Caramel Wings

Wow, at the beginning of this journey with Tata Salt Lite I did not know if I would be able to stick to the schedule and be regular with my blogging. This is my last post for #slite and I'm going to miss this so much, that I have decided to stick to Tata Salt Lite from now on. Thank you so much for letting me invent and play around in my kitchen, and discover so much more about myself while doing so! Thank you for also giving me a medium to convey to the world the importance of no sodium salt!

I took few days to think about the perfect last recipe, or a grand finale, if you will. I thought of a Brown Rice Phirni, a Cauliflower soup, an epic stir fry and so many more items. But then I realised I didn't do anything with Sprouts and considering they are such an important part of my daily life, it is unfair to them. So I was brainstorming with my bestie all the way in Singapore, when she mentioned I could make Sprout Falafels. What a brilliant idea! Not to mention how utterly genius this is, it is also insanely healthy, and a good high protein alternative for people like me who get tired of eating Sprouts just as is. It all seemed like it would work out on paper, but nothing is ever sure till you actually execute it so I did a test run. I am so happy with how these turned out! You can either bake them or pan fry them in very little oil, like I did, have it with Hummus, or stuff it in your pita, roti, have it with bread, or just as is!






Sprouted Moong Falafels
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup sprouted Moong/Green Gram. (You can use any kind of sprouts)
5 cloves of Garlic
1/2 an Onion, finely chopped.
A handful of mixed herbs, finely chopped. (I used coriander, mint, parsley)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
Tata Salt Lite, to taste
1/2 tsp All spice powder (can be substituted with brown Garam Masala powder)
juice of half a lemon.
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Olive Oil.

Method:

You can either use lightly steamed Moong or raw Moong for this recipe as you desire. If you want to use steamed Moong, place them in the microwave, sprinkled with some water and microwave on high for a minute. You'll need to let them cool down before proceeding. I used raw sprouts.

Pulse the sprouts in the blender, in short 2 second bursts, till it resembles a coarse powder. We do not want a paste. Remove them in a mixing bowl. Add in the garlic and pulse that as well, add to the sprout mix.

Now throw in the Onion, herbs, and the powders. Add salt and mix everything together.

In a spoon, take the lemon juice and add the baking soda to it. Pour the froth into the mixture and combine everything again. Gently make bite sized rounds of falafel, and place them on a plate. I made 8. Put them in the fridge for 5 minutes.

Heat up a non stick pan on medium high with the Olive oil. Put in the falafel rounds and slightly flatten them. Let them be undisturbed for a minute. Flip them over, lower the flame to medium and finish cooking on the other side, approximately 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve hot!

Around a decade ago, I was diagnosed with Anemia. While this is a fairly common problem with the women, it definitely should not be ignored. Since I was training to be a pilot at that time, even though my Haemoglobin levels were almost normal, they needed to be optimal. I saw my family doctor, an Air Force doctor, a Haematologist, an Ayurvedic doctor, a Homeopathic doctor, I took injections, but nothing helped me boost it all. While my haemoglobin levels were inter-linked to other problems in my body, my mother decided to stop everything and go natural.

I would have fresh juice every day that would consist of Spinach, Beetroot, Ginger, Lemon, Mint, Coriander, Carrots, Bottle Gourd and Tomatoes. One month later, my Hb levels were optimal. As much as I loved the juice, it always gave me the medicinal feel for the reasons that I was having it. But as years went by and I resorted to drinking this magic juice before every medical examination, I noticed that my skin was better, digestion was better and I felt and looked great. Since then, I try and incorporate these juices in various forms on a regular basis into my diet, my favourite being a Smoothie. One sLITE change that makes a huge difference in my life.

The hot rage is the superfood Kale and it would only mean I have to try it in a Smoothie. So I experimented, and as expected, I was wowed. You can add in whatever fruits and greens you like, chances are you'd love them too! So here we go:

Good-For-You Smoothie
Serves 3
Takes 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Cup Kale leaves
1 Green Apple, chopped.
1 Cup Tender Coconut Water + Any pulp from the coconut.
A handful of Grapes
2 tbsp Flax Seed Powder (optional, if you like that Smoothie extra thick)
1/2 Cup Ice Cubes
A pinch of Tata Salt LITE
1 tbsp Honey (Optional. I did not add it)

Feel free to add in a handful of Spinach leaves, even some Walnuts, Cashews and even Basil Leaves. You can substitute the Tender Coconut Water with Almond Milk, Yogurt, Soy Milk, or even regular water. You will need Honey in this case. 

Method:

Process all the ingredients in a blender until smooth and fine. Enjoy!

I don't know about you guys, but I am addicted to Chaat. I am guilty of consuming at least 3 plates of pani puri every week. It's like I just can't function without it. It keeps me sane. Yeah, it's that bad.

Meanwhile, I'm also trying to add the Chaat element to wherever it makes sense. My doctor asked me to make the SLITE change from Potato to Sweet Potato (seriously, it is loaded with non guilty carbs that will actually contribute positively towards your health with all those workouts) and I was like, hey, I can make this into a Chaat! The very famous Shakarkandi ki chaat on the streets in New Delhi is not just nostalgic, but very comforting! I made my version at home. You can too! Here's how:

Sweet Potato Chaat
Serves 4
Takes 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

500 gm Sweet Potato
A pinch of Tata Salt Lite
A pinch of pepper powder
A pinch of Aamchur powder (dried Mango)
A pinch of Chaat Masala
A pinch of Red Chili Powder
2 tbsp Green Chutney (optional)
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander
A squeeze of Lemon
1 tsp Olive Oil. (Not extra virgin)

Method:

Boil the sweet potatoes till tender. Peel and cut them into slices.

Heat up a pan on medium with the oil. Place the slices and cook till slightly brown on both sides.

While the potatoes are browning, mix all the powders together and keep them ready.

Once the potatoes are done, transfer them into a bowl and sprinkle with the powders while they're still hot. Toss to incorporate. Add in a squeeze of lemon. You can also add green chutney (green Chili, mint, coriander, lemon, sugar ground together) to this if you like. I did, and it tasted great! Also add in the chopped coriander for an extra dimension!

Serve warm or cold, tastes great either way! You can also serve this mixed with Yogurt, and can also add Sev as garnish. Yum.

We all have that one food item we cannot do without, right? I'd love to know yours, do let me know in the comments section!

Kale is the new superfood in the market. Everywhere I go, every article I read, every video I watch, is gaga about Miss Kale. I just had to find out what the fuss was about, so I decided to make me some Kale Chips. But of course, I would not deep fry them. In order to make a SLITE change, I baked them instead, and sprinkled with low sodium Tata salt lite instead of the regular fare, and Oh My God! The possibilities with this recipe are endless! Not only are these chips nutritious, they can be your go-to for those midnight snack cravings, or while watching movies. They aren't crunchy, they're KRRUNNCHYYY (seriously, they make that sound while you eat them).







So what are we waiting for? Let's do this!

Baked Kale Chips
Serves 4 (Or 1. I really can't guarantee)
Takes 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

A bunch of Kale, washed, patted completely dry.
Tata Salt Lite, to season.
Pepper, to season.
A drizzle of Olive Oil. (Not Extra Virgin)
Any other seasonings (Chili flakes, brown sugar, sesame, Parmesan cheese, popcorn seasoning etc.)

Method:

Preheat oven to 170C/340F. Grease a cookie sheet or two with a tsp of Olive Oil.

Prep the Kale. We need to tear the Kale into bite sized pieces along the middle thick stem. Discard the thick stem. Please bear in mind that the chips will reduce in size as they bake, so tear accordingly. Transfer the leaves into a bowl.

Drizzle some Olive Oil and massage the Kale. You'll notice it will start to wilt a little. Season with Salt and Pepper, and any other seasoning you like. Massage well. Arrange on the cookie sheet such that the leaves are not overlapping one another. We want them to bake, not steam, and overlapping would make them steam.

Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until bright green and crispy. Let it stay for a minute on the cookie sheet before you transfer them to your serving bowl. These don't stay very long as they're a crowd pleaser, but if you do intend on storing them, a brown paper bag would be a good bet!

I baked half of them with Salt and Pepper, and the other half with Chili Oil and Brown Sugar and mixed the two. We're having a lot of fun munching on the mixed goodness here at home!

Enjoy!

Have you ever made something at home that turned out so amazing you had tears in your eyes? Like, it's so unbelievable that you had to take a moment of silence just to absorb the awesomeness of the dish? Yes, that happened to me when I made this Hummus recipe. Initially I was skeptical, since it omits one of the most important ingredients from the traditional Hummus, the Tahini. Instead of that we add in Greek Yogurt to make this supremely creamy, light, yet delicious portion of Hummus that contains just over half of the calories as compared to the traditional version (173 v/s 280) and that is very good news for Hummus binge eaters like yours truly.

Once you have your Garbanzo beans ready, all it takes is less than 5 minutes. Serve it with freshly cut sticks of Zucchini and Carrots instead of the regular Pita, a SLITE change that will make you love your healthy eating spree even more!






Ranch Style Hummus
Serves 4
Takes 5 minutes (plus cooking time for the Garbanzo beans, if any)
Recipe credit: adapted from bodybuilding.com

Ingredients:

1 can of Garbanzo Beans aka Chickpeas. (I soaked 1.5 cup overnight and cooked them in the pressure cooker for 4 whistles).
6 cloves of Garlic
Tata Salt Lite, to taste
Juice of 1 Lemon. I used a Meyer lemon, so I used half.
1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
1/2 Cup (or more) good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Paprika, for garnish.

Method:

In a food processor, throw in all the ingredients except Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Paprika. Process till smooth. Then drizzle Olive Oil until you have a uniform, creamy consistency. I like my hummus a little runny so I adjusted accordingly. Taste and check if salt is okay.

Transfer to a serving bowl and make a well in the middle, fill her up with EVOO, and sprinkle with Paprika. Serve with Pita, Lavash, Vegetables, or if you're hummus crazy like me, eat it as is, by the spoonful!

I know you guys will try this one, waiting for feedback!

 
Ever since I've made this switch to leading a fit lifestyle, I spend a little time every day researching recipes online on how to use ingredients more effectively. Just while browsing, the other day, I found this recipe and I decided to give it a try. It tastes quite amazing, and makes for a great pre or post workout snack. These little babies are super light yet keep you full for a considerable amount of time. Each muffin is a mere 95 calories, and you can make it better by smearing a spoonful of Nutella over it if you really feel like taking it to the next level.

I have to admit, these are not the best looking, best textured muffins you may have had, but they are a SLITE change that go a long, long way! These do not keep very well, due to the Bananas. But for all you know, they're gonna be over in no time anyway!




Gluten Free Sugarless Muffins
Makes 12
Takes 1 hour
Inspired by Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients:

1.5 cup Gluten Free Oat Flour ( just blitz your gluten free oats in the blender until fine)
1 tbsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Tata Salt Lite
1 scoop Zero carb Whey powder (optional)
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1 tsp All Spice Powder
A handful of Walnuts, chopped. (Optional)
2 very ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup Honey
1/4 cup Date syrup (can be substituted with honey)
2 Egg Whites
1 tsp Vanilla

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F

Mix the Oat Flour, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Cinnamon, All Spice, Whey, Tata Salt Lite and Walnuts in a mixing bowl.

Mix the Bananas, Greek Yogurt, Honey, Date Syrup, Egg Whites and Vanilla. I used a blender for this.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix to incorporate. Spoon into 12 Muffin Moulds. Bake for 10-11 minutes!

Enjoy the guilt free indulgence!

There are days when you just don't wanna do anything. Going to work, heading for workout, talking on the phone, sending and receiving emails, none of that. No cooking either. But then you feel hungry and while Chinese delivery seems feasible, your trainer's face flashes in front of your eyes and you decide to stick to a sandwich. Or else, you make this smoothie.








I used Oats for this Smoothie, that give them a very thick texture, and while I prefer it that way, you can always make it thinner with some milk. You can also substitute milk with yogurt, soy milk or almond milk. I am very happy to report that these SLITE changes I've made in my life have really been showing results, and that makes me very very happy!

Oat and Strawberry Smoothie
Serves 2
Takes 5 minutes

Ingredients:

A handful of Strawberries
1 Banana
1/2 cup Oats
1 cup cold Milk/Soy milk/Almond milk
1 tbsp Honey (optional)

Method:

Mix the oats with milk and microwave for 10 seconds.

Add them along with all the remaining ingredients to a blender and blitz till smooth. Thin with milk if required. Serve chilled!

I'm so grateful that Tata Salt Lite actually gave me the opportunity to speak for the cause, since I had been going through a writers block for the longest time. Since leading a fit and healthy lifestyle is a choice that I have made, this bodes well for me as well as my readers (I hope!) these little changes actually make a big difference in our lives. You can totally avoid the sodium loaded French fries when you go out to eat and opt for the humble baked potato without salt, and sprinkle your own low sodium salt on it as required. I have noticed that I am able to click better selfies, my clothes fit better, and I feel less lethargic when I keep my sodium intake in check. Of course, it's a little bit of everything like I always say. Eating healthy, working out and keeping your water intake and nutrition in check.

To tell you a little bit about what Paleo is, Paleo is short for Paleolithic lifestyle. I am not going to call it a diet, because it isn't. It's a lifestyle. We eat what our ancestors ate in the Paleolithic times. I have what you call a semi Paleo lifestyle, what with the food writing and everything else. But it does help me make an informed decision about what I'm eating. If you're interested, Google it right away!

Since couscous is a refined carb, I used Cauliflower as couscous for this recipe since its unrefined and is more nutritious, and also easier to digest for our body. I make this recipe so often that it is a house favourite! The gentle crunch of the cauliflower, the sweetness from the raisins, the saltiness from the olives and the smokiness from the chili flakes makes this a perfectly balanced treat!







Cauliflower Couscous
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes
Recipe credit: watched on food network

Ingredients:

250 gm Cauliflower florets
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
5-6 Olives, roughly chopped
Mixed nuts, roasted on a pan. I used almond and pistachio slivers
15 Raisins/ Cranberries
Tata Salt lite, to taste
1 tsp Chili flakes
A handful of chopped coriander
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil, to drizzle on top

Method:

Pulse the cauliflower florets in a blender till they resemble the texture of couscous.

Heat a pan on medium high, add oil. Start with the shallots and chili flakes and give them a minute till they are sweet and translucent. Add in the cauliflower and sauté for 2 minutes.

Season with Tata salt lite, and sprinkle some water over the cauliflower. Cover the pan and turn the heat to low. Let it cook for 2 minutes. Lift the lid and give it a good mix.

Transfer to a plate and top with the nuts, olives, lemon juice, raisins, coriander and drizzle generously with extra virgin olive oil. You can add anything else you like, for example cumin powder, sumac, even grilled Apple would taste great!

Let me know how you like this!

I love Elvis. We all do, don't we? Elvis loved his Peanut Butter sandwiches with Bananas. I may have made the Elvis sandwich a couple hundred times at home, over the years, but there is hardly a way to make them retain the goodness sans the fat and processed carb overload. So I thought of reinventing them as pancakes, but then again, there's flour and sugar.

I have been experimenting with a lot of new ingredients in my kitchen off late. A person who experiments may not always be successful but they eventually do strike Gold! Everyone I love cooking for is an ardent pancake lover and let's not kid ourselves, whole wheat pancakes just aren't as good. After a lot of thinking, I decided to grind up instant oats and use the flour instead, and like I said earlier, I did strike Gold!

Like Tata Salt Lite campaign says, it is all about bringing in a sLITE change in our lives, small changes that make big differences. Imagine the amount of excess Sodium, Sugar and sugar derived Carbs we would avoid by making simple choices. It only takes few minutes but it makes a world of difference.

I used instant quick cooking oats for this recipe but steel cut oats are your best bet. A cup and half of quick cooking instant oats yields a cup of flour. Just blend it till the consistency is really fine, et voilà! While the brand of Oats I used is not gluten free, you can easily find gluten free Oats in the market and pulse them in the blender for a great gluten free breakfast.

Just like every other recipe that I have been posting recently, I am leaving plenty of room for imagination and experimentation. Use your favourite fruit purée, chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, even cheese! These may not be the softest pancakes you've ever eaten but they contain no sugar, possibly gluten free, creamy, and not to forget, healthy! These are great as a post workout snack!






The Healthy Elvis Pancakes
Serves 2
Takes 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup Oats Flour (to make flour out of quick cooking instant oats, refer to the paragraphs above)
2 Eggs
2 tbsp Peanut Butter, melted
2 medium Bananas, overripe, mashed
1 tbsp Date Syrup/Honey
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Tata salt LITE
1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder

Method:

In a big bowl, mix the Oat flour, baking soda, Tata Salt LITE, cinnamon and nutmeg powders together.

In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Make sure the bananas are well mashed and the eggs are whisked well.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix with a wooden spoon. Lumps are okay. Do not over mix. Let it stand for 5 minutes,

Heat up a non stick pan on medium low heat.

The batter must now be fluffy and tight, loosen it with some milk to a dropping consistency.

Grease with a pat of butter if you like. Place 2 tbsp batter in the centre and work it into a round shape. Cook for a minute or so, till you see bubbles appear on the side. Flip this darling pancake and let it go for another minute.

Stack up a few pancakes and drizzle with honey if you like. I topped mine with caramelised Banana slices and some honey. Oh, and do remember to serve them warm. They get tough if you let them stand for too long.

Enjoy!