Healthy Beetroot Dosa

Ingredients: 

1 cup dosa batter, 

½ medium-sized beetroot, 

¼ cup onions, 

¼ cup chopped tomatoes, 

1-2 green chillies, 

¼ cup coriander leaves, 

salt and pepper to taste, 

½ tsp red chilli powder, 

¼ cup curd, 

ghee, or oil for cooking. 

 

 

Preparations

Start with washing the beetroot. Peel and grate the beetroot using a fine grater. Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and coriander leaves into small pieces.

 

 Take a blender and add in beetroot along with fermented dosa batter and fresh curd. Churn it into a smooth paste.

Now, pour the batter into a bowl and whisk it with some baking soda and spices, and let it sit for some time. Meanwhile, heat a tawa and grease it with oil or ghee.

 

 Once the oil is hot ,pour the batter on the tawa and spread it a bit.. Drizzle it with some oil/ghee on the edge to cook.

Add in chopped veggies and herbs and allow it to cook over medium heat. Pair it with chutney of your choice.

 

 

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The 8 Best Foods to Eat With Cottage Cheese for More Fiber, According to Dietitians

The popularity of cottage cheese is still going strong, as food influencers and home cooks alike praise its versatility in the kitchen—and its high protein count. While the focus is often on protein, protein, and more protein, eating adequate amounts of fiber poses a bigger challenge. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 to 28 grams for women and 28 to 34 grams for men, or about 14 grams per 1,000 calories. But most people don’t eat enough.

“Nearly 95% of American adults aren’t meeting daily fiber recommendations, which is concerning because fiber intake influences every system in the body,” says a registered dietitian at My Crohn’s and Colitis Team. Fiber is crucial for healthy digestion as well as blood-sugar and cholesterol levels. It also supports the gut microbiome and is associated with a lower risk of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic illnesses.

Plus, fiber can help keep you full for longer—especially when it's paired with protein. “Fiber and protein both independently stimulate satiety signals, which contribute to normal appetite regulation,” Zenker says. “Pairing fiber and protein together can be even more effective for satiety than either alone.”

To get started, try these expert-recommended cottage cheese and fiber duos.

 1. Bean chili

 

Shredded cheese or sour cream are common chili toppers, but Zenker recommends using cottage cheese instead, which has more protein and is lower in saturated fat. Beans are full of fiber (about 15 grams per cup), so try a chili made with a melange of several varieties, like black beans, kidney beans, lentils, and chickpeas. One serving could contain more than 10 to 20 grams of fiber, Zenker says.

2. Avocado

 

Need a healthy appetizer for your next gathering or an afternoon snack? Whip up this dip and eat with sweet-potato chips, suggests a professor and department director of nutrition and dietetics at Johnson & Wales University. Blend or mash 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese, one medium avocado, and one to two garlic cloves until creamy, and season with salt and black pepper. One avocado contains about 9 grams of fiber, plus healthy fats.

3. Baked potato

 

Both experts love adding dollops of cottage cheese to baked russet or sweet potatoes. The trick is to keep the skin on (and eat it!) for the most fiber, Zenker says. A medium potato contains about 2 grams of fiber and a medium sweet potato has about 4 grams of fiber, primarily in the skin.

Soares makes a twice-baked version with sweet potatoes by baking the potato, topping with a mixture of cottage cheese, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, and honey or maple syrup, then baking it again until everything is warm. The pumpkin seeds add even more fiber, with about 5 grams per ounce.

4 . Oat flour

 

If you’ve never made oat flour pancakes, now is the time. The fiber in oat flour (and the berries you put on top!) plus the protein in cottage cheese make these pancakes way more satisfying than your typical diner breakfast. There are about 7 grams of fiber and 30 grams of protein per serving, Soares says.

Mix 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese, four large eggs, 1 cup of oat flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, a pinch of salt and cinnamon, and stir it into a smooth batter. Let the batter sit for about five minutes, then cook the pancakes in a nonstick skillet on medium heat until golden-brown. Top with mixed berries, and drizzle with honey or maple syrup.

5. Chickpeas

 

For a light lunch, Soares suggests filling a bowl with a ½ cup of cottage cheese. Mix together chickpeas , chopped cucumber, chopped tomato, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, and a garnish of fresh chopped parsley or cilantro, then spoon on top of the cottage cheese. You’ll get about 8 grams of fiber.

6. Fruit

 

This is a classic combo for good reason. Fruit is loaded with fiber, and virtually any one will pair well with the tangy, salty taste of cottage cheese. For a fruit bowl for two, Soares recommends mixing one sliced peach and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries to 1 cup of 2% cottage cheese. Mix in 1 teaspoon each of chia seeds and cinnamon, plus 2 teaspoons of honey or maple syrup, and a tablespoon of fresh lemon or lime juice. Each serving will provide 7 grams of fiber.

 

7. Protein pasta

 

Parmesan is the go-to cheese for pasta, but cottage cheese is a tasty, creamy alternative, Soares says. Adding zucchini, spinach and tomatoes bumps up the fiber count.

Cook 4 ounces of protein pasta, reserving some pasta water. Gently sauté two cloves of minced garlic in olive oil until fragrant. Add one thinly sliced zucchini, 2 cups of fresh spinach, and 1 cup of cherry tomatoes to the garlic. Blend cottage cheese until smooth, then pour it into the garlic and veggies with a bit of pasta water to make a creamy sauce. Toss with the cooked pasta, and season with salt and pepper.

8. Chia seed jam

 

You can buy chia jam at a store, but making your own is easy, Zenker says. Heat a saucepan with mashed fruit (like raspberries, which are high in fiber) and add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Brighten the flavor with a squeeze of lemon juice, or sweeten it with a dash of vanilla extract or your sweetener of choice.

“Depending on how you make it, chia jam can provide 4 to 8 grams of fiber per 2 tablespoons,” Zenker says. “A tablespoon of store-bought chia jam contains about 4 grams of fiber.”

 

The bottom line

Yes, cottage cheese serves up much-needed protein for your body, but you might benefit even more if you pair it with fiber-rich foods. Just don’t overdo it too quickly if your diet doesn’t already contain a lot of fiber. “When eating fiber, it is important to start slow and stay hydrated, as increasing fiber intake too rapidly can cause bloating, constipation, or abdominal discomfort in some people,” says Soares. So, help yourself to that cottage cheese and fruit, but don’t forget to have a glass of water with it.

 

 

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This Happy Smoothie Is High in Fiber

  

 Ingredients

¾ cup fresh or frozen blueberries

 ¾ cup halved fresh/ frozen strawberries

½ cup whole-milk plain kefir

2 pitted Medjool dates

1tbsp smooth natural almond butter

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1 cup ice cubes

 

Preparations

Combine ¾ cup blueberries, ¾ cup strawberries, ½ cup kefir, 2 dates, 1 tablespoon almond butter and ¼ teaspoon vanilla in a blender; process until smooth, about 30 seconds.  

 Add 1 cup ice and process until smooth and thickened, about 20 seconds.

 

 

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Anti-Inflammatory Golden Tonic

  

 Ingredients

2 cups filtered water

2 bags green tea

5 sprigs fresh thyme, lightly bruised with the side of a knife

1(2 inch) piece peeled ginger , finely grated

1(2 inch) piece peeled turmeric, finely grated

1 tbsp honey, preferably manuka

1tbsp raw unfiltered cider vinegar

Ice cubes

2 cups chilled sparkling water

1 Lime wedges for serving 

 

Preparations

Bring filtered water to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add tea bags, thyme, ginger, turmeric, honey and vinegar, stirring to dissolve the honey. Reduce heat to low and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a mason jar. Refrigerate for 1 hour. 

 Fill 4 glasses half full of ice. Divide the tonic mixture evenly among the glasses (about 1/2 cup tonic per glass). Top each with 1/2 cup sparkling water. Serve with a lime wedge, if desired. 

 

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Green Juice

  

 Ingredients

 ½ cup fresh parsley

 3 cups spinach

½ lemon, peeled

2 medium pears, cut into eighths

6 large stalks celery, trimmed

Ice cubes (optional)

 

Preparations

Working in this order, process parsley, spinach, lemon, pears and celery through a juicer according to the manufacturer's directions. 

Fill 2 glasses with ice, if desired, and pour the juice into the glasses. Serve immediately. 

Tips

No juicer? No problem. Try this DIY version of blended and strained juice instead: Coarsely chop all ingredients. First, place the soft and/or juice ingredients in the blender and process until liquefied. Then, add the remaining ingredients; blend until liquefied. Cut two 24-inch-long pieces of cheesecloth. Completely unfold each piece and then stack the pieces on top of each other. Fold the double stack in half so you have a 4-layer stack of cloth. Line a large bowl with the cheesecloth and pour the contents of the blender into the center. Gather the edges of the cloth together in one hand and use the other hand to twist and squeeze the bundle to extract all the juice from the pulp. Wear a pair of rubber gloves if you don't want the juice to stain your hands.

 

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Berry-Avocado Spinach Smoothie

  

Ingredients

3 cups frozen mixed berries

2 ripe medium avocados, halved, pitted and peeled

4 cups baby spinach

2 cups non-fat plain yogurt

⅔ cup water

½ cup orange juice

½ cup chopped pitted Medjool dates

1tbsp vanilla extract 

 

Preparations

 Combine 3 cups frozen berries, the avocado flesh, 4 cups spinach, 2 cups yogurt, ⅔ cup water, ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup chopped dates and 1 tablespoon vanilla in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes, using a tamper as needed. Divide evenly among 4 glasses. 

 

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Don’t throw away orange peels: 5 clever DIY ways to turn those fragrant leftovers into useful things around your home

  

 Clever DIY ways to reuse them at home

There's a particular kind of waste that happens almost every single day without anyone thinking twice about it, orange peels tossed straight into the bin the second the fruit's finished, along with all that lovely citrus fragrance going with it. It's a shame, honestly, because that peel is doing a lot more work than people give it credit for, it's fragrant, mildly antibacterial, and genuinely useful in ways that go well beyond the fruit itself. Here are five easy, genuinely useful ways to give your orange peels a second life instead of letting them disappear into the compost or the bin.

  

 A natural all-purpose cleaner

This is probably the most popular orange peel hack out there, and for good reason, it actually works. Simply drop your peels into a jar, cover them completely with white vinegar, and let the mixture sit for about two weeks in a cool, dark spot, giving it an occasional shake along the way. Once it's ready, strain out the peels and dilute the liquid with water in a spray bottle, and you've got a genuinely effective, pleasant-smelling cleaner for countertops, glass, and most household surfaces. The natural oils in the peel cut through grease nicely, and it leaves behind a fresh citrus scent rather than that sharp vinegar smell lingering in the room.

  

A homemade air freshener

If your kitchen or bathroom could use a little freshening up without reaching for a chemical spray, orange peels handle this beautifully on their own. Simmering a handful of peels in a small pot of water on the stove, along with a cinnamon stick or a couple of cloves if you have them, fills the whole house with a warm, genuinely inviting fragrance within minutes. For something longer-lasting, drying the peels out completely and placing them in a small bowl or sachet works just as well, tucked into a drawer, a shoe cabinet, or anywhere that tends to hold onto musty smells.

Natural pest repellent for the garden

Orange peels turn out to be surprisingly effective at keeping certain garden pests away, particularly ants and aphids, which tend to avoid the strong citrus scent altogether. Simply scattering fresh or dried peel pieces around the base of plants, or burying small bits just beneath the soil surface, can help discourage pests from settling in without needing anything harsh or chemical. It's a small, low-effort habit that plenty of home gardeners swear by, and it means your kitchen scraps end up doing double duty out in the garden instead of just going to waste.

Fire starters for the fireplace or bonfire

This one genuinely surprises people the first time they try it, dried orange peels make excellent natural fire starters, thanks to the citrus oils they contain, which are actually flammable and burn with a lovely fragrant crackle. Simply dry the peels out completely, either in the sun over a few days or in a low oven, then use them to help kindle a fireplace, bonfire, or even a barbecue. They catch flame easily and burn slowly enough to help get larger logs or charcoal going, all while filling the air with a pleasant citrus smell rather than the usual smoky one.

Candied orange peel, a genuinely tasty treat

For anyone who'd rather turn their peels into something edible, candying them is a wonderfully simple process that results in a genuinely delicious homemade treat. Boil the peels a couple of times in fresh water to remove some of the bitterness, then simmer them in a sugar syrup until they turn translucent and soft, before letting them dry on a wire rack for a day or so. Once dried, they can be enjoyed as is, dipped in melted chocolate for something a little more indulgent, or chopped finely and added to baked goods for a lovely citrus kick.

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for general informational and household purposes only. Always ensure orange peels used for cleaning, fire-starting, or consumption are washed thoroughly and free from pesticide residue where possible. Test any homemade cleaning solution on a small hidden area first before wider use.

 

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Badam/ Almond Halwa

 Ingredients

 almond 1 cup/ 150 gm

ghee 3-4 tbsp

suji/ rava- 2 tbsp

milk- 2 cups 

sugar-  3/4 cup / 150 gm or as per taste

big pinch of saffron soaked on warm milk 

cardamom pdr 1/2 - 3/4 tsp 

Preparations

soak the almonds in hot water for 3-4 hours or over-night.

peel the almonds 

put the peeled almonds in a mixer jar and grind adding little milk to slightly coarse paste

 In a kadai add 3 tbsp ghee, one it melts add 2 tbsp suji, fry till aroma comes

now add the ground paste, keep frying in low flame till its raw smell goes and nice aroma comes, if need be add little more ghee

once the badam is well roasted, it leaves out ghee, now lower flame add milk slowly making sure that there are no lumps, then add sugar,mix well

now cover and cook for 3-4 minutes, now remove the lid and keep stirring till the milk is absorbed.

once the mixture thicken and leaves the sides of the kadai, add cardamom pdr, mix well, add some chopped nuts, mix well. 

as the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, remove it, you can serve it hot, or spread it on a greased plate

level it, spread some finely chopped nuts press it down lightly. let it cool, cut into desired shape.

 

 

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