EVENT: A- Z RECIPE CHALLENGE THEME : AN INGREDIENT BEGINNING WITH THE LETTER U RECIPE: CHOCOLATE MANGO SMOOTHIE – USING UNSWEETENED COCOA Chocolate Mango Smoothie, using unsweetened cocoa is a delicious, exotic, filling and healthy smoothie to enjoy as breakfast, as a snack or as a light meal. I made this as our Valentine’s Day treat, chocolatey but without any sugar or any other sweetener at all. So yes totally a healthy smoothie and diabetic friendly. Actually, didn’t need to add any sort of sweetener as the mango was sweet. What is Unsweetened Cocoa Quite often when I feel like having a chocolatey smoothie for breakfast I reach out for unsweetened cocoa. Cocoa powder as its mostly available, tends to be unsweetened, that is, no…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: SUNDAY FUNDAY THEME: CELEBRATE DAIRY RECIPE: FRESH TURMERIC CHAAS What is Fresh Turmeric Chaas? Fresh Turmeric Chaas is a refreshing yogurt drink with grated fresh turmeric added to it. Healthy, immunity boosting and delicious, hubby and I try and have this drink at least five times a week if not more. Difference Between Lassi and Chaas Though often both are interchanged, they basically are not the same. The similarity ends at yogurt. Chaas is usually made with added water and has no sugar. Lassi on the other hand is thick like a smoothie, may have a little added milk and may have sugar, honey or any other sweetener added to it. Sometimes lassi can be of the savory kind too, with salt added but…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #263 HERBAL AND HEALTH RECIPE: LAVENDER & FENNEL HERBAL TEA What is Lavender &Fennel Herbal Tea? Its a home made infused herbal tea whereby I’ve added culinary lavender buds, some fennel seeds, organic rose petals and mint to create a comforting and sleep inducing herbal tea. What is a Herbal Tea? Also known as tisane (pronounces as tee- zaen), herbal teas are beverages. The concoction or infusion is prepared by adding natural ingredients to hot water. In reality, Herbal Teas are not ‘true’ teas as no tea leaves, black, green or white are used to prepare it. However, these days we find that natural ingredients like flowers, herbs, spices, etc are paired with green tea and they are labelled as herbal tea.…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIEMONDAY/BLOGHOP THEME: #226 GRANDMA’S REMEDIES RECIPE: KADHA/HERBAL SPICY TEA What is Kadha? Kadha is a mixture of herbs and spices boiled in water for about 7-10 minutes. Lemon juice and honey/jaggery are added, o make it palatable, This mixture of herbs and spices is a wonderful and beneficial remedy for colds, flus and coughs both dry and chesty. Its usually drunk when its hot or warm depending on who is having it. Usually children are given warm kadha. Kadha Ingredients Ingredients for kadha are usually found in the kitchen. If you don’t have the ingredients then they are easily available from and Indian store or online. In case fresh holy basil is not available then use dried one or add more mint. Water Fresh…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: BLOGGING MARATHON #88 THEME: KID’S DELIGHT – HEALTHY DRINKS – WEEK 3 DAY 3 RECIPE: MANGO YOGURT SMOOTHIE For this theme of healthy drinks I’ve decided to concentrate on healthy smoothies for kids that are not only enjoyable but filling and nutritious too. So here’s a delicious mango yogurt smoothie. The other two kids friendly smoothies I made are: Banana Peanut Butter and Oats Smoothie Strawberry Finger Millet Smoothie Kids and Meals – a few tips I constantly to get to hear mums complaining about kids not eating. They tend to force feed toddlers and as a result meals becomes a constant battle between the mother and child. Feed the children when they are hungry Your lunch time may not be your child’s…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: BLOGGING MARATHON #88 THEME: KID’S DELIGHT – HEALTHY DRINKS – WEEK 3 DAY 2 RECIPE: BANANA PEANUT BUTTER & OATS SMOOTHIE Banana Peanut Butter & Oats Smoothie is a deliciously, thick, filling and nutritious smoothie to enjoy as breakfast or as a snack. I like to add salted peanut butter as gives the smoothie a unique taste, a balance of sweetness from the banana and sweetener and saltiness from the peanut butter. As I mentioned In the Day 1 post for healthy drinks for kids, I want to refrain from using artificial flavors, additives and colors. And today to the list, I add harmful fats like hydrogenated vegetable fats. These are found in baked goods, restaurant foods, sold as margarine, etc. It finds its…
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Continue ReadingEVENT:BLOGGING MARATHON #88 THEME: KID’S DELIGHT – HEALTHY DRINKS – WEEK 3 DAY 1 RECIPE: STRAWBERRY FINGER MILLET SMOOTHIE Strawberry Finger Millet Smoothie Get kids to enjoy the health benefits of finger millet (ragi) in the form of a tasty, creamy Strawberry Finger Millet Smoothie. Add roasted finger millet to the smoothie along with fresh strawberries, honey or maple syrup and milk. Blogging Marathon For the next 3 days I will be preparing healthy drinks for kids. Yes, I know I don’t have kids at home, mine are all grown up. Usually its this fact that prevents me from taking part in the monthly Kid’s Delight theme that is organized by Srivalli. However, for the month of May, I participated in this event. The…
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Continue ReadingPineapple Coconut Virgin Mojito Float The original plan was to make a virgin pineapple mojito. By the way, did you know that the new term for a non alcoholic mojito (moheetoh) is nojito (noheetoh). Its been so hot and humid the past few days that hubby insisted that whatever I make it has to be super cold. So the idea of the float came to my mind. Pineapple Coconut Virgin Mojito Float is a cooling, thirst quenching, nectarous mocktail with fresh tender coconut, coconut water, mint and topped with pineapple coconut sorbet. Must admit though a dash of coconut rum would have taken the mocktail to a new spirit level 😉 Mojitos usually consist of lime, mint, sparkling water, soda or limeade, with some rum.…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FANTASTICAL FOOD FIGHT RECIPE: CARROT CAKE SMOOTHIE Carrot Cake Smoothie – a smoothie without the actual carrot cake but full of carrot cake flavors, healthy and filling. Fantastical Food Fight Theme: Its after quite a while that I’m taking part in the Fantastical Food Fight. The theme for the month of March, chosen by Sarah is Carrot Cake. For this theme we can bake a carrot cake or use the carrot cake flavors to make something different. My Recipe: Carrot Cake Smoothie As I’m into smoothies for breakfast these days, I opted to prepare a smoothie. I make it a point to have some turmeric powder everyday either in my smoothie or in hot water with lemon and honey. I made the carrot cake…
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Continue ReadingEVENT: FOODIES_ REDOING OLD POSTS #47 RECIPE: JAMUN/ JAVA PLUM SMOOTHIES Jamun/ Java Plum Smoothies are nutritious, healthy refreshing and delicious.As these plums tend to be sweet, you don’t need to add any sugar to the smoothies. These smoothies are an excellent breakfast or snack option especially during the hot season. What Are Jamun? These Jamuns are not the sweet syrupy balls – Gulab Jamun. Jamun is a blackish purplish fruit that grows on evergreen tropical trees. The scientific name is syzygium cumini. Also known as Black Plum, Jambolan, Jambool, Java Plum, Jambu or Malabar Plum. The wood from the jamun tree is used favored as the common wood to use for railway sleepers or the install motors in wells as after drying, the wood is…
