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.

ADS

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.

ADS

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.

Pumpkin And Shrimp Soup For Halloween

A very very happy Halloween to you all. When its Halloween it means loads of pumpkin in your kitchen counter. So today I thought to share a delicious, healthy pumpkin soup with shrimp. The combination of pumpkin and shrimp may seem unusual but this can be a surprisingly, delicious, fantastic fall soup which everyone can enjoy. Pumpkin soup with shrimp is easy, simple and very quick to make. So taste this wonderful soup and let me know how you arrange your Halloween party where terror turned into a treat!


Ingredients

Pumpkin puree 1 cup
Chicken  stock   2 cups
Shrimp    6 to 8
Garlic   1 tsp chopped
Butter/diet butter   1tsp
Sugar  a pinch
Corn starch  1tsp (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
First wash and devein the shrimp and marinate it with little lemon juice and pinch of salt. Now in a pan heat butter add chopped garlic and the shrimp stir for a minute then add pumpkin puree and chicken stock (you can use plain water if you want) let it boil for 5 to 6 minutes. Then add sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well. If you want thick consistency of your pumpkin soup then mix cornstarch with two table spoon of water and add it to the soup. Boil it for another minute or two you will get your desired consistency a thick yummy soup. You can make it richer by adding fresh cream but my waist line will not permit me to be that liberal so I leave that creamy part and have this wonderfully delicious pumpkin shrimp soup with warm crusty bread and believe me its yuuuuuumy!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Tofu Bell Pepper Curry With Chopped Pistachio

Fist of all I want to wish you all A Very Happy Belated Diwali. I was busy in the entire festival hustle bustle so all my post delayed.
I am sharing today a very delicious recipe which I make this Diwali. In the day of Diwali we don’t eat any non veg items even onion and garlic are not allowed in the dish. So I make a simple curry with little spices but the twist of this simple yet elegant recipe is when you add generous amount of chopped pistachio. I hope you all will enjoy Tofu bell pepper curry with chopped pistachio.



Ingredients:

Tofu/ Paneer cube   1 cup
Bell pepper cube   1 cup
Tomato cubed     ½ cup
Tomato puree      ¼  cup
Potato cubed        ½ cup
Cayenne powder ½ tsp (optional)
Sugar   ½ tsp
Fenugreek seed  ¼ tsp
Carom seed /Ajwain  ¼ tsp
Asafetida/hing  ¼ tsp
Oil    3 tbsp
Pistachio  4 tbsp chopped 
Salt and pepper   to taste 

Procedure:
Heat oil in a pan. Add fenugreek seed and carom seed when they start to splutter add the cubed potato and stir until the potato are cooked and fried a little bit. Then add the tomato cube and bell pepper cube and the tomato puree, asafetida, cayenne powder (if using), pepper, sugar and salt and stir and cook for few minutes. Add a cup of water and let it boil for another 4 to 5 minutes on high flame while it is boiling add cubed tofu. The gravy will be almost dry then add chopped pistachio (if you are not that calorie conscious then you can slightly toast this chopped pistachio on butter and use it). Don’t use all the pistachio, keep some for garnish and your tofu bell pepper curry is ready. Have it with bread rolls or naan paratha or simple flat breads. Tofu bell pepper curry has a very unique flavor and a very pleasing and smooth taste. I am sure you will love this taste.

Sending this recipe to Ammaji's Recipe blog event Cooking without Onion And Garlic

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Baked Beans and Shrimp stuffed Bread Rolls

When festive season is over and still you don’t came out from the hangover of all the fun what do you do..... I call few friends and arrange a snacks party. Good thing about this party is all of my friends bring their favorite snacks and with them I get the inspiration to create a lip smacking snacks… stuffed bread rolls with baked beans and shrimp. This dish is easy, quick and taste great.


Ingredients:

White bread slice  8 to 10
Egg 1
Nigella seeds  ½ tsp
All purpose flour   2 to 3 table spoon
Canola oil/ sunflower oil/ olive oil   2 to 3 table spoon
 For stuffing
Canned baked beans   1/2  cup
Mixed vegetable 1/2  cup finely chopped 
(carrot, beetroot, cabbage, red and green bell pepper)
Onion, ginger and garlic paste 1 tsp
Shrimp  1/4  cup chopped
Butter  ½ tsp
Grated cheese  1 tsp
Chopped cilantro ½ tsp
Sunflower oil  1tsp
Salt and pepper to taste 

Procedure:
First heat one teaspoon of oil on a pan then add the ginger, garlic & onion paste. Stir ten add the shrimp stir and cook for ½ minute then add all finely chopped vegetable. Cook for a minute. Then add the baked beans, salt and pepper. Stir and mix the whole thing well. If the mixture become two dry add 3 to 4 table spoon of water. Add butter and cheese mix well. Adjust seasoning and finish with very finely chopped cilantro. Your stuffing is ready.
Now take fresh bread slices and chop the edges. Sprinkle little water on both side then press it with a rolling pin or with your hands. Make sure that the bread is not too wet otherwise you will face difficulty rolling it. Now put a table spoon of the stuffing and roll it with little bit of water in your finger press the ends to seal it. In a bowl beat egg with a pinch of salt and pepper. On another plate mix nigella seed with all purpose flour. Now brush egg on the bread rolls and then roll on the flour mixture. Now heat oil in a pan and shallow fry all the bread rolls till they are little golden in color. Cut them into halves and serve hot with sliced onion.
I am sure you like the taste of this bread rolls.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

Durga Puja Festival 2011 From Kolkata

First I want to declare the winner of the book Kitchen Counter Cooking School
by Kathleen Flinn and the winner is Nami from Just One Cook Book.
Congratulation Nami and I am sure you will enjoy the book.

Today I am not sharing any recipes but as I promised I am sharing few festive moments some delicious foods from the grand festival of my town Kolkata and I hope you all will love it for more pics from the event visit me on flicker.

The fist image is of the two signature sweets of Bengal Rosogolla and Chanar Jilapi. Rosogolla are melt in a mouth small balls made of Indian cottage cheese or chana dipped in simple syrup. The other one Chaner jilapi is also made from Indian cottage cheese but this are fried and then dipped in simple syrup. Both are mouthwatering and are hot favorite during this festive season.

This is the traditional idol of Mother Goddess Durga and her two son Lord Ganesha And Lord Kartikeya and her two daughter Maa Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) and Maa Swaraswati (godess of knowledge).



This are called pandals where Maa Durga is worshiped for five days. People from all over the world visit Kolkata to see this five days architectural wonders. You will not find any similar pandals, each one is unique in it's own beauty.

Chandelier from a puja pandal.

Catch more action of the festival in my flicker slide show.





I hope you will love it. If you are planning to visit India then I will love to invite you in Kolkata in this festive season next year. Durga puja is not a religious festival but a carnival where you will find celebration of life.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.