Healthy Pumpkin Dosa

The bright oranged color of pumpkin is is loaded with an important antioxidant, beta-carotene. Beta-carotene is one of the plant carotenoids converted to vitamin A in the body. In the conversion to vitamin A, beta carotene performs many important functions in overall health.
Current research indicates that a diet rich in foods containing beta-carotene may reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer and offers protect against heart disease. Beta-carotene offers protection against other diseases as well as some degenerative aspects of aging.

Pumpkins also contain potassium, fiber, and iron. Pumpkin seed oil and pumpkin seeds are a good source of unsaturated fatty acids ("good fats"). Pumpkin seeds are very good sources of the minerals magnesium, manganese, and phosphorous, and good sources of tryptophan (an amino acid essential for growth and normal metabolism), iron, copper, zinc, and protein.

A study by the USDA indicated that diets high in pumpkin as a fiber source tend to curb the appetite, while providing high nutritional count for the calories consumed. Subjects also absorbed less fat and calories from their food.

So we saw that Pumpkin is a very healthy vegetable. But unfortunately it is not a favourite of many. My husband also does not like it. My children only like to eat pumpkins when I use them in kuzhambu. So I try to use pumpkins in such a way that they don't come to know that I have added it to the food.

One such recipe is Healthy Pumpkin Dosa.

Healthy Pumpkin Dosa 

Ingredients

Raw Rice - 2 cup

Grated Coconut - 1/4 cup

Red Chilli Powder - 1 tb.sp

Shredded Pumpkin - 4 cups

Onion - 1

Mustard Seeds - 1 t.sp (optional)

Cumin Seeds - 1 t.sp (optional)

Salt to taste

Method

Soak the rice for about 3 hours. Grind it to a smooth paste along with coconut, chilli powder & shredded pumpkin. Add salt. And keep it covered for about 5 to 6 hrs. Better over night. Heat oil in a pan. Season the mustard and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onion & saute for a few minutes, till the onion becomes translucent.  Add this to the dosa batter.  Heat a dosa tawa, smear it with oil slightly and make dosas. Try to make thin dosas as far as possible. Serve hot with the chutney or sambhar of your choice.

This Healthy Pumpkin Dosa is going to AFAM - Pumpkins event guest hosted by Madhuram of Eggless Cooking. AFAM (A Fruit A month) was initially started by Maheswari of Beyond The Usual to appreciate the goodness of fruits.

and 

The Rice Mela hosted by Srivalli of Cooking 4 All Seasons

Whole Grain Foods

Since Whole grain foods have been proven to be good for fighting diabetes I am re-posting my earlier posts

Instant Bulgur Rava Idli

 




Nutrition Powered Oats Dosa has been prepared using oats and cornmeal

Cucumber has also been proven good for fighting diabetes since it contains a hormone needed by the cells of the pancreas for producing insulin. So re-posting my previous post.
Sour Cream Cucumber Salad







Gooseberry contains chromium. It has a therapeutic value in diabetics. Indian Gooseberry or Amla stimulate the isolated group of cells that secrete the hormone insulin. Thus it reduces blood sugar in diabetic patient. Just now read this in Illatharasi's roundup of AFAM - Gooseberry. So reposting my previous post 
Refreshing Gooseberry Squash

This post of course contains sugar in the original recipe. But then I have mentioned at the end of the post an alternative for the diabetic patients also.


These posts are my entries for the contest Eat Healthy - Fight Diabetes hosted by Sangeeth of Art of Cooking Indian Food