Baked Chicken Parmesan Cutlets

My kids favorite chicken recipe. This is very versatile. We can make sandwiches out these with some marinara sauce poured on top of the cutlets. The same way it can also be served with pasta.  This also can be served by itself as a snack. A healthy chicken recipe, which uses less oil and is baked. The bread crumbs used here are whole wheat bread crumbs.

Ingredients:
1. Chicken breast pieces, 4.
2. Grated Parmesan cheese,  1/2 cup.
3. Garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
4. Dried parsley leaves, 1 teaspoon.
5. Salt and pepper as per taste.
6. Beaten egg whites, 1 cup, seasoned with salt and pepper.
7. Toasted whole wheat bread crumbs 2 cups.

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, parsley leaves, salt and pepper.  First dip the chicken in the egg whites making sure it is well coated. Then roll them over in the bread crumbs mixture making sure that the chicken breasts are fully covered in with the bread crumbs. If needed, the same procedure can be repeated again to ensure even coating. Arrange the chicken pieces on a baking pan and spray them evenly with any oil spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, turning them over once in between.

Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Mufffins

I tried so many blueberry oatmeal recipes from different sites but it didn't turn out the way I expected since I was using whole wheat flour.   The muffins were not that soft and were turning a little dry once cooled.  Finally at many trials and errors, I started changing the ingredients a little more to my preference and  this recipe yielded a good batch of soft muffins, which is also on the low sugar side. I have used coconut palm sugar here, which is a ideal substitute for brown sugar and still gives the same flavor ass brown sugar.

Ingredients:
Dry Ingredients:
1. Whole wheat flour, 1 cup.
2. Oats, 1/2 cup.
3. Baking powder, 1-1/2 teaspoon.
4. Baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon.
5. Cinnamon powder, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Salt, 1/2 teaspoon.
7. Blueberries, 1-1/2 cups, mixed with a tablespoon of flour.

Wet Ingredients:
1. Yogurt, 1 cup.
2. Milk, 1/2 cup. We can use any kind of milk here like soy milk or almond milk.
3. Vanilla essence, 1/4 teaspoon.
4. Coconut palm sugar or agave nectar, 2/3 cup. Any other white sugar substitutes do not work so well here since coconut palm sugar or palm sugar gives nice brown color and a good flavor to the muffins.
5. Two more tablespoons of coconut palm sugar for sprinkling over the top of the muffins.
6. Egg, 1.

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Whisk all the wet ingredients together until they are fluffy.  Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl except the blueberries and add the dry ingredients slowly into the wet ingredient mixture. Mix everything well. Now add the blueberries and mix everything just once.  With a ladle, pour the muffins into a greased muffin pan. Sprinkle coconut palm sugar on top of the muffins and bake for 12-14 minutes.

Khara Bath/ Masala Rava Kichadi (made with wheat rava)

I saw this recipe at Sathya's space recently and I wanted to try this right away. I followed her original recipe and the only changes that I made was to use wheat rava instead of regular rava and added some fennel seeds in the seasonings.  This is a very flavorful dish and the spice powder added in the end gives a complete new taste to the dish.  To lean more about the original recipe and other interesting facts about this, please check out her space at: http://mykitchenodyssey.blogspot.com/2015/10/rava-kichadi-khara-bath-recipe.html#more


Ingredients:
To Grind:
1. Cinnamon, 1 small piece around an inch.
2. Cloves, 2.
3. Coriander seeds, 2 teaspoon.
4. Coconut powder, 2 teaspoon.
5. Dried red chilies, 2-3.
6. Roasted channa dhal, (pottukadalai), 1 teaspoon.

Other Ingredients:
1. Diced onions, 1 cup.
2. Diced tomatoes, 1/2 cup.
3. Green chilies, slit into two, 2.
4. Finely chopped ginger, 1 tablespoon.
5. Curry leaves, a sprig.
6. Chopped cilantro, 2 tablespoons, for garnishing.
7. Mixed vegetables, like carrots, cauliflower, green beans, peas etc, all chopped into small pieces, 1 cup.
8. Roasted wheat rava, small size, 1-1/2 cups.

For Seasoning:
1. Mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
2. Urad dhal, 1 teaspoon.
3. Channa dhal, 1 teaspoon.
4. Raw peanuts, 1 tablespoon. This can be substituted with roasted peanuts and can be added in the end.
5. Fennel, seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Turmeric powder, 1/4 teaspoon.

Preparation:
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add the peanuts and fry for a few seconds. Then add the fennel seeds, urad, dhal and channa dhal and fry for a few more seconds until it is brown. Now add the diced onions, curry leaves, saute for a few minutes until the onions are translucent. Then add the diced tomatoes, slit green chilies,  chopped ginger, and turmeric powder and keep sauteing until everything is well blended. Add enough salt and the mixed vegetables and keep cooking under low flame for 7-10 minutes until the vegetables are tender.   Add 3 cups of water now, mix everything well and let it come to a boil. Now add the wheat rava slowly and mix well. Keep the flame under low simmer and cook closed for 10 more minutes and the water is all absorbed and the rava is cooked.  At this stage, add the ground powder and mix well. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with coconut chutney or pickle.

Spinach Chutney /Thokku

I have been including spinach in my diet a lot lately due to health reasons. I have been adding them to stir fries, eggs, rotis, or I usually make a simple dhal. I saw this recipe in a foodie group in Facebook recently and wanted to try this ever since. I modified the recipe a little to my taste and it was very good.  We had it with brown rice and a simple carrot stir-fry. This is a good recipe, if you are looking for a different flavorful dish with spinach.

Ingredients:
1. Spinach, 1 big bunch.
2. Small onions, peeled, 1/2 cup.
3. Garlic, 2 pods.
4. Urad dhal, 1 tablespoon.
5. Cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon.
6. Dried red chilies, 3-4.
7. Tamarind, a small goose-berry size ball.
8. Salt, as per taste.

Preparation:
Wash the spinach and keep them aside.  There is no need to chop the spinach since we are going to grind everything.  Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the urad dhal and fry for a few seconds and then add the cumin seeds and red chilies and fry for a few more seconds and remove everything from the stove and keep aside. In the same pan, add one more tablespoon of oil and saute the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent. Then add the spinach and keep sauteing until the spinach leaves are wilted and then switch the stove off and let it cool down. Once this mixture is cooled down, grind it into a smooth  and thick paste with a little water along with the urad dhal mixture, tamarind, and salt. Adjust the spices and salt according to taste and serve with rice or chapathis.  If preferred,  we can also add some tadka (seasoning of mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the chutney in the end).

Sweet Potato Vegetable Patties

A different take on our regular vegetable and potato cutlets only made healthier. I have omitted the bread crumbs here and baked the patties trying to make it more wholesome and loaded with vegetables and still on the lower calorie side. For a different taste, try serving with a spicy raita rather than a dipping sauce or ketchup.  This is a very good combination since the spicy raita balances the sweetness of the patties and takes the flavor combination to a whole new level.  Try baking the potatoes instead of boiling them for the patties for a richer, intense taste of the potatoes.

Ingredients:

1. Sweet potatoes, medium-size ones, 2.
2. Mixed vegetables like green beans, carrots, bell peppers, peas etc. ; all cut into very small pieces; 1 cup.
3. Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
4. Ginger-garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon.
5. Garam masala, ½ teaspoon.
6. Fennel seeds, ¼ teaspoon.
7. Salt, ¼ teaspoon.
8. Chopped coriander, 1 tablespoon.

Preparation:

Wrap the potatoes with aluminum foil and bake them for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Peel the potatoes and mash them once they are cool. Take the potatoes in a big bowl and add in the rest of the ingredients. Mix everything together and make small patties out the mixture.  Shallow fry the patties on low-to-medium flame for 3-4 minutes on each side until it gets brown and crispy. 

Ragi Malt (Ragi porridge with almond milk)

I wanted to blog about this recipe for quite some time since I have been explaining this recipe to a couple of my friends who were on the lookout for healthy evening snacks and breakfast porridges.  Ragi porridge is a low-glycemic beverage and can be had for breakfast or an evening filling snack.  I have used almond milk than regular milk here to boost up the iron content of the dish and almond milk has less sugars compared to whole milk and hence the porridge itself is on the lower carb choice side; very ideal during pregnancy, especially with gestational diabetes. If serving for kids, you can add jaggery or even maple syrup or honey for a different flavor.  Sometimes I even add vanilla essence or cinnamon powder instead of cardamom powder to change up the flavors. I usually make it a little thick and have it with a spoon. You can also make this a little thinner.

Ingredients (for 2 cups of porridge):
1.  Ragi flour, 2 tablespoons.
2. Almond milk, 1 cup.
3. Water 1-1/2 cups.
4. Cardamom powder, 1/4 teaspoon.
5. Any sweetener of choice like Stevia, coconut palm sugar or jaggery, 1-2 teaspoons, depending upon preferred sweetness level.

Preparation:
Start by boiling the almond milk and a cup of water along with the cardamom powder.  Whisk the ragi flour along with 1/2 cup of water and slowly add this to the boiling almond milk and water. Cook the porridge on low flame until the porridge thickens to the desired consistency. If needed, more water can be added at this stage to make it a little runny. Add the sweetener now and serve hot with chopped nuts and dry fruits as garnish.

Kale Chips (Indian version with light besan batter)

Kale chips are one of the healthiest snacks loaded with many essential nutrients and an ideal low-calorie snack. Here I have added an Indian twist to these with besan and spices and very less oil.  These comes in handy when we are craving for something spicy to snack on without any guilt.

Ingredients:

1. Kale, 1 big bunch.
2. Besan, 2 tablespoons.
3. Turmeric powder, a pinch.
4. Chili powder, ½ teaspoon.
5. Ginger-garlic paste, ¼ teaspoon.
6. Salt, ¼ teaspoon.
7. Asafetida, a pinch.
8. Oil, 1 tablespoon.

Preparation:

Make a thick slurry paste of the besan, turmeric powder, asafetida, chili powder, oil, ginger garlic paste, salt and water of around a tablespoon to two and keep aside. Tear or cut the kale leaves out of the stalks and tear them to medium-size pieces that are easy enough to hold when baked. Pour the besan mixture over the kale leaves and toss them around well so the mixture coats the kale leaves evenly.  Arrange them on a greased cookie sheet by spreading them out. Bake them at a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes until the leaves are crisp. 

Note: If the kale leaves are not crisp enough by this time since each oven settings may differ, we can always put them back in the oven a couple more minutes, keeping an eye them, so as not to burn the leaves and bake the leaves until they are crispy.

Best Practices for Improving Your Health and Happiness - Guest Post By Ryan Miller

Best Practices for Improving Your Health and Happiness

Whether you’re trying to lose weight, facing a diabetes diagnosis or simply want to improve your health, there are a few key practices every person should incorporate into their daily lives to achieve their goals. Here at Modernize, we understand that your health is one of the most important priorities in your life, so we encourage you to create this daily checklist for a healthier and happier you.

via Shutterstock

Keep Moving

You know how important it is to exercise, and while that message can seem overly promoted, the health benefits of exercise are undeniable—especially for managing diabetes. It’s no secret that reducing body fat can help regulate blood sugar levels, blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides, which will give you a cleaner bill of health overall. And while reducing fat mass and creating lean mass is the primary goal of exercise, there are other benefits as well.

Exercise is a natural stress-reliever, which may seem a bit counterintuitive when you’re on your third rep of a heavy bench press. Exercise releases endorphins, which are chemicals that interact with your brain to trigger a positive feeling. They can also reduce the sensation of pain.

High stress levels lead to weight gain and spiked blood sugar, so we suggest incorporating relaxing meditation, yoga classes or walks into your busy schedule to keep your health in tip-top shape. Log your exercise each day, and motivate yourself with a reward for every week you exercise regularly. Some of our favorite rewards are going out to see a movie, getting a massage or buying a new book or game.

via Shutterstock

Change Your Habits

It’s easy to fall into the morning latte or fast-food trap. It’s even easier to grab takeout after a hard day at work. But small changes can significantly improve your health, and the benefits of making better choices far outweigh any temporary discomfort in changing your lifestyle.

Bringing your own lunch to work is one of the best things you can do to control your waistline and your overall health. Restaurants often exclude detailed nutritional information, and there’s no guarantee that whoever prepared your food is using correct portion sizes. The only way to truly know what you’re eating is to make it yourself. Gita’s Quinoa, Lentil and Vegetables Stir-Fryis one of our favorite quick meal options.

Changing your ways isn’t easy. Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit, defines habits as cycles. Every habit includes a cue, reward, and routine. In order to change a habit, one must respond differently to a cue with a new reward, which will create a new routine. In action, this may mean that after a long day at work you grab a pre-made meal from your freezer, which you prepped over the weekend, rather than takeout.

 via Healthline

Monitor Your Progress

It’s important for anyone to monitor their weight, blood pressure, blood sugar, and general physical health regularly, but even more so for those with diabetes. Create a health log to track your weight each month, and log your blood sugar levels at least twice a day.

You’ll also want to get a regular physical at your doctor’s office once or twice a year and file your records to monitor your progress. Many diabetics choose to track their calories and daily food intake for weight loss, but at the very least, it’s essential to track carbs and stay under a certain threshold. There are a variety of free food-tracking apps, and some of our favorites are Myfitnesspal, Lose It and Fitbit.

From meditating to making your own meals and keeping track of your progress, the power is in your hands to improve your health, your happiness and quality of life!