Mint Parantha

Mint Parantha

pic: sanjana kodical

Ingredients
Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt - pinch
Water - as required
Mint leaves - 1/2 cup
Ghee or butter - 1 or 2 tsp

Method
Knead the dough using water
Add oil and knead well to make it smooth
Keep it aside

Stuffing
Wash the mint leaves and dry it well
Dry roast in a non-stick pan or microwave it
Crush it

Parantha
Take a snall section of the dough and roll it out
Sprinkle the crushed mint leaves liberally on it
Fold it and roll it out to make a thick paranth
Smear little ghee or butter on a non-stick pan
Place the parantha on it
Let it cook
Spread little ghee on the other side before flipping it over
Cook the parantha well on both sides 
Eat it piping hot straight off the pan with a cup of hot chai

Layered Parantha
Roll out the dough to form a thin chapati
Spread little ghee and the crushed mint leaves
Fold to form small pleats
Roll it as shown in the figure
Roll it out to form a layered parantha 

Health Benefits of MInt

Great appetizer and promotes digestion

Stimulates digestive enzymes and facilitates body fat utilisation

Soothes stomach aches in cases of indigestion

Freshly crushed leaves helps deal with nausea and headache

Its strong aroma clears up congestion of the nose, throat, bronchi and lungs

Natural stimulant, relieves fatigue and depression

Promotes memory and alertness

Flat Tummy Secret - YouTube link

Part 2 - Flat Tummy Secret

This is the 2nd part of the how to reduce belly fat talk
Flat Tummy Secret - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGDiONkl6DI


For those of you who have come in later, I'm giving the link to the 1st part
Burn That Belly Fat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S19bKMkyvqE

Pumpkin Cake With Streusel Topping

Pumpkin Cake With Streusel Topping

This is a Halloween Special using the goodness of

pumpkin, walnuts, jaggery and wholewheat flour

pics:sanjana kodical

Ingredients

Wholewheat flour - 1 Cup

Jaggery (powder) - 1 1/4cup

Pumkin puree – 3/4 cup

Baking powder - 1tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp

Egg - 3

Curds – 2 tbsp (more if required)

Walnut (pieces) – 3 tbsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

Topping

Cooking chocolate (melted) – 3 tbsp

Walnut (pieces) – 3 tbsp

Oats – 3 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients

Beat the eggs well

Gradually add the dry ingredients to it

Add the puree

Add curds to adjust the consistency

Let the batter be a little thicker than the usual cake batter

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 30 to 40 mins

When the cake is still warm, spread the topping

Let it cool

Topping

Mix all the ingredients really well

Spread over cake 

Foxtail Crispies

Foxtail Crispies
Foxtail millet, a healthy grain that makes for a good diwali snack in combination with another healthy grain - red rice.

pic:sanjana kodical

Ingredients

Foxtail millet flour - 1 cup

Red or brown rice flour - 1 cup

Besan/Bengal gram flour - 1 cup

Peanuts (roasted and lightly crushed) – 2 tbsp

Chili flakes or red chili powder – 1 tbsp (can add more according to taste)

Coconut powder – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves (shredded) – 2 tbsp

Hing/asafetida – 1 tsp

Melted butter (hot) – 1 tbsp

Warm water – 1 or 2 cups

Salt to taste

Method

Dry roast the flours for about 4 to 6 minutes on medium heat till they release a good aroma

Turn off the heat and cool it completely

Mix the ingredients

Pour the hot melted butter into the mixture

Mix to form a crumbly mixture

Add lukewarm water little by little to make soft, pliable dough

Make little balls and roll them out on a plastic sheet or wax paper

Cut them in desired shapes

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 mins or longer till done

Keep an eye to check that it doesn’t get burnt

Health Benefits

Foxtail millet is the oldest of the cultivated millets. It's called Thinai in Tamil, Kangni in Hindi and navane in Kannada. Currently it is mostly grown as bird and cattle feed. But it is becoming popular for human consumption, particularly in the south, as a diabetic food. Besides controlling blood sugar levels, it is also said to lower cholesterol, triglycerides and levels of C-reactive protein. It is also gluten free.

Note: Arterial inflammation can be determined by measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. Those with highest levels of CRP have more than four times the risk of heart trouble.

Raw Banana Cake With Chocolate Drizzle

Raw Banana Cake With Chocolate Drizzle

pic:sanjana kodical

I came across Raw Banana Flour at my upmarket grocer's. I grabbed it and grazed on the net for recipes. I was excited to learn that I could bake a cake with it, exactly the way I use wholewheat flour. The only difference is that it is denser, so half a cup works like almost one cup of wholewheat flour. With Diwali around the corner, I jazzed it up with a little chocolate icing.

Ingredients

Raw Banana Flour – ½ cup

Cocoa Powder – ½ cup

Jaggery powder – 1 cup

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Eggs – 2

Butter (melted) –1 tbsp

Curds (sour) – 3/4 cup or more

Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Method

Mix the dry ingredients well

Beat the eggs well and add to the dry mixture

Add curds, essence and melted butter to it

Mix. Add more curds if required

Bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees) for 35 to 45 mins till a knife inserted into it comes out clean

Let it cool in the oven 

Chocolate Icing

Melt a piece of cooking chocolate with little water in a microwave

It should be of a drizzling consistency

You can pour it over the cake or make some design with it

Health Benefits Of Banana Flour

Source of resistant starch

Gluten free replacement to wheat flours

Rich in potassium and magnesium

Rich in vitamin E

Satisfies carb cravings

Keeps us full for longer 

Controls blood sugar levels

The New Slimming Aid - Resistant Starch

The New Slimming Aid - Resistant Starch

Everyone is familiar with the importance of fibre in the diet. The outer skin of fruits and vegetables and grains is insoluble fibre while pectin in apples, oranges and other fruits is soluble fibre. Till recently, this was the only food component believed to enter the large intestine.

Now meet the new fibre – resistant starch which can help us stay lean and healthy.

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.

Resistant Starch

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

Recommended Level

A recommended level of resistant starch is 15 to 20 grams per day. This amount can help people obtain the full physiological and health benefits of resistant starch.

Study

A number of studies (250 peer-reviewed) conducted over the last 20 years demonstrate that consuming resistant starch as part of a healthy eating plan provides multiple benefits:

Dietary fiber intake is increased.

Satiety and a sense of fullness increase and may, therefore, help with weight control. Researchers report that subjects who consumed resistant starch said they felt fuller and more satisfied 24 hours after eating than those who did not consume resistant starch.

Energy fluctuations are minimized. Glycemic levels are more stable and insulin sensitivity increases, while insulin resistance decreases.

Digestive health improves through an increase in beneficial bacteria and a suppression of harmful bacteria. The resistant starch functions as a prebiotic fiber.

Which foods contain Resistant Starch?

Beans or legumes (such as lentils, white beans, chickpeas, peas)
Starchy fruits and vegetables like bananas. But allowing a banana to ripen will degrade the resistant starches and turn them into regular starches

Whole grains

Some types of cooked then cooled foods like potatoes, yams and rice

(More on Resistant Starch in my next post)

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies


Suddenly I've become addicted to pumpkin and want to try out a whole range of goodies with it. This is just the second of the long list. Be prepared for some more. In the meantime, enjoy these cookies. It's very simple and quick to make. If you are storing it for more than a couple of days, heat it before eating. It tends to get a little soggy when stored for long. Microwave for 10 seconds to enjoy its crispy exterior. I enjoy it with my evening cup of tea or as an in-between sometimes.

pic: sanjana kodical

Ingredients
Wholewheat flour - 1 cup
Jaggery powder-  ¾ cup

Pumpkin puree – ½ cup

Butter(frozen) – 25 gms

Egg – 1

Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp

Ginger powder – ½ tsp

Baking powder-  1 tsp

Baking soda - ½  tsp

Vanilla essence – ½ tsp

Salt - pinch

Chocolate chips – 2 tbsp

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients well

Add butter and mix to form a crumbly mixture

Beat the egg

Add to the dry mixture

Mix well to form soft dough

Take small balls of the dough and shape into cookies with your hands

Bake for about 35 mins in an oven preheated to 170 degrees C till they are done

They will be crisp on the outside 

Keep an eye on them to male sure they don’t burn

Let it cool in the oven

Pumpkin Puree 

Pumpkin – 250 gms

Clean, wash and cut into 4 pieces

Steam till they become soft

Remove the pulp and puree in a mixie

You can freeze it and use it whenever required

Health Benefits of pumpkin

One of the very low calorie vegetables

Has high level of vitamin A

Also rich in vitamins C and E

Excellent source of antioxidants like Zea-xanthin which offers protection from "age-related macular diseases

Good source of B-complex group of vitamins