Buckwheat Spinach Thepla

Theplas are unleavened bread typically made using bajra/pearl millet/kambhu flour from the North western parts of India (particularly Gujarat). It is very healthy and flavourful due to the spices added to make the dough. They have longer shelf life than bread made with atta/wheat flour. So they are excellent for taking with us for travelling or picnics. They also can be enjoyed hot or otherwise and can be frozen for later use. I usually get bajra flour from the Indian/Asian grocery store here. But when I run out of bajra flour (it does happen), between my trips to the Indian stores, I use buckwheat flour (readily available in many supermarkets). The resulting theplas are excellent if not better than the original recipe. The buckwheat flour has a natural sweet-malty taste that makes these theplas more appealing to children as well. As usual, I try to add some veggies, particularly, leafy greens like Methi or spinach to the roti. Thus making sure that the fussy one in the house, aka, hubby gets to enjoy these usually scorned upon veggies. It is easy to make and Anjalie loves to help with the rolling out of the roti. Since buckwheat is gluten free this recipe can be easily adapted for gluten-free diets.


You will need:
2 cups buckwheat flour + plus extra for dusting
1 cup besan/chickpeas flour
2 tbsp curd
salt to taste
ginger- garlic paste 1/4 tsp
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
black pepper powder to taste
1/2 tsp chilli powder (for adults - optional)
500 gms spinach leaves- washed, coarsely chopped.
water, enough to make a smooth dough.
oil to grease the griddle

Barley Kichdi

Kichdis along with upma are a sort of quick to make comfort-food cum breakfast dishes in India. Upmas are more popular in the South, while, kichdis are more popular in the North. The main difference between upma and kichdis, given the very many variations of both dishes, is that upma is made with grains and veggies (usually wheat, but, now healthier options like oats are used). Kichdis on the other hand use grains, pulses and veggies. In a way, kichdis are one pot meal that include grains, pulses and vegetables thus completing a well rounded healthy vegetarian breakfast. I have been giving Anjalie barley kichdis from when she was around 8 months old. I used to pressure cook the kichdis for her until she was one year old. To this day she loves kichdis of any kind, but, largely favours barley kichdis. For little children, pressure cook to make sure that the dal and barley are well cooked and mashed and also skip mustard and cumin seeds until the children are a little older (about 1 year). For the recipe...


You will need:
1 cup pearl barley
½ cup moong dal (split yellow peas) or toor dal (split pigeon peas)
2 tsp oil
¼ tsp mustard seeds + ½ tsp cumin seeds (skip for children less than 1 yr old)
1 small onion
1 can mixed vegetables (100 g of fresh/frozen vegetables)
2 fresh chillies chopped (for adults – optional)
1 inch piece ginger grated
3 tbsp grated coconut (fresh or desiccated + 2 tbsp coconut milk)
¼ tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp lemon juice
1 cup water (more or less)
Coriander leaves for garnish

Buckwheat Puttu (Tamil Nadu sweet version)

Puttu is a typical South Indian dish that can be savoury or sweet. It is usually eaten as dessert or as part of breakfast. It is a healthy dish that requires little to no oil and is actually steamed flour flavoured with delicious coconut. Puttu is my dad's favourite sweet dish and, unfortunately, he has type 2 diabetes. So I came up with this recipe with buckwheat, which has low glycemic index, especially for him to be able to enjoy. "Puttu" in tamil means "to make a portion". There is a mythological story in Tamil that claims that Lord Shiva himself worked as a labourer in return for a portion of this Puttu dish :) I love this dish very much as well and I am willing to labour in the kitchen to make this any time too :) Usually Puttu is made with rice flour or wheat flour or ragi flour in the south of India. But as part of the healthy life style change I decided to make it this time with buckwheat flour instead.

This is one of the ancient dishes that grand-mums and great grand-mums took pride in making. But I do cheat and use food processor to make this. You can make this without using food processor or blender as well. Another change from the traditional recipe, I have made, is the use of buckwheat flour. Buckwheat is one of the food that has low glycemic index and is one of the healthy alternatives to rice and wheat. It is perfect for diabetics and can be made with sweeteners instead of sugar/jagerry for them. Traditional puttu calls for sesame oil, but, I use butter/ghee since Anjalie is allergic to sesame seeds. Also you can add roasted nuts along with raisins to the puttu, but, avoid this totally if making this dish for young children due to chocking hazard.

You will need:
1 cup buckwheat flour
scant 1/2 cup coconut milk/water (I used reduced fat coconut milk)
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (fresh or dried or frozen)
1 tsp sesame oil/butter/ghee
3 tbsp brown sugar/jaggery/white sugar/any other sweetener (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp cane molasses (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cardamom powder
raisins to garnish

Buckwheat and Semolina (sooji/rava) dhokla

Dhokla is a typical breakfast and/or snack from the North west of India, in particular, Gujarat. It is commonly made with fermented rice and chickpeas flours or with semolina (without fermenting). It is somewhat similar to the South Indian Idlis. The fluffy and soft texture and tangy taste of the dhokla is like a piece of heaven! More over, it is very healthy, does not use too much oil since it is mainly steam cooked and is very filling so makes a great breakfast dish or perfect as a after school snack. This is indeed a very popular dish in the North of India as well as at our home. It was even a great success as party food during Anjalie's birthday :)

I used to make dhokla's with sooji often since it is quick and easier to prepare compared to the chickpea dhokla which requires fermentation. Now I have discovered something much more healthier and that is buckwheat. Buckwheat has a nutty and strong flavor compared to semolina and has low Glycemic Index (GI). In fact, it is one of the grains with the lowest GI. See http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32 for a list of grains and their GI. It is perfect for those suffering from diabetes and those who are on low-carb diets. Buckwheat is as wholesome as the grains get, see http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=11. Given all the benefits of buckwheat (called Kuttu/kutto in India and Kasa in Russian and parts of Easter Europe) I now use buckwheat and semolina (sooji) in equal amounts to make my dhokla. If you are more worried about your health, you can replace all of the sooji with buckwheat. The resulting dhokla will be slightly more dense than the once using sooji. But will taste great nonetheless. Using a mixture of sooji and buckwheat also gives double colored (yellow and brown) dhoklas making it visually appealing  for children :)

Dhoklas are steamed in plates placed inside a container such as pressure cooker. But you can use stainless steel plates and/or cake pan and steam the dhoklas in a stock pot. In fact, you can even steam them in coffee mugs! Just increase the time for steaming to 30-40 mins.

You will need:

50 grams of buckwheat groats (wholegrain kasa/kutto)

50 grams of medium Semolina (sooji)/ whole wheat rava 

100 grams of plain yogurt (I use Greek Style) 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar (granulated)

2 chillies chopped finely (for adults)

1 tsp grated ginger/ginger paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

150 ml water + 50 ml water for later

2 tbsp of lemon juice

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp cooking oil (for greasing)

2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander for garnish

for tempering (optional)

1 tsp cooking oil

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp sesame seeds

Oats-Maple syrup Bread

We often hear the health benefits of Oats. See http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/health-benefits-of-oats. But to me incorporating more than one type of wholegrain in the diet is more beneficial to replacing one by another all together. 

Ever since I tried to make a conscious change in my diet, whole meal oats has been part of the staple in our home. However, both Anjalie and Naz turn their nose up at cooked oat's gooey texture. So I try to come up with different ways of cooking and/or including oats that does not give the gooey texture. So far, I have had successes with Oats upma, oats bhel and oats dosa. But tonight I wanted to try oats in bread along with the perfect compliment for oats (IMO) and my personal favorite for flavor: Maple syrup. While, I would love to make bread with mostly oats, I am aware that oats does not contain much gluten and hence for a yeast bread I will need to use bread flour to provide the gluten. Here is a recipe that has wholemeal and white flour to provide the gluten. Using strong bread flour will give more fluffy and softer bread.

You will need:
1 and 1/2 cup warm water, 
2 tbl spoon Maple syrup (add an additional tbl spoon if you like sweeter bread), 
3 and 3/4 cup strong bread flour, 
1/2 cup strong wholemeal bread flour, 
1/4 cup rolled oats, 
1 tbl spoon oat bran, 
1 tsp salt, 
1 tsp granulated sugar, 
2 tbl spoon butter 
1 tsp rapid-raise yeast. 

Barley dosai and idlis with green chutney

I am not a health freak. But I am heath conscious. This means that I do not obsess over only eating healthy food. But I moderate unhealthy food and try to mix in as much healthy food in my diet as possible. Looking back at how and when I started being health conscious, I can clearly point out that, I started to eat healthy since the day I realized that I was pregnant. It is the fact that I am now responsible for another life and that it is up to me and Naz to help the child to grow up healthy, happy and become a responsible adult that caused this change in me. One of the changes I have made for healthy diet is to choose food with low glycemic index  whenever possible. This  became more easier once I started to look beyond the usual recipes that call for rice and wheat based products. Introducing other whole grains like, barley and buckwheat has resulted in tasty and healthy food for the whole family. Food with low glycemic index are particularly great for those suffering from diabetes. They are also great for maintaining a healthy energy level through out the day and avoid feelings of low energy and fatigue. Parents of small children, I am sure, will totally appreciate this ;) For more information on Glycemic Index, you can read,

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32

Phulka (oil-less) roti with mild Potato-peas curry and Rajma (spicy red kidney beans curry)

Phulka rotis are relatively easier to make since they require very little raising time and are very healthy as well since they are made with wholewheat. Additionally they are low-calorie too and use no oil. Preschoolers can be involved in the making of it too and makes for quality time with them while they get to see what they are eating. Hopefully, this will lead to healthier eating habits. The mild potato-peas curry is relatively dry and easier for younger children to eat and the slightly spicier Rajma can be great for older children and adults to enjoy with the roti. 

Vegetable Oats upma

Upma is one of my favorite food from my childhood. It is still one of my comfort foods. It always brings back memories of coming back home from school and opening a hot box of upma and devouring it :) Often I have tried to get Anjalie to eat a wider variety of grains including oats. Like many 3 year old she too turns her nose up at it. That is, until she tried vegetable oats upma. Additionally, I am extra happy since she gets to eat more veggies as well. Did I say it is very quick and easy to make as well? It is also very rich in protein and fibre compare to rice and helps us feel full longer. So for someone watching their calorie in-take like me this is a God send! Compared to many wheat-related products, like semolina, oats has lower fat and higher protein. For diabetics oats is lower in glycemic index than rice. However choosing oatmeal instead of rolled oats (used below) is a better option. For more info look below at the references

Refer: http://skipthepie.org/cereal-grains-and-pasta/oats/compared-to/wheat-flour-whole-grain/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/334600-rice-oats-nutrition/

http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=32

Need I say more? So without much ado, I go to the wholesome food recipe...

You will need:
Rolled oats - 1 cup
Red Onion - 1/2 chopped
Ginger - grated - 1/2 tsp
Mixed vegetables - 1 can drained
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Water - 1 and 1/2  cups
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 tblsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
For adult version (optional):
Green chillies -  2 chopped (only for adults)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds + cumin seeds

Dry roast the oats in medium flame for 2 min or microwave it for 30 Secs at a time. Heat oil in a kadai. (For adult version, splutter mustard and cumin seeds and add green chillies.) Add chopped onions. Saute well. Add ginger. Stir well. Now add the mixed veggies, turmeric and salt . Mix well. Add the water . When the water comes to boil add roasted oats. Allow it cook till all the water is absorbed. Turn off the stove and add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Lightly fluff with a fork and mix well. Serve warm with chutney of your choice. Children may like to eat this with plain yogurt. If using oatmeal, to make the upma, reduce the water amount to 1 cup. You can always add more if you need to by sprinkling over the upma until the oats are well cooked. Too much water will lead to a gooey paste instead of upma consistency.

Note: depending on the brand and quality of oats you may need more or less water than given here.

Sending this to HITS – Diabetic friendly hosted by Sowmya and HITS page by Sangeetha