10-Minute Channa Chaat- Guilt free snack

Know What You Eat: Black chickpea is good source of protein, iron, & magnesium-for its cardiovascular benefits. This dish is made with other root vegetables, like beet root, carrot along with black chickpea to enhance the iron intake for women who are more at a risk of iron deficiency.

Chana Chaat: This instant & very easy chaat can be found on the streets of Mumbai, can be made jain/non-jain too..This guilt free anytime snack is absolutely delicious with all the tongue-tickling flavours you find in it..not to forget the nutritional benefits you get from black chickpea & veggies, with less or no oil. Always enjoy when its made fresh & hot.

Ingredients:

2 C Black chickpea / kala chana soaked overnight & boiled

4 C Raw Veggies, peeled & shredded ( I used cabbage,scallions,carrot, beetroot, tomato)

1 C Cilantro, chopped

1 Tbsp Chaat Masala *

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 Tbsp Canola / Olive Oil (eliminate oil & butter, if you want the dish fat-free)

1/2 tsp butter

2 medium sized green chilli, finely chopped

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

salt to taste

Method:

1.. In a wok, heat oil & butter together, now add chopped green chili, as soon as they are done add black chickpea, all the veggies, chaat masala,chillipowder, garam masala, salt & cilantro.

2.. Mix is well, and serve hot instantly.

Note:

1.  For kids you can also add shredded cheese of your choice, and eliminate green chillies.

2.  This dish is prepared, when you are almost ready to eat, as the veggies are just stir fried on high flame..it should remain slightly raw when you consume to feel the crunchiness required in this dish. It can made separately per individual taste too, adding more or less spices or veggies..Just taste excellent..any time guilt free snack.

* Chaat Masala: Its a mixture of dry mango, black salt, cumin, salt, dried cilantro seeds, chilli, black pepper, ginger..all made into fine powder.

* Garam Masala: Garam masala means "warm or hot spice mixture", and that is exactly what this traditional Indian spice blend imparts to Indian dishes. For homemade garam masala, mix together 1/2 tsp ground cumin,1/2 tsp ground coriander,1/2 tsp ground pepper,1/2 tsp ground cardamom,1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground cloves. Toast the ground spices before using.  (Makes: 1 Tbsp)

Sending it to My Fav Dish Event, hosted by Srivalli , of Ammajirecipe..

Goes straight to MLLA 18th, event started by Susan, going on at cooking4allseasons.

Also to Food for 7 Stages of Life - Healthy Fast Food hosted by Radhika and Sudeshna.

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No Bake Almond Date Energy Bar

Know what you Eat - Are you the kind of person who loves to snack on Energy, Granola or Cereal bar. Then try this easy to make energy bar and i doubt if you will go for the pricey bars at the store anymore. Filled with the goodness of Almonds, Dates, Coconut and Omega-3 rich Chia seeds and calcium rich Sesame seeds they are very easy to make, super nutritions and taste awesome without any additives.

Almonds are low in saturated fat and contain many other protective nutrients - protein, calcium and magnesium - for strong bones, vitamin E and compounds called phytochemicals, which may help protect against cardiovascular disease and even cancer. Dates are very good source of iron and one of the best natural sugar substitute anyone with a sweet tooth can go for. Chia seeds are very good source of Omega-3 fatty acids and sesame seeds are good source of calcium. The darker the seeds higher their nutrition profile is. Coconut is a good source of Iron, Vitamic C,  Protein and Calcium.

Who Should avoid Dates - Even though dates are very nutritious, large portion of its calories come from sugar. One pitted date contains 16gms of sugar, so if you are on a weight loss goal, portion this energy bar accordingly.

Cooking Time - 5 Mins

Preparation Time - 10 mins

Makes - 12-15 bars(depending on the thickness of the bar)

Ingredients

Toasted Almonds - 1 Cup

Dates - 3/4 cup Chopped and Packed

Grated and toasted Coconut - 1/4 cup

Chia Seeds - 3 Tbsp

Toasted Sesame Seeds - 2 Tbsp

Honey - 2 Tbsp

Method

1) Grind Chia Seeds into a fine powder.

2) Toast the Almonds for 5 mins in a toaster.

3) Now add Almonds, Coconut, Sesame seeds, dates (except for the honey) to the powdered chia.

4) In a food processor blend all the ingredients into fairly fine but still having some texture.

5) Add honey and process just long enough for it to blend in.

6) Press into a square about 3/4-inch thick on a plate or square pan and refrigerate for about an hour or more.

7) Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy this guilt free snack.

Variations - You can use any combination of nuts also check out 10 Minute Peanut Raisin bars and No Bake Healthy Granola bars for other ideas.

Note - Since there is no baking involved, these bars will lose their shape when kept outside in very hot weather for a long time. When refrigerated they are good for atleast 2 weeks, they might be good even after that but it never lasts, no matter how much i make.

Event Participation

This goes straight to EC's WYF Time Snack.

Sending this to Food for 7 Stages of Life - Healthy Fast Food hosted by Radhika and Sudeshna.

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Homemade Chocolate Truffle-Indulge without Guilt

Know what you Eat –  Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). The flavonoids in Cacao also help relax blood pressure  through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. Xlitol is a  natural sweetener, typically derived from trees (birch and beech) or corn cobs. Xylitol has about 40% lower calories than sugar, with all the great taste.  It is good for anyone who is on a diet, watching their calories, or just wants to be healthier.  Although this product contains carbohydrates, but the carb has a very minimal effect on blood glucose levels and have a lower calorie amount per gram.  These products, in effect, have low Net Effective Carbs.  Xylitol also has a low glycemic index value of only 7, has minimal effect on blood sugar levels, and does not require insulin to metabolize.  It is not only effective for those with diabetes or people with hypoglycemia, but for anyone who is sensitive to sugar. Xylitol is a good sugar alternative for everyone because it is beneficial for dental health. Xylitol helps reduce dental cavities, plaque, and tooth decay.
I saw the truffle recipe in Parent & Child Magazine but the original recipe was  loaded with calories from butter, heavy cream, sugar from the suggested bitter sweet chocolate. I wanted to make the truffle guilt free and and came up with this alternate recipe. It tasted so good and very healthy one indeed. Do try out and indulge without the guilt.

Preparation Time – 5 Minutes
Cooking Time – 10 Minutes
Serves – Makes about 30 truffles

Ingredients
Unsweetened 100% Dark Chocolate – 3 bars(4 oz each)
Xylitol – 1 cup or increase this if you really have sweet tooth(but check before adding, as this 1 cup itself was sweet for us)
Milk – 1 cup
Toasted Almonds – 2 Tbsp
Toasted Walnuts – 2 Tbsp
Raisins –1 Tbsp
Dates chopped – 1 Tbsp
Vanilla bean - 1
Coarsely powdered nuts – 4 Tbsp for dusting
Method
1) Break the chocolate bar into small pieces put it in a heatproof bowl with xylitol and milk.
2) Split the vanilla bean, scrape the seeds into the bowl and add the bean as well. Put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the bottom vessel but touch the water surface.
3) Melt the chocolate stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove the vanilla bean and add the dried fruits and nuts.
4) Transfer the bowl to the refrigerator and chill for 40 minutes, stirring twice in between. The mixture should thicken and become fudge like.
5) Scoop out mounds of the truffle mixture, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball and roll into powdered nuts and place in a tray or container lined with parchment paper.
6) Refrigerate for at least 4 hours until firm. Keep refrigerated and eat within a week.



Event Participation

This goes to Food for 7 Stages of Life- Desserts & Icecream hosted by Radhika and co-hosted by Sudeshna.

This goes to Think Spice - Think Vanilla hosted by Snackgiving.

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Almond Cashew Brittle(Vegan)

Know what you Eat – Deepavali the festival of light is synonymous to sweets and celebration. But not all sweets are sinful this brittle made with toasted Almonds and cashews and made with Jaggery(Panela) not only tastes great, easy to make and very easy on your waist line.
Almonds which is high in monounsaturated fats, that is good for the body and is associated with reduced risk of heart disease. In addition to healthy fats and vitamin E, Magnesium and Potassium. Not only do cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts, approximately 75% of their fat is unsaturated fatty acids, plus about 75% of this unsaturated fatty acid content is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil.  This nut is also rich in magnesium. Magnesium plays a very important role in controlling blood pressure and heart health. Jaggery (Panela) is a "natural" sweetener made by the concentration of sugarcane juice WITHOUT the use of any chemicals / synthetic additives or preservatives. It contains an enormous wealth of minerals / protein / vitamins and iron.

Ingredients

Almonds – 2 cups
Cashew – 1 cup
Jaggery(Panela) – 1 1/2 cup
Cardamom powder – pinch
Ghee or Coconut oil for greasing the tray
Water just enough to cover the surface of the jaggery

Method

1) In a toaster oven toast the almonds for 5-8 minutes stirring in between till they are crisp. Pay attention or they will brown or black quickly.
2) Toast the Cashews for 3-5 minutes stirring in between.
3) Once the Almond is cool enough to handle, chop them into small pieces and mix them with the cashew and keep it aside.
4) Now heat a pan add the jaggery and just enough water to cover it. Once the jaggery is completely dissolved, start stirring and heat it till the jaggery becomes thick and if you pour the dissolved jaggery with your spoon you will see threads coming out of it.
4) At this point switch of the stove and add the cardamom powder, the mixed nuts and  stir fast so that the nuts are evenly coated with the jaggery.
5) Immediately transfer the contents to a big greased tray and using a spatula even the surface out. Keep it aside for 5 minutes, once it is slightly cool, cut them into pieces and enjoy. Enjoy these guilt free snacks.



Event Participation:


Diwali Dhamaka 09 going on in Purva's Daawat
Sweet- Series in Mom's recipes hosted by Sireesha

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Vegan Fruit & Nut Cake/Bar

Know what you Eat - Eating a handful of nuts daily may help prevent weight gain and possibly promote weight loss. The fat, protein and fiber in nuts help you feel full longer, so you may eat less during the day. By helping induce a feeling of satiety, nuts may help people feel less deprived and not like they're "dieting." Dates are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, sulphur, iron, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, copper and magnesium which are advantageous for health. Raisins are rich in phytonutrient phenol which is an antioxidant and also a trace mineral, boron, a mineral that is critical to bone health. Apricots contain nutrients such as Vitamin A that promote good vision.

Eggless Cooking has so many wonderful recipes to be tried out. This one fit my bill with very less flour and lot of nutrients coming from the nuts. Madhu's recipe uses buttermilk and i wanted to fortify it some more and used the omega 3 rich Chia seeds as the egg substitute.

Ingredients

Whole Wheat flour - 3/4 cup
Baking soda - 1/4 teaspoon
Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon
Salt - 1/4 teaspoon
Raw Sugar - 1/2 cup
Dried fruits(Dates, Raisins and apricots chopped) - 2 cups (The original recipe uses 3 cups)
Nuts chopped - 3 cups(Any nuts i used Almonds, Cashew, Pecan and Walnut)
Chia Seeds - 3 Tbsp(Instead of 3/4th cup buttermilk)
Water - 1 Cup + 1 Tbsp
Vanilla extract 1 teaspoon

Method

1) Soak Chia in 9 Tbsps water.
2) Preheat the oven at 350F.
3) In a large bowl whisk together whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and raw sugar.
4) Now add the chopped dried fruits and nuts of your choice and mix thoroughly using your fingers to remove any lumps.
5) Take the chia gel and transfer it into a blender add the remaining water little by little and blend nicely to create a slurry. Now the slurry will be in white color. Now addvanilla extract and whisk it nicely.
6) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix it well.
7) Spread the batter into a 13×9 inch pan lined with parchment paper.
8) Bake it for 30-40 minuter till a knife inserted in center of the cake comes out clean.
9) Once out of the oven, leave the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely before cutting into pieces.
10) Slice them into smaller pieces for portion control and enjoy as a guilt free snack.

Event Participation

1) This dish goes to T & T hosted by Poornima originated by Zlamin.

2) This goes to Food for Seven Stages of Life - Pregnancy(Zero Hour) hosted by Radhika.

3) This dish a sure kid pleaser goes to Kids Delight hosted by Srivalli.

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