Pumpkin Cake With Streusel Topping

Pumpkin Cake With Streusel Topping

This is a Halloween Special using the goodness of

pumpkin, walnuts, jaggery and wholewheat flour

pics:sanjana kodical

Ingredients

Wholewheat flour - 1 Cup

Jaggery (powder) - 1 1/4cup

Pumkin puree – 3/4 cup

Baking powder - 1tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp

Egg - 3

Curds – 2 tbsp (more if required)

Walnut (pieces) – 3 tbsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

Topping

Cooking chocolate (melted) – 3 tbsp

Walnut (pieces) – 3 tbsp

Oats – 3 tbsp
Cinnamon powder - 1/2 tsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients

Beat the eggs well

Gradually add the dry ingredients to it

Add the puree

Add curds to adjust the consistency

Let the batter be a little thicker than the usual cake batter

Bake in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C for 30 to 40 mins

When the cake is still warm, spread the topping

Let it cool

Topping

Mix all the ingredients really well

Spread over cake 

Foxtail Crispies

Foxtail Crispies
Foxtail millet, a healthy grain that makes for a good diwali snack in combination with another healthy grain - red rice.

pic:sanjana kodical

Ingredients

Foxtail millet flour - 1 cup

Red or brown rice flour - 1 cup

Besan/Bengal gram flour - 1 cup

Peanuts (roasted and lightly crushed) – 2 tbsp

Chili flakes or red chili powder – 1 tbsp (can add more according to taste)

Coconut powder – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tbsp

Sesame seeds – 1 tbsp

Curry leaves (shredded) – 2 tbsp

Hing/asafetida – 1 tsp

Melted butter (hot) – 1 tbsp

Warm water – 1 or 2 cups

Salt to taste

Method

Dry roast the flours for about 4 to 6 minutes on medium heat till they release a good aroma

Turn off the heat and cool it completely

Mix the ingredients

Pour the hot melted butter into the mixture

Mix to form a crumbly mixture

Add lukewarm water little by little to make soft, pliable dough

Make little balls and roll them out on a plastic sheet or wax paper

Cut them in desired shapes

Bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 mins or longer till done

Keep an eye to check that it doesn’t get burnt

Health Benefits

Foxtail millet is the oldest of the cultivated millets. It's called Thinai in Tamil, Kangni in Hindi and navane in Kannada. Currently it is mostly grown as bird and cattle feed. But it is becoming popular for human consumption, particularly in the south, as a diabetic food. Besides controlling blood sugar levels, it is also said to lower cholesterol, triglycerides and levels of C-reactive protein. It is also gluten free.

Note: Arterial inflammation can be determined by measuring C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood. Those with highest levels of CRP have more than four times the risk of heart trouble.

Raw Banana Cake With Chocolate Drizzle

Raw Banana Cake With Chocolate Drizzle

pic:sanjana kodical

I came across Raw Banana Flour at my upmarket grocer's. I grabbed it and grazed on the net for recipes. I was excited to learn that I could bake a cake with it, exactly the way I use wholewheat flour. The only difference is that it is denser, so half a cup works like almost one cup of wholewheat flour. With Diwali around the corner, I jazzed it up with a little chocolate icing.

Ingredients

Raw Banana Flour – ½ cup

Cocoa Powder – ½ cup

Jaggery powder – 1 cup

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Eggs – 2

Butter (melted) –1 tbsp

Curds (sour) – 3/4 cup or more

Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Method

Mix the dry ingredients well

Beat the eggs well and add to the dry mixture

Add curds, essence and melted butter to it

Mix. Add more curds if required

Bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees) for 35 to 45 mins till a knife inserted into it comes out clean

Let it cool in the oven 

Chocolate Icing

Melt a piece of cooking chocolate with little water in a microwave

It should be of a drizzling consistency

You can pour it over the cake or make some design with it

Health Benefits Of Banana Flour

Source of resistant starch

Gluten free replacement to wheat flours

Rich in potassium and magnesium

Rich in vitamin E

Satisfies carb cravings

Keeps us full for longer 

Controls blood sugar levels

The New Slimming Aid - Resistant Starch

The New Slimming Aid - Resistant Starch

Everyone is familiar with the importance of fibre in the diet. The outer skin of fruits and vegetables and grains is insoluble fibre while pectin in apples, oranges and other fruits is soluble fibre. Till recently, this was the only food component believed to enter the large intestine.

Now meet the new fibre – resistant starch which can help us stay lean and healthy.

A major portion of our diet is made up of starch. Starches are long chains of glucose found in grains, potatoes and various foods. But not all the starch we eat gets digested. Sometimes a small part of it passes through the digestive tract unchanged. It is resistant to digestion and goes through the stomach and small intestine undigested. Eventually it reaches the colon (large intestine) where it feeds the friendly bacteria. This has a positive effect on the bacteria as well as on their number. This also does wonders for your health.

Resistant Starch

This type of starch is called Resistant Starch. It works like soluble, fermentable fiber. When the bacteria in our digestive system digest resistant starches, they form several compounds, including gases and short-chain fatty acids, especially a beneficial fatty acid called Butyrate. Resistant Starch appears to increase butyrate production more when compared with other soluble fibers.

Butyrate is the preferred energy source of the cells lining the colon. Butyrate has beneficial effects on the colon and overall health. It maintains the colon lining and is believed to prevent colon cancer. It also helps to increase metabolism, decrease inflammation and improve stress resistance.

Potential benefits of Resistant Starch

Improved blood fats

May help to lower blood cholesterol and fats while also decreasing the production of new fat cells

Can increase the amount of fat we utilize for energy.

Better Satiety

Can help us feel full by triggering the release of hormones that reduce the drive to eat. After someone starts eating more RS, it may take up to one year for gut hormones to adapt.

Slows down the amount of nutrients released into the bloodstream, which stabilizes appetite

Better Insulin Sensitivity

It doesn’t digest into blood sugar, so less insulin release

Lowered blood sugar levels

Might improve insulin sensitivity

Improved Digestion

May help alleviate irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis, constipation and ulcerative colitis

Can add bulk and water to stool, helping in regular bowel movements

Can prevent development of abnormal bacterial cells in the colon and enhance mineral absorption (especially calcium).

Better Body Composition

Since Resistant Starch has less energy (calories) per gram than other starches, it can help us eat less.

Improved immunity

Can influence the production of immune cells

Recommended Level

A recommended level of resistant starch is 15 to 20 grams per day. This amount can help people obtain the full physiological and health benefits of resistant starch.

Study

A number of studies (250 peer-reviewed) conducted over the last 20 years demonstrate that consuming resistant starch as part of a healthy eating plan provides multiple benefits:

Dietary fiber intake is increased.

Satiety and a sense of fullness increase and may, therefore, help with weight control. Researchers report that subjects who consumed resistant starch said they felt fuller and more satisfied 24 hours after eating than those who did not consume resistant starch.

Energy fluctuations are minimized. Glycemic levels are more stable and insulin sensitivity increases, while insulin resistance decreases.

Digestive health improves through an increase in beneficial bacteria and a suppression of harmful bacteria. The resistant starch functions as a prebiotic fiber.

Which foods contain Resistant Starch?

Beans or legumes (such as lentils, white beans, chickpeas, peas)
Starchy fruits and vegetables like bananas. But allowing a banana to ripen will degrade the resistant starches and turn them into regular starches

Whole grains

Some types of cooked then cooled foods like potatoes, yams and rice

(More on Resistant Starch in my next post)

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies


Suddenly I've become addicted to pumpkin and want to try out a whole range of goodies with it. This is just the second of the long list. Be prepared for some more. In the meantime, enjoy these cookies. It's very simple and quick to make. If you are storing it for more than a couple of days, heat it before eating. It tends to get a little soggy when stored for long. Microwave for 10 seconds to enjoy its crispy exterior. I enjoy it with my evening cup of tea or as an in-between sometimes.

pic: sanjana kodical

Ingredients
Wholewheat flour - 1 cup
Jaggery powder-  ¾ cup

Pumpkin puree – ½ cup

Butter(frozen) – 25 gms

Egg – 1

Cinnamon powder – 1 tsp

Ginger powder – ½ tsp

Baking powder-  1 tsp

Baking soda - ½  tsp

Vanilla essence – ½ tsp

Salt - pinch

Chocolate chips – 2 tbsp

Method

Mix all the dry ingredients well

Add butter and mix to form a crumbly mixture

Beat the egg

Add to the dry mixture

Mix well to form soft dough

Take small balls of the dough and shape into cookies with your hands

Bake for about 35 mins in an oven preheated to 170 degrees C till they are done

They will be crisp on the outside 

Keep an eye on them to male sure they don’t burn

Let it cool in the oven

Pumpkin Puree 

Pumpkin – 250 gms

Clean, wash and cut into 4 pieces

Steam till they become soft

Remove the pulp and puree in a mixie

You can freeze it and use it whenever required

Health Benefits of pumpkin

One of the very low calorie vegetables

Has high level of vitamin A

Also rich in vitamins C and E

Excellent source of antioxidants like Zea-xanthin which offers protection from "age-related macular diseases

Good source of B-complex group of vitamins

Link to my article on askmyhealth.com 'Does-inflammation-cause-weight-gain'

http://askmyhealth.com/does-inflammation-cause-weight-gain/

Happy Reading!!

Any queries will be welcome

Carrot Chocochip Cupcake

Carrot Chocochip Cupcake

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup

Carrot (grated) – 3/4

Dates (pieces) – 3 tbsp 

Chocolate Chipsweetened) – 4 tbsp

Curds (sour) – 3/4 cup

Egg – 2

                                Jaggery powder – 1 cup

                                Baking powder – 1 tsp

                                Baking soda – ½ tsp

                                Butter (melted) or  Oil –2 tsp

Method

Remove the seeds from the dates

Cut them into small pieces

Sieve the flour with baking powder and soda

Add jaggery powder and mix well

Beat the eggs and add to the dry mixture

Add butter

Add curds to adjust the consistency

Mix carefully

Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 170 degree for 20 to 30 minutes

Cool

Cut into slices and serve

Health Benefits

Carrot

Exceptionally rich source of carotenes and vitamin A which protects from skin, lung and oral cavity cancers

Maintains good eye health

Rich in antioxidants, vitamins and dietary fiber

Rich in in vitamin C

Rich in B-complex groups of vitamins- folic acid, vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid

Has healthy levels of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, manganese and phosphorus

Cauliflower n Cheese Crust Pizza

Cauliflower n Cheese Crust Pizza

I had been planning on making the cauliflower crust pizza for a while but kept putting it off indefinitely. The reasons are many, one of them being its high fat and high calorie composition. And more importantly, it also felt like one hell of an effort. But ultimately my curiosity to taste it took over and here it is!!

Ingredients

Cauliflower florets (riced) - 2 cups

Parmesan cheese or Mozarella cheese - 1cup

Egg - 1

Mixed herbs

For topping

Tomato sauce (Tomato puree, fresh garlic, mixed herbs, black pepper powder, salt)

Any vegetables of your choice

Little cheese

Method

Base

Wash and dry the cauliflower well

Cut it into florets

Pulse the florets in a food processor or grate it to form rice like granular consistency

Take 2 cups of riced cauliflower and transfer to a non-stick pan to remove the moisture

Keep stirring on low heat till most of the moisture is gone

Do not brown it

Let it cool

Beat one egg in a bowl

Add the cheese and mix well

Add the riced cauliflower

Mix well with salt and herbs

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and transfer this mixture onto it to make a pizza base

Gently pat the mixture to make a base of your desired shape with a thickness of quarter of an inch

Keep the edges slightly thick so that it doesn't burn

Now place it in a pre-heated oven at 200 c for 20mins

Remove and let it cool

Topping

Spread the tomato sauce and add any topping of your choice with little cheese (if required)

Bake it again at 200c for 10mins

Your pizza is ready!!

Health Benefits

Cauliflower

Improves blood pressure and heart health

Improves kidney function

Boosts brain health

Rich in antioxidants

Rich in vitamin K and B group vitamins

Very high in dietary fiber

Cheese

—Strengthens bones and cartilage

— —Maintains healthy and strong teeth

— —Rich in B group vitamins which are essential for various body functions

Oats Crunch Cake

Oats Crunch Cake

I had always wanted to bake a cake with only oats. That would be super healthy I knew. But I wasn't too sure if it would taste good or if it would hold well. Nonetheless, I gave it a go and the result was fabulous. And it's very easy too. I've stocked up on cooking oats and will try out different combinations which I will keep sharing with all of you.

Ingredients

Cooking  Oats – 1 cup

Cocoa powder – ¼ cup

Custard powder – 1 tbsp

Jaggery (powdered or grated) – ¾ cup       

Baking Powder – 1 tsp

Baking Soda – ½ tsp

Eggs – 2

Curd – ¾ cup (add more or less according to consistency of the batter)

Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp

Butter or oil – 1 tbsp

Dates – ½ cup

Walnuts (chopped) – 2 tbsp

Method

Mix the dry ingredients well

Beat the eggs well and add to the dry mixture

Add curds, essence and melted butter to it

Mix. Add more curds if required

Add dates and walnut

Bake in a preheated oven (170 degrees) for 15 to 20 mins till a knife inserted into it comes out clean

Note: Finish it within two days. If you want to keep it longer, refrigerate it 

Health Benefits

Dates

Energy Boosters

Relieves constipation

Has calcium, magnesium, manganese, selenium which are all good for bones and teeth

Has vitamins A and K that keeps the skin healthy and supple and slows down its ageing

Has potassium which is good for the nervous system

Oats

Helps in weight loss

Lowers cholesterol

Has mild anti-depressant and mood-elevating properties

Raises levels of free testosterone in your body

Helps in building more muscles

Red Pumpkin Parantha

I stumbled across this Maharashtrian speciality Bhoplyache Gharge, It's a thick poori made out of grated red pumpkin, wheat flour, rice flour and jaggery. I decided to give it a healthy twist by using red rice flour, reducing the jaggery quantity and roasting it on a non-stick pan like a parantha using little oil, instead of deep frying it. I also added little red chili powder. And the result was awesome. It makes for a wholesome, slightly indulgent breakfast.

So here's the recipe

Ingredients

Red pumkin (grated)  - 1 cup

Jaggery (grated or powdered) - 1/2 cup

Wholewheat flour - 1/2 cup

Red rice flour - 1/2 cup

Salt - a pinch

Red chili powder - 1 tbsp

Method

Heat the pumpkin and jaggery in a non-stick pan on a slow flame till well combined 

Let it cool

Combine the remaining ingredients

Add to the jaggery-pumpkin mixture

Combine to form a smooth dough

You can add extra flour if required to get the consistency right

Roll out thick like a 5 rupee coin

Roast on a non-stick girdle using little oil till both sides are well browned

Serve hot with piping hot tea or coffee

Health Benefits 

Pumpkin

One of the very low calorie vegetables

Has high level of vitamin A

Also rich in vitamins C and E

Excellent source of antioxidants like Zea-xanthin which offers protection from "age-related macular diseases

Good source of B-complex group of vitamins

Red Rice Flour

Rich in antioxidants

Has zinc, a mineral that accelerates wound healing

Has vitamin B6

Has cholesterol-lowering effect

Prevent heart diseases

Lowers the risk of obesity

Loaded with anti-oxidants which are extremely therapeutic for the skin

Superb source of magnesium, a crucial nutrient needed to build healthy bones

Rich in fibre

Inflammation - reasons and how to reduce it

In my previous post on inflammation, I had introduced you to inflammation. Let's look at some of the reasons for inflammation and how to reduce it. 

Reasons for inflammation

Poor digestive health

Sixty percent of the immune system revolves around the digestive system. Compromises to digestion, including food allergies, bacterial imbalance, deficiency of enzymes or acids, yeast overgrowth, parasites and stress, negatively affect not only the process of digestion but also our entire immune system. Gas, bloating, heartburn, reflux, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome are all related to inflammation in the digestive system.

Overconsumption of any one macronutrient

Eating excess of protein, carbohydrate or fat for long periods can contribute to inflammation.

Excess body fat

This leads to inflammation. The chemicals that counteract inflammation make it impossible for leptin (satiety hormone that makes us feel full), to function properly. This causes leptin resistance. There is a way to break this vicious cycle. As you slim down, leptin resistance reduces.

How To Reduce Inflammation

Control the type of fat you consume

Prostaglandins (hormone or chemicals that participate in a wide range of body functions) are made from the fats we eat. Some of prostaglandins promote inflammation and some reduce it. Eat healthy fats like MUFA (monounsaturated fatty acids and Omega-3)

Take plenty of antioxidants

These are found in deep, dark coloured fruits and vegetables

Reduce insulin levels

Insulin produces pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. Reducing inflammation is an absolutely vital step in allowing the body to lose unwanted fat. Insulin levels can be reduced by controlling the amount of carbohydrates consumed. One should avoid simple carbs like rice and refined carbs like maida, sooji. Even fruit juices are to be avoided.