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.

Pan Sautéed Potatoes With Chives

A good friend of mine had an overabundance of chives in her garden and was kind enough to give me some of these fresh, crisp and bright green chives.

Chives (these look like slim spring onions) are mild, onion-flavored herb with deep green hollow leaves. They aid in digestion and have high levels of vitamin A and C. When added to the diet on a regular basis, they can also help reduce blood cholesterol levels.

One very simple dish that you just cannot go wrong with is potatoes with chives. I have kept the flavors very simple so that you can just  savor the potatoes with crunchy delicate onion flavored chives.

Ingredients

• 4 medium red potatoes
• 2 teaspoons Paprika
• 2 tablespoon oil
• Half cup chopped chives
• Salt to taste

Method

• Wash the red potatoes thoroughly and cut into 1 inch thick wedges
• Place a nonstick pan over medium-high heat and add oil
• Add the potatoes, salt, paprika and cook, turning occasionally until it gets a golden brown color on both sides (around 10 min)

• Then cook covered with a lid for 5 min, or until tender from inside
• Add chopped chives and toss (Note: Chives should be added towards the very end to retain flavor and vitamin content)
• Sprinkle more green chives before serving

Best eaten as soon as they are out of the pan … Hot and crisp! They will disappear in no time!

(The picture above is being submitted to the Click:Stacks event by Jugalbandi)

Also sending this to BSI:Potatoes which is currently being hosted at Chez What?

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I am also so happy to receive this lovely award from Kalaivani. Thanks for your encouragement and appreciation!

I would like to pass this award to these enthusiastic new bloggers…Dolon, Vidya, Chakhlere, Shuba, Subhie, Sangi, Avisha, Parita, Jaya and Lata.

Thanks to all my fellow bloggers who have been encouraging me with all these lovely comments!

Rose Infused Watermelon Granita

What can possibly be more relaxing in summer than a cold refreshing granita!  Granitas are tiny flavored ice flakes made by freezing a mixture of sugar, water, and  flavorings (usually fruit), and scraping it as the ice crystals form. Low in calories and fat, you can easily satisfy your sweet tooth without guilt ! At the same time it is fun for the kids to help with and enjoy eating.

This simple granita uses watermelon - an icon of summertime. Addition of rose water (a clear, aromatic, sweet tasting liquid, distilled from fresh rose petals) takes it to the next level by not only enhancing the flavor of watermelon, but also adding a fragrant touch.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 4 cups watermelon
• 4 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons rose water

Method

• Puree all the above ingredients in a blender or food processor
• Pour in a shallow pan, cover with a plastic wrap, and freeze until it just gets icy at the edges (around 30 min). Stir the mixture thoroughly scraping with a fork to break the ice
• Check the mixture every hour. When it begins to freeze, scrape it again with a fork breaking the frozen parts. Granita is ready when the mixture is completely frozen into small granular ice crystals (around 4-5 hrs)
• To serve, scrape some granita into pre-chilled glasses and top with watermelon slice, and organic rose petals.

A perfect summer cooler sure to perk you up on a hot day!