Pramiti Madhavji, Founding Editor-in-Chief, ELLE DECOR India, challenges herself on a self imposed healthy diet where she puts up daily posts of her experiments on Instagram. A few favourites from the one she just completed…
#Day40: Beetroot & Pumpkin Salad INGREDIENTS2 cups pumpkin, chopped, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp honey,1 tsp chilli flakes, 1 beet, handful of baby spinach, pumpkin seedsto garnish, chilli oil, salt and pepper to taste
METHOD: Boil the beet whole. Once cool, remove the skin and dice. Mix in the balsamic vinegar and honey. Heat a tsp of oil in a pan. Add in chopped beet, char on high heat for about 3-4 mins until caramelised and keep aside.In another pan saute diced pumpkin and let it char. Then pour some water to assist cooking. Sprinkle some chilli flakes. Take off flame after it browns and is cooked through. Toss beet and pumpkin with spinach, adding in all the cooked juices and oils too. Drizzle over some pumpkin seeds and few drops of chilli oil. Season and serve.
#Day47: Kale & Avocado Salad INGREDIENTS2 tbsp sundried tomato, 2 tbsp hard cheese, grated, 4 leaves kale,1 avocado, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste
METHOD: Finely chop the kale and leave in ice water for 15 mins to shock. Thoroughly drain and add in chopped avocado and sundried tomato. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lime juice. Garnish with grated cheese.
#Day49: Gourmet Kachumber INGREDIENTS10 baby tomatoes, 2 green tomatoes, 2 spring onions, a sprig of coriander, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste
METHOD: Halve the baby tomatoes and dice the green ones. Finely slice the onions, only till the green stalk. Toss it all up in a bowl. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with coriander.
#Day54: Quinoa & Feta Salad INGREDIENTS1/2 cup quinoa, 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds, 6-8 cubes feta cheese,2 walnuts, 1/2 green capsicum, salt to taste
METHOD: Cook quinoa as per instructions on the packet. Drain if needed and cool. Mix in pomegranate seeds. Gently crush walnuts and sprinkle them over. Add in sliced capsicum. Garnish with cubes of cheese and season mildly as the cheese is salty.
#Day94: Beans & Pineapple Salad INGREDIENTS100 gms french beans, 2 tbsp coconut, grated, 2 slices fresh pineapple, lime juice and salt to taste
METHOD: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Take off gas and drop in the beans. Cover the pot and blanch for 15 mins. Drain and keep aside. Chop the pineapple into chunks removing the core. Mix both with the grated coconut. Season with salt and a squeeze of lime.
#Day98: Chicken Liver SaladINGREDIENTS 50 gms chicken liver, 1 cup sprouts, 1 tsp olive oil, 1 knob butter, 1/2 malta orange, 1/2 red onion, 2 lettuce leaves, seeds of 1/4 pomegranate, toasted hazelnuts to garnish, salt and pepper to taste
METHOD: Chop livers to bite-sized pieces. Cook in a knob of butter until they change colour. Keep aside to cool. Boil sprouts till cooked. Drain and let it cool. Thinly slice the lettuce leaves, shock in ice water for 15 mins. Drain thoroughly. Peel malta and separate segments. Slice the onion. Mix all together keeping some pomegranate seeds aside. In a mortar pestle, gently muddle the seeds with a tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over salad
