Sunday, April 29, 2012

Recipe for the week - Spinach Paratha

Appetizing Spinach Paratha - Made with fresh spinach, spices and wheat flour.  Check out other recipes from vidyaswamyskitchen.com.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Easiest way to cook vegetables if you want them tasty as well

This is exactly what I do.  Cut vegetables in the desired shape.  Place them in a baking bowl.  Drizzle enough virgin olive oil to coat them.  Add simple herbs and maybe a dash of crushed red pepper and bake them in the oven at 375 degrees until they are just at the roasting point.  Remove, sprinkle salt and add a touch of lemon (optional).  This method is packed with nutrition, taste, appeal and of course, it's speedy.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Potato herb salad

Red potatoes in herbs, a fantastic recipe

Ingredients
5 Potatoes halved
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (tarragon,chives,rosemary)
1 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
kosher salt and black pepper

Directions
1.Fill a large saucepan with 1 inch of water and fit with a steamer basket; bring the water to a boil. Place the potatoes in the basket, cover, and steam until tender, 12 to 14 minutes; drain.
2.Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix together the herbs, scallions, oil, mustard, vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add the cooked potatoes and toss to combine.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Delicious bisi bela bhaath

Try this recipe of the week. Perfect for a Sunday afternoon meal. Also other recipes of Vidya's kitchen.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Can't forget those snack times! Can we?

One of the fun things is indulging in something that is sinful once in a while. I mean food wise. So, here is something I love, and the rest of my picky, discriminating foodies in my family love as well. This one is not necessarily sinful but definitely delightful.

Baking crunchy apples spread with peanut butter. It takes hmm... about 15 minutes in all.

You may use Granny Smith Apples the green ones or even Gala which are sweet, crunchy and delicious. Remove the core, cut into halves, spread crunchy, organic, unsalted peanut butter. Bake on high heat about 400 degrees for about 8 minutes. Savor the result. You'll keep going back to it, again and again.

More sinfully delightful snacks in the next coming days.
For appetizers, soups, entrées, side dishes check these out.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Hard to go Vegan

Is it even necessary? It is a hard switch especially if you have been a medium to a hard core meat eater. Instead, I am offering you an easy option.

Being a pure vegetarian is very easy. I don't mean partial, I mean pure - not only no meat, but no fish, chicken, seafood or eggs either. Go Indian food, meaning southern Indian. It is the best with all the natural healing ingredients and spices, less of oil or frying; and more of the fresh vegetables and flavorful dishes.

If you opt for south Indian cuisine, there is really no need to include much of dairy, cheese, or milk. There is an incredible variety of dishes.

Try recipes from vidyaswamyskitchen. A new recipe is added almost every week. So, keep visiting.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

Tasty Spinach in just 15 minutes

The simplest preparation and one of the tastiest is this recipe. It can be literally prepared in 15 minutes.

Use only fresh spinach. This recipe is for about 1/2 pound of fresh spinach.

Boil spinach in hot water with a pinch of salt for 8 minutes. Take 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a wok or pan. Saute about 4 cloves chopped garlic for a couple minutes, add the blanched spinach after draining the water. Add 1 tspn. salt and some crushed red pepper. Keeping turning over until water evaporates completely.

Serve as a side dish or main dish with pasta, indian breads or rice. For other recipes, go here.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Try a new recipe for dhal


A new recipe for the upcoming week - Dhal with Sambhaar podi. This is extremely flavorful with no garlic, onion or garam masalas.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Do people who claim to be healthy practice what they preach?

Not all the time. I always wonder about doctors in particular who talk about health but are obese or have a pot belly, about dentists who have terrible teeth and bad breath but then sell you on the expensive tooth brushes and breath freshners, about nutritionits who preach on healthy food but get a pizza on their way home to feed their children. Believe me I have met a few of them. And, it enrages me.

Of course with food I do understand cravings and going off track once in a while. The truth is, eating healthy is easier said than done. I also believe strongly in not posting recipes if I haven't tried it myself and can't vouch for it. Or claim something is nutritious or good without doing enough research and testing them out for myself.

If you are looking for variety, health, flavor and more check out recipes in Vidyaswamy's kitchen where nutrition and taste are combined into delectable vegetarian dishes.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Bitter Squash in Yogurt

No pain, no gain. If you are looking for a natural way to lower your blood sugar well, here is the definite answer. Bitter squash does your body good in spite of the slight bitterness. But, it is bearable and some even like the taste. When fresh, the bitterness is not pronounced. Mixed with yogurt, you may not even notice it.

Have a cup of this dish every other day and watch your sugar levels go down. Of course consult your doctor before adding this to your diet.

Here is a simple recipe.

Dice gourd into small cubes, skin and all.
Wash well.
Add 1 Tbsp. oil of your choice. Take a wok or a pan. Spurt some mustard seeds and urad dhal (white lentil), add 2 tsps. turmeric. Add the chopped squash and start sauteing. Keep turning the vegetables over for even cooking. Do not cover with a lid as it could make them more bitter. Add a bit more oil if needed. When more than half done, add salt. You may add a spoon of cayenne pepper. That'll help in reducing the bitterness. Also add 1 Tbsp. of tamarind juice or lemon juice. Remove the stove when vegetables are done. Add yogurt to a bowl and drop some of the cooked squash. Mix well. Add salt and black pepper for additional flavor. You may also sprinkle some chopped coriander right before serving.

Great as a side dish or mixed with rice or even by itself. Let me know if you tested this recipe out and send me your comments

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

TV appearance on Channel 2, St. Louis

I loved it. I was on the Fox News show this morning, April 4, 2012 and spoke about my winning recipe.

Please visit the link to see the video.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Live on Fox news, hearty vegetarian lentil soup

Watch me on Fox news morning hour, St. Louis. A short live segment on April 3, between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. Visit http://vidyaswamyskitchen.com for recipes and learn how to cook healthy with naturally healing ingredients.