Category: Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Healthy Energy Balls With Apricot and Pistachio

Healthy Energy Balls with Apricots and Pistachios by OneWholesomeMeal
Healthy Energy Balls with Apricots and Pistachios

Healthy energy balls are the best, aren’t they? Not only are they raw and full of health goodness but extremely easy to put together too. And their petite size makes them perfect for lunch boxes too.

We love to eat all kinds of fruits and dry fruits. Come winters, the dry fruits start to make a more regular appearance in our daily menus. And energy balls are the best way to combine more than one kind of dry fruit in a single serving. The inspiration for these healthy energy balls came from the 5-year-old who loves apricots and pistachios. Dried apricots have a somewhat sour taste which is complimented superbly by the nutty smoothness of pistachios. And since freshly desiccated coconut is always a great option in desserts and I happened to have some on hand, I added that too. You could also use packaged dried desiccated coconut.

I originally thought of flavouring the laddoos with rose, since pistachios and rose go so well together. But the citrusy flavours of apricots and freshness of orange zest seemed like a better idea. This is just a personal preference and you can go with your desired flavours – rose, lemon rind, coconut, or just plain vanilla would all work perfectly well. Add a tablespoon or two of honey or maple syrup for extra sweetness. I skipped this as the apricots were quite sweet. Store in a cool place in an airtight container and consume within a week.

For my other energy balls’ recipes do have a look at click here. Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite.

Healthy Energy Balls with Apricots and Pistachios by OneWholesomeMeal Blog

My Maiden YouTube Video Tutorial

This recipe is also super special as it is my maiden attempt to create a quick video tutorial. Nothing to be super proud of but you know how special maiden attempts are! I am so glad I finally overcame my inhibitions and created this video. Making it single-handedly with no assistance and just one camera and changing lenses intermittently to capture different angles took my patience to another level. It made me respect bloggers who churn out absolutely professional tutorials on a regular basis like a pro. Loads of lessons learned and all well worth the effort.


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Apricot-Pistachio Energy Bites

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: Makes approximately 10-12 medium sized laddoos

Calories per serving: 75 per medium sized laddoo

Ingredients

  • Apricots, softened-2 cups (Soften the apricots by soaking in warm water for 30 mts and then draining them on a kitchen towel so as to absorb all the moisture)
  • Unsalted pistachios-3/4 cup
  • Shredded Coconut- 1 cup
  • Orange Zest (or lemon zest)-1 tbsp
  • Pure Vanilla extract-1/2 tsp
  • Honey or Maple Syrup-1 tbsp or as per taste (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender (I used my nutribullet blend all ingredients till smooth. It is okay if the pistachios do not get completely powdered as it only adds texture and crunch to the balls
  2. Transfer to a plate and form into desired sized balls by rolling between your palms
  3. Store in an air tight container in a cool place and consume within a week
  4. If using dried shredded coconut , they will last slightly longer
https://onewholesomemeal.com/apricot-pistachio-healthy-energy-balls/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal

Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Confession time. I am not a soup person. Shocking, I know! However, I do make soups for my family who enjoy them. That is how I came to create this interesting take on regular roasted pumpkin soup.

Why don’t I like soup? Well, I like my food to have texture! Unless there are some chewy or crunchy bits in my soup I would still drink it but probably not enjoy it. Most soups make me feel as if I am ill and need to be nursed to health. Yet, come winters I almost start to feel guilty if the rest of the family who seem to like soups mostly, do not get to enjoy the wholesome-ness of a good soup. Cream of mushroom, peas, and pumpkin soups make a regular appearance in our menu.

The inspiration for this soup comes from the regular pumpkin stir fry we make which is heavily tempered with curry leaves. The curry leaf adds a beautiful flavour and dimension to this sweet vegetable and complements it perfectly. And you get that subtle hint of spice, without the soup actually tasting spicy. Does that make sense ;)?

Curry Leaf in Your Roasted Pumpkin Soup?

While in the stir fry, the curry leaves are used for tempering, for the soup, I dry roasted them on the stovetop for 2-3 minutes on a medium flame. Then I blended it with the oven-roasted pumpkins. For all soups in general roasting all dry ingredients (even the garlic) enhances the flavour so much more. The pumpkin was cubed, drizzled with olive oil and garlic salt, and roasted at 200 degrees for 20 minutes (the time would vary in different ovens) or until soft. And since I was aiming for a vegan version, I used cashews soaked in warm water to impart creaminess to the soup. One could use double cream too and it tastes as delicious.

While all the core ingredients are important, what differentiates a good soup from a great soup is the stock. You would come across recipes that might suggest subbing stock with water but effectively you are diluting all the flavours with water rather than enhancing and complementing them. Hence use stock or broth – chicken or veg, doesn’t matter which one as long as you aren’t using water. You can make and store it ahead of time.

Scroll down to read the detailed recipe for my curry leaf flavoured pumpkin soup for you to try. Remember to enjoy it piping hot with a side of cheese sticks or a buttery slice of sourdough!

Roasted Pumpkin Soup by OneWholesomeMeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Curry Leaf Flavoured Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 100

Serving Size: 3

Calories per serving: 90

Ingredients

  • Pumpkin, cubed- 2 cups
  • Curry leaves, dry roasted-1/2 cup or a little extra for a stronger flavour
  • Garlic-4 pods
  • Onions, chopped- 3/4 cup
  • Cashew nut-1/2 cup
  • Garlic salt-1.5 teaspoon or as per taste
  • Olive Oil-2 teaspoons
  • Butter- 1 teaspoon
  • Chicken or Vegetable Stock-3 cups or as per desired consistency
  • Pepper- 1 teaspoon

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees
  2. Soak the cashews in warm water for 30 minutes. If you would like to use heavy cream in the soup for creaminess, you could eliminate cashews or use a little of both
  3. Dry roast curry leaves on a stove top and keep aside. This can be done ahead of time and stored in an air tight container
  4. Rub garlic salt and butter evenly on the pumpkin cubes and place them on a tray and roast at 200 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until soft (not brown).Place the garlic pods on the same tray as well for roasting
  5. In the meantime, in a thick bottomed pan, heat butter and add chopped onions and cook till brown
  6. Bring all prepared ingredients (cashews,curry leaves,pumpkin,garlic and onions) to room temperature and blend in a high speed blender
  7. In the same pan used for frying onions, add back the pureed mix, add stock, mix well and bring to boil. Add stock slowly, stirring well to make sure you do not thin out the soup too much. If too thick, add more broth
  8. Taste for salt, reduce heat and simmer covered for another 5 minutes. If using heavy cream, this is when you add it, just before turning off the heat
  9. Add some freshly ground pepper and serve hot with cheese sticks or a slice of warm bread
https://onewholesomemeal.com/curry-leaf-flavoured-roasted-pumpkin-soup/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Roasted Bell Pepper and Chickpea Hummus

Roasted Bell Pepper Chickpea Hummus by OneWholesomeMeal
Roasted Bell Pepper Chickpea Hummus by OneWholesomeMeal

What is the best way to enjoy all the goodness of chickpeas? I think I hear you scream – Hummus!

Who doesn’t like this middle eastern dip? It is one of the best ways for vegetarians to enjoy protein and for moms to camouflage some veggies into these deliciously healthy treats.

Hummus_OneWholesomeMeal

There are no hard and fast rules to make hummus. Fruits, veggies, or herbs, whatever your family favourites are, toss them in with some boiled or roasted chickpeas, add a garnish of your choice and you are sorted. One ingredient however I feel is indispensable and that is garlic. While I usually add chopped garlic to my hummus, this time I decided to swap it with some roasted garlic and boy did it make a difference to the flavours. Roasted garlic is a definite ingredient in my hummus from now on. It keeps very well in the refrigerator for a week to ten days.

Celery_Hummus_OneWholesomeMeal

 

You can get creative with the garnish. While I have recommended pomegranate arils in my recipe below, you may also use zaatar or paprika or flavor or spice. Healthy garnish options are flaxseed, chia seed, and even sesame. Whatever you decide, the most crucial garnish is olive oil. Let me know what you did in the comments below.

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Roasted Bell Pepper & Chickepea Hummus

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Yield: 98%

Serving Size: 4

Calories per serving: 166

Ingredients

  • Roasted Red bell pepper - 3/4 cup
  • Roasted Chickpeas- 1 cup
  • Lime juice- 4 teaspoons
  • Roasted Garlic- 1.5 teaspoons
  • Spice Mix- 1.5 teaspoons (Make the spice mix by blending 1 teaspoon caraway and 1.5 teaspoons coriander seeds)
  • Rice Wine Vinegar or Regular Vinegar- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Rock salt- 1/2 teaspoon or to taste
  • Red Chili (minced)-1
  • Pomegranate Arils -1 tablespoon (optional)
  • Extra Virgin Olive oil-1 tablespoon
  • Water- As required

Instructions

  1. Bring all roasted ingredients to room temperature
  2. Blend all ingredients except oil in a high power blender till a grainy consistency.You might need to add some water to the mixture and scrape down the sides.If you like your hummus smooth then you could blend it longer to a smooth paste. The texture would not make any difference to taste
  3. Add half a teaspoon oil to the blended mixture and pulse for 2 secs
  4. Drizzle the remaining oil on the hummus and serve with a side of crackers or veggies like celery or carrots

Notes

The pomegranate arils impart slight sharp flavour to the hummus which some may not like so feel free to omit it from the recipe

https://onewholesomemeal.com/roasted-bell-pepper-chickpea-hummus/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal

Greek Salad With Pickled Cucumber, Figs and Halloumi

Pickled Cucumber Haloumi Salald - Greek Salad
Greek Salad With Pickled Cucumber, Figs and Halloumi

Like the Greeks, this Greek Salad recipe comes with a story as well.

Finally, it is Friday and what a week it has been! At the end of weeks like these, I look back in surprise. If one plans ahead, so much can be accomplished in 24 hours. And then I also look further back in equal surprise. At the start of the week, was it the same me who on days just mopes and complains about the littlest of things and just doesn’t get anything done!

Forgive Yourself.

I have slowly begun to realize the days of not getting anything done are the ones that are responsible for extremely productive days. Just remember it is:

  • Okay to completely feel useless and totally unproductive on certain days.
  • All right to forgive ourselves for not getting even the basic stuff done.
  • Good to sleep a few hours extra or indulge in the luxury of doing absolutely nothing.
  • Fine to fail and fail all over again and still not be able to figure where you went wrong.
  • Okay to be human. It most definitely is.

And I will tell you why I am going on and on about it.

As always I had set expectations from self a bit too high. I was to try a completely different Greek salad recipe for my Friday post. And as always I had also packed 50 other things in my day today. And as expected I was left with very little time to try the new recipe, photograph it and post it on the blog today. 50 deep breaths and a lot of self pep talk later I decided to give this simple and yet amazingly flavourful recipe a shot. And I am so happy that I did.

 

At The End of A Busy Week, This Greek Salad Will Cheer You Up.

So, here I am sharing it with you. I adapted it from the August issue of BBC Good Food Magazine with minor adjustments. Like I replaced sugar with honey and added fresh figs because I had them at hand. Happy to report that I am very very happy with the way it turned out. It is a great light summer meal in itself if you add some greens or even good as a side dish.

I am hoping to bring you some more amazing Greek recipes this month and also have a giveaway coming up so do stay tuned. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook and turn on notifications for new posts. This salad will not disappoint you.

Greek Salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Pickled Cucumber, Figs & Halloumi Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: 100%

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 526kcals

Ingredients

  • Cucumber-1
  • White Wine Vinegar or Mirin-1.5 tablespoon
  • Honey-1 tablespoon
  • Chilli Flakes- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt-1/2 teaspoon
  • Blanched Hazelnuts-50gms
  • Mint-2 tablespoons
  • Halloumi Cheese-200gms
  • Figs-3

Instructions

  1. Cut cucumber into chunky half-moons, scrape out the core and set aside
  2. In a medium sized bowl add vinegar, honey, chilli flakes and salt, mix well and add cucumber to it and set aside to pickle for 10-15minutes
  3. Chop the figs into chunky cubes
  4. Blanch the hazelnuts and then toast them in a dry pan and set aside
  5. Once the hazelnuts have cooled off, chop them coarsely along with mint leaves and set aside
  6. Slice the cheese into approximately 1cm this slices and shallow fry in a non stick pan until both sides are crisp
  7. Mix all ingredients except figs and halloumi together and drizzle the remainder of the vinegary dressing on top
  8. Then add the halloumi and figs and enjoy
https://onewholesomemeal.com/greek-salad-pickled-cucumber-figs-halloumi/

 

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Banana Coconut Smoothie

Banana Coconut Smoothie recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Banana Coconut Smoothie

Who doesn’t like starting their day with a refreshing glass of smoothie?

This Banana Coconut Smoothie is super simple to put together. Power-packed with healthy micro and macronutrients and with a hint of mint, it could almost be your summertime panacea. Works perfectly for those afternoon hunger pangs too.

While I know there are smoothies that use coconut water for the coconut flavor, in my recipe, I went with freshly shredded coconut. It is high on the fat content, so please keep it to just 2-3 tablespoons. It adds a whole lot of natural flavor to the smoothie. Here are all the ingredients that you will need:

  1.  2 Bananas which are preferably very ripe
  2. A little less than one cup of milk. Plus some extra to adjust the thickness later. You may use almond milk, soy milk, or cow’s milk.
  3. About 2 tablespoons of freshly shredded coconut. You can add a bit more if you really like coconut flavor.
  4. 4 to 5 crushed mint leaves. This is optional.
  5. 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder
  6. For sweetness, you may rely on the bananas or add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or jaggery.

For another banana smoothie variation, go here. Scroll down for the detailed recipe of the banana coconut version.

 

Homemade Banana Coconut Smoothie

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Banana Coconut Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 120

Ingredients

  • Bananas-2 preferably well ripe
  • Milk (Almond/Soy/Cow's)- A little less than one cup plus some extra to adjust thickness later
  • Freshly shredded coconut - 2 tablespoons or a bit more of you really like coconut flavor
  • Mint leaves crushed - 4-5 (optional)
  • Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Sugar (optional) or jaggery -1/2 teaspoon or to taste

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth , adjust thickness if desired by adding some more milk and blend again for a few seconds
  2. Top with fresh mint leaves, ice and serve chilled
https://onewholesomemeal.com/banana-coconut-smoothie/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Veggie Burger | Zucchini and Broccoli Patty

Veggie Burger
Veggie Burger

Move over meat burgers for the ultimate veggie burger is here! The Zuccoli Burger is all you want in your burger and more.

It is very rare that a vegetarian dish is so well appreciated by my boys (do not even get me started on their carnivorous preferences) but this burger was such a welcome change. Loaded with zucchini and broccoli and flavored with delicious herbs, the patty can also be your vegan meal as a healthy side with daal and rice. You can make these zucchini and broccoli patties in advance and freeze them. They are perfect for the lunchbox too. Yes, the possibilities are limitless!

How To Get The Perfect Veggie Burger Patty

  1. The critical step in this recipe is steaming the broccoli. Over steaming makes it too soft and mushy and the final blended mix almost semi-solid. So, be careful not to over steam. Follow these steps to get it right.
  2. Bring water to boil and turn off the heat.
  3. Add a teaspoon of salt to the heated water.
  4. Now add your washed and cleaned broccoli florets to it.
  5. Let it sit in the water for 5-7 minutes before you drain it under cold running water. This latter part is important to halt the cooking process.
  6. Then pat dry the florets on a kitchen towel and blitz in a blender for just a few seconds to a coarse dry consistency.

Scroll down for the full recipe.

Veggie Burger Photography by OneWholesomeMeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Zucchini-Broccoli Burgers

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Serving Size: 10-12 medium sized patties

Calories per serving: 50

Ingredients

  • Broccoli steamed and blended-1 cup
  • Zucchini , grated and water squeezed out well- 1.5 cups
  • Lime juice-1.5 teaspoons
  • Mexican 4 cheese mix-1/2 cup
  • Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tablespoon
  • Bread crumbs-a little more than half cup to bind the patty well
  • Raisins- 8-10 (optional)
  • Chives or spring onions chopped fine- 2 tablespoons
  • Rosemary sprigs or any herb of choice like coriander or Basil (chopped fine)-1 teaspoon (optional); if using latter two, use 2 teaspoons
  • Green chilies chopped fine (optional)-2
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil-2 tablespoon to shallow fry

Instructions

  1. In a deep and wide bowl mix all ingredients well, form into palm sized patties and refrigerate for at least an hour
  2. Then in a wide thick bottomed pan, heat oil and shallow fry till nice and brown
  3. Enjoy hot as a side with rice and daal or in a burger!
https://onewholesomemeal.com/veggie-burger-zucchini-broccoli-patty/

 

[kkstarratings]