Love Nutrilov

A bunch of Nutrilov been sitting on my desk for quiet sometime, it was sent to me for tasting. These are some neatly wrapped and packaged granola bars. Hummm packaged food I am not fond of them, so well they kept sitting there.

However one busy morning, I just grabbed a pack of it in a rush while running to teach a very early morning class at University, yes no time for breakfast, and it is three hours stint, I know I cant go without food, so lets give this baby a try. Checked its label on the way; good! no artificial ingredients or preservative,  wow for 137 calories a bar it is not bad, looks like I am gonna eat it.

Munched on it during the class break and it tasted totally awesome a beautiful blend of nutty, earthy and mildly sweet flavour. The toasted oats, chocolate bits, flaked coconut totally yum, gilt free, healthy and filled me up until 3:00pm, when I got to eat my lunch well that is definitly good mileage.

I decided to do a bit of talking with the enterpreneurs who came up with this idea and of course I wanted to buy more, so were my cousins and friends since I had been bragging about it.

Madiha and her husband with therr passion for healthy food, had hard time like many of us health and fitness freaks finding nutrient rich delicious food easily. They realized that there is a huge market gap for nutrient packed healthy organic food in Pakistan. Most of us either create and cook our own healthy meals and snacks or just eat the available junk. Yes making great granola bar is a speciality with Madiha and with this perfect recipe she tarted baking them to sell, her husband very fondly named it ‘Nutrilov’ and did fabulous branding. This is mainly an online brand https://www.facebook.com/nutrilovpk.

I asked Madiha ‘why Nutrilove when the imported granola bars are on supermarket shelves”? I could not agree with her response, ‘most of these imported brands are laden with sugar and additives’.

 Nutrilov is a wonderful blend of rolled oats, real fruits, nuts, honey and brown sugar. Freshly baked and have good keeping quality, the pack says it is good for 20 days in refrigerator, well mine been sitting on office desk for a month and taste perfectly fresh. I tuck a pack of it in my purse all the time now, specially if I am somewhere where I don’t know when I get my next meal, like traveling, photo expeditions or on fields. Keeps me filled, gives me energy and is nutritious. Love on the go it is.

The brand got an overwhelming response and is a straight hit with whoever tried them. Each bar is priced at Rs. 100, and can be ordered online via Facebook page, also are delivered all over Pakistan. Nutrilov is also stocked at IBA campuses in Karachi, T2F, and are a regular vendor at the Karachi Farmer’s Market.

 Nutrilov is my new love!

Spinach Soup

Cream of Spinach Soup

Spinach is considered worlds healthiest food

 

Spinach is considered worlds healthiest food, and I am proud of having some part of my kitchen garden growing fresh spinach for most part of the year. Spinach is nutrient dense vegetable packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. It is a good source of vitamins A, B2, C and K, and also contains magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium and potassium.

Benefits of Spinach are endless,  it possess anti-inflamatory properties, fights against cancer, lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Helps immune system and brain functions.

Crunchy fresh huge spinach leaves growing in my kitchen garden

Here goes the recipe of the Cream of Spinach Soup

Serves 4-5

Ingredients: 

350gms fresh Spinach leaves washed stems removed and chopped

1 Litre Chicken Stock

1 Large: Potato cubed with skin on boiled and set aside

4 Table spoon Olive oil or butter

1 medium onion chopped

¼ cup chopped green onions

1 teaspoon Curry powder

2 tablespoons  maida/white flour

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

½ cups or 100gms- Labaneh/Double Cream (use tetra pack of cream) 

Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:

- Boil the potato cubes and set aside

- In a big sauce pan pour olive oil and heat

-Saute the onions until tender and fragrant

-Add boiled drained potatoes and cook for 2 minutes

- Add chopped spinach, curry powder and cook for 5 minutes until spinach are wilted,  turn off fire

-Using a hand blender/smoothie maker puree the spinach mixture and add lemon juice

-Take ¼ cup chicken stalk stir flour in it and make a batter like paste

-Turn on the fire and slowly add the flour and stock paste in the puree and stir fast so no lumps are formed

-Now simmer for 2-3 minutes

-Take out 1 cup of the soup and add the Labaneh/Cream and stir it until very smooth.(Please note  Labaneh is soft greek yogurt and has less calorie then thick cream, I always use Labaneh).

-Add it back in the soup pot, stir and turn off the fire, add salt

-Ladle in individual cups, top with parsley, and Labaneh, croutons and freshly cracked black peppers

-Serve with hot rolls or bread slices

Pumpkin Bisque

 

Creamy pumpkin bisque served with zatar rolls

Originating from France, Bisque is a traditionally creamy smooth soup with a base cooked with shellfish stock. However, this vegetarian version of Bisque is equally tasteful, satisfying and nutrition packed. The base of pumpkin, giving it the velvety, rich and creamy signature texture of Bisque, slightly sweet and tangy hint of apples gives it a unique blend of delicate flavor that is refreshing. Sea vegetable adds on a whopping amount of vital vitamins and minerals including calcium, iron, zinc, manganese, folate, vitamins A & K, and iodine.

 

Low on calories and high on nutrition, this Bisque is a great choice for a starter or a perfect lunch paired with freshly baked rolls.

Great choice for Appetizers, Lunch, Dinner!!

Ingredients:

-700gms Pumpkins cubed

-1 medium Onion chopped

-2  cooking apples

-1 tbsp dried sea vegetable Arame(optional)

-2 tbsp cold pressed vegetable oil or olive oil

-2 tsp Lemon juice

-1 tsp Curry powder

-½ tsp Peppers

-6 cups/ 1.5 litres Vegetable Stock

Salt to taste

 

Cooking Instructions:

1-    Peel and cube the pumpkin, and one apple

2-    Chop onions

3-    In a 3 quart stock pot saute onion in olive oil for 5 minutes, add curry powder cook for another 2-3 minutes

4-    Now add the cubed pumpkin and apple and vegetable stock

5-    Let cook for 20 minutes or until the vegetable are all mushy

6-    While the vegetable are cooking, wash Arame and soak in little water for 5 minutes, and all in the vegetable during the last 5 minutes of cooking 

7-    Using a hand held smoothie blender or vitamix puree the vegetable

8-    You will get a thick creamy textured puree, can add little water to adjust consistency. This will be a thick textured soup without use of any thickener

9-    Add salt pepper, and 1/2 tsp lemon juice

10- Grate or julienne the second apple and toss in 1-1/2tsp lemon juice

11- Ladle soup in bowls hot or cold and garnish with a generous amount of grated apple

12- Serve as part of multicourse course dinner, for lunch serve with salad or roll. Here I have served  it with wholewheat zatar rolls

Silky smooth pumpkin soup serve hot garnished with shredded apples