Sunday, July 31, 2016

Chocolate Walnut Bundt Cake

Chocolate Walnut Bundt Cake

I had soaked a few raisins in wine yesterday. I also found some walnuts and buckwheat flour in the fridge. What better excuse to bake a healthy cake. So here it is!!  

Pic:Sanjana Kodical

Ingredients
Buckwheat flour – ½ cup
Egg – 1
Butter – 1 tbsp
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Jaggery powder – ½ cup
Cooking chocolate (melted) – 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence – ½ tsp
Banana (ripe) – ½
Curd – 2 tbsp (more if required for consistency of the batter)
Walnut pieces – 2 tbsp
Raisins (soaked in wine for a day) – 2 tbsp

Method
Sieve all the dry ingredients together
Beat the egg well
Add to the dry ingredients slowly
Melt chocolate
Add butter to it
Add to the cake mixture
Mash banana
Add to mixture and mix carefully
Adjust the consistency using curd
Add raisins
Pour batter into the bundt cake pan
Put walnut pieces to cover the entire top
Preheat oven to 170 degrees
Bake for 20 mins or more
Check if done with a knife
Let it cool a bit
Serve warm

Important Note: Buckwheat cakes have a very short shelf life. Eat it fresh and refrigerate for 1 or 2 days. Make small batches.  

Health Benefits of Buckwheat
Gluten-free
High protein content
Rich source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber
Lowers risk of developing high cholesterol
Lowers risk of developing high blood pressure
This is partly because of its rich supply of flavonoids, particularly rutin
Good source of magnesium which relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow
Good for diabetics. Lowers blood sugar levels
High in insoluble fiber, helps prevent gallstones
Good source of copper required for production of red blood cells
Protects against heart disease

                     Health Benefits of Walnut
Has a large amount of vitamins B6
Has alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) a precursor to Omega-3
Helps prevent heart disease
Lowers cholesterol
Promotes brain health
Contain s Biotin (vitamin B7) that helps strengthen hair, reduce hair fall and improve hair growth
Good for weight management
Lowers risk of type 2 diabetes


                  Health Benefits of Raisins
Provides relief from constipation
Powerful boost of energy
Has vitamins, amino acids and minerals like selenium and phosphorus which facilitate absorption of nutrients and proteins in the body
Reduces hypertension
Prevents overeating
Helps in healthy weight gain
Prevents macular degeneration, age-related weakening of vision and cataracts
Has high level of catechins, antioxidants that scavenge free radicals
Reduces acidity of blood
Helpful in sexual dysfunction
Has calcium and boron, important for bone health

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Plum Cheesecake and more

This is the last of my fruity posts for some time. Couldn't resist this what with the plum season almost coming to an end. I used the sweet n sour variety of plums for the cake. The sweet and tangy flavour was amazing especially when I bit into pieces of the fruit. I made it with whole wheat flour to give it a healthy twist. You can make it gluten free by using buckwheat flour. But this cake tends to become little dry. So add extra curds to the batter. Also, you will have to refrigerate it because buckwheat cakes have a very short shelf life.





Plum Cake
Ingredients 
Whole wheat flour – 1 cup
Jaggery powder – 1 cup
Cinnamon powder – ½ tsp
Baking powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Eggs – 3
Curd – ½ cup (more if required to adjust the consistency of the batter)
Butter – ¼ cup
Vanilla essence – 1 tsp
Fresh Plums (Sour sweet variety) – 1 cup

Method:
Sieve the dry ingredients together
Beat the eggs well and add slowly to the dry ingredients
Add butter and curds to the mixture to make the batter
Add vanilla essence
Slice the plums
Mix little flour and jaggery powder with the plum slices
Mix plums gradually with the batter
Sprinkle powdered jaggery and cinnamon powder on top of the batter
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
Bake for 15 to 20 mins
Test with a knife inserted into the center of the cake
Serve warm


Plum Cheesecake
Next, I tried a healthy cheesecake with low fat paneer and jaggery. And I liked what I ate.

Pic: Sanjana Kodical

Ingredients
Cheese Filling
Cottage Cheese (from toned milk) - 200 gms
Fresh plums (sweet variety) – 1 cup
Curd – ¼ cup
Condensed milk – 11/2 tbsp
Gelatin - 1 tsp
Biscuit Base
Marie biscuits - 10
Jaggery powder – 3 tbsp
Butter – 1 tbsp
Plum Compote
Plums (sweet variety) - 1 cup
Gelatin – ½ tsp
Jaggery powder – 2 tbsp

Method
Cheese Filling
Dissolve gelatin in 3 tbsp warm water
Let it stand for some time
Add half the prepared plum compote to the ingredients
Blend in a mixie



Biscuit base
Crush biscuits
Blend together crushed biscuits, jaggery powder and butter in a mixie

Plum Compote
Slice plums
Add water and jaggery powder
Cook till plums become soft
Cool
Dissolve gelatin in 1 tbsp warm water
Let it stand for some time

Add to plum mixture and blend in a mixie

Assemble the cheesecake
Spread biscuit base at the bottom of a jar
Scoop cheese filling over it
Spread remaining plum compote on top
Refrigerate for 5 to 6 hours
Serve chilled


Health Benefits of Plums
Its antibodies have protective effects against insulin resistance and help to enhance insulin sensitivity in the body
Inhibits deterioration of bone tissues and prevents osteoporosis in postmenopausal women
Its high vitamin C content strengthens the immune system
Has antibodies with anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory effects on body cells, including the fat cells
Help in preventing obesity-related problems like high cholesterol, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases
Contains vitamin K helpful in normal clotting of the blood and bone health
Helps in normal growth of the brain
Assists in the formation of mood influencing hormones
Chlorogenic acids present in plums help in curing anxiety-related behaviors
Has high quantity of potassium which helps in regulating muscle contractions and acid-base balance of the body
Its vitamin C and antioxidants helps to maintain healthy, radiant and youthful skin
Has anti-aging nutrients which helps in reducing dark spots and wrinkles
Low glycemic index, so doesn't spike blood sugar levels. Helpful for diabetics and weight watchers
Has vitamin A and beta-carotene beneficial in maintaining healthy eye sight and preventing age-related macular degeneration

Tuesday, July 19, 2016

Peach Treats

When Life Gives You Peaches

The experiments with fruits continues. Last weekend, I decided to bake with peaches before they become extinct. And by the look of it, that will be pretty soon. I replaced the apples in my favourite Apple Upside Down Cake with peaches. And I liked the Peach Upside Down Cake.




Next, I tried Peach Crumble. I liked it even more




Recipe Links
http://askmyhealth.com/peach-upside-down-cake-recipe/
http://askmyhealth.com/health-benefits-peach-crumble-topping-recipe/

Health benefits of peaches
Antioxidant. Its peel and pulp possesses significant antioxidant properties. The presence of chlorogenic acid in peaches also contribute to their protective effects
Muscle strength and regular heartbeat. Contains potassium, vital for proper nerve signaling and cellular functioning of the body. Helps in metabolic processes, utilizing carbohydrates, maintaining electrolyte balance and regulation of muscular tissues
Skin care. Rich in vitamin C which maintains healthy skin. Protects against free radicals and infection. Has antioxidants zeaxanthin and lutein with anti-inflammatory effect on skin damage caused by ultraviolet radiations
Anti-aging. Is a source of zinc which has anti-aging properties. It also boosts testosterone levels in the body
Eye health. Rich in beta-carotene, which gets converted to vitamin A in the body. Beta-carotene maintains healthy eyesight and prevents xerophthalmia and blindness. Lutein and zeaxanthin protects the retina from age-related macular degeneration
Digestion. Maintains healthy digestive health with its alkaline content and fiber. Prevents constipation, hemorrhoids, stomach ulcers, gastritis and irregular bowel movements. Also helps in cleansing and eliminating toxic wastes from the intestines and prevents stomach cancer. Has laxative properties which help to dissolve kidney and bladder stones
Nervous system. Has magnesium which prevents stress and anxiety and calms the nervous system
Obesity. Has phenolic compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity properties
Immune system. Rich in ascorbic acid and zinc, which aid in the normal functioning of the body and maintain a healthy immune system
Low cholesterol levels. Phenolic compounds present in its peel and pulp maintains lower LDL cholesterol levels and stimulates good HDL cholesterol production. This reduces risk of heart related diseases
Healthy Bones and Teeth. Has phosphorous which, along with calcium, strengthens bones and teeth and help in the maintenance and repair of tissues. Also prevents osteoporosis, particularly in post-menopausal women. Phosphorus rich foods promote re-mineralization of bones and maintain their rigidity. Vitamin C in peaches also plays an important role in strengthening bones and gums
Detoxification. Flushes out harmful toxins from the liver and kidneys



Sunday, July 17, 2016

Jackfruit Mania Continues

Like last year, I'm very late in posting this. End of the jackfruit season almost but I played around with a few ingredients and came up with this awesome Jackfruit Adai.



Also, at a recent cooking show I did a variation on the Jackfruit Seed Roast to make Jackfruit Seed Chaat. It wa a huge hit with the audience.




Posted both the recipes on:
http://askmyhealth.com/healthy-recipe-jackfruit-adai/
http://askmyhealth.com/jackfruit-seed-chaat-recipe/

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

'Burn That Belly Fat' .... Link to my talk on YouTube


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S19bKMkyvqE

This link is a padding to my article 'Get Rid Of Your Belly Fat'

Check out this link: http://askmyhealth.com/fat-burning-tips-get-rid-of-belly-fat/
Get Rid Of Your Belly Fat


Belly fat seems to be the most popular fat around. Sixteen or sixty, they all want to know how to get rid of their belly fat. They are disappointed when I tell them that there is no special diet to get rid of belly fat. And it’s unanimously accepted that ab crunches every day is all they need in terms of exercise to remove it.

Here’s looking at belly fat a little differently. To begin with, belly fat is nothing but your body fat. Everyone has the tendency to store it in different places. Some thin people have only belly fat. That’s their body fat concentrated in one spot. Some others have it distributed all over. Still others have it concentrated in their arms, chest and neck while others have it in their hips and legs. So you have to aim at losing body fat. That will take care of your belly fat.





Two kinds of belly fat:
Subcutaneous Fat – which is present just below your skin and can be pinched
Visceral Fat - which lies deep down in your abdominal cavity around your internal organs


Dangers of Belly Fat
Releases stress hormone - cortisol
Affects working of heart, liver and pancreas
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart diseases, fatty liver and cancer
Leads to poor sleep and sleep apnea
Gives rise to back pain

To find out how to remove belly fat, consider three main factors:
·         Diet
·         Hormones
·         Exercise


Diet
Diet contributes a huge chunk, almost 80% to belly fat loss. There’s an excess of junk food, ice creams, high sugar food and drinks, processed and instant food all around to lure us. These are loaded with refined and artificial ingredients, all manmade – Trans fat, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, excess salt, sugar, fat and preservatives. These have to be avoided. They cause water retention, bloated belly, food cravings, addiction and overeating.  Then what does one eat? Eat wholesome food, whole grains, fruits and vegetables as close to their natural form as possible.

Fat storage vs. fat burning
Eating is a hormonal event. With every bite, you control the release of hormones that store fat and burn fat. A high carb meal causes an insulin spike. Insulin is the hormone that loves to make fat. The insulin spike forces the body to burn glucose instead of your stored fat for energy. Excess glucose is turned to fat. Protein is the best long-term strategy to reduce belly fat. It gives you satiety, Increases muscle mass and metabolism (higher metabolism leads to fat burning) and stimulates release of glucagon. Glucagon is the hormone, the magic bullet for burning fat. So make sure to include proteins in your diet.





Types of dietary fat
Fats are of different types. Aim for healthy fats like omega-3 found in fish, flaxseeds and walnuts and MUFA found in avocado, peanuts etc. While a little saturated fat is required in the diet, in excess it is easily stored in your fat tissues. While saturated fats found in butter, cheese and other foods are fattening, it’s less harmful in comparison to manmade Trans Fat.

Trans Fats
This is partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
Used to enhance flavor, texture and shelf life of processed foods
Leads to insulin resistance and obesity
Used in all bakery products, fast food, fried food, non-dairy coffee creamer.

Another dangerous manmade ingredient found abundantly in food today is high fructose corn syrup.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
It’s a manmade sweetener cheaper and sweeter than sugar
It shuts off the body’s natural appetite control switches leading to overeating
Body does not use fructose as an immediate source of energy, converts it to fat
Used in soft drinks, syrups, sweets and chocolates


Important Tip
Track Your Food
Figure out exactly what and how much you are eating
Read food labels


Water
An important nutrient which many of us ignore is water. Make it a point to stay hydrated at all times and aim for the 8 glasses of water per day at least. Some may require more. Listen to your body. Lack of water leads to water retention and constipation which causes belly bloating and increased weight. Besides, it slows down your metabolism and inhibits weight loss.






Intestinal bacteria
Also, take care of the health of your intestinal bacterial. Include enough prebiotic and probiotic foods like bananas, whole grains and low fat curd to let the good bacterial flourish. Certain types of bacteria increase calories absorbed from food.

Toxins
 Include raw fruits and vegetables, vegetable juices to get rid of toxins in your body. Toxins settle in your body fat. An increase of toxins means an increase in body fat to accommodate them.


Hormones
Besides Insulin and Glucagon, an excess of the stress hormone, cortisol, contributes to increase in belly fat. It leads to food cravings and you end up eating whatever comes to your hand. You also eat for the feel-good factor.

Sleep
It’s regarded as the secret weapon in your belly fat loss plan. Short or poor-quality sleep leads to belly fat gain. Sleep maintains healthy balance between the hormones Ghrelin and Leptin. Ghrelin is the hunger hormone while leptin is the satiety hormone. Insufficient sleep produces more Ghrelin and less Leptin leading to uncontrolled eating.

Menopause
Falling estrogen levels cause increase in belly fat gain. But diet and exercise can correct it to a great extent.



Exercise
This is a very important part of your plan. The human body was designed for movement. A sedentary lifestyle coupled with wrong eating and sleeping contributes to belly fat gain. So make sure you incorporate at least 30 minutes of intense cardio activity into your life. It could be brisk walking, swimming, zumba, kickboxing or any concentrated activity. That’s the best bet for getting rid of abdominal fat.
But also remember that it is important to preserve and improve your muscle mass. So some form of resistance or strength training for 3 days has to be included in your exercise regimen. This will increase your resting metabolism and turn your body into a fat burner.     

Crunches

And where does that leave the good old crunches? Well, that’s required to strengthen your abdominal muscles not lose abdominal fat. With age, these muscles tend to weaken. So it’s important to strengthen them along with core strengthening. 

Monday, July 11, 2016

Whole Wheat Cheese Crackers


Whole Wheat Cheese Crackers

I’ve always wanted to prepare cheese crackers at home but resisted the idea. It was a sinful indulgence, according to me. But recently I was gifted some parmesan cheese. I couldn’t resist it any more. I wanted to make it as healthy as possible. I used less butter compared to the original recipe. I used whole wheat flour but wasn’t sure about the taste and the texture. I was surprised when it turned out quite tasty. Of course, these things also require a bit of getting used to. But any health conscious person would love this healthy substitute for cheese crackers. So here's the recipe. Happy baking!


  

Ingredients
Whole wheat flour - 1 cup
Cheese (grated) – ½ cup
Butter – 1 tbsp
Black Pepper powder (coarsely ground) - 1 tsp (according to taste)
Salt – ¼ tsp

Method
Cream the butter and cheese together
Add the whole wheat flour and mix to form a crumbly mixture
Add little warm water to make dough
Refrigerate it for 15 mins
Roll out on a floured board and cut into squares
Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Bake the crackers for 20 to 25 mins
(Temperature varies with different ovens so keep an eye)



Sunday, July 3, 2016

Buckwheat Cake

Buckwheat and Chocolate Cake


This makes for a great filling teatime snack. Can also be used as an emergency preworkout snack. For those on a chocolate binge, pour some hot chocolate sauce over it and you are good, Healthy guilt-free bingeing! 

Note: This cake has a short shelf life. I always eat it fresh or store it in the refrigerate it and microwave a piece and enjoy it 


Ingredients

Buckwheat flour – 1 cup

Eggs – 3

Butter – 2 or 3 tbsp

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Baking soda – 1 tsp

Cinnamon – pinch

Coffee powder – 1 tbsp (heaped)

Jaggery powder – ¾ to 1 cup

Cooking chocolate (melted) – 3 tbsp

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Banana (ripe) – 1

Curd – 3/4 cup (more if required for consistency of the batter)

Walnut pieces – 2 tbsp

Raisins (soaked in wine or water) – 2 tbsp




Method

Mix all the dry ingredients together

Beat the eggs well

Add to the dry ingredients slowly

Melt chocolate

Add butter to it

Add to the cake mixture

Mash banana

Add to mixture and mix carefully

Adjust the consistency using curd

Add walnuts and raisins

Bake at 50% power for 6 mins

Then at 100% power for 1 min

Check if done

Let it cool a bit

Cut and serve warm

Health Benefits of Buckwheat

Good source of magnesium which relaxes blood
vessels and improves blood flow

Good for diabetics. Lowers blood sugar levels

High in insoluble fiber, helps prevent gallstones

Good source of copper required for production of
red blood cells

Protects against heart disease