I
always wanted to give nutrition values of my recipes. I did not know
how to go about it, when I started this blog.
Nutrition information will
come handy to those of you who want to limit the amount of some
ingredients such as salt, fat and carbohydrates. If you know their
content you will be able to decrease the quantities of those
ingredients given in the recipe. Apart from the salt you add, other
ingredients such as vegetables will contain some salt. This nutrition
information adds the salt content from all sources. This is also true
for fat and other nutrients. You can also use the nutritional
values to compare recipes.
Some nutrient content is
altered by the cooking process. For example, Vitamin C is dissipated
when subjected to heat. I cannot compute this. I have simply added
the nutrients as given in the national database. It is good to bear
this in mind when reading the nutrition information.
Finally I managed to
download the USDA (US Department of Agriculture) Access nutrition
database. I wrote a Visual Basic program to transfer nutrition data
of my recipe to an Excel spread sheet according to the proportion of
ingredients in the recipe. I made one column for each ingredient in
Excel so that I can manually check the numbers, if in doubt. Total is
worked out by Excel. I am giving information for
only 40 most common nutrients. USDA list of nutrients is daunting. Even after short listing the
nutrients, my data table is very long. I know it will be boring for
you to scroll down all the way. So I decided to hide the nutrition
data. Clicking the Show/Hide button will reveal it, so that those who
are not interested may skip it. Clicking on the button again will
close this section on nutrition information.
As time permits, I will
update all my past recipes also with nutrition information, in
future. Even after some software, preparing nutrition information is
still time consuming. There may be some commercial software out there
that may do the job easily. I am not aware of any such software.
If you have any comments,
questions or suggestions, please comment below or let me know by
email – ivyf028@gmail.com. I will keep improving. Ivy
Potato
is a comfort food. In terms of production it is the number one
vegetable crop. It is produced in all parts of the world and also
consumed by all people. It is available throughout the year. It is a
good source of vitamin B6 and C. It also has potassium, copper,
manganese, phosphorus, niacin, dietary fiber, and pantothenic acid.
Weight watchers avoid it because of its high starch content. A great
proportion of potato is consumed in the unhealthy form of fries which
is a major contributor to obesity in the world.
Recipe summary
For
Potato soup
Preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 8-10
1. Wash and peel 400 grams potatoes and cut into small pieces of 5 mm in size.
Potato soup
2.Chop 130 grams onion (1 medium size)
3. Melt 15 grams butter and 1 teaspoon olive oil in a sauce pan and when it begins to foam add the potatoes, onion, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 gram or ¼ tea spoon pepper powder. Toss until the potatoes and onions are well coated with butter.
4. Cover the pan with the lid. Simmer in low heat for about 2 minutes
5. Add 1 litre of vegetable stock and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and well cooked.
6. Mix 3 tablespoon all purpose flour and 4 tablespoon cream to the potatoes in the pan and stir well. Switch off the fire.
7. Let it cool. Blend the mixture in a liquidizer or food processor until smooth and fine or to your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with thinly diced spring onion. Serve hot.
Potato soup is ready.
Recipe follows in detail with pictures.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 8-10
Ingredients
Main
450
grams Russet potatoes
Others
130
grams onion 1 medium size
15
grams butter
1
teaspoon olive oil
1
litre of vegetable stock
4
tablespoon cream
1
teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1
gram pepper powder ¼ tea spoon
1
sprig spring onion
3
tablespoon all purpose flour
Russet potato peeled
Preparation
Potato cubed
Onion chopped
Cream
Wash
and peel the potatoes and onion. Cut into small pieces of 5 mm in
size
Melt
the butter in a sauce pan and when it begins to foam add the
potatoes, onion, salt and pepper. Toss until the potatoes and onions
are well coated with butter.
Cover
the pan with the lid. Simmer in low heat for about 2 minutes
Add
the stock and bring it to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer for
another 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and well cooked.
Mix
the all purpose flour and the cream to the potatoes in the pan and stir well.Switch off the fire. Let it cool. Blend the mixture in a liquidizer or food processor until smooth
and fine or to your desired consistency.
Taste
and adjust seasoning.
Garnish
with thinly diced spring onion. Serve hot.
Scallion
Nutrition
data for this recipe
Nutrition
content is computed by adding nutrition values of individual
ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown
here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added
while cooking.
Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to
close it.
This is mild curry suitable for children and those
who cannot take spicy (hot) food. Neither curry powder nor chill
powder is used in this recipe. Plantain is used in this recipe. Some
people use the words ‘banana’ and ‘plantain’ interchangeably.
In this recipe I am using the word plantain to refer to the fruit
that needs to be cooked and the word banana is used for the fruit
that is consumed without any cooking. The plantain that is cooked is
a different variety from banana that is consumed as a fruit.
Moringa Drumsticks
Drumsticks skin removed and cut into pieces
Recipe summary
For
Mild Moringa Drumsticks and Raw Plantain Curry
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
This is an interesting vegetable as it is not eaten whole. You don’t eat the skin. You eat only the flesh of the vegetable. Scoop the flesh including the pod, with a spoon and eat. The skin is too hard to be eaten.
Moringa Drumsticks
Preparation
1. Wash 4 moringa drumsticks and cut them into 3” long pieces.
You have to pull out fibrous outer skin. So when you cut, do not cut all the way down but leave the skin at the end and pull away the cut piece from the main stick. Part of the outer skin will come apart from the stick. Do the same for all the sticks.
Removing the skin of a drumstick
Anther form of peeling is shown in the picture.
2. Then split the moringa pieces lengthwise into two halves. It is not possible to peel the drumsticks with a potato peeler. However a thin layer of the outer skin can be scrapped with a sharp knife.
Drumstick pieces slit into halves
3. Wash and peel the skin of the 1 raw green plantain with the potato peeler. Use gloves while peeling as plantain will stain your hand. Your hands will also be sticky. But this will not cause any irritation or harm to your hand. Cut into 1/2 “cubes and put into a
bowl of water and keep aside. Keeping immersed in the water will prevent the plantain from discoloring.
4. Chop 1 onion, 2 green chilly, 4 cloves garlic and grate 1/2 teaspoon ginger.
5. Cut 1 stalk of curry leaf into small pieces.
Method
Place all ingredients including the spices; 1 tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp fenugreek, 1/2 tsp pepper powder and 2 cups water except the coconut milk in a wok or a saucepan.
Mild Moringa Drumsticks and Raw Plantain Curry
Cover and bring to boil. At this point lower the flame and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally .If you don’t stir, the banana will stick to the pan.
When done add 4 tbsp of coconut milk or cow’s milk do not cover leave for 2 minutes and remove.
Mild Moringa Drumsticks and Raw Plantain Curry is ready.
Wash moringa drumsticks and cut them into
3” long pieces. You have to pull out fibrous outer skin. So
when you cut, do not cut all the way down but leave the skin at the
end and pull away the cut piece from the main stick. Part of the
outer skin will come apart from the stick. Do the same for all the
sticks. Another form of peeling is shown in the picture. Then
split the moringa pieces lengthwise into two halves. It is not
possible to peel the drumsticks with a potato peeler. However a thin
layer of the outer skin can be scrapped with a sharp knife,
Drumstick curry close up
Wash and peel the skin of the plantain
with the potato peeler. Use gloves while peeling as plantain
will stain your hand. Your hands will also be sticky. But this will
not cause any irritation or harm to your hand. Cut into 1/2 “cubes
and put into a bowl of water and keep aside. Keeping immersed in the
water will prevent the plantain from discoloring.
Drumstick curry another version
3.Chop onion, green chilly, garlic and
ginger. 4.Cut curry leaves into small pieces. 5.Place all ingredients including the spices
and seasoning except the coconut milk in a wok or a saucepan. 6.Cover and bring to boil. At this point lower the
flame and let it cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally .If you
don’t stir, the banana will stick to the pan. 7. When done add milk do not cover leave for
2 minutes and remove.
Serve this curry with rice.
This is an interesting vegetable as it is not eaten
whole. You don’t eat the skin. You eat only the flesh of the
vegetable. Scoop the flesh including the pod, with a spoon and eat.
The skin is too hard to be eaten. Chewing the hard skin will release
juices that are not only delicious but also nutritious. But it is
improper to do this when you are at a dining table and sharing a meal
with others. It is perfectly all right to try this out in privacy.
Throw the skin after chewing and do not eat it.
You can substitute plantain with peeled potato and
coconut milk or with cow’s milk.
Nutrition data for this
recipe Nutrition content is
computed by adding nutrition values of individual ingredients
according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is
found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking.
Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to
close it.
Spinach is a low calorie dark leafy green. It is good for skin and hair, bone health. It provides protein, iron, vitamins and minerals. It helps in management of diabetes and blood pressure. It reduces the risk of cancer and asthma. Carrot gives loads of Vitamin A, reduces cancer risks, improves vision and gives a good skin complexion. It also gives protection against heart disease. Mung bean is high in protein and fiber and low in fat and calories. We are combining all these to produce a super nutritious dish. It is worth remembering that spinach and carrot puree had been a baby food for a long time.
Spinach
This is a very easy dish, fast to prepare. I am simply boiling all the ingredients. In the end I am pureeing.
Recipe summary For Spinach with carrot, mung bean and coconut milk
Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves:6
1. Boil mung beans in slow fire with just enough water to cover all the beans and set aside with the boiled water.set aside 4 tbsp mung beans (cooked) 2. Put 300 grams spinach, 80 grams onion, chopped coarsely
5 gram green chili, 3 cloves garlic, 1 sprig curry leaves and 50 grams carrot in a large pan with one cup of water except boiled mung beans, coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper.
Ingredients
3.Boil the contents for 15 minutes or it is done. 4. Once it is cooked add the cooked mung beans and let it simmer for two minutes.
Spinach with carrot, mung bean and coconut milk.
5. Add ½ tsp salt,½ tsp pepper powder. 6. Add¼ cup coconut milk. Stir and let it simmer for two minutes.Taste for seasoning and adjust. 7. At this point you can squeeze 1 tbsp lime juice (1/2 a lime or lemon) and eat the curry with rice.
variation Let cooked items cool for 10 minutes.
Pureed spinach
Puree the contents in a liquidizer or food processor.
You can puree it smooth or roughly leaving small chunks to chew. Taste for seasoning and adjust. lime juice before serving. Spinach with carrot ,mung bean and coconut milk is ready.
Recipe follows in detail with pictures. Preparation time:15 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes Serves:6
Ingredients for Spinach with carrot ,mung bean and coconut milk
Ingredients main
300 grams spinach
50 grams carrot
4 tbsp mung beans (cooked) Others
80 grams onion, chopped coarsely
5 gram green chili 3 cloves garlic 1 sprig curry leaves.
¼ cup coconut milk 1 cup water
Spices ½ tsp pepper powder
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice (1/2 a lime or lemon)
Preparation
Boil the mung beans in slow fire with just enough water to cover all the beans and set aside with the boiled water. It is not necessary to soak them before boiling. We are boiling it ahead because it takes a longer cooking time than the carrots.
Method
Put the spinach, onion, chili, curry leaves, garlic and carrot in a large pan with one cup of water except boiled mung beans, coconut milk, lime juice, salt and pepper. Boil the contents for 15 minutes or it is done. Stir it frequently for the items to be cooked as we are not adding lot of water.If you add more water the curry will be watery.
Spinach is ready to be cooked with onion, garlic, chili, curry leaves and carrot
Once it is cooked add the cooked mung beans and let it simmer for two minutes.
Cooked mung bean is added
Add salt, pepper.
Adding Pepper and salt
Add coconut milk.
Adding coconut milk
Stir and let it simmer for two minutes.Taste for seasoning and adjust.
Curry is ready
At this point you can squeeze lime juice and eat the curry with rice. Let cooked items cool for 10 minutes. Puree the contents in a liquidizer or food processor. You can puree it smooth or roughly leaving small chunks to chew. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Add lime juice before serving.
Pureed spinach
This dish can be served with rice or bread. If you want to consume as a soup, you may want to add more water to suit your taste.
Nutrition data for this recipe Nutrition content is computed by adding nutrition values of individual ingredients according to the USDA nutrition database. Water shown here is what is found in the ingredients and not the water added while cooking.
Click the button below to view the nutrition data. Click again to close it.
