Acorn squash and Apple Soup

Squash and apple soup is really good for cold weather and it very easy to prepare.This soup can also be served as an appetizer or as a main course with some crackers or just with a sandwich.Just roast one acorn squash  with onions and garlic  and the add it to apples  and then just blend it together with some spices.
Apples  and acorn squash are readily available in  grocery stores and is also affable and healthy for our body.Prepare this soup and please let me know through your comments.



Ingredients
1 acorn squash peeled, cut and remove the seeds and place it on a baking sheet
1 large apple peeled and cut in chunks
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 of an onion cut in chunks
1 Serrano pepper
1/3 cup almond milk
2 cups stock
salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground corriander
3 tablespoon alive oil
 1 tablespoon black pepper

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. With squash baking sheet add onions Serrano pepper and garlic season it with skin on wrap it around a foil  and place it on the same pan.
2. Add 2 tablespoon of oil ,black pepper,salt to squash , roast it  for about 30 minutes or until soft.
3. In a soup pot heat in oil , add in onions and let it cook for  couple of minutes and then add in apples cinnamon,cumin,coriander and salt and stock and bring it to boil and then simmer for about 10 minutes on low heat or until apples become soft.
4 Remove the squash from the oven  place it in the food processor then add in the apple mixture and blend it until smooth.Finally add in milk and blend it one more time and  then place it back on the pot check for seasoning.
5. Serve it with toast or crackers.

Note If the soup is too thick then add in more stock . 

Broccoli and Apple soup

Soup is good for people with diabetes and high cholesterol. I  try to incorporate vegetable soups in my diet most of the time because it lowers cholesterol.Since I did not go to the farmers market this week I decided to use frozen broccoli to make this soup.Apples is very much in this season so I used apples instead of potatoes, onions,garlic and stock to make this healthy  and easy soup.



Ingredients
1 1/2 cups broccoli defrosted
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 cup peeled cored and cubed apples
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 green chillies
1/2 teaspoon chill flakes
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2  of an onion chopped
salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice or to taste

Method
1.Heat oil in a pot,add  in onions chillies cook it for a couple of minutes.
2.Add in garlic and broccoli stalks,ginger ,stock  and salt.Stir,cover and bring it to a boil and then simmer for about 3 minutes or until stalks is tender.
3.Add in broccoli florets and apples with chilli flakes .Cook for 5 minutes .
4.Let it cool and then blend it in the blender in batches until smooth.If you need you can add more stock.
5.Place it back in the pot and bring it to a boil  ,add in nutmeg,check for salt and then add lemon juice.
6.Enjoy

If you like more creamy soup then use 1/2 cup cream instead of stock.

Banana muffin

Eating healthy breakfast is very difficult in cold  and winter months.Just bake some muffins during the weekends and tasty and nutritious breakfast is ready.People who are diabetic and is vegan can also eat this  muffin.Just mash couple of bananas add it to flour with some milk and soda ,bake at 350 degrees for 25 minute.There  you go muffin is ready to enjoy with butter of jam.





Ingredients
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla  extract
2 ripe banana mashed
1/4 cup raisin

Method
1.Preheat the oven at 350 degrees.
2. In a bowl with mashed banana's add in milk,oil,vanilla and raisin and mix it together.
3. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients.
4. Know pour the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix everything together.
5. Spray the muffin tin and place a tablespoon of the mixture in each one.
6. Bake it for 23 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
7. Enjoy it for breakfast or for snack at work.
    

Barley and Butter bean with kale Soup

Eating too much sweets for Diwali I have to go back on my diet since I have problems with my heart.I used butter bean instead of chick peas because this is something new which I found in a can. In this soup I used almond cream instead of cream to make it more healthy and figure friendly.

Soup is very good for this cold weather ,very easy to prepare and of course tasty too.Just take  a carrot,handful of kale and butter bean and barley and there dinner is on the table.

Ingredients
1/4 cup barley
1 carrot cut in pieces
3 green chillies
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 onion chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 almonds
1/2 cup kale
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock
salt to taste
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
Soak almond in water for 2 hours or over-nite.Then blend it with 1/4 cup water .
Wash barley.

Method
1.Heat a pot with olive oil,add in onion and let it cook for couple of minute.Then add in garlic and chillies,cook for another minute.
2.Add in barley and carrots ,salt and the stock. Mix cover and let it cook on low heat for about 15 minutes.
3.Add in kale and black pepper and then stir in almond cream.Cook it for another 5 minutes.
4.Taste for seasoning and serve and enjoy.

Long Beans or String Beans with red chillies

Long green bean is mostly popular in Asian cuisine. Growing up I used to eat this in stir fry's, soups and as curries.This is very nutritious and is available during summer months . Long bean is very easy to prepare ,just cut it in 1/3 inches long and blanch it for 3 to 4 minutes ,then place it ice water or run it under cold tap water to stop it from cooking.



Ingredients
2 cups of long bean ( cut in 1/3 inches long)
1/2 of sliced onions
3 cloves of garlic minced
5 chopped red chillies
4 tablespoons of water
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Preparation

1.Blanched the long bean for 4 minutes then run it under cold water.

Method
1.  Heat oil in a pan ,add in onion and let it cook for few minutes,then add in chillies and garlic.
Cook it for couple of minutes and then add in beans  and salt.Mix it everything together
2.Add in water,cover and cook it on low heat until it it cooked to your desire,
3.Serve over rice or with roti or just serve it as a side to roasted fish or chicken.

Kale with Cannelli Beans

Kale is  supper nutritious  ans is widely available during this cold months.Kale is really easy to prepare and it can be prepared in many different ways.Cannelli beans is good for  diabetic people since it regulates blood sugar and it also helps prevent heart disease.I cooked kale with cannelli  beans because I really need to eat healthy since I recently had a procedure done for my heart.I try to come up easy and simple recipe that is also healthy for my body. Try this recipe out and please let me know the outcome and if you have any heart healthy recipe please let me know.

Ingredients
1 bunch kale
1/2 cup cannelli beans.
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes
2 Serrano peppers
1/2 of an  onion chopped
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

Preparation
Wash and clean kale.Take the leaves off the stem and cut in roughly.
Rinse beans if using from the can

Method
1.Heat oil add in cumin,let it pop the add in onion and cook it for a couple of minutes than add in garlic,pepper and cook it for another minute.
2.Add in kale ,mix i,t let it cook for couple of minutes then add in beans  with chilli flakes salt , nutmeg and water.Cover and it let for few minutes.
3.Serve with roti ,paratha or with rice.

Butternut Squash soup

Fall is here ,the weather is bit cold  and soup is one of the most comfort food .Butternut squash is rich in fiber and it also good for heart , as well as it regulates blood sugar. This  fall veggie is  cooked in many ways such as curry ,soup,used in paratha  or simply roasted and used in salad.Butternut squash soup is very healthy and tasty and is very easy to cook.I came up with this recipe after I was told by my cardio doctor to include lots of vegetables in my diet.Hope you would try this out and don't forget to leave me a comment.

Ingredients

2 cups chopped butternut squash
1 medium carrot chopped
1 Serrano pepper
1/4 teaspoon red chilli flakes
1 celery stock roughly chopped
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
salt to taste
1 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon cilantro roughly chopped
Few mint leaves roughly chopped
oil
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

Method
1. Heat oil in a pot,add in all the veggies,onions,garlic,red chilli flakes,pepper and salt.
2. Mix everything together and then add in stock and cover and let it cook until all the veggies are cooked through.
3 Add in cilantro and mint and cover ,turn off the stove.
4 .When a little cool add the soup into the blender and blend it until smooth.Add in lemon juice.and serve with sandwich or crackers.