Raw tart |breakfast tart

With the world becoming more health conscious new avenues of healthy eating are opening up.Its up to you which way would you let yourself to go.Finally trying to bring in some fitness and healthy eating discipline into my life.Hope I don't loose my mojo (which is very often) and get back to the dumping.Today's recipe is a raw tart which is,healthy,hassle free ,nutritious and comes under 20 minutes.This post is inspired from the instagram posts of raw tarts ,but this is my version.The base of this tart is made from dates,oats ,almonds,walnuts(all the healthy ingredients you can dream of).The filling is made from Greek yogurt and for topping you can use any fruit you fancy.Doesn't that sound simple? Of course .The rate with which we are heading towards summer this will definitely reduce the long hours in kitchen.

Batheeth- No bake dates cookie

Another month with another challenge .Its time for a challenge in the MFB group .If you remember last month I had joined a fb group where the members would be assigned a challenge every month.Last month it was a blog and the participating recipe was this Hijazi almond coffee .This month it was an ingredient for the challenge.Dates were assigned for this months challenge .There are endless possibilities with dates and dates is one of my favourite dry fruits .

According to a hadith "The people in a house with out dates are in a state of hunger".

Date(s) is a super natural food.You can read the health benefits of dates here .The recipe I chose for today was on my to do list since famidha had posted on her blog .While I was googling for authentic Qatari food batheeth was mentioned as one of them .No wonder that the gulf states have some common dishes .Though Qatar is a gastronomic heaven and you are spoilt with choices  there are very few outlets that serve authentic Qatari cuisine .Souk waqif is one such destination where you can find a few options.So this recipe is a token of gratitude for the country(Qatar) which has been a home away from home and my nest for half of my life.

Sweet potato spiced cake with nutella frosting | cake made with sweet potato | Sweet potato cake

"Sweet potato cake" as the title suggests is dense ,moist cake  frosted with nutella .I know you might be frowning by now .'sweet potato and a cake' ,my kids too did the same .younger one was constantly pleading "Mom why do you want to use a sweet potato in a cake ?How will it taste ?please mom, bake me a simple cake with out sweet potato .He was standing beside me carefully observing every detailing of the recipe eagerly awaiting his chance to lick clean the bowl and the spatula .And after done he passes the verdict "Hmm!! the batter is delicious so the cake too will be delicious ".And while the cake was baking, the aroma that was wafting around the house pulled the kids to the kitchen .

Andhra style beet root vepudu|How to make beet root stir fry | beet root stir fried with spices|south Indian style beet root stir fry

Starting today I am gonna start "Meatless Monday's" series where in I am going to post a vegetarian recipe on the blog.Though the week starts from Sunday here, I am going with the rest of the world . I think Mondays are for repentance .'Repentence' for what ?

Repenting for all the junk food that we wantedly or unwantedly stuff ourselves with, just in the name of 'weekends'. And now its time that we cleanse our body .Beet root is just the right vegetable to start with .

Broccoli soup | healthy soup| Diet soup|Restaurant style broccoli soup

You must be wondering where have I been vanished ?Hmmm,after a brief illness I am back .So today a hearty and healthy  broccoli soup which I had made when I had literally lost my appetite ,all thanks to the antibiotics  grrrr!!!.I had no choice but to swallow them to over come flu and fever !!!.A healthy broccoli soup that satiated my hunger as well as provided nutrition to my almost feeble body.

Broccoli  is a power house of nutrients ,as you all know my kids are soup lovers .Broccoli is generally not preferred by them as a vegetable ,so why not churn it into soup and serve it to them ...good idea right!!!.No...this soup can be savoured even if you are not ill,it tastes better to a healthy person .So next time  when  you are in no mood for an elaborate dinner just whip up this soup and serve it with some garlic bread or bread croutons ,you are done with healthy dinner   .

Lets start cooking .......

Spinach oats smoothie

Due to the sedentary lifestyle these days ,knowingly or unknowingly we gulp down so much of the junk food!!!!

Actually we don't agree its junk food ?right ......the pizzas ,burgers ,fries and what not .....?every thing that we love to enjoy at the call of a phone or simply relax with family in a food court of a mall is loaded with so much of trans fat ,salt ...etc ,that our body needs to flush out those toxins on regular interval to avoid any bitter health consequences .We have incorporated these food habits in our lifestyle that we don't even realise that these are junk .

Even my self , not a bare exception .I too love to be lured by such occasional indulgence !!!!(to be read... occasional only!!!  hhmn).But aftermath carry the guilt on my shoulders and weight over my waist line !....) 

And coming to the smoothie......

Spinach is  recognised as one of the functional foods for its wholesome nutritional, antioxidants and anti-cancer composition.

Oats  of course are the power house of nutrients and fibre....

Spinach ,oats  and yogurt are blitzed together to smoothie.I love smoothies and smoothies I think are the easiest and nutritious way to quench the thirst 

So go ahead and make  one for Ur self and your gut is going to say thank you!!!!

Cream of mushroom

I love soups ,and can have at any time of the day .Especially i prefer soups for Sundays ,usually after a bursting weekend  , gulping down  loads of non veg and desserts.(the part of the world where i stay week starts from Sunday !).Soups are the best as a pre lunch treat for the kids.

My kids are more than  happy at the very sight of soups ,making my woes of cooking a little bit lighter:).We first had this soup at a buffet dinner and S had become a fan of this .When I was on my grocery shopping she picked a tin of mushrooms and was saying "Mom you should try the mushroom soup this time ".

I have used cream for this particular soup to bring out the restaurant taste .If you prefer a lighter version you can substitute with milk but the taste too differs :).You can also try my cauliflower soup 

 as a healthier option .

Now lets start cooking ............

Banana bread

The folks at my house are divided over bananas ,me and my Lil z like bananas and S and her father dislike bananas . if I insist her to eat banana's, S often says Mom I don't like  the taste of banana !!.

Have you ever seen or heard  a kid refusing banana ? you can find such 1 person no ....2 person at my house .As a kid my father would ensure that we have daily 1 banana and a glass of milk .Now a days the kids have become much more picky eaters  ,especially when it comes to wholesome food .

May be because of their never ending fascination towards junk food that tantalises their  taste buds.

But as a mother  I try to incorporate fruits and vegetables in their diet in the form of bakes or sweets ,savouries ,or smoothies .In either form that pleases them .you can find such effort in my orange cake.

 Beetroot smoothie ,strawberry oats smoothie ,Orange pudding   and many such recipes .

This banana bread too was one such effort of mine to  include banana in bakes so that the kids could enjoy it .

During our last family holidays when we were holidaying in the UAE,this particular bread was served daily  for breakfast buffet at the Sheraton .The menu was changed daily ,but this banana bread was daily spread on the table from day 1 to the last day of our trip !!.this shows its popularity .

Since then this has become a heart throb .

The crunchy nutty top with a soft inside,and the chunks of banana with a hint of cinnamon  are simply enough to make you crazy for this .And to my surprise   S ,who dislikes banana ,gulped down this bread as if her mission is to finish it to the last bit .The aroma of the bread baking in the oven wafting the entire house made me n my kids  go crazy for this.

I saw this recipe on my friend Rafeeda's blog and just liked it as it was much easier and moreover it had wholewheat flour in it . My camera roll shows the date of December  but I am posting it now ,may be because this recipe was destined to be a part of her blogoversary event .Thank you Rafeeda for the recipe ,it was a hit with the kids .

Now lets start cooking