Tag: healthy eating

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Healthy Tangy Spicy Peanut Chutney- No Onion, No Garlic

Peanut Chutney also known as Groundnut Chutney is a flavourful, delicious Indian chutney.  It is an easy and a tasty chutney made with peanuts and is served popularly along with South Indian breakfast dishes. The texture of this chutney is thick and creamy with of course great blend of flavours. Among all the other Indian chutneys, this groundnut chutney is quite unique, given that there is no addition of coconut, onion or garlic. 

It is made with just few everyday ingredients and is flavour bomb. You can serve this chutney with idlis, dosas, Indian savoury pancakes, pakoras, flatbreads or wraps. It is excellent to brighten up your meal and add a lot flavour to your dish. 

This Indian peanut chutney is protein-packed and boost the nutrition profile of your everyday breakfast meal and it is naturally vegan too. I made this Iron Rich Pancake for breakfast. It is made with chickpea flour and sattu, both of which are great sources of protein as well. But I wanted to add more protein to my vegetarian meal, so I decided to make this Peanut Chutney. One bite of this and the flavours just blew my mind. You guys have to try this to believe it. You can also try pairing this chutney with this Semolina pancakes or this Karnataka style Coconut dosa.

I kept this recipe in some way traditional by using raw peanuts which are roasted and then ground with other ingredients. I have also kept the skin of the peanuts. Peanut skins have the highest antioxidant levels compared to other parts of the peanut, and roasted peanut with skins have a high antioxidant capacity. 

The traditional version is usually made with only 6 ingredients such as roasted peanuts, garlic, green chilies, cumin seeds, salt and tamarind. All of these are ground with water to a smooth chutney & most often it is not tempered.

The traditional version is great too but I’ll share with you a way to add maximum punch with minimal ingredients that you will actually always make this peanut chutney without onion and garlic. This flavourful chutney can also be taken in any vrat. So save this recipe for your next Navratri fast.

How to make Peanut Chutney?

Ingredients 

  1. Raw Peanuts: 1/2 cup
  2. Roma Tomato: 1 medium size
  3. Dry Red Chillies: 3 (you can increase or decrease chilli as per your liking)
  4. Salt to taste
  5. Groundnut oil: 1 tbsp
  6. Lemon juice: 2 tbsps or to taste
  7. Water: 1/4th cup or as required

For Tempering 

  1. Groundnut oil: 1 tbsp
  2. Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
  3. Curry leaves: 5-6

Instructions

  • In a flat bottom pan, heat 1 tbsp oil to a medium heat. Add raw peanuts and roast till they change colour and become fragrant. 
  • Once peanuts are roasted, in the same pan add roughly chopped tomato, salt and dried chilli. Cook on a medium to low flame till tomato becomes mushy. If the need be, you can sprinkle some water to cook tomato.
  • Remove from heat and allow it to cool a little. Then add everything to a mixer grinder. Add lemon juice and 1/8th cup of water. 
  • Give it a blitz. Now add remaining water and blend till it becomes smooth and creamy. You can add more water if required but don’t add too much. Add little at a time. 
  • Empty the chutney into a bowl. For tempering, heat a tbsp of oil. Add mustard seeds and asafoetida/hing. Let mustard seeds splutter. Turn off the flame. 
  • Now add curry leaves and swirl it around. Let curry leaves rest in oil for 15-20 seconds then add this tempering to the chutney and mix well.
  • Check for salt and lemon juice. Adjust as per your liking. Your chutney is ready to serve.

Notes: 

  1. You can adjust the consistency by adding less or more water, but do not make the consistency runny or thin.
  2. Store your peanut chutney in an air-tight container. Refrigerate and use within a week.
  3. To make groundnut chutney, always use fresh dry peanuts. Do not use peanuts that have gone rancid.
  4. In case raw peanuts are not available, you can make this chutney with roasted salted peanuts. In that case, please be mindful of additional salt. 
  5. You can replace lemon juice with tamarind. Rinse or soak the tamarind in some water before you blend it with the remaining ingredients.

I genuinely encourage you to try this recipe because it is absolutely delicious. Do let me know in the comments section if try this recipe. Happy eating! 🙂

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Nutritious and Delicious: Green Moong Dal Chilla with Veggie Stuffing

As the seasons change, so does our craving for nutritious and delicious meals. Today, I’m excited to share with you a recipe that’s perfect for breakfast or a light dinner – Stuffed Green Moong Dal Chilla. This recipe is packed with protein and veggies, making it a wholesome choice for everyone in the family.

Ingredients:

For the Chilla Batter:

1 cup soaked green moong dal
2-3 garlic cloves
2 green chillies
Salt to taste

For the Stuffing:

1 carrot, grated
1 capsicum, finely chopped
1 beetroot, grated
100g paneer, grated
Instructions:

Soak the green moong dal overnight or for at least 6 hours.

Drain the soaked moong dal and add it to a blender along with garlic cloves, green chillies, and salt. Blend until you get a smooth batter. You can add a little water if needed to reach the desired consistency.

Grate the carrot, beetroot, and paneer. Finely chop the capsicum. Mix all the grated and chopped vegetables together. Add a pinch of salt if desired.

Heat a non-stick pan or griddle over medium heat and lightly grease it with oil. Pour a ladleful of the chilla batter onto the pan and spread it in a circular motion to form a thin pancake.


Cook the chilla on one side until it starts to turn golden brown. Flip it over and cook the other side.

Once both sides of the chilla are cooked, place a generous amount of the vegetable and paneer stuffing on one half of the chilla.


Fold the chilla over the stuffing to make a semi-circle. Press down gently with a spatula to ensure the stuffing is secure and the chilla is cooked through.

Serve the stuffed green moong dal chilla hot with a side of your favorite chutney or yogurt.

Health Benefits of Green Moong Dal Chilla:
Protein-Rich: Green moong dal is an excellent source of plant-based protein, essential for muscle repair and growth.

Fiber-Filled: The vegetables and dal provide a good amount of dietary fiber, aiding in digestion and keeping you full for longer.

Nutrient-Dense: Packed with vitamins and minerals from the carrots, capsicum, beetroot, and paneer, this dish supports overall health and well-being.

Give this delicious and nutritious stuffed green moong dal chilla a try, and don’t forget to share your feedback! If you have your own variations, we’d love to hear them in the comments below. Happy cooking!

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Authentic Sambar Masala Recipe- Sambar Podi

People ask me if its worth grinding your own spices and the short and sweet answer is absolutely yes! Grinding spices is fast and an easy process. It is an aromatic experience that you will not forget and might even become obsessed with it. There is ZERO COMPARISON between fresh and pre-ground versions. When you are grinding your own spices, you have a complete quality control over the quality of the ingredients you are using and you are also saving yourself from consuming all the unnecessary preservatives that are added to some spice mixes to increase their shelf life.

I love Sambar! If you guys are sambar lovers like me, you would know the key to making good sambar lies in the masala. That’s what I am here to share with you guys. This recipe will help you to make fragrant and flavorful homemade sambar powder. It can also be added to other south Indian dishes like lemon rice, masala idlis or dosa. 

It has been almost a decade since I have stopped buying sambar powder. None of them come close to the one made freshly at home with quality ingredients. There is just something so satisfying about grinding your own masalas at home. My kitchen is filled with the aroma of spices, and sambar sings with the flavors of freshly toasted spices. That being said, I do admit, I don’t make all the masalas at home. That’s too much. I do buy some spice powders from the store but whenever I get an authentic fool-proof recipe like this, it’s hard for me to go back to store-bought masalas.

 So what makes a good sambar?

  • The right propotion to vegetables and lentils and a perfect balance of sourness, spiciness and sweetness.
  • The vegetables you add make a huge difference to the taste of your sambar.
  • Vegetables like small pearl onions, drumstick, yellow pumpkin have a distinct taste to them and elevate the taste of a sambar. Some like to add brinjal too.
  • Similarly the choice of dal used affects a sambar’s taste. Mostly sambars are made with toor dal or a combination of toor and moong dal.
  • Everyone has a different recipe for the spice mix. Some keep it simple with basic ingredients, some decide to add a lot more, some use pre ground spices, some grind it fresh. All these factors have a huge imapact on the taste of your sambar. And yes a good SAMBAR MASALA plays a huge part in the taste of your sambar.

Recipe: makes roughly 200 grams

Ingredients

  1. Coriander seeds: 1/2 cup
  2. Chana dal/Bengal gram: 1/4th cup
  3. White Split Urad dal: 2 tbsps
  4. Cumin seeds/Jeera: 2 tbsps
  5. Fenugreek seeds/Methi dana: 1 tbsp
  6. Mustard seeds: 1 tbsp
  7. Dry Red Chillies: 20 (I added 15; depends how hot you like it)
  8. Curry leaves: Handful
  9. Black peppercorns: 1.5 tbsp
  10. Asafoetida/Hing: 1/2 tsp
  11. Turmeric powder: 1 tbsp

Instructions 

  • Take a heavy bottom wide flat pan. Heat it on a very low heat.
  • Take a wide plate to collect all the roasted spices and lentils. 
  • Wash and towel dry both the lentils.
  • Firstly, roast channa dal on low flame till it becomes fragrant and turns couple of shades darker. Chana dal will take the most time to roast. Take it off heat and put it on a wide plate.
  • Now roast urad dal till it turns lightish brown. Urad dal will be done the quickest, because of the size of the lentils. Keep aside.
  • Next add cumin seeds and roast them till they become darker and give out a very nice aroma.
  • After cumin seeds, roast coriander seeds. Roast on low flame till the coriander seeds get well roasted. When well roasted – the coriander seeds will turn lightly reddish, and also leave a light aroma.
  • Now add in dry red chillies and roast them for few minutes till it starts becoming fragrant. Ensure to not burn the chillies. When well roasted – they will turn deeper in color.
  • Next add black pepper corns and roast for a minute or two on low flame. 
  • After black pepper, add mustard seeds. Roast till they start spluttering. Keep aside.
  • Now, roast curry leaves till leaves shrink and become crisp.
  • Finally, roast fenugreek seeds or methi dana for a minute on low flame till it becomes golden.
  • After switching off the flame, add asafoetida or hing in the pan while the pan is still hot. Roast for 10 to 15 seconds and mix it with other spices.
  • Once the spices have cooled a little, add everything in a dry mixer. Add turmeric powder and grind everything to a fine powder.
  • Sambar powder is ready to use or store. For storing – store it in a dry and air tight glass container at room temperature.

Notes

  1. Low flame is critical to get a good even roast on the ingredients, so do not try and speed up the process by increasing the flame.
  2. You can dry roast everything simultaneously on different burners if you can keep a hawk’s eye on all the spices. This will definitely save you time though.
  3. Sambar powder is best stored in a dry and air tight glass container at room temperature.
  4. This Sambar masala will last you 1 year. Spices in general last a long, long time. But yes! After a while they start to lose their potency.
  5. You can easily double or triple this recipe depending upon your requirement.
  6. People who have celiac disease, please be sure to read the label on asafoetida/hing. Many commercial brands process hing powder with wheat.

I hope you find this recipe useful. If you did then please let know in the comments below. 

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Healthy Wholewheat Carrot Chia Seed Pancakes- Vegetarian High Protein Recipe

These fluffy Carrot Pancakes are high protein vegetarian pancakes and are a brilliant way of incorporating vegetable or fruit in your or your child’s diet. These pancakes remind me of carrot cake, without the frosting of course. They are packed with all the healthy ingredients with inclusion of yogurt to give it more nutrition and a fluffy texture. 

They are so easy to whip up with wholesome, easy to find ingredients and you are just going to love the flavor and texture! Carrots are a great addition to pancakes because of their subtle flavor. Your child will definitely notice bits of carrots but will not mind it. You can also check out my healthy carrot cake recipe here- Wholewheat Carrot Orange Tea Cake

Ingredients you will need

  • Wholewheat flour: Wholewheat flour gives a nice nutty flavor to these pancakes. However if you want to make these pancakes gluten free, you can use buckwheat flour. It is a little more nutrient-dense, though the two work similarly. For more gluten free pancake recipes check out my Healthy Protein Packed Pancake recipe.
  • Jaggery Powder: Jaggery adds some natural caramel like sweetness. You can also try these pancakes with applesauce.
  • Plain yogurt: This adds moisture and protein. You can also use milk instead. If you want to make it vegan, you can add Almond Milk or Coconut Milk or any other nut milk. Check out the recipe of Homemade Almond Milk here. 
  • Coconut Oil: I used coconut oil that’s melted in the pancakes to add some moisture and richness. You can choose to add Olive Oil or Unsalted Butter too.
  • Pure Vanilla Extract: This adds lovely flavor to the pancakes batter.
  • Baking powder and Baking Soda: They are essential to give the pancakes rise, make it fluffy and light in texture
  • Cinnamon and Nutmeg: I love to add these flavors in carrot pancakes or cake. They add a nice warmth and cozy feeling to the pancakes.
  • Chia Seeds: Chia seeds will add more nutrition and protein to the pancakes since we are not using eggs here. Also, it will add more moisture. 2 tbsps of Chia Seeds contain 5 grams of protein.

Recipe: makes 7 pancakes

Ingredients 

  • 1.5 cups of Wholewheat flour
  • 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4th tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
  • 1/4th tsp Salt
  • 1/4th tsp Nutmeg Powder
  • 4 tbsps Jaggery Powder
  • 1 cup Grated Carrot
  • 1.5 cups Yogurt
  • 2 tbsps Chia seeds soaked in 1/4th cup water for 10 minutes 
  • 2 tbsps Oil (Olive/Coconut) or Melted Unsalted Butter
  • 1/2 cup Dark Chocolate Chunks (70%)

Instructions

  • Stir together jaggery, yogurt or milk or almond milk, butter or oil and vanilla in a medium bowl.
  • Add in the flour, baking powder & soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and stir gently to combine.
  • Now add grated carrots and mix gently. Top it with chocolate chunks if using.
  • Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan or griddle over medium-heat, coat it with some butter. Add a ladle full of batter and spread it thinly. 
  • Cook per side for 2-3 minutes or till the top sets and bubbles start bursting. Flip and cook the other side.

Enjoy 😊 I hope you enjoy this recipe. It is a must try especially for your child if he/she is a picky eater. Do let me know in the comments if you try this recipe and want more of such healthy recipes. 

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5 Herbal Teas for Better Health- Gut Friendly

Whether you are reading a book, watching your favourite show, chatting with a friend or just having a quiet me time, who doesn’t love the warmth of a good tea. 

Unlike real tea (green, yellow, white, black, oolong, and post-fermented tea) which comes from Camellia Sinensis, herbal teas are made from dried flowers, dried fruits, fruit peels, herbs and spices. They are not only delicious but have soothing, calming and health-promoting properties. Most herbals contain no caffeine, and do not have tea’s special antioxidants EGCG or the amino acid tea theanine.

Whether you are struggling with recurring bouts of bloating, acidity, indigestion, or flatulence or are looking to give your gut a much-needed break these herbal infusions can give you relief and strengthen your digestion and metabolism. In addition to that, certain herbal teas can help strengthen your heart and liver health. 

Human beings have been experimenting with herbal teas for centuries. In historical records, the Sumerians were the first group to use herbs dating back to 5,000 years ago. 1,000 years later, records mention China and India using herbals as well. India has been considered as a treasure house of medicinal and aromatic plant species. According to WHO (2000), 65% of the world’s population integrate the medicinal plant for treatment and 80% of the Indian population used plant product for treating many diseases. 

Which herbal tea you should use will depend upon your needs and body condition that will make you choose one herbal infusion over another. According to Chinese medicine, all herbals teas are separated into two categories: cooling and warming. Some herbals have stronger cooling properties, helping cut down inflammation. Warming properties help you with better blood circulation. 

Herbal teas have become very popular over the years because it is almost always caffeine free, and with gentle and mild flavors there are many choices. In this post we will discuss 5 Herbal Teas from which you can choose based on your requirement, availability and body needs. If you are an expectant mother and morning sickness is one of your major concerns give this Ginger and Herbal Blends: 5 Blends for Morning Sickness Relief a try.

To understand more about what kind of herbal teas you can have when you are pregnant, this post will give a detailed understanding about ‘why’ behind each recommendation- Herbal Teas in Pregnancy: Navigating Safety and Embracing Benefits

5 Herbal Tea Infusions 

1. Blue Tea:

Blue tea is made with Butterfly Pea flowers or Aparajita flowers. It’s not a new fad. This concoction is centuries old and has its origin in South East Asia. Thanks to travel shows and food blogging, this caffeine free tea became famous worldwide

  • Helps to aid digestion. 
  • When consumed before bedtime, it helps to promote healthy sleep.
  • Antioxidants present in blue tea can help improve skin health. 
  • Stimulates hair growth
  • Stimulates collagen production 
  • Helps to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation due to its potential interaction with neurotransmitters in the brain.

How to brew it? 

Just add 4-5 dried or fresh flowers in a cup of hot water. Cover and let it seep for 10 minutes. You can add a cinnamon stick, cardamom, star anise or honey to enhance the flavour. Finish it with some lemon juice. 

2. Rhododendron Tea: 

Rhododendron is naturally occurring plant which originated in the valley of Himalayas, Kashmir, Assam and Manipur in India and in some regions of Bhutan. This plant is acquiring a special place in the cultural as well as economic life of the people. It possess various health benefits, such as prevention and treatment of diseases associated with heart, detoxification, inflammation, bronchitis and asthma. The leaves possess effective antioxidant activity. Due to these reasons, the flower has been entitled as the national flower of Nepal and state flower of Himachal Pradesh (India)

  • It provides protection against stress and inflammation reduction
  • Helps safeguard against chronic diseases
  • Regular consumption of rhododendron can help strengthen your immunity making you less susceptible to illnesses.
  • Contribute to maintaining healthy heart. They assist in reducing cholesterol levels and lowering blood pressure.
  • Provide relief from symptoms such as bloating, indigestion and constipation.
  • Possess properties which help in congestion, ease coughs and improve overall respiratory health.

How to brew it?

Put 1 tsp of dried rhododendron flowers in a cup of hot water. Let it steep for 3-4 minutes or longer as per your liking. Add lemon juice if required. For cold infusion, let the steeped tea cool down.

Aside from the above mentioned advantages, rhododendron juice extracted from the flowers or leaves of this plant is widely used to harness its benefits. It is renowned for its properties and contributions to health. It is a hydrating beverage that proves especially beneficial in hot climates or during physical exertion. For days when hot beverages are not your thing, you can try out Masala Monk’s Rhododendron Squash (Buransh ka Sharbat) which is produced from fresh Rhododendron Flowers that are hand-picked in the foothills of the Himalayas.

3. Spiced Tea:

If you are struggling with bloating, indigestion, flatulence, acidity, or gas, this will calm down your digestive system. This tea will help to strengthen your metabolism and will help in better digestion. All these spices below have a calming effect on your digestive system. You can have it either in the morning or 30 minutes after a heavy meal.

How to brew it?

Ingredients: 

  • 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Coriander Seeds

Take 2 cups of water. Add all the ingredients above. Let it boil till it reduces to half. Sieve and sip warm. You can add lemon juice to it once it is off heat.

4. Lemongrass Tea:

I love lemongrass flavour- mild, slightly lemony and sweet. It’s not only a delightful drink but has great health benefits too. If you have lemongrass plant at home, make the most of it. It’s full of antioxidants and it’s a great healthy drink if you have water retention problems. 

  • It aids digestion due to its cooling effect esp if you have bloating problems. 
  • It can help in controlling chronic cough and cold by reducing congestion
  • It’s an amazing immunity boosting and stress relieving concoction.
  • It is a powerful diuretic, stomach and gut cleanser and helps fight water retention.

How to brew it?

Add 2-3 stalks of lemongrass in 2 cups of water. The best way to squeeze out maximum flavour from lemongrass is to use its bottom stalk and bruise the stalk slightly with a rolling pin before adding. To enhance the flavour you can try adding 2-3 pods of cardamom and 1 star anise. Reduce the infusion to half and sip warm. You can add honey or lemon slice to it while serving.

5. Orange Peel Tea:

This is one of my favourites. There is nothing more comforting than a cup of freshly brewed hot tea with citrus fragrance. Oranges are one of the healthiest fruits and their peels have great medicinal properties. There’s proven research around the effectiveness of orange peels in boosting metabolism and immunity.

  • A natural decongestant, in clearing lungs and phlegm and in also reducing allergy-causing histamine.
  • It has diuretic properties that help to eliminate excess body fluid and reduce abdominal bloating.
  • It has excellent amounts of hesperidin, a flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties which improve blood circulation.
  • Because it contains excellent amounts of antioxidants, orange peel tea helps improve the function of insulin.
  • It’s anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidants can protect and improve liver function.

How to brew it? 

Take a tbsp of fresh or dried orange peel without the white part. It is recommended to prioritize organic versions of the fruit, as these are less likely to contain pesticides. Boil the water in a kettle or pot. Turn off the heat, and add the orange peels. Infuse for 5 to 10 minutes and then strain and drink without adding sugar or sweetener. To enhance the taste I like to add a small piece of cinnamon stick to it.

Takeaway

All these herbal infusions have tremendous health benefits when made a part of your lifestyle. But these herbal infusions are in no way a magic potion or a replacement for your medication. If you are suffering from some ailment, keep your doctor in loop before trying anything new. While you have these infusions, keep in mind that you must make necessary changes in your lifestyle to reap the health benefits. Eat smart and move more to stay healthy.