As moms ,we want our kids to eat healthy balanced meal that will keep them full and satisfied . we want it to be balanced too . But kids have very little time to eat at school not because they have less time for lunch but in Princess Pea's words,"the recess comes really early ,mom.." this keeps me busy with trying to make one dish ,easy to handle meals . After one party I had some leftover store bought naans .The kiddos eat any kind of sandwich as long as it's homemade .So I came up with this Naanwich and kiddos absolutely loved it .They keep asking for it again and again and I make it over and over again . The filling are endless. I make them with vegetables and egg but even meat would go well too .
We need :-
Store bought naan
Lettuce
Spinach
Avocado
Boiled potato
Tomato
Cucumber
boiled egg
Cheese ( any kind you like )
Hummus
Butter/Ghee
Cut the Naan lengthwise so it will be almost symmetrical . Spread hummus on both sides .Layer all the toppings you like .Cover with Cheese .Brush little butter or ghee on both sides .Heat on a hot griddle / counter top grill ,panini maker or even in the oven till the cheese is melted . Serve hot , warm or even cold .
I am always struggling over the laundry organisation . I have baskets ,hampers and still it's hard to carry the loads to the basement . When I stumbled upon the Ana White's webpage on pinterest I knew I have hit a jackpot . Mr AJ and I both love DIY projects that involve wood , paint and tools. We followed the directions exactly the way she explained . We bought the wood at Lowe's .We got it cut there too . The whole project was done under 2 hours . We stained it and it took almost 24 hours to dry . But the finished product is gorgeous . It's very easy to make and very functional .
You can find the step by step directions here .
Which kid on this planet does not like Nutella ? But like any other store bought product kids are given many non healthy ingredients . And we moms think we are giving our kids something healthy and nutritious alternative to regular butter . Is Nutella really good for our kids ? After reading the label I realized the first ingredient was sugar followed by vegetable oil and then hazelnut . And there is soy lecithin . The story is not any different in organic nut butters also . This makes me try to make homemade alternative . According to many health experts almonds top the list of healthiest nuts . So my first choice was pretty easy . Almonds . Chocolate will be the reason for kids to atleast give it a try . It's ready in almost no time . It can be made from raw or roasted almonds .
The process is almost the same like making the peanut powder . You just have to run the mixer evn longer till the oil seperates from the powder and is kind of runny . My magic bullet did wonders making this .
What we need :
1 cup almonds
2-3 Tbsp honey
1/4 cup cocoa powder
a pinch of salt
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees .
2) Roast almonds on a fil lined cookie sheet for 15 minutes stirring twice to prevent burning .
3) Cool little bit for about 10 minutes .
4) Put in the mixer or food processor and let the game begin .
5) First it will be in pieces ,then powder and then it will look like a ball .
6) Keep going till the oil seperates and the almond butter looks runny .
7) Add cocoa powder ,honey and salt and keep going .
8) After about 15 minutes ,the chocolate almnond butter is ready .
9) It can be used as aspread , a dip for fruit or even in baking .
Taaadaa....chocolate almond butter is ready to rock . Happy eating...
Since the kids are back in school , I get lot of time to explore the grocery stores . Upon one such visit I overheard two friends talking about the almond milk . One was telling the other how good almond milk is for her and her family and the other friend was not so sure . I realized even I had heard my friends talk about it and unknowingly stopped to look at it . As usual the first thing I wanted to do was check the label . Like most of the other processed and packaged products there are many ingredients that don't make sense. Carrageenan ( it's kind of a hidden MSG ) ,Xanthan Gum, evaporated cane juice and the list goes on .. So how many real almonds are there in the carton I will be paying a huge price for ?
Making almond milk at home is really easy and healthier too . Traditionally our grandma and mom were making this especially during exam times , during our pregnancies and even after delivery . Almonds are good source of protein , amino acids ,folate and vitamin E which we all know is good for our hair and skin . It can be flavored also .But to get maximum benefits I decided to keep it unsweetened and unflavored . And the kiddos loved it . They did not miss the sugar in it . The almond powder left after straing the milk can be used in baking ,making gravies or even in halwa . This is a really good to have just before the swim meet or a game as it is dairy free . It can be stored in the refridgerator for 4 days .
What we need :-
1/2 cup almonds
2 cups water
Yes....only two ingredients . Soak the almonds for 4-6 hours in the water . Peel the almonds . Put it in a blender with little water till it turns in a paste .Add the rest of the water and keep blending . Strain it through a fine strainer or musleen or cheese cloth . This gave me 2 cups of thick almond milk . You can add any sweetner or flavor at this time . Serve chilled or at room temperature . This can be used in smoothies also . The leftover almond pulp can be stored in the refridgerator for later use .
Eat healthy ,live healthy....
Hello dear ones...It's long weekend and both Mr.AJ and I are down with flu . I know it's not a great long weekend at Kane's Coop . When kids are home,they are always hungry . We had plans for the long weekend but had to cancel them . Here in the US ,you have to cook your own food even if you are not well . I wanted to make something that would be filling and healthy too . Who else could I turn to seek help at such time ...no other than Pinterest . I have a friend whose entire family is allergic to all possible things .She had challenged me to come up with a pizza for her . And there it was....Gluten free pizza...
It may sound strange but the pizza crust is made from cauliflower . I had homegrown tomatoes and basil .I was really low on cheese but guess what ..the kiddos did not even notice it...yay...This is a super fast recipe . It takes less than 30 minute from start to finsh ... Isn't is great to make it on a busy day ...
What we need :
A small head of cauliflower , grated
1 Egg beaten
2 Garlic cloves , grated
1 tsp pizza seasoning
1/2 cup pizza sauce
2 tomatoes ,sliced
handful of Basil leaves
1cup of grated mozzarella cheese (I did not have grated cheese so I used the deli slices )
Add ins :- Bell peppers ,olives ,mushrooms , pineapple or anything you like on your pizza..
1) Grate the cauliflower with a grater or food processor .If grating it in food processor ,we need to be careful not to puree it .We should process it till it looks grainy . Cook in a microwave for 8-9 minutes stirring halfway through .There is no need to add any water in this . the moisture in cauliflower helps in cooking it .
2)While the cauliflower is cookng,preheat the oven to 450 degrees .
3)Grease the cookie sheet with non stick cooking spray or oil .
4) When the cauliflower is cooked try to get as much as water out of it by squeezing it with the paper towel .
5) Add beaten egg , grated garlic , and pizza seasoning to it . Mix well .
6) Press it down on the greased cookie sheet to make a round pizza ...about 10"diameter..
7) Lightly brush with oil oil and bake for 15 minutes .
8) Spread the pizza sauce ,toppings and cheese on the crust .
9) Broil it on high for 3-4 minutes or untill the cheese melts .
10) Let it cool for 5 minutes and serve hot .
So dear ones , enjoy your long weekend while I rest and recover ....
