Food Revolution Ambassador Monthly Challenge: January 2015

We are already in the second month of the year which means it is time to look back at the January monthly challenges.

If you are new here: At the beginning of each month the challenges are announced. These challenges are for inspiring the entire Food Revolution team and to make deeper connections with everyone (fellow food ambassadors, friends and family, anyone who wants to be a part of this challenge too), share our stories , whether we failed or conquered and more. The idea is to complete as many challenges as one can (Read about the October , November and December challenges).

For January: 

Challenge 1: Download YOU-app. Jamie's been working on a new and exciting app called YOU-app. It focuses on four areas – food, mind, move, love – and is all about completing one micro action each day to help you live a happier, healthier life.

I can't remember who said it but a fellow Food Ambassador said "it is like instagram with an intent" and I couldn't agree more. I have to admit ever since this app got launched the first thing I do each morning is to check the micro action of the day. 

Let me take you through the app. The app encourages you to make small changes in your life each day. It could be matter of your heart, mind or body. It is about enjoying the little things we do everyday for often little things are the ones that make the biggest differences in our lives. 

It is about taking notice of our beautiful surroundings that we often ignore because life takes over. It is about making a shift to real food because you need to but without making it difficult and yet indulging in whatever you heart fancies when you want to. It is about making memories and thanking the people who make your life complete and it is about a fitter, healthier, happier and a more positive YOU. 

This app has me giddy with excitement and if you have been following me on instagram where I share my YOUapp posts as well you will see how much fun I have been having. I'd love you guys to check it out and connect with me and the lovely community there. I am orangekitchens there as well.

Read all about YOUapp and join here.

Challenge 2: 10 meals to kick-start a healthier 2015. This year we're helping you to kick-start a healthier new year with 10 delicious recipes from Jamie and his friends, plus loads of other helpful tips, ideas and inspiration. 

You don't need a New Year to kick start healthy eating but a New Year gives you a fresh plate to fill and I absolutely love new beginnings for they give us a chance to look back on how the last year was, an opportunity to start afresh, several new possibilities to grow, to learn and to experiment.  

So this year fill up your plate with foods you have never tried, cuisines you have never experienced, ingredients that have never said hello to your kitchen. Keep it healthy and keep it real. 

This Hit n run traybaked chicken we had earlier this month is a family favourite now. It took like all of five minutes to assemble and the oven did the rest of the work. It was bursting with the goodness and flavour of the bell peppers and tomatoes. We had it with some greens and some crusty bread to soak up all the ambre juice.

Get the recipe here and get many more such recipes here. 

I love it when someone had already done the menu planning and given me the list of ingredients I need to buy too. 

Challenge 3: Share the Food Revolution Day! It's 2015, which means time to start thinking about this year’s Food Revolution Day on 15 May.  

Its about the little changes and the big ones. And the big one (which I earlier shared with you lovely readers on the Orange Kitchens FB page)has been announced. Yay! Food Revolution Day is going to be on the 15th of May this year. 

"Food Revolution Day is a global day of action for people to make a stand for good food and essential cooking skills. It's a chance for people to come together within their homes, schools, workplaces and communities to cook and share their kitchen skills, food knowledge and resources. Food Revolution Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of good food and better food education for everyone by focusing on three simple actions – cook it, share it, live it".

I have put on my thinking cap, meeting and connecting with some lovely people already to plan for the big day and I'd love you all to spread the word around. Lets get our little ones into the kitchen and make some noise. 

But I am going to need your help.

All you awesome parents, hardworking teachers, the enterprising teams running local businesses and restaurants, wonderful conscientious people who are behind the farmers’ markets, the ever giving community groups and organizations, the voice of Dubai; local newspapers, radio stations and magazines who would like to be a part of this or have ideas on what I can do for our kids at Dubai or are in position to help me spread the word around please get in touch with me.

Let us make a difference in lives of our kids and bring about a Food Revolution at Dubai.

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask! 

Food Revolution Ambassador Monthly Challenge: October 2014

A lot of you may be aware that a couple of weeks back I became part of the Food RevolutionAmbassador team and I can’t be happier. I am looking forward to working towards food education for children and already making my little game plan to achieve the same.

One of the many things that we as Food Ambassadors aspire to do are the monthly challenges. At the beginning of each month the challenges are announced. These challenges are for inspiring the entire team and to make deeper connections with everyone (fellow food ambassadors, friends and family, anyone who wants to be a part of this challenge too), share our stories , whether we failed or conquered and more. The idea is to complete as many challenges as one can.

This was my first time and YAY I completed all three. Each of the three challenges come with a specific reason those that make you stop and think. Let me explain.

Challenge One: Using leftovers: Challenge submitted by Ambassador Alex in Cheltenham, UK. Make something awesome from what you have left in your fridge and/or cupboards without heading to the shops.

As a child I was always taught that wasting food was a complete no. Sure there will be leftovers but there is no reason why they can’t be turned into bestovers. This is one of the many things I learnt from my parents and would like to pass the same to my little chefling. Plus, clearing up the fridge before getting in fresh produce feels like therapy, right? Show off hands if you agree. Infact when it came to my mum, there was a designated day of the week (which would always be before she did her weekly groceries) when she would fill up this yellow round tupperware box with numerous compartments she had (still has!) with all the leftovers and announce dinner was ready. It is a grand buffet she would add. 

Do you turn your leftovers into bestovers or serve up a buffet for your family or freeze it for a later date? I’d love to hear how you minimize food wastage at your homes.

For the leftover challenge, I put together this lettuce chicken wrap. With Diwali just two days away I was on a mission to finish all the leftovers to make space for Mithai (Indian Sweets) in our refrigerator. The Lettuce Chicken Wrap made from leftover roast chicken from the last night’s dinner, two halves of bell peppers threatening to go bad, a lonely onion caramelized, pomegranate seeds and pinenuts for some crunch and a yoghurt dip. I am now addicted to lettuce wraps of any kind.

Challenge Two: Scare yourself this Halloween. With Halloween just around the corner, why not try out a recipe that has always scared you, whether it is because you are not sure your family will like it, or it uses techniques that you have never tried before. Halloween doesn’t just have to be about scary ghouls and junk food; let us know what real food recipes you’ll be conquering for the first time!

I loved this take on Halloween. Do one thing that scares you every day they say. What a beautiful thought to make Halloween more meaningful! The thing is I cook and bake a lot and more often than not people assume that when you write food stories and put out all of your cooking out on the blog you must be able to make everything. Right? Wrong. We all have our fears when it comes to the kitchen and mine is making pasta from scratch. Three years back (honestly, three years back) I got home a pasta maker and till date it has been in one little corner of my cupboard packed. When the year began I set out some food resolutions for myself and one of them was to finally open that box and use that pasta maker. This challenge made me conquer my fear and meet my resolution as well.

I decided to make this pumpkin goat cheese pasta. It is Halloween after all :) So much more better than the candy and sugar and salt loaded Halloween goodies out there. The scariest thing about Halloween for me is this sugar overload and ever since we started being part of Halloween last year I have made little attempts to give the kids a chance to observe it with real food. Sweet mandarins last year, boiled eggs with scary faces this year. This pasta too.

Challenge Three: Corn chowder. Make our recipe of the month, the hearty corn chowder. We have been talking about comfort food recently with the launch of Jamie’s new book and we think that this corn chowder is up there with some of the best comfort foods! Try it at home, teach it to friends,take it to work to share with colleagues… however you make it and whatever variations you use due to culture, season or taste preference – let us know by sharing your photos and recipes.

Like so many of you, I too am huge fan of Jamie’s approach to real food and how if we decide to eat healthy cooking up a complete meal is a matter of few minutes. We often eat unhealthy food in the garb of comforting our hearts and souls. Tired after long hours at work lets order in a cheesy thing,  fought with a friend time for a tub of icecream, nursing a cold the ghee laden paranatha is a must and more. While there is nothing wrong in eating any of the above but making it a bit healthier is always a big YES in my dictionary.

This chowder was really simple to put together and just what I needed after a stream of guests at home and nonstop cooking & hosting post Diwali. I wanted something effortless, filling and comforting, something that would literally come together on its own and I could just put my feet up on the coffee table and watch reruns of MasterChef on TV all alone. A one pot meal that used milk and not cream that a corn chowder usually would have. That made me happier. I added some bacon for some crunch and well because bacon either you love bacon or you are wrong :)

Till we meet again. Eat real. Stay healthy.

Images: If you like any of the pictures on the blog and would like to use those please write to me. I put in hours of work behind each post and would love to share it with you but it would hurt me if  use those without my permission.Just ask! 

Understanding and Appreciating Ramadan.

We moved to Dubai a year and three months back. It was both an unexpected and a sudden move but one that we welcomed. They say that there are two gifts that you should give a child. One is roots and the other is wings. Moving to a country that is unfamiliar to you, experiencing a new way of living, becoming one of “them” and making it your home is part of the roots and wings course.

In little more than a year, home for Sara means only one place on the globe; Dubai. What do you like about Dubai we ask her? I love that park with swings, all my “best friends” are here, I like going to the beach (with truckloads of beach toys), I love my school because it is the best in the world, she says. UAE is my favorite country in the world,she adds. I smile. What is home after all; a place where you are surrounded by friends & family and where you make memories and this is exactly what my five year old is happy doing. Dubai is her home.

There is another side to it though and that is embracing the culture of the country you start calling home and ever since we moved to Dubai we are helping her do that. Be it learning the national anthem of UAE or taking baby steps to learn Arabic. Social science lessons at school were very pretty interesting this month where she studied both India and UAE and it made me grin with joy that the school was making her revisit her roots and helping her understand and see UAE closer.

Last year during Ramadan we were not in the city. This year things are a little different;  we are here, Ramadan has come much earlier, Sara has graduated from kindergarten and is a “big girl” now which means she can understand and appreciate Ramadan more than she could the year before. At school the children were taught about Ramadan and how some of her Muslim friends might be keeping their first Ramadan and it would be nice to support them.

We too have been discussing the significance of this holy month with her. I want her to understand why this month is so special for all her friends who are observing it and how she can be a part of this.

A couple of weeks back she got an opportunity to be a part of the Haq-Al-Lailah celebrations here where she received dates and sweets from some of our friends and we made fruit bars to share with everyone. We also had a little chat with her about the why’s and what’s of Haq-Al-Lailah. I am looking forward to doing the same with her for Ramadan and ofcourse Eid. I’d like her to appreciate the traditions associated with Ramadan and how sharing and giving are the fundamental principles behind it. Just like during Diwali when we share what we have with the less fortunate and thank God for what we he has blessed us with I’d like her to do her own little bit this year during this month of introspection, charity and gratitude.

Here’s what we have planned. 

• She is going to be giving away toys and clothes (some new and some old) that belong to her to the needy. Giving away what is hers will make her understand that sharing is about having a big heart. 
• She has a little piggy bank where she has been collecting coins for over a year now. It is not a huge amount but they are a invaluable for her. They are hers. We are going to take some of them and buy some icecreams or a candies or a doughnuts (clearly her list and not mine :)) for some children who have never had one for no childhood is complete without licking a lollipop or licking the ice-cream off your lips. 
• Sara loves to bake and we have planned an entire afternoon of baking some yummy goodies that we are going to pack in pretty boxes and give away as gifts to both the underprivileged and our lovely neighbours for only when you make something with your own hands you realize the amount of work that goes into making someone happy. Sharing them with her neighbors and friends will teach her the importance of building a community spirit.

All of the above are really simple gestures for often simple is most meaningful.

I also came across some lovely books for the kids for the Non-Muslim expat children to understand Ramadan better. They ofcourse are great for kids who are observing their first Ramadan this year as well.

  Ramadan & Rashad's Ramadan and Eid-al-fitr

My First Ramadan & Ramadan Moon

My little chefling & I wish all those who are observing Ramadan; Ramadan Kareem and are sharing a healthy recipe we often make at home. Also here is a little gift to all those little kids who are fasting with their mums and dads this year. 

A countdown calendar of sorts to encourage them and reward them for nothing excites a kid more than a star sticker (take it from me). You could print this and give your little one a star sticker at the end of the day for being able to complete their fast successfully and ofcourse to keep a track of how many days until Eid :)

Brown rice, spinach and pomegranate salad

This power packed wholesome salad is a great way to introduce your children to the joy of eating brown rice and green leaves.  It is a salad but doesn’t quite feel like a salad for it has rice and kids love rice. There are dates and peaches take care of the sweetness that they love and cutting down any little bitterness from baby spinach. In addition this one pot meal has the goodness of the coconut oil, the anti-oxidant properties of turmeric & pomegranate and the vitamins and minerals from dates and ofcourse the good fats from the peanuts. Just what the little bodies will need after a day of fasting.

Ingredients (Makes 4 large portions)

• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 tsp coconut nut oil
• 1/8^th  tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar or any other of your choice
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp sumac or any dry herb available
• 2 tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Salt
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 cup peaches or any stone fruit
• 1 cup pomegranate seeds
• 100 grams baby spinach
• 1 cup salted peanuts

Instructions:

1. Cook the brown rice according to instructions on the pack. Simply add turmeric to the water in which you are going to cook it.
2. Combine the vinegar, olive oil, 1 tsp of sumac, salt, chilli flakes, lemon juice and salt if using to make the dressing.
3. To the dressing, add the dates, red onion, nectarine, pomegranate seeds and leave it to develop flavours.
4. Place the spinach in a large salad bowl.
5. Just before serving, dress the salad. Add the boiled rice. And mix gently Sprinkle the remaining sumac and the peanuts and shake some extra olive oil on top if you like. 

Images : Personal Album. All images belong to orangekitchens and are subject to copyright. The printable is only for personal use. 

Jump-starting the New Year with wholesome juice.

I mentioned in my previous post that there is something about a fresh start that pulls me towards it. A chance to redeem myself, an opportunity to learn from the past and prepare for the future and that is exactly what I did this New Year. After a month of shameless gluttony of Christmas cupcakes and reindeer donuts, of liberal portions of roasts and cheesy lasagnas, of tons of buff dimsums and sarson ka saag with white butter on top I think both my tastebuds and my system wanted a breather.

Lighter meals, more veggies and fruits, healthy dips, leaner proteins and so after some more bingeing on the New Years’ Eve I began my day doing exactly that; with a power packed smoothie for breakfast (a food resolution I made to myself).And later that day when I went down to one of my favorite coffee shops with an intention to work and ofcourse to have some coffee (since I mostly work out of home and there are times I like to get out of my pyjamas and disturb the zen like environment that the ironed and neatly stacked clothes in my cupboard are usually living in) and that is when I came across Bean Machine’s Juice Diet. To be really honest I always run away from these so called diets but the large glasses of fresh juices that their other customers were ordering kept me away from my regular order of coffee that day.

I found out that the lovely couple who own and run Bean Machine, Paul Farrance and Duaa Anwar came up with this Juice Detox diet almost a year back when Paul was struggling with some serious health issues. Duaa a certified fitness professional shared how and why she came up with these different concoctions and how Paul benefitted from it. Duaa says, “Toxins find their way to us through processed foods and the air that we breathe and fresh juices help eliminate those toxins. It strengthens the body and mind, replace deficiencies, helps built immunity, increases the energy level, controls cravings and ofcourse if done regularly can help with weight loss. A diet of raw fruit and vegetables is beneficial whatever your goal may be”.

I decided to give this a try except for one thing that I could not have survived only on three portions of juice alone. That is when Duaa told me that they don’t expect you to. The juices need to be supplemented with other interesting and healthy meals like a salad, nuts or some form of protein that fills you up. Plus some windup options that you could take before going to bed. I chose their three day juice diet (they also have a seven and a fourteen day diet for the dedicated).

So the next day at a time pre-decided by me I received my first glass of a very pretty both on the outside (my favourite colour) and the inside (packed with blueberries, banana, orange, bio-live yoghurt, honey and muesli) Blueberry & Banana smoothie. It was a large glass (16 oz.) that filled me up completely. For lunch I had what they called a Turbo Detox juice made up of apples, carrot, celery, spinach, broccoli, beetroot, zucchini, ginger (I liked this the best) which I had with a grilled chicken salad. Come evening, I had my last juice of the day, Two carrots, two apples, ginger and a squirt of lemon. Each night I had some grilled cottage cheese and veggies with it. I also had a lot of water each day to make it work better.

What worked for me?

• After a crazy festive month it was just what my system needed to spring back into a normal eating pattern. So I am still eating my occasional dessert but the juice diet supplemented with healthy food provided a sort of healthy jumpstart for the year ahead. I highly recommend it if like me sometimes you need some inspiration or a friendly nudge.
• The juices were fresh, delivered to my doorstep three times a day which means they weren’t standing in my fridge all day and I got the maximum benefit of the nutrients. Also they were sans any sugar and included the fiber from the fruits and the vegetables.
• The juice wasn't expensive. At 16 ounces it costs only 20 aed.

What would I have liked done differently?

• My smoothie/juice was the same for each of my meals. I am someone who thrives on variety and by the end of the day two much as I liked the juices I would have preferred some variety. For someone who wants to try this out for seven/fourteen days it could get very boring after a while.

Like it or not, everybody needs to detox from time to time to revitalize and cleanse your much abused bodies and to flush out those toxins and replace the nutrients. Choose what works for you.

Eat healthy and stay fit.

Disclaimer: All views expressed here are my own and Bean Machine invited me to try out their juice diet. 

Images: Personal Album. While you enjoy reading this post with visuals. Please do not use them without asking. They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated

Playing Nigella : Meet the Blogger event.

Right through my childhood whenever mum asked me to help her in the kitchen, always something really simple like peeling a cucumber or whisking a cake batter or just filling up all the water bottles, I would start pretending to be cooking diva with my imaginary audience right there, applauding me for my culinary expertise ofcourse.

Fast forward some decades and my little chefling, Sara does the same at home. Her typical script runs something like this, "Hello everyone, I am Sara the chef and today I am going to be showing you how to make the world’s best (Please proceed to insert any dish of your choice)....". It is always the world’s best when MLC is making it!

So when the opportunity to play “Nigella” in real life came along, I knew I just couldn’t refuse it. It all started with an email from the lovely team at Lootah Premium Foods asking me if I’d like to conduct a short cooking demonstration at Galeries Lafayette as part of their “Meet the Blogger” event.

See more pics here

That there were going to be eleven other wonderful ladies joining me in this challenge, helped. We were given some wonderful produce from Lootah to cook and I decided to bake Carrot and Raisin Cupcakes with a cream cheese icing. The healthier version.

For as long as I can remember I've always loved cooking. And about four years back when I became a mum the focus shifted from just cooking to cooking wholesome nutritious food and eating variety. Healthy, nutritious food as against the junk that the children obviously like and want and we are guilty of giving them, at times. Yours truly included.

And so when I was given a platform to cook and talk, I decided to preach:)

What is interesting about these cupcakes is that these are made out of wholewheat as opposed to the refined flour that most cupcakes are made out of. Refined flour or the fair flour has always dominated the baking food industry and though it yields much more attractive results, it does not contain even quarter the amount of health benefits that whole wheat has to offer. Whole wheat flour on the other hand is power packed with nutrients. It is fibre rich and is loaded with minerals and vitamins. A great choice for our little munchkins.

Having said that, I need to tell you that these cupcakes aren't as light as those made with white flour, the bran in them gives them a coarse texture which I think works well with the carrot.

Coming to carrots, not only is it “good for the eyes” but it is also good for the skin. Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted into vitamin A in the liver which helps to protect the skin from sun damage. The cupcakes also have raisins that are a great source of energy, vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. Very rich in iron and potassium. If your little one is not fond of raisins, you may use prunes, dry apricots, walnuts, hazelnuts, whatever you fancy.

Whenever I make them I always make them mini and at times even without the icing. One, because Sara can take them to school as a snack or eat one for breakfast so the portion is perfect for her little tummy (Imagine she gets to eat a dessert for breakfast ofcourse with veggies inside it!). And two, if you are making them with the icing, the size helps you portion control the sugar bit. But go with what you like. This is a very forgiving recipe so you can make it into bigger cupcakes for a party or even a loaf cake, like a warm tea cake with some cream.

Before I share the recipe, I must thank Tony and James from Lootah for giving them lovely opportunity to conduct this demo, the ever helpful team at Lafayette, especially Chef Adrian and a big thanks to all those who came to encourage me.

Carrot and raisin cupcakes with cream cheese icing.

                                                                                                    

Makes 22 mini cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

175 gm whole wheat flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

a pinch of salt

150 ml oil

150 gms soft light brown sugar

3 medium eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

50 gms raisins

225 gms carrots, peeled and grated

For the icing:

1 orange

75 gms cream cheese

175 gms golden icing sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly oil two 12 hole muffin trays.  

1. Sift the flour,baking powder,cinnamon and salt in a bowl  (Include any bran from the sieve).

2. Add the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, raisins and grated carrots.

3. Beat until smooth and spoon into the muffin trays. 

4. Bake for about 20 minutes until risen and golden.

5. Cool on a wire rack.

For the icing:

1. Peel thin strips of zest from the orange.

2. Beat the cream cheese and icing sugar together with 2 tsp juice from the orange to make a spreading consistency.

3. Swirl or simply spread the icing over each cupcake and then top with shreds of orange zest.

These cupcakes will keep for 3 days in an airtight container in a cool place.

*I have used cinnamon because I enjoy it as a supporting flavour but if you are not a big fan, you can easily leave this out. You can add pumpkin pie spice if you like.

**Also, usually one drains the grated carrot in kitchen roll before using it, to absorb the excess liquid but here it isn't required because the extra water actually helps keep the cake pleasantly moist.

**Adding a bit of the orange juice to the icing does lift the icing.

Images: Personal Album.While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated

Baked fish with sticky sauce

“Even a fish could stay out of trouble if it would just learn to keep its mouth shut.”

And since it didn't quite learn the above it always lands on our dinner plate:) We love fish. Baked and grilled never fried. I have never been a big fan of anything fried. Hence , no affinity for fried fish whatsoever.

And when there is brown sugar and fish sauce involved (both of which are loved at home) then the recipe automatically becomes a big favorite. This one comes from my all time favorite book, Bill's Everyday Asian ( an earlier post from same the book,here). I like the fact that when it says Everyday Asian it really means recipes for everyday cooking. Almost all of the recipes ask for very little chopping, very few ingredients, cooking time is very little (well most cook on their own in the oven) and are very healthy.

Baked fish with sticky sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 kg fish,snapper, sea bass, pomfret (Actually whatever you fancy)

1 lemon sliced

2 tablespoons light flavoured oil

3 garlic cloves,sliced

3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and julienned

3 red chillies,thinly sliced

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

4 tablespoons fish sauce

100 ml lime juice

2 spring onions,sliced

a handful of mixed herbs, basil,mint and coriander

Instructions

1.Preheat the oven to 190 degrees Celsius and brush a baking tray with oil.

2.Make three deep slashes on either side of the fish, insert the lemon slices in the slashes and place on the tray and bake for 20-25 minutes.

3.Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat.Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

4.Add the sugar,fish sauce and lime juice and cook for 5-6 minutes or until syrupy. Pour into a jug and set aside.

5.Serve the fish, drizzle over the sauce and dress with spring onions and mixed herbs.

Recipe: Bill's Everyday Asian by Bill Granger
Images: Personal Album
While you enjoy reading this post with visuals.Please do not use them without asking. 
They belong to Orange Kitchens unless otherwise stated.