Tomato Ketchup, Sugar Free.

Finally I am back after my eventful vacation at Vancouver, Canada. Still very lazy and reluctant to get back to my normal routine. Ahh..wish life was a never-ending vacation. I had taken this pic for the ketchup a month back and I am posting now. Although it is sugar-free, it tastes exactly the same as commercial ketchup, I would say in fact this is better. Fresh always tastes better!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tomato puree. I use the whole foods brand. You could use fresh tomatoes too, in that case you have to strain the end result.
• 1-3 tablespoons white vinegar.
• Honey/ saccharin to taste.
• Salt to taste.

Process:

• Mix all ingredients except sweetener and simmer on medium heat until thick.
• Stir often to prevent sticking.
• When the desired thickness is attained, add sweetener according to taste.
• If you want you can strain the sauce to remove remaining seeds and fibers. 
• Pour into sterilized jars and seal immediately or place in small containers and freeze.

The newest addition to my Trail Mix, Roasted Pumpkin Seeds.

When I was younger(not that I am old now :)), I mean college days, things that I used to carry in my purse except wallet and cell phone would be lipstick, a compact, a small little mirror, a comb, a few extra hair pins and clips, kajal. Touch ups were required every now and then.  Now things that I carry in my purse are 1 or 2 bananas, an apple, Burt's bee lipbalm, and some trail mix . I have changed over the years, well for good. I go without makeup most of the time and concentrate on my health and well being. The way I look dosent bother me anymore. I know if I keep eating well and dont take my youth for granted, I will always look good. My Mom is my biggest inspiration. She is 58 and believe me her skin is silky smooth and she has almost no wrinkles! Yes, she has a very good eating habit. I want to look and feel beautiful too when I get to that age :). 30 years is not too far away!

Ok, coming back to the topic, I always get my trail mix from Whole Foods Trail Mix Bar. The other day I saw roasted pumpkin seeds that tasted really good. That reminded me of my dearest Grandmom who used to collect the seeds and roast them and use them as a snack or put in other vegeterian dishes. I wanted to make my own roasted Pumpkin seeds right then! So I got this pumpkin, took out the seeds, roasted them and added to my fav trail mix combo. I cooked the pumpkin in Indian style for my Hubby who loves pumpkins.

Pumpkin seeds are very healthy and full of nutrition. Here are the nutrition facts.

Ingredients:

1. 1 Whole Pumpkin.
2. Butter.
3. Salt and seasoning.

Process:

• Cut the pumpkin into 2 halves.
• Now with a spoon scoop out all the seeds.
• Wash the seeds throughly.
• Wrap them into paper towels/ let dry completely.
• Heat the oven to around 170 degrees.
• Spread the dried pumpkin seeds evenly on a cookie sheet and put in the oven.
• Let them roast for 20/25 minuites.
• Taste one of the seeds, if you want them crunchier put it back in the oevn for some more time.
• After they are done, add salt and your fav seasoning.
• Can add a little butter too(if desired).
• Add to your favourite trail mix.
• Enjoy! :)

The "Oh so simple" Butternut Squash Pancake :)

This one has been a hit in my house. I have been making these everyday since the past 7 days! But I got to admit, the idea is not originally mine, I was reading the book Breaking The Vicious Cycle and came across the recipe for Banana Pancake. I made those, but they were a little too sweet for me and Sanchayita. But we made butternut squash pancakes using the same recipe and I can't tell you how delicious they turned out. We all absolutely love them! and the best part, the recipe is the simplest ever. So for mommies like me who are always on the run but also determined to feed her little one only home cooked foods, this is like our little magic wand. After all, in today's world of processed foods, a good eating habit is the most precious gift we can give our little ones which (hopefully) they will carry on for the rest of their lives.

Ingredients:

1. Steamed Butternut Squash -1- 1 1/2 cup.
2. Eggs - 2 large
3. Honey - 1 Tsp (according to taste)
4. Salt - 1/10 Tsp (according to taste)

Process:

• In a food processor puree together the butternut squash, eggs, honey and salt.
• Grease a large frying pan and put on medium heat.
• Now comes the hard part and also the most important part. You have to keep in mind that we are putting in a very good amount of squash, hence the binding is really poor.
• I use coconut oil for frying my pancakes, also coconut oil does not heat up to a very high temperature, so the pancakes dont burn. I love coconut oil but you can use any oil you like, just keep the heat really low.
• Drop equal amounts on the pan and let cook on low heat for about 5 minutes.
• Then when one side is done flip the pancake really carefully and do the other side.
• Dont be in a hurry, If you flip them too early they will surely fall apart, also make sure that you don't burn them.
• If you are finding it too difficult to flip the pancakes consider reducing the quantity of Butternut Squash to 1 cup or you could add one more egg(plus salt and honey).
• Enjoy the pancakes as it is or with some maple syrup.

The same recipe can be used to make Banana pancakes. You need not use honey in the banana pancakes. Banana when cooked gets really sweet.

So simple and yet so nutritious and tasty, it is a life saver at times.  

P.S. They don't taste like omelets/eggs.They have a very moist, tender and sweet texture just like how pancakes should be.

Fruit & Veggie Chicken Cake, Gluten Free, Casein Free,Grain Free.

This recipe is dedicated to Kids! My daughter, like most kids hates veggies and fruits(not all but Avocado for sure), but loves chicken and eggs. I can not give her meat and eggs all the time. Veggies and fruits are very important in a growing child's diet, and we moms have to strike a balance. So after several failed attempts of cooking/baking veggies and fruits with chicken, I finally came up with this recipe which is a super hit with my daughter and I am so excited to share it! P.S. I love it too :)

Ingredients:

1. 1 pound ground chicken.
2. 1 whole Avocado.
3. 1 cup homemade apple sauce (you can get one from the store but it might make the cakes too sweet  because of the sugar added in commercial apple sauces.)
4. 1/2 large sized carrot peeled and steamed.
5. 1/2 cup steamed butternut squash finely mashed with a fork.
6. 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon Powder.
7. 1/2 Tsp Nutmeg.
8. 1 Tsp salt or according to taste.

Process:

• In a food processor blend together avocado, applesauce, carrot, butternut squash, cinnamon powder, nutmeg and salt.
• Do Not add water while blending, you can add a few more spoons of apple sauce if fluid is required, best thing to do is to take out the fruits/veggies that are not blending and mash them using a fork.
• Now add the above mixture to the minced chicken, making sure that the ratio is equal, i.e 50% chicken and 50% fruit and veggie mixture.
• Using a fork mix thoroughly. 
• If time permits refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour (that will help in dropping equal amounts on the baking tray later).
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Using a spoon scoop out equal amounts of the mixture and drop evenly on a stoneware baking tray.
• Bake for 45 min or until done.If the cakes are larger in size it might take over an hour to get done.
• Serve with some ketchup.

Generally the previous day's baked and refrigerated, and then reheated the next day tastes best and has good consistency, if you want to eat it right away, consider changing the ratio to 60% chicken-40% Veggie/fruit.

You can add any vegetable to the above preparation, just make sure that the veggies are steamed and pureed.
If some of the veggie-fruit mixture is not used, I make pancakes out of them.

Now no more fussing over vegetables :)

You can also use cooked chicken for the same recipe.Just blend it with other ingredients in the blender. It would be a much more drier version and tastes better.

Concord Grape Conserve, Sugar free

 I love concord grapes! Although they are not available all year round but whenever they are available,I make sure I get a few bags before they are gone.

I love home made conserves and Jams. They are so much better than the commercial ones. Preservative free and I can sweeten it with honey and use Organic fruits.

To begin with, fruits can be divided into two categories, those with high pectin contents and those with lower pectin contents. If you make a jam or conserve with low pectin content it will help the jelling process if you add some high pectin fruits or a commercial pectin, though it is not absolutely necessary.

Grape is a low pectin fruit. In the recipe below I have not used any commercial pectin although you may add some and the results will be very impressive.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag concord grapes (sorry, I dont know the exact weight)
• Honey
• Salt/lemon juice
• Pectin (optional)

Process:

• Lightly crush the grapes with a spoon and put it in the pot.
• Heat over a low flame, stirring often to prevent sticking or burning, until the grapes have become soft, then add the honey.
• Continue stirring while the honey dissolves, and then reduce the heat and continue to cook until the jam thickens to the point that a drop on a tilted plate runs slowly (keep in mind that it will thicken further as it cools, so don't let it get too thick)
• Taste as you go, if the jam is too tart add more honey, and if it is overly sweet add some lemon juice or salt.
• Once the jam is done, transfer it to sterile jars with metal lid. 
• Refrigerate when the jam has cooled down.

Tastes great as a bread spread, with pancakes, over waffles or right out of the jar.

Pumpkin Pancake, Grain Free, Sugar Free.

It is the season of pumpkins and squashes. I make pancakes for Sanchayita everyday. Even we love it! Made these pumpkin pancakes the other day. The recipe for this one is almost similar to that of my Squash pancake recipe.
To the same recipe add cooked pureed pumpkin instead of the squash, a little extra honey(pumpkin is not as sweet as butternut squash), a table spoon of almond butter. Enjoy your pancake with some hot homemade applesauce.Heavenly!

Coconut - Cashew Yogurt, Dairy Free, Sugar Free

There are many people out there who cannot tolerate Dairy products not even Yogurt. My daughter also has a hard time tolerating dairy. But they do not need to stay deprived of all the yogurt goodness like probiotics and enzymes present in yogurt. I have something that is a really really tasty treat. Even we  love it!

Please keep in mind it does not taste anything similar to cow's milk yogurt. Some might consider it just as a sweet treat. But I call it yogurt because it is fermented for 8 hours and hence increasing the nutritional value.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cashew milk
• 2 cups coconut milk (I use "so delicious" brand) 
• Honey
• Vanilla extract
• Unflavored Gelatin

How to make Cashew Milk:

• Soak the cashew nuts for 6 hours prior to making the milk.
• After 6 hours discard the water and rinse the nuts thoroughly.
• Put the nuts in a blender along with some water(just enough to immerse the cashews).
• Blend for 2-3 minutes till completely smooth.
• Using a spoon check if the texture is smooth or grainy If the texture feels grainy Blend again till completely smooth.
• Strain the milk using a strainer.

Process:

• In a saucepan add 1 cup cashew milk, 2 cup coconut milk and put on medium/high heat.
• Stir continuously. The cashew has a tendency to settle down at the bottom and burns easily.
• When it is warm enough whisk in 2-3 heaped Tsp Honey.(again according to your taste preference).
• Bring it to a complete boil.
• In a separate pan dissolve 1 1/2 tsp gelatin in a little boiling water and then add the liquid gelatin to the boiling milk.Make sure that the gelatin is completely dissolved in water before adding. Never add gelatin directly to the mixture. It will form lumps hence giving an uneven texture.
• Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
• After the mixture has cooled down, stir in 1/4 tsp vanilla extract.
• Add dairy free yogurt starter.
• Pour in the container you want to set it in and place in the yogurt maker setting the time to 8 hours.If you want it a little more tart you can set to 9 hours.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours before serving.
• Enjoy with fresh fruits.

 A sweet treat made with love for your loved one who cannot tolerate Milk :)

Enjoy!

Finding my way back to Dance...The Joy of Bharatnatyam.

Bharatnatyam..a very old Indian classical dance form. My passion since I was a child. I am so lucky to have found Arpan Arts and my Guru Dr Joyce Paul Poursabahian here in Seattle. For a while I have been wanting to get back to dancing but could not find the right path.One fine day I opened Google and searched with the keywords "Bharatnatyam" "Seattle" and there she was. I had never heard her name in the past from anyone. I knew right away she is the one for me. She is my Guru.I emailed her and she promptly replied me back asking me to come over and watch one of her classes. I loved loved loved her studio and her way of teaching and I danced with her students. I was excited beyond words, I wanted to join that same class very badly and that too from the very next week. I was determined I will not take 'NO' for an answer. Where else could I learn authentic Kalakshetra style Bharatnatyam? Finding it just 8 miles from my house was a dream come true! Whatever I learned in the past was at Agartala, where every thing was translated in Bengali and 20 kids would dance together in one room while our mothers waited outside sweating under the shade of the trees on hot Sunday afternoons. Hers was a luxurious studio compared to that. It had heaters and big mirrors and the best part not crowded at all. Every dancer gets individual attention. I could not miss this golden opportunity.
Since then there has been no stopping.The past 6 months have been wonderful.The 2-4 hours that I dance during the week gives me all the energy to go through the toughest of things. I wait for my class all week. I am not a perfect dancer and getting back to dancing again was not easy. After my first class I was almost bed ridden. Sore joints and muscles, badly aching body...err am I growing old? I would not give up so easily. This was my only chance. I knew I had the energy in me but it was lost somewhere inside me. I geared up and started working out at least 4 times a week. And also started drinking protein shakes every morning which were too yucky and I was forced to quit after 10 days. I might not have gotten a tasty one and I was too reluctant to add sugar. Anyways, slowly  my energy levels increased and now I can manage well in a 2 hour dancing session :) Not a bad start for a mother of one.
I still have a long long way to go but I am determined this time..I WILL GET THERE!

The welcome by Arpan members was warm and very touching. Everyone celebrated my 28th Birthday. I felt so special :)

Cutting my Birthday Cake with the Arpan Kuttys. Photo Courtesy: Dr Joyce Paul Poursabahian

On my Birthday with my Guru.P.S. please ignore the redness on my face. This pic was taken after a long dance rehersal. Photo Courtesy: Dr Joyce Paul Poursabahian

I was also given the chance to perform in Ehsaas 2011, Arpan's Annual Day. The faith that my Guru showed on me was an incredible boost, not only in terms of dancing but as a person too. My self confidence increased and I love myself more than ever. A happy mother makes a happy family :) It is almost like I got a new Life. I will be ever grateful to my Guru for what she gave me.

Some pics from the show :

A sequence from "Bholi Re".Photo Courtesy: Chi Shen.

The Gopis see lord Krishna in their dahi ka matka. Photo Courtesy: Chi Shen.

A sequence from Pushpanjali. Photo Courtesy : Archana Srinivasan.

With my Galpal Archu who was there throughout to support me. Photo Courtesy: Archana Srinivasan.

Thank you Joyce Didi for helping me find myself.

May the Dance never stop. Amen!

SCD 24 hr Yogurt.

We consume a lot of yogurt but in my SCD diet we are allowed to have yogurt that is fermented for a minimum of 24 hours. Reason, in the 24 hours all the lactose in the milk is consumed by the probiotic bacteria. The very same reason why many people who cannot tolerate milk can tolerate yogurt very well.
One cup of this yogurt has 750 Billoin cfu probiotic culture.There is no probiotic capsule available that is even close to that potency.

Ingredients:

• Full fat/2 % fat Cows Milk
• Yogurt Starter

Process:

• Pour milk in a vessel and bring it to a complete boil. (boiling changes the structure of the protein in milk.If not boiled completely, your yogurt might not set properly)
• Let the milk cool till it reaches room temperature.
• Add Yogurt Starter.
• Pour milk in the container you want to set it in and place in the Yogurt Maker.
• Let it ferment for 24 hours.

Home made Cream Cheese.

Ingredients:

• Yogurt(preferably homemade and fermented for 24 hours)
• Honey

Process:

• Line a colander with a clean cloth (a dish towel is satisfactory).
• Place colander on a bowl.
• Pour chilled yogurt into lined colander  and allow to drain for about 6-8 hours (need not be refrigerated while draining).
• Lift cloth by two opposite ends, place on flat surface, and with a spatula, scrape "cream cheese" off and refrigerate.It will be quite tart; a little liquid honey may be worked in with a spatula to sweeten.

The Broccoli Fest!

A little intro about this wonder vegetable:

Broccoli is a nutritional powerhouse. It is not only rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, but is loaded with antioxidants and protective phytochemicals as well. No less an authority than the National Cancer Institute says Broccoli can prevent some types of cancer. It also contains generous amounts of folic acid, which may prevent some birth defects and be beneficial in warding off heart disease, strokes and some cancers. Broccoli also contains some of the highest levels of vitamins A and C of any food.

Broccoli can be cooked in a number of ways and each and every part of it is edible.
Lets see how:

• Lets start cutting the Broccoli.
• After separating the stem from the florets, we will slice off the edges of the stem.
• Then we will start chopping the soft central part of the stem into dip-sized pieces.
• Serve the dip sized pieces with home-made cream cheese.They are tender and absolutely yum!

And what did I do with the sliced off portions of the stem.They are full of nutrients and fiber too.I blended them well with some cilantro leaves, a little garlic, yogurt, salt and a little lemon juice and made a dip for my roasted chicken! It was yum!
The florets can be steamed and brushed with butter, salt and pepper..or souped. I made a tangy tomato broccoli soup and topped it with butter and pepper. The florets taste good in any way you cook them. Make sure you don't overcook them. They taste best a little crunchy.

So our final "green" dinner does not look bad at all. Isn't it?
Enjoy your Broccoli!

The "Leftover" soup

Got some leftover veggies and meats in the refrigerator?Lets not wait to throw them away..lets Soup them!
This one does not have a fixed recipe.You can use almost any vegetable that you wish to.
I will tell you how to make the one in the picture.So here it goes:

Ingredients:

1. 2 large carrots peeled and one of them chopped.
2. 2 to 3 plump tomatoes.
3. A handful green beans-chopped.
4. 1 big garlic clove.
5. 1 tsp dried Basil.
6. 2 whole chicken legs cut into half.
7. 1/2 large onion.
8. Salt.
9. Chicken/vegetable broth

Process:

I make my soup in my Cast iron dutch oven when I have time but if you don't have enough time, go ahead use your pressure cooker.

• In the blender put the tomatoes and onion.Mince thoroughly and pour in the the utensil you are using.
• When it starts boiling add the whole peeled carrot and the chopped carrots.
• Add the green beans.
• Add salt according to taste
• Add more chicken/vegetable broth and keep boiling.
• When it comes to a boil add the chicken pieces
• Add 1 tsp basil.
• Cover and simmer over medium heat for 1 1/2 hours stirring occasionally.If you feel that the soup has dried up add more broth and let cook.
• After 1 1/2 hours take out the whole carrot from the soup,let it cool,puree it in a blender and add it back to your soup.
• Cook for another 5 minutes.
• Serve hot topped with pepper and Butter.

I use pureed veggies to thicken my soup.Boiled onions are also good if you are not using carrots.
Other veggies that really go well with this soup are mushrooms,cauliflower,cabbage and broccoli.
Enjoy your super simple and Yummy meal!

Banana Bread Gluten Free, Sugar Free, Grain Free

Starbucks banana bread with a hot cup of White Chocolate Mocha...Heavenly!
But I am on SCD...how can I enjoy Banana Bread?Well...I sure can!
Here is the Recipe:

Ingredients:

1. 3 tablespoons butter, melted
2. 1/4 cup honey
3. 2 eggs , beaten
4. 2 extra ripe bananas
5. 3/4 tsp baking soda
6. 1/4 tsp salt
7. 3 cups blanched almond meal-I use Bob's
8. 1 cup walnuts,Chopped

Process:

• In a mixing bowl, thoroughly stir together all ingredients,adding the almond flour and chopped walnuts last.
• Scoop batter into 3 buttered loaf pans(3-inch by 5 1/2 inch) filling 3/4 full.
• Bake in a preheated 310 degree F oven for 45-50 minutes for loaves or until done.
• Allow loaves to cool before removing from pans.
• Refrigerate before slicing.

Batter can also be used to make muffins.Line muffin pans with paper cupcake liners,filling each cup 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 min or until done.

Butternut Squash Pancake Gluten Free, Casein Free, Sugar Free

I  have been on the SCD(Specific Carbohydrate Diet) diet for a while now and benefited immensely from it.I am amazed to see how much my digestion has improved and I am doing so much better mood wise.The mid day head aches and fatigue are gone!
Little Sanchayita loves Pancakes and so do we.We dont prefer it super sweet and my hubby asks me to put some onions and green chillies in them when I prepare for him.LOL Pure Desi I tell you!

Ok,So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Butternut Squash,steamed and pureed - 1 cup
• Almond meal - 1 cup
• Eggs - 2
• Honey - 1/2 Tsp (add 1/2 tsp first and after the batter is done taste and see if you need more.Everyone has their own sweet preference.Keep in mind that the butternut squash also adds to the sweetness)
• Salt - 1/8 Tsp(again according to your taste)
• Baking Soda - just about 2 to 3 pinches using your thumb and forefinger(very Indian style measurement :))

Baking Powder(optional) - Those who are ok with using baking powder can use baking powder instead of the baking soda.SCD diet doesn't allow baking powder hence we don't consume it. 

Xanthan Gum -  Can be added to improve binding but again it has grain starches and hence SCD illegal. But if you are not doing SCD,go ahead and use it.The results come out quite impressive.For the above ingregients you will need just about 1/10th Tsp.

Process:

• Put all the ingredients in a food processor and blend thoroughly.
• If you feel batter is too thin you can add more almond meal.
• Taste the batter before making the actual pancakes and add honey or salt if you feel you need more.
• Lightly grease a  large non stick frying pan and start making the pancakes over medium heat
• I suggest that initially you make just one pancake at a time because flippng the SCD pancakes can be tricky.They don't have much binding.
• Make sure that they don't burn and lower the heat after you flip them around and let cook for sometime. 
• Serve Hot!

Servings:

 Makes about 4 - 5 medium sized pancakes.