Blueberry and Strawberry Milkshakes

My son woke up one day and said "Can you make Blue Milk for me today?”. Promptly my little daughter goes … and I want Pink Princess Milk”! Here the culture associates dressing baby boys in blue and baby girls in pink. So they have grown up with associating blue with boys and pink with girls. Kids get so influenced by color and shapes in their food. Sometimes I feel that they taste food by looking at them, not by tasting them!

Anyway, so I was wondering how to satisfy the kids demand while making it a healthy alternative at the same time. Luckily I had blueberries and strawberries and used those to make the blue and pink milkshakes.

Blueberries and strawberries are a natural and rich source of antioxidants, and other vitamins. Click here for a custom nutrition label  for this healthy milkshake.

Both of them loved their respective boy-girl milkshakes and were happy...and I was the happiest of course, because they got their fruit and milk serving in one go!

Blueberry Banana Milkshake

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 medium size banana

Strawberry Banana Milkshake

• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup strawberries
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 medium size banana

Mix the berries and banana in a blender till no chunks remain. Add milk, sugar and blend again. Enjoy these healthy and refreshing milkshakes!

Its summertime, and I am going for a week vacation again, this time to Yellowstone NP. Will be back to catch up soon!

Edamame and Cabbage Pulao

What do you do after a party where there is leftover rice? Our leftover rice usually gets converted into different variations of Pulao (Fried Rice). Even when you are in a hurry some spices and veggies can transform plain white rice into an exciting dish. This time my rice makeover was a Pulao with Edamame and cabbage.

Edamame is basically fresh soybeans that has been harvested at the peak of ripening right before the seed has hardened. Anyone who's eaten in a sushi restaurant may have eaten this delicious bean. Edamame may be an acquired taste, but luckily my kids have been happily snacking on these green beans since I first introduced it to them. So I have a pack of Edamame in my refrigerator these days.

I buy it from the local Trader Joe's (look for Shelled Soybeans Edamame- ready-to-eat) available in their refrigerator section. Edamame is the only vegetable that offers a value of protein equal to that of meat and eggs, and is rich in calcium, iron, zinc, fiber, and many of the B vitamins. Click here for a nutrition label.

Edamame adds an extra flair to this Pulao, with its beautiful, bright green color. Makes it more fun for kids to eat and I just love it when my kids say ..."Mommy Mommy ..more Edamame !" Yes, they did come up with this cute rhyme.

Ingredients (serves 3-4)

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 1/2 cup chopped cabbage
• 1/2 cup edamame
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• an inch of cinnamon stick
• 2-3  Bay leaves
• a pinch of turmeric (haldi)
• Red Chilli (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• 1 green chilli (optional )
• 1/2 tsp Pulao masala

METHOD

• Heat oil in a frying pan
• When hot, add cumin seeds and let it crackle
• Add cinnamon and bay leaves
• Lower the flame and then add turmeric, red chilli powder and pulao masala
• Add chopped cabbage, edamame, and salt. Cook on high heat for a couple of minutes, then cover and cook on low until done(5-7 min).
• Add the cooked rice and mix it well
• Cook the Pulao for another 3-4 min  with constant stirring over medium heat until all the flavors are well incorporated

Enjoy this protein rich Pulao served hot with a simple cooling cucumber Raita (Yoghurt Dip)!

Avocado Cucumber Summer Salad

Another beautiful summer day! And you want to spend the least amount of time cooking, but eat healthy at the same time. Amongst other healthy fruits and veggies, Avocado is one fruit that we are trying to incorporate more in our diet. Avocados have high heart-healthy monounsaturated fat and are rich in beta-sitosterol, a natural substance shown to significantly lower blood cholesterol levels.

Here is a quick healthy summer salad with Avocado and Cucumber. One of my friends stopped by the other day, and she tried this simple combination and liked it a lot! Hence I thought it would be good to share with you all.

Check the nutrition label for this simple concoction – loads of essential vitamins and minerals served in less than 5 minutes with minimum effort!

Ingredients

• 1 large Avocado
• 1 English Cucumber
• 1 Lemon
• Fresh Ground Pepper
• Salt (to taste)

Method

• Cut the Avocado and Cucumber into small cubes
• Toss well with lemon juice (Avocados tend to turn brown after cutting, but you can avoid that by adding a little citrus like lemon or lime juice)
• Sprinkle some fresh ground pepper and salt (to taste)
• Keep cold until ready to serve

We just love this salad - buttery Avocado perfectly complemented by the crunchy cucumbers with zing of lemon juice and black pepper.

Enjoy while I am gone on a week-long vacation!

Tips

• Choose an Avocado that is not mushy or very easy to dent (it should be soft but close to firm)
• To store coat the open surface area with lemon juice and and seal it in plastic. This will prevent the oxidization.