Saturday, September 18, 2010
Mini egg pizza
Boil the cubed mixed vegetables with some salt.
Spread hot and sweet tomato sauce liberally on the pizza bread.
Then arrange neatly the parboiled mixed vegetables.
Beat the egg till fluffy with some salt and pepper.
Pour the egg mixture carefully over the pizza to cover the vegetable mixture.
Microwave for 3 to 4 min until the egg mixture sets.
Serve hot.
Ingredients:
2 mini pizza bases
Hot and sweet tomato sauce
1 cup cubed boiled mixed vegetables (capcisum, carrot, beans, potatoes)
1 egg
Pepper and salt to taste
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Good foods for Diabetes
2. Fruit. It has more natural sugar and calories than most vegetables, so you can't eat it with utter abandon, but fruit has almost all the advantages that vegetables do -- it's brimming with nutrients you need, it's low in fat, it's high in fiber, and it's relatively low in calories compared with most other foods. Best of all, it's loaded with antioxidants that help protect your nerves, your eyes, and your heart.
Aim to get three or four servings a day. (A serving is one piece of whole fruit, 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit, or 1 cup raw fruit.) Strive to make most of your fruit servings real produce, not juice. Many of the nutrients and a lot of the fiber found in the skin, flesh, and seeds of fruit are eliminated during juicing, and the calories and sugar are concentrated in juice.
3. Beans. Beans are just about your best source of dietary fiber. Fiber slows digestion and keeps blood sugar from rising quickly after a meal. This effect is so powerful that it can even lower your overall blood sugar levels. Because it slows digestion, fiber also keeps you feeling full longer.
Throw canned beans into every salad you make (rinse them first), and add them to pasta dishes and chili. Black bean, split pea, or lentil soup, even it comes from a can, is an excellent lunch.
4. Cereal. The right breakfast cereal is your absolute best opportunity to pack more fiber into your day. There's a bonus: Studies show that people who start the morning with a high-fiber cereal actually eat less later on. So don't forgo breakfast. And choose a cereal brand with at least 5 grams fiber per serving. Good choices include Kashi GoLean Crunch! (10 grams), Kellogg's Raisin Bran (8 grams), General Mills Multi-Bran Chex (8 grams), Post Wheat 'N Bran Spoon Size (8 grams), Kellogg's All-Bran Original (10 grams) and General Mills Fiber One (14 grams). Top your cereal with fruit and you've checked off a fruit serving for the day.Sources of Protein
5. Fish. Fast and easy to prepare, fish is a good source of protein, and a great substitute for higher-fat meats. Fatty fish is also the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, those remarkable good-for-you fats that help keep the arteries clear. People with diabetes often have high triglycerides and low levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol. Omega-3 fatty acids can improve both numbers. Aim to eat fish at least twice a week. Excellent sources of omega-3s are salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
6. Chicken breast. Versatile, extremely lean, and low in calories, chicken breast is practically a miracle food. Unlike steaks and hamburgers, it's low in saturated fat, which raises "bad" cholesterol and may increase insulin resistance, making blood sugar control more difficult. A 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast has only 142 calories and 3 grams fat. Turkey breast is even leaner and lower in calories.
7. Nuts. Nuts have several things going for them -- and for you. They're loaded with "good" fats that fight heart disease. These fats have even been shown to help reduce insulin resistance and make blood sugar easier to control. Nuts are also one of the best food sources of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells and may help prevent nerve and eye damage. They are rich in fiber and magnesium, both of which may benefit your blood sugar. Studies suggest that including them in your diet may even help you lose weight. Because nuts are high in calories, though, eat them in moderation.
8. Olive oil. At the dead center of the famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is olive oil, full of "good" fats that slash the risk of heart attack -- and help keep blood sugar steady. These fats have even been shown to help reduce insulin resistance. So toss the butter and cook with olive oil instead. At home and in restaurants, dip your bread in a bit of the stuff. Just watch how much you eat, because at 9 calories per gram, even the "good" fat in olive oil can pack on the pounds.
9. Yogurt. Yogurt is rich in protein and something else important for weight loss: calcium. Several studies have shown that people who eat plenty of calcium-rich foods have an easier time losing weight -- and are less likely to become insulin resistant. As a snack or for breakfast, choose nonfat plain yogurt, and add your own fresh fruit or a sprinkling of wheat germ or low-fat granola for a burst of extra nutrients.
Friday, July 30, 2010
Rainforest Chicken and Pasta
•1 (12 ounce) package dry fettuccine pasta
•4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
•3 tablespoons paprika
•2 dashes red pepper, or to taste (optional)
•1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
•1 cup fresh corn kernels
•1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
•1 tablespoon garlic powder
•2 green onions, chopped
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•1 teaspoon onion salt
•1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
1.First, preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
2.And then, stir together the paprika, garlic powder, onion salt, and red pepper in a shallow bowl. Coat the chicken breasts with the seasoning, and set aside.
3.Next, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat; cook and stir the corn, grape tomatoes, and green onions until the tomatoes are soft and begin to release their juice, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
4.After that, grill the seasoned chicken on the preheated grill until the chicken is no longer pink in the center and shows grill marks, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the grilled chicken breasts to a platter and allow to stand about 5 minutes.
5.Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil; cook the fettuccine in the boiling water until cooked through yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
6.Lastly, combine the fettuccine, Cajun seasoning, 1 tablespoon olive oil, and any juices from the chicken in a large bowl; toss to coat evenly. Slice the chicken diagonally across the grain. Divide the pasta between 4 plates and top each plate with sliced chicken and corn-tomato mixture.
7.Rainforest Chicken and Pasta is ready to serve!
ENJOY!
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Chicken Fajitas
Ingredients:
•2 tablespoons canola oil
•3 boneless chicken breast halves, cut in thin strips
•1 medium onion, cut in wedges
•2 cloves garlic
•4 mild green or red chile peppers, seeded and sliced
•1 sweet red bell pepper, seeded and cut in strips
•1 green bell pepper, seeded/cut in strips
•1 zucchini, trimmed, cut in strips
•8 flour tortilla, warmed
•1/2 cup sour cream
•guacamole
•1 bunch green onions, trimmed, sliced
Preparation:
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet; cook the chicken strips over high heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Drain and serve.
Add the onion, garlic and chile peppers to the oil in the pan and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and zucchini; cook over high heat for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables have begun to have a blackened look around the edges.
Return the chicken to the pan and heat until sizzling hot. Serve right away, with warm tortillas, sour cream, guacamole, sliced green onions, and chopped tomatoes. Serve with hot cooked rice and refried beans, if desired.
Serves 4.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
CHINESE CHILI CHICKEN RECIPE
500 -600 gms Boneless Chicken
2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 Egg
2 tbsp Corn Flour/Corn Starch
5-6 Chopped Green Chilies
2 Green Onion Chopped
1 tsp Garlic Paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp White Pepper Powder
1 tsp Sugar
A pinch of ajinomoto
2 cups chicken Broth/ Water
1 tbsp Oil
Oil to fry
Method to make this recipe:
Cut the boneless chicken pieces into1 " cubes.
Take 1tbsp. Soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a bowl and marinate chicken pieces in the the mixture for about 10-15 minutes.
Heat oil and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown.
Now in a separate wok / kadhai heat 1 tbsp. oil and add garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for few seconds.
Add 2 cups of chicken broth or water. Bring to boil and add sugar, pepper powder, salt , ajinomoto and remaining Soya sauce.
Add fried chicken pieces to it and cook for few minutes.
Dissolve the remaining corn flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the curry stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Serve chinese chili chicken hot garnished with chopped green onion tops.
Chinese chili chicken goes well with steamed / boiled rice.
KERALA STYLE CHICKEN ROAST
Lemon juice-2tsp
Turmeric powder-1tsp
Chilly powder-1tsp
Pepper powder-1tsp
Garam masala powder-11/2tsp
Ginger garlic paste-2tsp
Salt
Onion (sliced)-2
Green chilly-2
Ginger garlic paste-2tsp
Tomato-1
Chilly powder-2tsp
Coriander powder-2tsp
Coconut oil-2tbsp
Curry leaves
Coconut oil-1tsp
Mustard seeds
Dry red chilly
Marinate chicken with ingredients 2 for 1-2 hours.
Heat 2tsp coconut oil in a pan and shallow fry chicken pieces for 10-15 minutes.
In the same oil add onions, green chilly and ginger garlic paste.
The onion becomes soft and tomato and curry leaves.
When oil appears, add masalas and mix well.
Add fried chicken pieces and 1 cup water.
Cover and cook in low flame till the chicken is coated well with masala.
Heat 1tsp oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chilly and curry leaves.Add this seasoning above the roast.
BEEF CAPSICUM ROAST
Onion(sliced)-2
Ginger(chopped)-1 piece
Garlic(chopped)-3tbsp
Green chilly-4
Curry leaves-3 springs
Coconut pieces(thengakothu)-1/2cup
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Chilly powder (dry roasted)- 1tsp
Coriander powder (dry roasted)-2tbsp
Salt
Coconut oil-1tsp
Mustard seeds-1tsp
Onion(square pieces)-2
Capsicum-3
Pepperpowder-1tsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
Pressure cook beef with ingredients 2.
heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds.
add onion and capsicum. They become soft add cooked beef,pepper powder and garam masala powder. Cook till the beef is coated well with masala.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Chicken Thandoori
Ingredients:
Chicken 1 kg,
Cloves 12,
Onion 1,
Ginger 1 inch-piece,
Yoghurt 3 tb sp,
Vinegar 2 tb sp,
Chilly powder 2 tsp,
Coriander ½ tsp,
Cumin 1 tsp,
Salt [required],
Curry powder 1 tsp,
Lemon 1
Grind onion, garlic, ginger to a paste. Squeeze out its juice and throw residue away. Clean the chicken thoroughly and make three or four shallow cuts on either side. In a large plate beat the yogurt. In to this add the coriander and cumin powder, the onion- garlic, Ginger juice, the vinegar and the juice of the Lemon, with the back of a spoon blend this mixture well to form a smooth, thin paste.
Apply into the chicken, rubbing carefully with a spoon. Allow the chicken to marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator. Skewer the chicken, tie its legs to the skewer and place in oven. Allow it to cook for 20 minutes until it turns golden brown colour. Just before removing it pour one spoon hot fat over the Tandoori chicken. Set it alight and sprinkle with Indian curry powder. Garnish with raw onion rings and mint leaves. Serve immediately.
Chicken Sizzler
4 large chicken breasts-boneless
1 ginger paste
1 garlic paste
1 cup onions-finely chopped
2 tbsp coriander leaves-chopped
2 green chillies-finely chopped
1 tbsp black pepper powder
1 tbsp vinegarsalt to taste
sizzler plates (Iron plate preferrable)
oil as required
Wipe the chicken breasts and beat with a mallet or a knife to flatten.
Cut each into two pieces.
Mix the chicken with the other ingredients, except oil.
Put aside to marinate for 2 hours or so.
Heat a frying pan with a thin layer of oil and add the chicken to it, over high heat.
Turn the chicken and then lower the heat and cook till tender, turning once so that it is brown on both sides.
Before placing the chicken on the sizzler plate, heat the iron plate very hot.
Place the iron plate on a wooden tray so that you can handle it.
Keep some Cabbage leaves, chopped onions (which are fried till golden brown), fried curry leaves, dry red chilli and if you think carrot can add more colour and nutrients value, please add that too..
Before serving put some butter on the plate
Now you can hear the sizzling sound...
Chilly Chicken
Ingredients-:
chicken boiled and shredded - 500 grams
onion sliced - 2 nos
turmeric powder - a pinch
chilly powder - 1/2 tspn or to taste
coriander powder - a pinch
jeera powder - a pinch
fennel (sauf) powder - 1/4 tspn
garam masala powder - 1/4 tspn
green chillies - chopped as per ur taste
curry leaves - little
coriander leaves chopped a little
salt to taste
oil - 4 tspn
orange food colour - till the dish is orange.
How to make Chilly Chicken-:
Boil and shred chicken, along with little salt, pepper, ginger and garlic paste and whole spices a little keep aside.
The heat oil in a heavy pan, and fry the onions till light brown in colour, then add curry leaves, sprinkle water to avoid burning, then add all the powder masala and fry for few minutes till u get a nice colour, add the shredded chicken, with salt to taste and food colour and coriander leaves, keep stirring . No need to add lots of water but just sprinkle water and cook on a low flame. Remove when its dry.
U can eat this with parathas, or use it as a stuffing which will be featured soon.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Bean & Butternut Tacos with Green Salsa

Beans and roasted butternut squash make an outstanding vegetarian taco filling. For the best flavor, use fresh, good-quality chili powder and Mexican oregano. Look for both at Latin markets or in the bulk spice section at well-stocked natural-foods stores.
4 servings, 2 tacos each
Active Time: 1 1/4 hours
Total Time: 1 1/4 hours
Ingredients
Salsa
8 ounces tomatillos
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 jalapeño pepper
1/4 cup sliced white onion
1/2 ripe avocado, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
Tacos
4 cups diced (1/2-inch) peeled butternut squash
3-4 small dried red chiles
2 cloves garlic, unpeeled, smashed and left whole
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, plus 1/2 teaspoon ground toasted cumin seeds (see Tip), divided
2 cups cooked pinto beans, drained (see Tip)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
Freshly ground pepper to taste
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup finely shredded and chopped red or green cabbage
8 teaspoons crumbled queso fresco (see Note), or feta cheese
You Might Also Like
Vegetarian Taco Salad
Taco Salad
Chili-Taco Casserole
Bean Burgers with Spicy Guacamole
Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili
Southwestern Corn & Black Bean Salad
Couscous, Lentil & Arugula Salad with Garlic-Dijon Vinaigrette
Hearty Minestrone
Sweet Potato, Corn & Black Bean Hash
Preparation
1.To prepare salsa: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remove husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cook the tomatillos in the boiling water until soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2.Toast garlic cloves, jalapeño and onion in a dry medium skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until browned, fragrant and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
3.When cool enough to handle, peel the garlic. Remove the jalapeño stem and remove seeds if desired. Combine the tomatillos, garlic, jalapeño, onion and avocado in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth. Stir in cilantro, salt and pepper. Set aside for topping the tacos.
4.To prepare tacos: Preheat oven to 400°F.
5.Put squash in a medium bowl and, using kitchen shears, finely snip chiles to taste into small pieces (seeds and all) into the bowl. Add garlic, oil, 1/2 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and whole cumin seeds; toss to coat. Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake until soft and beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Peel and finely chop the garlic when cool enough to handle; stir into the squash.
6.Meanwhile, combine beans in a small saucepan with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon oregano and 1/4 teaspoon salt, ground cumin, chili powder and pepper. Heat over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.
7.Warm tortillas one at a time in a dry large cast-iron (or similar heavy) skillet over medium heat until soft and pliable. Wrap in a clean towel to keep warm as you go. Spoon 1/4 cup of the warm beans into each tortilla; divide the roasted squash evenly among the tacos and top each with cilantro, cabbage, 1/2 cup of the salsa and cheese. (Refrigerate the remaining 1/2 cup salsa for up to 2 days.)
Tips & Notes
Make Ahead Tip: The salsa can be prepared ahead (Step 1-3). Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Tip: Toast cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until very fragrant, 2 to 5 minutes. Let cool. Grind into a powder in a spice mill or blender.
Ingredient Note: Queso fresco, also known as queso blanco, is a soft, slightly salty fresh Mexican cheese. You can find it in Latin markets and many supermarkets.
Tip: How to Cook a Pot of Beans
1. Pick over 1 pound dry beans to remove any pebbles or broken beans and rinse well under cold water. Place in a large bowl, cover with 3 inches of cold water and soak for 4 to 24 hours.
2. When you’re ready to cook the beans, heat 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 small chopped onion, 2 to 3 chopped garlic cloves and 1 chopped celery stalk (optional). Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are beginning to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain the beans and add to the pan. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Lower the heat to a bare simmer, partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 20 minutes to 3 hours, depending on the freshness of the beans. If at any time the liquid level drops below the beans, add 1 cup hot water. When the beans are nearly soft, stir in 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. (Do not drain: beans are best stored in their cooking liquid and the liquid can be used in some recipes.)
Makes about 6 cups.
Nutrition
Per serving: 406 calories; 9 g fat (2 g sat, 4 g mono); 3 mg cholesterol; 70 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 13 g protein; 13 g fiber; 517 mg sodium; 1006 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (254% daily value), Vitamin C (60% dv), Folate (49% dv), Potassium (28% dv), Magnesium (25% dv), Iron (20% dv), Calcium (16% dv).
4 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 3 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 1/2 fat
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Paneer (Indian Cottage Cheese) A Vegetarian's Delight

Paneer is an Indian cottage cheese very commonly used in Indian vegetarian cuisine. It's an un-aged, non melting cheese that is made by curdling heated milk with lemon juice or a food acid. It is then simply pressed into a cube, then sliced or chopped...to be used in a number of delightful ways, creating some of the most popular Indian Vegetarian dishes as you'll see below. Paneer has often been compared to as Tofu...because of it's texture and consistency and can be substituted with it for any of the below recipes.
How to make Paneer at home...
While Paneer is available at most dairies and stores across India, people still prefer to make their own at home....and who can blame them...the process is very simple, fast and the results are a great homemade fresh cottage cheese ready for the most delicious of Indian vegetarian preparations.The method is quite simple really. A food acid (usually lemon juice, vinegar, or yogurt) is added to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey. The curds are then drained in a muslin cloth or cheesecloth and the excess water is pressed out. The resulting paneer is dipped in chilled water for 2-3 hours to give it a good texture and appearance.
Here's a simple recipe with step by step instructions...so you can't go wrong-:
Ingredients:
- 10 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup buttermilk / yogurt (more maybe needed, so keep some extra)
OR
- 3-4 tbsp of an acid like lemon juice/lime juice
Method:
- In a large heavy bottomed pan, bring the milk to a boil over medium heat. Stir often to ensure that the milk is not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- When milk starts to boil, lower heat and add the buttermilk or lemon juice (one teaspoon at a time) and stir until the milk starts to separate into curds.
- Remove from heat as soon as this happens. You can even add a few ice cubes to the curd-whey mix. As the heat will make the protein tougher.
-If the curds are not forming, add a little more buttermilk and cook for a couple of minutes more. And do the above as soon as the curds form.
- Pour the curds-whey mix into a colander lined with several layers of cheese cloth or even a layer of muslin, draining onto a dish that will collect the whey.
- Collect the sides of the cheesecloth or muslin and tie it up together and twist gently to help drain the whey from the curds.
- Shape the paneer while it is still in the cheese cloth, into a block by wrapping it tightly with the cloth. Then put a cutting board or something heavy and flat on top of the paneer. This forces out more moisture and makes it into a firmer block which is suitable for slicing and frying.
- If you want it soft and crumbly don't weigh it down for too long...around half an hour should do the trick. For a firmer block of cheese leave it for around an hour or little more.
- Soak the block of cheese in chilled water for 2-3 hours This is optional, as the intention is to improve appearance and texture.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Carrot Chutney
Ingredients
Carrots - 1-1/2 (medium ones)
Coconut - 1 cup
Green chilli - 1
Tomato - 1
Dry red chillies - 3
Oil - 2 tablespoons
Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon
Black gram dhal - 1/2 tablespoon
Salt - 3/4 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon
Hing powder - a pinch Grate the carrots. Chop the coriander leaves finely. Chop green chilli and tomato. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a pan and fry the carrot and green chilli till they are cooked. Add tomato and fry till it gets soft. Remove from pan and allow it to cool.
Heat half a tablespoon of oil in a clean pan and fry the red chillies and black gram dhal till the dhal turns light brown in colour. Let it cool.
Grind coconut, salt, the fried items, and the carrot - tomato mixture into a smooth paste adding three quarter cup of water. Heat the remaining half a tablespoon of oil and add the mustard seeds and hing powder. When the mustard splutters, pour into the chutney - when cold. Serve this colourful chutney garnished with coriander leaves
Mirchi Cheese Dip
Ingredients
200g cream cheese, softened
1 (420g) tin chilli without beans
450g grated Cheddar cheese
2 (200g) packets tortilla chips
Preparation method
Spread cream cheese on the bottom of a microwave-safe dish. Spread a layer of chilli over the cream cheese. Finish with a layer of grated Cheddar. Microwave for 5 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve with spicy nacho tortilla chips.
Nutrition
Calories 374.4kcal
Protein 13.8g
Sugars 1.6g
Total Fat 27.7g
Saturated Fat 14.4g
Salt 569.5mg