Chocolate Hazelnut/ Nutella Banana Shake

'Healthy breakfast ideas with Nutella'...how many of you there have heard this and wanted to really freak on this maddening Choco- Hazelnut Spread to find the real benefits and pleasure?

Well, if not you, I am surely that one who would love to do so and you have to bear with me on this for the next few posts where Nutella will be reigning. ;)

A few days back while flickering channels, I suddenly shot upon Master Chef India's repeat telecast ( I'm a big fan of this show yet have to miss all the episodes because of my sweetheart) and there I found this Nutella back with exciting new recipes by the connoisseurs. Here's one of those basic recipes that I have replicated just with a small change. 

Also, banana is one great fruit that I barely eat as a fruit, but I love to use in all other ways, be it baking, shakes, smoothies, fries, rolls, salad, chaat, custard, pudding or whatsoever, and I'm always looking for new recipes with it so that I don't miss on the minerals I can yield from it. 

So, banana together with Nutella is a perfect combination, and that too loaded with some raisins...wow! You can just imagine how tasty and healthy it would be, especially for kids who are finicky eaters and run away from plain milk. The Master Chef recipe uses almonds with Nutella and Banana but I have altered it a bit by replacing almonds with raisins just because I don't like to eat raisins directly otherwise, so a blend of that with the chocolate will surely not keep me away from it then :)

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT/ NUTELLA BANANA SHAKE:

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cooking Time: Nil

Serves: 2

Health Meter:

The goodness of banana, milk, hazelnut and raisins, flavored with chocolate; what better could I ask for a healthy morning breakfast than this?

For those who haven't heard about Hazelnuts: 

A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. The kernel of the seed is edible and used raw or roasted, or ground into a paste. 

Hazelnuts are rich in protein and unsaturated fat. Moreover, they contain significant amounts of thiamine and vitamin B6, as well as smaller amounts of other B vitamins.

Ingredients:

1. Ripe big bananas: 2

2. Milk: 1 glass

3. Sugar: 2 tsp or as per taste

4. Nutella spread: 3 tbs

5. Raisins: a handful

Method:

1. As easy as it appears, simply take all the ingredients in a mixer and blend well.
2. Ornament with raisins and chocolate sauce/ syrup.

Suggestions:

1. You could add more milk if you do not want the shake too thick.
2. Raisins could be replaced by any dry fruit you wish, or it could simply be Nutella Banana Shake as Nutella already has the goodness of Hazelnut.
3. Serve immediately to avoid deterioration of milk.
4. If you do not have Nutella ( haha, most of you would be waiting for this line I know, like I used to unless I had it), you could add some chocolate syrup/ drinking chocolate or even a dairy milk (wow, now that sounds logic!) and some other nuts like walnuts/ cashews/ pistachios/ almonds. ( who says that only Hazelnuts are flooded with protein and minerals?? )
5. Aesthetics work for kids at least, so pour in a beautifully curved glass or a cup with some cartoon on it; hope this helps a bit. :)

  

The recipe goes to:
Cooking Made Easy With Chocolates/Cocoa
Breakfast Club  by Food, Je t'Aimee and Fuss Free Flavors
Kid's Delight  by Veg Junction and Srivalli
Chocolate Lover  by Daily Cuppa
 New 'U'  by Vardhini's Kitchen

Milk Shake Event by Foodies Nest
World Nutella Day  by Ms Adventures in Italy, Bleeding Espresso

Summer-salt Raw Mango Squash

Hot summers are knocking where the temperature is rising above imagination and we seriously need something to combat it. How about a refreshing, juicy Raw Mango Squash? I'm sure many of you must have had it being prepared by your moms. We generally call it 'Aam Pana' or 'Kairi Pani', but whatsoever the name is, all I know is that it is ultimately cool n revitalizing.

SUMMER-SALT RAW MANGO SQUASH:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4

Health Meter: Vitamin C from raw mangoes and the super-cool effect of mint; what more could you ask for these summers? Mangoes are bursting with protective nutrients. The vitamin content depends upon the variety and maturity of the fruit, when the mango is green the amount of vitamin C is higher, as it ripens the amount of beta carotene (vitamin A) increases.

Ingredients:

1. Raw Mango: 1

2. Water: 1 litre

3. Sugar: 6-8 tbs ( depending on how sour the mango is)

4. Salt: 1/2 tsp

5. Black Salt Powder: 1 tbs

6. Dried Mint Powder: 2 tbs or Fresh Mint Juice: 3 tbs

7. Crushed Ice: 1 bowl

Method:

1. Peel the raw mango and cut small pieces out of it.

2. Boil them with 1/2 a liter water for 10 minutes.

3. When it cools down, blend it well with a blender/juicer. 

4. Strain out the fibrous part using a strainer.

5. Take the juicy extract and add sugar, salt, black salt and mint powder/juice to it. 

6. Add the remaining water and stir well.

7. At last add the crushed ice and serve chilled in the scorching hot summers.

Suggestions:

1. Always select raw mangoes and not even the slightly ripe ones. 

2. If you don't want to use ice, try the earthen-pot water which is cool and equally good for health.
3. You could also steam the raw mango with some water in a microwave for 7 minutes instead of boiling it.

 

This recipe goes to :

Coolers and Mocktails event by Pari hosted by simply.food

Thandi Thandi Thandai :)

Summers are here and they bring with them vibrant colors and recipes to tempt your taste buds. The beginning was with Shrikhand and now energize yourself with thandi thandi Thandai.


THANDAI

Ingredients: (Serves 4)
- Water: 1 glass
- Milk: 3/4 litre
- Sugar: 1/2 cup or as per taste
- Black peppecorns (kali mirch): 10-12
- Almonds: 1/4 cup
- Poppy seeds: 2 tablespoons
- Fennel seeds (saunf): 2 tablespoons
- Cardamom powder: 1/2 teaspoon
- Melon (tarbooj/kharbooj) seeds: 2 tbs
- Fresh/ dried rose petals: 1/4 cup

Method: Take almonds, peppercorns, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, melon seeds, rose petals and soak them in half a glass of water for 3-4 hrs. Now take this mixture and grind into a fine paste. Strain the extract in a glass. Keep on adding the remaining water slowly and grind it repeatedly and keep on straining till only the husk remains (preserve this husk for another recipe). Now add cardamom powder to this mixture. At last add milk and sugar and stir well.
Refrigerate for 2 hrs and serve chilled. You could also top it with almonds.