to the dal mixture.
• Fill the idli maker with the paste and steam for about 10 minutes on medium flame - the cooked dumplings look dull yellow in color - test if fully cooked by sticking a toothpick in it - if it comes out clean then the batch is done.
• You could also store the extra paste in the fridge and make a fresh batch anytime you want in about half the time.
• The dumplings themselves stay well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• You could try making these with some other dals as well - I haven't tried it yet- let me know if any of you tries any other dal.

Recipe Source: Health Food Desi Videshi

Juicing 101

Juicing, green juicing in particular has become the new nutrition fad but trust me this is one fad that pays off both in the long term and short. Let me start by saying that once I started juicing I never looked back. I have gone off the wagon in terms of other healthy habits but not this one - once your body gets used to its pure goodness, it will start craving it. 

I wanted to start with outlining a few basics:

• Easy absorption of nutrients: Digestion is the most energy consuming function that your body performs that is why we sleepy after a heavy meal because all our energy is being used up in digesting that meal. Juicing helps give your system a break while providing all the vital nutrients. It takes just 15-20 minutes for the juice to be digested and assimilated by our bodies.
• High Water Content: 70% of our body is made up of water therefore higher the water content of the food that we eat, the better it is. Fresh fruits and veggies are the only two food categories that have a high water content (6-8 servings of fresh fruit and veggies are recommended daily). Juice is the next best thing to whole fruits and vegetables and the easiest way to fulfill a part of your daily requirement - it not only ensures that you are taking in all the required nutrients but helps cleanse the system as well.
• Since all green vegetables are alkalizing, green juice helps maintain your pH balance.
• Use more greens and vegetables and add one or two kind of fruits. Pure fruit juice has high fructose concentration (sugar) even if its natural, its still sugar therefore its best to practice moderation
• Ideal way to take juice is on an empty stomach - drink it slowly (do not gulp it down). Wait for 20 minutes before you eat or drink anything else.
• Juice v/s smoothie: The biggest argument I have heard against juicing is that you lose the precious fibre. I agree that you need fibre in your diet but I consider green juice as a natural multi-vitamin and multi-nutrient supplement. The idea is to add juice to your already healthy diet (that comprises of plenty of fibre if you’re eating a moderately healthy diet). As I mentioned above, juice helps cleanse the system while providing all the nutrients - whereas smoothie albeit super healthy still puts more strain on your system. The main argument for juice is that it supplies all the nutritional needs of the body in a form that can be easily absorbed by the system.
• Kind of Juicer: There are a wide variety of juicers available in the market from as low as $100 (This is the one I started juicing with). This link will give you a brief on the types of juicers available and their pros and cons. This is the one I use currently - I would strongly recommend to start with the most basic juicer for a couple of months to figure out how serious you are about juicing and only then shift to a higher end model.
• You could also refer to this online Juicing Book that not only has lots of different juice recipes but it also gives you detailed nutrition analysis of each ingredient.  
• Start slowly and begin with a combination of fruits and veggies that you like in their whole food form. Also, you can start by juicing at couple of days a week and then move on to 5-7 days a week and maybe from there you could even move to a couple of days of juice feasting (not fasting). 

How I do it:

At home, we drink green juice on weekdays and a fruit juice on weekends (recipe below). On most days I try to make one and a half glass of juice in the mornings so that I can drink half a glass in the afternoons when I have a craving for a snack (afternoon juice doesn't happen everyday but I try). In addition to this I follow this up (1 or 1.5 hours later) with a bowl of fruits (whatever is on season and as much as I can eat) and then eat my lunch at around 12. Eating only raw and fresh fruits & veggies in the 1st half of the day gives your body extra time to eliminate waste and cleanse the system. If you plan to follow this, you will see a marked difference in your morning routine especially with regards to the call of nature
As for the leftover pulp - my juicer leaves extremely dry and very little pulp - which is basically pure fibre. I store the pulp everyday (although we don't end up using it always and it gets replaced with the next day's fresh pulp) and use it to either make a green tikki/cutlet mixed with buckwheat flour or add it to the rotis for dinner. Another point I would like to stress here is, if you can afford then please use local organic produce for juicing - it's an elixir that deserves the best possible ingredients.

There are endless combinations that you can try out for making a healthy green juice. These are the ones that I use regularly:

Green Juice Recipe #1

I prefer a more savory juice and therefore don't add any fruit to it. Some of you might look at the ingredient list and find it not appetizing at all but trust me it tastes yummy.

Makes 2 glasses

• 6 Kale leaves (I use dinosaur kale)
• 3 Chard leaves ( I use rainbow chard - just because I love the mix of colors)
• 3 collard leaves
• 7-8 dandelion leaves 
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 1 tomato
• 2 Celery stalks
• Handful of cilantro/parsley
• 1 inch piece of ginger
• Raw Turmeric (whenever I can find it in store)

Once we have the juice ready, we add lime juice to it - this masks any of the unpleasant taste that you fear the excess of greens might have given it. Anant adds salt and pepper to but I prefer it without.

We also add triphala powder and Spirulina/Chlorella powder to it. (Both are forms of algae and besides being potent detoxifiers, Spirulina is one of the highest sources of protein - its 65-71% complete protein) but let me warn you Spirulina does NOT taste good. If you are new to juicing - I suggest you skip this and maybe try it a later. You could also add a granny smith apple to enhance the flavor as they are more tart - I am planning to try to soon.

Green Juice Recipe #2

This is the recipe that my cousin drinks more regularly. I have tried it and really like it - it has the right mix of fruit and veggies.

• 3 carrots
• 1 beet root
• 2 celery sticks
• 1 big orange
• 4-5 kale leaves
• Handful of parsley

Weekend Fruit Juice Recipe:

The ingredients below are purely estimates, you can try out different proportions of carrots and oranges

• 7-8 carrots
• 6-7 oranges 
• 1 beet root
• 1 inch ginger 
• few leaves of mint