GreenLeafyVegetables – The Secret Ingredient

Apples

Detox Green Smoothie | Apple Spinach Green Smoothie

By anshu April 30, 2017

Last Night was Saturday night party at my place. Along with some cocktails we had some heavy snacks! Now I wake up with a bloated tummy and a guilty conscience. To fix both these things I needed to make this Green detoxifying smoothie which will revive my stomach and clear my body of all the toxins. This smoothie doesn’t use any dairy and is free from all sort of sugars.

Its even ideal for people who are watching their weight. I like to include this smoothie in my diet at least once a week. If you are also fond of smoothies then you must check out a few other recipes of Smoothies on my page. Some links I have mentioned at the end of this post. What kind of smoothie do you like? I would like to know your opinion. Would love to hear from you.

Directions:
1. In a blender add thoroughly washed leaves of Spinach and a peeled banana.

2. Add one cored green apple.

3. Add roasted seeds of Flax.

3. Add Water to the blender.

4. Also throw in some ice cubes.

5. Pulse till everything is smooth. Pour into glasses and drink it up immediately. This is detoxifying and quite refreshing.

Other Smoothies and Beverages you can try are: Plum Smoothie, Raw Mango Drink with Mint and Roasted Cumin, Ginger Papaya Mint Smoothie, Central Himalayan Wild Bayberry Syrup, Litchi Lemonade, Mango Chamomile-Mint Tea Lemonade, Kiwi Chia Pudding, Peach Lemonade, Spiced Mango Lassi, Melon Cucumber and Mint Smoothie, Orange and Blueberry Smoothie.

[yumprint-recipe id=’272′]

View Post

Dinner

Palak Mushroom | Creamy Spinach Curry with Stir Fried Mushrooms

By anshu May 20, 2016

PalakMushroom_Featured1
My husband loves Palak Paneer and there is nothing else which he fancies more. Whenever we get Spinach he doesn’t let me make anything else. This time when he was away at work and the milk wasn’t sufficient to make Paneer, I tricked him by adding Mushrooms. The combination clicked and he kinda liked it. Infact he said we should do this often. ha! You know sometimes in life you have to take extreme steps to change some people 😛 I guess I took mine… hahahah (evil laugh)

PalakMushroom_Featured3

On a serious note this dish was a pleasant change over the conventional paneer dish. If you are a mushroom lover this will really suit your palette. Infact this inspires me to trick my husband more often now 😉 which promises you more Spinach dishes on my blog soon.

Directions:

1. Separate the spinach stems from the leaves and reserve the leaves in a colander. If you are using the packaged spinach in a bag they come without stems, so you can skip this step.

2. Insert the colander with leaves under the water tap and wash rigorously ensure that there is no dirt. Ensure you wash each leaf, it is a tedious process but by this you will eliminate all the dirt which will effect the taste of your dish.

3.Put the washed leaves in a pot and blanch them for ten minutes with lid on top. If you are using the packaged spinach you will need to put half cup of water to blanch the spinach. Once you see the spinach leaves are no longer firm you must turn the flame off. Keep them aside to cool down a little.

4. After it’s cooled put it in a blender along with garlic, ginger and chillies. Make a smooth paste of it . Keep aside.

5. In a blender add Tomatoes, Ginger, garlic and Onions and make a smooth puree. Set aside.

6. Wash and Chop some Mushrooms.

7. In a wok add some ghee or clarified butter and add the mushroom slices. Saute them till they have shrunk and have acquired little colour. Take them out of the wok and put them in a plate to be used later.

6. Add a little more ghee to the same wok and add cumin seeds. Wait for them to crackle.

7. Add the tomato puree and combine.

8. Add salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder.

9. Let the masala be on the medium low flame till the ghee separates out.

10. Add the Spinach Puree and combine. Let it simmer for five eight minutes till it thicken a little bit.

11. Add cream or you can use malai . It helps it give that creamy texture and takes away the bitterness of spinach.

12. Add Kasuri Methi for that restaurant like taste. Garnish with Garam Masala.

12. Add sauteed Mushrooms to the curry and combine.

13. Serve hot with Roti, Kulcha or Naan.

You can even try the classic Palak Paneer and Palak Dhaniya Chutney.

Other dishes from North India you can try are: Punjabi Dal Makhani, Kadhai Mushroom , Langar Wali Dal, Methi Matar Malai, Mushroom Do Pyaaza, Punjabi Style Dum Aloo.

PalakMushroom_Featured2 [whohit]PalakMushroom[/whohit]

[yumprint-recipe id=’223′]

View Post

Dinner

Cholai Ka Saag | Stir Fried Amaranth Leaves

By anshu August 19, 2015

Amaranth Saag

I just attended my brother’s wedding last week and I realised I was much plumper than before (I don’t wanna demean my self by calling fat :P). So on returning back my husband and me decided to go on good healthy diet with proper exercise. Its been a week and we still seem to be on the right track. I have been avoiding sweets and cheese and bringing in more vegetables and proteins in my diet. One such vegetable is the nutritious leafy vegetable which is known as Cholai or Chaulai in Hindi and Amaranth or Amaranthus in English. I made this stir fried Amaranth Leaves with spices.

Grains of Amaranth are also used in food and are very good source of energy. I found these leaves in the farmer’s market and quickly decided to make something out of them. The colour of leaves vary from purple to red and green to gold. I have used the former types as I love these colours but you can use any variant. Amaranth leaves are good antioxidants and good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. If you eat amaranth in leafy form, it acts as a good roughage and helps cure constipation. It is very easy to cook amaranth. Its a simple recipe with bountiful of nutrition.

Directions:

1. Separate the leaves from the stems. Place them together.

2. Wash the leaves thoroughly as there can be a lot of grit in the leaves.

3. Chop them coarsely and set aside.

4. In a wok or karahi add clarified butter or ghee and turn the flame on. Vegan may use any other cooking oil.

5. Add Cumin seeds and A bay Leaf.

6. Add Ginger Garlic paste along with chopped green chilies and saute them until the raw fragrance of garlic diminishes.

7. Add onions and continue to saute till the onion becomes soft and translucent.

8. At this stage add the chopped cholai leaves and toss them with the onions.

9. Season with Salt, red chilli powder.

10. Also add coriander powder and Garam Masala.

11. Cook on medium low flame, uncovered until soft and thoroughly cooked. Serve hot with Chappatis.

Other simple everyday recipes you can try on The Secret Ingredient: Tori Wadi, Masaledar Arbi, Baingan ka Bhartha, Langar Wali Dal.
Other dishes with Leafy vegetables you may try: Palak Paneer, Aloo Methi, Arbi Ke Paton Ke Patode, Pudina Pulav, Methi Matar Malai.

Amaranth Saag

[yumprint-recipe id=’159′]

View Post

Dips

Bathua Ka Raita | Chenopodium Album Yogurt Dip | Lambsquarters Yogurt Dip

By anshu March 31, 2015

The best part about winters and spring is that you get a lot of green leafy vegetables. They are not only nutritious but also very tasty. I love to indulge in Sarson ka Saag, Palak Paneer, Methi Aloo, Methi Matar Malai every other day. But my favourite is the delicious Bathua Ka Raita. It is a yogurt dip made with a kind of seasonal weed plant known as Bathua or Bathuwa. Its english name is Chenopodium Album. It may be a weed but it is extensively grown as a crop in Northern India.

I had no clue that it was a weed until I moved to Almora. My maid came with a bag of leaves and she said would you mind if I take these home? I asked her what it was and she told me its bathua which she plucked from the wasteland above the house on the hills. I told her to take it on a condition, if she could also fetch for me 🙂

With abundance of bathua around me I can enjoy this raita more than ever before. My husband always avoids yogurt complaining its cold in here. So the other day I decided to make this for myself. To my surprise the bowl was half empty when I decided to pour for myself. He kittenishly said “why you did not tell me before it was going to be so tasty”. He finished half of it and was asking for more.

Directions:

1. Separate Bathua leaves from its stem. Also separate the coriander leaves from its stem. Wash both the leaves separately and keep aside.

2. In a pressure pan put washed bathua leaves and 1/4 cup of water.

3. Also add salt and put the lid on. Cook for one whistle or 2 minutes after the pressure has reached its peak and switch off the flame. Let it cook in the steam. After the steam has released open the lid. Drain the water using a colander or wire mesh. You can use this nutritious water to knead dough for rotis.

4. Squeeze out extra water using your hands.

5. Place the squeezed bathua in a blender.

6. Add to it washed coriander leaves, green chilies. red chili powder and salt.

7. Add on top curd.

8. Also add ground ginger powder or sonth and roasted ground cumin powder. Pulse this together for two seconds or until the green colour appears.

9. Transfer it to a serving bowl. Sprinkle more roasted ground cumin powder and red chili powder. Serve as a side dish with anything you please.

Other Raita or yogurt based dishes you can try are : Purslane Yogurt Dip, Aloo Anaar ka Raita, Baigan ka Raita.

[whohit]BathuaKaRaita[/whohit]

[yumprint-recipe id=’112′]

View Post

Dinner

Methi Matar Malai | Fenugreek Leaves with Peas in Creamy Sauce

By anshu March 15, 2015

Methi Leaves or Fenugreek leaves are widely available in winters. The slight bitterness in these leaves brings an interesting flavour to the dish. Usually in my kitchen I make Fenugreek with Potatoes or as we call it in hindi, Aloo Methi . But this time I wanted to try something new so tried cooking Methi Matar Malai.

It was my maiden attempt at this dish and I am proud to say it came out very yummy. The bitterness of leaves, the crunchiness of peas and the creaminess of malai or cream gives it a unique, balanced flavour.

Directions:

1. Separate the fenugreek leaves from their stem. Wash it rigorously and chop it coarsely.