Broccoli and Celery Soup

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Enjoy this low cal soup with goodness of fibre from broccoli. You can enjoy this soup warm/cold depending on your preference.

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Preparation Time: 5 mins
Cooking Time: 12 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/8 cup finely chopped onions
3-4 garlic clove , finely chopped
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch)
1 tsp oil

Method

1. Heat up oil in a pan and sauté onion and garlic for a minute.
2. Add celery and salt and stir well.
3. Add 2 cups of water and cover the pan and allow to cook for 4-5 mins.
4. After 5 minutes, add the broccoli and cook for 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the flame and cool it a bit and blend it to thin consistency in a blender.
6. Pass it through a sieve if want and allow it to boil for 3-4 mins.
7. Add pepper and garnish with broccoli florets.

Handy Tip:

1. Adjust the taste of pepper and consistency as per your wish.

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How to Successfully Breast-Feed Your Baby

Breast-feeding is a natural and wonderful experience for new moms and it is also a wonderful part of parenting. Many parents are scared when they get ready to breast-feed their baby.

Don't give up! There are a lot of ways to help your baby latch onto your nipple.

If you are a first time mother, don't get frustrated when breast feeding because it is not an easy task at first, though, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Many mothers get sad when they can't get their baby to breast feed. If you want use a damp warm towel and place it over your breast before breast-feeding your baby. This will warm up your breast.

The first thing you need to do is relax. Before you pick up your baby, take a few deep breaths, and count to ten. Getting comfortable is key to stimulating your milk reflex. If you need a longer time then ten minutes go ahead and take the time to do so.

It wouldn't be a good idea to be stressed when you are about to feed your baby, so relax. Relaxing is also important when you are about to go to sleep after the baby has been crying for so long.

Try yoga, deep breathing, and calming music.

The second step would be for you to bring your baby close to your chest. While you baby is close to your chest, take another set of deep breaths.

After you do this, support your baby by placing your hand right behind his or her neck and head to support the head.

Be very gentle with your child's head. Be incredibly gentle, because if you have a new born, the head could be very sensitive because of birth.

The third step is to support your breast. Do this by using one hand. While holding your breast, rub your baby's face gently (calm him or her) with your hand or nipple.

This will make your baby go towards the nipple. Keep rubbing your baby's face so that he or she feels comfortable.

This will pay off when your baby is latched on to your nipple!

The fourth thing you need to do is direct your nipple upwards.

Make sure that your nipple is pointing upwards, as if it was pointing at your child's forward. This will give a great position for your baby to latch on comfortably.

This is important because it will position your nipple towards the baby's mouth.

Your almost there!

The fifth thing you need to do it to make sure your baby's lips are puckering outwards, rather than inwards. If your baby is puckering inwards, gently re-adjust your baby with your finger.

Unlatch your baby only if they are latched onto your nipple incorrectly. Do this by gently placing your finger at the corner of your baby's mouth and re-adjusting him or her.

Your baby should be latched on nice and snug right now!

Once latched on...

Make sure that your baby's nose isn't covered by your top breast, and make sure that your baby's nose is free from boogies.

Find a comfortable chair!

Gather a few pillows/nursing pillow on your lap and lay your baby across your lap. Hold your baby at a position where his or her feet are extended to the side of your body, instead of across your body.

The position will seem as if your tucking your baby under your arm.

Place your hand behind your babies neck and shoulders to support your baby.

Then you need to latch your baby onto your nipple by pulling him or her towards your breast. Do not force your baby to breast-feed. It could also help your baby also listened to calming music while you breast feed.

If you listen to the same type of calming music during breast feeding your baby will know when its time to eat when they hear the sounds.

If you want to try breast feeding lying down, you can do this on one side by placing your bottom arm over your head. You can also lay on your side with your supporting arm holding your head.

Try different positions so that you and your baby get comfortable with each other.

Then you can also feed your baby tummy-to-tummy. Lay your baby down facing you. Bring your baby close and re-approach the latching step. Position your breast accordingly and draw him or her closely.

This will let you and your baby rest will breast feeding, and sometimes a mother needs a little rest.

If you lay your baby on your bed to take a nap make sure to take everything off the bed, except for the bottom sheet and your baby blanket.

Make sure to never fall asleep on your baby, especially near a couch cushion! There are gaps between the cushions that could suffocate your baby.

If you want to take a nap next to your baby get rid of heavy pillows, comforters, and other things that could suffocate your baby.

Never sleep with your baby girl or baby boy if you or your significant other smokes!

Cream Of Spinach Soup ( Palak Soup )

This soup is very popular in all indian restaurants. The color and the creaminess is surely going to be loved by all. It is very easy and requires very few ingredients to make this wonderful soup. So go ahead and try making this soup !

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Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups chopped spinach (palak)
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 1/2 tbsp fresh cream
2 tbsp cornflour dissolved in 1/2 cup cold milk
salt and to taste

For The Garnish
fresh cream

Method

1. Heat the butter in a kadhai, add the onions and saute on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, or till the onions turn translucent.
2. Add the spinach and saute for 1 minute.
3. Add 2 cups of water and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Allow it to cool completely.
5. Once cooled blend in a blender to a smooth puree.
6. Strain the mixture with help of a sieve and transfer it to a kadhai.
7. Combine the cornflour- milk mixture and the cream in a bowl and mix well till no lumps remain, add to the spinach puree and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the salt and pepper and cook for 1 more minute.
9. Serve hot garnished with cream.

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Ridge Gourd and Dill Soup

Tender ridge gourd and fresh, fragrant dill leaves pair excellently in this soup. Milk and fresh cream blended in with cooked ridge gourd and dill results in a creamy texture that is hard to beat in terms of taste. Mildly seasoned with salt and pepper, this soup has excellent medicinal properties as well. The soup tastes best when served with a dollop of fresh cream, and crunchy toast.

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Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 11 mins
Makes 3 servings

Ingredients

2 cups ridge gourd (turai) , peeled and chopped
3/4 cup dill leaves (shepu /suva bhaji)
3/4 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper (kalimirch) to taste

For The Garnish
1 tbsp fresh cream

For Serving
8 bread toasts

Method

1. Combine the ridge gourd, dill leaves and ½ cup water in a deep non-stick pan, mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes. Keep aside to cool.
2. Blend in a mixer till smooth and transfer it back to the same pan.
3. Add the milk and salt and cook on a medium flame for 3 to 4 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
4. Garnish with fresh cream and serve immediately with bread toasts.

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Sometimes I feel like I have a devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other this time of year. The devil tells me to eat ALL the cookies, chocolates, and treats (you know…#allthethings) while the angel reminds me how much better I feel when I’m eating ALL the rainbow. [I told Eric this, and with a twinkle in his eye he said, “So am I the devil on your shoulder?” He was referencing the fact that he’s been begging me to bake some treats lately. “YES, yes you are the devil.”] In an effort to feel my best throughout this busy holiday season (and keep my energy high!), I’ve made it my mission to strive for balance over the next four weeks. The devil is currently laughing on my shoulder! Shush! This is a goal I always have throughout the year, but I need more reminders during December when treats and parties are a plenty. I’ve also struggled with healthy eating since having a baby. Increased hunger (no, hanger) combined with overnight nursing sessions/lack of sleep result in a lot more sugar cravings throughout the day. I’ve been giving in way too often, but there’s always room for improvement? Food tends to either deplete or increase my energy, and it’s not hard to figure out which kind does what. 

So I’m trying to make sure I have a few solid meals each day to keep me going. This means when I do have treats I’ll be less likely to go cray cray. Breakfast and lunch are no-brainers right now. My 5-Minute Power Oatmeal Bowl is still going strong (so happy to see that you guys are loving it too!) and for lunch I’m still loving an avocado mashed on toast with marinara sauce and Herbamare and an apple and raw almond butter on the side. Dinner tends to be trickier to come up with sometimes so I figured it was a good time to try out some new meals…which brings me to this recipe! I made it over a month ago and intended on sharing right away, but I had #gravyproblems (not sure why I feel the need to hashtag everything today, but let’s go with it). There are a few moving parts to this recipe, but the beauty is that most can be made in advance. You can also make one or two of the items (such as the miso gravy or sautéed mushrooms) and mix and match with leftovers you currently have in the fridge. A bowl recipe is never the final word. Feel free to improvise as you see fit and come up with something new!

A note about this chickpea miso gravy – holy hell did I test it a gazillion times. And you’d never know it because the final gravy recipe is quite simple. In an effort to make a gluten-free gravy, I tested different gluten-free flours and I had problems with many. Chickpea flour seemed like an obvious pairing with chickpea miso, however I found that after the gravy leftovers chilled in the fridge it turned very thin and watery. Frustrating for me as a recipe developer, but maybe not a deal breaker if you consume it right away. I also tried some all-purpose gluten-free flour mixes and I always find there is a lot of variance among them. The ones with gums (like guar or xanthan) often produced gummy textures in my gravy attempts and I couldn’t settle on one that I loved. Maybe you will have better luck though. Finally, I tried sorghum flour and I really liked the outcome, flavour, and texture. As always, feel free to experiment with what you like. I do think non-GF flours like regular all-purpose flour will work too! Another new discovery for me – I found that using potato starch instead of arrowroot powder for thickening yielded a nicer consistency/texture. I find arrowroot can be a bit slimy at times. I will definitely be using potato starch for future gravy recipes! Cornstarch might be fine too. Anyway, the final gravy recipe that I came up with is light in flavour with a nice consistency – it coats the back of a spoon nicely. A big bonus is that the gravy comes together in about 5 minutes flat. There’s no chopping or anything (but if you wanted you could always add minced garlic and onion). It’s my quickest gravy to date.

This concludes my gravy testing spree of 2014. Whew. I’d love your feedback on the gravy if you make it!

By the way, I made this recipe using Portobello mushrooms (my preferred version!) and then another using sliced cremini mushrooms. Both work great so feel free to use whichever you prefer! This is also why you see two types of mushrooms in the photos below – two different photoshoots. ;)

Chickpea Miso Gravy Bowl with Sweet and Tangy Portobello Mushrooms

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free

By Angela Liddon

A warm and cozy gluten-free quinoa bowl made with roasted sweet potatoes, chickpea miso gravy, and balsamic garlic Portobello mushrooms. I used chickpea miso, coconut aminos, and soy-free vegan butter which makes this recipe soy-free. As for swaps, feel free to use your preferred light miso, low-sodium tamari, and your preferred vegan butter (just note the recipe will contain soy if using these alternatives). Inspired by my cozy millet bowl.

Yield
2-3 servings

Prep Time
30 Minutes

Cook time
30 Minutes

Total Time
1 Hour

Ingredients:

For the gravy (makes 3/4 cup):

• 2 tablespoons vegan butter (I used soy-free)
• 2 tablespoons sorghum flour
• 3/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chickpea miso, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• Fine grain sea salt + freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the sweet potato and quinoa:

• 1 large sweet potato
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa

For the mushrooms:

• 4 medium/large Portobello mushroom caps (or 4-5 cups sliced cremini mushrooms)
• 3-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, to taste
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• fine grain sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. For the gravy: In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Stir in the sorghum flour (it will form a chunky paste, but that's normal). In a small bowl, whisk the broth, miso, and potato starch until completely smooth. Pour it into the saucepan and increase heat to medium-high, whisking vigorously until smooth and no lumps remain. Whisk in coconut aminos, salt, and pepper, to taste. Reduce heat to medium-low to avoid burning. Once thickened, remove from heat until ready to use (you can quickly reheat before serving). You can always add a bit more broth if it's too thick for your liking.
2. For the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice a large sweet potato into 1-cm rounds. Place on baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and spread out into an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-35 minutes, until tender and lightly golden in some spots, flipping once half way through roasting.
3. For the quinoa: Add 1 cup of quinoa into a pot with 1.5 cups of vegetable broth or water. Bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 13-16 minutes, until the water absorbs and the quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat, season with salt, and keep lid on until ready to consume.
4. For the mushrooms: Remove stems from Portobello mushrooms by twisting them off. Discard stems or save for future use. With a small spoon, scoop out the black gills and discard. With a damp cloth, wipe the cap to remove any debris. Slice into long, 1/2-inch wide strips. In a large wok or saucepan, whisk together the vinegar, garlic, and coconut aminos. Add sliced mushrooms and toss until coated in the liquid. Turn heat to medium-high and cook down the mushrooms for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently and reducing heat when necessary. You want to cook the mushrooms until all the water cooks off the bottom of the pan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. To assemble: Add a couple scoops of cooked quinoa into a bowl. Layer on roasted sweet potato rounds. Top with mushrooms and drizzle on gravy. Season with a herbed salt (such as Herbamare) and black pepper to finish.

notes: 1) In the gravy, you can probably sub regular all-purpose flour for the sorghum flour with similar results. Add more broth if it's too thick. Other flours may work too. 2) You can probably sub low-sodium Tamari for the coconut aminos and cornstarch for the potato starch. I haven't tried these yet, but I can't see why the swaps wouldn't work! 3) The amount of mushrooms might seem like a lot, but remember the mushrooms cook down and reduce in size a lot! You don't want to use anything less than 4 cups of sliced mushrooms. 4) Feel free to customize this bowl with leftovers you have in the fridge.

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