Thursday, June 26, 2014

Non-fat fresh salad Dressing

Most of the time I like to use this dressing for my salads. This simple dressing is a sure bet to make any salad tasty! Sometimes, especially in winter, if aged or sick people eat something with vinegar, they will get joint pain, then this one works best.

Category :Vegan, non-fat , gluten free, Nut free
Preparation Time : 5 min.
Cooking Time: nil
Skill level : easy

Ingredients:
1/2 tbs sugar plus more if desired
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 ts onion powder
2 big cloves garlic, finely grated
1/4 ts lemon zest
1 ts peppercorns, crushed
salt


1. Blend everything together with fork. 
*While making salad add salad toppings likewalnut, pecan, Sunflower seeds, roasted salted cashews, slivered almonds, raisins, cranberries, dried fruits, fresh fruit segments etc.

Low-fat Creamy Basil salad dressing

This creamy dressing will add sweet spiciness of basil to any ordinary salad.
Category :Vegan, low fat , gluten free, Nut free
Preparation Time : 5 min.
Cooking Time: nil
Skill level : easy

Ingredients:
1/4 package silken tofu (3 oz) (I used Mori-Nu organic firm silken tofu)
1/4 c fresh basil
1 tbs balsamic vinegar
3 big cloves garlic
1 ts peppercorns, crushed
1 ts olive oil (optional) 
1 tbs plain coconut yogurt
salt


1. Blend everything together until smooth.

*Keep refrigerated. Use within a couple of days.
*If you can't find silken tofu replace it with soft tofu(silken tofu has creamier texture).


fat-free and very lowfat Salad Dressings

Fat-free Hot, Sweet and sour Chinese Salad dressing
Fat-free Creamy salad dressings
Verde Aderezos para ensalada
Non-fat fresh salad Dressing
Fresh Creamy Basil salad dressing
Chinese Dressing
Peanut dressing

Scrumptious Spreads

Cashew Vanilla spread

Cashew Chocolate Spread 

Cashew Choco-Vanilla Swirl 

Nuts over CHOCOLATE ...homemade Nuttella

Crunchy Cashew Cookie Butter

Orange Cookie Butter

Sunflower seed butter

Peanut Butter

Pizza Paratha

Category : Vegetarian, low fat
Preparation Time : 5 min
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Skill level :  Intermediate

Ingredients :
Stuffing:
1/4 c pizza sauce
1/4 c cheese plus more to taste, grated (mozzarella)
1/2 c finely cut and drained toppings of your choice
Seasoning:
1/2 ts onion powder
1/4 ts garlic powder
1 ts oregano
1 ts red chili flakes
salt pepper as needed

1 c regular whole wheat soft dough


Making base:
1. Make walnut-sized balls out of the dough.
2. Flatten two of the balls so that you have two disks.
3. Roll the two disks into circles with a rolling pin (approx. 5" diameter)
4. Now spread 3/4 tbs of pizza sauce on one, add toppings (about 1 tbs), add cheese on top (1/2 tbs), and then seasoning.
5. Lay another circle of the same size on top. Seal the edges carefully.
6. With the help of a rolling pin, roll a little bit more (until it reaches approx. 6" diameter)
7. On heated griddle lay the paratha at medium low temperature
8. After 10 seconds turn it over
9. When it's golden-brown turn it over again
10. When it's golden-brown on both sides, it's done.
11.Serve warm. 
12. Repeat the same procedure for all parathas.

*Topping suggestions: very finely cut - onion, garlic, bell peppers, pineapple, jalapeno, green onion, olives, paneer etc. (no tomatoes)
*If you want parathas crispier adjust heat lower(@25-30%).

Oven roasted Tomato Hummus

When you dry a tomato, it will loose some water and density of other component   increases. It adds into umami factor tomato has and  makes it irresistible.  This one might need bit more salt than usual.

Category :Vegan,  healthy fat, gluten free, Nut free
Preparation Time : 15 min.
Cooking Time: nil
Skill level : easy

Ingredients :

2 tbs tahini(I used Arrowhead organic sesame tahini)
1 tbs lemon juice 
1 ts olive oil or as desired(optional)
1 c oven roasted tomato
1 c boiled and drained garbanzo beans
salt as needed
Garnish:
 few leaves of parsley and a pita chip

1. Blend tahini and lemon juice (when you blend water and fat it gives fluffy and light texture tahini = fat, lemon = water)
2. If preferred, add olive oil, then blend a little more
3. Add the other ingredients and blend in to a smooth paste.
4. Garnish with olive oil and a sprig of parsley. 
5. Serve.



Oven roasted tomatoes

Category :Vegan,  healthy fat, gluten free, Nut free
Preparation Time : 15 min.
Cooking Time: nil
Skill level : easy

Ingredients :

5 tomatoes
2 ts olive oil
1 ts peppercorns, crushed
1 ts salt

1. To make oven roasted tomato, wash and dry tomatoes.  
2. Cut into halves.
3. Remove seeds and  pulp.
4. Let it dry for a while in sun or open airy space(1 hour)
5. Toss ingredients together.
6. If you are getting enough sun, you can sun dry them till almost dry.
7. Otherwise, dry it in oven in a glass bakeware.
*No specific temperature needed, you can dry them any temperature lower than 350 degree f.  You can dry them on side if you are baking other savory dish. If you take raw diet you can bake at lowest available temperature for a day or so or in dehydrator but otherwise at 350 degree f it should take 30 min. More temperature will dehydrate faster and less will take longer.

Millet Thepla

Generally winter food of my region, in Gujarat but my all time most favorite food, when I am tired for days and Don't like any food- I always like millet thepla with yogurt. Whenever my mom visits me or I visit her, she  definitely makes these and tells me that nothing is going to make you more satisfied than these.

Category : Vegan, healthy fat
Preparation Time : 5 min
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Skill level :  Intermediate

Ingredients :
1/2 c fresh Fenugreek, finely chopped
1 ts Carom seeds
1 ts turmeric
1 ts red chili powder
1/2 ts asafoetida
garlic paste(optional)
1 ts salt or as needed
1 c millet flour
1 tbs whole wheat flour
water as needed to make semi stiff or pliable dough
oil as needed


1. Mix everything but the flour and oil.
2. Add flours and make semi stiff dough (if needed add more flour or yogurt for right consistency)
3. Make big lemon-sized spheres of dough.
4. Flatten the sphere and roll it into circle (use dry flour for dusting or it will stick).

5. Heat griddle on medium heat and when hot enough (to check put a pinch of flour on the griddle and check if it turns golden-brown) carefully place the thepala on the griddle .
6. After 10 seconds, flip it over.
7. After 10 seconds, dip spoon in the ghee and spread over the thepala(2-3 drops ghee)
8. Flip again and after until it has golden brown spots on both sides.
9. Repeat till done

*Unlike other thepalas, these thepalas are thick.*To make soft thepalas adjust your heat just right. If its too much you will get burns and spots will quickly turn black and if it's too low it will take longer and will be chewy not soft.
* If you think your rolling speed is not fast(For thepala you need more speed than roti or paratha) you can turn heat on only after rolling 2-3.
*If you let the dough rest, it might turn softer, add some flour and need it again.

Fenugreek Thepala

For making this thepala dough, we use yogurt instead of water. So it has better shelf life and most Gujarati people will take with them while travelling. It goes very well with potato curry and curd. I love it with curd and salty sour pickle. Some people like it with sweet and spicy mango pickle. It's one of the Gujarati delicacy.

Category : Vegan, healthy fat
Preparation Time : 5 min
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Skill level :  Intermediate

Ingredients :
1/2 c fresh Fenugreek, finely chopped
1 ts turmeric
1 ts red chili powder
1/2 ts asafoetida
2 garlic paste(optional)
1 ts salt or as needed
1 c whole wheat flour
oil as needed

1. Mix everything but the flour and oil.
2. Add flour and make semi stiff dough (if needed add more flour or yogurt for right consistency)
3. Make walnut-sized spheres of dough.
4. Flatten the sphere and roll it into thin 6-7"  circle (use dry flour for dusting or it will stick).

5. Heat griddle on medium heat and when hot enough (to check put a pinch of flour on the griddle and check if it turns golden-brown) carefully place the thepala on the griddle .
6. After 10 seconds, flip it over.
7. After 10 seconds, dip spoon in the oil and spread over the thepala(2-3 drops oil)
8. Flip again and after until it has golden brown spots on both sides.
9. Repeat till done

*To make soft thepalas adjust your heat just right. If its too much you will get burns and spots will quickly turn black and if it's too low it will take longer and will be chewy not soft.
* If you think your rolling speed is not fast(For thepala you need more speed than roti or paratha) you can turn heat on only after rolling 2-3.  
*If you let the dough rest, it might turn softer, add some flour and need it again.

Cheese Potato paratha

Category : Vegetarian, healthy fat
Preparation Time : 5 min
Cooking Time: 15-20 min
Skill level :  Intermediate

Ingredients :
Stuffing:
1 c potato, mashed(no lumps)
1/4 c cheese plus more to taste, grated(processed or cheddar)
1/2 ts onion powder
1/4 ts garlic powder
1 ts parsley
1 tbs green onion, finely chopped
1 ts chili flakes
salt as needed

1 c regular whole wheat roti (soft) dough

Mix stuffing ingredients.

Making roti
1. Take a walnut-sized ball of dough
2. Make two disks out of it
3. Roll the two disks into small circles with a rolling pin
4. Now sandwich the two disks with a little ball of filling (a little larger than the size of a walnut)
5. Seal the edges perfectly
6. With the help of a hand or rolling pin, roll it out into a circle
7. On heated griddle lay the roti at medium low temperature
8. After 10 seconds turn it over
9. When its golden-brown turn it over again
10. When its golden-brown both side it's done.
11.Serve warm. You can apply ghee if you like.
12. Repeat the process for all parathas.

*To make soft parathas adjust your heat just right. If its too much you will get burns and spots will quickly turn black and if it's too low it will take longer and will be chewy not soft.
*Flipping roti too many times makes it hard and chewy. (With practice you will know right timings and right temperatures.*To make soft roties adjust your heat just right. If its too much you will get burns and spots will quickly turn black and if it's too low it will take longer and will be chewy not soft.
*Applying ghee or butter after roti/paratha/thepla is done makes it softer, in case if you are a beginner.

Flavored waters for JULY 4th- Red, White and Blue

1 slice red watermelon
2 pears
1/4 c blue berries
8 c water

1. With small cookie cutter cut stars out of water melon and pear.
2. Add fruits to the water, chill it for 1-2 hours. Serve.

*For making stars from pear peel the pear, cut slices from sides leaving center, then cut stars or you can cut stripes also like frys.
*variation
(1)
1/3 c raspberry
1/3 c blueberry
1/3 c apple stars
8 c Water

(2)
1/3 c Butterfly blue pea flowers
1/3 c white peaches/nectarines 
1/3 c pomegranate
8 c Water

(3)
1/3 c banana
1/3 c sliced strawberry
1/3 c sliced black figs
8 c Water

(4)
1/3 c Butterfly blue pea flowers, cleaned carefully
1/3 c red rose petals, cleaned carefully
1/3 c jasmin or chrysanthemum flowers, cleaned carefully
8 c Water

(5)
1/3 c cherry cut and pit removed
1/3 c black grapes
1/3 c lychee
8 c Water