Even if you’re a purist who only eats whole foods, you still have those craving moments to have a satisfying snack. It is certainly hard to find a satisfying snack which is healthy, low in calories, low in sugars and carbs which always hits the spot. For those who want to be on a low-calorie diet or on a healthy diet, store-bought chewda is not an option. Don’t lose hope, you can make a modified version of chewda, which gives the same satisfaction, yet a healthy one without unhealthy oils, unknown ingredients, and chemicals. Chewda is a popular Indian snack, which is a mixture of a variety of crunchy snacks. Chewda can be compared to Chex mix, that many westerners know.
Raw Jackfruit Dumplings
Dumplings or pot stickers is western known word for dim-sum (as called in China) or Momos (as in Tibet and Nepal). Momo is Nepali and Tibetan delicacy. It is a type of dumpling filled with vegetables, cheese or meat, is one of the main menu items in all Tibetan and Nepali restaurants. Though traditionally filled with yak meat, in different areas of North east India, chicken, pork, goat and buffalo meat is used and eaten with a variety of sauces.
Tibet is situated in north of the Himalayas. Extensive mountain ranges to the east of the Tibetan Plateau mark the border with China, and the towering Himalayas of Nepal and India form a barrier between Tibet and India.
Beetroot, carrot raita
Raita is a mixture of yogurt, vegetables, sometimes fruit. It is Indian’s most favorite dish. It is an excellent combination with rice, biryani, pulav, kebabs. Usually consumed at end of meal maybe to cool down the spices. Not sure if cooling is the intent but it always works.
Raita recipe has no set rules to be followed. Thats because recipe is adaptable. A simple mix of homemade yogurt, veggies, herbs, spices or fruits will yield a luscious, flavorful raita. Cucumber, onions and carrots are usual veggies added to raita.
Whole grain idli
Idli is a traditional staple breakfast in South India. For those who are don’t know what Idli is, it can be described as steamed lentil cakes. Because Idli is pain in taste, it is consumed with home-made peanut chutney, most beloved amber (lentil soup) or pod (spice powder) mixed in ghee or oil. This idli recipe is modified version to make it less in carbohydrates, high protein, high fiber. Which makes it excellent breakfast for modern low active lifestyle, diabetic patients, infants and seniors who have poor digestion and for those who need probiotics to get immunity. Making whole-grain and low-carb does not change the taste, rather they are more soft, fluffy for long time.
Baked fish with bell-pepper and spring onion
Never settle down with frozen fish sticks. Try this fresh, crispy baked fish. Perfectly baked to preserve nutrients and flavor. Pile vegetables over fish and bake. Any firm fish as tilapia, bass, grouper, mahi mahi will work. I made with all varieties. Cook up this quick and easy dish in 30 minutes.
If you are not a fan of the fishy smell, its ok. By marinating in lime or lemon juice and salt, get rid of fishy smell. Garnish with healthy condiments as lightly baked sliced green onion and fresh bell peppers. Get away from frying fish mess. With fish dinner is never boring or routine. It’s excellent for any busy weeknight.
Tomatillo, avocado dip
Bigger is good with your paycheck. But at snack time, smaller really is better. A perfect snack to melt your fat.
Tomatillo is related to the tomato and is native to Mexico and Central America. The fruit resembles a small unripe tomato and is usually green or yellow. The tomatillo has a papery covering that when peeled away reveals a bright green fruit. Because of this outer covering, the tomatillo is sometimes called a husk tomato. Whole tomatillos are a staple in Mexican cuisine. Tomatillo’s flesh is full of small seeds and has a sweet/sour flavor. Basic for sauces and salsa making, their unique tangy flavor mixes perfectly well with any Mexican dish. The yellow color indicates ripeness, but tomatillo’s are most often used when they are still green.
The tomatillo (toe-ma-tea-o) is of Mexican origin and has been introduced into the United States. The husk tomato plant produces an edible fruit enclosed in a thick husk. The husk is brown and the fruit yellowish when it is ripe. The plants will grow to a height of three to four feet.
Avocados are high on mono-saturated fat (the good fat) and protein, low in sodium and fructose but high in potassium, containing twice that of a banana, and essential vitamins and minerals such as fiber, vitamin K, B5, B6 and C and foliate.
Avocado’s help maintain healthy cholesterol levels. They lower the risk of heart disease, help the body efficiently absorb fat soluble nutrients. Promote weight loss boost eye and heart health etc. Avocados can be eaten every which way, but the first step is making sure your avocado is ripe. Typically avocados will take 4 to 6 days to ripen. You can tell when they are ripe by gently pushing down on them. A ripe avocado should give a bit when you add pressure but it if the avocado is too soft that means it is probably over ripe and will be brown when you cut into it. If the avocado is hard it means it is not yet ripe. One trick is to flick off the tiny stem of the avocado. If it is green underneath that means the avocado is ripe. If it is brown underneath it is overripe and if the stem doesn’t come off it needs more time to ripen.
Avocado Facts
The pit of the avocado contains a milky red or black liquid that was once used as ink for writing
The avocado pit ink can be used as a natural food dye
95% of avocados consumed in the US are Haas avocados
Whole-wheat naan
The warm, puffy, oval-shaped flatbreads pretty much are served at Indian restaurants now a days. Making your own naan from scratch and oh my goodness… The puffy, heat-blistered texture…homemade ones will truly knock your socks off. You will not believe how much better this tastes than takeaway naan. It is incredibly easy to make too. It’s the perfect accompaniment to my Kale, mustard greens saag or chicken butter masala – or dal makhani. Or stuff it with meat or veggies (or both) or turn it into a wrap. Naan will make you fall in love with Indian food over and over.
Naan is a soft and pillowy Indian-style flatbread traditionally made in a tandoor oven, or cylindrical clay oven. The dough gets slapped against the walls of the tandoor, where it adheres and bakes quickly over a burning fire. If you don’t have a tandoor, don’t worry. It’s possible to make naan at home and replicate the high heat and charred flavor of a clay oven by using a very hot cast iron skillet or in the oven at your home.
Plain or with a little extra flavor of garlic, melted ghee, onion, sesame or poppy seeds… It makes homemade naan more Yum!
Jackfruit Napa cabbage rolls
The jackfruit is believed indigenous to the rain forests of the Western Ghats of India. It spread early on to other parts of India, southeast Asia, the East Indies and ultimately the Philippines. It is often planted in central and eastern Africa and is fairly popular in Brazil and Surinam.
Popularly known as Chinese cabbage, Napa cabbage is native to China. It has also earned a global presence in food cultures throughout all hemispheres. It is the most popular cabbage featured in supermarkets around the world. Napa cabbage is known for its signature barrel-shape and crisp, pale green, tightly-wrapped leaves with a white mid-rib and a dense heart. The outer leaves curve inward and are true green to pale green. The interior leaves and the heart is yellow to ivory colored. Its flavor is more subtle and pleasant than European head cabbage. The water content is also higher, creating a crisper and more refreshing texture.
Napa Cabbage has a mild flavor, that makes it excellent ingredient for a variety of salads and vegetable dishes. High in vitamin C with smaller amounts of calcium and fiber, this cabbage is predominantly grown in Asia and the United States. It is also a variety of Cabbage that medical experts regard highly for containing compounds known as indoles that have been associated with preventing some types of cancer.
Napa cabbage is available year-round.
Napa cabbage is the used in soups, slaws and stir-fries. It can be used in raw applications, braised, stewed and even grilled. Families in China would stock up on it during the icy winter months. Napa cabbage is still a mainstay of northern rural China’s winter home cooking. In addition to using cabbage in soups, salads, stir-fried dishes, Mongolian hot pots and dumpling fillings, Chinese traditionally preserve it in the form of kimchi and sauerkraut.
Whole-grain pasta in pumpkin, tomato sauce
Did you know?
… a pumpkin is really a squash?
It is! It’s a member of the Cucurbita family which includes squash and cucumbers.
… that the Irish brought this tradition of pumpkin carving to America?
The tradition originally started with the carving of turnips. When the Irish immigrated to the U.S., they found pumpkins to be plentiful and they were much easier to carve for their ancient holiday.
… that pumpkins are grown all over the world?
Six of the seven continents can grow pumpkins, including Alaska. Antarctica is the only continent that they won’t grow in.
Bhel puri with Brussel sprouts and Sprouted beans
Bhel is my favorite chat. It is light, tasty. Traditionally it is made of puffed rice mixed in tamarind chutney, green chutney, onion, tomatoes and cilantro. Though onion, tomatoes are usually used, it can be made out of many combinations. Crunchy vegetables go excellent with Bhel. Combinations as a sour vegetable like tomato, neutral as cucumber, earthy as…
