Avocado Smoothie

Avocados are easily available in the market these days and the prices have also come down. This is a great time for avocado lovers like me. Though i was first introduced to this fruit during my Mangalore days, i immediately fell for it. One can readily find it in parts of Karnataka and Maharashtra.

For the uninitaited, this lush green fruit has a very subtle flavour and velevtty , melt-in-the-mouth texture. No wonder it is also popular as butter fruit. Though high in calories, it is has high amount of mono-unsaturated fats and dietary fibre. It is also loaded with vitamins and minerals. It helps in lowering the LDL ( bad cholestrol) and increasing HDL ( good cholestrol ). It is a skin superfood with its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

While buying the fruit, look for deep purple ones or very dark green ones. On pressing between the thumb and forefinger, it should yield only slightly. Too hard or too mushy is just not good enough.

Here is the recipe for a quick smoothie that i made with this fruit:

Preparation time - 10 mins

Ingredients - ripe avocado ( 1 no), milk ( 1/2 cup), fresh yogurt (1/2 cup), almonds ( 5-6 nos ), honey ( 2 tsp), powdered flaxseed ( 1 tsp), ice cubes ( 5-6 nos).

Preparation- Soak the almonds overnight. Wash and remove skin in the morning.

Put a cut along the length of the avocado, and around its seed in the centre of the fruit. Hold the two pieces, turn in opposite directions and use gentle pressure to take apart. Remove seed with a sharp object. Scoop out the fleas using a spoon. (Do not throw the skin yet.Rub it on your face for yummy-licious skin)

Dissolve the honey in 2-3 tbs of lukewarm water.

Transfer all ingredients into the blender jar. Blend till smooth. Dilute with cold milk to get desired consistency or serve as it is.

Masala Lemonade

Preparation Time: 5-6 mins
Cost of preparation: 10-15 Rupees

Ingredients: Lemon ( 1 no, large ), beet salt/black salt ( 1/2 tsp ), chaat masala (1/2 tsp ), sugar ( 4 tsp ), ice-cubes ( 4-5 nos ), water ( 1 1/2 glasses ), salt ( 1 pinch ).

Preparation: Put the water in a mixer jar. Add sugar, ice cubes, black salt and chaat masala. Cut the lemon into two and squeeze the juice into the mixer jar.

Mix on lowest speed for 2-3 mins till sugar dissolves.

Pour into glasses. Top up with more crushed ice if required.

Tangy and refreshing cooler is ready.

Doodh Cola - from the streets of Kolkata

Cost of Preparation: 20-25 Rupees
Preparation Time: 5-10 mins

Ingredients: Chilled Thums up ( 300 ml), chilled milk ( 250 ml ), sugar ( 3 tsp ),
icecubes ( 5-6 nos ).
For serving: Small sized ( 150 ml ) glasses ( 5-6 nos ).

Preparation: Add the ice-cubes to the mixer jar. Churn for 30-40 seconds to get crushed ice.

Add milk and powdered sugar. Churn for 1 minute.

Pour the chilled thums-up and churn for 1-2 minute to get rid of the carbon dioxide.

Pour into glasses & serve immediately.

Carrot & Dates Milkshake

Cost of preparation: 20-25 rupees
Preparation time: 10-12 mins

Ingredients: Diced carrot ( 1 cup ), dates ( 6-7 nos), milk ( 1 glass ), condensed milk ( 1 tbs ), ice-cubes, chilled water.

Preparation: Soak the dates in a cup of milk for 3-4 hours. Deseed and add to a grinder along with the carrot cubes. Add a few tsps chilled water.

Grind into a smooth paste.

Now add the milk, condensed milk and ice-cubes. Churn for 1 min.

Pour into glasses and serve immediately. Add more ice-cubes if required.

Note: I have avoided adding sugar as the carrot, dates and the condensed milk contain sugar ( Also being calorie conscious i prefer less sugar ). One may add sugar as per taste.

Mango Lassi

Cost of Preparation: 30-35 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Makes : 3-4 glasses


Ingredients: Thick Curd ( 3 scoops ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 1-2 tsp ), ripened Badami/Bainganpalli Mango ( 3 scoops ), sliced almonds ( 3-4 tsp, optional ), mango ice-cream ( 1-2 scoops), cold water ( 1 cup ), powdered sugar ( 2 tsp or equivalent sugar-free), cardamon ( 1-2 nos), ice cubes.

Preparation: Churn the curd, mango, milkmaid, sugar and 1 cup of water in a blender till they are mixed well.

Powder the cardamon. Add to the blender along with the ice-cubes.

Pour into glasses till 3/4 th full. Top up the mango icecream over it to make it full. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the glasses.

Serve immediately.

Note: I ground a few almonds into a paste and added to the lassi instead of using it for garnishing. Gives a nice flavour. Skipped the ice-cream to reduce the calories.

Bela Panaa

Preparation Time: 10-15 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 Ripened Bela/Wood apple/Elephant apple
• 1 cup curd
• 1 cup chenna/curdled milk or 3 rosogullas
• 1 ripe banana
• 3tbs sugar
• ice-cubes
• 1/4 tsp black pepper powder

Preparation: Break the shell of the wood apple on a hard surface and scoop out the
yellow flesh.

Put the yellow flesh in a mixing bowl and add 2 cups of cold water. Mix the flesh with the water using your fingers to extract the juice.

Strain the juice using a sieve. Transfer the remaining pulp back to the mixing bowl and add 1 cup cold water and extract any remaining juice.

Strain the juice and throw away the pulp.

Add sugar, banana, chenna/rosogulla, curd and black pepper. Mix well using your fingers.

Pour into glasses & top up with ice-cubes. Serve chilled.


Note: Bela ( also called Bel) pannaa is very popular in Orissa during the summer months.

It is offered to Lord Shiva on Panaa Sankranti day which falls on 14th of April. It is supposed to be an excellent coolant and is good for the bowels.

The leaves of this plant are also offered to Lord Shiva along with milk. Consuming a fistful of these leaves is supposed to reduce blood pressure & diabetes.

Minty Lemon Freeze

Preparation Time: 5-6 mins
Cost of preparation: 10-15 Rupees

Ingredients: Lemon ( 1 no, large ), mint leaves ( a fistful ), sugar ( 4 tsp ), ice-cubes , water ( 1 1/2 glasses ), salt ( 1 pinch ).

Preparation: Put the water in a mixer jar. Add sugar, ice cubes, mint leaves and salt. Cut the lemon into two and squeeze the juice into the mixer jar.

Mix on lowest speed for 2-3 mins till sugar dissolves.

Pour into glasses using a sieve to filter out mint leaves. Top up with more crushed ice if required.

A healthy and refreshing chiller is ready.

Lassi - My Holi Special!!!

Cost of Preparation: 30-40 Rupees
Preparation Time: 10-15 mins
Makes : 2 glasses

Lassi in Orissa is quite different from the one served in the North. During Summer months, all these small tents come up all around the main markets in the cities. . One which comes to a speedy recall is the 'Lingaraj Lassi' in Bhubneshwar. They sell this fantastic variety of lassi ( complete with rabri, grated coconut and crushed biscuits ). Well....i can say that if you grew up in such a place, you would acquire a taste for it.

I have tried out two low calorie variants of this yummy lassi which i served to friends who came to wish us on Holi.

For the coconut & choclate lassi:















Ingredients: Curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 3-4 tbs ), grated coconut ( 1 cup ), grated Cadburys chocolate ( 3-4 tsp ), vanilla icecream ( 2 scoops ), sugar/sugar-free ( 2 tsp or equivalent ), ice cubes.

Preparation: Churn the curd, milkmaid, suagr/sugar-free and 1 cup of water along with 2-3 ice-cubes till frothy. ( Do not add too many ice-cubes, it will turn the lasssi watery. )

Pour into glasses till 3/5th full. Add the icecream over it to make it 4/5th full. Add the grated coconut and chocolate to the remaining 1/5th part.

Serve immediately.

For the cinnamon cookies & dry fruits lassi:
















Ingredients: Curd ( 1 1/2 cup ), milkmaid ( condensed milk, 3-4 tbs ), crushed cinnamon cookies ( 3/4 cup ), sliced almonds & cashews ( 1/4 cup ), raisins ( 1/5 cup ), vanilla icecream ( 2 scoops ), sugar/sugar-free ( 2 tsp or equivalent ), ice cubes.

Preparation: Soak the raisins for 2-3 hrs

Churn the curd, milkmaid, suagr/sugar-free and 1 cup of water along with 2-3 ice-cubes till frothy. ( Do not add too many ice-cubes, it will turn the lasssi watery. ) Add the soaked raisins and churn for 5 secs.

Pour into glasses till 3/5th full. Add the icecream over it to make it 4/5th full. Add the crushed cookies and sliced dry fruits to the remaining 1/5th part.

Serve immdiately.

Coffee n Strawberry Shake

Cost of preparation: 40-45 rupees
Time Required: 10 mins
Serves : 2-3 nos

Ingredients: Cold Milk ( 2 cups ), water ( 2/3 cup ), Nescafe coffee powder ( 3-4 tsp ), chocolate powder ( 1 tsp ), cream ( 2-3 tsp , optional ), strawberries ( each sliced into two, 1 cup ), ice cubes ( 5-6 nos ), sugar ( 3-4 tsp ), dark chocolate cube ( 1 no ).

Preparation: Add all the ingredients except for the ice cubes and dark chocolate to a juicer jar. Mix for 2-3 mins on a low speed till the froth shows a creamy texture.

Add ice cubes at this stage and mix for a few seconds.

Pour into a tall glass/mug . Grate the chocolate cube over it.

Note: Check if the coffee gets dissolved in cold water. If not, dissolve in a little amount of warm water.