Pasta in Creamy Cauliflower Sauce (Low Calorie Recipe)

If pasta in a creamy white sauce is the stuff that your dreams are made of, then you do not have to skip it while on a weight loss regimen. Substitute the fattening cheese with some cauliflower and low fat milk and you have an equally delicious sauce at hand.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Delmonte elbow pasta
• 2/3 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/2 cup low fat milk
• 1 tsp Figaro EVOO
• 2-3 chopped garlic flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley
• dash of freshly ground pepper
• salt

Preparation - Boil the cauliflower florets till tender. Strain and transfer to blender. Buzz to a coarse paste and then add the milk. Buzz to a smooth consistency. 

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan. Add chopped garlic and fry till it gives a fragrance. Add the pureed cauliflower, add salt and let it simmer.

Simultaneously, boil water in a large saucepan for the pasta . Once the bubbles start coming, salt it.

Wait for water to come to a rolling boil before you add the paste. This way they wont stick to each other.

Keep checking on your pasta . Once it gets to the al-dente stage (10-12 mins), remove from flame and drain off the pasta water while saving about 1/2 cup of it for thinning the sauce, if required.

Transfer the pasta to the saucepan containing the white sauce. Adjust consistency and cook for 2-3 mins.

Serve with a dash of pepper and parsley.

5 Minute Caramel Popcorn (Kid's favorite recipe)

Easy to make and an instant crowd puller, this easy popcorn recipe has become my go-to dish during b'day parties and small get togethers. All it takes is a packet of instant popcorn in plain/salted flavor and some regular ingredients from the pantry.

Read on -

Preparation time - 5 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 packet of instant popcorn (Act II)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp water
• handful of peanuts
• 1-2 drops vanilla essence / 1/2 tsp orange rind / few drops lemon juice

Cooking - Take the water, sugar and butter into a large pan and put it on medium heat.

At the same time, prepare the packet of instant popcorn in a microwave or pressure cooker,

Allow it to boil, then reduce flame just as the sugar starts caramelizing. Add peanuts and flavour of your choice. Throw in the popcorn and stir for 1 min.

Keep aside till it cools down as it will be very hot.

Serve immediately or keep in a airtight container.

Sugar Vs Honey ?

Image courtesy - awakentheabswithin.com

Honey without a doubt. But if you happen to be addicted to the white stuff, it is important to know how it affects your overall health. Apart from the weight gain that predisposes one to diabetes, a study published by Stanford Medicine in the spring of 2013 found that "increased sugar in a population's food supply was linked to higher diabetes rate, independent of obesity rates."

The very perception of sweetness is a highly personal thing. For example, if you have spent a year or two outside India, probably in the States or in Europe, the first thing you notice when you land in India is the unpalatable sweetness of everything from the tea to the sweets brought in by your relatives. Even the much loved 'Gajar ka halwa' made by your mother may turn you off as being too sweet. This means one can alter one's consumption of sugar without missing out on all those favorite foods.

Ok. It is tough at the beginning. And as a foodie turned health freak and veteran food blogger who is very much focused on eating healthy, I can vouch for it. But what if instead of banishing sugar, one has an option to substitute it with something much healthier ? That is exactly what the Dabur Honey Diet proposes to do. It helps your weight loss by ensuring that you take a regular balanced diet with a little bit of tweaking to keep those extra calories at bay.

Image courtesy - cvseventh.com

The smart diet is one which keeps those hunger pangs at bay while ensuring that one's energy levels do not drop. Studies confirm that depriving the body of food can lead the brain to assume that one is going through a period of starving. This results in lowered metabolism and higher fat storage. Plus diets that require one to survive on a single ingredient for days altogether are highly probable to lead to a serious nutritional deficiency.

Image courtesy - Daburhoney.com

Hence smart choices like switching to Dabur Honey are important. Moreover Glycemic Index (GI) of honey is lower than that of refined sugar which means it wont spike one's blood sugar levels, an important factor when trying to lose weight. The processing done for honey is minimal which is why it retains its vitamins, trace minerals and other useful compounds.

Honey can be substituted for sugar in one's tea, lemonade, smoothie and milkshake with ease. Taking your cornflakes/cereals with milk ? Try honey instead of sugar. Or even the Overnight Oats with honey. Those delicious kormas and butter masalas take on a better flavour with honey as compared to sugar. Have a weakness for desserts ? Try a fruit salad tossed in honey and coated with taosted sesame seeds. Or even a Shrikhand that has honey instead of sugar.

Chef's tip - Add honey right at the end of the cooking process to get the maximum benefit out of it.


This post is written for Dabur Honey .

Staying Connected with the UC Browser

Image courtesy - sportskeeda.com

With cricket being elevated to the status of a religion in India, hardly anyone wants to miss out on even a single minute of the play. Who knows which sixer/four or even a single run might be recorded as an epic moment in history. And God forbid if you did not capture that match winning/losing catch that everyone is talking about. Also, the cricketing action is not even considered as action if you do not watch it live. Recordings are no fun as they do not have the nail biting suspense associated with them.

But fret no more if you have to catch that all important match that clashes with something equally important on the personal/work front. And do rack your brains as you dig up a suitable excuse for cancelling or postponing the latter. All that you would need to do is download the UC Browser on your mobile to stay connected with the game. Employing the cloud acceleration and data compression techniques, this browser actually compresses the web pages before sending to the user. In lay man terms, it directly translates into faster downloading speeds and that too at lower costs (thanks to the data compression).

With the user friendly interface of UC Cricket, one can check for the latest updates ( live scores, videos , option to read commentaries and even ball by ball updates to be specific) on UC Cricket while carrying out regular tasks like driving, checking emails, working out and a thousand other day to day activities. Even all those housebound ladies who are caught up with dropping/picking their kids, doing the cooking, supervising homework and a zillion other tasks, this is the way to remain connected to your favorite game. As the browser also supports simultaneous downloads and saves pages for offline reading, you can help answer the kids homework related queries while saving those recipes for a later read.

And it can certainly make life less painful. Whether it is that incorrigible colleague's birthday celebration, the pompous cousin's wedding, the know it all Auntyji who has been trying to marry you off since the day you turned 21 or basically anyone that you would love to avoid, leverage your UC Browser to keep the dullness out of such moments. Caught up in a dreadfully dull meeting with the boss ? Take a toilet break and spend a few moments catching up on the match updates (OK..I admit that one has to be a little discreet about it). Much awaited first date with that special someone clashes with that do or die match ? Now you can enjoy both with your UC Browser. And if he or she turns out to be cricket buff, you will have something handy to impress them with. On the other hand, it can turn out to be life saver if things go the other way.

Image courtesy - ucweb.com

Moreover, if are too busy to keep track of all the games that are being played, a situation that is inevitable during the IPL season, you can choose to set a reminder on this browser. What more can a cricket buff ask for ??

This post is written for UC Browser .

Dal and Palak Soup

Heart warming and healthy, soups are the way to go whether you are following a weight loss regimen or suffering from any malady. Sometimes, it can be just the balmy weather conditions that attract one to a glorious bowlful. And this is one of the easiest soups that I have ever come across.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -

• a fistful of yellow lentils / toor dal
• 1/2 cup shredded baby spinach
• 2-3 tsp carrot juliennes (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger juliennes
• a dash of pepper
• salt to taste

Preparation - Wash the baby spinach, drain and keep aside.

Cooking - Wash the lentil and transfer to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 cup water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Slightly mash the lentils. Transfer the contents into a saucepan. Add some more warm water to bring it to the desired consistency. Bring to a boil and adjust the salt.

Add the shredded spinach and carrot. Boil for 2-3 mins.

Sprinkle ground pepper and ginger juliennes just before turning off the flame.

Serve hot.

The 15 Minute Meal Series - Post 2

Continuing the 15 Minute Meal series that enables you to enjoy fresh home cooked food, I have put together another simple meal consisting of rice, toor dal, aloo palak, bitter gourd - raw banana tikkis and peanut vada . While the peanut vada was made as I was feeling indulgent, I would ideally substitute it with a kachumbar or a tomato-cucumber salad.

Read on how this can be done in 15 mins -

1. Overnight preparation -  Take one bitter gourd, a raw banana and 2 medium sized potatoes. Wash and cook together in a pressure cooker with just enough water for 3 whistles.

Open the cooker once steam escapes. Transfer into a food grade plastic container and refrigerate overnight.

Wash the palak/spinach and chop it into medium sized pieces. Saute with a little oil, some chopped onion, 2-3 garlic flakes and 1-2 green chilis for 3-4 mins. Grind into a smooth paste once it cools down. Store overnight (can stay fresh upto 4-5 days).

Wash and soak the peanuts overnight.

Additionally, one can also peel the garlic and chop the onions, cilantro and green chilis.


2. Cooking rice and dal - One can cook the rice and dal together in the same pressure using a separator to save time or use two separate cookers. Additionally add some chopped onion, crushed garlic, a small piece of ginger, green chili, finely chopped tomato, 1-2 cloves, salt and turmeric to the dal while cooking.

Take the bitter gourd, remove the seeds and mash it. Add one of the boiled potatoes (peeled ofcourse) to it, add chopped green chili, onion, salt, a bit of mustard oil and cilantro. Mash together and shape into tikkis (flat discs) .

Strain the peanuts and transfer to a mixer jar. Add some chopped onion, 2-3 garlic flakes, coriander stems, green chili and salt. Buzz till you get a mixture that is coarse but can be molded.  Shape into flat discs.

3. Take a large skillet. Drizzle with oil. Place the bitter gourd-raw banana tikkis on one side and the peanut vadas on the other side. Cook for 2-3 mins till small brown spots appear. Flip over and cook the other side as well. Cooking everything together saves time.

At the same time, heat another wok. Add some oil followed by broken red chili, cumin and mustard seeds. Once it starts spluttering add some of the peeled and diced potato. Sprinkle salt and red chili powder. Saute for 1-2 mins. Throw in some onion which has been cut into big chunks. Saute till translucent. Add the spinach paste along with 3-4 tbsp water, a pinch of garam masala and just a little bit of butter. Cook for 2-3 mins more.

Your delicious and healthy meal is ready !!



If you looking for any specific recipe, please leave a comment on my blog or FB page and I will be happy to respond :) !

Unleash the Monsoon Magic !!!

It has been sometime since I did a style post. Maybe nothing interesting crossed my path or maybe I was just being lazy. But the magic of the monsoons has brought in some inspiration with it. Or it could be just the primal avatar of nature which has unleashed something inside me. Well, I have this sudden urge to go out in the rain and feel the fury of those falling droplets. Some poets may describe it as a caress but that is just a matter of perception.

And the first thing that I have to take care of is my outfit so that I do not end up looking like something that had been swallowed and then spitted out by a storm drain. Yeah, it is the age of selfies and one cannot risk being captured in a downy attire. So, even if you have to get drenched, do it in style. However, it is time to stop looking at our Bollywood beauties and their rain drenched song sequences for inspiration because it is no fun being bogged down with a six yard long piece of wet fabric.

Bright colors. Short hemlines. Fabrics that dry easily. Waterproof and minimal makeup. A bright umbrella/raincoat. Sturdy gum boots if you have to slosh your way through dirty water. A pair of good old flip flops for other times. A rainproof bag that can also accommodate a change of clothing. That's the checklist to go for.

Personally, I do not consider my monsoon itinerary complete unless I have paid a visit to the beach during the rains. The roiling sea, the wet sands, the water reaching out in both direction to touch each other, something about the meeting of the forces of nature has that irresistible quality that draws me to the sea. I always prefer fuss free clothing that is also an extension of my maverick self. So that is what I picked up to make a style statement even as I take a stroll down the beach. And believe me, I picked up all of it within an hour from the comfort of my living room. Yes, it is Limeroad.com that helps me put together an awesome look even without venturing out of my home. So, girls say bye-bye to hunting though the malls/streets looking for that elusive pair of shoes / bag / statement neck-piece to go with your dress.

Buy this look at Limeroad.com.

The clothes are breezy and flowing while the colorful bracelet adds a touch of craziness. The funky rubber flipflops complement the chilled out attire. A functional backpack for all that extra stuff and I am good to go.

Do let me know your comments. ( Now that you know where to find some magic when you need it !! Happy shopping !!)

Kellogg's ke sang kushi ke paal

Image courtesy - itbusiness.ca

Ever wondered how your kid is the first one to decipher your smartphone or figure out a problem with the laptop ? Yes, the kids of today are much smarter and wired differently than most of us. A recent study reports that even one year old toddlers can use an iPad and by two years of age, they develop 'moderate ability'. This generation has the unique ability to adapt to technology as a fish takes to water. While we as parents feel quite proud about it and are eager to listen to their tech talk, we must never forget that there is much more that needs to be a part of their upbringing.

While I certainly encourage my kid to spend time with gadgets, I try and involve him in multiple activities that will also help him on the physical and spiritual front. Most kids enjoy a session of football, basketball or cricket. I, my husband and my kid even play cricket in the corridor of our apartment while taking alternate turns at batting, bowling and fielding. It bolsters physical development, improves their motor skills and is beneficial in the long run. I firmly believe that healthy habits are best inculcated when young and the distractions are fewer. I also encourage him to visit temples, listen to mythology and learn simple chants like the Gayatri Mantra and Hanuman Chalisa which encourages him to gain a healthy curiosity about religion.

Making him learn to love books, even though he prefers Kindle to paper (unlike me), is another habit that I am trying to instill in him. Nothing can stimulate our mind better than a good book. There is much that one can learn from the works of others as even the simplest of fairy tales have morals in them. We love the bond that we share when reading a story book together. While it does get a bit irritating when he starts asking a lot of questions instead to accepting everything that I read to him, I understand that it is good for him and try to answer as much as I can. And in a way, it also helps me improve my patience levels.

And last but not the least, we love sharing with him stories of our own childhood days. With so much having changed in the last two or three decades, he finds it hilarious when we mention the big boxy black and white TV sets we had. And he thinks that we were nuts to go out and buy separate cassettes for each movie when the songs can be downloaded on one's phone with a simple tap. Sometimes we end up rolling even as we share these moments.

This post is written for Kellogg's Chocos.

Check their video -

Cracked wheat (daliya) and Vegetable Soup

I am still continuing the healthy diet/weight loss recipes series this week. Trying to discover new ways to cut those excess calories from a meal while still providing finger-licking nourishment has been challenging. This week I came up with a delicious soup with the goodness of carrots, sweet potato, tomatoes and cracked wheat. Blame it on the balmy weather of Bangalore but I am craving for loads of soup these days !

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -

• 2 tbsp cracked wheat / daliya
• 1 small carrot
• 2 medium sized tomatoes
• 1 small sweet potato
• 1/2 tsp sugar or honey (optional)
• salt to taste
• a dash of pepper

Preparation - Lightly roast the cracked wheat.

Peel and dice the carrot and sweet potato.

Cooking - Cook all the vegetables along with 1 cup water in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Strain the vegetables and puree them. Use the vegetable stock to cook the cracked wheat in the same pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Keep aside for steam to escape

Pour the puree into the pressure cooker. Add 1/2 cup warm water, sugar/honey and salt. Bring to a boil and then let simmer for 2-3 mins.

Serve with a dash of coarsely ground pepper.

Weekend Retreat at Yercaud !!!

With the rains wrecking havoc in Wayanad, we had to postpone our planned trip to this picturesque hill station for the umpteenth time (God knows if we will ever get there). But since we had kind of made up our minds to take a break, we quickly googled for other options in Bangalore's proximity. And we got lucky when we stumbled upon Yercaud, a hill station near Salem.

Yercaud is one of those lesser known and hence not quite commercialized hill stations of Tamil Nadu. Located in the Shevaroys range of the Eastern Ghats, it has an altitude of 4970 feet above sea level. With the road connecting it to Bangalore being in top shape, it takes just a little less than four hours to reach by car.

Starting off from Marathahalli at 6:30 am, we traveled through Hosur - Rayakottai - Palacode to reach Salem at just after 12. A breakfast break and the traffic in Salem slowed us down but the overall journey itself was quite nice. We traveled though a enchanting stretch of forest land and the countrysides were dotted with numerous beautiful hills and mountains. The climb up the Yercaud Main Road was awesome with the stretch comprising of 20 hair pin bends and numerous other curves. The verdant passage was almost deserted except for a lone truck or two and we could slow down whenever we wanted to soak in the beauty of a particularly breathtaking view. Two groups of photography enthusiasts had also set up their equipment along the stretch.

We had booked a room at Hotel Shevaroys, which is one of the few good properties of Yercaud, the previous night. The friendly staff quickly completed the check in procedure and led us to our room which was quite cozy (apart from a few fixtures that needed repair). After a refreshing shower, we took a walk around the premises which is quite huge and even included a walk through a coffee plantation. Tried from the journey and the short walk, we opted for a quick lunch at the in-house restaurant 'Silver Oak'. And were frankly surprised by the food and the hospitality. Our relationship manager Mr Johnson suggested that we go for some of their specialties like the Bamboo biryani and the Naduru Kozhi curry, both of which turned out to be good. Even the plain Naan and yellow dal were awesome, much better than the stuff one finds at most hill stations.

Refreshed with a two hour nap, we decided to venture out of the hotel around 5 pm. The Yercaud Lake was at a 10 mins walking distance from our place. Very scenic and well kept, it offers boating facilities at a reasonable price. And these guys are so obsessed with safety that they have made it mandatory to wear life jackets !! There is also a nicely maintained garden where one can sit and look over the emerald waters of the lake which seems to have settled into the cozy lap of Mother Nature with mountains protecting it from all sides .

Since the deer park adjacent to the boat house was closed by 6 pm, we decided to venture to the Anna park which is situated on the other side of the road. This is the place for flower lovers and despite it being off season, the park was a riot of colors. There is also a play area with swings, slides and other stuff for children. We roamed around for half an hour till it was closing time. Like other hill stations, this place has practically no night life. Even the regular profusion of shops selling tourist memorabilia/ knickknacks is absent. Hence we decided to go back to the resort which offered some indoor games. An early dinner followed by another long walk inside the resort and we were more than ready to hit the sack.

Getting up late the next morning, we took a quick shower before heading to the restaurant for a buffet breakfast (included in the room charges). It was a decent spread and though we were late, food was available in plenty. After the breakfast, we headed out for a sightseeing trip. As we were not too sure about the condition of the roads, we hired an auto and ended up covering most of the places within a short span of three hours. Yeah, Yercaud is a small place and the tourist attractions are certainly limited. However, the sheer beauty of nature offered by the stunning view-points of this place make up for the lack of everything else.

And ofcourse the numerous coffee estates !!

The Shevroyan Temple (dedicated to Lord Vishnu) is situated at the highest point. While this cave temple is certainly ancient and not to be missed, one has to walk another 50 meters to reach the viewpoint which offers an amazing  Do not forget to carry a jacket or a stole as it gets quite windy up here.

The Gent's seat, Ladies'seat, Children's seat, Rose garden and Rajarajeshwari temple are the other places we covered. I personally found the view from Gent's seat to be the most spectacular of all. Sadly the Horticultural Research Station and Botanical Garden were closed on Saturday and I could not get an eyeful of those Kurinji and bell flowers. Also, the Killiyur waterfalls were dry and off our itinerary. However the resort guys had arranged for a bonfire and some music and games in the lawns which kept us entertained on Saturday evening.

Saving the best for the last ! The most memorable and romantic click of the trip...something about this couple left me quite stirred.

Photo clicked at Rose Garden, Yercaud !!

Overall, we had a great time relaxing and reveling in the hospitality provided by our resort. Add some great food, a couple of good books and Yercaud is just the kind of getaway one could wish for.

Book Review : Scion of Ikshvaku (By Amish Tripathy)

As mentioned in one of my earlier blog posts, the book reviews will now be published on my new blog Pigeonholenomore . 

Buy it online on Amazon.

Read the review HERE.