Nutritious Entertaining: Make a healthy grocery list for success

When you are preparing for the Thanks giving party and all the celebration coming up  one after another in the next month, it is very hard to make a healthy grocery list for perfect meal. So today I am not sharing with you any recipes but a guest article which will be a great help for you all. This guest article is from my friend Melissa C. I think you all will enjoy the read and find helpful tips for perfect delicious and healthy meal.

It’s easy to get trapped in the idea that healthful entertaining is too much work. If you plan a healthy grocery list beforehand, there’s no reason your next get together won’t be a rousing success. When you’re in control of the menu, you can make the right choices to ensure every course stays healthy.

Good-for-you appetizers

Many hosts start the meal out on an unhealthy foot and only get worse from there. When you plan in advance, you can avoid this pitfall. Stick to low-calorie and high-flavor dishes, like spiced shrimp or crab ceviche, and your guests will be satisfied but not stuffed before the main event. You can also choose fresh and seasonal vegetables as an easy alternative if you want to cut down on preparation time.

A healthy main course

The main course is the biggest part of the meal, so it’s essential that you choose a healthy dish. You can find some inspiration from the menu at your favorite health-oriented restaurant, or you can check pick out a dish from Eating Well. Don’t be afraid to make two dishes if you’re hosting a large group of people. That way, people can choose the option that suits their tastes better. You should also consider portion size when plating to make sure you aren’t giving your guests too much of a good thing

Delightful, guilt-free desserts

The dessert course is another place where health can be thrown out the window for taste, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Fresh fruit is always a good option for the time and nutrition conscious host. It’s easy to prepare, it contains all kinds of nutrients, and it tastes wonderful. If you’re looking for something a bit more complex, try out a lightened up version of your favorite dish. It doesn’t take much to make a healthy lemon cake or some healthful oatmeal cookies. Dessert is your chance to show off your skills at making delicious treats that are still good for you.

After you’ve planned out the perfect meal, it’s time to put together your list and make a trip to the store. Before you head out, go through the big night in your mind and think about how the cooking and entertaining is going to go. If you don’t see any issues with timing, then you’ll be ready to make your next night of healthy entertaining a success.


Wishing you all A Very Happy Thanksgiving!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Herbed Soya Nuggets With Butter Toasted Cashew

Soy nuggets(TVP)which also popular as soy meat or soya meat is a meat analogue or nutritious meat extender made from defatted soy flour. This is also known as textured soy protein is a versatile substance, different forms allowing it to take on the texture of whatever ground meat it is substituting. Using textured vegetable protein, one can make vegetarian or vegan versions of traditionally meat dishes chili, spaghetti bolognese, sloppy joes, tacos, burgers, or burritos. Sometimes I feel like going vegan for a day in such times I use this soy meat or soya nuggets in my dishes and I am telling you it is very good substitute of regular meat. If you try then you too will love it for all those who are new to soy meat and for others who are soy chunks lovers here is my experiment with soy spices and cashew. I am sure you will love these herbed soya nuggets with toasted cashew.


Ingredients:

Soya nuggets  1 Cup
Beet root   ½ cup thick slice blanched
Carrot   ½ cup thick slice and blanched
Green bell pepper  ½ cup sliced
Butter/ Olive oil  2 1/2  tsp
Garlic chopped  ½  tsp
Oregano   ¼ tsp
Basil     ¼  tsp
Tomato sauce 1 tsp
Chilly garlic sauce 1tsp or to taste( optional)
Cashew nuts  ¼ cup
Salt and pepper  to taste 

Procedure:
Soak soya nuggets in warm water with salt for at least half an hour. First in a pan take ½ tsp of butter and toast the cashew, if you are health conscious then you can dry roast the nuts and keep aside. Now in that pan take 1 tsp of butter or olive oil and then add the drained and squeezed soya nuggets now fry for a minute with a pinch of salt and pepper for a minute then keep aside in bowl. Now in that pan give rest of the butter then add chopped garlic stir for few second then add all the vegetable toss add all the sauces , basil, oregano and fried soya nuggets adjust seasoning and toss all the ingredients well. At last add butter toasted cashew mix and serve hot with corn tortillas or tacos or simple flat bread with onion rings. I am sure you will love the taste of this herbed soya nugget with butter toasted cashew.
Give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Tomato Apple Date Chutney And Todd Wilbur Cook Book Review

Chutney is one such delicious condiment which always makes our meal more tasty. In winter I prepare a special chutney with tomato, apple and date and this one is my family favorite since ages. My granny use to make it and then my Maa (Mom) and now I take the responsibility to carry forward this heritage recipe to gen next. Lazy me sometimes use this chutney as my bread spread or pour a spoon full in my boiled vegetables. I am telling you this is one of the best way to skip cooking and still have something super delicious.

Ingredients:

Ripe red Tomato   4  pureed
Apple   1 chopped into small pieces
Dates    ½  cup seeded and chopped
Ginger  ½  tsp chopped
Roasted mixed spice powder ¼ tsp
Vegetable oil  1 tbsp
Lemon juice   1 tbsp
Sugar  1 ¼  cup
Salt  to taste
Water  3 to 4 cups

Procedure:
First let me tell you how to make roasted mixed spice. Take ¼ tsp of cumin, 2 cardamom, ½’’ cinnamon, 4 clove,1/2 bay leave, ½ whole dry red chili. Now dry roast this spice and then grind to make a fine powder. You can use this spice mix in your salad or mashed potato. This spice have very unique flavor when used in tomato apple date chutney, it add to its taste.
Now take oil in pan add the pureed tomato and dates mix well. Now add water and salt and let it boil so that the dates completely mixed with tomato. Now add ginger and sugar and sliced apples. Cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Then put off the flame and the roasted spice mix and the lemon juice . Mix well. You can store it for 4 to 5 days in your freezer. Serve chilled or in room temperature try it with KFC Fried Chicken or anything that you like.

The best thing is that you can now make the original KFC fried chicken, Burger King Onion rings, Apple Bee s Oriental chicken salad and many such mouthwatering hot favorite recipe in comfort of your own home. America’s original food cloner Todd Wilbur has opened the vault and shared his best recipes in an exclusive eSpecial from Plume! THE TOP 25 GREATEST TOP SECRET RECIPES. America’s best copycat recipes for duplicating your favorite foods at home. For two decades, Todd Wilbur has worked doggedly to reverse engineer America’s most famous foods. In this eSpecial collection, Wilbur reveals the secret formulas for your all-time favorite restaurant dishes and brand-name foods. With top-secret blueprints and easy-to-follow instructions, it’s simple to fool your taste buds and save money when you make these amazing original clones at home.
I love this small little book which can be with me any time anywhere and with the help of this I can amaze my guest with the some mouthwatering American brand dishes. The best part of this book is, it is written in a very simple language and easy to follow instruction and perfect detail timing instruction needed for preparation and cooking. I think even beginners with little patience and passion can successfully made this favorite dishes. My personal favorite are Apple Bees Oriental Chicken salad …. Crispy oriental greens topped with crunchy chicken fingers, toasted almonds and crispy rice noodles, tossed in light Oriental Vinaigrette, KFC original fried chicken and Olive Garden Italian Salad dressing. I will definitely give try all this recipes from this wonderful little magic cookbook. You will get THE TOP 25 GREATEST TOP SECRET RECIPES: America’s best copycat recipes for duplicating your favorite foods at home (Plume eSpecial, for just $2.99; available wherever eBooks are sold).
Happy Cooking!:)

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.