Avocado spread

 Avocado spread can replace butter on your toast and it is certainly more nutritious and tasty. Since you need to use egg in this recipe, it is not for strict vegetarians.To make this you will need :

1.One ripe avocado
2. One boiled egg.
3. Salt and pepper according to your taste.


  Cut the avocado lengthwise, remove the seed and scoop the pulp into a bowl.Mash it well with a fork Shell the boiled egg ,mash it well with a fork and then combine it with the avocado, mixing and mashing well to get a fairly smooth consistency. Add salt and pepper powder and mix well. Pile generously on freshly toasted bread
( preferably multigrain or whole wheat ) and have for a  filling and healthy breakfast.
Note: Avocado slices can also be added to your salads as it helps in the absorption of carotenoids contained in carrots and green leaves.

Guacamole

   Since I am on the health benefits of Avocado, I thought I will give you a couple of simple yet nutritious recipes using Avocado. The first is Guacamole which is an easy to make Mexican dip which is usually served with tortilla chips, but you can serve them with any kind of chips or freshly cut veggies like carrots, cucumber etc. as a starter. To make guacamole you will need:

1. Two ripe avocados ( when you press it ,it should feel soft but not too soft and pulpy)
2. One small onion finley chopped
3. Two medium tomatoes finely chopped.
4. 1tbs lime juice
5. 1 tbs Coriander ( Cilantro) leaves finely chopped
6. 2 green chillies slit lengthwise and then cut into small pieces        
7. salt to taste
   Cut the avocados lengthwise, remove the seed and scoop out the pulp into a bowl. The dark green layer just beneath the skin is supposed to contain a good amount of antioxidants, so make sure to scoop that as well.
Mash the pulp well with a fork or give it a couple of turns in the food processor. To this add all the other ingredients and mix well to combine everything. You can substitute green chillies with black pepper powder. The amount of the ingredients can be adjusted according to your taste. Guacamole can be kept in the fridge for a couple of days , but tastes better when served fresh.

Avacado - the super fruit!

Avacados were once thought to be not good for health because of their high fat content. But research has shown that they contain mainly monounsaturated fatty acids which are very good for cardiovascular health. Avacados contain a good blend of carbohydrates, fats and proteins as well as vitamins A,C,E and some of the vitamin B Complex.

Read about the health benefits of avcados here:

http://www.regenerativenutrition.com/content.asp?id=443

So, next time you go to your greengrocer , make sure to buy this fruit and try to include it in different recipes. I buy it and keep it for a couple of days outside the fridge till it feels soft enough to scoop out the pulp which feels like butter.

In India avacado is also known as ' butter fruit' and is not one of the easily available fruits.

Vegetarian chilli

This is a vegetarian version of the mexican chilli which has ground beef as the main ingredient. This recipe can be tried with a combination of different types of beans and is very easy to make.

You will need:

1 small can ( 200 gms) each of Red kidney beans, chick peas and black eyed beans.

1 can of chopped tomatoes

4 - 6 button mushrooms cut into small pieces ( optional)

1 large onion - chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic cut into small pieces

1 red or green pepper ( capsicum) chopped into small pieces

1/2 cup of soya chunks or granules soaked and drained ( you can use Quorn mince also)

Chilli seasoning ( available in supermarkets) - 2 tbsp.

( a mixture of chilli powder,jeera powder and black pepper powder can be also used if you cannot get chilli seasoning- adjust the quantity according to your taste for spice)

Salt to taste

In a cooking pot, heat 2 tbsps of vegetable oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes till they become soft, don't let them turn brown. Now add the cut mushrooms and the peppers and cook on a low flame for a few minutes . Add the full can of chopped tomatoes and the chilli seasoning (or the mixture of spice powders). Stir well and let it cook for a couple of minutes. Add the soaked soya chunks or granules, then the different beans you are using. Most of the canned beans will allow you to use the entire contents without draining. So just tip them into the pot. ( Otherwise , drain them and add to the pot along with 2 cups of water.) Add salt according to your taste and cook on low flame stirring now and then. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. You can add chopped parsley or cilantro before serving.

This can be eaten with boiled rice or pita bread or even toasted bread. It is delicious and full of proteins.

Note : you can also add canned pinto beans,haricot beans or any other type of beans, but red kidney beans and chick peas are a must! I have also made it with Taco seasoning which is equally good.

The goodness of whole grains

We often hear about the health benefits of whole grains. What are whole grains? Basically they are cereals which are nothing but seeds of plants belonging to the grass family. The most common ones are rice, wheat, oats and barley. These grains or seeds basically contain 3 parts - the outer covering called bran, the part containing the embryo called the germ and the bulky part which stores food for the embryo called the endosperm. All the three parts have valuable nutrients. When these whole grains are refined, the outer bran as well as the germ get knocked off thereby losing almost all the fiber from the bran and valuable nutrients present in the germ.

Whole grains contain a wholesome package of nutrients and therefore have great health benefits.

They are high in fiber so they help in preventing constipation and certain types of cancer. They also help in preventing cardio vascular diseases and type 2 diabetes and help you to maintain proper body weight. Whole grains. also are a store house of vitamins and minerals.

So try to include these in your daily diet. Choose the whole wheat or multigrain varieties of bread, brown rice, whole wheat pasta, oats etc. Click on this link to get useful information on whole grains.

http://www.cspinet.org/nah/wwheat.html

Protein sources for vegetarians

One of the questions meat eaters always ask is how do vegetarians get enough proteins?

Well, it is a well known fact that animal sources like meat and fish have 'complete' proteins. It means that these protein sources provide all the essential amino acids needed for the body to build its own proteins. But the good news is that vegetarians can easily get all the amino acids by having a combination diet of different sources of proteins like whole grains, lentils, nuts and different kinds of beans.

Milk, yogurt and cheese also are very good sources of proteins.

Quinoa is an exceptional grain which contains all the essential amino acids and therefore provides complete protein. I was surprised to learn that 1 cup of cooked quinoa gives 18 gms. of protien! Other whole grains like brown rice and barley are also good sources of protein for vegetarians.

The main point to remember is to have a combination of these protein sources in your diet . Click on the following link to read more on this topic.

http://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/learn-about-fitness/healthy-eating/a_vegetarians_guide/

Hummus - the versatile yummy dip

Hummus is a very popular middle eastern dip which is easy to make and can be used in different ways - as a spread on toast, bread or wraps and as a dip for chips and veggies. You can have it with chapatis and pita bread also.There are several variations of hummus which you can try. The recipe for the basic hummus is what I am giving here.

You will need,

1 can of chick peas drained or 1 cup of boiled chick peas

1 tbs of tahini ( tahini is a paste of toasted sesame seeds and olive oil - see the note given at the end)

3 tbsp of lemon juice

2cloves of garlic

2-3 tbsp of olive oil

1/2 tsp salt.

1/2 tsp crushed red chillies

( a few slices of jalapeno pepper or 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper can also be used if you want the hummus to be spicy)

Put all the above ingredients into a blender and blend into a paste. Add 1 or 2 more spoonfuls of olive oil if needed. Tranfer the paste into a bowl and add chopped coriander leaves or parsley before serving, though it is optional. Carrots, cucumber etc. cut into long pieces and served with hummus as a dip tastes soooo good and makes a healthy and tasty starter.

Hummus can be stored in the fridge for 2 - 3 days.

How to make tahini:

1 cup of sesame seeds ( toast the seeds without letting them turn brown)

1/2 cup olive oil

Make a smooth paste by blending the above in a blender adding more oil if necessary. The paste should not be too thin.

You can make hummus without tahini but then it is not 'real' hummus!

Rainbow salad

This is a very easy to make salad and you can try different variations according to your taste and availability of ingredients.

1 cup of boiled red kidney beans

1 cup of boiled chick peas

( you can also use canned beans and chick peas, well drained)

1 cup finely chopped cucumber

1 cup finely chopped firm tomatoes

1 cup grated carrots

1 cup finely chopped fresh cabbage (purple variety will be more colourful)

2 tsp.chopped green chillies

2 tbsp chopped coriander

juice of 1 lemon

salt to taste

1 tsp chat masala ( optional)

Toss together all the ingredients . Add the lemon juice and salt just before serving to prevent water oozing out of the vegetables.

easy sprout recipes

While on the subject of sprouting seeds, why not try some of these easy recipes?

Sprout pancakes ( or Adai as we call it in South India )

1 cup of brown rice ( white rice also can be used) soaked overnight

1/2 cup each of sproutd green gram ( mung ) , black gram ( urad ), chick peas ( chana)

2 red chillies

salt to taste

Grind the above ingredients into a coarse batter using water. The batter should not be too thick or too thin

Add the following to the batter:

finely chopped onions and tomatoes( 1 each)

1 tbsp of finely chopped coriander leaves.

1 tbsp of chopped curry leaves ( if available)

Mix all the ingredients well and keep aside. Heat a non stick pan and smear a little oil ( sunflower or vegetable oil). Pour one ladle of the prepared batter and spread it a bit to make a round pancake. Pour a tsp of oil over it. Keep it on medium flame.After a few mns, flip it over and cook for a few more minutes. Both sides should be brown and well cooked. Take care not to burn it.

Serve hot with chutney, pickle or even sauce.

Variation:

You can also make the batter using a mix of different dals ( 1/2 cup each of mung dal, urad dal,chana dal and tur dal) soaked and ground along with the rice and other ingredients.

How to Grow Sprouts at Home

You may find the following link very useful:

How to Grow Sprouts at Home

Venus turns vegan...

Looks like even great sports personalities turn to vegetarianism to tackle health issues. Check out by clicking on this link:

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/chompions/201201/venus-williams-goes-vegan

More about sprouting

Sprouts can be made from pulses like lentils, green gram,black gram, chick peas, soyabean etc. and also from cereals like wheat, maize, barley and so on. Oil seeds like sunflower, pea nut, sesame and almonds can also be sprouted. Some seeds like almond and peanut can be eaten as 'soaks' rather than sprouts - just soak them overnight , wash and drain them in the morning and they are ready to be used.

Sprouting basically involves soaking, rinsing and draining. Soak the seeds for 8 to 10 hours, then rinse in clean water and drain well. Transfer the seeds to a colander and leave it in a warm place. 70 to 75 degree F is ideal for germination. (Cold temperatures will slow down germination and too much of heat will destroy the seeds .) You can also use any perforated container or a bag made of cheese cloth or any material that will allow water to drain and allow movement of air. Rinse and drain the seeds twice a day. Rinsing will provide the necessary water and draining will ensure that seeds don't rot because of excess water.

Lentils, green gram , chick peas etc. are very easy to sprout and will be ready to use in 2 to 3 days. You can use the sprouts in salads, steam them and add them to preparations or simply cook them.

So, why don't you try your hand at growing these 'power houses' of nutrition?

Sprouts for health

Sprouted grains like wheat, pulses like mung and beans and nuts are very good for health as they are full of nutrients. Seeds normally have certain enzyme inhibitors which help them to remain dormant. When you sprout them, these inhibitors are removed and the nutrients become easily available. Sprouted seeds are also easily digestible and their nutritional value many times higher than raw seeds.

Just soaking nuts , grains and seeds for 6 to 12 hours also is equally good. Soaking makes the proteins readily available for absorption and increases the amounts of vitamins. Soaked pulses and grains are easy to cook as well.

So, try to include these in your daily diet. Soaking and sprouting is easy and cheap to do and will also benefit your health greatly.

Easy to make salads:

Salads using raw vegetables are very easy to make and are packed with nutrients. The important things to keep in mind while making salads are:

1. Washing the vegetables thoroughly before cutting them

2. Eating the salad when it is fresh. We all know that cut vegetables lose valuable nutrients if left for a long time. If at all you have to store the prepared salad, do so in airtight containers in the refrigerator and consume within a day or two.

Many people do not like the idea of eating sliced vegetables and green leaves as salads although those are the easiest to make. So here are a few slightly different types which you can try.

Carrot and Cucumber salad:

1 cup of sprouted green gram or ½ cup of green gram dal ( moong dal) washed and soaked for 1 hour and drained thoroughly

2 carrots , grated

1 small cucumber finely cut ( if you grate , it will become mushy)

1 tbs. chopped coriander leaves

1tbs. grated fresh coconut ( enhances the taste but optional )

1 chopped green chilly ( you can omit or add more depending on your tolerance for spice!)

Salt to taste

A few drops of lime juice.

Toss together all the above ingredients except salt and lemon juice which should be added just before serving.

( Instead of adding raw green chillies, you can also add it as seasoning. If so, heat a spoon of oil in a pan , add ½ tsp of mustard seeds and when they splutter,add the chopped green chillies , sauté for a few seconds and add to the salad)

Beet root and peanut salad:

1 Cup of grated fresh beet root

1/2 cup of raw peanuts ( ground nuts) washed and soaked for 8-10 hours and drained

1/2" piece of ginger grated

salt to taste

a few drops of lemon juice

Toss the first three ingrdients together and add the salt and lemon juice just before serving.

What is this blog about?

I am a vegetarian for both ethical and scientific reasons. Very often my friends and acquaintances ask me how one can remain healthy and strong on a vegetarian diet, or how it is possible to cook vegetarian food without it getting boring, and so on.

First, let me assure my readers that veggies are as strong and nimble and have as much stamina as those who eat meat ----- the biggest and strongest land animal, the elephant, is a strict vegetarian! So is the deer , which runs fast and long.

Second, as for variety of food one can cook with vegetables, one simply has to look at veggie websites ---- there is enormous variety, the web is full of vegetarian recipes of all types of cuisine.

Then, what will be different about this blog? It is to share my experiences in making healthy vegetarian food which is simple and easy to cook. Youngsters of today often manage with fast foods because of lack of time and energy to cook at home, going through elaborate recipes. So, I am going to stress more on the ease of cooking and the health benefits of the recipes I include in my blog. I would welcome any ideas, suggestions and recipes from those of you who believe in the benefits of being a veggie.