VEGETARIAN FISH!

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This is how my photography was. To be fair, I was using an iPhone and the picture was taken outside on a starry night!

 I know I have been slow with my posts and might be even more slow in the coming few weeks. I am in India and have been traveling a lot, hence the absence. These days I am in Delhi at V’s parents’ place. Delhi has always been home for me. My high school was here, college was here and so was my masters. It feels great to be here- the traffic jams during rains, the millions of people here from all walks of life, the honking of cars, the malls with all my favorite brands, the dhabas and the amazingly delicious food that they serve- its an awesome feeling to be back here.

The other day my friend back in the States mailed me and was telling me about this article she was reading about Delhi and it talked about how many people there are here and it reminded me of this thing my mom told me. Recently, my sister-in-law met this Swedish lady who comes every year to cleanse her system in India. The lady is suffering from cancer and she comes to India for ayurvedic massages and spiritual healing. When my sister-in-law asked her what is it about India that attracts her, she replied- the people- there are so many of them here and it is just so entertaining to watch them. And that’s so true, there is never a dull moment in India. Even while traveling alone in an autorikshaw here, more likely than not the auto guy would put blaring Bollywood music for you, full of beats and a dull journey is made fun! Yes, there are potholes here, letches who make it hell for girls to travel alone, electricity and water issues and overly crowded streets, but once here, its all so magical- much more than just a land of snake charmers!

Coming back to food, I am sure the title would interest most of you. Well, when I say vegetarian fish, its not fish actually. Though lot of people do consider themselves vegetarian even if they eat fish. I know! isn’t a fish a meat too?? Well, I will leave that for the pure vegetarians to debate. The so called “fish” that I talk about here is basically, a short crust pastry dough that is stuffed with some vegetables and shaped like a fish. Its something my mom makes at parties and everyone raves about it- which says a lot because she tends to make 15 odd dishes at a party and if ones shines out in particular- it must be good (and it actually is!).

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REALLY,REALLY HEARTY SUNDRIED TOMATO BREAD

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Two days prior to my India journey, I am down with a cough! Great! I took precautions- covered myself- head to toe- but the Denver cold got to me. Its the walk we took near the Cherry Creek Mall that’s the culprit. Well, it’s not that bad yet. That’s the key word- yet! The last time I got down with a bad cold- it started out as not being that bad- just a sore throat- nothing big. The starting symptoms are the same this time, but hopefully it won’t get any worse- there’s a slight fever but I’m hoping some rest will take care of it!

The first day in Denver, we had amazing bread at the hotel restaurant, The Lift, while waiting for our main course. It was a white bread with a hint of garlic and presumably, a lot of parmesan cheese. But one bite into it and you could taste the cheese and all its goodness. I love white bread and even though whole-wheat is supposedly more healthy, etc etc I still miss an all white bread at times.

But, the other day, back at home I made this really hearty and flavorful sundried tomato bread. I cooked up this recipe or would it be baked up (?!). Thought of adding herbs but decided against it, since I did not want too many flavors playing in the bread. I also restrained myself from adding cheese- though instead its better to grill it with cheese instead. I did add dill for some added flavor.

By the way, this bread is full of goodies for your body! The Wheat germ is rich in nutrients, Vitamin E (good for anti-aging and your reproductive organs) and fiber. Fiber helps in digestive cleansing, cleaning your system off toxins and bacteria. Another benefit of having fiber-enriched food is that you feel full sooner- that ways you don’t overeat. (and thus, helps you in keeping your waist slim!)

Flaxseeds too are rich in fiber, besides they are a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids which are good for lowering cholesterol and heart related diseases. They are rich in antioxidants too.

Besides the seeds, the flours used also have their health benefits. Everyone knows the benefits of whole-wheat flour.  Soy Flour is a great source of high quality soy protein, dietary fiber and important bio-active components which provide a good source of iron, B vitamins and potassium.

I wanted to add 1/2 cup rolled oats, and make it even more healthy, but I had the quick one minutes ones (never buying them again after reading they have the hulls removed), and wasn’st sure how they will work and also did not know how healthy they would be after the hull is removed. (Any info would be appreciated for the uninitiated me!) If you do decide to add oats reduce the bread flour quantity by the same amount and you might need to add/reduce water.

I did add a tablespoon more of water even though it did not look dry, but I know that soy absorbs a lot of water so the dough might need that extra tbsp- when making bread, its always better to err on more water and have a sticky dough than to have a dry dough. But, I ended up adding more flour, so guess the earlier proportions might have been perfect. (Have mentioned the initial proportions in the ingredients list- but if more water is required, add a tablespoon at a time).

Hope you enjoy this bread and its benefits as much as we did!

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ZUCCHINI PASTA- GLUTEN FREE RECIPE

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Happy Republic Day to all Indians!

Its Day Two of Denver and I got myself to go to the gym! Last night, we had Indian food at this place called India Tavern. V and I both enjoyed the food- it was really good and the host was a very sweet and friendly guy. We both ended up overeating, so gym today was definitely in line! I also tried eating healthier (as much as I could)- fruits and bagel with light cream cheese (yes, yes – “light” cream cheese- I really do need to lose weight!). (FYI dinner still awaits so I shouldn’t be jumping my gun.)

And, if you think I am bad with my weight issues, V is paranoid. He found a teeny weeny bit of paunch- and he has been freaking out since then- standing in front of the mirror, frowning at his almost negligible waist! And then, today on being asked what did he have for lunch, prompt came his response – a salad! Like, he could dream of eating anything else! (and here I am rejoicing for choosing “light” cream cheese instead of “regular”) Oh, the shame he brings to the Punjabi in me 😉 (Punjabi people in India are known for eating a lot- and eating food full of butter and cream!)

So to keep the spirit of being healthy (or well, trying to be), I decided to post the low-carb zucchini pasta recipe I tried a few days back. I remember hearing/reading (memory fails me here) about this pasta a long time back. The idea stuck on my mind for some time, and the other day when I passed the zucchinis at the supermarket I thought I’ll give it a try. Luckily, I found a similar recipe online too. (Click here for the link).

The recipe is quick and easy to make. It would have been quicker had I a mandolin, but since I did not, cutting the zucchini into long strands did take some time. Loved the flavors, and more so because it is so healthy!

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