Eggless banana nut bread

Ingredients:
For 1 banana nut loaf

• Whole wheat flour – 1.25 cups (You can substitute with All purpose flour for traditional recipe)
• Chopped walnuts – 1/4 cup
• Chopped pecans – 1/4 cup
• Ripe bananas – 3 mashed
• Unsalted butter – 1/2 cup melted
• Baking soda – 1 tsp
• Flax seeds powder – 2 tbsp (egg substitute)
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
• Brown sugar – 1 cup
• Brown sugar – 2 tbsp for sprinkling on the top
• Salt – 1/4 tsp

Nutritional Facts of flax seeds:

Flax seeds contain high levels of dietary fiber including lignans, an abundance of micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids (table). Flax seeds may lower cholesterol levels, especially in women. Initial studies suggest that flax seeds taken in the diet may benefit individuals with certain types of breast and prostate cancers. A study done at Duke university suggests that flaxseed may stunt the growth of prostate tumors, although a meta-analysis found the evidence on this point to be inconclusive. Flax may also lessen the severity of diabetes by stabilizing blood-sugar levels. There is some support for the use of flax seed as a laxative due to its dietary fiber content though excessive consumption without liquid can result in intestinal blockage. Consuming large amounts of flax seed may impair the effectiveness of certain oral medications, due to its fiber content, and may have adverse effects due to its content of neurotoxic cyanogen glycosides and immunosuppressive cyclic nonapeptides.

Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degree F.
2. Grease a non stick loaf pan with some butter. Keep aside.
3. Prepare flax paste, i.e. 2 tbsp flax seed flour + 6 tbsp water, mix well.[Flax seed flour works as egg substitute]
4. In a large bowl, sift  flour and baking soda.
5. Now add, chopped walnuts, pecans, mashed bananas, butter, Flax seed powder dissolved in water, brown sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Mix well.
6. Transfer the batter to the pre greased loaf pan.
7. Sprinkle 2 tbsp brown sugar on the top. It gives beautiful brown color and crunch to the bread.
8. Put the pan in the oven for 45 minutes or an hour. Insert a skewer in the middle, if it comes out clean, banana nut bread is done.
9. Take it out of the oven, cool it completely and then slice it.

Serving suggestions:
Serve banana nut bread slice with vanilla ice-cream or a cup of coffee.

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

Serving healthy breakfast isn’t that hard. This easy recipe calls for what you mostly have in your refrigerator and pantry. And yes it requires no cooking skills :-).

Ingredients:
Approx. 4 servings

• Organic vanilla yogurt – 2 cups
• Fresh strawberries – 10
• Walnut & Pecans –  1/2 cup
• Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal – 2 cups [Or any cereal of your choice]

Method:

1. Lightly toast walnuts and pecans in a pan. Crush them in small bites. Keep aside. Cut strawberries in quarters and keep aside.
2. Take four tall glasses to serve parfaits. Layer each glass with 2 tbsp of vanilla yogurt. Now add 4-5 strawberry pieces, add 2 tbsp of cereal and 1 tbsp of nuts.
3. Repeat the same sequence, yogurt, strawberry, cereal and nuts in all four glasses. Garnish with strawberries.
4. Serve immediately or for later use, cover these glasses with cellophane wrap and refrigerate.

Enjoy as a yummy and healthy breakfast.

Diwali special: Nuts-Dates Roll

Happy Diwali

Diwali celebrations

Continuing the tradition of posting recipes for Diwali, I am sharing the recipe for healthy and simple Nuts – Dates  Roll. Hope you like it.

Walnut-Dates Roll

Walnut-dates roll

Nuts-dates roll is a simple and healthy recipe. Enjoy as a dessert after a meal or anytime of the day.

Nutritional facts:

Walnuts: Walnuts are a delicious way to add extra nutrition, flavor and crunch to a meal. While walnuts are harvested in December, they are available year round a great source of those all-important omega-3 fatty acids. [Source: www.whfoods.com]

Dates: California dates are loaded with the energy you need every day – to win a marathon or get you through a tough day. With only 24 calories per date (248 per 100 gram serving), dates are high in dietary fiber, carbohydrates, and contain more potassium than bananas! Yet they are virtually fat, cholesterol and sodium free! [Source: www.nutsonline.com]

Ingredients:  

For Nuts–Dates Roll [Approx 20 rolls]

Walnuts [Akhrot]– 1/2 cup

Almonds [Badam]– 1/2 cup

Cashew nuts [Kaju]– 1/2 cup
Dates pitted [Pind khajoor] – 1.5 cups
Cardamom powder – 1/2 tsp
Ghee [Clarified butter] – 2 tbsp

Method:

• In the food processor, coarsely chop walnuts and dates separately.
• Heat a pan, add ghee and chopped walnuts, Almonds and cashews. Sauté for 2-3 minutes on medium flame.
• Keep them off the flame and set aside.
• Now in pan, Add chopped dates. Mix it really well till it becomes soft. Add cardamom powder and roasted nuts. Keep mixing for 5 minutes. The mixture should be evenly mixed.
• Divide the above mixture in two parts.
• Take each part and tightly roll it in plastic wrap. Rolls should be at least 10 inches long and 2 inches in diameter.
• Put both the rolls, with plastic wrap, in refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Take out the rolls after 2 hours, take off plastic wrap and with a clean knife, cut the roll into half  inch thick discs.
• Serve chilled or at the room temp.  

Serving Suggestions:
Enjoy Nuts and dates roll as a dessert after any meal.

I’m glad to announce that this recipe is included in a french site’s database, on their website 🙂

Link to the site: en.petitchef.com

Super Nutritious Vegetable Cutlets

Cutlets are perfect snack for everyone. These cutlets can be used in breakfast, lunch as a burger, evening snack with tea-/lemonade or as an appetizer before formal dinner. Kids love this easy to eat snack in their lunchbox too. So try this healthy and tasty snack anytime of the day.

Ingredients:

For Vegetable Cutlets [20 cutlets]

Green beans -1/2 cup chopped
Corn kernels – 1/2 cup frozen or fresh
Carrots-1/2 cup chopped
Peas- 1/2 cup
Cabbage-1 cup finely chopped
Potatoes – 3 medium
Bread slices- 3
Cashews- 1/3 cup chopped
Walnuts- 1/3 cup chopped
Cilantro -1/3 cup chopped
Ketchup-1 tbsp
Suji (Semolina)- ½ cup coarse

Dry Ingredients:

Chaat Masala – 1 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Amchur(Dried mango powder) -1 tsp
Garam masala -1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Cut green beans and carrots accordingly and add corn kernels (or you can use mixed vegetables for the frozen section) in a bowl.
• Peel and cut potatoes in chunks. Pressure cook cut vegetables, peas and potatoes till done.
• In a large bowl, combine boiled veggies, chopped cabbage, bread slices, chopped nuts, ketchup and all dry ingredients and mix well.
• Oil your palm, take lemon sized mixture and flatten it in desired shape.
• In a plate sprinkle suji and cover the cutlets with it on both the sides.
• Shallow-fry the cutlets using very little oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

Colorful Carrot Salad

Colorful Carrot Salad

Colorful spring brings color to the food. This salad is perfect for bright, warm days. You can pack this for the picnic or the lazy afternoon lunch in the backyard. Salads are the best compliment to any meal. This colorful and healthy salad is even appealing to the kids. So here comes the simple yet flavorful recipe of Carrot salad.

Nutritional facts: Carrots are an excellent source of antioxidant compounds, and the richest vegetable source of the pro-vitamin A carotenes. Carrots’ antioxidant compounds help protect against cardiovascular disease and cancer and also promote good vision, especially night vision. [Source: whfoods.com]

Ingredients: For Colorful Carrot Salad [4 servings]

Fresh Ingredients:
Carrots – 2 cups shredded
Sweet Onions -1 cup diced
Tomatoes –  1cup diced
Cucumber – 1 cup diced
Cilantro -1/2 cup finely chopped
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp fresh

Dry Ingredients:
Walnuts – ½ cup (optional)
Chaat Masala* – 1 tbsp
Black Pepper – 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Prepare the fresh ingredients. Shred the carrots, peel and dice the cucumber and onions, dice the tomatoes and finely chop the cilantro. Also chop the walnuts for crunch in the salad (optional). Keep aside.
• In the salad bowl, add diced onions, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, walnuts and cilantro. Mix gently.
• Now add lime juice, chaat masala, freshly grounded black pepper, roasted cumin seed powder, sugar and salt. Mix the salad again.

Serve fresh with any meal or just as an anytime snack 🙂 .

*Chaat Masala is easily available at all Indian grocery stores.