Vibrant Purple Pasta

Purple cabbage, more commonly known as red cabbage, is a colorful variety from the brassica family. Purple cabbage has a relatively high ratio of nutrients and vitamins

Cooking Cabbage:

When you cook the purple cabbage, avoid boiling it, as the water will sap the nutrients from the vegetable. Sauteing purple cabbage works well for most dishes. When comparing purple cabbage to other varieties, the notable difference is the antioxidant levels. The deeper pigmentation in purple cabbage indicates a richer supply of anthocyanins, which can help lower your risk of cancer, heart disease, macular degeneration and many other diseases. (read more Here)

Ingredients:

Whole wheat pasta (off your choice) : 1 cup
Purple cabbage - Shredded -2 cups
Chopped green bell pepper - 1/2 cup
Chopped Tomato - 1/2 cup
Alfredo sauce - 1/2 cup
Olive oil - 1 Tbs
garlic - 1 clove chopped finely
Salt and pepper
Dried basil, Rosemary, thyme
Prego pasta sauce (optional)

Easy steps:

1. Boil pasta according to the package.
2. While pasta is cooking,  prepare purple cabbage
3. Heat oil, saute garlic for few seconds.
4. Add purple cabbage, tomato, pepper
5. Add salt and pepper to taste
6. Give a nice mix, and saute them.
7. Cover and cook for couple of minutes.
8. Now add Alfredo sauce and turn the heat to low. saute if for couple of minutes.
9. Add the dried herbs.
10. Add the cooked pasta and pepper to taste
11. Mix it gently.
12. Serve the warm pasta with pasta sauce like prego (optional)
13.  I served with boiled corn to make my plate more colorful and healthy.

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Vibrant Purple Pasta

Oatmeal & Barley cookies

We are trying use less all purpose flour and use more whole grain's in our diet. Whole grains are high in fiber and  iron rich.

Yesterday I prepared oatmeal and barley cookies without adding a pinch of maida or all purpose flour. It turned out very good.  try it out yourself.

Ingredients required :

Oatmeal (quick) - 13/4 cup
Barley flour - 3/4 cup
Whole wheat flour - 1/4 cup
2 large eggs at room temperature
Baking soda - 1/2 tsp
Baking powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Vanilla extract - 1 Tbs
Cinnamon - 1 Tbs
Sugar - 3/4 cup
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature

Optional  but recommended:
Raisins - 1/4 cup
Chopped walnuts - 1/4 cup
Chocolate chips - 1/4 cups
Wheat germ - 1/4 cup (high in protein and fiber)

Easy steps :

Heat the oven to 350f. And spray the cooking sheet with oil or butter. You can use the parchment sheet as well.
You can use food processor or electric hand mixer.

1. Cut the butter in to small chunks and beat them for a minute.
2. Add sugar, vanilla extract and beat them until smooth.
3. Add the eggs and beat until smooth and fluffy.
4. In a separate bowl, add barley flour, wheat flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, Cinnamon and give it a nice mix.
5. Now slowly add this dry flour mix to the beaten egg bowl and mix gently.
6. Add oatmeal and mix it well
7. Now add all the optional ingredients like raisins, chocolate chips etc.
8.Give it a nice mix. At this stage you can just use the spatula to mix it.
9. Use the ice-cream scoop to scoop off the dough to cookie sheet and spread it around to make your desired shape and thickness.
10. Pop it in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the inserted knife comes out smooth.
11. Immediately transfer the cookie to another sheet to stop cooking.
12. Let it cool down and enjoy the cookie with milk or coffee.


 

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Oatmeal & Barley cookies