Mama's View | Parenting, Education, Money & Mindful Living

We all know that spinach are rich in iron and vitamin K and B.Children and women can benefit immensely from this green leafy veggie.Try and make this easy soup at least 4-5 times a week to get all the nutritional benefits of spinach in your diet.Serve it as an appetizer with some soup sticks. Ingredients: Spinach-4 bunches Tomatoes-1 medium size Ginger-1 small piece Kala namak-1/2 teaspoon(optional) Salt -to taste Lime juice-1.5 teaspoons Cream-1/2 teaspoon(optional) Water-2 cups Strainer Method: -Wash the spinach under running water and pluck the leaves only.Dip the plucked leaves in a container filled wit water.Wash the leaves properly to make sure that all the dirt has been cleaned. -Roughly chop the spinach leaves -Wash the tomato and dice it. -Take the ginger peel out and grate it. -Boil the spinach,tomato and ginger with a pinch of salt and boil till the spinach is cooked. -Add 2 more cups of water to this boiled veggies. -In a mixer jar put all the above i...

This simple combination of potatoes and unhulled sesame seeds makes the recipe tasty as well as nutritious.It's a good way of introducing sesame seeds in kid's diet.The nutty and crunchy tasting sesame seeds are a rich source of copper and manganese and also contain good amount of calcium,iron and other beneficial minerals. Here's a small tip-Always buy unhulled sesame seeds because the mineral content in hulled and unhulled sesame seeds varies significantly.If you compare the calcium and iron content per 1 tbsp serving of both types of seeds,hulled sesame seeds has 5mg calcium and 0.51mg iron whereas the unhulled sesame seed contains 88mg calcium and 1.31 mg iron. Ingredients: Boiled Potatoes-3 medium sized Sesame seeds-4-5 teaspoons Ginger-1 small piece,grated Green chillies-1,finely chopped Kasuri methi-1 teaspoon Cumin seeds-1/4 teaspoon Coriander powder-1 teaspoon Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon Salt to taste Oil-2 teaspoons Green coriander leaves-2 tea...

Masala Chai is a blend of tea and spices.This beverage  has become popular in many parts of the world.Spices like cardamom,black pepper and ginger have several health benefits.A cup of warm masala chai can help you relax after a stressful day and can even keep us warm in the cold of winter.You can add sugar-free or even honey as sweetener. Try this spiced tea with some hot crispy pakoras as evening snacks. Ingredients: Tea leaves-2 tablespoons(I prefer Tata Tea Gold) Milk-1cup Water-2 cups Ginger-1 small piece Green cardamoms-2 Bay leaf-1 small Sugar-free powder-1 small teaspoon Black pepper powder -1/4 teaspoon Cloves-1 Method: -Heat 2 cups of water in a pan and let it simmer on slow flame. -Crush the ginger,cloves and cardamoms in a mortar-pastel and make a coarse powder. -Add this powder along with the bay leaf and black pepper powder to the water and let it boil. -Add 2 table spoon of tea leaves and allow it to boil.Stir well. -Now add 1 cup of milk and b...

Tomatoes have numerous health benefits.The lycopene in tomatoes are packed with anti-oxidants and phyto-chemicals along with some vitamins and minerals.Studies have also shown that cooked tomatoes are healthier than the raw ones. This simple soup is tomatoes cooked with some garlic,spices and carrots and is very healthy and quick to make.It is just perfect to keep you warm on a cold day! Ingredients: Tomatoes-4 big sized Garlic-3-4 cloves Staranise-1no Clove-2 nos Black pepper- 3-4 nos Carrot-1 small,diced Milk-1/2 cup Sugar-a pinch Salt to taste Olive oil-1/2 teaspoon Fresh parsley-2 teaspoons Method: -Wash the tomatoes and blanch them in boiling water.Cool the tomatoes and take the skin out. -Take a mixie jar and add all the above ingredients except parsley and olive oil and blend to ame a fine smooth puree. -Heat 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in a pan and add the puree.Cook till it becomes a little thick. -You can add a little water if you want a clear soup. -Gar...

Falafel is a famous appetizer from the middle-east which is is popular in many parts of the world.It is usually made from fava beans mixed with some spices,herbs and onions.You can use chickpeas instead of fava beans.Falafel tastes best with pita bread and tahini sauce(Sesame seeds sauce). Ingredients: Chickpeas-2 cups,soaked overnight Fresh parsley-1/2 cup,finely chopped Green coriander leaves-3-4 teaspoons,chopped Garlic-8-10 cloves,peeled and crushed Onions-1 small,chopped Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon Black pepper-a generous pinch Red chilli flakes-2 teaspoons Salt to taste Oil-2 cups,for frying Method: -Soak the chickpeas in water for 8-10 hours or overnight. -Take a mixie jar and add all the above ingredients except oil and blend to make a smooth paste. -Heat 2 cups of oil in a pan and deep fry the falafels taking small portions at a time. -Serve then in pita bread with some cut onions,lettuce and pickled vegetables.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Puffed rice or murmura is made from rice and is a common snacks food in many parts of India.Being a part of bhel-puri which is a popular street food,murmura is also offered as prasad in temples. In this tangy and spicy recipe,I've added grated carrot,tomatoes and diced cucumbers along with some spices and sprouts. Ingredients: Puffed rice/Murmura-3 cups Onions-3 teaspoons,finely chopped Tomatoes-2 teaspoons,finely chopped Green moong dal sprouts-1.5 teaspoon Bengal gram-2 teaspoons Cucumber-2 teaspoons,diced Green chillies-1 teaspoon(Optional) Lime juice-2 teaspoons Sev bhujia-2 teaspoons Roasted peanuts-2 teaspoons Fresh coriander leaves-2 teaspoons,chopped Fresh Coconut- 1 teaspoon,scraped Salt-a pinch Mustard oil-1 teaspoon Method: -Soak the green moong dal and bengal gram over night and boil the bengal gram and wrap the green moong in a damp cloth to sprout. -Take a big container and add all the ingredients except lime jui...

 This is another easy to make recipe with spring onions and crispy fried potatoes cooked in a  garlic and red chilli sauce. Chilli-garlic potatoes is one of my favorite and this recipe tastes great with noodles.You can cut the potatoes into cubes or simple wedges.If you do not have fresh red chillies then use dried red chillies soaked in warm water for at least 30-35 minutes. Ingredients: Potatoes-4 Medium Garlic-8-10 cloves Red chilli-8 Tomato ketchup-1/2 cup Salt-to taste Water -1/4 cup Spring onions-1/4 cups,finely chopped Oil-2 cups for frying the potatoes and 2 teaspoons for cooking Cornflour-3 teaspoons Method: -Grind the red chillies and garlic to make a fine paste. - Mix this paste with 1/2 cup of tomato ketchup by adding 1/4 cup of water to it.Mix well and keep aside. -Peel and cut the potatoes into the desired size and dust cornflour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to it and mix well with hands. -Heat a pan and add 2 cups of oil and fry the potatoes ...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Horsegram also known as Kulith is a reddish brown colored bean usually grown in dry agricultural areas in India.This legume is high in protein,vitamin C and iron.Horsegram sprouts is made by soaking the legume in water for 8 to 10 hours and  wrapping it tightly in a damp cloth and letting it germinate.It usually takes a day for the horsegram to develop small roots or sprout. I have cooked the kulith sprouts in water with a little salt and mixed it with a very light tempering of onions and some fresh grated carrots and coconut. I usually pack this in my son's snack-box.We also have it as evening snacks often. Ingredients: Horsegram sprouts-1.5 cups Onion-1 small size,finely chopped Green chilli-1,finely chopped Carrot-1/2 piece,grated Coconut-2 teaspoons,shredded Lime juice-1.5 teaspoon Salt to taste Water-5 cups,for boiling Oil-2 teaspoons For Tempering: Cumin seeds-1/4 teaspoon Curry leaves-5-6 Dry red chilli-1(Optional) ...

We all know about the medicinal properties of the extremely versatile herb Garlic.Garlic helps to strengthen the immune system and even fight off cancer formation.Coconut on the other hand is highly nutritious in fiber,vitamins and minerals. In this recipe I've used dry coconut.You can also use fresh coconut but make sure you consume it in a day or two.You can slightly saute the garlic but I've used raw garlic. Store this chutney in an air tight jar and keep it in the refrigerator. Ingredients: Dry coconut-1/2 cup,grated Garlic-5-6 cloves Red chilli powder-2 teaspoon(According to your taste) Tamarind paste-1 teaspoon Salt-1/2 teaspoon Oil-1 teaspoon Method: -Mix all the ingredients in a mixer jar and blend it to make a fine paste without adding any water. -Store in an air tight jar and use a spoon to take the chutney out.

 As the weather gets cooler,the urge for comfort food hits.This easy tikki recipe along with some warm soup or a cup of hot tea is a perfect way to embrace autumn. Ingredients : Corn-1 cup,boiled Cheese-2-3 cubes,grated Chilli flakes-1/2 taspoons(Optional) Bread slices-2 Salt to taste Oilve/vegetable oil-2 table spoons Method:  -Grate the boiled corn and the cheese cubes -Cut the sides of the bread and crush it with your hands. -Add salt,chilli flakes and the crushed bread to the grated corn and cheese. -Mix well with your hand and make small balls out of the mix. -Press the balls gently and flatten it. -Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the tikkis. -Serve hot with ketchup or fresh green chutney and soup or tea.