Saturday, March 23, 2019

Grapefruit Cake

Grapefruit Cake

I had been wanting to try out this recipe for a while now but was sceptical about the result. Besides, the orange season was in its full bloom and I ended up baking my favourite tried-and-tested all the time. Finally the turn of the grapefruit came. And I loved the result. I used the segments and cut them up fine. 
Next time, I will use a bit of the peel too. Watch this space. But in the mean time go ahead and bake this superb tea or coffee cake. 



Ingredients
Whole-wheat flour – 1 cup
Custard powder (vanilla) – 1 tbsp
Eggs – 2
Curd – ¼ cup
Jaggery powder – ¾ or 1 cup
Baking powder - 1tsp
Baking soda – ½ tsp
Coconut oil – ¼ cup
Grapefruit (segments) – 4 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Lime juice or vinegar - 1/2 tsp



Method
Chop the grapefruit fine
Separate the yolks and whites of eggs
Beat yolks with jaggery and oil till well blended
Sieve flour twice with baking powder and soda
Add to the egg and oil mixture and mix well        
Beat the white with salt, vinegar or lime juice till stiff
Add slowly to the flour mix little at a time and mix using cut and fold method
Add the grapefruit and mix slowly
Add curd to adjust consistency of batter
Keep the batter a little thick
Bake in an oven preheated to 180 degrees C for about 20 to 25 mins
Let cool
Enjoy warm with hot tea or coffee




Health Benefits of Grapefruit
Contains vitamins C, A, B, zinc, copper and iron - Immune system booster
Fibre rich - Appetite control
Aids weight loss
Prevents insulin resistance and diabetes
High potassium levels – boosts heart health
Reduce risk of high BP
Antioxidant rich – Vitamin C, Betacarotene, Lycopene, Flavanones
Reduces risk of kidney stones  



Thursday, March 7, 2019

Weed With Benefits

Weed With Benefits



It's officially called Purslane and is a superfood. It has always been regarded as an unwelcome guest in the gardening world, but it actually has numerous health benefits that one shouldn’t ignore. It’s actually a superfood because of the vast assortment of vitamins and minerals that can be extracted from this herb. It is unique with a tangy taste and can be cooked just like other leafy vegetables.


Quick Stir Fry with Chickpea Flour (Besan)



Ingredients
Ghol leaves with tender stems - 250 gms
Coriander-Cumin powder – 1 tbsp
Red Chili powder – 1 or 2 tbsp (adjust according to taste)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida (hing) – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder (haldi) – ½ tsp
Roasted gram flour – 3 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Method
Heat 1 tbsp oil
Add the veggie, salt and stirfry
Cover and cook for 5 mins
Add the rest of the masalas and stirfry for 2 mins
Add the flour and mix well
Add the rest of the oil and stir fry for 5 mins
Serve with bhakri or roti

Dal


Ingredients
Mixed dal (cooked) – 2 cups
Ghol leaves with tender stems – 1 cup
Asafoetida (hing) – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Ginger-Garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Green chilies – 3 or 4 (adjust according to taste)
Coriander-Cumin powder – 1 tsp
Red Chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder (haldi) – ½ tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Peanuts (raw) – 1 tbsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Method
Heat oil
Add mustard seeds
Let it splutter
Add cumin seeds
When they splutter, add curry leaves and ginger-garlic paste
Fry for a minute
Add the veggie and stirfry with all the masalas
Add ¼ cup water and salt, cover and let it cook
 Add the mixed dal and peanuts
Cover and let it cook for 5 mins more

Serve hot with steamed brown rice

Ghol Dumplings with Flat Green Beans



Dumplings
Ingredients
Onion (medium) – 1
Ghol  leaves with stems – 150 gms
Garlic-Green Chili paste – 2 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 2 tsp (adjust according to taste)
Chickpea flour – ¼ cup
Jowar flour ¼ cup
Oil – 1 tbsp
Method
Mix all the ingredients well except the flours and oil
Add the flours and mix well
Add water If required
Add oil to form smooth dough
With oiled palms, make dumplings and steam
Cool

Sabzi
Ingredients
Beans – 250 gms
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Ajwain (bishops weed) – ½ tsp
Asafoetida (hing) – 1 tsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Method
Heat oil
Add mustard seed
Let it splutter
Add cumin seeds
When it splutters, add ajawain seeds and asafetida
Add the bean and mix well
Cover and cook
Add the rest of the spices and dumplings
Cover and cook for 10 mins till well blended
Serve hot with phulkas

Health Benefits
  • It has antibacterial, antiscorbutic (combats scurvy), depurative (detoxifying and purifying), diuretic (increases amount of water in the body), and febrifuge (reduces fever) properties.
  • Its leaves contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are responsible for helping to prevent high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Omega-3 fats also play a role in lowering the risk for the development of heart disease by combatting inflammation.
  • Contains zinc, phosphorus, manganese, copper and calcium.6 Zinc is responsible for maintaining and improving immune system function. It is also responsible for fighting off free radicals that may cause cancer.
  • Phosphorus and calcium are responsible for bone and dental health. The latter is also essential for nerve, muscle, and blood function
  • An excellent source of vitamin A


Saturday, March 2, 2019

Pineapple Orange Layer Cake

Pineapple Orange Layer Cake
My love affair with fresh seasonal fruits continues. It's nearing end of the pineapple and orange season and I just had to try out this recipe I had stumbled upon last week. I have modified and simplified it and the result is just amazing. You can enjoy a yummy, super healthy, tangy-sweet, low-fat, nutritious cake. I baked two cakes. I left one as an orange coffee cake and used the frosting on the second one. You can see orange chunks in it. With the frosted one you will bite into chunks of fresh orange and pineapple. This cake is best had fresh. It's overflowing with the fresh juices of the fruits


Ingredients
Whole-wheat flour - 2 cups
Custard Powder – 1 tbsp
Baking powder - 2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1 tsp
Orange juice – ½ cup
Orange zest - 5 tbsp
Salt
Eggs - 3
Oil - 1 cup
Curd (strained) – ¼ cup
Jaggery – 1 ½ cups
Oranges (peeled) – 2



Method
Blend jaggery and oil together till smooth
Juice the oranges and keep aside the pulp
Add orange juice and the thick curd to the jaggery-oil mix
Beat eggs
Add to the jaggery-oil mixture
Sieve the dry ingredients and add gradually to the wet mix using cut and fold method
Chop the leftover orange pulp and add to the mix along with the orange zest
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for about 20 mins
Cool



Filling and Frosting
Fresh Pineapple pieces (finely cut and crushed) – ½ cup

Cream Cheese
Ingredients
Low-fat paneer (from toned cow milk) - 100 gms (from 500 ml milk)
Milkmaid - 2 tbsp



Method
Whip together low-fat paneer and milkmaid to form cream cheese. Add pineapple pieces and mix slowly
Cut the cake horizontally into two parts
Spread the filling evenly
Place pineapple slices over it
Cover with the other piece
Spread the frosting evenly on top
Refrigerate it for about an hour
Enjoy
Refrigerate the remaining (if any)



Health Benefits of Pineapple
Bone strength
Contains nearly 75 percent of the daily-recommended value of the mineral manganese, which is essential in developing strong bones and connective tissue
Eye health
Can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants
Digestion
Contains dietary fiber, essential in improving bowel movements and keeping your intestines healthy
Contains significant amounts of bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down protein and helping digestion
Anticoagulant
Bromelain levels in pineapple help reduce excessive coagulation of the blood
Heart Health

Contains anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that helps reduce the risk of many diseases, like heart disease