Pancharatan Dosa Wrap ( Crepes made with 5 different kinds of lentils) ; Diabetes Friendly Thursday

It is that time of the month again when we share with you amazing, drool-worthy, diabetic-friendly and weight-watcher friendly recipes!

Celebrate the month of May with Team DFT, indulging on some delicious and hearty wraps that are diabetic friendly and weight watchers friendly.

                       Creating Recipes with a Cause! I am a proud DFT blogger. 

                                        To learn about DFT, Read this Link! 

                                        To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

When the team decided on this month's theme as  "wraps", I wanted to bring to you all a wrap that could cater to all taste-buds and preferences , yet be healthy and easy to make with simple ingredients that are normally present in your kitchen.  I am sharing with you Pancharatan Wraps with three different fillings! 

Wrap with vegetarian cauliflower filling.

The three fillings are vegetarian/ vegan filling, cheese filling and scrambled egg filling! Depending on yours or your children's preferences, you can easily customize the filling with one single batter for the wrap.

Wrap with cheese filling.

The wrap is protein-packed dosa with no carbs in it as the dosa batter has been made with 5 different lentils and no rice.  This is a quick and easy to make batter that does not require fermentation. You only have to soak the lentils in water for 1-2 hours and it can be ground to make the batter.

Wrap with savory scrambled egg  filling.

The vegetarian/vegan filling has been made with cauliflower that has been sautéed with onions.

Wrap with vegetarian cauliflower filling.

For the cheese filling, I have used shredded mozzarella cheese.

Wrap with cheese filling.

You could also use crumbled paneer ( Indian cottage cheese) or crumbled tofu for vegan option.

Wrap with savory scrambled egg  filling.

The scrambled egg I have used is the spicy Indian version, you could use any version of your choice.

All of these wraps make for a easy, healthy, filling dinner or lunch options.

Servings: 6-8

Serving size: 1 for children, 2 for adults.

For the Pancharatan Dosa:

Ingredients:Urad dal ( split matpe bean): 1/4 cup
Toor dal ( split pigeon peas): 1/4 cup
Chana dal ( split chick-peas): 1/4 cup
Moong dal( split mung beans): 1/4 cup
Masoor dal ( split orange lentil): 1/4 cup
Methi seeds ( fenugreek seeds): 1/2 tsp
Water to soak and grind : as needed
Salt: as needed
Coconut oil : for greasing the skillet/griddle

Method:

Wash the lentils thoroughly. Soak all the lentils and fenugreek ( methi) seeds in thrice as much water, for at least 1-2 hours. I like to soak it overnight if I am in no rush.
Grind it in a mixer-grinder/ blender until it is a smooth paste, using water as needed to grind. Make sure the batter is thick and not runny. Add 1/2 tsp salt, mix well.

This batter is good with/without fermentation.

Heat a griddle/ tawa/ frying pan to medium hot. Grease the pan using 1/4 tsp oil. Pour 1 ladleful of batter ( around 1/3 rd cup batter) and spread it on the tawa in a circular motion to cover the pan. Cover and cook until you hear a hissing sound ( around 2-3 minutes). Flip the dosa and cook it from the other side for 1-2 minutes.

Make as many dosas/ crepes as needed and keep ready. Store the remaining batter in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1 week.

The Cauliflower ( Vegetarian) filling:

Ingredients:

Cauliflower: 1/2 of medium-sized head, florets separated.
Onion: 1 medium, diced medium
into two.
Coconut oil: 1/2 tbsp
Jeera( cumin seeds): 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaf: 1 sprig ( optional)
Haldi( turmeric powder): 1 tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro( coriander) or parsley leaves for garnishing.
Warm water: 2 quarts ( for soaking the uncooked cauliflower).

Method:

Wash the cauliflower florets.Soak the cauliflower florets in lukewarm
water with a pinch of salt for 10 mins. Drain completely and keep aside.

Heat coconut oil in a sauté pan/ frying pan upon medium heat.Add the cumin seeds. 

After 20 seconds, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds crackle, add curry leaves. 

Now add the slit green chillies and chopped onion. Sauté the onion until it is transparent. 

Add the turmeric powder, sauté for a minute. 

Now add the drained cauliflower florets, salt and mix well. Cover and cook on low  until the cauliflower is tender ( around for 5-10 mins).Turn off the flame.

Garnish with fresh finely chopped cilantro/ parsley  leaves.

For the cheese filling:

mozzarella cheese/ crumbed paneer/ cottage cheese: 1 tbsp, heaped
Freshly ground black pepper: a pinch

For the scrambled egg filling: click here for the recipe.

Assembling the wrap:

Place the wrap on a plate/ cutting board. If using dosas/crepes that were made ahead of time, warm the dosa/crepe in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or on the pan for a couple of minutes. 

Take 1 heaped tbsp of filling and place it at the center of the wrap.

Fold the two sides slightly and then roll from the bottom upwards to make a right roll. 

Wrap with cheese filling.

Slice in the middle if you wish!

Serve warm.

You can serve with chutney of your choice if you wish.

Enjoy!

I am bringing these amazing crepes to all my friends at Throwback Thursday#38, Fiesta Friday#119  and Saucy Saturdays#45! Angie's co-hosts this week are Ahila @ A Taste of Sri Lankan Cuisine and Diann @ Of Goats and Greens.

Cooking made easy:

The dosas/crepes can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To use it in a wrap, just warm it up a little either on the stove-top or in the microwave.

Any other vegetable combination like peppers/ capsicum, carrot, cabbage may be used.

The wrap can be made ahead of time if you want to take it for lunch. Just warm it up in the oven for a few seconds before eating.

Footnotes (Tip for healthy living):

All the lentils are excellent sources of protein for vegetarians. Tofu and paneer are also great sources of protein. Egg as we know is a mine house of nutrients!
Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable known for many of its health benefits.

References:

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

Do Check out the other DFT contributors  and their links!


1. Sonal
http://simplyvegetarian777.com/mung-cheela-tandoori-mix-veg-filling-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/
2. Swati
http://www.letscookhealthytonight.com/egg-white-salad-whole-wheat-tortilla-wraps/
3. Shailja
https://shailjatomar.wordpress.com/2016/05/11/fiesta-masoor-cheela-texmex-salad-wrap-diabetes-friendly/
4. Apsara
http://eatingwelldiary.com/2016/05/12/kids-friendly-lettuce-wraps-for-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/
5. Sarika
http://www.spicezone.com/moong-dal-kebab-wrap-dft/

6.Parvathy

Food for thought:

We can believe what we choose. We are answerable for what we choose to believe. John Henry Newman


Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Bhajje Amshe ( Red Swiss Chard/Red Amarnath in a spicy coconut sauce); Diabetes Friendly Thursday

With the Holidays behind us, so is the indulgence in calorie-rich foods . The New Year is here and with that is a newer us with renewed resolutions. Well, I don't know if anyone will stick to their resolution, but we should definitely make even greater effort to eat healthy! With this thought in mind our team of dedicated DFT bloggers have teamed up to bring you some delicious recipes overloaded with greens! 

So go ahead and enjoy the winters with Team DFT with Greens Overload! Bringing some hearty dishes with seasonal greens. 

                      Creating Recipes with a Cause! I am a proud DFT blogger. 

                                        To learn about DFT, Read this Link! 

                                        To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

My contribution to this is our very own " Bhajje Amshe". This is nothing but Red Amarnath leaves cooked in spicy coconut sauce.The reason I say " our very own" is because this is not a recipe that I invented. This has been in our culture, in our homes for generations. My mom made it, her mother made it, so on and so forth.

This is a very traditional recipe that is so easy that it is cooked without even much thought and effort going into it! The point of me telling you all this is that, someone who is a diabetic, doesn't necessarily have to go about finding new recipes to eat!! There is plenty in our everyday cuisine that diabetics CAN eat! It is all about being mindful of WHAT you eat and HOW MUCH you eat! This dish is traditionally served with rice but can be eaten with roti or chapati.

When it comes to rice, it makes a big difference whether you are eating white rice, parboiled rice,matta rice or brown rice as white rice has the highest glycemic index while brown rice has the lowest. Lower the glycemic index, better the food.It also matters whether you are eating rice or kanji. Kanji is rice with the water. We people from South Kanara, traditionally eat kanji for dinner. Kanji makes you feel fuller faster due to the water content in it.

Bhajje Amshe served with kanji made out of matta rice.

Bhajje Amshe is usually made with Red Amarnath leaves which is available only during the summer months here. Therefore, I have made this dish using Red Swiss Chard which is easily available in any supermarket. The dish looks pretty much the same whether you use Red Amarnath or Red Swiss chard. If you are not a coconut fan or are apprehensive about making a sauce using coconut, you could alternatively make a simple sauté using the same greens.The recipe for the sauteed version is here.

Servings: 4-6 ( 1-1.5 cups per person)

Ingredients:

Red Amarnath/ Red Swiss chard: 1 medium-sized bunch
Water: 1/2 cup+1 cup( may not need all).
Freshly grated coconut: 2/3rd cup
Dried Red chillies: 2-3 ( can be adjusted based on individual spice level)
Dried tamarind: marble sized portion
Salt: to taste
Garlic: 6-8 cloves
Coconut oil: 1 tsp

Method:

Wash the red Amarnath or red swisschard thoroughly. Chop it finely and add to a pot containing 1/2 cup water. Add 1/2 tsp salt and bring it to a boil.

Reduce the flame and cook for another 6-8 minutes. Turn off the flame and keep aside.

Grind together freshly grated coconut, red chillies and tamarind to a fine paste, adding water as needed little at a time.  Your masala is ready.

Add the ground masala to the cooked red Amarnath/ red Swiss chard and bring it to a boil. Turn off the flame.

Tempering:

Heat coconut oil in a skillet/pan on low heat.
Peel and chop the garlic cloves into medium-sized pieces. Add this to the hot coconut oil. Sauté the garlic until it turns golden brown.

Now add this to the prepared swisschard and coconut sauce mixture.

Served with brown rice & salad

Serve hot with rice/roti.
I am bringing this to some of my favorite blog parties: Throwback Thursday ,Angie's Fiesta Friday and Saucy Saturdays! Two of my favorite blogger friends who post some of the best stuff on earth are co-hosting the Fiesta: Elaine @ foodbod and Julie @ Hostess at Heart!

Cooking made easy:

Quite often people shy away from greens as they do not know how to clean them and are therefore unable to get rid of the sand/dirt in the greens! There is nothing more repulsive than sand in your mouth while eating! There is an easy, foolproof way to clean the greens. Rinse the greens and then soak them in cold water with a few drops of vinegar for a few minutes. The vinegar takes care of any bugs, pesticides while the water will have the sand/dirt settle at the bottom. Although not advised, to be foolproof, you can chop the greens and soak it again in water for the second time. You will not be disappointed.

Footnotes (Tip for healthy living):

We are all aware of the multitude of health benefits of including green leafy vegetables in our diets. From providing essential vitamins like vitamin A, K, E, calcium, iron and folic acid to dietary fiber, the benefits are quite a few.Regular intake of greens in the diet may help prevent diabetes, heart disease and may be even cancer.
Swiss Chard is a powerhouse of antioxidants and an excellent source of vitamins A,C,K, magnesium, potassium, iron and dietary fiber.

Red Amarnath is also an excellent source of Vitamin A and beta carotene and is used to heal several skin conditions.It is an excellent source of dietary fiber and is used to treat constipation. 

Garlic is known for its anti-hypertensive and anti-diabetic properties.

Fresh coconut has been used in the South-Indian diet for time immemorial! Studies have shown that coconut is also high in dietary fiber and may contribute to maintaining a healthy body weight.

References:

http://www.joybauer.com/food-articles/leafy-green-vegetables.aspx

http://www.webmd.com/diet/healthy-kitchen-11/leafy-greens-rated

http://www.webmd.com/diet/swiss-chard-9-healthy-facts

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/284103.php
http://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/amaranth-leaves-how-to-cook-this-green-leafy-vegetable-761205

http://healthbenefitsofeating.com/vegetables/health-benefits-of-red-amaranth-leaves/

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/265853.php

http://www.livestrong.com/article/143962-raw-coconut-benefits/

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

Do Check out the other DFT contributors  and their links!

1. Sonal's Methi Mushroom

http://simplyvegetarian777.com/2016/01/13/methi-mushroom-curry-no-oil-no-onion-garlic-curry-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

2. Shailja's Chana with Dill

https://shailjatomar.wordpress.com/2016/01/13/kadhai-chhole-with-fresh-dill-leaves/

3. Apsara's Gluten free Spinach Rotis

http://eatingwelldiary.com/2016/01/13/the-perfect-gluten-free-spinach-roti-flatbread-for-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

4. Swati's Multigrain Spinach and methi rotis

http://www.letscookhealthytonight.com/multi-grain-spinach-and-methi-roti/

5. Sarika's Collard Greens and Chana

http://www.spicezone.com/collard-greens-and-chanaa-dft/

Food for thought:

Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does. William James

Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!

Quinoa-Sweet Potato Mini-Cutlets with Cranberry Chutney/Dip; DFT

It's that time of the year when there are holiday parties galore!! Tons of food everywhere: work, home, you name it! No, I am not being a Grinch. I am all for parties. With a little planning and thinking, we can make these festive gatherings healthy. One just has to be smart about it. There are different ways to achieve this: 1. Sneak healthy ingredients to all your menu items.
2. Make 50% of your menu items healthy.
3. Reduce the portion size of all your hors-d'oeuvres.
4.Serve desserts that are not that sugary and are more natural, fruit-based.
5. Provide smaller plates for eating.

Here are some healthy appetizer ideas for your holiday party.Go ahead and celebrate this Holiday Season with Team DFT with some figure fitting, weight watchers and Diabetes Friendly Recipes!

                       Creating Recipes with a Cause! I am a proud DFT blogger. 
                                        To learn about DFT, Read this Link! 
                                        To view more DFT recipes, Click here!

My contribution to this are these very delicious protein-packed mini-cutlets made with the goodness of quinoa and sweet potatoes.They are crunchy when you bite into them and soft on the inside.  They are totally guilt-free. Are you surprised that I am recommending sweet-potatoes for diabetics?? Believe it or not, according to the American Diabetes Association, sweet potatoes are considered a superfood for diabetics! You can read more in the "footnotes" ( tip for healthy living).

Coming back to the quinoa-sweet potato mini-cutlets, they are simple and easy to make. You don't need too many ingredients either. You can make it gluten-free too. I made half the batch gluten-free and the other half not because I ran out of white cornmeal. This dish uses very little oil. You could bake them or pan-fry them. I baked half the batch and pan-fried the other half. Frankly, I prefer the pan-fried version as it crisps and browns better than the baked version.

So, go ahead and give it a try and share your thoughts and opinions. I look forward to them.

Recipe for Cranberry chutney: click here.

Recipe for the Quinoa-Sweet potato Mini-Cutlets

Servings: makes 24 mini-cutletsServing size: 2 per person with 1 tsp chutney

Ingredients:

Quinoa: 1/2 cup, uncooked
Water: 1 cup
Salt: 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp ( adjust as per individual taste)
Sweet potato: 1, medium-sized
Water: 4 cups
Onion: 1, small
Ginger-garlic paste: 1 tsp
Green chillies: 1-2 ( adjust as per individual spice level), chopped fine.
Cumin powder ( jeera powder): 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder ( dhania powder): 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1/8 tsp ( optional).
Cilantro ( coriander leaves): 2 tbsp, chopped
Cornflour: 1 tbsp
White cornmeal ( makke ka atta) / Cream of wheat ( sooji): 1/2 cup, for dipping; may not need all.
Cooking oil : 1-2 tbsp for greasing the skillet/pan.

Method:

Bring 1 cup water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 cup washed quinoa. Reduce the flame to low, cover the saucepan and let it cook for 15mins. When done all the water should be gone and you should see small curly strands on the quinoa. Fluff it with a fork/ spoon and keep aside to cool.

Bring 4 cups water with the washed unpeeled sweet potato  in it to a boil. Reduce the flame and cook for 15 mins or until the sweet potato is tender enough to be mashed. Alternatively, you could steam the sweet potato.

Let the sweet potato cool down completely. Peel it and mash it in a bowl. Add cooked quinoa, cumin powder, coriander powder,garam masala powder,  chopped onion, ginger garlic paste, chopped green chillies , chopped cilantro ,cornflour and mix well. Your dough is ready.

Take the white cornmeal/cream of wheat/ sooji in a plate.

Using wet hands, pinch a lemon-sized dough in your hand and make a ball. Gently press it down to make it into a pattie/cutlet. Do this with all the available dough.

Heat a skillet/frying pan on medium heat. Grease it with 1 tbsp oil.

Roll each cutlet in  cornmeal/cream of wheat/ sooji and place it on the hot skillet.

Reduce flame to low and cook for 7-8 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 5-7 minutes or until lightly golden. It should be crispy from the outside and soft on the inside.

Alternatively, if you choose to bake, place the cornmeal/ sooji rolled cutlets on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Bake it at 350 deg F in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until it turns slightly golden.

Flip it once halfway through the baking.

Serve hot with cranberry chutney.

I am bringing these beauties to Throwback Thursday, Fiesta Friday #99 and Saucy Saturday! Caroline @ Caroline’s Cooking and Linda @ La Petite Paniere are co-hosting Angie's Fiesta Friday this week.

Cooking made easy:

You could make the batter and shape the cutlet ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. An hour before the party just roll it and pan-fry or bake it.

Alternatively, you could make it completely the previous day. Just warm it in the oven an hour before the party.

Footnotes ( tip for healthy living):

Again, according to the American Diabetes Association, sweet potatoes are considered a superfood for diabetics! Sweet potatoes have shown stabilization of blood-sugar levels by lowering insulin resistance. The high fiber content in sweet potatoes also helps reduce the " bad" LDL cholesterol in the body. The glycemic index of sweet potatoes is much lower than potatoes. A cup of mashed sweet potato has 58 grams of carbohydrate of which 8.2 gms is fiber. ADA recommends that a diabetic consumes no more than 45-60 grams of carbohydrate per meal. This means that sweet potatoes can be part of the meal, provided the rest of the meal is food free of carbohydrate.

Quinoa is a nutrient- rich superfood that is not only protein-rich, but is so rich in dietary fiber. It has a low glycemic index and helps stabilize the blood-sugar level.

References:
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/sweet-potatoes-good-diabetics-1614.html
http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/nutrition/nutrition+tips/sweet+potatoes+a+diabetic+superfood,12627
http://www.prevention.com/health/diabetes/dr-weil-why-sweet-potato-king
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/quinoa-good-grain-diabetics-eat-1759.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/345256-how-to-count-quinoa-into-a-diabetes-meal-plan/

Disclaimer

I am not a nutritionist or dietician. My knowledge and information is based on my research and reading from different resources. Please consult your doctor or dietician before making any changes to your diet.

Other DFT contributors  and their links!

http://simplyvegetarian777.com/2015/12/16/spicy-rajma-chaat-in-tomato-baskets-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

https://shailjatomar.wordpress.com/2015/12/16/black-bean-meatless-meatballs/

http://eatingwelldiary.com/2015/12/16/easy-savory-or-masala-granola-for-diabetes-friendly-thursdays/

http://www.sarikasethgunjal.com/murgh-malai-tikka-dft/

Food for thought:

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. John