Creamy 4 Cheese Macaroni

I have been hard pressed to get an American dish ready for the AWED event hosted by Dhivi. Since the time she announced, I have been looking for a suitable one that would fit my schedule. Because of the Recipe Marathon, I found it really tough to fit in another one to experiment. Then I came across this simple recipe from one the of the sites that Dhivi sent across. I really don't remember which one it was. But I noted the recipe down, I had to get most of the things but they were easy to find and some replaced with what I had. Peddu and Chinnu were keenly observing what I was doing. The moment the clicking was done, they came with plates to taste the macroni.

Though Chinnu didn't like it, Peddu liked and went on to complete the plate. Looks like both of them have different tastes. This does get done in minutes if you are doing it in Microwave. Yes I have an entry waiting for my event MEC themed on Cheese and hosted by Pavani this Month.


I am giving both the original recipe and what I have modified for reference.


Ingredients:

Flour - 1/3 cup
Milk - 2 2/3 cup
Low Fat 1%
Fontina cheese - 3/4 cup-
Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup
Cheddar cheese shredded - 1/2 cup
Processed American cheese -- 3 oz
Macaroni -- 6 c
Salt to taste
Melba toast -- onion flvr : crushed - 1/2 c (I used regular one)
Butter - 1 tablespoon

Method to prepare:

Take the Macroni in a bowl of water and micro for 5 mins or till its well cooked.

Place flour in microwave pan, add milk stirring until blended. Cook for 2 mins
Add cheeses, micro for 2 min or until cheese melts. remove from heat.

Stir in macaroni and salt. Spoon mixture into another mw pan and coated. Combine crushed toasts and butter in a small bowl; stir until well blended.

Sprinkle over macaroni bake 3 min. until bubbly.

I didnt' have Melba toaste, used little of the regular one. Velveeta cheese was advised, but I used regular one.

Sending this to Dhivi for her AWED American, not sure how original this recipe is, but my kid sure liked it.

Sending this to Pavani for MEC: Cheese, which is a Microwave Easy Cooking.

Interview with Isabel De Los Rios of The Diet Solution Program

I'm very pleased to talk to Isabel De Los Rios whose recent book, The Diet Solution Program, has not only been getting great reviews but great results for clients as well. A certified nutritionist and exercise specialist, Isabel De Los Rios is also owner of New Body – Center for Fitness and Nutrition in New Jersey. She not only teaches her clients the principles of natural weight loss with good nutrition and a healthy diet plan but inspires and motivates them to achieve their goals and live a life of health and vitality.

1. Isabel, I just finished your ebook, The Diet Solution Program, and get the sense of an interesting and diverse background. Can you tell a bit about yourself?

The Diet Solution Program is really a culmination of my search for answers to my own weight loss and health problems. I can remember going on my first 'diet' in the 7th grade. You name the diet and I tried it. Not until I found the true answers to weight loss and how to keep it off was I able to finally reach my own ideal weight and level of health that I enjoy today.

It was also my mother's and my grandmother's struggle with obesity and type 2 Diabetes that led me to research how blood sugar affects our ability to lose and gain fat. As I studied Diabetes more and more, I found that the same principles that could be used to control a diabetic's blood sugar were the same principles that all people needed to use to lose fat and keep it off. Once I figured this out, I was almost amazed at how easy the answer was the whole time and couldn't believe all of the past unhealthy plans I had attempted with no success.

2. How did you happen to get into the Nutrition industry? What were the deciding factors?

As I continued to work on my own health and weight struggles, I became fascinated by the human body. I was truly amazed by the discoveries I had made in regards to weight loss and blood sugar control and could not believe that this information wasn't main stream. Even worse, I could not believe that doctors and food companies were actually recommending the exact opposite of the information that I had discovered to be the only way to lose weight. This led me to be as passionate as I am now about communicating this exact information to the world.

3. It looks like the ebook is getting great reviews - what has been the response so far?

The response has been incredibly positive. People have been emailing me and telling me what an eye opening experience it has been for them. They also just couldn't believe how simple weight loss could really be with all the right tools and information on hand. After the first 2 weeks, people tell me they have lost weight that they have been struggling with for years.

4. What was your inspiration for The Diet Solution Program? Did you follow some other diet or fitness guru's before your own ideas developed?

Writing the Diet Solution Program was inspired by seeing hundreds of clients in my private nutrition practice in New Jersey. All of the nutrition principles that I would teach my clients was a combination of several books, classes and seminars that I had read or attended and grabbed the best principles taught in each. I knew there had to be a way to put all of this great information together in an easy to read, easy to follow program. Don't get me wrong. Actually putting the information together and laying it out in a way that would be easy to understand by all people was not an easy chore. But once it was complete, it really was a culmination of 15 years of research and study.

5. Getting into the diet and nutrition industry can have a ton of positive benefits - has there been a downside at all?

No, I wouldn't call it a downside. But I will say that I do encounter a lot of resistance to my not very mainstream ideas. I tell people "If you have been following the same nutrition and diet principles with no results, isn't it time to take a new approach?" When people see the kind of results my clients get, they realize that a new approach may be the only way they will successfully lose weight.

6. After reading The Diet Solution Program I discovered that I am a serious 'Protein Type' - what the main thing I should do to increase my energy?

The main thing is not to be afraid of eating healthy fat and healthy proteins. Everyone thinks chicken breasts and egg whites is the only way to lose weight but, especially for a protein type, that is not the case. Actually a protein type may gain weight by only eating low fat proteins and a low fat meal plan. Someone like you needs whole eggs, dark meat poultry, beef, and healthy fats.

7. What is your advice for someone just starting your Diet Solution? Can anyone do this?

Absolutely anyone can follow and succeed on The Diet Solution Program. My mother started following the program at 63 years old after a kidney transplant. In 6 months, she lost 40 lbs and has never been healthier or felt better in her life. Not only has she lost a significant amount of weight, but she has greatly reduced the number of medications she was previously taking. If she can do it, anyone can do it!

I would start by incorporating one principle at a time. People get very overwhelmed and think they need to completely overhaul their life all at once, but this is not true. My own nutrition changes took almost 3 years. Now you may incorporate these principles sooner than I did, but remember that getting to your health goals at a pace that is do-able for you is much better than not doing anything at all.

8. If there was one Diet Solution secret you could share with everyone what would it be?

Just one? Oh that's tough. I guess it would be to learn your metabolic type and follow an eating plan that is specific to that type. Without this information, you may actually be following a healthy eating plan but one that is not specific to your metabolic needs. If it's not what your body needs, you will not see the results you're after.

9. Any exciting new plans for the future?

Of course. We are now in the process of recording The Diet Solution Program as an audio program so that you can listen to the entire book in the car or on the go.

I am also in the process of putting together The Diet Solution for Children and The Diet Solution for Diabetes. Lots and lots of exciting projects in the works.


Thanks so much, Isabel, for sharing your inspirational success story! You can pick up a copy of Isabel's ebook at: The Diet Solution Program - Start Eating and Start Living

Healthy Sprouted Moong dal Pulao!

The other day I was chatting with my old friend, who now lives in UK. As he is living on his own, I was very interested to know what he eats. I was really impressed when he said he is cooking for himself and not the simple ones, mind you! He said he makes Sambar, Mutton curry, Biryani and lot more. He even sets his own curds for curd rice. He said living in a different country on his own, he finds ample time to spend on cooking, when eating out, everyday is not the good option. I was totally taken in and even invited him to do a guest post for Bachelor's corner, which he said he will.

So when bachelors are able to cook up such elaborate dishes, this simple and healthy sprout moong dal pulao, would be a chore! All you need is to get the moongs sprout and if they are available ready made, you can just include in the rice and get a pulao for yourself. This one pot meal is very simple and gets done fast. I strongly recommend this, when you are in a hurry to fix a quick dinner but still want it to be healthy! Check out How to Sprout, for sprouting process!

Check out How to Sprout, for sprouting process!

Ingredients Needed:

Moong Sprouts - 1/2 cup
Rice - 1 cup
Onions - 1 medium
Green Chilies -3
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Garlic pods - 2 small
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 1"
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp
Lemon juice -1 tsp

Method to prepare:

Wash and soak rice for 10 mins.

Heat a cooker, sauté chopped Garlic, clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds. Fry for a min, then sauté onions till they are brown Then add the ginger garlic paste, green chilies and sauté well.

Wash the sprouts and add to the pan, fry in sim for 2 mins, add the drained rice. Mix.everything well. Add 3 cups of water, salt and cover and cook for 3 whistles.

This takes about 15 - 20 mins to get done. Serve with Buttermilk raitha.

Sending this to Vegan ventures, hosted by Suganya!

Sada Muruku ~ Savory Crunchies for Kids!

Getting the right snack for Konda becomes tough most of the days. What with her specific interest, I am also breaking my head wondering what to send as snacks. Most times, I pack some wrappers, sometimes corn puffs. At times, we get sweets that she likes. But when you buy sweets, you got to ensure you complete them on time. So she will be forced to carry them for two days. By then she gets bored.

Then I make some snacks with bread. Most times I feel I am out of ideas. That's when these home made crunches, save. I made Sev, mostly they get completed the same time. Other options care Salt diamonds, or sugar diamonds as I call. Since I have never actually attempted at making a full fledged murukus, these were done with hope that I will venture into it.

To make these more healthy, we used sajja or pearl millet flour. These came out so delicious and kids simply loved. The bowl that was made was almost completed the same day.

Ingredients Needed:
Sada pindi - 1 cup
Rice pindi - 2 tsp
Jeera seeds
Awain
Salt to taste
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
Oil for deep frying
Method to prepare:
Take all the ingredients in a wide vessel, using warm water, knead to a stiff dough.

Have the kadai with oil on stove. Divide the dough into big balls. Press the dough into the Muruku press, over the hot oil. Cook on both sides.

Drain on a kitchen towel.

How to cope with Sibling Rivalry!

I always wonder how our parents coped with more than one child! For that matter, the previous generation appeared to have had a cake walk, with many kids at home. Of course, it won't have been so, but that's a feeling I have, that they had an easy way out. Even my amma says we never gave so much trouble as the kids these days do. Like yesterday, my elder twin wanted to play with one ball, same time both my daughter and the younger wanted the same ball. What resulted was, who would win the fight. All of them ended up crying because the other won't give up. Normally when one cries, the other feel bad and come to console and give the plaything. But at times, they simply are adamant and won't share.

What happened to the concept of sharing among the siblings? How is it at your home?

Though we always think we should get the kids share the toys with their siblings, the fight that ensues, when all of them want the same toy, is something you can't really manage. This resulted in us getting one for each of them. Now I know this is not constructive in teaching the kids to learn to share. But most times, I am happy to note, atleast one of the twins, go soft when they see the other one crying. So there is some hope. At times when they are not willing to share, we then have to praise that he is very good boy, only then they mellow down. Only after such cajoling and sweet talking, he is ready to share his toy.

I am happy that we don't find so much of Sibling Rivalry among our kids. Though it does come out at times like this.

Since all of us are busy with our daily work and school, this gets displayed during the hours we spend at home. We try to manage, by spending quality time with each one. With my twins, more than me, they are more eager to spend time with their father. When he gets home, both of them want him to spend time only with individual, so I have to intervene and distract one of them, so that he can spend some time with both separately. Then we try to make them be together. Of course, this takes time.

Do you find this sibling rivalry common among your kids? When there is only one kid, he/she is bound to have Single child behaviors. But I find when there are siblings to company, they are not willing to share. How do we go beyond this? It will be interesting to get your views

Isabel’s Calorie FAQs

Q. Is calorie a bad word?

A. No, it’s not bad—just misunderstood! Most people who use the word calorie simply don’t know what it means. Also, in my experience, most people to go pale at the mere mention of the word. Based on those facts alone, I would eliminate calorie from the English vocabulary if I could.

Q. Why is calorie such a misunderstood word?

A. The American public has been told, time and time again, that people who consume more calories than their bodies burn will gain weight. As I explain in The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living, this statement is only partially true. All calories are not created equal; calories consumed from healthy foods and unhealthy foods are quite different.

Q. What exactly is a calorie, then?

A. According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th edition), a calorie is “a unit equivalent to the large calorie expressing heat-producing or energy-producing value in food when oxidized in the body.” In plain English, a calorie is a unit of energy released from the food you eat to power the body.

Q. How are calories “burned”?

A. The body needs energy from food—calories—to perform many functions, the most obvious of which are physical activity and exercise. However, the body also requires energy to function at the most basic level: to breathe, digest food, and maintain organs and systems.

Q. How many calories should I eat each day?

A. The short answer is “enough.” The calories you consume must provide enough energy for your body to perform all necessary functions and activities—and bring about optimum health. The long answer is that the number of calories needed varies from person to person and depends on weight, foods consumed, sleep, stress and activity levels, age, and a long list of other factors that affect metabolism. In The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living, I provide a calorie equation to help you estimate, according to these factors, how many calories you should consume to lose weight or maintain weight. It also includes charts to help you choose the right sources of those calories to support your efforts.

Q. Is it possible to eat too few calories?

A. Believe it or not, yes! The most serious problem with low-calorie diets is that although they may bring about weight loss, they also can cause serious health problems. One common side effect of low-calorie diets is muscle breakdown, which can occur when the body doesn’t consume enough calories from protein. Especially vulnerable is the heart, a muscular organ. If a person does not consume an adequate amount of calories each day, the heart muscle begins to break down, possibly leading to serious cardiac conditions (e.g., cardiac atrophy).

Q. What are the consequences of following low-calorie diets off and on over time?

A. Low-calorie diets typically do not supply enough energy to keep organs and systems healthy. In effect, they can lead to malnourishment. For clients who have repeatedly followed such diets, I recommend high-calorie meal plans that will provide their organs with adequate fuel to repair themselves and regain healthy function. Most of my clients are surprised, at first, to see how much food they can consume on a healthy weight-loss diet—not to mention the high level of health that they can achieve.

Q. Hey, wait—didn’t you say that you don’t like the word calorie? Then why does the Diet Solution Program suggest calculating calorie requirements?

A. In the Diet Solution Program, calorie calculation is simply a means to an end. You use the ideal number of calories that results from the equation to determine the correct number of servings of each food type for each meal. That’s it—from that point on, you can forget about counting calories!

Q. If I don’t count calories, then how will I control my eating habits?

A. Use the Allowable Servings Guide in The Diet Solution: Start Eating and Start Living to plan meals. However, over time, you will learn how to meet your body’s nutritional needs without referring to the servings guide. Humans are born with the ability to “know” when the body has received enough nourishment and when it needs more. My professional experience indicates that, unfortunately, most yo-yo dieters and other people who have battled weight problems don’t know how to “listen” to the body’s cues in response to the foods and portions they consume. The good news is that this ability can be (re)learned.

Q. What do you mean by “listen” to my body?

A. The Diet Solution Program is a lifestyle shift that teaches you how to determine the best foods and portions for your metabolic type. Even after just days on the plan, you will learn to pay attention to how you feel after eating. For many people, this experience of “listening” to the body will be new. However, by letting your body be your guide, you will learn how to eat your way to optimum health.

Q. Can I really expect to maintain a healthy weight without counting calories or referring to servings guides or other charts?

A. Yes! It’s how I live my life now, and you, too, can learn to recognize when your body is adequately nourished. After many years of dieting, I reawakened my body’s innate ability to tell me when I’ve had enough food and when I need more by following the same plan I present in the Diet Solution Program. Every day is different; some days I require more food and others less, depending on my levels of exercise, stress, and even hormones. But I don’t need to count calories to know whether I’ve had enough; my body tells me, and I know how to listen. Whatever you do, don’t be lured into the trap of forever counting calories, because that approach is not sustainable—or healthy—in the long term.

Learn “The Top 5 Essential Truths You Must Know Before You Go on Any Diet Ever Again” from Isabel De Los Rios at thedietsolutionprogram.com. Isabel is a nutrition, exercise and lifestyle coach who has helped hundreds of people lose their unwanted weight and take complete control of their health. She is the author of The Diet Solution Program, a complete and comprehensive nutrition program that is helping people all over the world finally reach their ideal weight. For more information on The Diet Solution Program and how it can help to change your life, visit thedietsolutionprogram.com.

Simple Veggie Sandwich!

I am sure there are many takers for Sandwiches. Especially those that take very less time to get fixed. These were in matter of 10 mins, where the major time was spent on sautéing the veggies. This makes it a perfect breakfast, with added advantage of vegetables in it. Of course, I couldn't imagine my daughter would've wanted to eat, so I didn't' make for her. But this was a quick fix for hubby dear, when he was in a hurry to leave. So I thought this makes it a perfect one to made by Bachelors. When I think of sandwiches, I can't but think of the many options, one has to choose.

If you have ever lived in Madras and gone around the city, I am sure you would be familiar with the famous Sandwich shops in Egmore. Those are just road side stalls, where the innovative chef, cooks up hundreds of sandwiches for his ardent customers. Those stalls are famous by its clientèle. If you happen to visit by evening, you will find huge crowd, waiting patiently for their order to be made. I was really surprised by the many varieties they had to offer. The customers, mostly college students, stand in tons, chatting, laughing, and spending hours without a care but venting their hunger with sandwich or two. And how hygiene it is, you can see for yourself, unlike in other places. He does it right in front of you and you can customize your orders too.

So when I was making this, I was only thinking of those yummy sandwiches that get done and devoured in tons!

Ingredients Needed:

Beans and Carrot - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 1 small
Onion - 1 small
Ginger garlic paste -1 /2 tsp
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Green Chili - 1
Salt to taste
Ghee for roasting


Method to prepare:

Par boil the vegetables. Saute the onion till pink along with chillies and ginger garlic paste, then add the tomatoes. Saute till it gets mushy.

Then add the cooked vegetables. Chili powder and salt. This takes about 5 -7 min.

Roast the bread slices over pan, stuff the filling and press firmly.

Serve with ketchup!

This serves as a quick breakfast fix!

Vazhakai Bajji ~ Banana Fritters!

Banana Bajjis are always a hit. These are made in tons in the beach side stalls and invite many customers. When you visit the beach, you can miss the stalls having all the sliced banana, ready to be dipped into the batter and deep fried for the eager customers. You can actually get to quite a few to choose from. The bajji chilis, Onions, Potatoes and of course, the bananas are the different vegetables, all ready to be fried on customer's demand.

Though I have not actually tasted the ones made there, they sure tempt you so much. Amma always used to make these, when she makes the onion bajjis. This is so common in Madras, that I was quite surprised when my Sil said they never made these. So I made these for her, when I visited them. It gets done so fast that it doesn't require much preparation.

Just the dish for Bachelors, who can get this done on their own.

Ingredients Needed:

Plantain / Banana - 1
Gram Flour / Besan - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ajwain / Carom seeds -1/2 tsp (opt)
Oil for deep frying

Ready made Bajji mix is also available in stores, you can just buy those and get this done in a jiffy!

Method to prepare:

Trim the ends, peel the outer skin. You can either cut these into long strips or circles. Once done, soak them in water, to prevent it from turning black.

Mix the batter in a bowl. Heat a Kadai with Oil, once its hot, take a banana piece, shake well to drain the water, dip in the besan and gently drop into the hot oil.

Cook on both sides and once it turns golden colour, remove to a kitchen towel.

Serve with Coconut Chutney!