Breakfast - Oatmeal with Cinnamon and Cranberries

Someone once told me breakfast is "A meal after fasting" and it should be sumptuous. Though I never have a heavy breakfast, I try at least not to skip. My recent favorite is this.


Appromixate cooking time - 7 min
You need
Oats - 3/4 cup
Milk - 1 /2 cup
Water -1/4 cup
Sugar - 1tbsp
Ground Cinnamon - a bit
Dried Cranberries - 4

Method
Heat the milk. When the milk starts boiling, add oats and then water. Reduce the flame to medium and cook for 4 minutes. I like the oats semi-solid (oeey-goeey). When it reaches desired consistency, switch off, transfer to a bowl and add sugar and sprinkle ground cinnamon. Add the dried cranberries. Serve warm. You would have never guessed oatmeal tastes this good.

Nutritional value
Cinnamon - The spice mimics your body's insulin, which stimulates fat cells and allows excess sugar to move out of the blood. Try to get a teaspoon a day and loose weight :)
Oats - Can help to lower the blood cholesterol
Cranberries - I can't stress enough the goodness of cranberries - go Google or go Bing!!
Get creative and substitute with blueberries/strawberries. For people living in US, I get the Coache's Oats from Costco with steel cut texture. Like it more than Quaker's.

Lunch box - Idea 1 -Keerai masiyal & Potato fry

I love trying new recipies. But when it comes to everyday lunch, I stick to the traditional items. Here is one such combination. Keerai masiyal and Potato fry.
Keerai Masiyal is the most easiest recipe to make for lunch. Cut and pressure cook. That is all there to it, prettymuch :)

Approximate cooking time(including chopping) - 30 min
















You Need :
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cimun Seeds - 1tbsp
Green chillies - 3
medium sized onion - 1/2
Garlic - 4pods
Tumeric powder - 1 tbsp
Tomato - 1
Spinach leaves - 2 bunches
Thoor dhall - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1 tbsp(optional)
Salt

Method
Use a pressure cooker.Heat it with a little oil and add the cumin, onions, green chillies, tomato, spinach, garlic, turmeric,salt all in one go. Fry for a few minutes till you see the spinach leave water. Wash and add the thoor dhaal. There must be more spinach than dhall that you can see. Add enough water for the dhall to cook. Pressure cook for 4+ whistles, depending on your dhall's cooking time. Take a mathu and whisk the spinach so that all comes together. It shouldn't take more than 2 minutes. Boil off the excess water. Add ghee(optional).
Tips
Turmeric reduces the iron taste of spinach. So if you are like me, and don't like the iron taste, use more of turmeric.
Use can also use a egg beater if you don't have a mathu.
The onions dont need to be fried in this process.

Paneer Palak

PANEER PALAK

Cooking Time : 20 mins.
Preparation Time : 10 mins.

Serves 4.
Ingredients

2 cups paneer (cottage cheese), cut into 12 mm. (½") cubes

10 cups spinach (palak) leaves

¾ cup onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic

12 mm. (½") piece ginger, grated

2 green chillies, finely chopped

½ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

¾ cup tomato purée

¼ tsp garam masala

2 tbsp oil

salt to taste
Other ingredients

oil for deep frying
Method
1.

Blanch the spinach in a big vessel of boiling water.
2.

Drain, wash with cold water and blend in a liquidiser to a smooth purée.
3.

Cut the paneer into small pieces and deep fry in hot oil until golden brown
4.

Remove and drain on absorbent paper. Keep aside.
5.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onions till they turn translucent.
6.

Add the garlic, ginger, green chillies and turmeric powder and fry again for a little time.
7.

Add the tomato purée and fry stirring continuously till the mixture leaves oil.
8.

Add the spinach purée, paneer, garam masala, and salt 1 cup of water and bring to boil.
9.

Serve hot.

Capsicum Tofu

Guys,
Jotted down this recipie from somewhere couple of months back..Its super easy and tastes great.. Bon Appetite!


Ingredients:

• 350 gm tofu-diced
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp ginger paste
• 1 cup onions-sliced thinly
• 1 cup capsicum-shredded thinly
• 1 tbsp soya sauce (adjust according to strength)
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• some greens for garnish

Method:

• Heat oil in a wok, and stir-fry the onions, garlic, ginger and capsicum in it over high heat till onions and capsicums look wet.
• Add the soy sauce, salt, vinegar, and the tofu.
• Mix well, and serve garnished with some greens.

Luv
Meena