healthy recipe – Batter Up With Sujata

Date Walnut Muffins/ Sugar Free Muffins

Date walnut muffins with whole wheat flour,oats, almond and cottage cheese or paneer.
One more date recipe. Its sugar free, butter free and without refined flour. So perfect for diet conscious people and weight watchers.

You may like some more sugar free date cakes and cupcakes here

1. Sugar free carrot cake

2. Sugar free fruit cake

3. Diet cake

This post is going to be a part of a Facebook group Recipe swap challenge.
We have to recreate a recipe from a fellow blogger’s blog. This month my partner is very talented Poonam Bachhav who blog at Annapurna. Check out her space for delicious recipes. I have selected this recipe from her space.

I have added cottage cheese and almond in the muffins. Here is the recipe of delicious, healthy and guilt free muffins.

Recipe

Whole wheat flour – 1 cup + 1 tablespoon

Oats powder – 1/4 cup

Almond – 1/4 cup

Cottage cheese or paneer – 1/2 cup, crumbled

Date – 40 – 45 pitted

Walnut – 1/2 cup, chopped + to sprinkle

Oil – 1/2 cup

Milk – 1&1/2 cup

Baking powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Baking soda – 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Preheat the oven at 180° for 15 minutes.

2. Line or grease the muffins or cupcake mould with oil or butter.

3. Add 1 tablespoon flour with chopped walnuts. Mix well to avoid sinking at the bottom. Keep aside.

4. Grind the almond into fine powder.

5. Soak the pitted dates in hot milk for 2 hours.

6. After 2 hours blend the dates into smooth paste. Use the milk of soaked dates for easy blending.

7. Add crumbled cottage cheese or paneer in the blender with date paste. Blend again to make smooth.

8. Sieve whole wheat flour, oats powder, baking powder and baking soda. Mix ground almond with the flour.

9. In a large bowl mix date and cottage cheese mixture and oil. Whisk well.

10. Now add the dry ingredients and mix well. Don’t over beat.

11. Fold in chopped walnuts in the batter.

12. Pour the batter into lined or greased muffin moulds. Fill up to 3/4 .

13. Tap the moulds gently to release the air bubbles and sprinkle finely chopped walnuts over all the muffins.

14. Bake in preheated oven at 180° for 20 – 25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Insert a toothpick in the middle of a muffin to check.

15. Let the muffins cool down before serving.
Enjoy the healthy and delicious muffins. Happy baking!

Notes
1. You can use refined flour or any flour instead of whole wheat flour and oats.
2. I like mildly sweet so I have used around 35 – 40 dates. If you like your muffins more sweet add 45 dates.
3. You can add any dry fruits in the batter.
4. Mashed banana or grated apple can be added in the batter.

If you tried my recipe, you can share your food pictures with me in the social network sites by using hash tag, #batterupwithsujata
I would love to see your creations.

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Stir Fry Black Rice (By Alka Jena)

Black rice stir fry a guest post by Alka Jena.

Black rice is quite popular in Asia. The black rice has a texture similar to brown rice, but with a more prominent nutty flavor. The dark color of the rice is due to the un-milled rice grain, which leaves a dark husk. It is this outer layer of bran that sets black rice apart from other types of unpolished rice. This dark husk contains a special phytonutrients, called anthocyanins which is responsible for the reds, blues, purples, and magenta colours found in blueberries, grapes etc.In ancient China, Black Rice was known as “Emperor’s Rice”, and it was reserved exclusively for Chinese Royalty. Since black rice was quite rare, and for this reason it is known as “forbidden rice” also.

Thanks a lot Alka Jena for taking out your time and coming up with this amazing recipe post.

My friend Alka Jena is a very talented Blogger, Photographer, Food Stylist, Recipe Developer and the driving force behind her blog. In her blog she share her passion for home cooked food which she capture through her lenses. She is a self-taught cook and a Photographer who try to create magic with everyday cooking.

Check out her blog for this Stir fry black rice recipe and many more delicious recipes

Culinary Express

Now coming to the recipe A Stir fry is one of her favorite kind of recipes which is a kind of comforting meal . So for this stir fry, she used black rice, carrots, brocoli, peas both green and black eyed along with pear and pomegranate. You can find different textures like the softness from carrots and chewy from black rice. The Pear and Pomegranate adds a kind of sweetness to the dish. This is a powerhouse of nutrients from all the vegetables and black rice.

Visit her blog for the detailed recipe

Black Rice Stir Fry

Amla Murabba Or Gooseberry Jam

Amla murabba or Gooseberry jam.

Amla or Gooseberry is known as super fruit because its provides many remedies for diseases so its used for treatment in Ayurveda.

Amla is a powerful antioxidant and remedy for skin, hair and weight-loss. its slow down ageing, fight against heart disease and reduces blood sugar and high in digestive fiber.

Amla is a rich source of vitamin C and a very effective remedy of allergic reactions. Mainly its give a tremendous boost to the Immune system and detoxify the body.

If you are suffering from seasonal allergies this murabba is best for you. I have got the recipe from my elder brother Abhijit Mallik. He gave me the recipe of Santha Boudi. Thanks a lot to both of you. Yes its worked for me but not immediately worked after 10 – 12 days. And now I am happy that I don’t need that antiallergic tablet anymore. So take a murabba daily to boost your immune system.

You will love the delightfully flavoured soft cooked sweetened gooseberries.

Recipe courtesy of my sister in law Santha Mallik. I have added some flavour in it as I love my recipes flavourful 🙂

You can remove it’s sourness by picking and soaking overnight in chemical lime or chuna mixed water.

I didn’t because my brother said that don’t remove anything from this super fruit. Keep it with all it’s goodness.

According to Ayurveda, Amla fruit is sour and astringent (kashaya), sweet (madhura), bitter (tikta) and pungent (katu) in taste (rasa), has benefits (gunas) include light (laghu) and dry (ruksha), post digestive effect (vipaka) is sweet (madhura), and has cooling power (shita virya).

Recipe
Amla or Gooseberry – 1/2 kg

Sugar – 1/2 kg

Salt – 1 teaspoon

Keshar or saffron – a pinch

Cardamom powder – 1/2 to 1 teaspoon

Method

Boil the amla with sufficient water and 1 teaspoon salt. Water should cover all the amla or gooseberries.

Boil for 10 – 15 minutes. Wash the gooseberries with cold water immediately after boiling. Wash thoroughly.

Wipe with clean kitchen towel. Prick with knife or fork.

If you don’t like it’s sourness you can soak the gooseberries in 1 teaspoon chemical lime or chuna mixed water for overnight. Just prick and soak. Then wash thoroughly and boil with water. You can get chuna or chemical lime in any pan or betel leaf shop.

Add sugar in it. Cook again on low flame till the sugar dissolve. Stir occasionally. Cook for 10 minutes or till gooseberries become tender transparent.

Add cardamom powder and saffron. I have used 1 teaspoon cardamom powder but if you don’t like it add only 1/2 teaspoon.
I want the sugar syrup thick. If you also like thick syrup remove the gooseberries from syrup and boil the syrup on high flame for 10 minutes more. Add the gooseberries in it again and boil for 5 minutes.

Switch off the flame. Let it cool down completely. Cover and keep aside. Next day store in a airtight container.

Store it in a clean and dry jar and keep under sunlight for few days or until gooseberries soaked sugar syrup and becomes soft.

You can enjoy this cardamom and saffron flavoured soft cooked sweetened gooseberries as a dessert too 🙂
May your life become colourful and flavourful. Stay healthy stay happy!!

Note –

Some more way to make this murabba.

After boiling in water dry the gooseberries well with kitchen towel. Marinate with sugar and keep under sunlight for 8 – 10 days. You don’t need to cook it with sugar. It will be soft and cooked well in sunlight.

Wash, wipe and chop or grate the gooseberries. Put in the jar and pour honey over it. Honey should cover all the gooseberries. Place the jar under sunlight for 8 – 10 days or until gooseberries become tender.

If you don’t want to take it sweet. Just chop in small pieces. Marinate with rock salt or black salt and keep under sunlight till the gooseberries become dry. Its very good for digestion too.

Oats Flax Seed Wholewheat Bread

Bread with oats and flax seed.

Oats are loaded with Dietary fiber ,more than any other grain. Oats have a range of healthy cholesterol lowering properties, helps control weight, reduces blood pressure, stabilize blood sugar, good for skin, enhances immune system, lower the risk of colon cancer.

And we all know oats as world’s healthiest food. Better way to gain the strength and energy.

But no one in my family like oats as a porridge.But this bread and my other oats dishes are super liked by my family and friends 😀

I have added flax seed powder in it. Flaxseeds have so many health benefits. Flax seeds or linseeds are rich source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, good fats that have been shown to have heart-healthy effects. It also have micronutrients, dietary fiber, manganese and vitamin B1.

It could help you improve digestion, reduce sugar cravings, fight cancer, lower cholesterol, promote weight loss, balance hormones and give you clear skin.

So here is a super healthy bread for you. Include it in your breakfast for a healthy start of the day.

I have already shared a whole-wheat bread recipe. Method is same. You can find step by step recipe here

https://batterupwithsujata.wordpress.com/2016/07/13/wholewheat-bread/

Oats bread may be little different from wheat bread. It may be denser and more crumbly than your wheat bread. But indeed a super healthy bread 😊

Recipe
Wholewheat flour or atta – 2 cup
Oats – 1 cup
Flax seed powder – 2 tablespoon
Yeast – 1 & 1/2 teaspoon
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Sugar – 1 tablespoon
Oil – 2 tablespoon
Vinegar – 1 & 1/2 tablespoon
Milk – 1/4 cup
Water – 1 cup
Oats to sprinkle – handful

Method

Mix sugar and yeast in 1/4 cup warm milk. Milk should be warm not hot. Stir well and cover. Keep in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Grind the oats in a mixer grinder. Grind until the oats becomes fine powder, Just like flour.

In a large bowl mix wholewheat flour, oats, flax seed powder, salt, oil and vinegar. Mix and add the yeast mixture.

Add water and knead a soft dough. You have to knead it really well. Knead for at least 7-8 minutes. It will be a sticky smooth dough. Place it in a greased bowl. Smear with oil. Cover loosely with a kitchen napkin. Keep it in a warm place for 2 hours. I have kept it in the oven.

After 2 hours take out the dough. It will be double. Punch down the dough.

Spread some flour on a flat surface. Knead the dough again. You can add little more flour if require. Knead well and smear with oil. Now it will be not sticky but a stretchable soft dough.

Make it flat with the help of your oil greased palm. Roll it from one side to make a loaf. Press the sides and place in a greased loaf pan. Press the sides gently. Sprinkle a handful of oats over it. Again place in a warm place for 1 to 2 hours or till the loaf doubled.

Preheat the oven at 200° for 20 minutes.

When preheated place the loaf pan in middle rack and bake for 30 minutes or until the colour becomes light brown.

Your super healthy bread is ready. Don’t try to slice it when hot. It may be crumbled.

Let it cool down completely. Slice them and toast. These breads are taste best when toasted. Spread butter or jam. I like my bread with thick layer of jam 😀

Or make sandwiches with the stuffings of your choice and serve.

Microwave Mushroom

Microwave mushroom
Very easy to make and in a healthy way. Just marinate and cook.

Mushrooms are full of protein, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, antibiotics and antioxidants. Its protects us from diseases and infections.

Its helps in weight loss too. Increases the strength of immune system and lower the body’s cholesterol levels.

Recipe

Mushroom – 250 gram

Capsicum – 1 large cubed

Onions – 3-4 cubed

Thick or hung curd – 2 tablespoon

Garlic paste – 1 teaspoon

Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder – 1 teaspoon or as much your spice tolerance

Black pepper powder – 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder – 1/4 teaspoon optional

Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Mustard oil – 1 tablespoon

Method

Clean and wash the mushrooms. If you have small mushrooms keep whole but if large make them half.

Mix ginger garlic paste, salt, all the spices and oil in the well beaten curd.

Marinate mushrooms, capsicum and onions in this curd mixture for 1/2 to 1 hour in a microwave safe bowl.

Now microwave them for 6-8 minutes on full power. Time depends on oven. Check and cook in microwave for 2 minutes more if require.

Mushrooms release water. So I dried up the mushrooms in a pan on high flame.

When the mushrooms completely done in microwave check it. If you like pour the mushrooms in a pan and dried up on full flame.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Serve as a side dish with roti/Indiana flat bread, naan, paratha or toasted bread.