Potato cabbage homemade soup- A south Indian soup/Fat free and heart friendly

Potato cabbage homemade soup

Potato cabbage homemade soup

Preparation time- 05 mins
Cooking time-  10mins 
Total time- 20mins

Ingredients :

1. Butter/Vegetable oil- 1 Tsp
2. Chopped onion- 50 gm
3. Sliced cabbage- 50 gm
4. Mashed boiled potato- 50 gm
5. Coconut milk- 100ml
6. Corn flour- 1/2 Tsp
7. Pepper powder- 1 pinch
8. Salt- as needed

Method:

Step 1: In a pan, pour butter or oil, add chopped onion and sort it well. Add corn flour and stir it well. Add cabbage and potatoes and mix it very well. Add water and pepper powder and allow it to boil for a few minutes. Then, add coconut milk and salt and mix it well and warm it on low flame. Serve as warm.

Suggestions

Antenatal diet

• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure
• Avoid pepper powder, as it stimulates the acidity

Diet for lactating mothers

• No suggestions

Postnatal diet

• No suggestions

Diet for diabetic persons

• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for hypertensive persons

• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure

Diet for cardiac persons

• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure

Diet for kids

• Reduce pepper powder, as it stimulates the acidity

Lunchbox- Veg biriyani, white salad and deep fried ladies finger

Lunchbox- Veg biriyani, white salad and deep fried ladies finger

Lunchbox- Veg biriyani, white salad and deep fried ladies finger
Preparation time- 10 mins
Cooking time-  20mins 
Total time- 30 mins

Ingredients for veg biriyani:

1. Basmati rice- 1 cup
2. Oil/Ghee-2 tsp
3. Onion chopped- 1 no.
4. Garlic chopped- 1 tsp
5. Ginger chopped -1 tsp
6. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
7. Chili powder- 1 tsp
8. Garam masala-1/2 tsp
9. Tomato chopped- 1 no.
10. Curry leaves- as needed
11. Chopped carrot and beans- 1 cup
12. Salt- as needed

Method:

Step 1: Soak the rice in water for 10 minutes. 

Step2: In a pressure cooker, pour oil, add onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves and sort it well. Add turmeric, chili and garam masala powder too. Sort it well for a few minutes. 

Step 3: After that add vegetables, salt, and water and allow it to boil. Add 2 glasses of water for 1 cup of rice. Then, add rice and allow it to boil.  After that cover with pressure cooker lid without whistleblower and cook it for seven minutes. 
Switch off the flame and allow it to cool for 15 minutes. You can garnish with coriander leaves too. 

Ingredients for deep fried ladies finger:

1. Sliced ladies finger-1 cup
2. Finely chopped onion- 50 gm
3. Oil- 2 tsp
4. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
5. Chili powder- 1 tsp
6. Salt- as needed 
7. Curry leaves-as needed 

Method:

Step 1: Pour oil into a pan and warm it on medium flame. Add chopped onion, ladies finger,  curry leaves, turmeric powder, chili powder and salt, and stir it well. Allow it to cook on a medium flame by open method. Don't cover with a lid. You stir in between well and make sure that it should not get burned until it gets deep fried.
Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.

Ingredients for white salad:

1. Finely chopped carrot- 25 gm
2. Finely chopped onion- 25 gm
3. Salt- as needed 
4. Curd- 100 ml

Method:

Step 1: Mix carrot, onion, and salt very well. Add curd and mix it very well. Add a pinch of sugar and it gives a balanced flavor.

To know the preparation of lemon pickle, please visit: Lemon pickle with preservation of Vitamin C

Tips and warnings

• Do not pack warm foods in the lunch box.
• Put all vegetables including onion in the water for 1 hour for dilution of pesticides. 
• For easy peeling of ginger, garlic, and onion, soak in water for a few minutes. 
• You can chop all vegetables and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge in the night for next day lunch. You can peel onion, garlic, ginger and keep it the fridge too. Do not slice it. 

Suggestions

Diet for kids

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil and salt also
• Suggested very limited intake of pickle

Antenatal diet

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure
• Add plenty of curry leaves, as it helps to increase the hemoglobin level
• Suggested very limited intake of pickle

Diet for lactating mothers

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure
• Add plenty of curry leaves, as it helps to increase the hemoglobin level 
• Suggested very limited intake of pickle, as it contains acidic vinegar and it may reach to the baby through breastmilk.

Postnatal diet

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure
• Add plenty of curry leaves, as it helps to increase the hemoglobin level 

Diet for diabetic persons

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure

Diet for hypertensive persons

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level (It's a precautionary measure)
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure (It's a precautionary measure)
• Suggested very limited intake of pickle 

Diet for cardiac persons

• Reduce chili, as it contributes to acidity
• Reduce oil, as it increases cholesterol level (It's a precautionary measure)
• Reduce salt, as it increases blood pressure (It's a precautionary measure)

Veg rice soup for babies/1-2 years old-A complete and healthy food to protect from infections/ an immune booster for babies

Veg rice soup for babies/1-2 years old-A complete and healthy food to protect from infections/ an immune booster for babies

Why should you include rice, cabbage, green beans and coccinia in toddler's diet

Benefits of rice

• Is a source of energy for growth and development of the baby
• Helps to ease digestion
• Provides magnesium and selenium which is essential for the maturity of the organs
• Contains fiber 
• Contains copper for brain development

Benefits of vegetables

• High in fiber content and prevents constipation among babies
• Helps to ease digestion
• Contains essential vitamins and minerals and helps in optimum physical growth and development for the baby
• Has antitoxic effects to protect from infections
• The enzymes in coccinia help in brain development

Preparation of articles

Articles needed are:

1. Cooking bowl
2. Feeding bowl-1 
3. Feeding spoon-1 
4. Mixer grinder jar-1 (Only for baby)
5. Scrubber-1 

• Keep all articles separately for the baby and do not use for other purposes. (Rationale- To prevent bacterial contamination)

• Mixer grinder jar is the best source of bacterial growth, so that mother should clean it well. Take the white paper, dish wash solution and 50 ml of water in the grinder, grind it for 1 minute and wash it very well (do it weekly) (Rationale- To remove food stain and dirt). Then, pour boiling water and cover it with lid for ten minutes (do it early morning every day) (Rationale- To kill bacteria completely). And keep it dry.

Preparation of porridge

1. Boiled rice- 50gm
2. Cabbage, beans and coccinia- 2 no. each
3. Drinking water-100 ml
4. Salt- 1 pinch

Method:

Wash hands with soap and water.
Wash cooking bowl and lid very well. Add rice, vegetables, and water and keep it on the medium flame for 5 minutes. Then, allow it to cool. 
In a cleaned mixer jar, add the cooked items and grind it as a thick paste by adding lukewarm water(already boiled) slowly. Transfer to cleaned feeding bowl.

(I prefer grind foods during this age group. Because, even if you give mashed foods, it will cause indigestion and the nutrients are not well absorbed by the stomach. Thus, it will result in a lack of appetite and poor weight gain for the baby. Moreover, you can see the undigested food materials in the feces of the baby. So, for proper absorption of nutrients, ease digestion and healthy weight gain, please give grind foods as the main course and other mashed food items can be given as supplementary. You can continue the process until teeth development of the baby to chew the foods properly.)

Preferred feeding time: 1-2pm

The position of the baby:
Wash hands with soap and water.

Best position is- Make mother sit on a floor with supported back and stretched legs. Keep the baby on your legs and head of the baby facing towards your legs. So that you can get a control on face and arms of the baby. Keep the head of the baby slightly elevated.

OR

Allow the baby to engage in activities and give a spoon of food and allow ample time for the kid to swallow it. If the kid does not open the mouth, give a mild pressure on one side of the cheek and give food. You can feed the full amount of food by keeping the baby engaged with toys. Avoid the third person with you otherwise, you and baby might be distracted.

Feeding issues: Spitting the food or not swallowing the food by the baby
In this case, give food about one-fourth of the spoon and waiting for the baby to swallow it. Don't feed the baby until it is swallowed, or else the baby will collect the food in the mouth and finally the baby spits food out.

To be noted: While feeding the baby, make sure that food should not spill over the nose and eyes. If it is spilled on the nose, gently wipe the food with a towel. If it is spilled on eyes, immediately wash the eyes until the baby is comfortable.

Aftercare of the baby: Keep the baby in the same position for at least 10 minutes in order to prevent projectile vomiting. Wash the face with clean water and dry with a towel.
If the baby vomits, stop giving the food and discard the entire food. When the kid gets hungry next time, you prefer to give mashed banana, as it is rich in fiber and eases the digestion process.

Aftercare of the articles: After feeding, immediately wash the articles with the soapy solution and rinse it very well and, keep it for dry till the next feeding to prevent bacterial growth.

To be noted: 

• Watch the stools of the baby for any color change and you can see the level of digestion of food. 
• Do not compromise on cleaning and hygiene of the food, otherwise, you have to see the little one is suffering from infections.
• Continue breastfeeding along with solid foods (as you wish).

Reliability of the information 

"We live in the midst of so many answers, suggestions, and options to one question itself. During my motherhood period, I found very difficult to opt the best do's for my baby, despite being a professional nurse. After a lot of readings, observations, brainstorming discussions with my colleagues who are nursing experts, health professionals, and experienced mothers, and I have opted the best things for my baby, implemented and succeeded to have a happy motherhood period without a single episode of fever, cold or diarrhea for the baby and sleepless night too. The baby demonstrates a progressive weight gain +/- 400gm monthly. In spite of committing trials and errors during your parenting time, you can read, understand and implement it. If you have any queries or suggestions, a great welcome to my blog."

                                                                                  Mrs.Ponnambily Jobin

Wheat sponge cake- refined flour free/heart healthy and home made cake for all age groups

Wheat sponge cake

Wheat sponge cake

Preparation time- 10 mins
Cooking time-  20mins 
Total time- 30mins

Ingredients :

1. Corn flour-3 tsp
2. Wheat flour- 1 cup
3. Baking powder-1 tsp
4. Salt-1/2 tsp
5. Egg-3 no.
6. Powdered sugar- 1 cup
7. Vanilla essence-1 tsp
8. Butter- 20 gm

Method:

Step 1: Take wheat flour, corn flour, baking powder and salt in a strainer, sift it two times and keep it aside.

Step 2: In a bowl, beat sugar and butter using a handheld electric mixer. Then, add eggs slowly one by one and beat it. Add vanilla essence and beat it. Add the strained powder and mix it well. 

Step 3: Take cake pan, apply butter liberally and dust it with maida and spread butter paper. Pour the prepared mixture into the cake pan and tap it on both sides to expel the air bubbles.

Wheat sponge cake mixture before baking

Step 5: Preheat the oven at 180 Degree Celsius and bake the cake in conventional mode at 180 Degree Celsius for 25 minutes. After 25 minutes, insert a long stick into the baked cake and withdraw it. If the stick is sticky, you have to bake it for another 5 minutes.

Step 6: Take the pan from the oven and allow it to cool.

This cake is very soft and even if you keep it in a refrigerator for 2-3 days, still it will be very soft....really!!

Tips and warnings

• For baking cakes, use medium height metal rack

Suggestions
Antenatal diet

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for a minimum intake
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for lactating mothers

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for a minimum intake
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Postnatal diet

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for a minimum intake
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for diabetic persons

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for a minimum intake
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for hypertensive persons

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for a minimum intake
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for cardiac persons

• Reduce sugar to the half amount, as it increases blood sugar level
• Suggest for minimum intake, as it contains egg yolk
• Reduce butter, as it increases cholesterol level

Diet for kids

• Suggest minimum intake for kids, as it contains baking powder.