Cracked Wheat & Oats vegetable Khichdi

      I can't believe it's December already. This year has completely flown by- and soon it will be 2016! Before we head into the new year, I wanted to make sure one thing that you all eat healthy and stay healthy for ever. For many people, eating healthy is a chore. When the world is filled with all junkie food, why in the world we ever bother eating a healthy meal? But also eating healthy food is actually delicious-- no lies. If you don't know where to begin when it comes to making healthy food choice-- or if you are already following a healthy, wholesome diet but need some new recipe idea--I have one super healthy recipe to share with you all today. It is Cracked Wheat & Oats vegetable Khichdi. Sounds already healthy, right?! 
       Try not to lick the screen when clicking through this picture or blog.

      When this week's #foodiemonday #bloghop challenge of #onepotmeatmoday comes up, I was pretty sure about sharing this easy and healthy recipe. Let's set go.. Going to be part of #foodiemonday #bloghop with healthy one pot meal.

Eat better NOT less....

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cracked wheats(fada)

1/4 cup split moog dal 

2 tbls split moog dal with skin

2 tbls Oats

2 tbls Ghee

1tsp cumin seeds

1/2 cup chopped onions 

1 cup of mixed vegetables of your choice (I used chopped potatoes, green peas, some soybeans, some green onions, some corn, chopped methi leaves, chopped cauliflower)

1/2 tsp cinnamon-cloves powder 

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbls ginger-garlic paste

1 tsp green chili paste

1 tsp garam masala or bisi belle rice masala

Some cashews and raisins 

2tbls Chopped Cilantro 

Salt to taste

Adjust chilies and garam masala according to your taste.

Method:

* Wash and soak cracked wheats (fada) and both dals for about 15-20 minutes.
* Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker or a big heavy bottom pot.
* Add cumin seeds and saute well.

* Add chopped onions and cook till gets tender.
* Add ginger garlic paste and green chili paste init.

* Cook for 1-2 minutes and add all mix vegetable of you choice.

* Season with turmeric powder, cinnamon-cloves powder and garam masala.

* Add soak cracked wheats and both dals.
* Mix all well.
* Add oats, raisins and cashews. Mix again.

* Season with salt and add required water.

* Mix well.

* Cover the pressure cook for 2-3 whistles.

* Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot with yogurt or kadhi or chaas.

Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy.!

Cereals-Oats Bhel

     
                Tease your taste buds with this chatpata, tangy, tuneful and an absolute flavorful  fusion dish. "Cereals-Oats Bhel"!!!

          "Bhel" is one of those words that instantly evokes childhood and adolescence for many of us. Growing up, we didn't have a huge amount of entertainment that kids today have. An outing basically involved us heading to beach with whole family and a sizable chunk of neighborhood in tow. After too much fun, as a special treat, we would be treated to "Bhel" from nearby vendor's cart. We would look on, awestruck, as the vendor quickly chucked puffed rice, papdi, sev into a big open pan. He would then toss in a handful of diced onions, some spicy chickpeas and some cilantro into the mix. Then splatter on some chutneys, whisk it all together and ladle it into newspaper cones, then pass it on to our eager hands... Hummmm, yummy!!!!

    
     And oh!!! The explosion of flavors and textures that greeted our first bite. But time is being changed. But still I am pretty sure almost everyone would love to eat "Bhel".  And for that reason today I am going to share an awesome variation of "Bhel". It's "Cereal-Oats Bhel"... This Bhel made with medley of breakfast cereals. So this is healthy version of Bhel too. Of course it is again a fusion recipe and weekend-special because it's rapid recipe with lots of sweet, salty, spicy, tangy, crispy, chewy, soft.....tastes. Nothing became close to savouring "Bhel" as kids or as teenager or as grown up or as oldies:)
Ingredients:

2 cups Cereal-Oats Chivda

2 tbls Cilantro green chutney
2 tbls dates-Tamarind sweet chutney
1 tbls Garlic and red chili chutney(optional)
3/4 cup Mix of chopped onions, pomegranates, chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro and boiled and chopped potatoes.
Chaat masala to sprinkle on Bhel
Method:
* Take a big mixing bowl.

* Add mix of chopped onions, tomatoes, cilantro, potatoes and pomegranates.

* Add all three chutneys according to your taste.

 

* Toss all together very well.
* Sprinkle some chaat masala on it.

* Serve it immediately and enjoy the fabulous version of Bhel.
Note:
* You may use just combinations of any cereals with out making chivda.(direct from box)
* Always add or subtract any topping of your choice.
* Adjust all chutneys according to your taste.
* Last but not least add your 'love' to make the dish more 'yummy'.

   I love hearing back from my friends and readers. Please let me know how you liked this post, and if you would consider making this recipe, or have already made it. Please take a moment to post pictures on my Facebook page, if you do happen to take a couple :)
Have a delicious weekend ahead!
Happy Cooking!

 

Cereal-Oats Chivda

  "Lavish meals....
   Bright lamps....
     Festive activities....
      Colorful rangolis....
 There are the elements of Diwali festival.
   Complete the celebration with prayers.
     May you and your family have healthy, phenomenal & blessed Diwali!!"
       This Diwali, goodness of health ki shuruat, healthy recipe ke saath! Sweets and Snacks are the heart and soul of any Indian festival, specially on Diwali. Come Diwali and our household is buzzing with cries of 'let's cook some sweets or snacks'! Savouries like Mathiya, Fafda, Tikhi-Sev, Cholafali, Mathri, Chakli and Chivda are favorites that will be highly visible during this festive season. Let's gear up this Diwali with some healthy snack, like "Cereal-Oats Chivda" and make your Diwali healthy in real mean. Yes, today I am going to share recipe about "Cereal-Oats Chivda", after some hearsay.:) 

Diwali, the festival of lights is the brightest and most sought after all Hindu festivals. It spreads over five days when it practically illuminates the entire country with scores of lights and fireworks. It spreads joy and sense of camaraderie that engulfs friends and foes alike with a lot of love and goodness. It is not only a festival of lights that illuminates love in our hearts, it is also a festival that touches the roots of our souls with sweetness. Let's celebrate this divine festival of Diwali with some healthy recipe. Such like today's "Cereal-Oats Chivda". In #foodiemonday #bloghop, our today's challenge is #snackdiwalispecial.

 This is my the most favorite snack at anytime during the day. It is baked snack. It has lots of cereals. It has oats. It has flax seeds. Omg! fully loaded healthy snack. So what is the best homemade snack that can be serve to your family and friend this Diwali? As simple as this recipe, It's "Cereal-Oats Chivda". Here is the recipe,

Ingredients: 
3 cups corn flakes cereal
3 cups rice krispies cereal
2 cups Oats
1/4 cup thin sev
1/4 cup fried potato sticks
1/4 cup fried chana dal
1/4 cup spicy boondi
1/2 cup oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 cup mix of almond slices, raisins and peanuts
6-8 curry patta laves(limdo)
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tbls flax seeds
1 tbls sugar
Salt according to taste.
Method:
*Preheat oven on lowest tempreture. (170 degrees f.)
* Mix both cereals and oats in large baking tray. (broke some corn flakes cereal from your hand) 

* Keep cereal mix tray in pre heated oven on 170*f. 

* Heat the oil in heavy bottom pan on very slow flame.
* Add mustard and cumin seeds.
* Once seeds gets cracked add almond slices and peanuts.

* Stir continuously. 
* Add curry patta(limdo) and salt & garlic powder stir it.

* Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder and mix well.

* Add fennel seeds and flax seeds.

* Add sugar and mix, cook until almond slices gets little brown color.

* Turn off the stove and add raisins as well.
* Stir nicely. 
* Take out the cereals and oats mix tray from oven.
* Pour the oil mixture on cereals mix.

* Add fried potato sticks, thin sev, fried chana dal and spicy boondi into Chivda.

* Mix everything very well.
* Slide the chivda tray into the oven again.
* Bake this cereal-oats chivda on lowest temperature(170*f) for about 30-45 minutes.
* Keep stirring every 5-10 minutes in between and make sure keep eye on it.

* Crisp and healthy chivda is ready to eat anytime.
* Enjoy and stay healthy.

   
Note: You can add more variety of cereals, according to your choice. Also add or subtract dry snacks according to your choice too.
         On this special day, as you celebrate valor & courage, triumph of good over evil.. I wish you success & Happiness & Healthiness in everything you do!!!
                      Happy & Healthy Diwali to You....

Happy cooking until next time. 

Oats-Spinach Pakode

    "Calories Don't Count On The Weekend"..
        It's idiosyncratic to me when people around me moan and groan about losing weight. The answer is so obvious and simple. Introduce some balance into your life and your body, your skin, your mind and your spirit will all align themselves perfectly, just like a good head stand. It's always been very important to me to achieve a kind of balance in my and my family's life. These days everyone is interested to eat healthy. As a cook I use cream, oil and butter if dish requires it but I also like to eat with Oats, quinoa, spinach, kale and some more organic fruits and vegetables too. 

      This recipe is one of "My kind" recipe which has oil and also has some oats and spinach, so in short this recipe is balance of healthy food & indulgent food. Pakodas are always favorite to all at any time. I'm sure you will try "Oats-Spinach Pakode" this weekend and will rock your weekend. So don't count the calories this weekend just follow the recipe and forget about bad factor(deep frying), because Oats-Spinach Pakode has more good factor(oats reduce cholesterol) in it....

Ingredients:
1 cup Oats
2 tbls Semolina (Rawa)    
1 cup Besan(Gram flour)
2 cups roughly chopped Spinach
1 tbls  Ginger paste
1 tbls Green Chilli Paste
1 tsp Red Chillie powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp dry Mango powder(Amchur)
1 tsp black Pepper powder
1 tsp Taco seasoning powder(optional)
1 tsp Paprika powder
1 cup finely chopped Onions
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tbls fruit salt(ENO) or 1tsp soda bicarbonate (I used eno)
Water to make Pakoda batter.
Oil to deep fry.
For Sprinkle Masala:
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp taco seasoning powder
Method:
* Take a big mixing bowl.
* Add oats in it and add some water in oats.

* Mix and rest for about 7-8 minutes.
* Add semolina, chopped spinach, ginger paste, green chilli paste, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, black pepper powder, taco seasoning, paprika powder, chopped onions and salt.

* Mix all together.
* Add water to make pakoda batter and mix very well.

* Heat the oil in frying pan.
* Add fruit salt(eno) in batter and mix well gain.
* Take batter and fry the pakoda in hot oil till half fry.

* Place them on a paper towel and let them cool down.

* Heat the oil again and place all pakoda in to hot oil and fry them again.
* Fry till they are golden brown in color.

* Sprinkle some mixture of chaat masala and taco seasoning on them.
* Serve Oat-Spinach Pakode with garlic chutney or ketchup.

                              Good Food
                                       Good Mood
                                                Good Weekend..

अलविदा till next time.