Tuna Pie and Mushroom Soup

Tuna Pie and Mushroom Soup

Here’s my fish pie for the super health conscious! It’s got whole wheat flour crust with a protein-rich filling of tuna, eggs, crushed soya granules and a bit of cheese. The soya granules, besides adding to its protein value; also absorbs moisture from the mixture. I’ve added lots of spring onions along with the greens, capsicum. There’s butter of course to give it the traditional flaky effect but the quantity is lesser than what a normal pie contains. 

For potato lovers, there's a variation. You could replace the top crust with potato (slightly cooked) - a healthy alternative to wheat flour. 

So go right ahead and enjoy it, keeping the portion size in mind of course. That's my first rule even for a healthy snack or meal. It’s also a great meal-on-the-go for a diabetic. Best to have it while it’s still fresh and warm.

I paired the pie with a healthy, yummy mushroom soup. Although I used a little butter to sauté the veggies, it’s a super healthy and filling soup.

Tuna Pie

Ingredients

Crust

Pie pan - 7"

Whole Wheat Flour – 2.5 cups

Salt - ½ tsp

Jaggery - 1 tbsp

Butter (chilled) – ½ cup

Water (ice cold) - 6-8 tbsp

Top Crust

Milk – 2 tbsp

Honey – 1 tbsp

Method

Crust

Combine the flour, salt, and jaggery in a bowl. Add the butter cubes and rub into the flour with your fingers till the mixture resembles a coarse meal.

Sprinkle ice water on it to make crumbly dough. Mix so that it just forms a ball that holds together.

Refrigerate it for a couple of hours

Topping For the Crust

Combine the milk and honey in a bowl and keep aside. Brush it all over the pie crust to give it a golden brown colour when baked.

Tuna Filling

Ingredients

Tuna pieces – 1 cup

Spring onion (1 bunch) – 1

Capsicum (big) – 1

Salt – to taste

Soya sauce – 2 tbsp

Pepper sauce – ¼ cup

Sriracha sauce – 1 tbsp

Hoisin sauce – 1 tbsp 

Black pepper (crushed) – 2 tbsp

Cooking Oil – 1 tbsp

Soya Granubles
Ingredients

Soya granules (crushed) - 1/4 cup

Scrambled egg

Ingredients

Eggs – 2

Onion – 1

Ginger-garlic-green chili paste – 1 tbsp (more or less according to taste)

Curry masala – 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Cooking Oil – 1 tbsp

Tomato – 1/2

Method
Tuna

Clean the tuna pieces

Add a bit of salt and turmeric powder and microwave for 5 to 10 mins

Cool and remove the bones and skin

Shred it

Heat 1 tbsp oil

Add sliced onions and fry till they turn translucent

Add capsicum pieces and fry till soft

Add all the sauces and pepper powder

Mix well

Add shredded tuna and mix well

Egg

Heat oil

Add onions, paste and fry till soft

Add tomato pieces, masala and salt and mix well

Beat the egg and add

Mix well

Add this to the tuna filling and mix well

Soya
Crush the soya granules in a mixie and add to the filling

Assembling The Pie

Place the chilled dough between two sheets of wax paper or plastic sheets

Press down the dough with the heel of your palm to flatten it

Pull it outward to stretch the dough and roll it out to a large round of quarter inch thickness

Check that it is bigger than the pie pan
Grease a pie pan and line the bottom with parchment paper

Transfer the rolled out dough to the prepared pie pan

Gently press it in so that the dough fills out the inner edges and corners

Some part will still hang over the sides of the pan

Fill it with the tuna and egg mix evenly

Roll out the second pie dough in a similar way

Place it over the filling

Let the edges of the two layers overlap and seal them together

Trim off the extra bit

Brush the top with the milk and honey mixture

Make small slits all over on the top to let the steam escape

Preheat the oven to 180 C

Bake it in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown for about 40 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve warm 

Variation: Cover the pie with layers of parboiled potato slices instead of dough. Top with chili flakes

Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

Mushroom – 1 packet

Broccoli – ¼ cup

French Beans – 6 or 7

Capsicum – 1 (medium)

Salt – to taste

Pepper (crushed) – ½ tsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

Vegetable stock – 1 cup

Method

Slice the mushrooms

Saute in butter

Keep aside one-fourth of the mushrooms

Puree the rest

Stir fry the veggies

Add vegetable stock and mushroom puree

Cook on low heat

Add salt and crushed pepper

Add the sauteed mushrooms that were kept aside

Serve hot

Health Benefits of Tuna

Heart friendly. Contains omega-3 fatty acids

Lowers blood pressure

Boosts immune system

Protein rich

Helps in weight loss

Strengthens bones

Improves skin health

Boosts metabolism

Health Benefits of Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are a category of polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) that help to maintain cell membranes of every cell in our body.  Omega-3 fatty acids are considered essential, and we need them to function normally. The 3 main omega-3s are EPA, DHA and ALA. 

ALA,DHA and EPA are not made by our body,  so we need to get them from our diet. EPA and DHA are the primary omega-3s you need to support heart health and can be found in fatty fish like tuna, salmon, mackerel and omega-3 supplements.

These fatty acids provide amazing health benefits ranging from improving symptoms of existing disease (like lowering triglycerides) to preventing occurrence of age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease. They also help to keep our skin clear and beautiful, keep allergies and inflammation under control, reduce joint pain, reduce symptoms of depression, to name a few.

Heart Benefits

Lower triglycerides (blood fat) reduce heart attack, abnormal heart rhythms, and strokes in people with known cardiovascular disease. It also slows the buildup of atherosclerotic plaques (hardening of the arteries), and lowers blood pressure slightly.

Lowers levels of depression

research suggests that omega-3s may help protect against Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and have a positive effect on gradual memory loss linked to aging

Reduces Inflammation

Rheumatoid Arthritis:  A number of studies have found that fish oil supplements significantly reduced stiffness and joint pain.

Lubricates Joints

Health Benefits of Capsicum

 Anti-inflammatory

Anti-cancer

Improves heart health

Antioxidant

Immunity booster

Treats diabetic neuropathy

Health Benefits of Mushroom

Button mushrooms reduce inflammation in arterial cells and prevent white blood cells from sticking to arterial walls - heart disease prevention

Boosts immune system

Stops growth of breast cancer tumors

Contains high amounts of copper needed to produce blood cells and maintain heart health

Other nutrients are vitamins C, D and B, selenium, iron, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium and zinc

Plum and Apple Cake

Plum and Apple Cake

My fascination for fresh fruit continues. With such an overload of apples around, I was all set to make a traditional apple and spice cake. It was the sighting of an end of the season plums that made up my mind to try out this combination cake. It feels good to bite into the tartness of the plums and the sweetness of the apples. Need I add that this is a super healthy cake made with whole wheat flour and oats. A little butter, sliced almonds and fresh coconut only adds to its rich taste and moistness. Go on and indulge in this healthy treat. And of course, like most of my recipes, it's a simple no-fuss cake.

Ingredients

Plums (medium sized) – 2

Apples (medium sized) – 1 ½

Whole wheat flour – ¾ cup

Oats – ¾ cup

Eggs – 2

Butter – ¼ cup

Baking powder – 1 tsp (heaped)

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Jaggery (powdered) – 1 ½ cups

Curds – ½ cup

Lemon – ½

Fresh coconut (grated) – 1 tbsp

Cinnamon powder – 1 tbsp + ½ tsp

Method

Peel and core one apple

Slice it

Add lemon juice, cinnamon powder and ½ cup jaggery and mix well

Slice the plums and keep aside

Sift the flour with baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon powder

Beat the eggs

Add the flour mix slowly little at a time

Add curds and mix

Add melted butter

Cut the other half apple into small pieces and add to the cake batter

Let the batter be a little thick as the fruits will release water

Spread the batter in a cake mould lined with parchment paper

Top the batter with alternately with apple and plum slices

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for about 30 to 35 mins till firm

Cool and slice

Enjoy warm with a cup of hot tea or coffee

Health Benefits of Oats

Good source of carbs and fiber, especially beta-glucan which lowers LDL cholesterol and helps in weight loss

Loaded with vitamins B1 (thiamin), Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B3 (niacin) and folate

Rich in minerals like phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, zinc

Also has small amounts of calcium, potassium

Antioxidant rich especially a unique group of antioxidants called avenanthramides
Avenanthramides have anti-inflammatory properties and also lower BP
Another antioxidant Ferulic acid is also found in large amounts in oats
Rich in resistant starch

Resistant Starch

A major portion of our diet is made up of starch. Starches are long chains of glucose found in grains, potatoes and various foods. But not all the starch we eat gets digested. Sometimes a small part of it passes through the digestive tract unchanged. It is resistant to digestion and goes through the stomach and small intestine undigested. Eventually it reaches the colon (large intestine) where it feeds the friendly bacteria. This has a positive effect on the bacteria as well as on their number. This also does wonders for your health.

This type of starch is called Resistant Starch. It works like soluble, fermentable fiber. When the bacteria in our digestive system digest resistant starches, they form several compounds, including gases and short-chain fatty acids, especially a beneficial fatty acid called Butyrate. Resistant Starch appears to increase butyrate production more when compared with other soluble fibers.

Butyrate is the preferred energy source of the cells lining the colon. Butyrate has beneficial effects on the colon and overall health. It maintains the colon lining and is believed to prevent colon cancer. It also helps to increase metabolism, decrease inflammation and improve stress resistance.

Potential benefits of Resistant Starch

Improved blood fats

May help to lower blood cholesterol and fats while also decreasing the production of new fat cells

Can increase the amount of fat we utilize for energy.

Better Satiety

Can help us feel full by triggering the release of hormones that reduce the drive to eat. After someone starts eating more RS, it may take up to one year for gut hormones to adapt.

Slows down the amount of nutrients released into the bloodstream, which stabilizes appetite

Better Insulin Sensitivity

It doesn’t digest into blood sugar, so less insulin release

Lowered blood sugar levels

Might improve insulin sensitivity

Improved Digestion

May help alleviate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, constipation and ulcerative colitis

Can add bulk and water to stool, helping in regular bowel movements

Can prevent development of abnormal bacterial cells in the colon and enhance mineral absorption (especially calcium).

Better Body Composition

Since Resistant Starch has less energy (calories) per gram than other starches, it can help us eat less.

Improved immunity

Can influence the production of immune cells

Health Benefits of Jaggery

Excellent source of iron

Cleanses the liver

Prevents premenstrual syndrome

Has antioxidants - zinc and selenium which boost immunity

With A Healthy Twist

Healthy Twist to the Festivities

It's very easy to get carried away in the festive season and eat those extra calories which does show up on the body. I have found a happy balance between spluring and being careful. And eventually, this becomes a habit and eating completely unhealthy becomes difficult. So here's an attempt to give a healthy twist wherever possible without compromising on the taste

Wholewheat Modak

Ingredients

Outer Covering

Wholewheat flour - 1 cup

Maida – 1 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt - to taste

Warm water - 1/4 cup (more if required)

Stuffing

Fresh coconut (grated) - 1 cup

Jaggery (grated or powder) - 3/4 cup

Elaichi powder - 1 tsp

Soya nuggets (optional) - 1/4 cup

Method

Outer Covering

Mix the flours

Add salt and mix

Add ghee

Mix well and add water to form dough

It should be slightly tighter than a chapati dough

Keep it covered for 30 mins

Stuffing

Mix coconut and jaggery in a non-stick pan

Heat with constant stirring till jaggery melts and blends well with the coconut

Add elaichi powder

Cool

If you want to dry the stuffing, add powdered soya nuggets and mix well

Modaks

Make small balls out of the dough

Roll out each ball to make thin puri

Stuff each puri with the filling

Shape into modaks

Steam for 25 to 30 mins on medium flame till the modaks look translucent

Wholewheat And Mawa Modak

Ingredients

Wholewheat flour - 1 cup

Mawa - 3/4 cup

Jaggery - 3/4 cup

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Almonds, Pista (small pieces) - 2 tbsp each

Ghee - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Method

Mix salt and flour well

Add 1/2 cup ghee to a nonstick pan and heat

Roast the flour well

Add mawa and dry fruits and roast till done

Add little by little the remaining ghee if it feels dry

Cool it a bit

Add grated jaggery or powder according to taste

Cool

Shape it using modak moulds or with your fingers

Let it dry completely

Handle carefully

Chana Dal Kheer

Ingredients

Chana Dal (Bengal gram) - 1 cup

Rice powder (coarse) - 1 tbsp (heaped)

Milk - 1 cup

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Coconut milk (thick) - 2 cups

Jaggery - 100 to 150 gms

Cardamom (elaichi) - 5 to 6

Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp

Raisins - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Method

Roast the dal in ghee

Add milk and 1 cup coconut milk and pressure cook for 4 whistles till almost done

Cool

Add salt, cardamom, rice flour and the remaining coconut milk and cook on slow flame for about 15 mins

Stir in between

Add cashewnuts and raisins and mix well

Add jaggery and mix well

Adjust the sweetness according to taste

Switch off the flame

Cover the vessel with a banana leaf and let it cool

Enjoy it warm or chilled

Health benefits of fibre

Blood sugar control. Slows down absorption of sugar in the body

Treats and prevents constipation

Helps in the digestive process

Health benefits of coconut

Contains Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCT) which are used as quick source of energy, not stored as fat

Has an appetite reducing effect

Helps in weight loss

Kickstarts thyroid gland functioning

MCTs also have therapeutic effects on several brain disorders