Millet with baked pumpkin salad

Millet with baked pumpkin salad with a sunflower seed dressing

I think millets are a healthy substitute for wheat or rice. Since sunny boy can't eat wheat and co., including rye and barley, I try to offer him different types of other cereals. Millets are called Hirse in German and this is a variety called gold hirse here and comes from China, with big sized kernels. These are large in size than the Indian 'sama ke chawal' a hindi word for a variety of millet which you might know usually eaten during fasting. 'Sama ke chawal' are also different in being white in colour than this variety I used.

yellow chinese variety of millet (DE: 'gold hirse')

I took the recipe of baked pumpkin salad from 101 cookbooks, a blog surely well known to you all. I made a slightly different version than as given in the recipe. I used cooked broccoli florets which were still slightly crisp and I cooked them in the same water as the millets and took them out once done. I roasted a handfull of leftover sweetened cranberries and added them to the salad and also canned corn kernels to the plate while serving. I didn't have cilantro (coriander leaves) so I used parsely instead. Apart from that I had to slightly vary the amounts of the sunflower seeds and also pumpkin seeds I added to the dressing in the dressing as I didn't get it right initially but at the end it was a fanastic change to the vinaigrettes I usually make as dressings.

Some notable nutritional aspects of the meal:

Millets: contain B vitamins just like wheat ( see link (Wiki) ), and many other trace minerals required by our body and that way make for a good replacement for wheat

Broccoli : Apart from the many vitamins it also contains the trace element selenium and many other substances suggested to be having anticancer properties (source: Wiki). contains dietery fibres.

sunflower seeds : these are not only a good source of healthy fatty acids from the oil but also proteins. It contains linoleic acid, an omega-6-fatty acid. Like most of the seeds it also contains many useful trace minerals.

Pumpkin: good source of dietery fibres, just like broccoli, and contains a good number of trace minerals and vitamins. Low in fats but contains small amounts of proteins (lower than in potato)


The roasted flavour of the pumpkin was lovely. Since I used hokkaido variety I didn't need to peel it. I made the mistake of cutting the onion into wedges but forgot to take it out in time and they got a bit too dark and almost crisp! Next time I'll keep them whole as they aren't that big in size. We all loved the flavour of crannberries
I made this meal in September and since hubby isn't that fond of kichdi type of food I haven't come to making it again, but he and sunny boy enjoyed the pumpkin. I don't remember any more how sunny boy liked the millet as such, but he did the dressing for the salad. I have to make it soon to use up my two packets of millets lying in my pantry.

Making them eat carrots...

(carrots from ones own garden - try growing them with your kid in your own veggie patch at home!)

Sunny boy loves to eat carrots raw. Usually he askes for his favorite 'dip' along with it which is nothing but a mixture of lemon juice and olive oil in 1:2 proportions with little mustard, salt and pepper added to it.
But eating them slightly cooked is actually even better as the good vitamin a get much more easily absorbed. Apart from fats /oils that it needs the softened texture makes it easier for the body to digest and absorb the goodies from this wonderful veggie. Of course, the carrots should retain their fresh colour - a good indication that they are not over-cooked.
But, how many of your kids like that. Sunny boy? It depends on his mood, but I HAVE to put it in his mouth usually.
Two things which however do make him eat them with pleasure on hiw own are:

1. dice them very very finely and cook with rice or cook/fry separatly and add to pasta or the vegetable which he likes. All have worked for me
2. make them into these good looking flowers and cook or fry them like in the following pictures (you can also add them to raw to salads)
   

The final products....
My tips on serving vegetables to kids:

1. Do not mix too many different things together and they will more easily eat their veggies!
2. Serve very small portions
3. give some funny or fascinating namesto the dishes you serve

Some old info lying in one draft , posting it finally:

Calcium, just like zinc reduces iron absorption and since iron is a very important mineral required by the body as well, one should avoid eating calcium rich sources along with the main meals.

A good report on the effect of calcium on iron absoption.

Another informative page on trace minerals required by our body.

Here are some good sources of calcium and iron at MedicineNet.com.

Healthy , Roasted Cutlets

Anirudh is unwell , so over the weekend I wanted to make something thats interesting to him (as you dont feel like eating in fever) and yet healthy.

The usual fried cutlets would be bad on his throat and so I recalled this one.

Ingredients:

Cottage Cheese : 50 gms crumbled
Carrot : 1 grated
Onion : 1 fine chopped
Wheat Flour : 2 tbsp
Broken Wheat : 1/4 cup
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Chilli powder , salt as per taste
Water : 1 cup
Oil / Butter : 1-2 tsp

Steps :

1. Blanch the broken wheat in 1 cup water for 3-4 minutes.
2. Mix all the ingredients and make patties of desired shape
3. Roast with little oil on a non-stick tawa. It should be cooked for long on slow flame.

The recipe was inspired by a Tarla Dalal's recipe that I read sometime back. I don't remember accurately but it required to add soya sauce and chilli sauce as well. I forgot to add soya sauce and I skipped chilli sauce intentionally.


Anirudh had half cutlet , which can be equated to atleast 0.5 roti and some veggies too. So operation successfull. About the taste I cannot say , since I did not get to taste it , everything was over before I made it to the table :-P

Not-too-chilli paneer

This is a really simple paneer recipe that can work equally well with rice, rotis or even bread.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:
350gm paneer, diced into 1 cu cm cubes(or as large as comfortable for kids)
1 medium capsicum
A puree of

2 tomatoes
3 small onions
a small bunch of coriander leaves
2 green chillies
1.5 tsp ginger paste

Cinnamon
Shah-jeera
Shah-mirch
3/4 tsp salt
Oil

Process:
Heat oil.
Add cinnamon, shah-jeera and shah-mirch.
Once the mixture splutters(I'm not sure how to describe the moment when they're just right!), add the puree
Allow to boil
Add the paneer, boil once more.
Add the capsicum, seeded and diced, while waiting for the thing to boil.
Simmer for about 2 min.

That's it.

Paneer Carrot Parantha

Ingredients :

Wheat Flour : 1 cup
Cottage Cheese(Paneer) : 100 gms
Carrot : 1 grated
Onion /green onion: 1 finechopped
Coriander leaves : handful , fine chopped
Chilli powder : as per taste
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala : 0.5 tsp
Salt : as per taste
Oil
Water

Steps
1. Mash paneer with hands
2. Knead all the ingredients like a roti dough.
3. Now roll out your parantha , like usual , and fry on a nonstick tava.

Tastes best with raita !

Variation : You can also use grated cheese for filling. I did but only for Aryan :D

Mixed Greens Chutney

This is a rec which has been handed over generation by generation in my hubby's home... Its an excellent way of getting greens in the meals... I usually make it once in 2 weeks and freeze it in small pots and keep using as and when required...

It can be eaten with idly, dosa, used as a sandwich spread, in chapathi rolls, with rice... anything u wish to.. My 16 month old son has been eating this for a very long with great fondness and everyone who tastes it loves it...

Ingredients

• 1 bunch palak leaves
• 1 bunch methi leaves
• 2 bunches red leaves
• 1 bunch gongura leaves
• 1 bunch corriander leaves
• 1 bunch dill leaves
• handful of mint leaves
• handful of curry leaves
• (u can add any other green if u want too, I sometimes add mustard leaves, raddish leaves)
• 1 large onion chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 tsp channa dal
• 1 tbsp peanuts (optional, to be avoided in case of allergies)
• 2-3 dry red chillies (its yummy spicy so if kids are not eating it add more)
  
• Oil or ghee to fry

Method

• wash and chop all greens (incase u are adding mustard, boil it seperately before)
• Heat oil in a pan and then add mustard seeds
• once they crackle, add cumin seeds
• add dry red chillies, peanuts, urad dal and chana dal, fry for 3-4 mins till dasl turn little brown
  
• add onions and fry till they turn golden brown
• add tomatoes and fry for 2-3 minutes
  
• add all greens and fry for 7-8 minutes or till the leaves become little soft
  
• add 1.5 cup of water and let it simmer for 10 mins
  
• simmer till the desired consistency is achieved
  
• grind it a little in the mixer and its ready to relish
  

Nutrition Pack Parathas

Ojas these days is in a state where he wants to eat everything on his own, so I am trying to innovate in foods which he can eat on his own... the top of the list is Paranthas... here is one I figured out and everyone loved

Ingredients
1.5 cup atta (use whole wheat or I used the pillsbury multi grain atta)
1/2 cup sweet corn kernel parboiled and crushed
1/2 onion chopped
1 bunch palak leaves chopped
1 bunch methi leaves chopped
1/2 tsp ajwain seeds
1 tsp oil
salt to taste
pinch of red chilli powder
some mozzarella cheese
u can add green chillies if kids are not eating

Method
1. Knead all ingredients apart from cheese together to make dough
2. With the dough roll out small chapathi and stuff with cheese
3.fold and roll again
4. fry both sides using oil/ghee or butter whatever ur child prefers

serve with curd

this is very good dish for the dieting people too, just avoid the cheese and fry without oil...

My experiences with cooking and feeding my child

I did a post on my experiences with cooking and feeding my child. I did not do it here for its not about facts but only my views. Do take a look when you have time and let me know what you have to say.

Sabudana Khichdi

Ingredients
1.5 cup sagu/sabudana
1 large onion chopped
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp jeera
2-3 dry red chillies
3 green chillies chopped
2 tbsp peanuts
handful of curry leaves
coriander for garnishing
salt to taste

Method
1. wash and soak the sagu for 10-15 mins
2. roast the peanuts and grind them coarsely
3. heat oil add mustard seeds.
4. after they splutter add jeera
5. add chilies and onion and fry till golden brown
6. add the curry leaves and fry for 1 min
7. add salt and then add the sagu and peanut
8. cook till done
9. garnish with coriander and enjoy

some people also veggies in this but somehow i like it this way

Pasta with Sun dried tomatoes

I love the flavor that sun dried tomatoes bring in a dish, i often use them in my mix veg

This time I decided to spice up my pasta with it... so here it goes

Ingredients
100gm sun dried tomatoes
800 ml water
handful of jalapenos
1 small bunch fresh parsley
1 small bunch fresh thyme
1 small bunch fresh rosemary
1 medium onion chopped
2 tsp olive oil
500 gms pasta (any shape, my personal fav is fusilli)
salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. boil the water and soak the sun dried tomatoes in it for 10 mins
2. take about 1/3 of the tomatoes and chop
3. make the puree of the rest
4. boil pasta till done, clean and keep separately
5. heat olive oil in a pan and add onions and jalapenos
6. when the onions turn golden brown add the tomato puree and tomatoes
7. boil for 7-10 mins
8. add the chopped herbs and simmer for 2 mins
9. mix the pasta and the sauce

u can also sprinkle some cheese on top to make it more interesting and also some veggies can be added to this to make it more nutritious ... i made this as a quick fix when someone was coming over a short notice so didnt do that

enjoy folks... wish i could upload pics to salivate u guys but my camera's usb cable is yet again missing :(