Of Motivations - Recipe: Buckwheat and Whole Wheat Flour Pancakes

Of Motivations:
After the long holiday season I found it extremely difficult to get back into my routine for exercising. Convenient for me the pool that I go to closes during the holidays. Perfect excuse not to go and it wasn't my fault. So when the holidays came to an end and the first day of the working week rolled around I still found reasons not to go convincing myself that I would go the next day.

The same thing happened again the next morning. After a December of balmy weather, New Year brought with it some freezing temperatures and to get out in that weather is always not pleasant and with the winds howling it was not encouraging Finally I dragged myself and needless to say once it is done it feels good.

I am sure that is not just my problem. I read this piece in the Washington Post about Habits. In short,

1. It is not self-control that controls our behaviors. Most tasks are done by habit and the people who do regularly exercise are doing it because they have made it a habit.
2. Sadly apps only help to monitor but not necessarily change behavior. But some group apps can provide motivation.
3. Though it is a common belief that a habit can be learned in 21 days, looks like some habits require a shorter time to form and some require longer time, one of which is exercise, takes close to an year.
4. Finding a consistent time and place to do an activity is more conducive to exercising than anything else.
5. Learning about the benefits of a certain behavior does not necessarily steer people towards better habits actually doing them is what changes behavior and helps in forming habits.

I wish there was a magic wand that we can wave and have us be motivated to start exercising. But sadly we all know that is not happening. Setting up an environment that propels us to exercise is what we can do.

1. Having a friend or an exercise partner is one way to keep motivated.
2. I have a colleague at work who is in a facebook group that does challenges to keep people motivated and doing activities.
3. Find a time that works best. For me it is early morning. I start feeling guilty if I don't use that time for some form of exercise - stretching, swimming, walking.
Share would you what techniques work for you.

With that out of the way, now on to the recipe,
It is just easy buying pancake mixes rather than trying to mix them on my own. The problem though is I have all these different kinds of flours that had been purchased over time including millet flours, buckwheat flour and different kinds of whole wheat flours that take too much space in my pantry.

While the millet flours can be used for making chapathis and rotis, while methinks the whole wheat flour and buckwheat flour is more suited for making pancakes at least in my mind. The holidays seemed the perfect time to give this a try rather than a weekday morning which is when I usually make pancakes.

I started with wanting to make the pancakes just with the buckwheat flour but then I wasn't sure if it will work just by itself and used a combination of whole wheat flour that I also had. I based my recipe off of this recipe from Cookie + Kate.

I added only one egg to the flour just that the egg I used had two yolks :). Soft and fluffy pancakes and lot more tasty compared to just using all purpose flour.

Take the buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, and whisk them together.
Add the buttermilk to the flour.
Whisk the egg (mine had 2 yolks) and add to the flour.
Whisk together the egg and buttermilk mixture to a smooth pour able batter. Add more water if required.
Heat a skillet and grease with oil or butter. Pour a ladle full of batter. Let it cook in one side, when you see bubbles forming flip and cook on the other sides (about 45 secs to a minute on each side).

Buckwheat and Whole Wheat Flour Pancakes
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:25 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 cup buckwheat flour
2. 1 cup whole wheat flour
3. 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
4. 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
5. 1 tbsp sugar
6. 1 egg
7. 2 cups of buttermilk (I used 1/2 cup of plain homemade yogurt whisked with 1 1/2 cups of water)

Method

1. Whisk together buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour,sugar, baking soda and powder.
2. Beat the egg and keep it ready.
3. Add in the buttermilk and mix it in followed by the egg to form a smooth pour-able batter. Add more water if required.
4. Heat a skillet or griddle and grease it with oil. Pour a ladle of batter to form a small round about 2-3 inches in diameter. Let cook on one side.
5. In about 45 seconds to a minute you will see bubbles appearing on top and it should be ready to flip. Make sure one side is completely cooked before flipping (or it will break).
6. Cook on the other side. Repeat till all the batter is finished.

Absolutely soft and fluffy pancakes are ready. Serve with maple syrup, butter or jelly.


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Delhi style sweet and sour pumpkin / squash

New Year signals the end of the holiday season and the gluttony that goes with it.How would you like to get back to eating right and also most importantly to keep up with the New Year resolutions regarding food that we made?

Making light but tasty meals is not all that hard if we have the right recipe and ingredients on hand. While exercising keeps you healthy by keeping diseases at bay, keeping those unwanted pounds off requires eating healthy wholesome food and avoiding those sweets.

If you grow winter squash and have a cool place to keep them, they keep good for 3-4 months without problems. Remember the North Georgia Candy Roaster? I have a few more left. Did not want to make sambhar or a stir fry or the halwa even though it was extremely tasty.

This recipe for Delhi style sweet and sour pumpkin from Backyard Lemon Tree by way of Life Time of Cooking. An easy enough recipe and does not need too much baby sitting.

You can use butternut squash, orange pumpkin or any other orange colored squash for this recipe. The recipe called for cumin, kalonji and fennel seeds. I did not have kalonji or nigella seeds but had panch poran which besides the 3 called for spices also had fenugreek and yellow mustard seeds. Nigella seeds have this amazing smell which has to be the highlight.



Recipe in pictures,

Peel and cut the squash/pumpkin into cubes. Heat oil in a wide mouthed flat pan and when hot add the whole spices.
When the spices sizzle add the red chilies followed by the cubed squash.
Cover and cook the squash till it gets soft Add the turmeric, chili,lime or lemon juice and salt and mix it in and cook for a few more minutes.
Mash it a a little bit and turn off the heat.

Recipe Source:Delhi style sweet and sour pumpkin
Delhi sweet and sour pumpkin
Preparation Time:20 minutes
Cooking Time:30-40 minutes
Ingredients

1. 1 North Georgia Candy Roaster, skin peeled and cubed (about 4 cups)
2. 1/2 tbsp panch poran (includes kalonji,cumin, fenugreek seeds, yellow mustard seeds and fennel seeds)
3. 4 red chilies split in half and seeds removed.
4. 1 sprig of curry leaves
5. 1 tsp chili powder
6. 2 tsp turmeric powder
7. 2 tsp lemon/lime juice or 2 tsp amchur powder
8. 2 tsp palm sugar or jaggery
9. 2 tsp of oil
10. salt to taste

Method

1. Heat oil in a wide mouthed heavy bottomed pan or a kadai and add the panch poran and let it come to a sizzle.
2. Add in the red chilies followed by the curry leaves.
3. Add in the cubed squash/pumpkin and let it saute for couple of minutes.
4. Add about 1/4 cup of water, cover and cook for about 20-25 minutes till the squash is soft.
5. Add the turmeric, chili and lemon juice and salt and mix it in. Cook for another 5 minutes or so and turn off the heat.

Serve as a side with rice or it goes well with chapathi or roti.

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