Healthy N Nutritious Snacks-5

Nuts N Seeds-1-Sun Flower Seeds-3

Some more recipes...

1. Fruit N Seed Chat

Here is something for those who love sweet, spicy and tangy..Indian chat recipe...

Ingredients:

Musk Melon cubes        1 cup

Chickoo pieces           1cup

Pomegranate  seeds     1 cup

Grapes                       100gms

Sunflower seeds          1-2 fistfuls

Lemon Juice               1-2 tsps

Pepper powder           1/2 tsp

Chat Masala powder     1 tsp

Salt                            To taste

      Sapota or Chickoo

         Pomegranate

Method:

• Musk Melons are available in very small sizes. Peel, de seed and cube them.
• Chickoo as known in Hindi is known as Sapodilla in English and Sapota in Telugu. Peel de seed and cube.
• Separate the seeds of pomegranate from the skin and keep aside.
• You can use any type of grapes. If you are using green, red or black bigger sized grapes cut into halves, de seed and keep aside. Black ones are sweet as well as sour. Small variety of seed less grapes are also available. They can be used as it is. But soak any grapes in water for 10 to 15 minutes rinse well, drain and use.
• Use roasted and shelled sunflower seeds.
• In a bowl toss together all the fruit and chill them till serving time.
• Before serving, add seeds, lemon juice, salt and spices. Toss them well and serve.
• Adjust the quantity of spices according to your taste.
• You can omit pepper powder as chat masala powder is enough for a spicy taste.

2.  Summer Time Chat
This one is best for Summers

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango cubes      1 cup

Musk Melon cubes       1/2 cup

Pomegranate seeds    1 cup

Sunflower seeds         1-2 fistful

Chat Masala powder   1 tsp

Salt                           To Taste

         Golden Yellow

               Crimson 

Method:

• Mangoes are basically available in two varieties- for juice and for cut and serve. Choose those mangoes which are ideal for cut and serve. Banginapalli or Benishan  variety is the best. They are golden yellow in colour with good sweet and tasty flesh and also a great smell. Red and yellow varieties are also good. Alphonso is the most costliest of the mangoes and preferred one. But I don't like that variety.
• The mangoes should be ripe. It should be fresh and  firm to touch. The skin should be clear of all blemishes and of good colour and good to smell
• Peel and de stone Mango and cut into cubes
• Peel and de seed and cube the musk melon
• Separate the seeds of pomegranate from the skin and keep aside.
• Mix all the fruit and chill till serving time
• Just before serving toss the fruits along with salt and chat masala powder and sun flower seeds

These snacks are healthy and can be eaten any time. Try these recipes and let me know how you feel...

Keep a watch on my blog...more to come....

Healthy N Nutritious Snacks-4

Nuts N Seeds-1-Sun Flower Seeds-2

Here is a glimpse the seeds with stripes...

            Sun Flower Seeds

These are not that costly when compared other nuts like cashews or pistachios and have more plus points then them.

Here are some recipes. In all these recipes, you have to used roasted and shelled sun flower seeds:

1. Carrot Sunflower Seeds Salad

          Grated Carrot

Ingredients:

Carrots grated        1cup

Sun flower seeds    1-2 Tbsp

Lemon juice           2 tsps

Olive oil                2 tsps

Pepper Powder      To taste

Salt                       To taste

Method:

• Clean scrape and grate carrots. The quantity should be one full cup. Sore it in fridge till it is time to serve but don't keep for long that they loose their nutritional values
• In bowl mix lemon juice, olive oil, pepper powder and salt thoroughly.
• Just before serving, add grated carrots and seeds to the bowl, mix well or toss and serve
• Adjust the lemon juice and pepper powder according to your taste.
• You can add a little of castor sugar if you like it to be a bit sweet. Though I feel that carrots would fill in for sweetness.

2.Carrot -Tomato -Seeds Salad

      Chopped Tomatoes

Ingredients:

Carrots grated        1cup

Tomatoes               2-3 Tbsps

(chopped  fine)

Sun flower seeds    1-2 Tbsp

Lemon juice           1 tsps

Olive oil                2 tsps

Pepper Powder      To taste

Salt                       To taste

Method:

• Mix or toss together grated carrots, tomatoes and seeds along with all other ingredients and serve immediately

3. Cool Cool- Summer Salad

         Cucumber or Kheera

         For Tempering

I have used Mustard, cumin, curry leaves and asafoetida in this recipe

Ingredients:

Carrots grated        1cup

Cucumber              1/2 to 1 cup

(chopped fine)
Tomatoes               1/2 cup     

(chopped fine)    
Sun flower seeds     a fistful

Green chilli          1

(chopped fine)   

Coriander Greens     1 tbsp

(chopped fine)   

Sugar                     1-2 tsp

Salt                       To taste

For Tempering:

Refined or sunflower oil     1 Tbsp

Mustard seeds                    1 tsp

Cumin seeds                      1 tsp

Asafoetida                         a pinch   (optional)

Turmeric                           a pinch

Curry  leaves                     one sprig

Method:

• I have used long green cucumber known as kheera in Hindi.  Peel the skin and remove seeds if they are too hard.
• Mix in or toss together grated carrots, chopped tomatoes and cucumber in abowl and keep in refrigerator till it is to be served
• Just before serving, add the seeds and coriander greens, slat and sugar and toss well
• Heat oil to a smoking point in a pan, add mustard seeds, fry for a minute. Add cumin seeds, green chilli, curry leaves. when the seeds start spluttering add asafoetida and turmeric. Remove from fire and pour the mixture into the bowl. Close with a lid, toss well for a minute and serve
• Reduce the quantity of spices especially green chilli according to your taste as it is quite spicy

Note:

Adjust the ingredients and spices according to your taste. These can also be eaten as an afternoon snack or any time snack as these are healthy .

You can avoid oil or use very less quantity of oil as per you requirement.

Watch my blog for more recipes in next post......