almond biscuits

Recipe makes about 24.
Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom seed coarsely powder (ilaichi)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (8 tablespoons or 4oz)
• About 2 tablespoons of milk or as needed

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 360 degree F.
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, sliced almonds and cardamom powder well.
3. Next add soft butter and milk to the flour mixture to make dough. Dough should be very soft.
4. Divide the dough into about 24 equal parts and make them into balls.
5. Press each ball between your palms lightly; every piece should be about 1/2” in thickness.
6. Place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about inch a part.
7. Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes or until cookies are lightly gold brown.
8. After they become lightly golden brown remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Let the cookies cool down for two to three minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.

Variations

1. Replace the almonds with walnuts or pistachios.

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Mango pineapple smoothie

                         Mango pineapple smoothie

Ingredients:

• 2 slices pineapple
• 1 cup mango juice
• 1 cup curd   
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• 1 tsp ginger  juice
• ice

Method:

In a blender put pineapple slices andblend.

Add mango juice,lemon & ginger juice,curd and ice.

Blend till smooth and serve,

Filter if pineapple is fiberous.

orange shake

                                               orange shake

Ingredients:

• vanilla icecream  -1 scoop
• orange icecream -1 scoop
• orange juice        - 250 ml chilled
• sugar                  - 2 tbsp(optional)
• lemon juice         -1 tsp

Method:

Blend vanilla and orange icecream,orange juice,sugar and lemon juice till frothy.

Serve garnished with a slice of orange in tall glasses

mint smoothie

                                              mint smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mint leaves
1 green chilli
1/4 tsp grated ginger
1 cup plain yogurt/curd
salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin/zeera powder for garnishing

Method:

Blend mint leaves,chilli salt and ginger with little water
Add curd and blend till smooth.
Strain and serve garnished with zeera powder and mint sprig.

wheat flour halwa

http://ezeemicro.blogspot.com/2011/02/wheat-flour-halwafudge.html

potato,peas & paneer salad

Ingredients

• 2 cups paneer (cottagte cheese) cubes
• 2 cups boiled potatoes , cubed
• 1 cup boiled green peas
• 2 tsp ginger juliened
• 2  green chillies , finely chopped
• 1 tsp dried mango powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp chat masala powder
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method

•   Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the green chilles and ginger and sauté for 1 minute.
•   Add the paneer, potatoes and green peas and cook for another minute.
•   Add the amchur, black pepper, lemon juice ,salt and mix well.
•   Serve garnished with chat masala and the chopped coriander

pineapple & banana smoothie

Ingredients

• 1 cup curds (yogurt)
• 1cup chopped pineapple
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 tbsp sugar
•  ice-cubes
•  a few mint leaves for garnishing

Method

• Blend pineapple,banana and sugar till smooth.
• Add yogurt blend till smooth.
• Serve with ice garnished with mint leaves.

orange,banana & papaya shake

• A combination of orange, papaya and banana makes a filling drink .
• This unusual combination of fruits is rich in potassium, vitamin C and fibre.
• This shake is an ideal drink for mid-morning or in between meals. 

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized orange
• 1 cup papaya pieces
• 1 banana, sliced
• few drops of lemon juice
• crushed ice to serve

Method

•   Blend all the ingredients using little water till smooth.
•  Strain the juice using a strainer.
•  Add lemon juice and crushed ice .
• Serve immediately.

Fruit and yogurt parfait

Ingredients
Medium sized kiwifruits or apple -2
Plain low-fat yogur/curds-1 cup
Vanilla-1/2tsp
Granola-1/2 cup
Honey-2tsp
Sliced almonds, toasted-1tbsp
Ground cinnamon -a dash

Method

Peel and chop fruit, reserving 2 wedges for garnish. Set aside.
Combine yogurt and vanilla.
Spoon half of the yogurt mixture into two parfait glasses or cups.
Top with half of the granola,chopped fruit,honey, remaining yogurt mixture, and remaining granola.
Sprinkle with almonds and cinnamon.
Garnish each serving with a reserved fruit wedge.
Makes 2 servings.
View diabetic version of the recipe here

Instant Rawa(cream of wheat) Idli

Ingredients:

• Rawa(cream of wheat)-1 Cup
• Sour Curds-1 Cup
• Soda bi carb-¼ Tsp
• Green Chilies- 4
• Mustard Seeds -½ Tsp
• Cashew Nuts-15
• Ginger-¼ Inch
• Curry Leaves-1sprig
• Coriander Leaves-2tbsp
• Salt to Taste
• Oil as needed

Method:

• Dry roast rawa till it is slightly brown and allow it to cool.
• Heat a teaspoon of oil and add  mustard seeds, remove when it splutters. 
• Add curry leaves, coariander leaves, chopped ginger,salt,chopped green chillies and broken cashew nuts.
• Mix all the ingredients to a batter consistency
• Grease idli moulds or small cups and fill with the batter.
• Steam cook idlis.
• Serve with chutney or sauce.

Mango(raw) salad

Ingredients:
Mango-1
Onion-1small
 Peanuts or cashew-1/4 cup coarsely chopped
Sugar-2 tbsp
Chilli flakes-1 tsp
Soya sauce-1 tsp
Lemon juice-1 tsp
Salt to taste
Grated carrot and coconut(optional)-1tbsp each
Fresh oregano or coariander leaves-a few

Method 

Peel and grate mango.Slice onion.
Mix soya sauce,sugar,salt and lemon juice.
Mix with grated mango,onion and peanuts.
Garnish with carrot,coconut and coariander leaves.

Choco banana shake

Ingredients
Milk-3 &1/2 cups
Banana frozen-1
Unsweetened cocoa powder- 3 tbsp
Honey-2 tbsp
Vanilla-1 tsp
Sugar to taste(optional)
Icecream(chocolate or vanilla)
Method
Peel and slice banana.
Place banana slices in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap.
Freeze for an hour.
In a blender combine milk, banana, cocoa powder, honey and vanilla.
Blend until smooth and frothy.
Serve with a scoop of ice cream or chocolate curls.
 4  servings.

BOTTLE GOURD HALWA

Ingredients
Grated bottle gourd -2cups
Milk -2cups
Cardamom powder-1/2tsp
Sugar-1/2 cup
Ghee -2tbsp
 For the garnish
 Slivered almonds and raisins
 Method
 Heat the ghee in a pan, add the grated bottle gourd and saute till it turns transparent and soft
Add the milk and bring to a boil.
 Simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally.
 When the halwa is almost dry, add the sugar and cardomom powder and mix well.
 Stir till  all the moisture has evaporated.
 Serve garnished with the slivered almonds and raisins fried in a tsp of ghee
For diabetic recipe visit here

JACKFRUIT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients
Jackfruit -6
Yogurt-1/2 cup
Milk-1&1/2 cup
Honey-1 tbsp
salt-a pinch
Method

 Deseed if using fresh jack fruit.

Blend jack fruit and yogurt to a smooth consistency.

Add milk and honey blend and serve chilled.

Serving-2

COCONUT & LEMON MOCKTAIL

Ingredients
Coconut milk-1 cup
Fresh lemon juice-4 tbsp
Water
Ice cubes
Sprig of mint
Method
Combine the cocnut milk and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and shake well.(you can whip with a hand blender)
Pour over ice cubes into a  glass.
Top up with enough water and stir
Garnish with the sprig of mint

Pumpkin milkshake

Ingredients

•  vanilla ice cream-2 scoops
• pumpkin purée -1/2 cup
• milk or soya milk-11/2 cup
• honey-2 tbsp
• sugar to taste
• Pinch cinnamon powder a pinch

Method

• Blend all in a blender till smooth.
• Serve chilled with cinnamon sprinkled on top
• serves 2

 

How to powder cardomom

You can powder cardomom easily without any fibre using microwave
Spread cardomom on a plate or turn table

Micro HIGH for 1 minute(this time is for one handful of cardomom)
Adjust the time according to the amount of cardomom you use
The cardomom will puff up

Don't worry if it doesn't puff.If the cardomom is slit or open it wont.
Powder in a blender with 1-2 tbsp of sugar
You will believe it when you try it.

You get a fine powder without any fibre.
Store in an airtight container and use when needed

carrot halwa

Ingredients
Carrots,grated-2 cups
Milk-4 cups
Sugar-4-6 tbsp
Elaichi powder-1/2 tsp
Almonds slivers-3 tbsp
Method
Cook milk and grated carrots till soft and milk is reduced to about a cup.

Add sugar and a pinch of salt,cook till dry.

Add cardomom powder (see how to powder cardomom here) and mixwell
Serve garnished with slivered almonds.

Beetroot juice

Ingredients

Beetroot-1
Lemon-1
Sugar or honey-2 tbsp
Salt- a pinch

Method

Peel and chop beetroot
Put in a blender and grind to a fine consistancy.
Filter with a sieve,add sugar or honey and salt
Serve chilled.