Horse Gram (Kollu) chutney

 I have been trying to include horse Gram (kollu) in our meals at least once a week for health reasons since this pulse is known for its weight loss and cholesterol lowering properties. I sometimes make rasam when we are coming down with cold and sometimes I make a simple kadayal. This recipe is similar to the usual Kara chutney that I make as a side dish for idils and dosas. I just substituted the urad dal for kollu this time. This chutney goes well as a side dish for rice as well.

Preparation:

Saute 2 tablespoons of horse Gram with a tablespoon of oil in low to medium flame until the pulses start popping. Remove them to a plate and saute two dried red chilies and small piece of ginger for a minute and let everything cool. Once cooled grind everything with some salt and a cup of grated coconut or half of a small coconut. Season with spluttered mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves.

Quinoa and moong dal dosai

 Quinoa and moong dal dosai served with egg gravy and coriander chutney. No fermentation required for the dosa batter. Soak equal portions of quinoa and dal for an hour and grind it to dosa batter consistency. If needed, cumin seeds, chopped onions, cilantro and curry leaves can be added to the batter.

Barnyard millet idlis ( no rice idlis))

 Barnyard millet idlis served with vada curry. No rice added idlis. I used 3 cups of millers and one cup of urad dal and one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, everything washed and soaked for 2 hours, ground and mixed together with salt to regular idlis batter consistency. 

For the vada curry recipe:

http://gitaskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/09/vadai-curry.html?m=1

Wheat Rava upma

Recipe can be found at 

http://gitaskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/cracked-wheat-vegetable-upma.html?m=1

Ragi thattai

 

Thattais are one of the favorite snacks in my house. I keep changing them with regular versions and ragi or other millet options for the kids. Here I have added some rice flour as well here. There is mot much taste difference in these versions. I usually add garlic to the thattais for additional taste.

Ingredients:

1. Ragi flour, 1 cup.

2. Rice flour, 1/2 cup.

3. Urad dal flour, 1/2 cup.

4. Crushed garlic, 2.

5. Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.

6. Hing, 1/2 teaspoon.

7. Roasted channa dal (pottukadalai), 1/4 cup.

8. Chopped curry leaves, 1 tablespoon.

9. Oil for deep frying.

Preparation:

In a big bow, add all the ingredients with a tablespoon of oil and mix well. Add water little by little and mix it into a smooth dough. The dough should be pliable enough to make round balls but a little thick. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Pinch small balls from the dough and roll them into small round circles and deep fry in low-medium flame until the thattais turn crispy but not burnt. Remove and drain the excess oil from thattais and let it cool and serve. Store in air tight boxes. 

Barnyard millet and moong dhal Kanji

 

This is the same recipe as the traditional rice kanji that we used to make. These days I have been making it with millets for a lighter evening dinner.  This pairs well with any spicy side dishes or even pickle. Preparation is very easy. We have to add all the ingredients and pressure cook. I usually make this as an one pot dish in the pressure cooker. Here it is served with a spicy coconut thogayal.  This is a perfect convalescent food as well. Alternatively, the whole dish can be prepared in a pot on stove top. Keep adding water as necessary as it cooks.

Ingredients: 

1. Millets, 1 cup.

2. Whole moong dhal, 1/4 cup.

3. Grated coconut, 1 tablespoon.

4. Salt as per taste.

5. Garlic, 2 cloves.

6. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:

Wash the millets and the dhal together. In a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, add 4 cups of water and add everything. Mix well and pressure cook for 15 minutes up to three whistles (for the Instant Pot Pressure cooker mode for 15 minutes). Once the pressure is down, open and mash everything well. Add more water to get the desired consistency and serve.

Millet idlis (no rice added)

 

Millet idlis (no rice added) and egg kurma....a familiar breakfast scene on Sundays for us.  This time tried the batter only with millets and urad dhal. It came out very soft and not much different in taste compared to regular idlis. For the recipe, I soaked 2 cups of millets ( I used barnyard millets) and one cup of urad dhal for 3 to 4 hours along with a teaspoon of fenugreek seeds. Grind them together, add salt and ferment the batter for 6 to 8 hours. Make idlis the usual way.

Millet dosa

 

This dosa is only made with millets and urad dhal and no rice. This proportions are for dosa only. I didnt try making idlis now. Will post the proportions for idli recipe in a separate post. The batter fermented well and the dosas came very crispy and good. Here I have served them with lamb kheema curry and tilapia fish curry.

Ingredients:

1. Millets (I have used barnyard millet or kuthiravali here), 2 cups.

2. Urad dhal, 2 tablespoons.

3. Fenugreek seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.

4. Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.

Preparation:

Wash the millets and urad dhal and soak them along with the fenugreek seeds for 2-3 hours. Grind them smoothly with salt. The batter should be of pourable dosa consistency. Let it ferment for 6-8 hours and prepare dosas after that.

Mushroom pulav -with parboiled Basmati rice

This is a spicy pulav cooked with diabetic rice. Diabetic rice is basically parboiled basmatic rice, which is sold in the markets as low-glycemic rice or diabetic rice. I usually cook this rice with plenty of water in a open pot and drain the water to reduce the starch. This rice is actually very starchy, so this method of cooking will be better for this variety of rice rather than in a rice cooker or pressure cooker.

 

Ingredients:

1. Parboiled diabetic rice, cooked, 2 cups. I cooked the rice in plenty of water in an open pot and drained the water and let the rice cool. This process removes the excess starch in the rice.

2. Thinly sliced onion, 1 cup.

3. Finely chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup.

4. Green chilies, 2. cut into halves.

5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tablespoon.

6. Chopped mushrooms, 1 cup.

7. Green peas, 1/2 cup.

8. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.

9. Chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon.

10. Garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon.

11. Curry leaves, chopped coriander and mint leaves for garnish.

12. Salt as per taste.

Preparation:

Heat a pan with two tablespoons of oil. Add the sliced onions and saute them until they turn brown. Now add the tomatoes, mushrooms, green chilies , ginger-garlic paste and keep sauteing until everything is blended well. Now add turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala, green peas and salt and mix everything well. Cook under low flame until the spices lose their raw smell and everything is well cooked. Add the rice now and mix gently without breaking the rice. Garnish with chopped herbs and serve.

Oats Sweet Kozukattais

A different kozhukattai recipe made with oats. We had it as an evening snack with tea. I also added oat bran powder to increase the fiber content in the recipe. I just ran the oats in a mixie and ground it.   

Ingredients:

1. Powdered oats, 2 cups.

2. Shredded coconut, 1/2 cup.

3. Cardamom powder, 1/2 teaspoon.

4. Coconut palm sugar or any other preferred sweetener, 1/2 cup to a cup depending on preferred sweetness level. I just used half a cup.

5. Ghee, a tablespoon. (optional).

6. Roasted and broken cashews, 2 tablespoons.

Preparation:

Heat three cups of water in a thick-bottomed pan and add the cardamom power and sugar and let it come to a boil. Once the water starts to boil, add the oats mixed with the cashews and  coconut slowly and mix it slowly without lumps. Keep mixing under low flame until the mixture is thick enough and we are able to scrape it from the bottom off the pan. Switch off the stove and let it cool. Once cool, mold it into round or preferred shapes and steam them for 10 to 12 minutes and serve.

Roasted lotus seeds snacks- sweet and savory

These are my son's favorite snacks, especially the savory version. For the sweet version, I usually sweeten them with jaggery or coconut palm sugar. Both the versions taste good. These are very simple to prepare and can be stored for up to a week.

Savory Roasted lotus seeds recipe:
Ingredients:
1. Lotus seeds, 2 cups.
2. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
3. Chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
4. Salt, as per taste.
5. Curry leaves, a few.
6. Asafetida, a pinch.

Preparation:
Add a tablespoon of oil in a thick-bottomed pan.  Add all the ingredients except the lotus seeds in the pan and saute them for a few seconds under medium flame. Reduce to low flame and add the lotus seeds and mix well. Keep stirring and mixing up everything continuously for 10 to 12 minutes until the lotus seeds are evenly roasted and turns crispy.  Transfer to an air-tight container once cooled.

Sweet roasted lotus seeds recipe:
Ingredients:
1. Lotus seeds, 2 cups.
2. Coconut palm sugar, 1 cup.
3. Cardamom powder 1 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a thick bottomed pan with 1/4 cup of water. Add the coconut palm sugar and cardamom powder and mix everything well. Once the liquid comes to a boil and starts to thicken, add the lotus seeds and keep mixing continuously under low flame for 10 minutes until the sugar sticks to seeds and starts to dry. Break them gently once cooled and transfer to an air-tight container.

Bisibelebath with millets

Ingredients:
1. Any types of grains like millets, oats or quinoa, 1-1/2 cup.
2. Toor dal, 1/2 cup.
3. Small onions, peeled, 1 cup.
4. Chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup or 2 small tomatoes, chopped.
6. Curry leaves, a sprig.
4. Chopped coriander leaves, 1/4 cup.'
5. Finely diced vegetables like carrots, green beans, etc. a cup.
6. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspooon.
9. Asafetida, 1/4 teaspoon.
10. Salt, as per taste.
11. Tamarind juice extracted from a small gooseberry--sized tamarind or a tablespoon of readymade tamarind paste.

To roast and grind:
1. Cardamom pods, 2.
2. Cloves, 2.
3. Cinnamon, a small piece.
4. Channa dal, 2 tablespoon.
5. Urad dal, 1 tablespoon.
6. Red chilies, 2-3 depending upon preferred spice level.
7. Coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon.
8. Fenugreek seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
9. Coconut powder, 1/4 cup

Preparation:
Wash the millets and dal and cook them separately in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover the millets and dal. Once cooked, mix it gently and keep aside. Heat a thick bottomed pot with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once the oil is hot. Then add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Now add the onions and saute until the onions start getting brown. Now add the chopped tomatoes and keep sauteeing. Then add the turmeric powder, salt, tamarind juice, along with the vegetables and a cup of water and let everything cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the vegetables are cooked. Now add the mashed millet and dal along with 3 cups of water, mix everything well and add the roasted and ground masala and asafetida. Cook under low flame for 10 more minutes, switch off the stove and garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Serve with any side dishes like potatoes fry or raita.

A spoon of ghee and roasted cashews can also be added in the end for additional taste.

Masala oats

A different version of the regular masala oats sold in small packets. If you want the same taste as the regular masala oats, you can add maggi seasoning powder instead of the usual powders given in the recipe below, Personally I like this version better since I am not a big fan of the store bought noodle  masala powders loaded with additives and sodium.

Ingredients:
1.Toasted oats, 1 cup. (I have used steel-cut oats).
2. Vegetables like carrots, green beans, peas, etc. all cut into small pieces.
3. Diced onion, 1 cup.
4. Chopped tomatoes, fr com 2 medium sized ones.
5. Green chilies, slit into two, 2.
6. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon.
7. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Sambar powder, or chili powder 1/2  teaspoon.
9. Salt, as per taste.
10. Garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil.  When the oil turns hot, add the diced onions and saute for a few minutes unti translucent. Then add the diced green chilies, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste and keep sauteeing until everything is well blended. Now add sambar powder, turmeric powder, salt, and the vegetables and keep sauteeing under low flame until the vegetables and cooked. Now add two cups of water and let it come to a boil. Now add the oats and cook under medium flame until the oats is cooked and the required consistency is reached and serve hot.

Millet flour uppu urundais

This is the same recipe as posted below except that I have used saamai millet flour instead of oats. This tastes good by itself and doesn't need any side dish.

https://gitaskitchen.blogspot.com/2013/01/oats-uppu-urundai-kozukkatais.html?m=1

One pot rasam rice (with oats)

I have been seeing many one-pot rasam rice dishes on Youtube and this is my version. This is very versatile and can be made with rice, millet, quinoa, or cracked wheat). This time I wanted it to be light dinner, so made this with oats. I have also shared the InstantPot preparation of the dish here.  This is also ideal for lunchbox since it takes less time for prepping and cooking and packs well along with any type of side dishes.

Ingredients:
1. Oats (rice, millet, or cracked wheat), 1 cup.
2. Toor dhal, 1/4 cup.
3. Tomatoes, 2, chopped.
4. Garlic, 4-5 cloves, crushed.
5. Tamarind pulp extracted from a small gooseberry-sized ball.
6. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
7. Salt, as per taste.
8. Curry leaves and coriander leaves for garnish.
9. Asafetida, 2 pinches.
10. Mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon.
11. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teas[oon.

To roast and grind:
1. Peppercorns, 1 teaspoon.
2. Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoons.
3. Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon.
4. Dried red chilies,
5. Curry leaves, a sprig.

Preparation:
Heat a pressure cooker pan with a tablespoon of oil or turn on the InstantPot into saute mode. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once the oil turns hot. Add the cumin seeds now and fry for a few seconds. Now add the chopped tomatoes, garlic, curry leaves and saute for a few minutes until everything turns mushy. Now add 3 cups of water along with the oats, dhal, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, salt, asafetida, ground powder and mix well. Pressure cook for 12 minutes or turn on pressure cooker mode for 15 minutes in IntantPot. Once the pressure is released, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ghee and serve hot.

Ground chicken pulav -with brown rice

The inspiration for this dish is from my friend. Recently, she bought me briyani made with ground chicken and the flavor was so good and my kids loved it, so I thought I will make my own version with brown rice since it was a regular week day. I packed this for school lunch. Here I have used briyani masala powder instead of whole spices since my kids do not like whole spices in the briyani. I have made this into a one-pot dish using InstantPot. You can also use a pressure cooker or a deep bottomed pot and cook the rice the usual way.

Ingredients:
To grind:
1.Cardamom cloves, 4.
2. Cinnamon 1 stick.
3. Cloves, 2.
4. Coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon.
5. Dried red chilies, 2-3.
6. Bayleaf, 1.
7. Fennel seeds,  1 tablespoon.
8. Star anise, 1.


Other ingredients:
1. Brown rice, 2 cups.
2. Ground chicken, 1 kg.
3. Chopped onions, 1 cup.
4. Chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, 1 tablespoon.
6.Green chilies, slit into 2.
7. Turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Salt as per taste.
9. Yogurt, 1/2 cup.
10. Curry leaves, a spring.
11. Chopped mint and coriander leaves, 1 cup.

Preparation:
Grind the ingredients under the list and keep aside, Heat a pan or a pressure cooker (I used the saute mode in the Instantpot for this) with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the chopped onions and saute until brown. Then add the chopped tomatoes, green chilies, ginger garic paste, turmeric powder, and salt and saute until blended. Add the ground chicken, yogurt, and the ground powder, mix well and cook for 10 to 15 minutes under low to medium flame until the chicken is cooked and all the water is absorbed from the dish. Now add the chopped mint, rice and required amount of water and cook the rice the usual. If I am using white rice, I usually add the rice and water ratio to be 1:1-1/2 cup and for brown rice its 1:1-3/4 since brown rice takes longer to cook than white rice.

Wheat Rava Vegetable Upma...a different version

This is a different preparation compared to the regular upma. The flavor comes from the curd and milk added and everything blends to a tasty and complete dish loaded with vegetables. I have also added sliced garlic since we like that taste.  It can be omitted if preferred.

Ingredients:
1. Wheat rava, roasted, 1 cup.
2. Chopped onion, 1 cup.
3. Chopped tomatoes, 1/2 cup.
4. Green chilies, slit into two, 2. (or more depending upon the preferred spice level)
5. Garlic, 2, sliced.
6. Finely chopped ginger, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Curry leaves, a handful.
8. Chopped vegetables like carrots, green beans, peas, 1 cup.
9. Curd, 1/2 cup.
10. Milk, 1/2 cup.
11. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
12. Urad dal, 1/2  teaspoon.
13. Channa dal, 1/2 teaspoon.
14. Salt as per taste.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter once its hot. Then add the urad dal and channa dal and fry for a few seconds. Add the chopped onions and curry leaves now and saute until translucent. Now add the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, green chilies,  salt, and chopped vegetables and keep sauteeing until everything is well blended.  Now add the whisked curd, milk, and 3 cups of water, mix well and let it come to a boil. Add the wheat rava, mix well, and cook closed under low flame for 15 minutes. Mix well and turn off the stove.

Daliya Kichadi (Broken wheat Kichadi)

Daliya or broken wheat as a rice substitute is one of my favorite. I make porridge, pongal, sweet pongal, and variety rices with this. I have been making kichadi with broken wheat for a while, usually for dinner since it is more filling and on the lighter side as well. This time it was for lunch since we wanted something spicy and flavorful after the Navarathri preparations of sweets everyday. I have paired this with potato fry and spicy cauliflower chukka (sauteed grated cauliflower with chili powder, salt, garlic and kasuri methi). This combination paired really well.  I have made the kichadi as a one pot dish with Instapot. It can be made using pressure cooker or stove top. This kichadi is a no onion, garlic recipe. It can be added, if required. This was taste-tested by my daughter Krithikha who loved it :

Ingredients:
Broken wheat, 1 cup. (I have used the bigger variety here).
Moong dal, 1/2 cup.
Tomatoes, 2, finely chopped.
Green chilies, 3-4, slit into 2.
Criushed ginger, 1 tablespoon.
Turmeric powder, a pinch.
Asafetida, a pinch.
Salt, as per taste.
Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
Chopped vegetables like carrots, beans, capsicum, peas 1-1/2 cups.

Preparation:
Wash the wheat and dal together and keep aside. Heat a pressure cooker pot or Instapot in saute mode with a teaspoon of oil. Add the cumin seeds and fry for a few seconds. Now add the crushed tomates, chilies, and ginger and keep sauteeing until everything is blended. Add the turmeric powder, salt, asafetida along with 4 cups of water and let it come to a boil. Then add the wheat and the dal; mix everything together and pressure cook for 3 whistles or in the pressure cooker mode in IP for 15 minutes.  It can served with some ghee if preferred.

Brown Rice Spinach Kichadi

Posting another recipe after a longtime.  It's getting really hard to blog with kids activities and school routine.  Weekday mornings are usually very hectic with getting the kids ready for school and packing lunchboxes. My pressure cooker and Instapot are my busy day mornings lifesavers.  At my house, both the kids and my hubby prefer one-pot rice dishes. We have been giving the kids brown rice for lunch as well. I usually make fried rice or mixed rice varieties with brown basmati rice. My favorite brown rice is Sona Masuri brown rice these days. The cooked rice is very soft and tastes almost similar to white rice. The brand that I typically use is 24 Mantra Organic rice, which is available in most of the Indian grocery stores close by to us.

This is a very easy dish, all made into a one-pot and takes a few minutes to assemble. Kichadis are typically served hot with any spicy side dishes like potato fry, pickle, pappads etc. I usually pack the lunches in thermos for the kids and it stays warm until lunch and hubby usually warms up his lunch in microwave at work.

Ingredients:
1. Rice, 1-1/2 cups. I have used Sona Masuri Brown rice here.
2. Spinach, 1 big bunch.
3. Garlic, 3 pods.
4. Peeled small onions, 1 cup.
5. Curry leaves, 1 handful.
6. Toor dhal, 1/2 cup.
7. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
8. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
9. Salt, as per taste.
10. Ghee, 2 tablespoons.
11. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
12. Bayleaves, 2.

Preparation:
Wash the spinach well and chop into big pieces. Puree them with little water and keep aside. In a pressure cooker or Instant pot, add a teaspoon of ghee and once the ghee is hot, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and bayleaves and let it splutter. Then add the small onions, crushed garlic, and curry leaves and saute until the onions are tender. Now add the rice, dhal, 3 cups of water, purred spinach, turmeric powder, and salt and cook it for 3 whistles for up to 12 to15 minutes.  I put it on the pressure cook mode on IP for 15 minutes. Once the pressure is released, mix the rice well and add more ghee if preferred. Serve hot with any spicy side dishes or pappads.

Mexican Rice with Quinoa and Brown Rice

This is one of our favorite dishes when we go out for Mexican restaurants, mildly spiced and I love the flavor this dish, which reminds of Indian tomato rice. My hubby is a fan of quinoa, so this time I made the rice with a mix of brown rice and quinoa together. This version will not be that fluffy because of the mixture and will be on the mushier side. You can use only rice or quinoa for a fluffier and drier texture. Preparation is very simple, just saute and dump everything in the rice cooker and cook, very easy and handy for lunch boxes.  I packed this for hubby's lunch along with cucumbers and strawberries.

Ingredients:
1. Brown rice, 1 cup.
2. Quinoa, 1 cup.
3. Salsa, 1 cup. (Diced tomatoes can also be used instead).
4. Garlic, 2 pods, crushed
5. Bay leaf, 1 (optional).
6. Any kind of broth, 1 cup. (Water can be used instead).
7. Salt and pepper as per taste.
8. Diced onions, 1 cup.
9. Diced bell peppers, 1 cup.

Preparation:
Wash the rice and quinoa throughly and keep aside, I used an InstantPot to make this.  A thick bottomed pan or rice cooker can be used instead.  Add a teaspoon of oil in the pot and saute the onions until it is brown, Then add the garlic and diced peppers and saute until the peppers are tender. Add the rest of the ingredients into the pot along with 3 cups of water and let it cook until the rice is done.  Fluff it up with fork and serve.

Broccoli and Carrot Soup (low calorie and Vegan) Panera Bread Style

Broccoli cheddar cheese soup is one of my favorite soups from Panera Bread, but the calories and sodium content is very high in these; so tried to make a low-calorie version of the same; This time I made a vegan version with unsweetened almond milk and no cheese and the taste was very good even without the cheese; For a regular low-calorie version, low-fat milk and a little bit of cheddar cheese can be added; I have also added some nutritional yeast here for vitamin B;  The ingredients used here are very minimal and simple; Paired with a crusty bread, it is a filling healthy lunch or dinner;

Ingredients:
Broccoli, 1 head, chopped into fine pieces
Shredded carrots, 2 cups
Garlic, 2 cloves, crushed
Any type of flour, 1 tablespoon; (I have used whole wheat flour here; you can use any type of flour, even any gluten-free flour works well here)
Nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon
Unsweetened almond milk or any other milk of choice, 1 cup
Salt and pepper as per taste

Preparation:
Heat a pot with a teaspoon of oil or butter; Add the flour and keep stirring under low flame until the flour turns into a light brown color without burning the flour;  Add a cup of water now along with the broccoli, carrots and garlic and let it simmer for 5 minutes; Now add the almond milk, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and let it simmer for 10 more minutes until it reaches the desired consistency; some more water may be added if required; Serve hot with bread

Apple and Cinnamon Oatmeal

Today's breakfast: Oatmeal with chopped apples and almond milk (1/2 cup and I used water for the right consistency), topped with cinnamon powder, chia seeds, hemp seeds.  No sugar is added here. The sweetness comes from the apples. Served with celery juice on side. I have been Dr. Axe Josh for the last couple of months and been trying out his healthy food choices. The celery juice was suggested in his page.  I have been drinking it for the last few months and have seen a significant improvement in my energy levels.

Healthy snacks - Roasted red poha and coconut palm sugar coated peanuts

These two  snacks are the easiest to make and comes together in 10 to 15 minutes if the ingredients are available. Red poha is a better choice than regular white poha due to its cholesterol-lowering benefits. It is also pan-fried rather than deep fried.  The peanuts are usually made with jaggery, this time I tried them out with coconut palm sugar and it was equally tasty as the other version. These snacks come in handy when we are craving for something sweet and savory during evening teatime.

Roasted Red Poha 

Ingredients:
1. Red poha (aval), 1 cup.
2. Raw peanuts, 1/2 cup.
3. Roasted channa dal, (pottu kadalai), 1/4 cup.
4. Curry leaves, a few.
5. Mustard seeds, 1/4 teaspoon.
6. Asafetida,  pinch.
7. Chili powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
8. Salt, as per taste.
9. Cashews, broken, 1/4 cup.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Now add the curry leaves, cashews and the peanuts and keep frying for a few seconds until the peanuts are well roasted. Reduce the flame now and add the poha, roasted channa dhal, chili powder, asafetida, and salt and keep mixing under low flame for 5-8 minutes until the poha is well roasted. Turn off the flame once the raw smell from the poha is gone. Serve once cooled.

Variations:
Roasted dry red chilies (mor milagai) can also be broken and added for a different taste.

Coconut palm sugar coated peanuts:
Ingredients:
1. Raw peanuts, 1 cup.
2. Coconut palm sugar, 2/3 cup.
3. Cardamom powder, 1/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a cup of water. Once the water comes to a boil, add the coconut palm sugar and cardamom powder and keep mixing it. Once the sugar syrup reaches string consistency,( at this stage if jaggery is used instead, it is advisable to drain the syrup to avoid any grains of sand in the mixture) add the peanuts and keep mixing it under low flame.  Once everything comes together, turn off the flame and let it cool. Once cooled, the peanuts tend to get hard. Break them into separate bite-size pieces and serve.

Book review - "40 Steps To Reverse Diabetes" By Gowardhan Doddi

Diabetes is  spreading on epidemic proportions, especially in India. We have become the diabetic capital of the world since the last few years. In India, with the variety of choices of different cuisines and fast food options, foods loaded with sugars, fats, and artificial preservatives are getting consumed very often these days, since these are easily accessible owing to everyone busy and hectic lifestyle.  This ultimately leads to hereditary diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, etc.  The sad part is that many kids are getting diagnosed with diabetes or prediabetes these days.  We as the adults need to do some major lifestyle changes to make our next generation healthy and make them follow our example.

Recently I have been reading many books about healing our body naturally with food and supplements, and alternative healing therapies. It is very true that some types of foods have the power to heal our body from many diseases.  I came across "40 Steps to Reverse Diabetes" by Gowardhan Doddi, who is the founder of the Facebook group  Healthy Diet for Diabetics . This book is a very useful resource, for anyone trying to reduce their blood sugars with diet, exercise and other lifestyle modifications in simple easy to follow steps. He also shares inspiring stories about people who overcame diabetes or reduced their diabetic medications mainly through diet and exercise and what they did to achieve their goals.

The book focusses on getting back to our roots, when healthy eating was a way of life and everything was in moderation.  Each chapter in this book gives detailed information about understanding our body to overcome diabetes by following simple techniques and everything has been explained in a easy way to follow through.  The book also emphasizes on taking care of vitamin deficiencies like vitamin D and chromium, which play a major role in overall health, particularly in relation with diabetes.  It also gives elaborate information about steps and types of food to keep our body fats in the healthy range.   The book suggests making simple changes like being stress-free, having adequate sleep hours, and many more useful details, which is very much needed today to improve our overall health. I like the part where he explains about how simple day-today habits and alternate therapies can make a big difference in lowering blood sugars.  I am a strong believer in alternate therapy and the power of nourishing foods to heal our body, so I would recommend this book for people like me trying to reverse their diabetes naturally and trying to reduce their diabetic medication.

Copies of the book is available at:
http://www.healthydietfordiabetics.com/40-steps-to-reverse-diabetes/

All the people who purchase the E-book will get an opportunity to participate in 8 weeks diabetes challenge. This is a sincere effort by the author to make the people take action after reading the book. I am also going to participate in this challenge that is starting on May 21st.  Please click on the link below for more details about this challenge.

8-week diabetic challenge

Guest Post- Understanding Mesothelioma Cancer

  Understanding Mesothelioma Cancer

I get the following question a lot so I thought it would be ideal to make it the highlight of this article.  What is mesothelioma? Mesothelioma (also known to be called malignant mesothelioma) is a fairly rare form of cancer that affects the mesothelium. Mesothelium… mesothelioma… you see the connection.

The mesothelium is the thin tissue layer that lines (covers) most internal organs. Mesothelioma can be very aggressive and deadly in its attacks, and although treatments are available for its early stages, progression into more chronic stages will result in certain death.

Types of Mesothelioma

There are different types of mesothelioma based on the particular organ affected. The common types are pleural mesothelioma (which affects the lungs), peritoneal mesothelioma (which affects the abdomen), pericardial mesothelioma (which affects the heart), and less frequently, testicular mesothelioma (which affects the lining of testicles). The most common form of mesothelioma is that of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma), while the peritoneal,pericardial, and testicular forms are rare.

Mesothelioma Causes

Medical research has shown that mesothelioma is caused by exposure to asbestos. Asbestos are a group of naturally occurring minerals that have been recognized for their strength and fire resistance. Its fire retardant qualities made the use of asbestos common in products such as roofing materials, cements and even fabric. Over the past few decades however, its use has greatly declined in the manufacturing of these products since it has been implicated as the principal culprit causing mesothelioma. Prolonged exposure to asbestos is known to greatly increase the risk of contracting the disease.

According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), almost 2000 people are diagnosed of mesothelioma annually in the United Kingdom (UK), while in the United States, over 2700 people die annually of mesothelioma. In the UK, deaths from mesothelioma increased by up to 10 times from 1969 to 2009 and is not showing any signs of letting up.

 

Mesothelioma Symptoms

The symptoms of mesothelioma may take years (sometimes decades) to develop. This makes early diagnosis of the condition rare, with most cases being found when already advanced into the chronic stages. There are various symptoms that result from mesothelioma and these symptoms depend principally on the site of contraction. The evident symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are not the same as those of pericardial or peritoneal mesothelioma.

Here is a video to help explain all about mesothelioma symptoms.

The diagnosis of mesothelioma is achieved through various techniques, but ultimately it all begins with the examination of the symptoms observed by the patient. The use of CT scans and X-rays are utilized to examine the potentially affected area. If these tests do not reveal concrete evidence, then a biopsy is carried out. Biopsy is a procedure that involves the removal of a small amount of tissue (with the aid of a specialized needle) from the suspected area. These tissues are then analyzed and observed under a microscope to confirm the presence or absence of the disease.

In conclusion, mesothelioma is fatal.  By knowing about common asbestos locations, possible asbestos exposure, the warning signs, and symptoms, you are more likely to live a lot longer than the average person diagnosed with mesothelioma because you will have the knowledge to get screened for it annually.  Prevention can only be possible if you have never been around asbestos products. So, as much as possible, stay away from asbestos-made products and avoid them at all costs so that you will never run the risk of developing malignant mesothelioma.

REFERENCES

www.medicalnewstoday.com

www.treatmesothelioma.org

www.mayoclinic.org

www.medicinenet.com

This is a guest post from Ashley Stafford.  He is from  a volunteer effort based website with the mission of raising mesothelioma cancer awareness and saving lives. Their mission directly involves helping cancer patients, veterans, firefighters, construction workers, seafarers, and senior citizens.