Navratri 2017 Recipes: 5 Delicious Paneer Recipes to Try at Home

Navratri 2017 starts from 21st September. The nine days of festivities will also see many devotees observing a fast. This is the period when many households, particularly in North India and Gujarat, follow a restricted diet without the use of onions, garlic, whole grains, non veg, table salt, pulses, and certain spices and vegetables. Milk and dairy products are however allowed, and therefore various kinds of vrat dishes are created during this festival making the most of dairy products, particularly paneer.Paneer or cottage cheese is a popular vegetarian treat, and can be prepared in myriad ways to delight one's palate. During the fasting period, you can use paneer to dish out lip-smacking kebabs, kofta curry, pakoras, subzis, and gravy dishes. But if you are looking for interesting ways to spruce up regular Navratri paneer dishes, we present five creative recipes for you. From pizzas to sandesh pudding, there's lots to try -

1. Paneer Tikki

A quick and easy, paneer and potato roundels recipe. Made with singhare ka atta and sendha namak, this snack is perfect for the festival of Navratri.

2. Paneer Pizza

Here's how to make a Navratri Pizza at home from scratch. The base is made with buckwheat flour and you can use paneer and makhanas as topping to abide by the fasting rules.

3. Paneer Afghani

Paneer cubes marinated in a creamy paste of melon seeds, cashews, poppy seeds, cream and butter. Grilled golden on a tandoor.

4. Paneer Payesh

Payesh is a popular Bengali dessert similar to kheer. This version is made with paneer, saffron, milk and cardamom.

5. Hot Paneer Sandesh Pudding

Whip up a guilt free sandesh - no sugar, only organic fruits.

Read This Before You Swallow A Spoonful Of Yummy Peanut Butter

For a long time, we have been hearing that butter is the most dangerous fat. Whether it's solid or semi-solid, it's worse for you. It has been blamed for everything from obesity to heart disease. Yet, recently, it has made a comeback as a "health food" in the form of peanut butter.

Peanut butter is utterly delicious and contains high amount of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and protein. Two tablespoon of this butter has 3.3 grams of saturated fat and 2.3 grams of unsaturated fat. This ratio of unsaturated to saturated fat puts it up on the list with olive oil. In moderation, saturated fat is okay for your body. It also provides you some fibre and has a terrific potassium-to-sodium ratio if consumed unsalted. People who regularly include peanut butter in their diet in the right way are less likely to develop heart disease or type 2 diabetes than those who rarely eat it.

What's bad about peanut butter?

Peanut butter is loaded with omega-6 fats and low on omega-3 fats. The ratio is often as high as 20:1 omega-6 vs. omega-3 fats. This imbalanced ratio can cause inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases. In addition, too many omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids can lead to asthma, type 2 diabetes, obesity, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic syndrome, macular degeneration and more. Peanut butter often contains mould that is a big reason for food allergies or inflammatory immune reactions.

Peanut butter is healthy

Make sure that peanut butter actually helps your body in the best possible way. While buying it, always pick certified organic brand. They're made of peanuts grown in bushes off the ground or higher up to eliminate the issue with mould. Also, many a times, peanut butter contains non-organic hydrogenated oils. It adds to omega-6 count making the butter unhealthy to consume. Beware of this junk and stay away from it. It can cause you weight gain and inflammatory reactions in your body.

It is wise to make your own peanut butter or buy the natural organic one. Only then it can actually be beneficial for your health.

Consume in moderation

It's tasty. It contains nutrients. But, at the same time it contains some harmful substances like peanut lectin, a growth promoter of colon cancer cells and Aflatoxins, a kind of fungal toxins.

The mantra is to consume in "moderation" and use good organic quality with right foods. If you make it a part of your proper diet, it can support and boost metabolism and fat-loss because of its high-protein content. In fact today, it is one of the highest plant-based protein sources. Peanut butter is one of those foods that can turn meals into masterpieces. However, sometimes it can be a metabolism death food.

Bui Bistro: A Pearl In Napa

A pearl is the oldest acknowledged gem and for centuries was thought to be the most valuable.

The pearl is often mentioned in folklore and there are many traditions surrounding the pearl.

The pearl I am referring to today is actually a street in Napa. The gem I am talking about is a small and intimate bistro located on Pearl Street.

Bui Bistro is truly a local gem. It surprised me to discover that many residents have never even heard about this unique little spot. I was, sad but true, one of this group, but no more.

It shouldn’t be a secret, so please let me share.

Chef and owner Patrick Bui holds his own amongst a plethora of well known chefs in the valley and he has created a comfortably understated dining venue where splendid French Vietnamese meals are served with great respect for tradition. Tradition, passion and innovation are paired well.

Born in Saigon, and raised mostly in Paris, Patrick immigrated to the U.S. in 1980 and followed the career path laid out for him in the world of mechanical design.

His real passion was cooking. The foods of his youth and his early culture.

Fast-forward about 15 years, when Patrick stepped away from the tools used for mechanical design and picked up the tools of a professional kitchen as he entered the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco.

After working in several San Francisco kitchens, Bui’s first restaurant was realized in 1999, when he opened “Saigon City” in Berkeley, where he primarily served college students with Vietnamese style quick foods. The more upscale Bui Restaurant, also in Berkeley, followed.

Bui and his wife Thi found their way to Napa and in 2010, after several months of renovations, Bui Bistro opened its doors.

When I visit a Vietnamese dining establishment, there is a test. It’s the Pho Test. If the Pho is great then I am assured that the restaurant knows what it’s doing and then I delve into the menu for classics and offerings with a creative twist on favorites.

What is Pho, you ask? Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a broth-based noodle soup, conspicuous in Vietnamese cuisine. Whether it’s chicken, beef or seafood broth there will be thick rice noodles floating in the broth along with pieces of meat, vegetables and a variety of spices and herbs. Flavors, combinations and spices are the chef’s choice, so the dish can vary slightly from place to place. The secret to a successful and delectable soup is the broth.

Simmering bones and fatty meat pieces in good water (this makes a difference), with spices such as ginger, star anise and cardamom is the beginning. It takes patience. Several hours are required to give all the flavors a chance to realize their full potential. This is where I remind you, dear reader, that if you don’t drink the water coming from your tap because you don’t like the taste, why then would you use it to cook with? Something to think about.

Beef broth is called pho bo, the chicken version is pho ga, and the seafood broth is pho hai san.

As soon as I tasted the pho at Bui, I knew I was in the right place and in good hands. Diners will often add a favorite little “extra” to their pho. I sometimes enjoy a bit of lemon or lime, while others might play with Thai basil, bean sprouts, chili pepper, fish or hoisin sauce.

Try not to fill up on the soup, as tempting as it is. Save room for the refreshing Banana Flower Salad with it’s zesty fresh flavors combining wafer thin slices of grilled chicken, sliced pear and a dressing with it’s brightly balanced acidity. Perfect summer salad and the presentation is just plain fun.

The chicken curry had the perfect balance of spices while the sea bass was wonderfully crispy on the outside and lushly juicy on the inside, with coconut rice and a glass of crisp white wine, it was a delightful pairing.

Oh my gosh, I almost forgot to mention the egg rolls. Light, delicate and filled with shredded goodness. The dipping sauces are sweet, spicy, savory. It’s all there in every bite.

Great place to go with friends and order several items from the menu to share at the table. Another thing to enjoy about the Bistro is the fact that you can have a great conversation during dinner and actually be able to hear one another. Not the case in many restaurants.

Patrick is the consummate host. Patrick alone could keep diners returning to the Bistro just to chat with him. It’s a very personal experience.

He’s definitely accomplished the art of offering classic Vietnamese foods while implementing the techniques he learned from the French. Dishes like the Asian duck confit and bouillabaisse showcase traditional French fare, Vietnamese style. Is it Vietnamese food with a French twist or French food Vietnamese style?

Delicious BBQ Heading To Needy Families After American Royal

The American Royal World Series of BBQ may be over, but the meals are about to start for thousands of hungry people in the metro.

But that almost wasn't the case, until one barbecuer called FOX 4's Problem Solvers.

At the food donation tent at the American Royal, in between the chicken and the ribs, the brisket and the pork, you'll now find pens.

For almost 10 years, Gary Benham and hundreds of others donated the meat they made for the World Series competition - to Kookers Kare, which then donated it to Harvesters, and other local food banks.

Until last year.

"Last year," said Benham, "we had a little problem with the health department -- not knowing the process that we follow, to get the food safely to the people that needed it."

He explained, "Harvester's wasn't allowed to distribute that food. The food that was distributed to the pantry was tossed in a dumpster and bleached, and the rest of the food that had not been distributed had to be detroyed as well. It was a big disappointment to the people who work really hard."

Benham called Fox4 Problem Solvers and explained the situation. He said he and other BBQers were disappointed that a near 10 year tradition was about to end.

Now, in 2017, Benham said he worked with food inspectors at the Kansas Department of Agriculture and the Missouri Department of Health.

"We were very diligent in documenting what we did today," said the President of Kookers Kare. "It took us - it took us a little bit longer than what we've done in the past, because we did have to document all the stuff."

That documentation involved pens and adhesive labels - and the cloud.

"We had another company come in," said Benham, "that helped us with the digitally documenting some of the process. We've got temperature probes going that are going up to the cloud, and we've created a document up there with graphs and charts and everything, so we can physically document how we took care of samples of this food."

And now, some of the hungriest people in the metro will have some of the tastiest BBQ this week.

"It's going to go feed the hungry, the homeless, and they're obviously very grateful," said Harvesters volunteer Dennis Velasquez. "It's not often that they get world class BBQ. Just once a year - during this time. And they're very grateful."

Kookers Kare is the non-profit organization that handles all these donations. It estimates it will have anywhere between 3,000 - 4,000 pounds of meat at Harvesters and local food pantries; it expects it will all be eaten within a week.

Operation BBQ Relief (OBR) was also at the American Royal World Series this weekend. It donated food to the Kookers Kare organization on Sunday as well.

Operation BBQ Relief is already cooking food down in Houston for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. But it doesn't have refrigeration capabilities, so organizers say they donated all the cold food donations they received to Kookers Kare.

That means people at metro food banks and shelters will have some tasty sides to go with their award winning BBQ.

How To Make Delicious Muffins That Are Actually Good For You

However healthy it may seem, the presence of shredded zucchini in a quick bread or muffin doesn’t make it good for you. Most are still essentially forms of cake, held up with lots of butter, refined flour and sugar.

That’s not necessarily a bad thing once in a while, but for everyday breakfast and snacking you probably want something more nutritious and less dessert-like. The problem is that truly healthy muffins and quick breads — with or without zucchini — are often disappointing: dry, leaden and rubbery. Not so with these. They are the best of both worlds, genuinely good for you but also desirably moist, tender and fragrant. Lightly sweetened, flecked with zucchini, and made with healthy oil, whole grain flour and rolled oats, they have a wholesome sensibility and hearty texture that pulls them away from the dessert realm into the daily sustenance category, in a good way.

Not only do they taste good, you’ll feel good eating one of these zucchini muffins to start your day or fuel you midafternoon.

They get most of their sweetness from dried dates, which also provide a deep flavor, valuable nutrients and fiber. The dates are soaked in water, then pureed until they form a smooth paste. Just a little white sugar — a quarter of what is in a typical recipe — is needed to round out the muffin’s flavor. Soft whole-grain pastry flour keeps the crumb tender, while rolled oats add a rustic texture and walnuts an element of crunch.

The zucchini (which needs to be drained of most of its water), eggs, oil, and date paste together provide enough liquid so that no milk or other fluid is needed. The tasty, cinnamon-scented muffins make for an energizing on-the-go treat, so do yourself a favor and make an extra batch. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and freeze so you have one to grab when you need it.

Zucchini Oat Muffins

12 servings

These tender, fragrant muffins are sweetened primarily with dates, which, besides sweetness, provide deep flavor and valuable nutrients. Made with whole grains and healthful oil, the muffins have a wholesome sensibility and hearty texture that steps away from the dessert realm into the daily sustenance category, in a good way. They not only taste good, they are a nourishing and energizing way to start your day or fuel your afternoon.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed pitted dates
• Boiling water
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely grated zucchini (1 medium zucchini)
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil, such as light olive oil or canola oil
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Steps

Place the dates in a medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over them to cover and let soak for 1 hour. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid, then drain the dates well.

Combine the dates and the reserved liquid in a food processor (mini, preferably) and puree to form a smooth paste, stopping once or twice to scrape down the sides, as needed.

Place the grated zucchini in a colander in the sink; let drain for 20 minutes, then gather it up in your hands to extract as much moisture as possible.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have a standard-size, 12-well muffin pan at hand. Lightly grease the wells with cooking oil spray or line them with baking paper cups.

Stir together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl.

Stir together all the date paste, eggs and oil in a mixing bowl until incorporated, then stir in the grated, drained zucchini. Add the flour mixture and stir until no trace of it remains, then stir in the walnuts.

Divide the batter evenly among the wells. Bake (middle rack) for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Serve warm, or at room temperature.