Zaiqa

[My friend Wardah from CMW group on facebook and the author of Best of Wardah blog, is here to share with us all her recipe for these amazing Parathas that are nutritious as well as lip-smaking, and therefore great to eat especially during the month of Ramadan! Please welcome her. Thanks Wardah!~Mona]

Mothers are the best cooks, we all know that. This amazing paratha recipe is from my beautiful mom, Farhana. She’s a health nut and that is what is so special about these healthy whole wheat, fiber full parathas. With ingredients like flax seed, wheat germ, and oat bran, you may be put off from this recipe, but I will attest to their delicious flavor and amazing affects on my body! With benefits like being high in fiber, being heart healthy, lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, these parathas are really something else. My family eats one paratha each every day in suhoor, and we love it. We stay full much longer during these long and hot fasts. A pat of butter or ghee on the roti will make it healthy and fattening for your little ones. Hold the ghee for the uncles and aunties though, and it is the perfect accompaniment to any desi meal – delicious, wholesome, and healthy. Enjoy!

Healthy Whole Wheat Parathas
(Thanks to RK Pakistani Collections for compiling the recipe)

Ingredients
1/2 cup Oat Bran (Heart Healthy, Lower Cholesterol, Weight Loss)
1/2 cup Wheat Germ (Good Fiber, Balance Cholesterol & Blood Sugar)
1/2 cup Flaxseed (High Fiber, Omega-3, Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer)
1/2 cup Wheat Bran (High Fiber)
3 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 pkg Tofu (Meat Substitute, Lower Bad Cholesterol, Lower Risk of Cancer)
Green Tea (Antioxidants, Weight Loss, Reduced Risk of Cancer)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
Salt

Steps:
1- Boil and seep 1 cup of green tea as instructed on package.
2- Add all the ingredients except green tea in Kitchen Aid or Food Processor.
3- Add room temperature green tea gradually until the consistency of dough is reached.
4- Leave the dough to rest for 30 minutes.
5- Make at least 18-20 parathas.

That’s all!
Wardah

It is of utmost importance to eat healthy, especially in Ramadan, when our bodies need the best foods to get the best of the nutrients.

I have been trying to eat healthy as much as possible since the last two Ramadan and alhamdulillah I am able to see results. I am feeling much better and able to to do a lot and not feel lazy and lethargic like I used to before.

Full of fresh flavors, these semi homemade wraps that I made for my family were a hit. They make a fun change from regular dinner fare. The parathas were store brought, and the chicken tikka were prepared and frozen the week before Ramadan. So I only just had to assemble the wraps and serve them for dinner. The chicken tikka was baked using a little bit of olive oil. These wraps are healthy and provide your body with good nutrients.

Chicken Tikka Wraps

Ingredients:

Parathas – 8
Chicken Tikka – 6 cups
Olives – 1 cup
Avocado – 2, diced
Tomatoes – 2, diced
Romaine or leaf lettuce, shredded – 2 cups
Sriracha Hot Sauce or any other hot sauce – to taste
Whipped Yogurt – 8-10 tbsp
Lemon/lime juice

Method:

Divide the chicken, and everything else between each wrap, squeeze over the lime juice, then fold over one end to tuck in, and roll up to serve.

A few Ramadan Tips:
~ Chew your food well before you swallow
~ Eat a Multi-vitamin with your meals

Luv,
Mona

Although I have not been regularly updating my blog, all my lovely readers are always in my thoughts! ♥

Luv,
Mona

My husband is not a very big fan of cheesecakes. But I on the other hand, a big fan!

I wonder who might have been the person who thought first of inventing a cake made of cheese.

Cheesecakes are divine. A rich, smooth dessert, that definitely would make anyone happy, except my husband.

Mango Cheesecake
recipe adapted from here

Crust:
Digestive Biscuits – 250 gms, finely ground
Butter – 3/4 cup, melted
Cheesecake:
Cream Cheese – 500 gms
Hung Yogurt – 1 cup
Mango Puree – 2 cups
Eggs – 4, large
Sugar – 3/4 cup

Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F
Wrap the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with 2-3 layers of heavy duty aluminium foil.
For the Crust: In a mixing bowl, add the finely ground digestive biscuits and pour in the melted butter. Mix until well moistened. Transfer crumbs to prepared pan, and press crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
For Cheesecake Filling: In a food processor, or an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add all the remaining ingredients and process for 5 minutes until just combined, keep scraping down the bowl. Pour cream cheese filling over crust. Place foil-wrapped springform pan in a roasting pan large enough to hold it. Fill roasting pan with enough hot water to come 1-inch up the sides of the springform and carefully transfer to middle oven rack. Bake until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in center, about an hour and a half.
Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Later refrigerate, uncovered for 6-8 hours.
To serve, run a knife around the edges, slice and serve wedges. The cake keeps well refrigerated for upto 2 weeks.
Enjoy!

Luv,
Mona

I am very happy Aisha of Kitchen Sojourn is guest posting on my blog today. I am a big fan of her simple and delicious recipes and her blog inspires me. Please welcome Kitchen Sojourn to Zaiqa. And please do visit her blog, its a gem and you will all love it for sure.

A healthy delicious Somali dish perfect for Ramadan. This comfort food rich in protein surely brings strength to the body and revitalizes it. The meat, spices and veggies incorporated in this dish constitute a flavorful and wholesome meal when served with rice.

Somali Style Goat Curry & Mixed Veg Pulao

Ingredients for goat curry:
1/2 kg goat cut in cubes with bone
Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Zeera dhania (cumin and coriander seeds) powder – 1 tsp
All spice powder 1/2 tsp
1 tsp lemon juice
2 medium sized onions sliced
4 medium tomatoes sliced
3 jalapeños diagonally sliced
A cup of chopped cilantro
Salt to taste
Oil 3-4 tbsp
Method:
In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except onions, tomatoes, jalapeños and cilantro. Marinate this for half an hour. When its done, heat oil in a pressure cooker then add the marinade. Pour a cup of water and pressure cook for 15 minutes on low heat after the first whistle. If you are cooking in a non stick pan, add water accordingly and cook until the meat gets tender. Open the lid and transfer the curry into a large non stick pan. On medium to high heat cook until the curry is thick enough, then add tomatoes and jalapeños and saute them for 10 minutes or until the tomatoes start losing water. Now its time to add the onions and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat, transfer into a serving dish and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with mixed vegetable pulao and raita.

Ingredients for Mixed Vegetable Pulao:
2 cups basmati rice (washed and soaked)
4 cups water
1 chicken stock cube
Half cup frozen mixed vegetables rinsed
Half tsp black pepper powder
Half tsp curry powder
Salt to taste
Oil
Method:
In a non stick stockpot, heat oil and then add mixed vegetables, black pepper and curry powder. Saute for two minutes and then add water and chicken stock cube. Add salt according to your taste and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts to boil add the soaked rice. Cover the lid and cook on low to medium heat until the water dries up and the rice becomes tender . Serve it with the goat curry!

Luv,
Mona