Give your Recipes a Dash of Herbs - Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

No one wants to eat bland food, but ladling on sauces and gravies just adds excess fat and calories to your diet. Fortunately, calorie-free herbs add flavor without all that extra baggage, and they’re easy to use. Herbs are edible, fragrant plants that add flavor and nutrients to many types of foods. By playing with herbal variations in your recipes, you can get a completely different taste every time you cook. When choosing dried herbs, it’s best to buy organic so you’re sure the herbs have not been irradiated. When you're buying fresh herbs, whether at the grocery store or a farmers’ market, be sure to get them as close as possible to the day you plan to use them. Before cooking with fresh herbs, you'll need to wash them carefully. Rinse the herbs underneath running water, then place them on a paper towel or shake them off to dry. If you're cleaning large leaves like basil or a large bunch of parsley, place them in a bowl of cool water and swirl it around. Transfer the herbs to a clean bowl of water and continue to rinse until the water stays clear. Then dry them off and prepare them for cooking. Generally, you just want to use the leaves, not the stems, of the herb. Different types of herbs can be used for different dishes.

Oregano and basil for pasta dishes and sauces

Rosemary and thyme for chicken and vegetable dishes

Dill for cauliflower, cucumbers, and fish and fish sauces

Parsley for fish, soups, vegetables, and tomato sauce

Mint for salad, beverages, and desserts

Marjoram for stews, soups, and eggs

Cilantro for Mexican and Thai dishes

Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

Prep Time 40 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

    1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (longer pieces cut crosswise in half again)

    1 tablespoon cornstarch

    Coarse salt and ground pepper

    6 teaspoons vegetable oil

    1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges

    2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or a mix, ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

    6 garlic cloves, minced

    2 tablespoons rice vinegar

    2 tablespoons soy sauce

    1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, larger leaves torn in half

    Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

    Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated; season generously with salt and pepper.

    In a large wok or nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning once, until browned, but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Transfer chicken to plate. Set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.

    To skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell peppers; cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Add 1/4 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken to pan; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve immediately, over white rice, if desired.

Celebrate Fathers Day with home cooked meal by India Food Network

Mumbai June 2013 – They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So what better way to tell him how special he is than cook him a delicious meal. India Food Network works up a complete meal for your father that you both can cook and gorge on this special day. India Food Network is a step-by-step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. 

Joel   Dsouza , Chef and Food Consultant who specializes in Mexican Cooking and Archana Arte , who is a raging hit on India Food Network with her delicious home cooking  share some mouth watering recipes for the readers on this special day. Our expert chef’s help you cook an elaborate meal with starter, main course and dessert that you can sit and enjoy with your daddy dearest.

Celebrate good food and easy to make to make recipes with India Food Network.  Watch the channel on YouTube to learn some exciting recipes like Oatmeal Pancakes, Lebanese Chicken Skewers, Vegan Recipes and many more delicious and nutritious recipes. Also live on the channel all this month is Indian Restaurant Special by Mini Ribeiro churning favourite recipes and secret tips from well known restaurants like Zaffran , Abicius, Kailash Parbat and many more . Log on to http://www.youtube.com/user/Indiafoodnetwork?feature=watch

Recipe for Nacho Chips by Joel Dsouza from India Food Network

Ingredients

·         For the corn chips

·         2 cups Makkai ki atta

·         1 cup lukewarm water

·         Salt to taste 

Method

·         Sieve the corn flour in a clean dry bowl

·         Add salt

·         Pour in lukewarm water, 1 tbsp at a time until the dough is semi dry and clumps together in the shape of a ball

·         Keep aside

·         In a hard bottom deep pan pour in oil and heat over medium low flame

·         Tear out a cling film about half a meter in length and place on your counter

·         Divide the dough in 2 or 4 round pieces

·         Using your palm flatten the dough first and place cling film and cover with the other end of the cling film. Don’t worry if the dough balls start to crumble

·         Using a rolling pin start rolling the cling film until the dough flattens to 1 cm thick

·         Once done, gently pull up the cling film and transfer flattened dough to a cutting board

·         Take a triangle shaped cutter, place it on the dough and cut it out

·         Do an oil test by taking pieces of the dough and putting it into the hot oil. If the dough drowns, 

·         Your oil still needs to heat up. Increase flame. If the dough bubbles on the surface your oil is perfect

·         Immerse the chips in batches and wait until the surface gets golden brown before tipping them on the reverse

·         Drain the chips once cooked in a paper towel to remove excess oil

·         Serve with salsa 

Recipe for Chicken Papillote by Joel Dsouza from India Food Network

Ingredients:

·         Handful of cilantro (dhaniya) leaves

·         2-3 lemon grass stalks

·         1 orange juice and zest

·         6-7 garlic cloves

·         3 ginger pieces

·         1 vegetable cube

·         6-7 pieces green chillies

·         4 pieces of chicken thighs and legs

·         11/2 tbsp black pepper

·         4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

·         Little flour

·         2 onions sliced

·         1 potato slice

·         1/2 Chopped red bell pepper

·         Bok choy

·         Parchment paper

Method

·         Blend cilantro leaves, garlic, ginger, chillies and lemon grass

·         TIP: If the lemon grass is thick, apply force and flatten it

·         Add salt to taste

·         TIP: Use orange juice instead of water to make the paste

·         Blend for 1-11/2 mins till a coarse paste appears

·         Once the paste is ready, smear it over the chicken pieces

·         TIP: You can use aluminium/kitchen foil as well

·         Fold the parchment paper into half

·         Draw a heart on the paper

·         Cut the paper into the shape drawn

·         Place a banana leaf on the paper

·         Place the chicken pieces on top of the leaf

·         Put the potatoes and bok choy around the chicken

·         Season with black pepper powder, salt and orange rind

·         Fold the edges tightly, enveloping the chicken

·         Place the chicken on the baking dish

·         Bake it in a preheated oven at 110 degrees for 45-60 mins

·         Stir fry vegetables: Heat 1 tbsp oil

·         Once the oil is hot, drop in the bell peppers and bok choy

·         Stir fry for 2 mins

·         Season with salt and pepper

·         Transfer the vegetables into the plate

·         For the sauce: heat 1 tbsp oil

·         Once the oil is hot, drop in the sliced onions

·         Once the onions turn light brown, add a dash of flour

·         Add salt and pepper to taste

·         Add 1 vegetable cube

·         Pour in the balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp water

·         Mix well

·         TIP: When the sauce clings to the laddle, it is ready

·         Now, place the stir fried vegetables, baked chicken and balsamic sauce on the plate

Recipe for Walnut and Date Cake by Archana Arte from India Food Network

Ingredients (For 3/4 kg cake)

·         250g seedless khajoor (dates) soaked in 1/2 cup lukewarm water & soda bicarb for 1/2 hour

·         120g coarsely ground sugar

·         120g maida (all purpose flour)

·         2 eggs

·         100g butter

·         1/2 tsp baking powder

·         1 tsp vanilla essence

·         25g finely chopped walnuts

·         Butter paper to put in the aluminium tin

Method

·         In a vessel, add 100g butter

·         Add 2 eggs

·         Add 1 tsp vanilla essence

·         Add 120g coarsely ground sugar

·         Whisk the ingredients with a beater

·         TIP: Do not whisk the ingredients vigorously

·         TIP: Mixing dates with all purpose flour ensures that the dates are evenly spread in the cake once 

·         baked

·         In a bowl, add 120g maida (all purpose flour)

·         Add 1/2 tsp baking powder

·         Add 25g finely chopped walnuts

·         Add 250g seedless soaked khajoor (dates)

·         Mix well

·         Now, add the dates mixture to the egg batter

·         Mix well

·         TIP: The right consistency is achieved once the of the mixture is slides of the spatula

·         TIP: If the consistency is heavy, add 1/4 cup warm milk to the mixture

·         Once the mixture is ready, grease the tin with butter

·         Once the entire tin is greased with butter, place the butter paper in the tin

·         Now, pour the mixture into the tin

·         Once the mixture is poured, tap the tin on the bottom to spread the mixture evenly

·         TIP: When baking the cake in the microwave, select combi-convection & preheat for 5 minutes

·         TIP: Bake at 160 degrees for 40-45 minutes

·         Once the cake is ready, remove the butter paper from all the sides

·         TIP: Butter paper ensures that the cake doesn't stick to the tin

·         Ready to serve

Cooking Healthy Dinner Recipes - Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Many people feel that dinner is one of the important meals in the day. Most of the people in the metropolitan cities pursue a very hectic lifestyle. This hectic lifestyle devoid them from maintaining a proper routine for daily breakfast and lunch. It is the most enjoyable meal for some people. You can relax after a hectic day at work and enjoy your dinner with your family in complete peace. On the other hand there are many people that come home and prepare the dinner themselves. It can turn out to be a pretty tedious task. It would be a real blessing if one gets hand on some recipes that are not so time consuming and healthy alike. There are many ways that can make cooking dinner recipes fun, quick, healthy and easy. 

One must consider it as a time to be involved with the family and kids. There are a number of recipes that even kids can contribute with. These recipes can help you strike a chord between fun, cooking, health and taste. Get the kids involved in helping prepare the meal. They can do things like washing and tearing up vegetables and measuring out ingredients. One must add proper dash of fruits and vegetables to the dinner meals. Vegetables and fruits are often regarded as one of the healthiest ingredients while preparing a dinner meals. These fruits and vegetables are easy on stomach and easily digestible. It also helps in providing a sweet and tangy punch to the meal. Try to chop the essential fruits and vegetables days prior to store it in the fridge. You can store them in containers in fridge and use them as per your needs. This would work wonders for the working class people that cook dinner after reaching home drenched in tiredness. Let us discuss a not so time consuming dinner recipe which is tasty and healthy alike. You can involve the kids too in preparation of it.

Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Ingredients

4 small chicken breast fillets, trimmed

1 lemon, rind removed (see hint), juiced

750g kipfler or pink fir potatoes, scrubbed

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

150g baby green beans, trimmed, halved

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into thirds crossways

1 tablespoon dill leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method

Place chicken in a large, deep frying pan with lemon rind. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Cool slightly. Slice across the grain.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Using tongs, transfer to a chopping board. Stand for 10 minutes or until still warm but cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a large bowl.

Using a fork, whisk oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice and salt and pepper in a jug. Drizzle three-quarters of the dressing over potato. Stir gently to coat.

Place beans and asparagus in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 3 minutes. Drain. Add to potato with chicken, dill and chives. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Toss gently to combine. Season with pepper. Serve.

Hint: Use a potato peeler to remove the rind from a lemon, avoiding the white pith which can make the poaching liquid taste bitter.

This recipe would take 20 mins for preparation & 30 mins to cook.

There are many websites and video channels online that provide many such healthy dinner recipes and cooking tips. India Food Network is one such website which you can refer to learn these easy to cook instant healthy recipes. It also provides many nutritional tips and ingredients list for cooking fanatics. Visit the India Food Network website for more information.

Cooking Healthy Dinner Recipes - Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Many people feel that dinner is one of the important meals in the day. Most of the people in the metropolitan cities pursue a very hectic lifestyle. This hectic lifestyle devoid them from maintaining a proper routine for daily breakfast and lunch. It is the most enjoyable meal for some people. You can relax after a hectic day at work and enjoy your dinner with your family in complete peace. On the other hand there are many people that come home and prepare the dinner themselves. It can turn out to be a pretty tedious task. It would be a real blessing if one gets hand on some recipes that are not so time consuming and healthy alike. There are many ways that can make cooking dinner recipes fun, quick, healthy and easy. One must consider it as a time to be involved with the family and kids. There are a number of recipes that even kids can contribute with. These recipes can help you strike a chord between fun, cooking, health and taste. Get the kids involved in helping prepare the meal. They can do things like washing and tearing up vegetables and measuring out ingredients. One must add proper dash of fruits and vegetables to the dinner meals. Vegetables and fruits are often regarded as one of the healthiest ingredients while preparing a dinner meals. These fruits and vegetables are easy on stomach and easily digestible. It also helps in providing a sweet and tangy punch to the meal. Try to chop the essential fruits and vegetables days prior to store it in the fridge. You can store them in containers in fridge and use them as per your needs. This would work wonders for the working class people that cook dinner after reaching home drenched in tiredness. Let us discuss a not so time consuming dinner recipe which is tasty and healthy alike. You can involve the kids too in preparation of it.

Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Ingredients

4 small chicken breast fillets, trimmed

1 lemon, rind removed (see hint), juiced

750g kipfler or pink fir potatoes, scrubbed

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

150g baby green beans, trimmed, halved

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into thirds crossways

1 tablespoon dill leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method

Place chicken in a large, deep frying pan with lemon rind. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Cool slightly. Slice across the grain.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Using tongs, transfer to a chopping board. Stand for 10 minutes or until still warm but cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a large bowl.

Using a fork, whisk oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice and salt and pepper in a jug. Drizzle three-quarters of the dressing over potato. Stir gently to coat.

Place beans and asparagus in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 3 minutes. Drain. Add to potato with chicken, dill and chives. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Toss gently to combine. Season with pepper. Serve.

Hint: Use a potato peeler to remove the rind from a lemon, avoiding the white pith which can make the poaching liquid taste bitter.

This recipe would take 20 mins for preparation & 30 mins to cook.

There are many websites and video channels online that provide many such healthy dinner recipes and cooking tips. India Food Network is one such website which you can refer to learn these easy to cook instant healthy recipes. It also provides many nutritional tips and ingredients list for cooking fanatics. Visit the India Food Network website for more information.

Healthy Recipes to keep you Fit – Chicken and Peach Salad

Preparing food the old fashioned way—at home in your own kitchen—doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. With some simple guidelines, you can create quick, delicious meals the whole family will enjoy. Many people feel too busy to take 15 minutes for breakfast every day. But this vital first meal of the day gets your metabolism going and gives you energy. People who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight. Breakfast can be quick, easy, and nutritious. If you have a busy schedule, lunch can often be a rushed meal—a takeout eaten at your desk or a quick bite in a diner or restaurant. But with a little planning, it’s easy to prepare a nutritious and tasty lunch yourself. Things like sandwiches or leftovers from a previous dinner can make quick, easy, and healthy lunchtime meals. You must strike a perfect balance in the ingredients that make a pivotal part of your breakfast and lunch recipes. Most of the people nowadays lead a hectic lifestyle. This makes it very hard for them to maintain proper balance in their early morning breakfast and lunch routine. There are many recipes that you can consume to maintain proper balance between enjoying tasty food and eating healthy. Let us discuss one such recipe which is not much time consuming in preparation. Along with that it also helps you to strike a chord between taste and health.

Chicken and Peach Salad

Ingredients:

    7 green onions

    1/4 cup soy sauce

    2 tablespoons red wine

    1 tablespoon honey

    1 tablespoon brown sugar

    1 garlic clove, crushed

    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    4 small chicken breast fillets, trimmed

    120g mixed lettuce leaves

    30g snow pea sprouts, trimmed

    1 Lebanese cucumber, sliced

    415g can peach slices in natural juice (see note), drained

    1/2 cup pistachio kernels

    1 avocado

Dressing

    1 teaspoon sesame oil

    1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

    1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce

    2cm piece ginger, peeled, grated

Method

Thinly slice 3 onions. Combine soy sauce, red wine, honey, sugar, garlic, cinnamon and sliced onions in a large, shallow ceramic dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight, if time permits.

Make dressing: Place oils, sweet chili sauce and ginger in a screw-top jar. Secure lid and shake until well combined. Set aside until ready to serve.

Preheat a barbecue grill on medium heat. Remove chicken from marinade. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes each side or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate. Cover with foil and stand for 5 minutes. Slice.

Thinly slice remaining onions. Combine onions, lettuce, snow pea sprouts, cucumber, peaches and pistachio kernels in a large bowl. Peel, quarter and thinly slice avocado. Add to salad. Pour over dressing and gently toss. Spoon salad onto plates. Top with chicken and serve.

           

There are many internet sites and channels that provide an array of recipes to make your off day subtle. India Food Network is one such website which is very well known for different types of recipes both vegetarian and no vegetarian. It also provides many health tips and recipe short cuts to make cooking a fun filled hobby. Visit the India Food Network website to check out more.

Be High on Nutrition: Add Fruits to your Diet

Try to eat dinner earlier in the day and then kind of observe fast for 14-16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Early studies suggest that this simple dietary technique—eating is applicable when you’re most active and it gives your digestive system a long break each day. These smart eating techniques also help to regulate weight. After-dinner snacks tend to be high in fat and calories so are best avoided. Fruits and vegetables are regarded to lay foundation levels of a healthy diet. They are very low in calories and absolutely high in essential nutrients. These fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. One must try and consume a huge number of fruits and vegetables every day. Every meal should contain ample amount of these fruits. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day. These are some of nutritional foods that should certainly be part of your food plate.

Figs

When you think of potassium-rich produce, figs probably do not hit the high note, but you may be baffled to learn that six fresh figs have 891 mg of the blood pressure-lowering mineral. Figs help constitute almost 20% of your daily need and it is almost double the nutrition that you may find what in one large banana. In a recent 5-year study from the Netherlands, high-potassium diets were linked with lower rates of death from all causes in healthy adults age 55 and older. Figs are one of the best options that contain calcium, with nearly as much per serving (six figs) as 1/2 cup of fat-free milk. You can try figs in various methods and recipes. For e.g. chopping it and adding to yogurt, cottage cheese, oatmeal, or green salads. Figs can also be used as a savory snack to have a bite every now and then.

Blueberries

Blueberries may very well be the most apt nutritious food jam-packed with antioxidants. Tangy-sweet wild blueberries (which are smaller than their cultivated cousins) contain the high quantity of absorbable antioxidants. Research shows a diet rich in blueberries can help with memory loss, prevent urinary tract infections, and help get rid of eyestrain. Add up to 1/2 cup of blueberries to your diet a day for maximum health benefits, recommends Ronald Prior, PhD, adjunct professor of food science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. This alone provides just about double the amount of antioxidants most Americans get in 1 day.

Asian Pears

One large Asian pear has a whopping 10 g of cholesterol-lowering fiber, about 40% of your daily need. People who ate the most fiber had the lowest total and LDL cholesterol levels, according to a recent study of Baltimore adults. The same researchers found that people who ate the most fiber also weighed the least and had the lowest body mass index and waist circumference. Serve by dicing it into a salad of Boston lettuce, crumbled goat cheese, walnuts, and mandarin oranges. Or make it a dessert: Add peeled and cored pears to a saucepan with 1 cup white wine, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and enough water to cover the pears. Cover and simmer 40 minutes or until pears are soft.

Apples

One of the healthiest fruits you should be eating is one you probably already are: the apple. The Iowa Women’s Health Study, which has been investigating the health habits of 34,000 women for nearly 20 years, named apples as one of only three foods (along with pears and red wine) that are most effective at reducing the risk of death from heart disease among postmenopausal women. Other massive studies have found the fruit to lower risk of lung cancer and type 2 diabetes—and even help women lose weight. In fact, one of the only things that could make an apple unhealthy is mixing it with sugar, flour, and butter and stuffing it into a mile-high pie. Instead, have one as an afternoon snack with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or add slices to sandwiches or salads.

These fruits can be easily blended into a wide range of recipes. These fruits will help fulfill your basic nutritional needs and yet provide you with yummy recipes and desserts. There are many websites and video channels online that provide many such healthy recipes and cooking tips. India Food Network is one such website which you can refer to learn these easy to cook instant healthy recipes. It also provides many nutritional tips and ingredients list for cooking fanatics. Visit the India Food Network website for more information. 

Calcium helps in Making Bones Stronger: Calcium Rich Recipes

Calcium is often regarded as one of the most essential components for a healthy body and living. It is one of the key nutrients to keep the body strong and healthy. It is essential for many different reasons; it also acts as a building block for stronger bones in men and women alike. This is the reason your mom must be doting on you since a tender age to consume more milk. Milk is known to contain high quantities of calcium. A person and his bones benefit a lot from having calcium rich food included in their diet. It limits the foods that deplete your body’s calcium stores, and helps you get your daily dose of magnesium and vitamins D and K—nutrients that help calcium do its job. 

There are many products that are rich in calcium. Dairy products are the top notch products for proper intake of calcium. Dairy products are very rich in calcium and can be easily digested. It provides calcium in such form that it can be easily absorbed by the body. Various dairy products include Milk, Yoghurt and cheese. Other foods high on calcium are vegetables and fruits. The various green vegetables are very high in calcium components. Try turnip greens, mustard greens, collard greens, kale, romaine lettuce, celery, broccoli, fennel, cabbage, green beans, asparagus, and crimini mushrooms. Another rich source of calcium is the beans. Black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, white beans, black-eyed peas, or baked beans are regarded as rich sources of calcium. Let us discuss couple of calcium rich recipes that won't fail to satisfy your taste buds too.

Broccoli-stuffed Pasta

6 ounces (18-20) jumbo pasta shells

1 16-ounce bag frozen chopped broccoli, thawed

1 pound low-fat cottage cheese

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon grated onion

½ teaspoon pepper

2 cloves crushed garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 15 ½ ounce jars marinara sauce (or spaghetti sauce)

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain. Combine broccoli, cottage cheese, 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, onion, pepper and garlic.  Fill shells with cheese-broccoli mixture.  Spoon enough marinara sauce into bottom of 9-by-13-inch baking pan to cover the bottom.  Arrange shells in single layer; spoon remaining sauce over shells.  Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella cheese on top.  Cover pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 15 more minutes, until heated thoroughly.

Serving: 6

Calories per serving: 437

Calcium per serving: 493 mg

Old-Fashioned Hot Cocoa

5 Tablespoons sugar

1/3 cup cocoa

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups water

4 ½ cups whole milk

1 cup instant nonfat dry milk

½ teaspoon mint extract (optional)

Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a 2-quart saucepan.  Add water.  Boil and stir constantly.  Boil and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in liquid milk and then slowly add dry milk, stirring continuously.  Heat thoroughly but do not boil.  Stir in extract, if desired.  Just before serving, beat with a hand beater until foamy.

Servings: 6, 1 cup each

Calories per serving: 202

Calcium per serving: 365 mg