ORANGE BANANA SMOOTHIE

                    My breakfast is always on the go. Don't get time to sit down and have a nice breakfast. Mornings are always crazy. Those morning hours I  feel like I'm a superwoman or something. Doing five different things in the same time. And I'm pretty sure a lot of moms out there feel the same way. But I can't compromise on my breakfast. Need something really energizing that will keep me going till lunchtime. So here is a smoothie that is delicious as well as nutritious too. Give it a try.

 INGREDIENTS:

Freshly squeezed orange juice roughly 4 oranges - 1 1/2 cups ( Store bought also can be used)
Lime juice freshly squeezed - 1tbsp
Strawberries cut in half - 1 cup
Ripe banana - 1

METHOD:

• Combine the orange juice, lime juice, strawberries in a blender and process until smooth.
• Add the banana Blend it till smooth. Pour it in your glass. Enjoy.
• For Slushy smoothie,Combine the orange juice, lime juice, strawberries in a blender and process until smooth. Freeze it for until partially freezes. Then add the banana and again blend it, this will give it a nice slush like texture.
• Serve chilled.

Makes 3 servings.

HEALTHY DOSA

It's the different kind of flours that makes this dosa so healthy. Since its a instant dosa so need to ferment. Hence don't have to plan ahead.

INGREDIENTS:
Wheat flour - 1/4 cup
Rice flour - 1/4 cup
Jowar flour - 1/4 cup
Ragi flour - 1/4 cup
Green chilli finely chopped - 2
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Buttermilk as needed
Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• In a mixing bowl take all the ingredients except oil and buttermilk.
• Mix well. Now add buttermilk slowly to make a smooth batter like dosa. Let it rest for 15 mins.
• Heat tawa then wipe it with oil so that the dosa will not stick to it and comes out nicely.
• Now take a ladleful of batter then spread it as thin as possible like you do to make dosa.
• Then drizzle little bit oil all around once its done on one side then flip it and cook the other side too.
• Repeat the steps and make more dosa and serve hot with dhania chutney. (http://pinchofsalt83.blogspot.com/2013/08/dhania-chutney.html)

Makes 2-3 servings.

MUNG DAL CHILLA

     Chilla is indian savory crepe made from lentils. These are protein packed. A great breakfast idea.

INGREDIENTS:
Moong dal skinless, split - 1 1/2 cup soaked for 2 hrs
Green chilli finely chopped - 2 tsp
Ginger chopped - 2 tsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp
Asafetida a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
For the filling:
Paneer - 1/2 cup
Onion finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Tomato finely chopped 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• Grind soaked dal, green chilli,and ginger to a fine batter adding water little at a time. Then add salt, coriander leaves and asafetida in a bowl. Keep aside.
• For the filling : mix all the ingredients together.
• Heat a non-stick pan and brush little oil to avoid sticking.
• Take ladleful of batter and spread it like a dosa, add oil around the sides and cook till light golden brown. Flip it and cook the other side.
• Now flip again and place 1 tbsp filling, fold and serve.

Makes 4-6 servings.

VERMICELLI UPMA

   This is a variation of traditional upma, made from vermicelli. This is quick and easy breakfast, not mention healthy too. Just try it today. You can use your choice of veggies in here.

INGREDIENTS:
Vermicelli - 1 cup
Oil - 2 tbsp
Beans cut into pieces - 1/4 cup
Carrots diced - 1/4 cup
 Peas and corns - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
Ginger chopped - 1 tsp
Green chilli chopped - 1 tsp (optional)
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
 Water - 1 cup
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and fry vermicelli on low heat until light golden color. Then keep aside.
• In the same pan, heat the remaining oil ;add mustard seeds and chana dal fry till light brown then add ginger and green chilli.
• To this add the vegetables and cook until they are done.
• When the veggies are done, add the fried vermicelli, water and salt. Cover it and cook on low heat until vermicelli absorbs all the water.
• Add lemon juice; mix it and serve hot.

Makes 2-3 servings.

VEGGIE SANDWICH

           This sandwich can be made with all kinds of bread but here I have used multigrain. We usually have this as breakfast.

 INGREDIENTS:
Bread slices -10
For the filling:
Carrot cut into Julienne  - 1 big
Green bell pepper cut into Julienne  - 1
Cabbage shredded -1 cup
Beans cut into Julienne - 5-6
Butter - 1 tsp
All purpose flour - 2 tsp
Milk - 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Dhania chutney - 1/4 cup 
http://pinchofsalt83.blogspot.com/2013/08/dhania-chutney.html

METHOD:

• For the filling:
• Heat butter in a pan, add all the veggies, salt and pepper. Let it cook for 2 mins.
• Add the flour and stir it for 1min. Add milk continue cooking for 1 more min. Then keep it aside.
• Spread dhania chutney on one side of each bread slice.
• Place a portion of filling on chutney side and cover it with another slice. Repeat this with the rest of the bread slices.
• Now make these sandwiches in the sandwich maker and serve hot.

Makes 5 serving.

OATS UTTAPAM

           Oats mixed with dosa batter makes this yummy yet heathy uttapam. You can use your left over dosa batter. Now a days you can even get readymade dosa batter in your grocery store. That is a great time saving option.

INGREDIENTS:
Roasted and powdered rolled oats -1 cup
Dosa batter - 2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Onions finely chopped - 1 medium sized
Tomatoes chopped - 2 small sized
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 2 tbsp
Green chilli chopped - 1 tsp (optional)
Salt to taste

METHOD:

• In a mixing bowl take dosa batter, add powdered oats and mix well. you might need water because it can get little thick.
• Now adjust the salt in the batter. Then set aside for 10 mins.
• In another bowl mix in the rest of the ingredients other than oil.
• Get you dosa tawa nice and hot. Grease this tawa with very little oil if needed.
• Then pour in one ladleful batter and spread it evenly to make it as thin as possible. Remember its not going to be thin like dosa.
• Take 1 tbsp of your tomato mixture and put on top of the uttapam. Put oil around the uttapam if needed.
• Let it cook for 30 sec to 60 sec till the base is cooked then flip it once carefully and cook this side for another min.
• Repeat this process to make more uttapam. And serve it with chutney of your choice.

Makes 6-8 uttapams.

OATS CHILLA

        This healthy chilla can be your best thing to start your day as its rich in protein and fibre. Oats must be consumed daily as its has cholesterol lowering agent. So I always try to incorporate it in my daily meals.

INGREDIENTS:
Oats flour - 1 cup
Mixed dal ( Chana dal, masoor dal, mung dal) - 3/4 cup
Onions chopped - 1 medium sized
Green chilli chopped - 1tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp
Red chilli powder - 1tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Amchur powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
METHOD:

• Soak deals in Water for minimum of 2 hours. Then make a paste in a blender with water and keep it aside.
• For oats flour, dry roast the rolled quick oats on low heat for 2 mins then grind it to powder . You can store it in air tight jar for months.
• Now in a mixing bowl, mix the dal paste, oats powder and all the remaining ingredients to make a spreadable batter by adding water as needed.
• Heat non stick tawa, then take a ladleful of batter and spread it slowly to make a 4 inch circle. Just remember you can never make it thin like dosa. So don't try to otherwise it'll be a big mess :-).
• You can drizzle a little oil around  if needed. Then flip it to cook the other side.
• Now repeat this process to Mae more chillas.
• Relish this healthy chilla with your favorite chutney or tomato ketchup.

Makes 10 chillas.

PULIYOGARE POHA

        Poha is a maharashtrian preparation. A very healthy way to start your day. This recipe here is with puliyogare usually used to make tamarind rice. I learned this dish from a very good friend of mine around 7 years ago and soon it became one the favorite breakfast.

INGREDIENTS:

Poha (thick) - 2 cups

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 4

Green chilli slit in half - 2

Chana dal - 1 tbsp

Onion sliced - 1 medium sized 

Peanuts roasted - 6 - 8

Puliyogare mix - 2 tbsp you can adjust according to your taste.

Salt to taste

METHOD:

• Wash poha and then soak it with 1/2 cup of water for 15 mins.
• In the meantime heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, dal and chilli when mustard crackles add the curry leaves.
• Add onion and fry it for 2 mins till it translucents, add puliyogare mix on a low heat, saute for 1 min then combine poha into it.
• Since puliyogare mix has already salt in it so adjust salt accordingly.
• Finish it with peanut and serve hot.

Makes 4 - 5 servings.