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.

Give your Tasty Recipes a Healthy Touch of Fiber

      Fiber is a fundamental nutrient required for proper digestion of foods, proper functioning of the digestive tract at large, and for helping fill your tummy. A deficiency of fiber can lead to constipation, hemorrhoids, and high elevation of cholesterol and sugar in the blood. Likewise, an excess of fiber can lead to a bowel obstruction, diarrhea, or even dehydration. The body needs proper amount of fiber to fulfill the body requirements. There are many different types of ingredients which can help in providing the amount of fiber needed for the body. There is nothing more apt on a chilly morning like a steaming bowl of creamy oatmeal. Oats are regarded as one of the best ingredients to get soluble fiber, the kind that can help slide down your cholesterol levels. Start your day with a cup of cooked oatmeal and you bless your body with 4 grams of fiber. Top it with a sliced banana (or better yet, add the banana while you’re cooking the oatmeal — it will help make oatmeal more creamy) for an extra 3 grams. With 10 grams of fiber and just 65 calories each, artichokes are a light but filling option for individual interested in dieting. Try them in Creamy Artichoke Soup; it is a recipe which can be made easy by using frozen artichoke hearts.

      Frozen peas are one of the most fast and easy available options to add vegetables to a meal. Peas are also regarded as one of the vegetables very high in fiber with 9 grams per cup. You can take peas and carrots to a whole new level by including it in a plate of pasta with Peas and Carrots. Whole Wheat Spaghetti is another ingredient high in fiber. Replacing regular white pasta with whole-wheat will give you more than twice as much fiber — 6 grams in a cup. Going for 100 percent whole-wheat pasta or bread is a simple way to start getting more fiber (and whole grains) in your diet. Beans are one of the best sources of fiber out there: 1 cup can bless your dish with 12 to 19 grams of fiber. You can also try mixing black beans into a quesadilla, make a white-bean-and-escarole soup or top a green salad with garbanzo beans. Cooked bulgur wheat contains very high amount of fiber amongst all the whole grains. It can be used in various salad recipes. It offers an extra dose of fiber, if blended with lentils. Popcorn counts as a whole grain and has the fiber to prove it. 3 cups of the crunchy tasty popcorn can provide you with 4 grams of fiber for just 90 calories when air-popped. Popcorn is also easy to make. Just put 3 tablespoons of popcorn seeds in a paper bag, fold over the top a few times to keep it closed and microwave it until you hear the pops becoming less frequent.

      There are many fruits which are high in fiber content. Raspberries and pears are one of them. You must have noticed the little seeds dotting raspberries. These little seeds are responsible for raspberries’ high-fiber content. Just a small cup of this low-calorie, sweet-tart berries can provide you with 8 grams of fiber. These berries can be blended with yogurt for a healthy breakfast, tasty snack or dessert. Pears are not too far behind raspberries. Just one pear provides you with 5 grams of fiber. You can snack on them by just slicing them out or layer them onto an almond butter sandwich or give them a French twist in a Pear desert which is tasty yet healthy. These ingredients can be used in scores of recipes, which would be tasty and yet with a proper touch healthy needs.

       It is very essential for the kids to intake proper amount of fiber for healthy well being. Mothers can use these high fiber ingredients to blend it in tasty recipes for the kids. India Food Network is one of the websites that provide large number of recipes made by using these healthy ingredients. You can find a range of recipes varying from deserts, snacks and much more. With the boom of the internet, finding these healthy recipes has become a cakewalk. So what are you waiting for? Healthy and tasty food is just one click away. Log into India Food Network for more details.

Top 4 Healthy Foods to Keep you Healthy

Nowadays along with being tech savvy, people have turned very health conscious. There are lots of people that are dumping the junk food to move on to healthier eating habits. Maintaining a healthy diet is not a hard thing to do. Eating healthy just means eating smart. It all depends on an individual to blend in the healthy ingredients to make the cuisine tasty. Maintaining a healthy diet is all about feeling great and energetic all the time. Eating healthy food and maintaining a proper diet can work wonders for an individual over a stipulated time. It is a myth that healthy eating is surrounded by nutrition philosophies. A person doesn't need to follow a strict and rigorous routine to facilitate healthy eating. It can be achieved by learning some nutrition basics and using them in a way that works for you. You can expand your range of healthy food choices and learn how to plan ahead to create and maintain a tasty, healthy diet. You don't need to analyze your diet in terms of calories and fats.

A person just needs to rate the food to be consumed in variety of freshness and color. If one follows the way, it will be a lot easier to make healthy choices in the food consumed. One can consume any food that he or she likes, it’s only necessary to incorporate the healthy ingredients in the dish. If you have been gorging on junk for years, switching on to a healthy diet overnight is not a smart choice. Start slowly and start making changes to the eating habits over the time. Having a lot of water also plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy diet. Always make sure to have water in good proportions. Water helps in flushing the waste products and maintains proper hydration of the body. You don't need to completely eliminate the food you have always loved in process of maintaining a healthy diet. Just think smart, choose smart, eat smart and live smart. Let us discuss the top 4 healthy food which would help to keep you healthy.

Eggs:

Egg yolks are regarded to have a lot of essential and hard-to-get nutrients, including choline, which is inclined towards lowering the rates of breast cancer (one yolk supplies 25% of your daily need) and antioxidants that may help prevent macular degeneration and cataracts. Though many of us have shunned whole eggs because of their link to heart disease risk, there’s actually substantial evidence that for most of us, eggs are not harmful but healthy. People with heart disease should limit egg yolks to two a week, but the rest of us can have one whole egg daily;

Fat Free Milk:

Studies show that calcium isn’t just a bone booster but a fat fighter too. Recent research from the University of Tennessee found that obese people who went on a low-calorie, calcium-rich diet lost 70% more weight than those who ate the least. Vitamin D not only allows your body to absorb calcium, it’s also a super nutrient in its own right. Research shows that adequate D levels can reduce heart disease risk, ward off certain types of cancer, relieve back pain, and even help prevent depression, but most of us don’t get nearly enough of the 1,000+ IU daily that most experts recommend.

Avocado:

One Ohio State University study found that when avocado was added to salads and salsa, it helped increase the absorption of specific arytenoids, plant compounds linked to lower risk of heart disease and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. "Avocados are packed with heart-protective compounds, such as soluble fiber, vitamin E, and potassium," says Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. But they are a bit high in calories. To avoid weight gain, use avocado in place of another high-fat food or condiment, such as cheese or mayo.

Red Peppers:

Citrus fruits get all the credit for vitamin C, but red peppers are actually the best source. Vitamin C may be best known for skin and immunity benefits. Researchers in the United Kingdom looked at vitamin C intake in 4,025 women and found that those who ate more had less wrinkling and dryness. And although getting enough vitamin C won’t prevent you from catching a cold or flu, studies show that it could help you recover faster. Vitamin C has other important credentials too.

There are various sites which dish out lots of healthy recipes which include these essential ingredients for kids and adults. IndiaFood Network is one such site which you can refer to for healthy recipes, ingredients lists and much more. You can also refer to this site for cooking tips, healthy tips, cooking lessons and much more. Just remember the motto - Think smart, choose smart, eat smart and live smart.

Choose a healthier Life with Organic Food

As we all know, the life in our body is the totality of the lives in our individual cells, which only lively cells create a lively body. For a cell to become lively it needs first to become healthy, and this depends positioned on the way we consume our food. The most recent research has shown that consuming organic foods is really a healthier choice than cooking it which all the nutrients are saved in their original state when heat isn’t applied to the food.

One of the first things anybody should do when they are going to choose healthy snacks and appetizers over their normal choice of food is to prepare a list before they go shopping and then make sure that they stick to it. Just because you have decided to take on a healthier life style it does not mean that you have to give up on all the foods that you have previously eaten, you just need to learn to make better choices and try to eat more organic and organic foods instead. Even if you find that you are not overweight a diet that also consists some integrated foods will be healthier for you in the long term. So make your list and stay well away from the biscuits and sweet aisles. The first thing you really need to do if you are serious about having a more healthy diet and lifestyle is to clear your kitchen cupboards and fridge/freezer of all those fatty foods that are lurking there. Items that you should no longer have in your cupboards or fridge/freezer are chips and microwavable foods. Once you have rid yourself of all that old junk food and made room for the healthier options, you now need to replenish your cupboards with the healthy options. At the shop buy fruit, vegetables and nuts, which you will be able to use to make fresh appetizers and snacks from.

You may even consider purchasing some dried fruits (bananas, apricots, peaches etc.,) as they are good for snacking on, but remember to keep away from those that have added sugars. If you are able to invest a good quality food process and juicer or just a juicer on its own for making natural juices and smoothies (yoghurt and fruit juices combined) and for helping to chop up all those fresh fruit and vegetables that you are now going to eat. Ensure that you have plenty of space in your fridge for keeping all those healthy vegetables and fruit fresh when you bring them home. A perfectly healthy appetizer for either in the evenings or at dinner parties for guests to snack on is slices of carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumber and olives placed on the table with a small container of low or fat free ranch dressing in to which the vegetables can be dipped. However, if you are the kind of person who really must have some sort of meat in their diet, then try having fish or fresh tuna (which can be cooked (seared) quickly) and provide with it some soy sauce for dipping into. If you really do want to stay as fat free as possible and live a more healthy life style then eat as many healthful foods as you can.

Health Benefits of Organic Food

Scientific researches show that eating a varied diet of healthful foods like vegetables, fruits and various types of nuts can help to eliminate the risks of cancers; also, using essential honey rather than sugar or sweeteners will also help reduce diseases like diabetes. Honey is worldwide known for its many uses and qualities and contains been used because the earliest times for colds, sore throats which is even now used in fighting the most popular flu.

How can you consume a raw foods diet nowadays with the temptations around you? This was probably the most frequent one which occurred to those who have heard about living-eaters. And the response to this question was probably “with difficulty”. Everywhere, the countless fast-food places, with bright lights and tempting smells, can often be very difficult to avoid noticing, but a powerful will power can help you fight this battle. Even if you’re not consuming integrated foods at this time, you can start with small steps, like using honey rather than sugar with your tea or coffee, after which go even further and quit coffee all together and all sorts of other foods which are harmful for your body and mind.         

Organic Foods are Best

When considering food nutrition, organic may cost a bit more, but it is the wise choice. People feel best when they include good clean food in their diet. Take the time to investigate this for yourself and you will see that organic is the way to go.

Combat Summer with delectable recipes from India Food Network

Mumbai, May 2013 – India Food Network for all its food lovers brings some summer special recipes this May. Beat the Heat with Basil Punch, Chilled Cucumber and Mint soup, Falafel Salad and much more.

Its that time of the year when eating ice creams and sipping on coolers is a must. Summers are here and you can feel it every waking minute with the scorching sun leaving its after effects. India Food Network brings some interesting recipes which will keep your body temperature in check, weight in place and score a ten on ten on the yummy food meter.

During summers its important to eat food that will keep you hydrated and healthy. Light to digest, water-based vegetables are recommended for the summer. However, it doesn’t seem to excite the taste palettes. India Food Network chefs Asha Khatau an Indian author whose book, ‘Exciting Vegetarian Cuisines of the World’ won Honours at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2011 and Seema Gadh  who runs a popular show on the channel called IFN kaa Dhaba share some lip-smacking recipes for summer.

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 Palak Raita, green pea and lettuce soup , Basil Punch, Chilled cucumber and mint soup and Falafel Salad, etc...

Recipe for Basil Punch By Seema Gadh from India Food Network

Ingredients:

§  2 glasses of cold water

§  5 tbsp of powdered sugar

§  A pinch of black salt

§  Basil leaves grounded into a paste with 1 tbsp of water

§  Juice of 2 lemons

§  Ice cubes

 Procedure:

§  In a jug transfer the basil paste

§  Add the lemon juice

§  Add black salt

§  Add 5 tbsp of sugar

§  Stir well

§  Add the ice cubes

§  Add 2 glasses of water

§  Stir well

Recipe for Chilled Cucumber and Mint Soup By Asha Khatau from India Food Network

Ingredients:

§  450g cucumber, peeled, sliced and salted

§  2 cups thick yoghurt

§  2 cups cold water

§  2 tbsp lemon juice

§  1/2 cup vegetable stock

§  6-7 cloves garlic

§  2 tbsp fresh mint leaves

§  Salt to taste

 Procedure:

§   Put the cucumbers in a liquidiser

§  Add the yoghurt

§  Ice cold water

§  Lemon juice

§  Vegetable stock

§  Garlic

§  The mint leaves

§  And finally salt to taste

§  Churn together till well blended

§  Tip - This drink/ soup is best enjoyed on a hot summer day

§  Your Chilled cucumber & mint soup is ready to serve

Tip - Discard the water remaining in the cucumber bowl to avoid a bitter taste

 Recipe for Falafel Salad By Asha Khatau from India Food Network

Ingredients:

§  4-5 cups of mixed salad greens, torn with hand and soaked in ice cold water (you can either use iceberg lettuce, romain lettuce, lollo rosso or a mixture of all),

§  ½ cup green olives, sliced

§  ½ tomatoes, deseeded and cut into cubes

§  1 green cucumber, sliced and halved

§  ¼ cup spring onions, sliced

§  6-8 falafel bullets (green gram soaked overnight have been pasted and made into bullets)

§  7-8 mint leaves, torn roughly with hands

§  ½ cup feta cheese, crumbled

§  1 tsp sumac

§  For dressing:

§  ½ cup thick yogurt

§  2 tbsp lemon juice

§  ¼ cup ice cold water

§  2 tbsp virgin olive oil

§  2 tbsp tahini paste

§  Salt and pepper to taste

§  Mild paprika for garnish

Procedure:

§  Start by putting all the salad ingredients in a bowl

§  Put the lettuce leaves first

§  Scatter the sliced olives over the lettuce leaves

§  Add tomatoes

§  Add cucumber

§  Add spring onions

§  Add mint leaves

§  Add feta cheese

§  If the feta cheese appears somewhat gooey, cut it with the edge of a knife

§  Add 1 tsp sumac

§  Sumac  adds a nice tangy flavour to the salad

§  Place the falafel bullets last

§  You can either use whole falafel bullets or cut them into two as per your convenience

§  Keep the salad in the refrigerator and allow it to chill for a while

§  For dressing:

§  All the ingredients have to go into a blender

§  Start with the yogurt

§  Add 2 tbsp tahini paste

§  Add 2 tbsp lemon juice

§  Add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

§  Add salt and pepper as per taste

§  Add about ¼ cup of chilled water

§  Shut the lid of the blending jar and churn it in the liquidizer

§  Add dressing as per your requirements

About India Food Network:

India Food Network is India’s first full HD food network & a step by step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. From regional Indian cuisine to popular dishes from around the globe, the focus is on make cooking simple and accessible to all including beginners  IFN videos have loads of quick tips and easy tricks & the recipes are shot and produced in natural home environments. So you too can cook the perfect dish right at home.

Ping Digital Broadcast is a Mumbai-headquartered, start-up broadcast network for digital audiences, building content across knowledge, utility and talent genres. India Food Network  is a part of Ping Digital, a YouTube Partner

Health Benefits of Organic Food – Eat Healthy, Live Healthy

Making a commitment to healthy eating is a great start towards a healthier life. Beyond eating more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and good fats, however, there is the question of food safety, nutrition, and sustainability. How foods are grown or raised can impact both your health and the environment. This brings up the questions: What is the difference between organic foods and conventionally grown foods? Is “organic” always best? What about locally grown foods?

Organic Food

Organic foods are the farming products that are produced using methods that do not involve modern artificial inputs such as synthetic pesticide and chemical fertilizers. Organic food items are in their most natural form and never been processed by means of irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives. These food products are produced in a manner that limits the use of synthetic materials during production.

Although organic foods have no unsafe chemicals and toxicants, but it does not conclude that organic production is return to traditional farming. Environmental science has contributed precise methods of non-toxic pest & disease control. Farm apparatus allows organic farming on a large scale to meet the growing demand for organic food items.

Benefits of Organic Food Items

Benefits of organic food items vary from health benefits to ecological rewards. Pesticides and toxic fertilizers are not used for organic farming, which result a healthier products with many benefits. The recognized benefits of healthy organic foods are:

·         Consuming organic food items keeps us away from poisonous pesticides, toxics and herbicides, which can reduce the risk of cancer.

·         Organic farming keeps pesticides out of streams and groundwater, thus it’s very beneficial for environment.

·         Organic food items are better in taste as there are no chemicals added to them.

·         Irradiation is used on non-organic foods to kill bacteria and it alters the molecular structure and live properties of the food, which further affects the taste, quality of the food.

·         Healthy organic food is safer to eat for babies and children. An average newborn baby has approximately 200 toxins in its body. Feeding them organic food items reduces the amount of toxins.

·         Organic natural foods are more healthy and enriched with higher nutritional content, more vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and proteins.

These are the known benefits in general, but there are many more benefits which are still under study by various scientists and organizations. We might tell you about those in one of our future blogs.

Since the benefits of organic food items are becoming better known the demand has increased throughout the world. Even in India, the people are being concerned about the food they eat and are adapting organic food items for healthy living. We inspire India to steer towards online food shopping and go organic for healthy living. Organic food is not just better for you and your family, but for the entire planet.

Healthy Chicken Recipes - Chicken with Mushrooms & Scallions

It is an age old saying that one must eat right to stay bright. Nowadays people live a very hectic lifestyle. This lifestyle surely does take a toll on an individual's health. One must pay special attention to their diet and what it comprises of. It is very essential that the ingredients in the daily food fulfill the basic nutritious needs of a person. It must cover all the areas of the necessary fibers & minerals which are must for day to day maintenance of the human body. Different people like different types of recipes. The taste varies from Mexican, Continental, Chinese, Indian and much more. It is not always that healthy recipes are bound to be bland or uninteresting. If the healthy ingredients are merged with proper amount of spices and elaborate add ons, it can easily result in satisfying the taste buds of a person. It would sound a pretty tedious job for some people to cook these healthy recipes. But one can say from personal experience that it is not at all time consuming. 

There are many shortcuts and cooking tips involved to make cooking a joyous bliss. The main key to easy, healthy and tasty recipes is organizing it properly. One must plan the recipes to be made well ahead of time. This helps in proper time commitment to each recipe and keeping it on a nominal cost. It can be a good idea to get the complete family included in the preparation of the meals. In fact children too small to cook can help out by setting out the dishes, cutting up vegetables, cleaning the table and cleaning the dishes. These healthy recipes mean good food & good diet that automatically brings out good health. It is like an art of turning simple recipe into a dish of healthy nutrients in a tasty plate. Let us discuss one such recipe which is high on the basic needful ingredients. Along with nutritional prowess it also doesn’t fail to satisfy the taste buds of each and every individual.

Chicken with Mushrooms and Scallions

Makes: 4 servings

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 12 minutes

·         Ingredients

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 small bunch scallions, sliced, whites and greens separated

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced

4 cups water

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 2-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and cut into 1/4 -inch rounds

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4 -inch cubes

·         Directions

1. In a very large skillet or soup pot, heat the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the scallion whites and garlic; cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.

2. Pour the water into the pan. Stir in the soy sauce and ginger and let simmer for 2 minutes. Gently place the chicken pieces in the broth. Reduce heat to low; cover and poach until the chicken is just cooked through, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer the chicken pieces to wide, shallow bowls. Ladle broth over the chicken. Garnish with the scallion greens and serve.

·         Nutrition facts per serving

190 calories, 28g protein, 7g carbohydrate, 5g fat (0.9g saturated), 1g fiber.

The gorgeous Maria Goretti whips up a special gourmet surprise this Womens Day exclusively for India Food Network

~ Maria Goretti debuts on India’s first digital HD food channel- India Food Network

Mumbai, 8^th March 2013 : India Food Network, India’s first full HD food network and a complete guide to simple and delicious home cooking celebrates International Women’s Day on 8^th March ,2013 with the very gorgeous, talented and yummy mummy Maria Goretti, displaying her culinary skills for the first time ever on camera. The India Food Network and culinary diva Maria Goretti, salute every woman for the demanding roles she plays in each realm of life- the role of a daughter, wife and mother, with undivided attention and unconditional love - with a special gourmet dessert crafted by Maria exclusively for the IFN audience!!

 The popular VJ and TV anchor Maria Goretti makes her debut on the India Food Network, paying an ode to all the women around the world, with a delicious French Pastry- ‘Paris Brest’ to celebrate this day. Surprise that special woman in your life with the decadent scrumptious goodness of the Paris Brest, topped with almonds, hazelnuts and whipped cream or a generous layer of chocolate ganache- as incredible and divine as the Woman in your life!

The ingredients of the “ Paris Brest’ reflects and sums up the innumerable moods of a woman- the tangy sweetness of strawberries, warm and fuzzy chocolate, the nutty rich flavor of the almonds and hazelnuts- the coming together of so many flavors and aromas to create that one perfect dessert!!

Make the day memorable by saying “Thank You” with a delightful Paris Brest and let the woman in your life cherish the day forever with every bite of this heavenly delight! Catch the recipe ONLY on Indiafoodnetwork (www.indiafoodnetwork.in) as Maria Goretti dons the chefs hat and sweeps you off the floor with this lip smacking Paris Brest!

Recipe of ‘Paris Brest’ by Maria Goretti

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

 85g all purpose flour

 85g unsalted butter

 ½ cup water

 ½ cup milk

 4 eggs

Toppings (Kiddies version- chocolate ganache, strawberries & whipped cream)

200g cooking chocolate

125 ml cream

½ cup whipping cream

A big bowl of strawberries

 Toppings (Adult’s version- Hazelnut praline & whipped cream)

1 cup hazelnuts (toasted at 175 degrees for 10 min)

¼ cup almond flakes (toasted at 175 degrees for 5-8 min)

Caramel from 1 cup sugar

Process:

• For the Praline, pour caramel over the toasted nuts and blend in a mixer
• For the pastry: Put the butter in a non-stick pan
• Add ½ cup water
• Add ½ cup milk
• Boil on a medium flame
• Take the pot off the flame and add the all-purpose flour while stirring continuously
• Once well mixed, cook the batter for 5 min, stirring continuously
• Knead the batter well
• Once the batter is cool, start adding the whipped eggs, ½ an egg at a time

Tip – The batter should meld into a nice gooey consistency that stretches but doesn’t break

•  Put the batter into a piping bag with a ½ inch nozzle at the end
• Take a baking tray lined with silicon paper
• Draw 2 circles using your baking rings as a guide
• Trace out 2 touching, concentric circles inside your mark
• Pipe another circle in between the 2 circles of batter
• Repeat the process for the second pastry
• Brush the batter with milk
• Top with almond flakes

Tip – Place the rings around the circles of batter to help them retain shape as they rise

Bake at 200 degrees for 20 min and then at 175 degrees for 30 min

•  Once the pastry has cooled, slice them into halves with a serrated knife
• Smear the inside of one pastry with hazelnut praline
• Onto this layer pipe, on roses of whipped cream
• On the other pastry smear chocolate ganache
• Pipe on whipped cream roses
• Top off with a generous dose of strawberries
• Place the top halves of the pastry back on
• Shower with powdered sugar

Your Paris-Brest Pastry is ready to serve!

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