Travels for Taste

Tales of travel and food with a touch of spice

Ragi Pancakes with blueberries (Finger Millet)

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Healthy Ragi Pancakes, Finger Millet Pancakes

I am obsessed with this healthy millet! I have been cooking a variety of dishes with Nachni (Marathi) / Ragi (Hindi) or Finger Millet as it is popularly known in the past few days. From savoury pancakes to porridge and using them in other recipes, I have been experimenting with them for a while now. I wanted to try using them as an alternative to regular pancakes so thought I would rustle up some sweet Ragi pancakes. But had to keep them healthy so opted for Soya Yoghurt instead of eggs which makes these vegan-friendly and then I added in oats so that makes them gluten-free too.

Nachni chya god polya

I really wanted to come up with some name for the Marathi alternative to this recipe and ‘Nachni chya god polya’ sounded like fun 😉

Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes / Ragi Pancakes

Light and puffy these are just perfect when you are craving pancakes but a healthier version is what you really want!

Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes , Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes, Nachni chya god polya

Ragi is known to have a whole host of health benefits:

  • Popular amongst diabetics due to it’s low GI
  • High is dietary fiber
  • Rich in calcium, iron and thiamine
  • It is an aid to healthy weight loss due to it’s very low fat content
  • It is a good source of GF protien
  • Popular as a baby food too

Nutritional value of finger millet per 100g

  • Protein 7.6g
  • Fat 1.5g
  • Carbohydrate 88g
  • Calcium 370mg
  • Vitamins – A: 0.48mg
  • Thiamine (B1): 0.33mg
  • Riboflavin (B2): 0.11mg
  • Niacin: (B3) 1.2mg
  • Fiber 3g

Beautiful fields of Ragi

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Image Credit: Mikael Häggström

Why you should make these Ragi pancakes!

As if you need any excuses for making blueberry pancakes!!! But anyway, here are some major health benefits.

  • Low GI due to the finger millet flour so ideal for diabetics as it keeps blood sugar levels steady avoiding any sudden spikes and crashes.
  • Gluten-free
  • Ideal for vegans
  • Dairy-Free
  • Egg Free
  • Refined sugar-free as Natvia is a great sugar substitute
  • The oats ensure that this pancake keeps you fuller longer

Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes/ Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes

Manjiri Chitnis
Healthy Ragi/ Finger millet recipe, low- GI, Vegan, Gluten -free, easy to follow, quick recipe
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Fusion Indian
Servings 1 person

Ingredients
  

  • 6 tbsp heaped – Gluten-free Oats
  • 4 tbsp heaped Ragi flour / Finger Millet Flour
  • 3 tbsp Soya yoghurt – I used Alpro – it’s approved by the Vegan society
  • Handful Fresh Blueberries
  • As reqd Water
  • 4 tsp Natvia or any sweetener – adjust quantity as per taste
  • 1 tsp unsalted plant spread or low calorie cooking oil spray

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl add the oats and finger millet and then the yoghurt
  • Mix well and a thick mixture will form
  • Heat about 2 cups of water in a kettle and let it cool down a bit
  • Slowly pour into the mixture and set aside for about 5-7 minutes
  • Then mix well to form a batter ensuring that it is not runny but has a good consistency, then add the Natvia and stir well till it all dissolves, adjust as per taste
  • On a non-stick pan on medium heat melt one heaped tbsp unsalted butter or if your using the 1 cal sunflower oil spray then about 6 – 8 sprays are enough
  • Ladle enough of the batter in the centre of the pan enough for a mini pancake, do not spread it like a dosa as the batter will disintegrate
  • Cook on each side for about one minute with a lid
  • Use a wooden spatula to loosen the side done first and flip over carefully, the more the blueberries in each pancake that you ladle into the pan the more the water content as the heat will make the fruit pop and melt into gooey fruity goodness Don’t fret if the first few pancakes break especially where the fruit is at the edge
Keyword Ragi Pancakes
Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes , Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes, Nachni chya god polya

My pancake stack collapsed just as I was about to photograph it – humfph! But it was a very satisfying, delicious, and healthy breakfast which even my husband loved – win-win! Woohoo 🙂

A word of caution though excessive consumption may lead to kidney trouble so don’t over do the consumption.

Fun-Fact about Ragi

Lastly a fun fact! Did you know that the grains are fermented to make a beer in some parts in Nepal? Cool or what?!

Ragi and Blueberry Pancakes , Finger Millet Blueberry Pancakes, Nachni chya god polya

LEARN HOW TO MAKE INDIAN FOOD FROM SCRATCH WITH MY EASY TO FOLLOW RECIPES

References:

  • Wiki
  • Supra Organics
  • Veg Weight Loss Diets

Tofu and whole red lentils salad

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A love affair with Tofu

I am currently in love with a few things like red lentils, avocados, butternut nut squash, oranges, baby spinach, baby kale, walnuts and matcha green tea. I somehow can’t seem to get enough of this. Also my love affair with tofu is just getting more passionate.

Easy Vegetarian Tofu Salad

The long Easter weekend has sped past far too quickly for me and I am now back to work. I just wanted to keep lunch really light today – guilty after ordering a Chinese takeaway yesterday *sad face*

So this recipe is basically me throwing together stuff found in my fridge, not necessarily planned but just what I thought would taste yummy and am very pleased with the result.

Fusion Indian Salad

Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad
Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad

Whole Masoor daal and Tofu salad

Manjiri Chitnis
Deicious, fusion Indian flavours in a vegetraian salad that is wholesome and very easy to put together
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine Fusion Indian
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 80 gm Baby Spinach
  • 150 gm Whole Red lentils
  • 50 gm Tofu
  • 75 gm Butternut Squash and sweet potato diced
  • 1/2 Avocado
  • 1/2 Knorr stock pot – onion gravy
  • 1/2 Knorr stock pot mixed chillies
  • Few Walnuts chopped roughly to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius
  • Line a baking tray with a baking sheet
  • place the diced butternut squash and sweet potato, drizzle some olive oil, smoked sea salt, and black pepper.
  • Wash the whole red lentils ( laal masoor ) in a sieve under running water
  • Place the washed whole red lentils with double the quantity of water in a small saucepan and add in the Knorr stock pots of onion gravy and mixed chillies.
  • Cover with a lid and allow to boil until the dal is completely cooked. Top up with more water if you think it is running dry
  • Place the tofu on a non-stick pan and dry roast on a low-medium flame for about 4 minutes each side or until done
  • Meanwhile, half the avocado, scoop out the flesh and roughly cut into large chunks with a spoon
  • Remove the butternut squash and sweet potato from the oven and set aside
  • Remove the lid from the saucepan with the cooked whole red lentils and allow them to rest for a while, as they should not be too hot when served, also allowing it to sit will help the dal to absorb any excess water, if there is too much excess water simply drain it
  • To plate, divide the spinach leaves equally on the plate, then serve the cooked masoor dal on top, followed by the oven roasted butternut squash and sweet potato, dry roasted tofu and finally top with the walnuts to garnish

Notes

  • Laal = Red in Marathi
  • Masoor = Red Lentils in Marathi
  • For this recipe, I have used whole red lentils with brown skin on. Alternatively, if you are pressed for time, you could use cooked ready to eat Puy lentils, but then you would accordingly need to adjust the time used to cook them with the stockpot I use a fan assisted oven, adjust setting accordingly to suit your oven type
  • I purchased a ready to roast pack of diced butternut squash and sweet potato from the supermarket
  • If like me you like to batch cook and also have cooked ingredients at hand to use at a later date, then, you could roast a larger batch of the diced butternut squash and sweet potato, so that you have these ready to be used in soups, salads, and curries
  • If you like your tofu firm then cut out about 1/4th of the tofu from the pack and place it on a kitchen towel to remove excess water, then place another plate on top keep something on this plate to weigh it down. Leave aside for 10 minutes. This should drain the excess water from the tofu. Alternatively, just cut the tofu straight from the pack into large chunks
  • If like me, you haven’t drained and pressed the tofu to become extra firm, then handle it very gently with a wooden spatula as it easily crumbles

Quick and easy fusion Indian vegetarian salad recipe

Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad
Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad

I found that this salad didn’t require any dressing or drizzling as the cooked dal works well with the succulent and sweet squash and the tofu adds texture and tastes great with the spinach. Walnuts add crunch, taste fab and are great for those who try this salad for the first time expecting it to be boring. Avocado I like with everything so I simply like having it in there.

I am up for experimenting and may try various permutations of this salad with the following toppings, not only will they make your salad more interesting but also help you reduce food wastage by finding new ways to recycle any of the following leftovers :

  • Steamed fish – salmon and topped with pine nuts
  • Pan grilled Tofu and walnuts
  • Slices of pork salami with nuts

I shall be reporting back with happy experiments with salads and smoothies soon  for now am just very satisfied with the end result and the fact that I am back to eating healthy.

Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad
Whole Masoor Dal and Tofu salad

Looking for recipe inspiration to create your own salad? Why not browse through my other salad recipe posts:

Recipes where salads are the Main event

Seafood salads

Vegetarian Salads

Salads as a side dish

At the Gourmet Burger Kitchen Chef’s Table with Peter Gordon

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It’s not every day that a celebrity Chef cooks you lunch, naturally, then I was quite excited to know that would be sampling food cooked by celebrated New Zealand chef Peter Gordon. Peter was in town to cook up a feast from his new and exclusive fusion menu at Gourmet Burger Kitchen.

Peter Gordon has been dubbed “the Godfather of Fusion cuisine”. One look at the menu at any of the restaurants he is associated with and you know that is true.

Peter made his name as Head Chef of The Sugar Club in Wellington in the late 80s. Award-winning incarnations of The Sugar Club followed in Notting Hill and Soho. Today, he oversees the running of The Providores & Tapa Room and Kopapa in London, and Bellota and The Sugar Club in Auckland. In 2009, he was awarded the New Zealand Order of Merit by HM The Queen for services to the food industry.

When GBK was first launched in 2001 by owners Adam, Greg and Brandon their aim was to introduce U.K. to new and premium beef burgers. Back then to develop the very first menu they worked with fellow Kiwi  Peter Gordon – who now after 14 years is back with a fabulous new fusion menu that experiments with textures, ingredients and flavours.

It was also my first ever meal at any Chef’s Table so soon after I arrived at the Baker Street branch, we were taken to the secret kitchen which is separate from the main kitchen, this is where Tim Molema – the Head of Food at Gourmet Burger Kitchen creates his magic.

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L-R: Tim Molema – the Head of Food at GBK and Peter Gordon.

For mains, we had Peter’s new creation – The Duck Confit Burger. The combination of crisp confit duck with a thick layer of creamy duck liver pâté and melting Cheddar cheese is a heavenly ménage à trois. Though there were those who were not too pleased with the mention of duck liver pâté, I was quite pleased, as I absolutely love  pâté especially when served  as a generous layer on thin, crisp toasted bread (a perfect nibble with bubbly, don’t you think?)

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The crispy shallots give the burger a lovely crunch (reminded me of layered biryani with crispy fried onion) whereas the fiery ginger and apricot chilli jam is probably what gives this new invention an umami flavour, cleverly combining the rich taste of duck with the other ingredients.

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Encased in soft and fresh brioche buns this burger is simply irresistible.

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The hors-d’oeuvre of sweet potato fries was topped with a very familiar tasting dressing – Tamarind (reminded me of Mumbai’s famous street food – Bhel!) and also a generous splattering of the Egyptian spice mixture – Dukkah – a nut-free version to ensure that those with nut allergies can also enjoy it – Peter is there anything you did not think of? Guess not 🙂

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For the other side dish – Fresh Summer Homeslaw, Peter has drawn inspiration from Middle Eastern spices like sumac and pomegranate molasses. Sumac gives a lovely tart edge to the minty slaw while the mint and pomegranate molasses give it an unmistakable depth of flavour.

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Every good burger should be washed down with a thick and delicious milkshake – or so I think and Peter’s creation – a Banana Biscoff milkshake is a mind-meltingly fabulous fusion of banana ice cream and Lotus Biscoff caramelised biscuits, also known as Speculoos cookies- a great way to create a fusion of flavours.

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To watch Peter Gordon live in action, cooking up what he does best – creating a fusion of flavours and being able to drink in the experience of being at the Chef’s table was truly memorable.

After that fabulous and exclusive Lunch preview, I spoke to Peter for an exclusive interview where he gave me an insight into the inspiration behind his new menu.

In Peter Gordon’s words, “The UK burger scene has evolved hugely over the last 14 years. It seems like every day a new burger is making headlines, so when it came to creating my own, I knew it had to be something unique to stand out. Putting my own stamp on the menu has been an exciting process and I’ve put the same care into this as I do with every dish I create for my own restaurants. Our fans are always on the lookout for the next big thing in burgers and I am confident they will agree this one is something a bit special.”

You too can get behind the scenes with Peter in the GBK kitchen with this little video clip:

Still here? There surely is a GBK branch you can get to in time for dinner today right? All you need to do is … grab your coat and …leave!

**Peter’s Menu is now available at Gourmet Burger Kitchen restaurants nationwide.

 *With  thanks to the PR Agency and Gourmet Burger Kitchen for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. Kindly do not re-produce any images without my prior permission.
 
 
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Inito – a journey into the flavours of Indian street food in London’s East End

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Journey into India’s by lanes without leaving London? Yes it’s possible well at least transporting your taste buds is. Simply head to London’s east end for a treat to your senses. Located a stone’s throw away from Liverpool street, @Inito_UK has the look and feel of a really cool dhabba plus an old college canteen rolled into one.

While we waited for all our friends to arrive we were served some thick and delicious lassi, I love salted lassi and this one made me greedily want another round – it’s the kind of lassi that you will happily drink and not worry about your ‘lassi moustache’ – I almost thought I was stuck in the dhabba scene from Rang de Basanti for a minute there (which reminds me I must add a road trip to the North of India to my bucket list – with loads of stops at roadside dhabbas included and if I can do this one a motorbike – waah!!) As expected the Mango lassi was most popular choice.

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We were then served Chicken Lollipop with a mini masala dosa, the chef was generous enough to even give some dosa batter away to experiment at home to one of us. Chicken lollipop is another very popular ‘item’ on the menu in India and is very popular even as a starter for parties. Dosa stalls dot streets where dosa lovers throng to eat a variety of different dosa’s with delicious stuffing , there is at least one dosa stall to be found outside every big railway station in Mumbai.

Inito served the dosa with some delicious coriander and mint chutney.

Then came Pani- Puri – the one snack that makes me go weak in the knees. Everytime I go to Mumbai I must head to Elco Pani Puri to gobble up as many plates I can possibly stuff myself with! The pani puri was ok and much better than what I have tried elsewhere in London but amongst everything we sampled that evening I would put this at the bottom of my list. This has nothing do with the what they served per se but more to do with what type of pani puri I am accustomed to having back in Mumbai.

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Then came the bhel and the dahi chaat – both were excellent and the tamarind chutney was fab.

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Then came a huge platter with various roti- rolls – basically loads of meat or veggies with some fresh veggies and chutney stuffed inside. I loved the chicken and lamb – the meat was cooked tender and it was what I would expect in terms of taste. Reminded me of Tibbs Frankie ummm The prawn roti roll was my least favourite – I would rather have had the prawns on their own.

We were given a selection of different dips and chutneys to go with these roti-rolls, my favourite was a chewy aubergine chutney, very good. The adventurous few can even design their own roti rolls. No wonder then the Chef Saurav Nath is an award winner – he has managed to retain the authenticity of most of the dishes while coming up with clever fusion dishes like the pau slider and roti rolls.

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Then came the Tikka’s – tender and succulent portions of meat, chicken and paneer- Indian cottage cheese – marinated in Awadhi spices and yoghurt and then skewered inside a tandoor. I loved the mini pau-sliders too. Highly recommend pairing the tikka’s with Bombay Blonde a blonde beer crafted specially to compliment the complex flavours of curry and a great alternative to Indian Lagers.  For those who have had Cobra beer before can order Cobra, Mongoose or Kingfisher too. I love Kingfisher especially when I am in Mumbai or Pune over summer – nothing better to help me survive temperatures upwards of 32 deg cel!

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The chef then got us some curries to try and dum-biryani. While all of us went into a frenzy clicking pictures and capturing the moment when the lid was lifted off the biryani , the air filled with the unmistakable biryani fragrance of basmati rice, spices and meat  The very thought of that steaming hot biryani  makes me salivate even now  -ummm . I had fun explaining to my one of blogger friends who had never seen anything quite like that before. Folks its worth the trek to this place just for the biryani! – Head over to my Instagram feed to check out a cool ‘biryani’ video here

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The curries were delicious and I am biased in favour of the lamb. But by this point I was ready to explode and so were the others. It was good then that some jumped at the chance to take some the curries home, I would have hated to see the food go waste.

No Indian meal is complete without some freshly made pipping hot gulab jamun and ice cream and even with full tummies , everyone did justice to the sweets. I was quite delighted to hear that the ice cream was Horlicks flavoured – Horlicks and Bournvita were my favourites while growing up and made drinking hot glasses of milk bearable. The mini Gulab Jamuns were irresistible little bite sized ones in sugar syrup. (as confirmed by my friends since I did not touch them – had vowed to stay away from sweets – whyyy???!! But I just had to try the ice cream and allowed myself as teensy weensy taster)

The rasmalai was fabulous too (as confirmed by my friends) with the right consistency and topped with pistachios and cardamom floating in a sweet thickened milk.

The best thing about going for a review dinner with blogger friends is that you have great company sorted and you hope for good food and when food is fabulous it just turns into one of those evenings that you wish would happen more often. I got to meet my friends, eat fab food, discuss things food and blogging related that only like minded folks can fathom and enjoy discussing – what more can one ask for, huh?

We were served by smiling and courteous staff and sampled a large variety of dishes from the vast menu. The Chef came and spoke to us at length and I loved chatting him up in Hindi. The food is brilliant and I would certainly  recommend anyone who wants to try fabulous melt in your mouth tikka’s , steaming hot biryani and tangy chaat – If the food managed to transport my taste buds to Mumbai then am sure they got that bit right!

The minimalist decor goes well with the street food theme and the bright wall art will have you clicking away to share pictures on Instagram – I did !

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*With  thanks to the PR Agency and Inito for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 

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MoBa – New Boulangerie with a French-Asian fusion menu opens in London

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The new artisan bakery where Bánh Mì meets  Boulangerie called MoBa opened it’s doors to the public on Monday at Goodge street in London.

MoBa press day

Before I dive into the details about their unique and well thought of menu, a bit about the background – the how’s and why’s ( humm ,maybe all those hours am spending watching House M.D have started affecting the way I think – need to know the why first..)

The Paris born founding duo – Thibaut and Theodore, met while studying Hotel Management in Switzerland and then kept in touch even when their careers took to various locations across the world.  They recently moved to London with the aim of  bringing a new concept of dining to London. Though they are still in their early 20’s this duo has gained lots of experience between the two of them and have been exposed to various culinary influences.

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With a bold and fabulous new fusion menu this new casual dining spot promises to serve up interesting food, which like their lovely window display will change with the seasons. ‘MoBa’ an acronym for Modern Bakery aims to combine traditional French cooking with fresh and simple flavours from Asia – a culmination of friendship, passion for creativity and of course a shared love of good food.

The interiors are cool and fresh, the minimalist look adds a soothing touch while the sleek leather lined stools give it just the right edge.

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I also got a feel of a  bit of behind the scene the counter action – a masterclass of sorts. Thibaut Voury, one of the founders , who was managing the kitchen showed me how to make my own Bánh Mì.

MoBa press day

Because I wasn’t too keen on a heavy lunch, the naked Bánh Mì sounded good and Theodore Charoy the other founder suggested that I choose ‘Tokyo’ because of the fabulous flavours of the Salmon gravlax. He was right! I absolutely loved this mix of seasonal veg wok, Japanese lime and garlic cream served on a bed of noodles. Not only is it light and fresh it is still full of wonderful Asian flavours.

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I resisted having any beer but they have my favourite Asian beer – Asahi, while the other bloggers loved Bellerose – a blonde beer from Northern France.

MoBa press day

I also learnt that the word Bánh Mì was born out of a misspelling for ”pain de mie” which simply means ‘sliced bread’. This sandwich dated back to the time when French colonised Indochina, a perfect example of a fusion born out of the meeting of two very different culinary worlds.

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The other bloggers choose the Toulouse (£7.20) which as they described as a fabulous combination of spicy mango sauce and duck confit in a traditional baguette stuffed with seasonal veg wok. It was massive and looked very delicious , I do hope to go back soon for this one.

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Apart from the fusion menu, the Boulangerie also stocks beautiful breads and some baguettes with unusual combinations like the soya-ginger baguette which I got to take home in goody bag. I was greedily eyeing the green tea croissant while photographing the place and the mango croissant looked so tempting with the beautiful glaze over it – wow – almost irresistible!

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Ever since I started having my matcha green tea everyday I am totally addicted to the taste of green tea and the match green tea brownies were my absolute favourite from the sweet treats we were given to sample. Of course the fusion of flavours spills over into the dessert menu too then and the exotic sounding Zen Lightning Éclair packs a punch with a strong tangy flavour while the Speculoos Mango Cheesecake is delicious too and a perfect companion with a steaming hot latte. What I loved most is that the dessert tray came lined with the MoBa ‘newspaper’ – hot off the press!

MoBa press day

MoBa is conveniently located a short walk from Goodge Street tube station and is a fabulous lunch option for lunch go-ers and would make for a great place for a casual catch up over dinner with friends too.

Don’t know about you but I think MoBa is going to kick off a new trend in London with their  fusion menu!

*With  thanks to the PR Agency and MoBa for the invite. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own.All images without my watermark for ‘travelsfortaste’ are provided by the PR Agency. Kindly do not re-produce any images without prior permission.

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Häagen-Daz rings in Spring Summer 2015 with captivating new flavour combinations

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Last week may have forced us all to crank up the heater and go back to stews and soups, but hopefully if the weather today was any indication Spring is finally here – fingers crossed!

After a lazy Sunday spent lounging around after a stroll in the park where it felt amazing to feel the sun on my face, I deiced to allow myself a bit of indulgence. Sitting in my freezer and waiting to be eaten were 2 new flavours from Häagen-Daz – a limited edition exotic flavour  – Yuzu Citrus & Cream and a dreamy Chocolate Salted Caramel.

They were sent to me in a goody bag with a yuzu lemon juice from Waitrose which I used to season a whole fresh sea bass for dinner last Friday and some yuze scented bath bombs from Lush. Those am saving up for a quite dip in the tub sometime this coming week.

Yuzu Lemon is definitely the new citrus craze in town and in ice cream form its creamy tangy taste is quite irresistible. It’s good to know then that Häagen-Daz handpicks the exquisite Yuzu fruit from the Japanese mountains of Kôshi.

The sour hybrid of mandarin and ichang papeda is pressed fresh to deliver a juice with crisp flavour notes, reminiscent of mandarin and grapefruit. The juices are then mixed with sweet oranges to create a refreshing sauce that twists into Häagen-Dazs’ original ice cream recipe for a uniquely intense taste.

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The die hard chocoholics also have reason to celebrate as the new Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Salted Caramel combines the delicious chocolate ice cream with generous silky ribbons of salted caramel and delicate brittle, delivering a moment of decadence with every satisfying crunch.

To really enjoy your Häagen-Dazs allow it to rest for a while before you dive into it, just when it starts to melt is the the time when you will relish it the most. Like all their flavours, these new flavour combinations are made using 100% real milk and cream and yolks from free-range eggs.

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**Häagen-Dazs Yuzu Citrus & Cream is now available to purchase from Sainsburys and Waitrose and Häagen-Dazs Chocolate Salted Caramel is now available to purchase from Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Asda, Morrisons and Tesco.

*With thanks to Häagen-Dazs  and the  PR team for sending me samples for review. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Kale, Spinach and fruity superfood smoothie

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Am back with another smoothie post, this one was even better than my previous green one in that, that hubster really enjoyed it and was blissfully unaware about how much Kale he had unknowingly added into his system 🙂

Also, Chia seeds are now a permanent feature of our smoothies and I add them into our porridge too, they are quite bland on their own and go with almost anything. They are a superfood and antioxidant boosting. Besides starting your day with a green smoothie keeps you going for longer, with a healthier fuller feeling which does not spike your blood sugar levels as some other sugar-laden juices can do , which then suddenly lead to a crash and thus result in hunger pangs.

What’s fab about this smoothie?

  • Chia seeds are 100% natural whole grains that are rich in omega-3, antioxidants, fibre, vitamins, and minerals. Great for those who have Type 2 diabetes as chia seeds can significantly lower blood pressure and a marker for inflammation.
  • Kale is rich in Vitamins K and C and is calcium, also it contains a chemical called sulforaphane which has anti-cancer properties.
  • Spinach helps boost iron levels and is a rich source of various Vitamins like B2, K, C & A.
Kale, Spinach and fruity superfood smoothie

Kale, Spinach and fruity super food smoothie

Manjiri Chinis
Delicious smoothie packed with the green goodness of spinach and kale
Print Recipe
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 2

Equipment

  • Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 250 gm Large handful of baby spinach leaves per person
  • 250 gm Large handful of Kale leaves per person
  • 2 avocadoes
  • 1 pear
  • Coconut water
  • a small knob of ginger
  • Chia seeds and fresh berries to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Chop the ginger into small bits after roughly removing the skin, if the ginger is super fresh you can use the back of a spoon to easily peel of the fine layer of skin.
  • Roughlychop the pear
  • Half the avocados, remove the seed and roughly make large chunks
  • Washthe spinach and kale under running water in a colander
  • Simplychuuk all the above ingredients into a food processor with the coconut waterand add very little water just to give the smoothie some more movement while itmixes in the food processor
  • Adjust the quantitiesaccording to how many servings you want to make
  • Sprinkle with some chia seeds and a raspberry or two and drink up for a delicious and filling smoothie that will do wonders for your body and mind!
Keyword smoothie

* With information gleaned off Wiki and some other useful sites and articles. Having said that am not a nutrition expert and am trying hard to get onto a balanced diet and exercise regime and educating myself to understand superfoods, how to eat cleaner, healthier and incorporate more raw foods, how to eat the right food at the right time to reduce blood sugar and how to fight off diabetes and other obesity led disorders.

Kale, Spinach and fruity superfood smoothie
Kale, Spinach and fruity superfood smoothie

I use my powerful and efficient Froothie U.K Optimum G2.1 Platinum blender to make my smoothies. I cannot imagine a single day in my kitchen where I go without using the blender. Why not have a look at my other recipes where I have made a quick job of the prep using my Froothie UK blender:

Butternut Squash and Lentil Soup

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As spring begins to unfold and the weather changes to beautiful sunny days and chilly evenings, I like that we can still enjoy warming and wholesome soups. Butternut squash is so versatile and there are various ways to use it in soups, curries, salads, etc.

Soup and stews are a great meal option for so many reasons, here are my top 5 reasons why I enjoy cooking both:

  • Delicious, hearty and wholesome
  • Easy, fuss-free one-pot style cooking, saves time
  • Great for batch-cooking
  • Ideal for busy mid-week meals
  • Easy to please fussy eaters!
  • Just combine with bread, various toppings and add an extra dash of something special
  • Add lentils to bulk out soups and stews

This recipe is created by Chef Annie James at Sunrise of Tettenhall for Sunrise Senior Living who make sure that all of their recipes are nutritious and tasty, making them great for everyone, not just the elderly. Of the many recipe options, they sent me I choose to make this one because I simply adored red lentils as those who read my blog will know. The buttery aroma of onions sauteing which filled my kitchen was simply amazing and very satisfying. Needless to say, the soup went down and treat and even normally fussy hubster greedily licked his bowl clean – no better compliment than that folks isn’t it? I must admit I couldn’t resist adding a bit of my own personal finishing touches as my palate is so used to all the spicy and tangy little add-on’s that I normally use 😉

Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup

Chef Annie James at Sunrise of Tettenhall for Sunrise Senior Living
Hearty and delicious Butternut squash soup with added protien and taste with quick cooking red lentils
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Soup
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 400 ml vegetable stock
  • 150 gms Butternut Squash – peeled and diced into bite-sized bits
  • 60 gms Dried red lentil i.e. masoor dal – split without skin
  • 3 Carrots – peeled and diced into small bits
  • 2 Red onion – peeled and chopped fine
  • 12 gms Unsalted butter
  • Sea salt with a hint of garlic
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • A small quantity of fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions
 

  • In a large saucepan or stockpot melt the butter on a medium flame
  • Sauté’ the finely chopped onions in the butter for just under 4- 5 minutes till they turn a beautiful golden-brown colour and reduce
  • Then add in the chopped carrots, squash, and sauté’ for a further 2- 3 minutes.
  • Now stir in the vegetable stock and the red lentils
  • Reduce to a low flame and let the soup simmer gently
  • Cook until the vegetables and lentils are tender
  • Allow the soup to cool down to room temperature, then using a hand blender puree’ until smooth, or as I did, give it a whizz in your food processor
  • Season with sea salt with garlic or plain sea salt and add a generous sprinkling of freshly cracked black pepper
  • Garnish with just a small amount of finely chopped fresh coriander
  • Serve hot ideally with a slice of warm crusty bread with a dollop of butter. If your conscience allows it stir in a small amount of fresh cream into the soup or smother your crusty bread with some freshly made garlic butter
Keyword Butternut Squash Soup

Looking for easy to make, delicious Soup and Stew recipes? Why not browse through some of my easy to follow recipes:

*With thanks to Sunrise Senior Living and the  PR team for reimbursing the expense for ingredients. No monetary compensation was offered for a positive review. As always all opinions expressed here are entirely my own. 

Avocado,Spinach and fruity Green Smoothie

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It’s a relatively bright and sunny but chilly February morning and the bright sunlight streaming through my kitchen window is not letting me sit down work due to the blinding light getting into my eyes. I have now moved to a cozy spot on the couch but it’s making me drowsy…

While I was away in India and eating all the wonderful local food, I also started reading up on a lot of things related to food, what we eat and how it affects us and how our body reacts to it all.

Now let me share some facts about myself – I am lazy – very lazy and not the type who will ever go the gym even twice a week – I have ended up wasting money in 2 currencies and 3 cities so I should know that however fabulous the gym it simply does NOT work for me.

Nor does dieting – I feel deprived and end up stuffing my face even more.

So what’s the way out when I have finally made a decision to eat sensibly and loose as much weight as I can without going mad. Well, past 2 weeks I have broken down my meals to smaller portions, trying to eat 5 small meals instead of 3 every day and have drastically cut down on sugar consumption. By sugar I don’t mean granulated sugar but sugar hidden in various food.

I have procured a chart about which foods are high in carbs and thus break down into sugar while they are being digested. Am consciously trying to read up more and steer clear of obviously sugar laden foods and any sugary foods are out. Thankfully I quit sugar in my tea years ago so that is not a problem but yes saying no to alcohol and other foods is not going to be easy. But then nothing good come by too easy does it?

Avocado, Spinach and Fruity Green Smoothie - Bursting with the goodness your body NEEDS every day!
Avocado, Spinach and Fruity Green Smoothie – Bursting with the goodness your body NEEDS every day!

So here goes, my morning smoothie recipe – an attempt to start the day on a healthy note :

Avocado,Spinach and fruity Green Smoothie

5 from 4 votes
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Fusion
Servings 2

Equipment

  • 1 Blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 Banana
  • 1/2 Pear
  • 1/2 Big Avocado
  • 1 Apple
  • 8 tbsp Baby Spinach Leaves
  • 2 tsp Ginger

Instructions
 

  • Chop the ginger into small bits after roughly removing the skin, if the ginger is super fresh you can use the back of a spoon to easily peel of the fine layer of skin
  • Roughly chop all the fruitsinto chunks. Break the banana half by hand
  • Simply chuck all the aboveingredients into a food processor and add very little water just to give the smoothie some movement and consistency

I prefer a thick consistency the type you can scoop out using a spoon as it is simply more satisfying and increases the feeling of being full.

This made 2 small glasses and I had both of them , simply double up the quantity for 2 people and so on and so forth.

Avocado, Spinach and Fruity Green Smoothie - Bursting with the goodness your body NEEDS every day!
Avocado, Spinach and Fruity Green Smoothie – Bursting with the goodness your body NEEDS every day!

Leafy, green, tasty, bursting with fruity goodness and taste, this smoothie is an immune system booster and full of all things good for your body. It will definitely boost sagging energy levels and induce a feel-good factor. The smooth creamy taste added by the avocado is a bonus!

I have linked up my recipe with Credit Crunch Munch which is a frugal food recipe sharing challenge developed by Helen over at Fuss Free Flavours and Camilla over at Fab Food 4 All and guest hosted by the lovely Elizabeth who blogs at Elizabeth’s Diary,  linked up for Feb 2015 on her blog post too.

Beetroot and Chickpea salad

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Who doesn’t love a salad that you can put together in no time? This easy to make and super quick to put together Beetroot and Chickpea salad recipe is just the thing when you want to eat healthy and not compromise on taste at the same time.  I have added in amchoor powder which is a tangy  dried mango powder which will give this salad a fabulous twist when combined with balsamic vinegar.

IMG_9354 (Copy)

If possible try and buy baby beetroot cooked in vinegar as these would be the perfect size and also have the right amount of vinegar. If you are not sure of how much balsamic vinegar you can handle, add 1?2 tbsp first and then if you feel brave add another half. I have a whole collection of flavoured vinegar and if you can get your hands on cranberry infused vinegar, I highly recommend adding that in as it will totally elevate the flavour of your salad.

IMG_9357 (Copy)

Beetroot and Chickpea salad

Manjiri Chitnis
Print Recipe
Course Salad
Servings 4 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 Can Boiled and Cooked Chickpeas
  • 250 Grams small beetroot cooked and peeled
  • 1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 small Red Onion slicedl ength wise
  • 2 tsp Amchoor Powder
  • 2 tsp Heaped Pomegranate Seeds

Instructions
 

  • In a large mixing bowl add the chickpeas
  • Chop the cooked and peeled beetroot into bite-size chunks. Add them to the chickpeas. Add the chopped onion and pomegranate seeds
  • Add the vinegar and the amchoor powder and mix well
  • Serve and sprinkle with more pomegranate seeds if desired
IMG_9356 (Copy)

I have found the perfect linky to add my virtuous yet superbly delicious salad to. It’s this month’s Spice Trail with the theme ‘ Temple Food‘ hosted by the lovely Vanesther on her blog called ‘Bangers and Mash’. The whole concept of respecting your body by treating it like a temple is really apt for the way I have recently begun to think about food. I have to re-think and re-align what I feed my system and actually begin to ‘listen’ to what my body is speaking to me. It’s important that after years of neglect I FINALLY pay attention to what is entirely my own – my body.

By linking to this challenge I take heart in knowing that I am not ALONE. There are other like-minded foodies who are re-thinking their ways of eating. I do hope my recipe is one of the many delicious, innovative, and beautiful ones that will help my readers on their journey to eating healthy and feeling more energetic.

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