Vegetable Pasta with White Sauce - Easy Homemade white sauce recipe

I have been always enjoyed the pasta tossed in white sauce with my choice of vegetables. Pasta is a recipe that you can enjoyed as main course meal with soups or even as evening snacks with tea or cold drink.

Pasta in white sauce recipe is very easy and simple at home. According to me, homemade white sauce is better than readymade sauce. Home made white sauce is fresh and more tasty. In this recipe, you can add your choice of vegetables and make it more delicious. So, start with ingredients that you needed.

image source: spicytreats.net

Ingredients-

• 3 cups Penni Pasta or Macaroni
• 6-7 cups Water
• 1 tbsp Olive oil or Refined Oil
• 1 tbsp Salt

For preparing white sauce -

• 1 cup capsicum cubes (red and yellow)
• 1/2 cup blanched broccoli 
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup boiled sweet corn 
• 1/2 mushrooms small cubes
• 1/2 tofu or paneer
• 1 tsp finely chopped garlic 
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour 
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp red chilli flakes 
• 1 tsp  black pepper powder
• 2 tbsp grated processed cheese
• Salt to taste

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

How to make vegetable pasta in white sauce ?

Steps : In this, there is two main steps are -

1. Boiling pasta or macaroni

2. Making white sauce

For boiling pasta -

• First, take a cooker or big container, add water, oil and salt in a container. On high flame, heat it for 1-2 minutes.
• Now, add pasta into a container and heat it on medium flame for 10-15 minutes. Make sure that the pasta is boiled properly.
• After boiling, drain the water and separate out the pasta with the help of sieve.

For making white sauce -

• Take a non stick pan, add olive or refined oil. Heat it for 30 seconds, now add onion and saute it for 2 minutes.
• After that, add the capsicum, broccoli, mushroom, sweet corn, cubes of tofu or paneer and saute on a medium flame for 2-3  minutes and keep aside.
• Take another pan, heat the butter and add chopped garlic, saute it on medium flame.
• Add the all purpose flour into it and cook on a slow flame for a 6-7  seconds, while stirring continuously.
• Now add the milk and cook on a medium flame for 5 minutes. Check the sauce become thick, while stirring continuously.
• After it, add the oregano, thyme, pepper powder, chili flakes, cheese, and salt, mix it well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
• Now, white sauce is ready, add the sauteed vegetables and pasta into it. Mix it well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
• Garnish it with cheese and grill it for 5-6 minutes.
• Now, Hot white sauce vegetable pasta is ready to serve.

Enjoy !!!

Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe - Soft and Spongy

A sponge cake is the mostly all favorite cake. This classic sponge cake made into a chocolate sponge cake. Chocolate gives new flavor into it. This is completely fail -safe recipe because I always weigh the amount of ingredients and used it same proportion.

For good result, always use a good quality cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate).

Image source: thatslife.com.au

Ingredients- 

• All purpose flour
• 3 eggs 
• caster sugar 
• unsalted butter or margarine
• 55 gm cocoa powder

Preparation time:30min  

Cooking time:20min  

Ready in:50min 

Serves:10

How to make Chocolate Sponge Cake?

Steps -

• First, you will weigh the all ingredients. Weigh all 3 eggs with their egg shell. Note that weight and measure all the ingredients in the same amount of eggs. For ex: if eggs weight is 200 gm than you should weigh the flour 200 gm, the sugar 200 gm and butter 200 gm
• For the flour, remove 55g from the weight you measured to match the weight of the eggs.
• Now, add 55g of cocoa powder and combine the flour and cocoa.
• Preheat your oven at 170 C. Grease or oil the two 20- 24 cm sandwich tin's and line with baking parchment which helpful to easily remove the cake from tin. You can also use butter or wax paper.
• Take a large bowl, put all of the margarine or butter and sugar into it. Mix well and make it creamy fluffy with the help of hand blender.
• Now, add one egg to the sugar butter mixture. Do not over whisk at this time,  just use the mixer on its lowest setting until the egg has become a part of the mixture.
• After that repeat this process with the second and the third egg.
• Now, Sieve a couple of tablespoons of flour - cocoa mixture into the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.
• Using a large spoon, give the mixture a quick stir. After stirring, mix everything together very well with the help of blender.
• For making sponge lighter, try to get air into the mixture. Now, divide the mixture evenly in  between the two sandwich tin's.
• Bake this mixture in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
• Let the cake sponge cool on a cooling rack and remove the baking  parchment.
• When cool your sponge cake, you can  use whipped cream, icing, butter icing, jam, fruits and anything to decorate your cake.
• Now your yummy and delicious chocolate sponge cake is ready. Serve and enjoy it.

Yummy banana muffins recipe

Banana is very nutritious fruit, rich in high fibre, vitamins and anti oxidants. Most of us and our kids don't like banana, and not eat directly. 
So, you can use different and easy tricks for them, you can use banana in smoothies, cakes, shakes , muffins and many mores. As in form of muffins, bananas are great for kids or even for us. 
So, starts with ingredients that you need in this recipe.

Image source :gimmesomeoven.com

 Ingredients -

• 2 cup all-purpose flour 
• 1 cup mashed bananas(3 ripe banana)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 125 gm butter (melted & cooled)
• 1 tbsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tbsp salt  
• 2 egg (beaten) 
• 1 tbsp vanilla essence

For icing - 

• 2 tbsp pure icing sugar
• 1 tbsp cream butter

 How to make banana muffins?

 Steps -

• First, preheat your oven to 200 °C. Take a bowl , combine flour, sugar and cinnamon.

• Now, add butter, milk, eggs and vanilla essence to flour mixture. Using a large spoon, stir gently to mix well.

• After mixing it, add mashed banana into it.

• Using spoon, fill this mixture in greased or paper-lined muffin cups half full.(12 cups)

• Bake for 18-20/minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. 

• Cool it for 5-10 minutes, remove from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. 

• For icing, beat cream cheese and icing sugar with hand blender. Make a smooth and fluffy icing.

• Spread this over muffins or cupcakes and serve it.

Nutritional Facts-

1 muffins : 200 calories, 7 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 209 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein .

Tasty Strawberry-Yogurt Smoothie Recipe

In hot summer season, everyone want cool and refreshing drinks which are delicious as well as healthy for us. Now, Strawberries are in season, strawberries are rich source of vitamin C, naturally sweet and delicious. Yogurt is also good for health in summer. So, try this refreshing smoothie which takes only few minutes to prepare, this is the perfect way to enjoy Strawberries. 

Image source :kids-cooking-activities.com

Ingredients-

4 cups  ripe strawberries

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1-2 tbsp sugar or to taste

For Garnishing-

4 small strawberries with leaves

4 thin round slices of unpeeled orange

Preparation time- 15 minutes 

Serves- 4

How to make tasty  Strawberry- yogurt smoothie ?

Steps-

• First, wash the all strawberries and remove the green leafy part ( hull).
• Now, add the hulled strawberries, yogurt, orange juice, and sugar to a food processor or use hand blender.
• Process on the highest speed until a well-blended smooth puree forms.
• About 15-20 seconds, stoping to scrape down the sides of the container  once or twice.
• Taste the mixture and you can add more sugar in it to make more sweeten.
• After that, strain the mixture and by using a wooden spoon to push the drink through. Discard the strawberry seeds.
• Pour into tall glasses and serve immediately.
• If you want to decorate glasses, Slit the 4 whole strawberries and the orange slices halfway through to the centres. Attach 1 strawberry and 1 orange slice to the rim of each glass before serving.


Enjoy !!!

Tomato Soup recipe - Homemade yummy soup

Tomato soup is all favorite soups amongst  all. You may be served it as a hot or cold in a bowl with many variations. There is many topping can be used like sour cream , croutons etc. This is very healthy and tasty recipe. I also like homemade soup so I would share my recipe with you. Now, start with  ingredients…

Image source : thenourishinghome.com

Ingredients

• 6  medium tomatoes, 

• 1 carrot, 

• 1 celery stick, 

• 1/2” ginger (peeled and sliced),

• 2 tbsp oil,

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds,

• 1/2teaspoon black pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon salt, 

• 1/2 teaspoon sugar, 

• 1 pinch of  asafoetida, 

• Green coriander or parsley leaves for garnishing.

Steps –

• First, cut the tomatoes and celery stick in a small pieces,  peel the carrot and also cut in the small pieces.

• Take a saucepan, heat the 1 tbsp oil over medium heat, now add the ginger , carrot and celery and stir fry for 2 minutes.

• After that, Add the tomatoes, salt, sugar, and pepper, cover the lid and cook until tomatoes looks mushy.

• After few minutes, tomatoes cool downs, then blends the tomatoes with blender.

• Take another pan, heat the 1 tsp oil, add cumin seeds and asafoetida.

• Add the tomato puree and mix 1 ½ cup of water or adjust accordingly to your taste.

• Boil the soup about 2-3 minutes.

• Pour the hot tomato soup in a soup bowls.

• As your choice, add the bread croutons to the soup.

• Garnish the soup with fine chopped parsley or coriander leaves.

• Serve the Tomato soup hot.

happy eating !!!

Kiwi Pancakes- For babies

The Kiwi fruit is originally known as Chinese gooseberry. kiwi is the most nutrient dense fruit, kiwi is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, folate. It is a good source of dietary fiber so it prevents the constipation and has antioxidants. It is a non-allergeic fruit even with its acids. You can introduce Kiwi fruit to baby in between 8-10 Months.

Kiwi pancake recipe is for 10-12 month old baby. Babies loved it because of its taste and softness. So, you can start with ingredients. 

Image source: superhealthykids.com

Ingredients-

2 kiwi

1 cup flour

1 cup milk

1 egg

1 tbsp baking powder

Vanilla essence 

Steps-

• First, we will make kiwi puree. Take 2 kiwis, wash them properly. Peel the kiwi skin and mash with the fork or a spoon. Make a smooth paste.
• Take a bowl, mix flour with baking powder.
• Take another bowl, beat egg smoothly and add milk and kiwi puree, mix it well.
• Pour the flour in this mixture and blend it. Now, mixture is ready.
• Take a pan and greased with the oil or butter, now bake a pancakes in this pan. Make small sized pancakes.
• Serve hot in your baby's favourite plate or bowl.

Happy eating  

Vegetable salad with pasta – Finger food for toddlers

Vegetables are the rich source of nutrition for babies. Mostly, they are not like veggies. So, I have idea to twist the veggies in new form and make the veggies more tasty and nutritive for babies. I am sure your Baby also like new form of veggies with different taste. So, start with ingredients 

                                                     Image source: thebabywebsite.com

Ingredients -

1 potato 

½ carrot

4-5 dice of pumpkin

2 tbsp green peas

½ cup boiled pasta

1 teaspoon butter

You can use your own choice of veggies that your baby like most.

Steps-

• First you wash the all veggies properly and peel it with peeler.
• Cut the veggies into the small size cubes. Steam or microwave the veggies and give time to cool them.
• Take a saucepan, add 1 teaspoon butter, add steamed veggies cubes and saute it. It gives a nice flavour to the dish.
• Now, add boiled pasta in veggies.
• Transfer them on your baby favourite plate or bowl.

Happy Eating 😊

How to make Peppermint Tea ?

Peppermint is a herb which is commonly used in our kitchen. Now a days, peppermint is used in a tea also and its tea called as Herbal tea. Peppermint tea is caffeine free and has many health benefits. In summers, this tea works as a super re-freshened and provides calm, cooling effects to the body as well as to the mind. It also a super effective tummy flattener.

 
It is also used as a digestive aid which is helping in combat indigestion, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain and bolting. The menthol which is present in peppermint can also work as a muscles relaxant and natural sleep aid. The aroma of peppermint has effect to enhance the memory and alertness.

So, when we know that this tea is very beneficial for us than take a cup of peppermint tea once a day will help make you healthy.

Peppermint Tea Recipe 

Image source: thesleuthjournal.com

Ingredients

You will need this – For serves 4 cup of tea

• 4 peppermint teabags
• Or 4 teaspoons of dried peppermint loose-leaf tea
• Or 4-5 stalk of fresh peppermint leaves
• 4 cups of water
• honey, sugar, or orange, lemon, or lime(Optional additions to taste)

How to make peppermint tea ?

If you are making your tea with :-

Fresh peppermint leaves – First rinse the leaves and crush them well with your hands or a mortar to discharge the wonderful  juice and aroma.

The loose tea leaves- You can use an infusers or infuser mug.

Teabags – You can use it directly as you know it.

• Take a pan and boil 4 cups of water.
• Place the crushed peppermint leaves in teapot.
• Pour boiling water over the crushed peppermint leaves or you can use teabags, dip in the boiled water.
• Peppermint tea is at its best when it brewed in hot water rather than boiling water like the other herbal teas.
• Than cover the teapot, and let it steep for 5-8 minutes.
• After that, remove the tea leaves or teabags from the teapot.
• Pour the tea into your favorite teacup.
• You may want to add a bit of honey or sugar to taste.

Enjoy your delicious, beneficial  peppermint tea and inhale deeply !

Baby's First Food – The great Sweet Potato Puree

Sweet potato is rich in Beta - carotene and good sources of potassium, vitamin C, and fibre. Sweet Potatoes  are a nutritious and good for baby's stomach and provide relief from constipation.Sweat potato  puree is very popular with baby food because this is smooth, mild-flavoured, and slightly sweet. 

Image source : cleananddelicious.com

How to Make Sweet Potato Puree-

Before giving food to your baby , firstly find out information about food allergies and intolerances. And also  food storage and safety for you need to prepare healthy, nutritious food for your baby.

Ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes 

2 tablespoons water, formula milk or breast milk

Steps for making Sweet potato puree-

Step 1: Choose the good Sweet Potato- 

Sweet potatoes are available all the time in the market . Sweet potatoes  are firm and free of cracks or any soft spots. Sweet Potato is the lighter, brownish skinned , dry and starchy .It also resembles the texture of regular potatoes.

Step 2: Washing and peeling-

Wash the sweet potato in cold water. And Scrub the sweet potato skin with a small vegetable brush to remove dirt . Wash again and then peel with a veggie peeler. After peeling ,Cut the sweet potato into small chunks.

Step 3: Cooking -

First boil the water in a medium saucepan or in a cooker and poke holes in sweet potato chunks with fork and then add these  sweet potato chunks in this water for about 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, check the chunks that all are well cooked or not .Drain sweet potatoes and rinse with cold water.

Step 4: Blend  the Sweet Potato –

Blend the cooked sweet potato chunks in a food processor or with the blender until it smooth. Make a very smooth Puree as needed add 2 tablespoons water, formula milk or breast milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to reach desired consistency.

Step 5:Freezing the Sweet Potato Puree-

Cool the sweet potato puree and refrigerate  in BPA-free containers or in ice cube trays for up to 3 days. Defrosting just one cube when baby is new to solid food. Later on,  when baby has started eating more, defrost two to four cubes from the tray. 

Step 6 : Serve the  Puree-

Sweet potato puree is very delicious alone but after the four day rule you can mixed this puree with a variety of other vegetables, fruits, meats, and spices. You can try combining sweet potato with butternut squash, carrots, bananas, Apple sauce. You can also add a dash of cinnamon to give taste or flavour to your baby food . You can also add yogurt or curd.

Food for 6 month old

Babies at 6 months of age are ready to take solid food but you will starts when your doctor advice you to introduce solid food to your baby diet. At this age , your baby can sit straight and eat perfectly. It is important to go slowly and give some time to your baby.

Image source: Inniesandouties.ca

The food should be soft and well cooked, and starts with very dilute purees and mashed food. Always remember that your baby is not completely ready for the solid food and do not expect your baby to finish the whole dish.

Follow the 3 day wait rule , when you starts any new food to baby , give very little amount at first and be on the lookout for any type of allergies or rashes

The first foods that you give your baby must be easily digest . Don't be tempted to add salt or sugar to your baby's food. Salt may harm your baby's kidneys and sugar will encourage a sweet tooth.

Always try to give Nutritive, Soft and Mashed food to your baby because baby is not ready to chewing food. The food for 6 month old baby depends on the baby health as well as baby development.

At the first few weeks , it is not good to give mixtures of foods . Even in baby rice mixed with a fruit or vegetable puree. This is a good time to discover that if there are any foods that your baby does not tolerate well, and when foods are mixed together it is hard to tell which of them is causing a problem to your baby.

First food for your 6 month old baby :-

Good Vegetables - First veggies that you introduce to your baby food are -

Image source : manacakemusings.com

-Sweet potato is good sources of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. Also good for stomach and provide relief from constipation.

-Carrots are rich in vitamin-A and beta-carotene . Carrots are excellent weaning food and babies also like their naturally sweet taste.

-Broccoli is a true Super food and it is a great source of vitamin C and also contains beta-carotene, folic acid, iron, potassium, and anticancer phyto-nutrients.

-Potatoes contain potassium and are a good source of vitamin C. They also blend or mashed with most vegetables.

-Butternut squash is easily digested and rarely causes allergies .It provides an excellent source of beta-carotene.

-Parsnips provide a good source of starch and fiber. They also contain the antioxidant vitamins C and E.

-Zucchini is a good source of beta-carotene, but most of the nutrients lie in the skin, so do not peel it

Good fruits - First fruits that you includes in your baby diet are-

Image source: eatforhealth.gov.au

-Apple is very easy to digest and contains Pectin which is soluble fiber in apples, and also helps fight against constipation.

-Bananas are full of slow-release sugars, which provide sustained energy. Banana also good for the treatment of diarrhea and constipation.

-Papaya is easy to swallow and ideal food for babies.It is rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene. Papaya is also high in soluble fiber, which is important for normal bowel function. Papaya also contains enzymes that aid digestion.

-Pears are one of the least allergic food.

-Apricots are a good source of beta-carotene and also contain fiber. They're also a good source of iron and potassium.

-Cantaloupe is very sweet and rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene. And it is the most nutritious variety of melon.

-Blueberries are rich in vitamin C and also contain beta-carotene. The blue pigment anthocyanin in the skin of the blueberries helps protect us against cancer. Blueberries have the highest antioxidant capacity of all fruits.

-Peaches provide a good source of vitamin C. And also easy to digest.

Good Cereals -

Image source: onaplatterofgold.com

-Rice is one of the foods that is least to be an allergen for your baby. Nutritious and versatile, brown rice can be combined with any food that your baby likes. It contains VITAMINS like Vitamin A ,C, B1(thiamine) ,B2 (riboflavin) ,Niacin ,Folate - 8 mcg. MINERAL like Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium ,Sodium ,Iron .Also contains small amounts of manganese, copper and zinc.

-Oatmeal makes a great cereal or porridge your baby and it is another of the grains that are least likely to cause an allergic reaction, oats may be cross contaminated with wheat gluten. It contains VITAMINS like Vitamin A , C, B1 (thiamine) ,B2 (riboflavin) and, Niacin, Folate and MINERALS like Potassium,Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium.

-Lentils is edible pulses and they also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B1, and minerals. The green lentils is good for baby and it contains a high concentration of fiber than pink lentils.

Milk products-

Image source: agrogums.com

-Yogurt or curd Is Safe from 6 month old baby. Give natural and unsweetened yogurt and add some fruit to tempt your baby.

-Cheese can safely introduce cheese to your 6 to 9 month baby. Cottage cheese is a good but try to discover which is good for your baby.

Eggs -

Image source :lovefood.com

 
-Eggs are usually safe to introduce but mashed egg yolks only avoid white part because egg whites are highly allergenic .

NOTE- Please note that breast milk or formula milk is most important part of your baby’s diet during the first year. Continue to breast milk or formula milk in between meals as and when your baby required.

Diet for Summer Season

Summers are very hot and dry season. So , it is important to take proper diet and water daily, due to taking good diet its keep the body cool and hydrated. In India,the summers is very hot and comes with many discomforts like dehydration, diarrhea, vomiting and many more.

 

Image source:pinkyhasabrain.com 
 
There is a natural trend for all of us to eat light during this season. But is said that in this season, we all of us burn a lot of energy, thus we have to change or replace this energy by eating healthy and right food.

Some food items in our daily diet to keep us cool and healthy and helps to beat the summers, these are as follows:-

Summer fruits- Watermelon, melons, pineapple,mango, kiwi,papaya etc are the fruits which are easily available and having high quantity of water content in it . These fruits helps in dehydration and keep body temperature. 

Vegetables- This is the best season for variety of fresh veggies. Cucumbers, kakkadi, bottle guard,bitter guard, ladyfinger are very light veggies for consuming. These veggies helps your body system to feel cool and light. Different types of salads and sauces of mint and green coriander you can make and take with your meal which helps you to reduce weight. 

Milk and Yoghurt - Cold milk , lassi , curd , buttermilk, shrikhand etc are the cool reliefers in summers. Include a glass go buttermilk or chaos in your meal or eat plain curd. These are great coolers and prevent dehydration. Curd contains proteins which keep allergies and ulcers away from you. 

Juices and Soups- Fresh juice of sugarcane, bottle guard and cucumber and soups of tomatoes makes your Body feel light and cool . These items provides relief from heat and also very beneficial for your health. 

Drink plenty of water - Water regulates our body temperature and keep body cool . And also prevents from dehydration.
Fresh lime juice and coconut water is also very good reliever in summers.