Low fat Omega 3 Pumpkin bread

Hi friends,

Its been a long time since i sat to write a food blog.So am resuming ( i guess :)) with this easy low fat omega 3 rich Pumpkin bread.This seems like an herculean task but it can be whipped up in a jiffy and just that it takes an hour to bake,but hey thats not our worries right? its upto the oven.So here goes the recipe that i adopted from joyofbaking.com and made a couple of changes to make it healthy :P







Level : Easy

Time : 50 - 60 mins

Total time : 1 Hr 15 mins including the preparation of the batter

Makes : 1 Loaf of 9 x 5 inch

Ingredients :

1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

2 tbsp flax seed pwr mixed with 6 tbsp water (or) 2 Large Eggs

1 cup packed darkbrown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 - 15 ounce can pure pumpkin

1/4 cup water

3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Sources:

Read more: http://joyofbaking.com/breakfast/PumpkinBread.html#ixzz1d2HpFL00


Method :

In a large bowl sift together flour,baking pwr,baking soda,salt,cinnamon and nutmeg. Add in the walnuts in the dry flour mixture.

In another large bowl mix in flax seed pwr,water,oil,pumpkin puree,brown sugar and vanilla extract and whisk to a smooth paste.

Now mix in the dry flour to the wet mixture in 2 or 3 batches and whisk everything together,no need to use a hand mixture,just use a spatula and mix thoroughly without any lumps,but dont over mix ,it will make the bread too hard.

Pour into a 9 X 5 buttered/sprayed with a non stick spray loaf pan and bake at 350 F for 50 - 60 mins until a tooth pick inserted inside comes out clean.

Cool over a cooling rack for 10 mins ,and slice it which ever way you like and enjoy a fresh baked warm pumpkin bread that it so tasty and good for you :)

Easy Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

Hi friends,

I wanted to try baking some bread for a long time now,and came up with the courage to do only today.So i searched for an easy home made bread recipe and found this amazingly easy recipe here with step by step procedure even a beginner like me found it very easy to bake..I just wanted to make it a bit more healthier,so i added a couple of tablespoons of Organic Wheat Bran and Flax powder :)..So here is the recipe

You can even check out some basic steps for making a bread here. Or click on the video


Vegetarian:
How To Make White Bread


Level : Moderate

Time : 2 Hrs for Fermenting, 1-1/2 Hrs for Proofing, 40 mins for baking..

Total time : 4 Hrs and 10 mins

Makes : 1 Loaf of 9 x 5 inch

Ingredients :

1-1/2 Cups All purpose flour
1-1/2 Cups Whole Whear flour
3/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Brown sugar /Honey /Sugar ( i used Brown sugar)
1 packet Quick rising yeast ( or 2 tbsp)
1 Cup Luke warm water ,plus 1/2 cup to add as needed
2 Tbsp Organic Wheat bran.
3 tbsp Canola oil
Canola oil spray for greasing.
Flax powder to sprinkle on top

Method :

Mix thoroughly in both the flours,salt,sugar,Wheat bran and dry yeast and keep aside. Mix in 2 tbsp oil with 1 cup luke warm water ( just immerse a clean finger and check to see if the water is bearable,otherwise if the water is too hot,it will kill the yeast,resulting in heavy bread). Now with a wooden spoon,make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the wet mixture stirring it continuously. Add in a tbsp of luke warm water at a time if it requires additional moisture,so that all the dough comes out together.

Flour a wooden board or your working surface and with clean hands knead the dough for 5 minutes with the timer on.It has to be exactly 5 mins..The dough will be sticky dont worry abt that,just flour the board as needed so that the dough is easy to move around.After Kneading for 5 mins, round it as a ball by pushing the dough towards down and centre.Take a large glass bowl (the one which we have been using to mix the dough) apply 1 tbsp oil and place the dough in side the bowl and roll it a couple of times to make sure the oil is all over the dough. Keep the bowl covered with a plastic grocery bag/towel/plastic wrap in a warm place around 75 to 85 F,preferably over the kitchen counter, and leave it to rise for 2 hrs,this stage is called Fermenting the dough..




After the dough has doubled the size it looks something like this..


After 2 hrs,the dough would have doubled up in volume.Open the cover and punch the dough firmly with the knuckles to get all the Carbon di oxide out. Place the dough over the working surface again and gently knead this time for 1 min. cover and allow it to rest for a min and then shape it into a log by rolling and pulling at the same time,just gently..Or you can even just roll the dough from the corners to the inside and place the rolled surface down.






Grease the baking loaf pan/Casserole dish/round cake pan if you are shaping it round and place it inside the pan snugly. cover and allow it to rest for 1-1/2 hrs .This stage is called the proofing. This allows the Gluten in the flour to once again relax and double up in size,filling out the baking pan and takes the shape of the baking pan you are using.





After 1-1/2 hrs, Preheat the oven with the rack in the centre for 350 F. Spray a little water to both the sides of the hot oven so that it gives the bread some steam to create a crusty top.Sprinkle the top of the bread with a little Flax powder,wheat bran and all purpose flour. Bake for 30- 40 mins. Turn the loaf pan once in the middle for even browning. After 40 mins take the loaf pan out of the oven, take the bread out and tap in on the bottom of the loaf to check if it is baked properly.We can confirm it from the hollow sound that comes from a fully baked bread.

After 1-1/2 hrs of proofing...






Cool completely over a wire rack and enjoy with a touch of butter,while its warm...Its definitely worth the time :)),this is how mine came out, have fun. Sorry i couldn't resist the sample slice with a little strawberry spread.

Healthy Snack-Poha-Corn-Oats Chivda

hi friends,

Its been snowing and roads are like crazy last 3 days and i felt bored.Wanted to try something different,and was craving for some crunchy-munchies to go alongside my chai tea..I was browsing for some inspiration and stumbled upon this healthy low fat poha chivda..I got to try this...but with my different twist, thus came this Low fat healthy Poha-corn-Oats Chivda,which can be made in minutes , i really mean minutes...Here is what it needs..

Level : Easy

Time : 5 mins (actually less than the time taken for me to make this post :))

Serves : 6 people

Ingredients :

2 Cups - Poha

1-1/2 Cups Corn flakes ( i used Honey bunches of Oats from Post)

1-1/2 cups Quick cooking Oats

3 tbsp Peanuts

3 tbsp Roasted channa dal (Dhalia)

2 tbsp raisins

3 Green chillies finely chopped

few curry leaves

turmeric powder 1 tsp

2 tsp Lemon Juice

salt & sugar 1/2 tsp each

Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp (optional)

1 tsp - Oil




Method :

Roast Oats, poha, peanuts in a microwave safe dish for 2 mins separately each. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and roast green chillies,roasted channa dal,peanuts,turmeric powder.Add in the poha,oats and corn flakes along with the raisins,mix thoroughly. Add salt and chilli powder according to taste.Roast for a couple of mins and switch off the stove.Add Lemon juice and sugar and Enjoy while its warm.This snack can be stored in an air-tight container for upto 10 days.Enjoy..

Oats Kichadi - A Healthy morning breakfast

Hi friends,

This is a favorite breakfast item of our household,and have tried and failed many times without the desired outcome.Oats unlike semolina,or poha gets mushy once cooked and so i tried and tried to come out with the perfect combination to make it fluffy like poha upma.So here is to a healthy stomach filling hearty breakfast.

Level : Easy

Time : 10 mins

Serves : 2 people

Ingredients :

1 tsp olive oil
1 Cup Quick cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup frozen mixed veggies ( Peas, carrots, Beans and corn)
1/4 inch chopped ginger
3 green chillies slit lengthwise
1 tsp cumin seeds
a few curry leaves
3/4 cup water
salt to taste





Method :

1. Heat oil in a pan, allow cumin seeds to sputter,add ginger,green chillies and curry leaves.
2. Add all the vegetables ,salt and cook covered for 5 mins.
3. Once the veggies are cooked through,add water and bring it to a boil.
4. Mix in the Oats and cook covered,simmer for 5 mins until all the water escapes without stirring it often.Do not disturb the kichadi while cooking which is very important for the oats to hold its shape and not get mushy. Enjoy hot with yogurt or pickle.
   

Roti Asian Stir fry

I had a couple of left over Indian whole wheat bread (Roti) and wanted to get creative and felt like having asian for lunch.So i tried out this simple asian stirfry with roti which is ready in a jiffy.I surely was amazed when i tried it,it was delicious..Here in what is required.

Level : Easy

Time 5 mins

Yield : 2 people

Ingredients :

1 tsp oil
2 Whole wheat Rotis
1/2 cup thinly sliced Green bell pepper
1/2 cup thinly sliced Cabbage
1/4 cup thinly sliced Onion
1 garlic (optional)
1/4 inch piece chopped ginger
2 stalks Green onion chopped
1 tsp Less sodium soy sauce
1 tsp siracha hot sauce
2 tbsp Tomato ketchup
a pinch of sugar







Method :

1. Heat oil in a Wok (fry pan).Add Onions,green bell pepper,cabbage,ginger & garlic and saute for a couple of mins till the veggies are cooked through.
2. Add in the soy sauce,tomato sauce,hot sauce,and sugar.
3. Roll the rotis and cut in stripes and mix it in the fry pan.
4. Sprinkle chopped green onions and serve hot as a main dish..Enjoy
   

Tomato Jalapeno Garbanzo smooth soup

Though of making some soup for the dinner today,and just tossing in what i had in the fridge and pantry.This is a nice and flavorful soup which will fill you up for sure.I call it a smooth soup not just because of its texture,but because of its taste of adding jalapeno and garbanzo and blending it together which gives this soup its cheesy flavor in lieu of those high calorie cheesy soups...so here is what is needed..

Level : Easy

Time taken : 15 mins

Serves : 4 people

Ingredients :

1 can cubed organic tomatoes
1 can Garbanzo beans drained
1/2 Jalapeno pepper seeded and diced
1/2 cup chopped Green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 pods Garlic chopped (Optional)
1 tsp Apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Siracha hot sauce
salt & pepper to taste


Method :

1. Heat Oil in a deep bottomed pan,add bayleaves, garlic and onion and saute for a min.
2. Add in the celery,carrots and green bell pepper,saute for a couple of mins.
3. Add the canned tomatoes,3 cups of water and chopped jalapeno pepper and bring to a boil, abt 5 mins.
4. After the water has come to a boil,add in the Garbanzo beans,salt,hot sauce and vinegar and let it simmer for 5-7 mins.
5. cool down and blend using an hand blender,and serve hot along with a couple of toasted whole wheat bread...Yumm...

Oven Roasted Broccoli with Parmesan

Hi friends,

I dont know what happened to me yesterday,i was all around toasting and roasting in the kitchen,but this time with broccoli. Broccoli once again is a great vegetable (kids must start eating this high time) and can be made interesting for kids.I am a huge fan of Ina Garten from food network, so i thought i could make her recipe for Oven roasted broccoli with garlic and parmesan,but this time without garlic..

Level : Easy

Serves : 2

Time : 15 mins

Ingredients :

1 lb frozen broccoli florets thawed in microwave for 2 mins
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese ( shredded or crushed)
1 tsp crushed pepper powder
2 pods chopped Garlic (optional-used in the original recipe)





Method :

1. Preheat oven to 400 Degree F
   
2. Spread the thawed broccoli over a cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil,sprinkle salt,parmesan cheese and pepper powder and mix with hands.
3. Bake for 12- 15 mins turning it half way till the broccoli gets nice and brown around the edges.Enjoy..