Cooking with very little or no oil

Awareness for Healthy Cooking

I am now at my son house in Fremont, California. Recently he was diagnosed with cholesterol problem ( High LDL and low HDL - actually it is healthy to be the other way around.. )

I now cook with practically no oil or very very little oil, preferably olive oil and include all sorts of food items which have low/no cholesterol content and no/low saturated fat.

I realised food can be very tasty and we all felt good that we were eating more healthy food . My son also loaded a software in his iPhone in which he keyed in what he had eaten and it would give him the nutrition value in terms of calories, carbs, proteins etc..

What he realized is that vegetarian cooking is rather low in proteins. So consciously I am now trying to include more quantity of protein.

When I am now offered ice cream, cakes, sweets etc. I try to limit the quantity or say no.

Dosas are now fried with no oil or use cooking spray which claims to have no fat, no cholesterol, no everything

Idli is served with molagapodi and curds instead of oil.

We try to include a good serving of curds, some nuts, lots of veggies, at least one salad...

I have always been a fruit eater and it is a great habit.

I like the American culture of including nutritional analysis in all the food items we buy.

I read a lot on cholesterol and Wikipedia and FDA web sites gave great inputs.

Seasoning is with olive oil.

I made potato curry with a tsp. of olive oil in a non-stick pan and tastes really yummy.

Vegetable stew has always been one of fav. dishes. Recipe is in my blog on cooking.

The result of this diagnosis, I am happy to note is that he is eating healthy and aware of the serving sizes. Given his sedentary life style and his 18 to 20 hours work day, he is not able to manage physical workouts which is a must for everyone. I am lucky as I have always been fond of walking and yoga and exercises that suit my body.

I wish every mother instills this awareness from infancy in every child. Let our kids choose healthy food happily and not out of compulsion. We don't need health problems to eat healthy right food. I wish mankind learns from the animal world which eat for survival and have no obesity issues.

Baked Vegetables with Spagetti/Noodles/pasta.

Baked Vegetables with Spagetti/Noodles/pasta

This is a tasty baked or microwaved dish and quite healthy i think

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked and ready Spagetti or Noodles or any form of pasta - cook by boiling with salt, straining, wash with cold water and toss little oil

1 or cups or any amount of vegetables : red, yellow, green peppers ( capsicum) , carrot, beans, cabbage , cauliflower- cut into long stripes . Toss in little oil, chilly sause, cook slightly

White sauce : heat 1 tsp butter, add 1 tbsp corn flower or maida - fry nicely, add 2 or 3 cups milk, 2 tb spoon cheese grated , little sugar, salt, pepper powder if u like - boil to a nice thick consistency

Place the vegies, cooked pasta in a baking/microwave dish, pour white sauce, mix slightly. Taste to see if saly, spice is ok else add some more . Cover with a thick layer of grated cheese and back or microwave

Enjoy this dish which can be eaten by itself or with nice hot rice. I used olive oil.

An alternative is to layer the vegies like:
Slices of boiled potato
Layer of cooked sweet corn
Mushroom if u like
Paneer slices if u like
some greens like what we have above

Pour the white sauce and top with grated cheese and bake/microwave

Swastamrut

Yoga Guru and naturopathist Dr Hemant Khedekar ( visit his web site www.yrnyed.com gave me this recipe for herbal tea )

Boil together with water : ( Use fresh ingredients where possible)

Few Pudina ( mint) leaves
Few Tulsi ( basil) leaves
Some lemon grass ( gouthi cha) leaves
Pinch of black salt
Pinch of black pepper powder
Few tea leaves
Crushed Ginger

Boil, Strain, add honey , fresh lime juice to taste

Tastes peppy and has excellent medicinal benifits mainly clearing respiratory track