Mock mayonnaise sandwich recipe

This nutritious and lip-smacking toast is made of salad veggies tossed in mock mayonnaise with a curried twist. Let’s begin…

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Pre-preparation time: 1 hr 30 minutes

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 8 slices whole-wheat bread or white bread
• 4 cups curd
• ½ cup carrots, grated
• 1 medium capsicum, chopped finely
• 4 tsp powdered sugar
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ cup curry leaves
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• Salt as per taste
• 1½ tbsp oil
• 2 tsp butter

Preparation method

1. Hang the curd in a muslin cloth for one and a half hours. Remove from cloth and transfer to a bowl.
2. Add the carrots, capsicum, salt and sugar; mix well and set aside.
3. Heat oil; add 1 tsp mustard seeds. Once seeds begin to splutter, add half of the curry leaves. Remove from heat and add red chilli powder.
4. Add this to the curd mixture.
5. Divide the curd mixture into 4 equal portions.
6. Evenly spread one portion between 2 slices of bread. Apply some butter on both the outer sides of the sandwich.
7. Heat a tava and sprinkle 1 tsp mustard seeds and the remaining curry leaves on it.
8. Then grill each sandwich on the tava over the curry leaves and mustard seeds till golden brown on each side.

The post You’ll love this nutritious mock mayonnaise sandwich appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Quinoa can be cooked much like rice either in a rice cooker or on stove-top. Per measure of uncooked quinoa, add two measures of liquid [water or vegetable broth] and cook till tender on stove-top. In rice cooker, equal measures of uncooked quinoa and water yields a fluffy, non-clumpy texture.

Any favourite combination of vegetables can be tossed in, like carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, green beans, to boost the upma.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• ¼ cup steamed corn kernels
• ¼ cup cooked black beans
• ¼ cup diced red and green bell peppers
• ¼ cup diced celery
• ¼ cup finely diced onions
• 2 tbsp grated ginger
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp black mustard seeds
• Salt to taste

Preparation method

1. Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds and allow them to pop
2. Then add the onions, celery, ginger, and bell peppers, with a sprinkling of salt and turmeric powder, and sauté for a few minutes
3. Add the cooked corn kernels and black beans and sauté two minutes
4. Stir in the cooked quinoa and add salt to taste
5. Garnish with cilantro/coriander/mint leaves and serve warm.

The post Quinoa Upma: Protein+fibre rich breakfast appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Makes 12

Ingredients

• 200g whole wheat flour
• 50g plain flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 25g brown sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 150g blueberries
• 2 large overripe bananas
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp coconut oil [vegetable or rapeseed oil will also do]
• 1 egg, beaten
• 185ml buttermilk

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a muffin tray with paper cases.
2. Prepare the dry ingredients by sifting together the whole wheat flour, plain flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder, sugar and salt.
3. Add the blueberries and mix well so they are all coated in flour.
4. Mash the bananas and mix with the honey, coconut oil, beaten egg and buttermilk.
5. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients.
6. Quickly mix them together, folding them well until just combined. It’s OK if there are traces of flour, as an under-mixed batter makes a lighter muffin.
7. Fill the paper cases and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

The post How about these blueberry banana muffins for breakfast? appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Ingredients

• 300g oats
• 500ml freshly squeezed apple juice
• A really good pinch of cinnamon powder
• 2 small apples, few slices reserved and rest roughly chopped
• 25g raisins
• 25g dried fruit, [cranberries and apricots]
• 25g almonds, roughly chopped
• 200g plain yoghurt, plus extra for drizzling

Preparation method

1. Place the oats, apple juice and cinnamon in a bowl and leave to soak overnight in the fridge.
2. Mix the chopped apples, raisins, dried fruit, almonds and yoghurt.
3. Serve with the reserved apple slices and drizzle with extra yoghurt. If you have any leftover, you can keep the bircher muesli stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

The post Bircher muesli with apples and cinnamon appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Ingredients

• ½ cup oats
• 1 cup milk
• 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp honey
• Pinch of cinnamon powder
• Chopped fruit of your choice
• Chopped almonds for garnishing

Preparation method

1. In a bowl, mix together oats, milk, pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, honey and cinnamon powder.
2. Cover with a lid and store it overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Garnish with your choice of fruit and sprinkle lots of chopped almonds before serving.
4. Enjoy this oatmeal the way it is or heat it for a few minutes before garnishing.

The post Overnight pumpkin oatmeal recipe that’s perfect for busy mornings appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Makes: 6 toasts
Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 2 cups [140 g] mushrooms, boiled and chopped finely
• 100g tofu, diced
• 2 cups [100 g] spinach, chopped finely
• 3 green chillies, chopped finely
• 2 spring onions with greens, chopped finely
• 1 large capsicum, chopped finely
• 1/2 cup white sauce or red sauce
• 6 slices whole-wheat bread
• ½ tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes
• Salt as per taste
• 2 tsp oil

Preparation method

1. Heat oil in a pan; sauté green chillies and spring onions for a minute.
2. Add capsicum; sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms, spinach and 1 tsp of salt; sauté for 3 minutes.
4. Add tofu and pepper; mix well.
5. Stir in white sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add salt as per taste.
6. Lightly toast the bread. Spread the mixture on toasted bread; sprinkle on some oregano and paprika. Serve hot.

The post Snack time: Capsicum and Tofu Toast (Vegan) appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Here I have used mushrooms to make a frittata. Frittata is an egg-based baked dish. It can also be made in a covered pan on the stove. A frittata is somewhere between an omelette and a quiche.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• ¼ cup chopped capsicum
• 1 ¼ cup chopped mushroom
• 4 eggs
• ¼ cup milk
• 2 – 3 tbsp grated mozzarella cheese
• 1 tbsp spring onion greens
• Salt and pepper powder [for taste]

Preparation method

1. Break eggs into a bowl, add milk and beat well. Add salt, pepper powder, spring onion greens and cheese to the mixture.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add onion, garlic and saute until onions turn soft. Add capsicum and saute for a few more minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until light brown.
3. Remove from heat and add the egg mixture. Stir well to combine.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven, add grated cheese on top and bake for another 2 minutes or until the cheese melts.
5. Slice and serve hot.

The post Try this mushroom frittata for a quick and healthy breakfast appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Serves 3

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• A pinch of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk/ coconut milk / almond milk
• ½ cup pumpkin purée
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup butter [melted]
• Butter for the pan
• Maple syrup

Preparation method

1. In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon powder and salt. Mix them well.
2. In another bowl whisk buttermilk, vanilla extract, pumpkin purée, sugar and butter to a smooth batter.
3. Mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients slowly by adding a little at a time. Form a smooth batter and keep aside.
4. If the batter is thick add buttermilk as needed.
5. Heat a non-stick pan and grease it with some butter. Now pour a ladle of pancake batter on it and spread.
6. Allow the pancake to cook for a few seconds till you see crispy edges. Flip it and cook till the pancake browns a little.
7. Repeat the same with the rest of the batter.
8. Once the pancakes are ready bathe them in lots of maple syrup and enjoy.

Note: You can replace cinnamon powder with pumpkin spice mix to make pancakes more flavourful.

The post Add pumpkin to make healthier pancakes appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Makes one 9” loaf.

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup yoghurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1½ cups zucchini , grated
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• ¼ cup almond flakes

Preparation Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200° Celsius. Line a 9”x5” loaf pan with parchment paper or foil and set aside.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder and baking soda into a bowl. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric beater, cream the oil and sugar together. Add yogurt and beat on high for 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. Add grated zucchini to this and mix well.
5. Tip in the dry ingredients and fold in carefully till just combined. The batter will be thick.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle chocolate chips and almond flakes on top of the batter. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes or till a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
7. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then remove bread to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in an airtight container when completely cooled. Serve bread slices warm or cold with a cup of milk, coffee or tea.

The post Zucchini chocolate bread topped with almond flakes and choco chips appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.

Did you know that the banana plant is not a tree? It is actually the world’s largest herb!

There are over 300 species of bananas; however, only 20 are commercially cultivated. Also, there are two main varieties of the fruit: the sweet banana [the fruit] and the plantain [the cooking banana].

Health benefits

1. Constipation

Bananas are rich in fibre. Including ripe bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, and also overcome the problem of constipation without resorting to the use of laxatives. Avoid unripe bananas though as they are known to cause constipation.

2. Depression

Bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, the feel-good hormone. This is known to aid you to relax, improve your mood and make you feel happy.

3. Heartburn

Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body. If you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

4. Morning Sickness

Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

5. Mosquito bites

Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly useful for reducing the swelling and irritation.

6. Hangover

One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey (see recipe below). Banana calms the stomach and, with the help of honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels. Milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

7. Post-menstrual-syndrome [PMS]

Vitamin B6 in banana regulates your moody blues—a common symptom of PMS.

8. Warts

Some naturopaths believe that a banana peel can eradicate a wart. Take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape.

9. Hypertension

Some doctors in India reckon that eating two bananas a day can reduce blood pressure by 10 per cent—in just a week’s time.

Banana Recipes

Breakfast Banana Shake

Ingredients

• 300 ml skimmed milk
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 ice cubes
• 1 medium-sized banana-slice

Directions

Blend all the above ingredients at high speed. Pour into a tall glass and sprinkle some cinnamon or chocolate powder on the top.

This serves as an excellent breakfast, ready in minutes. It also gives you all the necessary nutrients to start your day. Your kids will love it, too. Also, “victims” of Saturday Night Fever claim this to be a great cure for their hangover.

Banana Loaf Recipe

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour [you can also substitute with wheat flour to make it a healthy food — but, for this, you need to add 2 beaten eggs to the wet ingredients]
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 teaspoon baking powder.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, in a large bowl.
3. Mash bananas, and add one tablespoon oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla, in a small bowl. Add beaten eggs to this if you are using wheat flour. You can add your choice of nuts to this mixture too. Walnuts and banana, for instance, make a great combination.
4. In a separate bowl, mix two tablespoon water, one tablespoon oil, and two teaspoons of baking powder. It gets fizzy and this is the secret to the moist soft loaf. Add mixture to the wet mixture in a small bowl and mix well. Now add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until well blended.
5. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 50-55 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a wooden toothpick stuck in the centre comes out clean. Let the bread cool for about 10 minutes.

Serve as a tea snack or a healthy dessert. Also, warm bread can be served with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream.

Another advantage: the next time your bananas get over-ripe, you know what to do!

Last updated on 2^nd July 2020

The post 9 health benefits of bananas + 2 nutritious banana recipes appeared first on Complete Wellbeing.