Quick and Easy Spinach-peanut stir fry (Palak and peanut stir-fry)

Quick and Easy Spinach-peanut stir fry (Healthy Indian Palak Recipes)

 Quick and Easy Spinach-peanut stir fry (Healthy Indian Palak Recipes)

Spinach or palak is a powerhouse of nutrition and is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C and folate as well as being a good source of manganese, magnesium, iron and vitamin B2.

This is a quick and easy recipe that is my go-to when I’m in a hurry or when I’m just feeling too lazy to make an elaborate dish with palak/spinach. I call it my ‘Lazy spinach stir-fry’ which I make often as everyone seems to love it and I never have any leftovers now matter how many bunches of palak I use to make this.

Ingredients for the Easy Spinach and peanut stir-fry:

Spinach/Palak: 2-3 bunches (washed, dried and chopped into small pieces)

Roasted peanuts: 1 big handful (crushed coarsely)

Red chili flakes: 1-2 tsp (or as per heat tolerance)

Olive oil/Ghee/ Coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Garlic: 5-6 cloves (finely chopped)

Salt: to taste

Lime juice: a dash

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a kadai, add the chopped ginger. Then add the red chili flakes and the chopped spinach leaves and saute on high heat till the water evaporates.
2. Keep stirring and switch off the kadai when the spinach is wilted. Switch off.
3. Mix the crushed roasted peanuts and salt.
4. Add a dash of lime and mix.
5. Serve the easy spinach and peanut stir fry as a side to rice and dal.

Thank you all for your support and feedback.

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Paneer Butter Masala (Low-fat version)

Paneer Butter Masala (Low-fat version)

Love the taste of Butter masala, but dread the loads of butter that goes into it? Fikar not-here is a low-butter version which will cuts down the calories of this dish drastically without altering the taste too much (yes-it doesn’t taste like the restaurant version, simply because it’s not dripping with butter).

The trick here is to make the dish with less oil (two teaspoon) and then add the butter (a teaspoon) just before serving. What that does is to not just make this a 3 teaspoon of fat dish, but also gives the buttery taste to the dish!

Ingredients for Paneer Butter Masala (low-fat): Serves 6

• Paneer: 500gms (cut into cubes),
• Tomatoes: 3 medium (cubed)
• Onion: 1 big (cubed)
• Ginger: 1″
• Garlic: 2-3 (chopped)
• Green chili-1 no. (or as per taste)
• Red chili powder: 1-2 tsp (add more if you want it spicier)
• Coriander powder: 1 tbsp,
• Cumin powder: 1tsp
• Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
• Bay leaf: 1 no.
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Turmeric: 1/2 tsp
• Milk: 1/2 cup
• Wheat flour: 1tbsp
• Coriander leaves: 2tbsp (chopped)
• Oil: 2tsp
• Butter: 1tsp
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Heat one teaspoon oil in a kadai, add the cubed onions, slit green chili and stir-fry till the onions turn translucent.
2. Add the grated ginger and the chopped garlic and stir fry for a minute, then add the tomatoes and cook stirring occasionally till the tomatoes are cooked.
3. Switch off and let it cool. Once cooled, put the contents into a blender and blend till you get a fine puree.
4. Heat another teaspoon of oil in the kadai, once hot add the cumin seeds (jeera), bay leaf and turmeric powder.
5. Add the puree, and spice powders (red chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala) and cook on medium flame stirring constantly till the oil leaves the sides.
6. At this stage, mix the milk with the wheat flour well.
7. Lower the flame and pour this to the cooked tomato+onion puree stirring constantly till it starts to boil.
8. Add the salt and the paneer pieces and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
9. While serving, mix the butter and then top with chopped coriander leaves.
10. Serve hot with roti or rice.

Paneer Butter Masala (Low-fat version)

Chicken Saagwala /Palak (Spinach) Chicken

Chicken saagwala/Palak Chicken

Palak chicken or Chicken saagwala is a not just a great tasting dish but the addition of greens(spinach) increases the nutrient content of the dish. Palak is loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals and is also:

• low in calories
• good source of iron, but to be absorbed by the body you need to team it with a source of vitamin C (like squeezing a dash of lime over the dish, or having a citrus fruit after your meal).

Ingredients for Chicken Saagwala: Serves 4

• Chicken: 800 gms (with bones or boneless)
• Palak (spinach): 1 big bunch ( washed, blanched and pureed)
• Onion: 1 big (cubed)
• Tomatoes: 3 medium (cubed)
• Ginger: 1″ (grated)
• Garlic: 3-4nos.(chopped)
• Green chili: 1-2 nos. (use more if you want it spicier)
• Red chili powder: 2 tsp
• Coriander powder: 1tbsp
• Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Bay leaf: 1 no.
• Pepper corns: 3-4nos.
• Oil: 2tsp
• Salt: to taste

Method:

1. Heat one teaspoon oil in a kadai ,add the onions and green chillies and stir fry till translucent.
2. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for another minute, then add the tomatoes and stir till the tomatoes are cooked.
3. Switch off and cool. Once cooled, puree in a blender.
4. Heat another teaspoon of oil in the kadai, add the cumin seeds, bay leaf and pepper corns.
5. Add the tomato+onion puree, the spice powders(red chili, coriander, cumin, garam masala) and fry till the raw smell disappears and the oil leaves the sides.
6. Add salt and the chicken pieces and fry for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add the palak puree, mix well and cover and cook on low flame till the chicken is cooked.
8. Serve hot garnished with rice and dal or roti.

Note: If you want it a little creamier, then mix a tablespoon of whole wheat flour(atta) in 1/2 cup milk and add this mixture after you add the palak puree (step 7), mix well and then cover and cook.

Chicken Saagwala/ Palak Chicken

Is Your Child Getting the Right Nutrition?

A common complaint that most parents have is that their child doesn't eat (enough). The question that then arises is whether the child is getting the right amount of nutrition that is required for growth. There are even instances of parents requesting the pediatrician to prescribe some supplements or health tonics.
Most of the times these are not required as parents just wrongly assume that their child isn't eating enough just because the portions they eat are too small. Keep in mind that they are kids and will not be able to eat as much as an adult. One way of knowing whether is to check the child's growth records. If the child is around or above the 50th percentile,then he/she is getting enough calories to grow. If at any point, the percentile keeps dropping below the 50th percentile in terms of weight and the height doesn't seem to be increasing too much over a period of time, then that may be a sign of under-nutrition.
Sometimes, just getting sufficient calories for growth is not enough-the child may be eating and drinking the wrong foods (chips,candies, cookies, soda/aerated drinks , chocolates and such) most of which which provide nothing other that empty calories.
To ensure that a child is getting adequate nutrition through his/her diet, here are some guidelines:

•  Make sure that the child eats at least 3 meals (breakfast, lunch,dinner) and has 2-3 small snacks in between. 
• Serve the meals and snacks at the dining table and not in front of the TV. 

• Ensure that the child gets a helping from all the food groups at meal times:

Grains: Rice, breads, pasta, roti/chapathi, or ragi/jowar
Protein:Pulses/lentils/beans(e.g dals, mung,rajma,soy, etc) eggs, chicken, fish.
Vegetables: make sure the child eats a variety of veggies and also green leafy vegetables (palak/spinach, amaranth, collard, chard,etc). Limit using only potatoes as a vegetable.
Fruits: can be served at the end in lieu of dessert. Here again choose fresh seasonal fruits rather than canned fruits(which can be loaded with sugar).
Dairy: Yogurt/curd, skimmed milk, low-fat cheese, soy milk are also excellent sources of calcium. These can be served separate or mixed with the meal-cheese sandwich, curd/yogurt rice.

• Serve water instead of juices with the meals.
• Healthy snacks can also contribute to the child's nutrition. Avoid foods like cookies, pastries, jello, chips, chocolates. Fruits, cheese sticks, fruits in yogurt, fruit smoothies, mini sandwiches(with cheese, guacamole, almond/nut butter), dhoklas, mini-uttapams, mini-burritos(with cheese/scrambled eggs,pulses ) nuts and dry fruits, coin idlis, sukha bhel, popcorn(with less butter/oil), etc. Use your imagination and make the snacks more attractive when serving. A glass of skimmed milk/ soy milk or 100% fruit juice can also be served with the snacks. 
• Make sure there is at least a gap of 2 hours between snack time and regular meal times, otherwise the child may not be hungry.

Moreover, keep the child engaged in some kind of physical activity (outdoor play, swimming, cycling, etc) for at least an hour each day. This will not only keep the child occupied instead of sitting glued to the T.V or video games, but will also increase the appetite.

It’s Time to …..Spring Clean your Diet

With spring just around the corner, people are getting ready to welcome the warmer months by clearing the junk, dust and dirt accumulated over the past few months and storing away the woollies for the next winter. This year along with spring cleaning your house, how about cleaning your diet too?
Spring cleaning the diet follows the same principles as that of cleaning your house-throw out the junk and stock up on the good stuff. Here are some tips to help you to start with:
Things to throw out/stop:
• Bhujias, sev, chivda/farsaan
• Chips, French fries and other fried stuff which are the regular snacks on cold winter evenings.
• Butter/ghee and the 5-10 liter oil bottles which was being liberally used on almost everything from dals to rotis,
• Egg puffs, aloo buns, vegetable puffs/patties
• Parathas, poories,pakodas/bajjis, samosas, vadas, butter chicken,
• All those ‘garam garam’ halwas-carrot, mung dal, sooji, kaju and such.
• Alcohol that was used as an excuse to “warm the cockles of the heart”!
With warm weather, the thought of oily, heavy food can make people sick in the stomach. Warmer weather calls for lighter cooking methods, more salads, fruits, buttermilk/chaas, and yogurts/curd.

Here’s a Simple Indian diet for Spring/Summer:
Early morning: Hot water or Tea
Breakfast: Idlis + chutney and papaya
Mid-morning: Masala chaas/buttermilk OR Tender coconut water

Lunch: Brown rice/semi-polished rice
Dal palak + cauliflower peas sabzi
Yogurt+Cucumber salad

Evening: Tea/ coffee with fruit chaat
Dinner: Phulkas with capsicum sabzi
Masoor dal,
Carrot raita
Mango

Don’t forget to keep yourself hydrated with at least 10-12 glasses of water every day.

Palak Chutney(Spicy spinach chutney)

Palak Chutney (Spicy spinach Chutney)

The original recipe uses tendli/tondli(ivy gourd) leaves,but since that isn't available everywhere, had to substitute with palak.The resulting Palak Chutney was quite close to the 'tondekai/tondli chutney' that I remember. Here are the ingredients for the Palak Chutney:

Ingredients:
Palak(baby)/Baby spinach-2 cups chopped
Garlic-5 cloves(crushed)
Ginger-1" piece
Cilantro/coriander leaves-1 cup
Green chillies-6-7nos(or according to taste)
Roasted channa dal-2 tbsp
Roasted groundnut-2tbsp
Hung yogurt/curd-3tbsp(sour)
Salt-to taste
Oil-1tsp

Method:
1)Heat the oil in a pan,add the garlic and green chillies and saute for a couple of minutes.
2)Add the chopped baby spinach and saute till they are cooked.Let it cool.
4)In a mixer grinder-add the channa dal,groundnuts,cilantro,ginger,salt and the cooked palak.
5)Make a fine paste.
6)Pour the palak chutney into a bowl. Add the yogurt and mix well. Test for salt.

Palak chutney tastes great even without the addition of the yogurt/curd at the end(add a little tamarind). I just love the creaminess that the yogurt adds to the palak chutney.
Serve the palak chutney with idlis/dosas, as a spread for sandwiches,a dip or as a side with your meal.