Chicken Marsala

"A delicious classic dish chicken - lightly coated chicken breasts braised in Marsala wine and mushrooms An easy and ideal for quick weeknight entree and serve society.".

Preparation time: 10 min

Cooking time: 20 min





Ingredients

1 / 4 cup of flour for coating

1 / 2 teaspoon salt

1 / 4 cup black pepper teaspoon

1 / 2 teaspoon dried oregano

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1 / 4 inch thick

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup sliced ​​mushrooms

1 / 2 cup Marsala wine

Cooking sherry 1 / 4 cup

METHOD

In a shallow dish or bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Chicken pieces in flour mixture.

A large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Put the chicken in a skillet and lightly brown. Turn the chicken pieces and add the mushrooms. Pour the wine and sherry. Cover pan, simmer the chicken for 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

rahtrendz

Mexican Chicken Corn Soup

Mexican Chicken Corn Soup
"chicken soup with panache!"

Preparation time: 20 min

Cook Time: 35 min










Ingredients

1 1 / 2 boneless chicken breasts and pound, cut into small pieces

1 / 2 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoons butter

2 chicken stock cubes

1 cup hot water

Cumin 3 / 4 tsp

2 cups half and half cream

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies

1 dash of chili sauce

1 tomato, chopped

Fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

METHOD

In saucepan, brown the chicken, onion and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink.

Dissolve bouillon in hot water, pour into a saucepan, and season with cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix the cream cheese, corn, chili, and chili sauce. Cook, stirring often, until the cheese is melted. Stir in chopped tomato. Garnish with coriander

California Grilled Vegetable Sandwich

California Grilled Vegetable Sandwich
"I came up with a recipe for entertaining friends. Because I am a semi-vegetarian and love to BBQ, I always come up with something new. The first time I did this, my meat lover friends raved about this dish I prefer mesquite coals over gas barbecue ... however, both works well. "

Preparation time: 30 min

Cook Time: 20 minutes


Ingredients

Cup mayonnaise 1 / 4

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 / 8 cup olive oil

1 cup red peppers

1 small zucchini, sliced

1 red onion, sliced

1 small yellow squash, sliced

2 (4-X 6-inch) focaccia bread pieces, split horizontally

1 / 2 cup crumbled feta cheese

METHOD

In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice. Refrigerate.

Preheat grill to high heat.

Brush vegetables with olive oil on each side. Brush the grill with oil. Place the peppers and zucchini closest to the center of the network and set onion and squash pieces around them. Cook for about 3 minutes, turn and cook 3 minutes more. The peppers may take a little longer. Remove from grill and set aside.

Spread a little mayonnaise mixture on cut sides of bread, and sprinkle with feta cheese. Place on grill until cheese side and cover with a lid 2 to 3 minutes. This will warm the bread and the cheese melts slightly. Note carefully that the funds do not burn. Remove from grill and cover with vegetables. Enjoy a toast open.

Oven Fried Chicken

"Crispy chicken that is moist, even if you decide to remove the skin!












Ingredients

1 (2-3 pound) whole chicken, cut

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 / 2 teaspoon paprika

1 cup mayonnaise

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 ° C).

In a medium bowl or gallon-size plastic bag, combine bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, pepper, thyme and paprika.

Chicken with mayonnaise. Put chicken pieces in bowl / bag with bread and coat with breadcrumb mixture / shake to coat well. Put the chicken pieces in a baking dish lightly greased 9x13 inch and bake for 45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Cones Papad
Another form of papad spent a garnish or as a container of salad.











INGREDIENTS

Small circles Papad 2-3

METHOD

Take a small circular papad and lightly fried on a Tawa until almost done. Then use both hands, quickly fold into a triangular cone and hold it in a glass, so that the shape is preserved. Use as a garnish or as a container of salad.

APPLE & PUMPKIN SOUP

APPLE & PUMPKIN SOUP
An unusual combination of apples and red pumpkin makes a delicious soup
Preparation time: 1 minute
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4








INGREDIENTS

Golden apples, cubed
Red pumpkin (bhopla / Kaddu), diced250 grams
Orange Juice1 cup
Salt by taste
Bay leaf
Turmeric powder1 / 4 teaspoon
Black peppercorns, crushed1 / 2 teaspoon
Cream1 / 2 cup
Fresh coriander leavesfew sprigs

METHOD

Take the pumpkin cubes and apples in an orange juice Panadda, salt, bay leaves and cook over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until cooked and mashed. Let the mixture cool. Remove bay leaf and mix to a puree. Strain puree and transfer to a saucepan. Add two cups water and turmeric powder, mix well and bring to boil. Adjust salt and add freshly crushed pepper and mix well. Reduce heat and add cream. The piping hot serving garnished with coriander leaves

BAKED BEANS WRAP

BAKED BEANS WRAP
Baked beans stuffed in rotis- a must try recipe.
Preparation Time : 10-15 minutes
Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes
Servings : 4







INGREDIENTS

Whole wheat rotis4
Baked beans1 1/2 cups
Onions 2 medium
Oil 1 tablespoon
Green capsicum, chopped 1 medium
Garlic, thinly sliced 5-6 cloves
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 3 tablespoons
Tomato ketchup as required
Red chilli sauce as required
Iceberg lettuce leaves, shredded a few
Cheese, grated 4 tablespoons


METHOD
Chop an onion and cut the other. Heat the oil in a pan, add chopped onion, green pepper, garlic and saute. Add the cooked beans in a pan and fry. Add cilantro and stir. September worktop buns. Spread a little 'tomato and chili sauce, both of them. Put a little 'of this compound on one side of each rotis. Sprinkle the sliced ​​onion, lettuce and grated cheese over the beans and roti roll. You can cut each roll diagonally in pieces and serve or wrap each roll in aluminum foil and serve.

Meal Planning

Cooking is considered to be a divine art. But is it really so? Ask that to the meal maker at home who has to whip up delectable fares day in and day out and at the same time cater to every whim of each family member! Add to it the task of balancing the budget and ensuring a wholesome meal that is enough to give you the jitters.

If donning the chef’s cap is making you feel uneasy, here are some tips on meal planning to prevent you from landing in a soup. If you are a working parent or a housewife juggling numerous tasks at hand that take up your entire day, these helpful tips would make meal making a truly enjoyable experience and help you sail smoothly throughout the week.



Opinion of family members

You spent the whole evening baking and grilling a wide platter of food for your folks only to find them turning up their noses and heading to rummage the refrigerator. Though likes and dislikes can be cultivated, every member in the family may not appreciate all types of food.

First of all, ask members of your household to suggest some dishes, which they would love to eat, as it is their opinion that matters the most.

Keep in mind their likes and dislikes and allergies to certain types of food.

If you have already prepared a menu, ask them for some suggestions on the menu and make the relevant changes.

In case they do not agree with certain dishes on the menu, welcome all suggestions on the possible varieties that could be adopted.

Well, do keep in mind the likes and dislikes of children, as they are the one’s who are fussy about food!

Ask the kids what they would love to have for the whole week and always keep a substitute dish so that you are prepared in advance in case they throw a fit about a certain dish.

If there are certain restrictions to be followed due to religious or health considerations, choose food items that can be easily substituted instead of having to cook separately for each member.

Keep in mind health related issues

The first pre-requisite of a good meal plan is its ability to meet the nutritional needs of the entire family. You may have succeeded in appeasing every taste bud but the health issues too need a thought.

Since no single food will meet the entire nutrient requirement, decide on the type of meals to be had for the entire week. Make a plan about the inclusion of vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods. A vegetarian meal can also be balanced, affordable and at the same time provide good variety.

In the variety of meals that you have planned see to it that foods from each food group are included in some form.

If fussy eaters pose a problem, changing the method of preparation, a lovely presentation of the dish with interesting accompaniments can bring them back for second helpings.

If you are having more than one dish which has a high fat content then try and compensate with a low fat dish. This way you can be sure that your family will have healthy food.

Poultry or fish which is protein rich can be had thrice a week, meats can be had twice a week as it has a high level of fat and vegetables, especially leafy, can be had throughout the week as they are rich in vitamins and minerals.

Planning the meal

Plan a perfect and simple menu with alternatives for the week, which is less time consuming.

Make use of convenience gadgets (labour saving devices) since valuable time can be saved.

Make the best use of all the ingredients so that you do not land up wasting food. For example, if you need just chicken flesh for a particular recipe, then you can use as much flesh you want and then use the bones to prepare chicken stock which can be used for soups. Some dry chicken dishes can be made with the remaining chicken pieces.

To add variety to the menu use different methods of cooking such as broiling, grilling, baking. A chicken stew would be lapped up as easily as roasted chicken.

Keep a note on the ingredients that are made use of. This will help in writing the grocery list as well as budget.

Try and use ingredients, which can be used on a regular basis and cooked in a different style for e.g. dals go well with rice or chapattis and can be prepared very often but if prepared in a different way, your menu will look appetizing with each passing day.

Keep in mind that you do not waste even a single item from your grocery list, as it is a budgeted one, for e.g. If you have had bread for breakfast on Monday and there is some remaining the next day, you can use it by either making a bread upma or bread toast topped with butter, which tastes wonderful!

Make use of leftovers from previous day’s meals and turn them into a dish by itself for the next day. Ingenious presentation can help make even a simple dish look great and be a sure winner at the dining table.

A matter of money

If a trip to the market place sees you buying more than you intended, or the food on display was too good to resist, then a budget planning is what you essentially require. A good meal plan would be incomplete without a thought to cost cutting methods.

It is good to have a price list made to be able to compare the cost of similar foods. This way you can ensure the best buy within your budget.

Keep a particular amount fixed every week for your shopping so that you do not cross your budget while you are at the market.

A grocery list will help you buy the essential food items. This way one would not land up buying excess foodstuff.

Stay away from places that promise fancy gifts and offers on purchase of large amounts of food items, which you are sure is in excess of your requirements.

Do not cook in very large quantities to minimize wastage. Also, you would be spared of getting bored eating the same thing frequently.

Go for seasonal fruits and vegetables since they are cheaper and fresh.

Introduction

Introduction
FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID

What’s this?

A food guide pyramid is a simple way of knowing what are the kinds of food one needs to consume and in what amounts to ensure good health.

It is obvious that there is interplay of nutrients in the body. When we talk about nutrients it is important to know the quantity i.e. how much to take. This can be well understood by the concept of FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID. This can form a foundation for a good diet selection, providing the essential nutrients.

Definition of RDA

RDA or Recommended Daily Allowances are levels of intake of essential nutrients which are on the basis of scientific knowledge and are adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of all healthy persons.


FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID (FOR VEGETARIANS)

FOOD GROUPS

Cereals:Cereals form the staple diet in India e.g. rice, wheat, maize. Cereals generally lack lysine, however rice is richer in lysine compared to other cereals. Ragi, a millet, is a rich source of calcium and known as poor man's milk. Cereals do not contain Vitamin A and Vitamin C except yellow maize, which contains carotene.

1 Cereal serving = 1 katori of cooked rice or 2 phulkas or 2 slices of bread.

1 Cereal serving will supply about 100 calories and 2-3 gms. of protein.

Legumes (Pulses and Dals): Pulses are rich sources of protein (upto 22-25%). Vegetarians can meet their protein requirement by including different pulses in their diet. But they lack Vitamin A and Vitamin C. However, germination of pulses increases the Vitamin C levels. Soaking and cooking of legumes destroy their anti-nutritional factors like tannin and trypsin inhibitors and make it easier to digest. Cereal-pulse combination in a proportion of 4:1 or 3:1 is enough for its supplementary effect.

1 serving = 1 katori of cooked dal or pulse

1 serving of legumes = 100 calories and 6-7 gms. proteins.

Vegetables : Green leafy vegetables are very rich sources of Vitamin B, carotene, iron, calcium, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. At least fifty grams should be consumed daily by each person. Yellow-orange vegetables are good sources of Vitamin B, carotene, and lycopenes.
Roots and tubers are rich in carbohydrates and contain some vitamins and minerals. Three to five servings of vegetables per day is a must and one of them should be a green leafy vegetable.

Fruits : They are rich source of vitamins, minerals and fibres. Green, yellow and orange fruits like mango, papaya contains beta-carotene. Amla, citrus fruits and guava are a rich source of vitamin C. Dried fruits like dates supply iron. Banana and jackfruit are good sources of energy.
Two to three servings of fruits per day are recommended.

Milk and milk products : Milk is a good source of protein, calcium and vitamins. It is deficient in iron and Vitamin C. Whole milk has high percentage of fat (8-12%) whereas low fat or toned milk has about three percent fat. Skimmed milk has very little or no fat. Recommended servings per day is two to three servings where one serving = 1 cup (225 - 240 ml).


FOOD GUIDE PYRAMID (FOR NON-VEGETARIANS)

FOOD GROUPS

Meat / fish / Poultry : Egg, fish, meat etc. are included in this group. Eggs supply good quality protein, vitamins and fat. Fish, meat and chicken are good sources of protein and vitamins. Meat has more fat compared to poultry and fish. Omega 3 - PUFA in fish protects against cardiovascular diseases.

Two to three servings/day are recommended.

One serving has about 30 gms of cooked meat.

One serving provides 100 calories and 7 gms of protein.

Fat / Oils : Calories from fat should not exceed 10-15% of the total calorie intake. Fat is made use of not only during cooking (visible source) but it is also present within the food we eat such as seeds, nuts, pulses etc. Fifteen to twenty grams of visible fat (oil/ghee) is recommended per person per day.

One gm. of oil or ghee gives 9 calories.

One tsp of ghee, butter, oil = 45 calories.

Sugars : This group includes sugar, honey, jaggery, etc., which are concentrated sources of energy. Jaggery provides little iron. This group has to be used sparingly. Excessive intake of sugars is not desirable due to wide fluctuations in blood sugar and leads to obesity.
1 tsp. sugar = 20-25 calories.