Recipes With a Twist
toddler friendly
Suji Kheer
Aug 5th
By Amanat Khullar
This morning I had an urge to eat something sweet. I wanted to keep it quick, healthy and ofcourse “YUMMY” to satisfy my cravings.First thought that popped in my mind was kheer. Since calorie amount can be a bit scary in rice kheer, I decided to use suji instead of rice and 1% milk instead of whole milk.If you are not familiar with Suji (semolina), it is a nutritious Indian wheat granulated but not pulverized. It has a lot of health benefits but the one I remember is that my mother used to give me suji halwa with warm More >
Methi Malai Paneer
Aug 26th
Methi Malai Paneer
This one is for mom. While growing up paneer based dishes used to be a staple in our house and I cannot even remember how many different kinds my mom, grandmother and my aunts could make! (I grew up in a large family and shared about 12-13 wonderful years under one roof with my parents, brother, grandparents, aunts and uncles, great grandmother and most adorable cousins.Few weeks ago we had planned a dinner with our friends and I don’t know from where I started thinking about this indulgent paneer dish my mom used to make. I thought of More >
Creamy Pesto Macaroni
Aug 18th
Creamy Pesto Macaroni
I wanted to try making it ever since I noticed my son liked a ‘Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta’ from a local Italian restaurant. That inspired me try making Basil Pesto Sauce and this is what I made first using the Pesto sauce. This is not a perfectly low calorie dish. I can say it might be lighter than what I have looked online for an easy Alfredo or white sauce. It makes a creamy, indulgent and very flavorful pasta (thanks to the Basil Pesto) that I think everyone should enjoy once in a while. I used elbow macaroni as my More >
Presto Basil Pesto (Nut Free)
Aug 10th
Basil Pesto
Pesto, an aromatic herb sauce or paste, originated in Northern Italy and is used very commonly in Italian cooking. Traditionally it is made with toasted pine nuts but there are nut free variations as well. Every now and then I have tried different pesto based dishes and always amazed how this fragrant and flavorful perks up otherwise plain pasta or chicken recipes. However, it wasn’t until I noticed that my son liked a Pesto Chicken Fettuccine dish from a local Italian restaurant that I decided to give it a try in my every day cooking.I read this recipe in More >
Toddler Approved Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Broccoli
Jun 24th
Toddler Approved Spaghetti with Collard Greens and Broccoli
So what do you do if your skinny little one gets most of his carbohydrates from pasta? Well try to invent recipes that makes the same old pasta taste different with some added nutrition. Sometimes I use traditional Ragu pasta sauce with some meat or make white sauce with some cheese and Spinach. So different variations for same old pasta! This time I had little bit time on hand, so I tried to make pasta with a homemade onions, tomatoes, and vegetables sauce. This also gave me some satisfaction of putting together a meal More >
Moroccan Style Red lentil and Garbanzo Soup (Low Calorie)
May 31st
Moroccan Style Red lentil and Garbanzo Soup
Today I tried Moroccan Lentil and Garbanzo soup at Sweet Tomatoes. The soup was great- light, chunky, flavorful and apparently low calorie just the way I like my soups. I guess I liked it so much that I came home, looked up a few recipes and decided to make a batch for dinner (while I was cooking Mint Chicken Biryani for my husband!). The soup I tried had brown lentils but I did not have any on hand, so I decided to go with Red lentils. The mint aroma from the chicken biryani was More >
Easy Turkey Meatballs
May 24th
Turkey Meatballs
It is always great to have some meatballs on hand when you are in hurry and need to put together a quick and delicious meal. You can make sandwiches, wraps, pizzas, serve with pasta and even throw in soups. I usually make lean turkey meatballs instead of fatty beef ones and make more than I need so I can freeze some for quick meals (as a full time working mom I am usually short of time!). This is very basic recipe and is great for little ones since the meatballs do not have any kind of strong flavor. Even better, More >
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
May 9th
Mediterranean Red Lentil and Pumpkin Soup
Couple of weeks ago I tried red lentils soup at a local Mediterranean restaurant. It was light and flavorful and perfect for lunch. Although it did resemble a bit like Indian red lentils dish and we call it ‘lal masoor dal’ and it is commonly served as a main dish with rice or Indian flatbreads for dinner. I tried to make a similar soup but decided to add fresh pumpkin as well. It added nice sweetness to otherwise meaty flavored red lentils. My two year old son liked it as well so I am tagging it More >
Broccoli Cheddar Soup (Reduced Fat)
Apr 22nd
Broccoli Cheddar Soup
I am a big fan of Panera Bread’s Broccoli Cheddar soup. Although I usually prefer lowfat/or at least reduced fat soups, I usually can’t resist this soup on a cold (even rainy) afternoon. I have tried a few recipes from different sources and all were way too rich. So I made few changes, increased quantity of carrots and blended the soup for a creamy and rich texture. Last weekend I made a big batch for my family – served soup and toasted bread for adults and as pasta sauce for little one. I boiled macaroni (overcooked) and mixed with More >
Lemon Rice with Carrot Raita
Apr 16th
Lemon Rice
This is yet another favorite dish that I make when I have leftover rice on hand and (as usual) I am in a hurry to put together a delicious yet healthy meal. This version of Lemon Rice is based on traditional South Indian flavors although I am not sure if I always follow the tradition religiously and do try different variations now and then.Carrot Raita
I usually serve this rice with ‘Carrot Raita’ – Yogurt based condiment that is used as a side or sometimes a dip as well. There are numerous types of ‘raitas’ that you can make More >
