Simple Carrot Soup

A soup without using ginger, garlic, onion sound strange but really when I cooked this simple carrot soup, a recipe shared by a friend, I am totally amazed by its simplicity and awesome taste. I thought why not share with you all.


Ingredients:

Carrot   2  blanched diced
Green Beans    8 to 10  blanched cut to about 2 inches in length
Green bell pepper  1  diced
Whole yellow peas   1/ 2  cup boiled
Whole cumin seed    ½ tea spoon
Cumin powder    1 tea spoon
Tomato puree     1 cup
Dried basil    1 teaspoon
Rose merry     1/2  tea spoon
Hot water      1 glass
Olive oil  / vegetable oil  1 table spoon
Corn starch    1 tea spoon
Diet butter   1 tea spoon
Grated cheese   1 table spoon
Sugar  ½ tea spoon (optional)
Salt and pepper  to taste

Procedure:
Heat oil in sauce pan. Add whole cumin seed as soon as the seed started to splutter then add black pepper powder and the diced bell pepper. Stir and cook for few second then add blanched vegetables , boiled yellow peas ( instead of yellow peas you can use green peas or chick peas), tomato puree , cumin powder and salt. Stir and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add a glass full of hot water , let it boil for 2 to 3 minutes then add basil,rosemary and sugar if using . To thicken the gravy mix cornstarch in little water then add it to the gravy, cook for another 2 minutes. Then add diet butter and grated cheese mix well and put off the flame. Your super delicious simple carrot soup is ready to serve. Just enjoy this hearty carrot soup with or without bread rolls .

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Flat Bread Rolls Stuffed With Tofu and Spinach

Sometimes lazy bones like me want to stuff everything delicious in a bread and munch the whole lot with mouth wide open while watching a sizzling episode of “So you think you can dance” ……. Yes I think I can dance my heart out in my dreams and if someone peep in to my bed room then they can see all those poor pillows with punctured face praying for the morning and me to come out of my dreams …….hahaha! This recipe have nothing to do with my midnight dream dancing skill it only need some flat breads any type of flat bread…..pita, paratha, Mexican, Italian any any type of flat bread will do. The stuffing what makes this rolls interesting. I am sure you will love this bread roll.


Ingredients:

Flat bread      2
Spinach paste    1 cup
Tomato puree     1/2  cup
Tofu cube     12 to 14
Ginger paste   1/8  tea spoon
Garlic paste     1/2  tea spoon
Onion      1 table spoon finely chopped
Fresh cilantro mint paste  1 table spoon
Green chili paste ½ tea spoon (optional)
Greek yogurt   1 teaspoon
Cream   1 teaspoon (optional)
Vegetable oil  2 table spoon
Sugar    1/4  teaspoon (optional)
Salt and pepper  to taste
Grated cheese  sprinkle as per your heart desire or just skip
Few pieces of tomato and onion rings and lemon wedge

Procedure:
A quick tip for you if you don’t have time then while you make a paste of spinach put ginger, garlic, cilantro and mint, green chilly if using and make a fine paste because I have all the ingredients in my freezer so I use them individually. Now heat oil in a skillet then add the chopped stir and then add the spinach paste ginger garlic paste, green chilly paste, tomato puree, cilantro mint paste, whisked Greek yogurt, sugar ,salt and pepper and mix well and cook for a minute or two then add tofu cube. Mix well and then at last if you want to add then add cream . Mix well and you are done. Now take your flat bread ( I use paratha… Indian flat bread but not that greasy one) spread this tofu spinach mixture and roll it . Generously sprinkle cheese while you roll or above it like I have done . Have it with tomato onion rings and if you want then squeeze few drops of lemon juice, this gives it a nice tang. This flat bread stuffed with tofu and spinach makes a mind blowing and elegant meal.

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Fish Curry With Steamed Rice

Last few days I was too busy so I am sorry for not visiting all your delicious blogs but I will soon be. For today I will share with you a delicious fish curry recipe that looks spicy but not that heavy and it taste great with steamed rice. If you have time and want to try something exotic then this can be a weekend choice.

Ingredients:

Fish fillets  4 thick (halibut, salmon, tuna)
Green chilly  2 to 3
Ginger   1/2 inch
Garlic     4 to 6
Cumin seed  1/2  teaspoon
Clove   2 to 3
Cardamom   2
Cinnamon    ½ inch piece
Tomato puree  1 cup
Dried rosemary  ½ tea spoon
Salt and pepper  to taste
Vegetable oil    4 to 5 table spoon
Fish Stock / chicken stock   1 cup
Chopped cilantro  2 table spoon finely chopped 

Procedure:
Take ginger, garlic, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, green chili , pinch of salt and a table spoon of oil in your blender and a make fine paste. Now marinate the fish fillets with this mixture. Heat rest of the oil in a pan, add marinated fish in it. Stir fry fish for a minute or two, add tomato puree and rosemary. Mix well cook for ½ a minute then add the stock and chopped cilantro. Adjust seasoning, cook for 8 to 10 minutes or the until the fish is done and the gravy thickens. I add large chunks of fried potatoes into this gravy and cook for another one minute this is my addition and I love to have such curry drenched potato. But you may skip this. Your fish curry is ready, have it with steamed basmati rice. I am sure you will love it.

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Open Faced Sandwich With Pickled Sprouts

My Granny always told us that fenugreek seed is very good for health and other day she send some pickled fenugreek seed sprouts. First I was bit surprised to see a small bottle of pickled sprouts and thinking what to do with it because it taste little bitter. But then I thought let honor her gift and pack this flavor and taste with my favorite open faced sandwich. So I stack tomato , bell pepper, cucumber and onion slice then spread pickled sprouts and topped it with a thick slice of egg. It taste good and the flavor is absolutely awesome.

Ingredients:

For pickled  sprouts
Fenugreek seed sprouts    5 table spoon
Fennel seed     1/2 table spoon
Vegetable oil/ sunflower oil    3 table spoon
White wine vinegar 3 table spoon
Salt and pepper to taste

For sandwich
Bread slice  2 
Diet mayonnaise   2  heaping table spoon
Tomato   4 thin slice
Green bell pepper   4 thin slice
Cucumber   4 to 6 thin slice
Onion    4 to 6  thin slice
Egg     1 hard boiled sliced
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Procedure :
Heat oil in a pan then add the fenugreek sprouts stir for a minute add the fennel seed, stir and put off the flame. Add vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir and let it cool. Then store it in airtight glass jar it stays quite okay in your refrigerator for a week or until some fungus get to know their residential address (hahaha)!
You can use this pickled sprouts as your salad dressing or in your omelets, it taste fabulous. But for today I am giving you the sandwich solution. The same old stack of veggies in your regular sandwich but totally in different flavor and taste.
First take your bread slice and spread diet mayo generously (you can use the regular one if you want). Then place tomato slice , onion slice , bell pepper slice, cucumber slice in layers one after another. Then take a teaspoon of pickled sprouts and spread over it . Then top it with a egg slice. If you want to sprinkle salt and pepper above it then it your choice but I think you don’t need it. Then a little sprigs of cilantro for garnish and your open faced sandwich with pickled sprouts is ready.

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Delicious Rose Milk

I want to treat myself with something romantically royal, but one that is easy to make and taste superb. The first thing that came to my mind is rose milk. Yes nothing can be more deliciously satisfying than a glass of chilled rose milk. So I tried a diet version of it and hope you will love it too.


Ingredients:

Buttermilk     1 cup
Rose water     few drops
Rose syrup      1 table spoon
Dry fruits paste   1 teaspoon (raisin, pistachio, almond, cashew, poppy seed, dried melon seed)
Salt         a very small pinch
Cardamom powder  a very small pinch
Sugar      to taste (optional)
Red rose   1 (for garnish)

Procedure:
First make a fine paste of your dry fruits, you can skip any of the above mentioned but using all those gives a royal and super creamy taste. Now in your blender take chilled buttermilk, rose water, rose syrup, sugar if needed because rose syrup itself is very sweet, salt, dry fruit paste and cardamom powder. Blend well and serve in your favorite martini glass and garnish it with a red rose. Now cherish this beautiful drink Princess ……. if your Prince charming is near or visiting you then surprise him with this glass of pure love.

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Salad With Mixed Green Vegetables And Sprouts

One of the fine thing if you attend Indian wedding party is that you always have a loving Aunty or a Granny who think you are getting thinner each and every day and even if you are having a buffet dinner still they will come and insist some more pulao or biriyani, one more piece of lamb strip and when you are near the dessert stand they can't resist to add few more sweets to your plate.....you know I enjoy this shower of food after all they too in their daily hurry and worry miss to share their part of love with us and this is just an outward expression of that unexpressed feeling. Now the other day I attend one such wedding party and to please this old souls I have to eat a little bit more. So the day next was the rest day for my tummy. I prepared a super delicious salad treat and have it for my lunch and dinner and about 10 glass of water (one glass each hour), that’s all for the day. A day after such hefty meal was fresh, healthy and satisfying. Have a look of this healthy delicious salad recipe.

Ingredients:

Carrots     1 sliced or cubed
Cabbage    1 cup  shredded 
Potato        1/2 cup cubed
 Green bell pepper  1 sliced
Tomato   1 sliced
Mixed sprouts   1 cup (I used green moong bean and yellow peas)
Green chilly    1 chopped (optional)
Raisin           handful
Dry roasted peanut  handful
Cilantro   handful chopped
Salt and pepper  to taste

Chilly Vinaigrette
Olive oil/ sunflower oil    2 table spoon
Sugar      1 teaspoon
Cayenne powder  1/2  teaspoon
Lime juice    2 table spoon
Lime zest     ½ teaspoon
Salt       1/4  teaspoon

Procedure:
Blanch all vegetable and mixed sprouts except green bell pepper, tomato. Take them in a big bowl with sliced bell pepper and tomato. In the meantime heat oil then add a teaspoon of sugar put off the flame . Stir continuously as the sugar melt then add cayenne powder, lime zest, salt and lime juice. Mix well.Then drizzle this chilly vinaigrette in to the mixed vegetable and sprouts. Mix well. Adjust seasoning and then arrange it to any plate or as I used the hard leaves of cabbage to make a green bowl, serve this salad on it and top this salad with raisin , peanut and chopped cilantro. If you think that chilly will make the vinaigrette too hot I must assure you it is not so. It is well balanced with sugar so you will get a sweet spicy limy taste. I don’t use any garlic onion or ginger in this recipe because I want the fresh flavor of lime to mingle with veggies and sprouts. You can serve this salad immediately or serve cold. I hope you will love this simple salad.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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The Journey Of a Single Pound

Yesterday our community had a power outage that lasted almost 18 hours. I had no internet, TV, etc. It was actually quite peaceful. A technology break can be wonderful.

One of my patients " Warrior Wendy" wrote a wonderful story that she gave to me yesterday and insisted I share with all of you.

She hopes that her journey gives others the hope that they can do it too! The first thing that " Wendy" did was, she asked for help. We are often not so great at doing that, we see it as a sign of weakness and then we wonder why we fail! If you need help please ask. There are wonderful people ready willing and able to help you be your best self.

Happy 4th and enjoy this wonderful uplifting story. You can feel " Wendy's " joy in every word. Please feel free to pass on to anyone who can benefit from this story and if any of your friends, family or co workers would like to enjoy Wellness Wednesday's please have them email me and I will add them to the list.

Namaste

Dr Pia

THE JOURNEY OF A SINGLE POUND!

The journey of a single pound began with a leap of faith. Faith that said “I can do it.” Faith that believed there was a better way. Faith that knew somewhere deep inside, vegetables could and would be my friend. Faith that was confident success would be achieved as life priorities were realigned.

The journey of a single pound began in the office of Dr. Pia Martin: my chiropractor, health and wellness coach, and world-class “you can do it” advocate. With Dr. Pia’s guidance and sound counsel, I am thankful to have disposed of thirty pounds in three months. The effort involved three major components – faith, fitness, and food – any of which would never have been as successful alone as all three were together.

Fitness and food go hand in hand, as we all know, and this journey was first tailored as a union of the two; faith being added a couple weeks later. We took a hard look at exercise, or rather my lack thereof, and added enough of it to build a structure and routine in my life where previously none existed. My preferred method of fitness is hiking – I get out on the trails and just go. Other fitness choices involve bicycling and rebounding. Dedication to fitness and a big scary goal of hiking Half Dome kept me on the go day after day, week after week. I now look forward to my afternoon outings on the trail; nothing but me and my thoughts away from the daily hustle and bustle of life.

Food – oh the joy and delight of food. For many years, I have treated food as a close friend and confidant; a solid anchor as the ocean of life would ebb and flow. But oh, the results of such a relationship were neither healthy nor well for me in so many different ways. Taking the single step to decide to make a change meant that my relationship with food was impacted in every way. On this journey of a single pound, I control food rather than allowing food to control me. Today, as my trek continues, I can truthfully say that food is even now more important than it ever was before. It’s more important because the consequences of my choices are extreme. I know my next food choice will directly impact the future of my health and well-being, ensuring I continue on the path to victory. Therefore, every bite counts.

Faith – what was seemingly added as an afterthought to my health and wellness program quickly became the driving force to its success. I am so thankful my life, from childhood, has been strongly grounded upon biblical Christian morals, and I have reaped countless benefits from a God who loves me unconditionally and without measure. My expression of love and devotion, in return, has been lacking in so many ways for quite a long while. Why? Because I allowed other priorities in life take precedence – it was a choice. Knowing I have more in me that seeks to pursue holiness and a relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I set out to prayerfully redefine my life’s priorities. I will re-soundly admit I’m not where I want to be yet, but with the Lord’s help I will continue to pursue the faith of my fathers through the journey of a single step moving me closer to Him.

As I reflect upon the trek of the past three months, I give thanks for the kindness and wisdom of Dr. Pia. She has provided food for thought, encouragement along the way, an unbiased view of the journey, and a resounding positive outlook that has equipped me – warrior Wendy – with the necessary gear to be victorious. And so the journey continues; this trek began with a fight for one pound and it will continue as a fight to make the next choice the very best choice. Along the way, the journey morphed into a realization that body, soul, and spirit all needed a tune-up. The defeats along the trail have been embraced as win-learn opportunities. And the prayer for the future is that I will have the courage and strength to trek all the way to balanced health and wellness through wise employment of faith, fitness, and food.

Dr. Pia, I thank you for walking alongside me these past months. Your genuine compassion and desire to help me improve my life has been a driving force to the success I have realized. With kindness and love you have guided, not chided, and because you walk the walk and not just talk the talk, I too, believe that “I can do it.”

Wendy

June 28, 2011

Crunchy Fritters With Onion And Oats

It is raining heavily outside and inside everything is so wetty and moist , for last two days sun is coming for a very short tour of 10 minutes and then signing off for the whole day. Now in such a whether condition I need something crunchy with my cup of tea. Now “O” came for my savior, you must be thinking who is “O”… it is onion and oats from my pantry. A quick and delicious crunchy fritters with onion and oats is what I prepared today.


Ingredients:

Onion   6 medium
Egg       1
All purpose flour    2 tablespoon
Cumin seed  1/4 teaspoon
Carom seed 1/8 teaspoon
Quaker oats  1 cup
Salt and pepper  to taste
Cooking oil    for  deep frying

Procedure:
Peel and cut onion into thick slices. Now in a bowl beat one egg mix flour in such way that no lumps is formed and to it add carom, cumin seed, salt and pepper and then little water to make a thick batter. In a flat surface spread Quaker oats you can slightly toast them if you wish. Dip onion rings, one at a time, in batter to cover. Let excess batter drip back into bowl. Now roll them on oats and working quickly place each ring in hot oil. Fry rings a few at a time about 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with fork, drain on paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper before serving and have this crunchy fritters with onion and oats with chilly garlic tomato sauce and mustard sauce (I put both the sauce in layers and it turned out great)or any sauce or dip of your choice.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Pasta With Mixed Vegetable And Baby Corn In Cream Sauce

When I need to fuel my body and soul I open my pasta box and see what can I cook to charge my taste batteries. Pasta never disappoints me, like a good friend it has always take care of my mood and taste. Have a look of this creamy divine mixed vegetable pasta paired with of baby corn chunks.

Ingredients:

Pasta  (rigatoni)  1 bowl cooked as per package instruction
Carrot     1 cut into slices
Green bell pepper  1  sliced
French beans      1/2  chopped
Cauliflower / broccoli     4 to 5 florets
Baby corn    3 to 4 chopped
Shrimp         6 to 10  deveined (optional)
Garlic          4 to 5 cloves
Fresh mint and cilantro    hand full
Olive oil      1 to  2 table spoon
Salt and pepper  to taste

For Cream Sauce
Milk      1 1/2  cup
Flour     1 tea spoon
Sugar    1/2  tea spoon (optional)
Cheese  1 tea spoon (optional)
Mixed Herbs   1/2  tea spoon
(basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme)
Butter    1 tea spoon
Salt and  white pepper to taste

For garnish
Fresh dill leaves
Tomato sliced 
Chilly flakes     1/4  teaspoon 
Mustard sauce   few drops

Procedure:
First blanch baby corn, carrot, cauliflower and french beans and keep aside.
Heat butter in a pan add flour stir then add milk stir for a minute add salt pepper and sugar. Stir until the consistency of the sauce is thick and creamy then add cheese and mixed herbs. Mix well and put off the flame and keep aside. Now in another pan heat oil then add the garlic stir then add the shrimp stir. Then add the mixed vegetable, green bell pepper, chopped cilantro and mint stir for a minute. Then add the cooked pasta stir add the cream sauce. Mix well. Adjust seasoning. Your pasta with mixed vegetable is ready to serve .Garnish it with fresh dill sprigs and drizzle few drops of mustard sauce and sprinkle chilly flakes above it. Enjoy!

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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Spicy Curry With Chicken , Green Mung Bean and Scrambled Egg

Today I am going to share with you a very favorite recipe from my college days, in our lunch break we friends use to have this spicy curry from a fast food outlet paired with simple whole wheat flat bread and a few rings of onion and a piece of lemon and the best part of that lunch was we use to take one plate of curry and eight to ten breads and four or five of us shared from one dish . This dish taste great so  I try to recreate it  after a long time and as I don’t have the exact recipe so it was all my guess work but if this long list of ingredients looks scary then stop looking at it and start cooking , I am telling you its just awesome.

Ingredients:

Whole mung bean 1 cup
Tomato    2  ripe
Onion       1/2  cup finely chopped
Garlic         4 to 6 
Ginger      1  inch
Cayenne powder  1  teaspoon
Cumin powder    1 teaspoon
Coriander powder 1 tea spoon
Cooked chicken   1/2  cup minced 
Egg     2 
Potato     1  small cubed (optional)
Dry fenugreek seed    1/2  teaspoon
Carom seed      ¼ teaspoon
Dry red chilly     1
Green chilly      1 chopped
Bay leaf          1
Vegetable oil    3 1/2  tablespoon
Chopped fresh cilantro and mint   1/2  cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Sugar       1/2  tea spoon
Butter     1 teaspoon (optional)
Cream     2 teaspoon (optional)
Garam masala  1/2  teaspoon
(dry roast cumin, 2 clove , 1 cardamom, ½ inch cinnamon and then grind in to fine powder)
Lemon juice     1 tea spoon

Procedure:
Soak Mung Dal in 2 cups water overnight or for at least 8 hours. Pressure cook until mung beans turn tender (approx 3 whistles) with 8 cups of water. Or cook with 8 to 10 cups of water for a an hour or until the mung beans are tender in a slow flame. Keep aside.
In your blender take chopped tomatoes ,1/8 chopped onion , garlic and ginger, cumin powder, coriander powder, cayenne powder, a pinch of salt and half a table spoon of oil make a smooth paste.
Heat a skillet. Add 3 table spoon of oil when hot add bay leaf, fenugreek seed, carom seed (if you don’t get any of this  substitute it with cumin seed) and dry red chilly(break them into halves) as it begin splutter add the remaining chopped onion and then sauté till the onion turn little golden then add the spice paste, sauté for another one minute the add the minced chicken and the potato cube again sauté it for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chopped mint and cilantro and green chilly . Mix well then add the boiled mung bean and salt pepper . Cover and cook for another 5 minutes. You may also mash some of the mung beans to get a thicker gravy.
Beat two eggs with pinch of salt and you can add it directly to this curry and mix or you can take another fry pan and scrambled it and then add. After this add the garam masala powder, sugar, butter and one tea spoon of cream if using. Put off the flame and mix a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix well and your spicy curry with chicken, green mung bean and scrambled egg is ready. Garnish it with onion rings , lemon wedge and cream. Have this curry with any of your favorite flat bread. Green Mung Beans are packed with proteins and are an excellent source of valuable nutrients so this curry have health benefit and if you want to make it little less spicy then you can add less spice, it is absolutely your choice. Instead of cream you can use Greek yogurt that also go very well with spicy curry. Have it when you are with friends and family, spicy curry will taste even better when near ones are around.

Be Happy And Stay Healthy.

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