31 January 2017

GLUTEN-FREE POTATO SAMOSA

Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Serves: 4
Serving Size: 2 samosas


Tags: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg Free, Peanut Free


INGREDIENTS

  

FOR DOUGH

Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
80 grams
Oil
1 tbsp.
Salt
¼ tsp.
Warm Water
For kneading the dough

FOR FILLING

Potato
150 grams
Onion (Chopped)
1 small
Green Chilli (Finely Chopped)
1-2
Dry Mango Powder
1 tsp
Chat Masala
½  tsp.
Red Chilli Powder
¼ tsp.
Salt
To taste
Black Pepper Powder
½ tsp.
Coriander Leaves
A few
Cumin Seed Powder
½ tsp.
Oil
1 tsp + for frying

METHOD

  • Sift the flour, add salt and rub in oil with fingertips and make a dough using warm water.
  • Boil Peel and mash potatoes.
  • Heat oil in a nonstick pan and add chopped onions. Sauté on a medium heat till onions turn translucent.
  • Add green chili, sauté for a second and then add the mashed potatoes.
  • Add salt and all the dry spices. Mix well and cook on a low flame for 3-4 minutes.
  • Now add chopped coriander leaves, mix well and remove from fire.
  • Allow the mixture to cool.
  • To make samosas, divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
  • Take one part and carefully roll it into a thin chapatti using a little flour for dusting if required.
  • Cut into two halves.
  • Shape each half into a cone and fill with the potato stuffing and close the edges using a little water.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the samosas till golden brown.
  • Serve hot with chutney.


Note: You can make these samosas using any other stuffing as well.
  






28 January 2017

CHICKEN CURRY

An easy and surprisingly quick chicken curry you’ll want to make time and time again.

Preparation Time: 5-10 minutes

Cooking Time: 35-40 minutes

Serves: 3-4

Serving Size: 1 Bowl

Cuisine: North Indian

 Tags: Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free


Ingredients


Chicken
400g
Onion  
2 medium
Tomato
2 medium
Curd
2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic Paste
½ tsp
Coriander Powder
1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp
Turmeric Powder
½ tsp
Garam Masala Powder
½ tsp
Salt
to taste
Oil
2 tbsp


Method

  • Grind onions and tomatoes separately to a fine paste and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai and add onion paste. Saute till light brown.
  • Now add ginger garlic paste. Sauté for a minute and then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, pureed tomatoes and curd.
  • Cook till the masala is done and oil separates out.
  • Add the chicken pieces and cook on a low flame for 15-20 minutes. Add sufficient water for the gravy and cook till the chicken is tender and thick gravy is left.
  • Sprinkle garam masala and serve.



25 January 2017

MUTTON KORMA

Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 1-1:15 minutes

Serves: 4

Size  of Serving: 1 bowl

Tags: Gluten free, Soy free, Peanut Free


INGREDIENTS


Mutton
500g
Potatoes
2 medium
Onion
2 ½ medium
Ginger
1” piece
Garlic
8-9 cloves
Curd
200g
Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp
Poppy Seeds
½ tsp
Cumin Seeds
½ tsp
Coriander Seeds
1 tbsp
Clove
3
Black Peppercorns
10-12
Kashmiri Mirch
 2
Salt
to taste


METHOD

  • Grind onions and keep aside.
  • Roast coriander seeds, clove, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, kashmiri mirch and poppy seeds.
  • Grind the above roasted spices with ginger and garlic to a fine paste.
  • Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add onion paste. Sauté till golden brown.
  • Now add the masala paste, red chili powder, and salt and cook till oil separates out.
  • Add the mutton pieces and sauté till the mutton is browned and oil separates out.
  • Add curd. Mix well and cook for another 5-10 minutes.
  • Cut potatoes into halves and add them to the above.
  • Now add 1 cup of water, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or till the mutton is tender.
  • Serve hot with naan.



NUTRITION INFO. COMING SOON

24 January 2017

MOONG DAL HALWA

Preparation Time: 10 minutes.

Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes

Serves: 4-5

Serving Size: 1

Tags: Gluten-free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free


INGREDIENTS


Yellow Moong Dal ( Lentil)
1 Cup
Sugar
1 Cup
Ghee/Clarified Butter
½ Cup
Raisins
10-12
Green Cardamom
2-3
Milk (optional)
1  Cup
Water
1  Cup
Pistachios and Almonds
For Garnishing


METHOD


  • Wash and soak the moong dal overnight in enough water. Drain and grind to a smooth paste without adding any water.
  • Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a pan and cook till sugar dissolves completely. Keep aside.
  • Heat ghee in a non-stick pan and fry raisins. Remove and keep aside.
  • To the same pan, add green cardamoms, sauté for a second and then add the moong dal paste. Cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes while stirring continuously or until golden brown.
  • Now add the milk and the sugar syrup, mix well and cook on a low flame till the moisture dries up, while stirring in between. (note: if you are not adding milk, then add 2 cups of water)
  • Add raisins, mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.
  • Garnish with chopped almonds and pistachios and serve hot.


19 January 2017

PRESSURE COOKER GLUTEN FREE MUFFINS

Learn to make delicious, tender, moist and flavourful muffins that no one can ever guess they are gluten free. A perfect treat for breakfast or snack time.

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes

Serves: 8

Size of serving: 1 muffin

Tags: Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Peanut-Free


INGREDIENTS


Gluten free all purpose flour
1 Cup
Eggs
2
Milk
¼ Cup – ½ Cup
Flaxseed powder
½ tsp.
Castor sugar
¾ Cup
Ghee/Home-made butter
2 tbsp.
Gluten Free baking powder
¼ tsp.
Candied fruits (chopped)
1 tbsp.
Threptin Powder (any flavor)
4 tbsp.

METHOD

  • Sift gluten free all purpose flour, baking powder, and flaxseed together into a bowl and keep aside.
  • Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
  • Beat in eggs till the mixture becomes light.
  • Fold in flour in the above mixture.
  • Add Milk and mix well.
  • Now fold in the threptin powder into the batter. (You can add more milk  at this stage if the mixture is too thick).
  • Add candied fruits and mix well.
  • Grease and dust the muffin moulds and pour the batter into it.
  • Heat the pressure cooker with the plate you get along with it for 3-4 minutes.
  • Now lower the flame and carefully place the muffin moulds inside the pressure cooker (do not add water in the cooker).
  • Close the lid without the pressure weight and let it cook until done.
  • Check after 20 minutes by inserting a toothpick, if it comes out fine your muffins are done, else cook for some more time.

17 January 2017

DOES GLUTEN FREE DIET HELPS IN WEIGHT LOSS??

Image source: http://i.vimeocdn.com/video/534355281_1280x720.jpg
Whole grains have always been a part of the healthy balanced diet but due to all the promotion around gluten-free foods, several believe going gluten free will facilitate weight loss. Let's have a look on what does the science say about this and decide for ourselves if it is a fad, fact, fiction or downright foolishness.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein composed of gliadin and glutenin and is primarily found in grains viz. wheat, rye, barley, and triticale. It is often found in hidden form in many other foods, medications, and everyday items and its presence is not limited to bread, cookies, and pasta.

Who should go gluten free?

A strict gluten free diet is only required if you have

  • Celiac Disease: A serious autoimmune disorder that affects 1 out of 100 people worldwide.


  • Wheat Allergy: Should not be confused with gluten intolerance or celiac disease in which a person is allergic to a specific protein ‘gluten' which is present in wheat and a few other grains. It usually affects children and is outgrown after childhood. It affects 0.1% of the population


  • Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity: It is a condition characterized by an array of nonspecific symptoms like constipation, bloating, headache etc. after eating gluten. However, there is no hard test as on date ( unlike celiac disease and wheat allergy that can be detected by blood tests) for non-celiac gluten sensitivity and the diagnosis is subjective.


What does the science say about gluten-free diet and weight loss?

 With more and more celebrities and weight loss clinics touting the advantages of the gluten-free diet, it is very easy to assume that giving up gluten may lead to weight loss. However, despite all health claims, there is no evidence-based research to support that gluten-free diet is effective for weight loss or necessary if you do not have any gluten-related disorders, according to the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Many other studies have also reported a gain in weight after following a gluten-free diet. In one such study on 371 adults with celiac disease who followed a gluten-free diet for 2 years, 55 of 67 (82%) initially overweight patients gained weight 1.Another study conducted on  149 children with celiac disease who followed a gluten-free diet for at least 12 months, the percentage of overweight children almost doubled (11% to 21%) 2.

Despite all these studies many still lose weight on a gluten-free diet. Why? Let's find out

4 Reasons why people lose weight when they go gluten-free

  • Gluten free diet is restrictive.
  • Many high-calorie junk foods like pizza, cupcakes can no longer be eaten.
  • Many high carbohydrate foods like bread, pasta can no longer be eaten both as they are not easily available and are expensive.
  • Many healthy foods like fruits and vegetables are low in calories and readily available.

Alas!! Shunning off pizzas, kachoris, bhaturas, gulab jamuns, hamburgers, samosas coupled with eating more fruits and vegetables – sounds like a perfect recipe for weight loss. Isn't it??

My Verdict


There is absolutely no need to go gluten free if you are not suffering from any of the allergies gluten or wheat as mentioned above.  If your goal is weight loss try to make conscious choices by selecting whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and avoiding junk and fried foods.  Also, try focusing on portion sizes. a half plate full of salad without dressing, a quarter plate full with protein and the remaining quarter with carbohydrate for lunch and dinner is perfect for weight loss.

References

  1. Celiac disease and obesity: need for nutritional follow-up after diagnosis. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2010 Nov;64(11):1371-2.
  2. Overweight in celiac disease: prevalence, clinical characteristics, and effect of a gluten-free diet. Am J Gastroenterology. 2006 Oct;101(10):2356-9.
  3.  http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(12)00743-5/fulltext

15 January 2017

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14 January 2017

DUM ALOO AMRITSARI

Preparation Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 2 
Tags:
Gluten free, Peanut free, Egg Free, Soy Free


Ingredients


Baby Potatoes                                                   100g
Onion                                                                    ½ small
Garlic                                                                     2 cloves
Ginger                                                                  ½” piece              
Curd                                                                      2 tbsp
Poppy Seeds                                                      ¼ tsp
Coriander Seeds                                               ¼ tsp
Cumin Seeds                                                      ¼ tsp
Black Peppercorns                                           2-3
Black Cardamom                                              1
Clove                                                                     1
Desiccated Coconut                                        1 tsp
Grated nutmeg                                                 a pinch
Fennel Seeds                                                     1/8 tsp
Red Chilli Powder                                             ¼ tsp
Turmeric Powder                                             ¼ tsp
Salt                                                                         to taste
Oil                                                                           for frying
For Garnishing
Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)          ½ tsp                     

Method


  • Peel and prick potatoes all over with a fork and soak in water with 1 tsp of salt for about half an hour.
  • Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry the potatoes on medium heat till brown on all sides. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
  • Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, poppy seeds, coconut, clove, black peppercorns, black cardamom, and nutmeg in a pan and grind them to a fine paste.
  • Grind together onion, ginger, and garlic to a fine paste and keep aside.
  • Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and add onion ginger garlic paste. Sauté till light brown.
  • Now add the ground masala paste, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and cook on a low flame till the masala leaves the sides of the pan.
  • Add curd and continue to cook on a low flame for another 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the fried potatoes, mix well and then add about ¼ cup of water, simmer and cook on a slow fire for another 10 minutes.
  • Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with naan or parathas.