As much as the word ‘lauki’ or ‘paalak’ makes us grimace and stick our tongues out, we still have to eat them because they are so amazing for our bodies. Luckily for us, Mumbai-based chef Rakhee Vaswani, who recently launched her children's book ‘Picky Eaters,’ has figured out 6 yummy ways to enjoy and savour these vegetables.
If you can’t find a way to actually fry, broil or overwhelm these vegetables with calorie-heavy condiments and cheese, then simply drink them! Just throw them in a blender with other power packed super foods (mentioned below) and hit churn.
A picky eater herself, Vaswani claims to have hated these veggies as a child, but eventually took to preparing them in a way that appealed to her palate. “The same,” she says,“applies to everybody else. Simply find a way to enjoy them.”
Here are six smoothies that’ll kick-start healthier mornings and do away with those evenings when lauki for dinner made you groan. .
LAUKI AND TINDA SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Chopped bottle gourd (Lauki): 1/2 cup;
Chopped apple gourd (Tinda): 1/2 cup;
Water:1/4 cup;
Salt to taste;
Black pepper powder: 1 pinch;
Roasted cumin powder: 1 pinch;
Lemon juice (optional): a dash
Method
To prepare a healthy smoothie, taste a slice of lauki to ensure it is not bitter.
Now put first 3 ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.
Transfer to glass then add a pinch of salt, black pepper and cumin powders and stir to enhance the taste.
MATTAR SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Green peas: 50 gm (blanched);
Pear: 1 number;
Hung curd: 50 gm;
Honey: 2 tbsp
Black salt (Kala Namak): a pinch (optional)
Method
Blend all the above ingredients in a blender.
Pour it in a glass, sprinkle some black salt and serve.
SHAKARAKAND SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Sweet potato: 2 (boiled & pureed);
Banana: 1;
Almond milk: 1 cup;
Peanut butter: 2 tbsp;
Jaggery: 10gm (melted);
Crushed peanut: 2 tbsp;
Cocoa powder for garnish
Method
Blend the sweet potato puree, banana, almond milk, peanut butter and jaggery.
Pour it in a glass, sprinkle some crushed peanuts and dust cocoa powder on top.
TAMATAR SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Chopped tomatoes: 2 cups;
Tomato juice: 1/2 cup;
Apple juice: 1/4 cup;
Chopped carrots: 1/2 cup;
Chopped celery: 1/4 cup;
Lemon juice: 1 tsp;
Cayenne pepper: a dash;
Ice: 8-10 cubes
Method
Place everything in the blender and mix until smooth.
PAALAK SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Baby spinach: 2 cups;
Banana: 1/2 (chopped);
Natural peanut butter: 1 tbsp;
Plain/low-fat yoghurt: 2 tbsp;
Chia seeds: 1 tsp;
Almond milk: 1 cup;
Stevia: 1 tsp (optional)
Method
Place all of the ingredients into a high power blender and blend until completely smooth. Enjoy immediately!
GAAJAR SMOOTHIE
Ingredients
Sliced carrots: 1 cup;
Sliced mango: 1;
Plain/low-fat yogurt: 200 ml;
Coconut milk: 1 cup;
Honey: 2 tbsp;
Ice cubes: 2 cups
Method
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
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