Muthias are one of my favorite Gujarati snacks. They are steamed cakes made with a combination of healthy flours such as semolina, whole wheat, chickpea flour and so on combined with grated bottle gourd or zucchini. I make these all the time – it’s an acid friendly food – you just have to omit the chili from this recipe.
I learned this recipe from our family friend Neha Mazumdar who makes some of the best Muthias. This dish goes really well with a nice mint or coriander chutney.
Besan ka puda – a spiced savory chickpea crepe – was one of my favorite breakfast dishes growing up. Traditionally it is made really thin (using lots of oil) so it is crispy and so delicious. It is usually eaten with chutney or spicy pickle. I made a healthier – acid friendly version of the recipe sans the chili, where I added lots of minced broccoli and cilantro to the batter. The results were a slightly thicker puda but still really yummy. Click here to print recipe.
I always have cauliflower all cut up and ready to use in my fridge. I mostly end up roasting it as it works as a great side dish with anything from broiled fish to chicken curry. I found some kohlrabi too and sliced it up, added spices and threw it into the mix. The results were a yummy, acid friendly veggie side dish that disappeared in minutes. Click here to print the recipe.
I never imagined I would enjoy a pesto without garlic and lemon but I have to say this recipe is pretty darned good. Hard cheeses are allowed on a low acid diet and the flavor from the pistachios makes this pesto really yummy. Feel free to use any kind of whole grain or gluten free pasta. Click to print recipe.
Soups are almost always kitchen sink affairs for me. I take anything that is leftover in the fridge and throw it in the pot. Now that I’m avoiding garlic/ onion 😢 I have to find ingredients that are more forgiving. Zucchini is so abundant right now in all the farmers markets and adds such great flavor to any soup.
Click here to print the recipe.
Here is the first of my acid watcher friendly recipes.
Sundal is a super nutritious snack made with boiled chickpeas which we grew up on in my hometown of Chennai. I remember when I was young, we would go to Marina beach and there would be vendors selling “Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal” (coconut, mango , chickpeas) that they would carry in these large stainless steel tins. There was nothing quite like enjoying sundal sitting beachside, smelling the salty air with family and good friends in the good old days of Madras.
You can use any kind of dried beans to make sundal. I used chickpeas and corn in this recipe because it was what I had on hand but just use what you have. You can add things like shredded coconut, mango and so on. All the ingredients listed below are available at any Indian grocery store. I buy a bunch of packets of curry leaves and put them in the freezer. Click here to print recipe
Here is a great kitchen sink, healthy veggie cutlet. I know in the United States – a cutlet implies a thin piece of breaded, fried meat but in India it is a mish mash of all kind of veggies and /or ground meat made into patties.
You can substitute the veggies with what you have on hand and add ground meat if you wish. I love the addition of quinoa which makes these a complete meal. I usually serve them hot with mint chutney. Click here for recipe.
I have to say – I make kickass scones!
I always have them handy in my freezer for the slew of scone lovers in my life. You can make these plain or with berries which adds a wonderful fruity bite to them. You can use fresh or frozen berries. Just bake them a minute or two longer if using frozen.
I love eating my scones with clotted cream (if possible) and jam. My nephews bury their scones in whipped cream. Do what you will with these scones – they are truly a favourite in our household.
Click here to print recipe.
Roasting veggies is always my go to way of making everyday vegetables. I especially love roasting sweet potatoes and decided to add a little spicy kick to my usual recipe by adding some spices. It turned out really delicious. You can eat these as a side dish, top green salads with them or just eat hot and crispy off the pan as we do. Click here to print recipe.
There’s nothing that spells comfort more than a fried rice with huge hunks of egg in it! When we were growing up – we always asked for “extra egg” in our rice – in fact we still do. Here is my quick recipe for a scallion and egg fried rice. Click here to print recipe.
