Homemade Granola using Jaggery

When it comes to toddler snacks, we always want to go in for a healthy option that are delectable for kids as well. Granola- is one such ideal healthy snacking option not just for kids, but adults as well.
Though not an Indian snack, it is off late gaining lot of popularity here for its healthy and nutritious contents.

This is a no bake recipe that can be so easily made on a stove top. This makes a great travel friendly snacking option for kids. My son loves this as he finds it crispy, crunchy and sweet :):)

You can make N number of combinations and varieties of Granola using the below key ingredients.

Preparation of Granola involves 5 Key ingredients

1. Whole grains - Rice crisps, Whole Wheat grains, Rolled Oats, Corn Flakes
2. Nuts - Walnut, Almonds, Pecan, Hazelnuts,Cashew Nuts
3. Seeds - Sesame, Pumpkin, Melon, Flaxseeds, Chia Seeds
4. Dry Fruits - Dried Cranberries, Blueberries, Raisins, chopped dates, dried apricots, dried strawberries
5. Natural Sweeteners - Dates Syrup, Raw Honey, Maple Syrup,Cane Sugar, Brown unrefined sugar, unsweetened chocolate syrup

You can make this as a Trail mix or as bars. I have chose to make them as a crispy crunch mix. Let's jump to the preparation. :)

Serves: 2 Cups

Ingredients

Whole Grains

• Rolled Oats - 1 cup

Seeds

• Melon Seeds - 2 tbsp
• Pumpkin Seeds - 2 tbsp

Seeds - Melon and Pumpkin Seeds

Nuts

• Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp
• Walnuts - 2 tbsp

Nuts - Walnuts and Cashew Nuts

Dry Fruits

• Raisins - 2 tbsp
• Cranberries - 2 tbsp

Dry Fruits - Raisins and Cranberries

 

Sweeteners

• Honey - 2 tbsp
• Powdered Jaggery - 1/4 cup

Flavoring Ingredients

• Vanilla Essence - 1 tsp
• Cinnamon Powder - 1/2 tsp

Nuts,Seeds and Dry Fruits

Method

1. Dry Roast the seeds and nuts separately in a thick bottomed pan until they emit nice flavour. Keep it aside after roasting.

2. Dry Roast the oats in a thick bottomed pan on a low-medium flame until you start getting nice aroma of oats and keep it aside separately.

3. In the pan, add powdered jaggery, cinnamon powder and 2 tbsp of water to melt the jaggery. Ensure you melt it on full low flame.

4. Once the jaggery has melted, add all the dry roasted ingredients along with dry fruits and give it a nice mix.

5. To above, add Honey and vanilla essence and give it a nice stirring on low-medium flame so that all the ingredients are crunchy and crispy.

6. Remove the contents from the pan and transfer it to a large bowl.

7. Use both your hands to separate the contents from sticking to each other. Initially, it would be sticking to each other due to jaggery. However, as you keep repeating this process of separating them using your hands by breaking the lumps, it is easier for you to make crispy crunch Trail Mix.


Please note : Do it as soon as you remove the contents from pan. If you delay, it would be a little hard to break the lumps without breaking it.


8. Store it in an airtight container and it stays fresh for long :) Enjoy this delicious snacking.

Cauliflower Soup With Caramelized Onions and Roasted Walnuts

Did you know that a boiled and smashed cauliflower can be a very good vegan substitute to a cheese?? Oh yes, I once tried this cauliflower soup and gave it to my sister and immediately she asked me have you added cheese to it?? it looks so cheesy and creamy..:) Now doesn't that sound interesting. Highly healthy and a low carb vegetable can easily be made to replace a cheese. This soup is again another dish to my low-carb series. This is extremely creamy, tastes great and also low in calories. Satiates your hunger and keeps you full in just 2 bowls. What more do you need for an ideal weight loss. Go ahead and try the soup right away which is so simple, comforting and tasty. This is also kid's friendly and can be given to toddlers above 1 year.

serves:2

Ingredients

1. cauliflower florets - 1 cup
2. Onion-1 (thinly sliced)
3. sugar - 1 tsp
4. salt - 1 tsp
5. Walnuts - 1 tbsp
6. Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
7. Garlic pods - 4
8. Salt and pepper to taste
9. Water - 2 cups + 1 cup

Sauteing of cauliflower and garlic in Olive Oil

                           

Caramelised Onions and Roasted Walnuts

Method

1. soak cauliflower in water for 2 mins. If there are any worms, it would come out. Wash the cauliflower once again.

2. Saute the florets with garlic pods in olive oil for 2 mins in a pan or cooker.

3. Pressure cook for 3 whistles with 2 cups of water. Allow the contents to cool down.

4. Strain the contents and blend them at high speed in a mixer.

5. Transfer the puree to a pan. Add 1 cup of water if required depending on the consistency required for a creamy texture.

6. Add the required amount of salt and pepper and simmer the soup for 5 mins.

Seasoning

• Heat olive oil in a pan, add onions and walnuts and roast them on low flame. Add a tsp of sugar and tsp of salt.
• Keep stirring occasionally until the onions shrink and turn in golden brown color as shown in the picture.

Serving suggestion

Add the soup to a bowl, top it with some caramelized onions and walnuts. Serve hot with toasted breads and it tastes just yummmmm. :)

Walnut Brownie with Vanilla Ice Cream

Highly delicate,soft and crunchy brownie delight topped with chocolate ganache and served with vanilla ice cream. It came out really well with perfect texture inside and out. I made this as a dessert for a family dinner. This dessert is sure to make you drool over.

Vegan Broccoli Walnut Salad

There was a period where in I had to reduce my weight quickly so that I could get back to my dancing and shows. I was desperately looking out for a diet plan to shed, of course in a healthy way. I was introduced to this Diet plan through one of my dance friends and is called as Vegan Detox Diet. Unlike other diet plan where you quickly start gaining after you stop the diet, this was a healthy way of detoxifying your body,washing away all your toxins and letting your body flush all the unhealthy fat through proper intake. I will be writing a detailed separate post about this diet plan in my blog very soon and post the link here. Now, check out this highly nutria-Delicious which is highly protein packed and contains the goodness of all colored vegetables. You can have this as your snack or as a substitute for your mid-day meal.

Serves:2
Ingredients

1. Vegetables

• Broccoli - 4 florets
• Onion - 1 (sliced thinly) 
• Aubergine -1/4 cup (sliced thinly)
• Beans-1/4 cup (chopped)
• Bell peppers -1/4 cup (sliced thinly)

2. Walnuts-1/4 cup (chopped)
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil-1/2 cup 
4. Garlic - 4 pods (minced finely)
5. Freshly ground pepper as required
6. Dried Parsley and Oregano - 2 tsp each
7. salt as required
8. Turmeric a pinch


Method

1. Boil the broccoli florets and beans together with a pinch of salt and turmeric separately till they are semi cooked. They should not be overcooked or become too soft.

2. In a pan, add virgin olive oil and saute garlic for a minute. Add onions and saute till they become translucent. Add aubergine and bell peppers and saute for a min till aubergine turns color and becomes semi cooked.

3. Now add the cooked florets and beans to above contents and saute for a min.

4. Add the chopped walnuts. 

5. Add the needed amount of salt, pepper,parsley and oregano for seasoning and toss it well.

6. Salad is ready to be munched :)