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