Wellness and Food

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About my journey

My Name is Premlatha Rajkumar (Poppy)

I created this platform to share wellness stories and great healthy recipes with you.

Wellness begins from making a conscious choice to feeling our best and living our life with wholesome health. .

Early in 2019, I had developed cataract in both my eyes, my entire body was inflamed, the pain and irritation that I was going through made me depressed. Also my beloved husband had just passed away after going through a fatal illness for 6 years. I was also grieving and I had not taken care of myself properly. It was a very difficult period.

As my cataract was preventing proper vision I had to go in for surgery. It was only when they started taking tests before surgery that I found out that I had developed severe type 2 diabetes, and had to be immediately treated for it.

The doctors started me on insulin, twice a day. I started putting on weight and was not feeling my best. I was also grieving for the loss of my husband and the diabetes and its accompanying discomfort in my body was creating extreme stress both physically and emotionally. The doctors did not give me any positive idea about my condition, they said that as days go by my diabetes will become worse.

I then decided the one thing that I knew best, I started connecting with my inner being for solution. Clutter cleaning my thoughts everyday with Ho’oponopono practice as taught by Dr.Hew Len. And invested my thoughts and feelings into the idea that a grand solution is available to heal my body completely.

Through my many experiences I have come to know and understand that imagination is the magic for new creation. The reality playing outside is only a past dream.

Every one of us has access to the world of possibilities through our imagination, we can make the choice to take time to imagine and access possibilities with our feelings, and create a new reality for ourselves.

And so in July 2019 my miracle began. Information on low carb diet and intermittent fasting appeared through people, messages, videos, and books. Especially the book of Dr. Jason Fung, “The Diabetes Code” made a lot of sense to me.

I realized that type 2 Diabetes can be completely reversed as long as the kidneys have not been affected yet. Just following simple dietary rules one can help the body get back its health and vitality.

I started listening to Dr. Fung’s podcasts and videos on YouTube, read all the research and information on how to practice a low carb diet and intermittent fasting.

In August, through the strength and courage given from my inner being, I stopped taking insulin and started intermittent fasting and practiced a low carb diet. My excess weight started dropping steadily, my inflammation disappeared, I was able to walk without help, I felt healthy and young and was immensely grateful for the benevolence of life.

By October 2019 the type 2 diabetes vanished completely, nowadays my fasting sugar stays in the 90s. Recently when I had a blood test for A1c, my sugar level was only 4.9 which is excellent considering my level was a 13.5 in June 2019. It was a most miraculous healing.

Today I am able to walk, exercise, be alert, energetic, able to make good decisions, I am not in the place of fear or depression, and I am able to sleep very well.

My experiences have led me to understand that we live in a loving, benevolent Universe. It is important to know that what we perceive as reality outside is a past story. We can always invest our time to go within, rewrite with imagination and start feeling in our mind, a new wonderful reality for ourselves. The benevolent Universe matches our feelings at all times. Positive thoughts and emotions matter, positive imagination matters, our positive feelings matter, they help bring heaven on earth.

I share my stories with many of my friends and family and have seen many transform their life. So I realize that if I can do it, you can do it also. It took courage to walk the path of intermittent fasting and low carb diet. Also I explored the many ways of substituting carb and sugar and creating great nutritious and tasty recipes.

In these pages I am sharing my success stories on wellness and great healthy recipes that worked wonders to heal my body.

May you be guided and blessed to take charge and live in your best health the rest of your life!

Blessings!

Premlatha Rajkumar (Poppy)

KETO CHICKEN CASSEROLE ~ WITH INDIAN CURRY

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs boneless chicken

1lb broccoli cut to bite size pieces

1 red onion

4 cloves garlic

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

3/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup mayo

2 tablespoon cream cheese

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1/2 cup of almond flour (roasted)

1 tablespoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon garlic paste

1 heaped teaspoon garam masala

1 heaped teaspoon fennel powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder (I added one chopped serrano for more heat)

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1/4 teaspoon clove powder

1/2 teaspoon meat tenderizer

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish

salt to taste

PREPARATION

Cut the boneless chicken to bite size pieces. Place in a bowl and add the garlic and ginger paste, spices and lemon juice and the meat tenderizer and mix well and allow to marinate for an hour.

Then cook the chicken in the pressure cooker or instant pot with just a half cup of water. And preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Now saute the broccoli with a tablespoon of butter , salt and pepper. Take a 9×13 casserole baking dish and arrange the broccoli in it.

Now finely chop the red onion and the garlic cloves add to the pan with a tablespoon of butter and saute them. Spread them on top of the broccoli in the baking dish.

Remove the cooked chicken and add the pieces to the baking dish. Take the broth out and reduce it in the pan if it is more than 1 cup.

Now to the chicken broth add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese, 3/4 cup of heavy cream, cream cheese, 1/3 cup of mayo, and mix them well. Now spread this mixture on to the chicken and vegetables in the baking dish. Then spread the 3 tablespoons of parmesan cheese evenly on top.

Roast the almond flour in a heated pan for a few minutes carefully till it is lightly brown.

Now spread the almond flour on top of the chicken and vegetables in the baking dish. Almond flour spread will be the top layer of the casserole.

Bake for 25 – 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Five minutes before removing spread the cilantro on the top.

After it is well baked allow the casserole to cool for 20 minutes and then enjoy Chicken casserole with curried chicken!

FOR CHOCOLATE LOVERS ~ KETO CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

These chocolate muffins are soft and moist.

They are easy to make and make a delicious snack for anytime.

INGREDIENTS

1 Cup almond flour

1/2 cup of sweetener (erythritol or xylitol)

1/2 cup cocoa powder)

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon instant coffee powder

3 large eggs

2/3 cups heavy cream

6 tablespoons of melted butter

1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips

PREPARATION

Preheat oven for 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine chocolate powder, coffee powder, almond flour, baking powder.

Now add the heavy cream, eggs, and melted butter to the mixture and blend with an electric whisk or blender.

Now add the chocolate chips and combine them into the batter.

Scoop the batter equally into 12 tin muffin pan.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. The muffins are puffed up and spring back to touch. Remove the muffin pan and allow the muffins to cool. The muffins will shrink back a little as they cool.

Enjoy!

KETO PEANUT BUTTER MUFFINS – SOFT & DELICIOUS

These peanut butter muffinns are easy to make and they are soft and delicious.

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs

1/2 cup sweetener ( erythritol or xylitol)

1/2 creamy unsweetened peanut butter

3/4 cup almond milk or coconut milk (unsweetened)

2 1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate chips

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a large bowl add the eggs, sweetener, and peanut butter and beat with an electric whisk.

Now add the unsweetened almond milk and beat it till it blends with the mixture.

Now add the salt, almond flour, and baking powder, vanilla extract and blend them well with the electric whisk till a smooth batter is formed.

Now add the chocolate chips and combine them into the batter with a spatula.

Prepare a muffin tin and pour the batter equally into each muffinn tin, you can also decorate with a few chocolate chips on the top.

Place them in the preheated oven at 325 degrees for 28 minutes. Remove and allow them to cool for 20 minutes

Soft delicious muffinns are ready. Enjoy!

EXCELLENT KETO CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

I love chocolate chip cookies, in fact I love everything chocolate. After starting keto diet, I wanted to make a good cookie that mimics the regular chocolate chip cookie. After trying many recipes, this recipe turned out to be perfect and delicious exactly like regular chocolate chip cookies.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups almond flour

2 eggs

3/4 cups or 1 1/2 sticks of softened butter or 3/4 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup of zero calorie granular sweetener ( erythritol, xylitol)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup of sugarfree chocolate chips ( I use Lily’s chocolate chip that is sweetened with erythritol)

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl add the sugar, butter and beat them with a whisk, then add the eggs and beat them together, then add the almond flour, salt, baking soda, and mix them all with a spatula or your clean hands. After the dough is formed add the chocolate chips and mix them well into the dough.

Now make lemon sized balls with your hands and gently press them into a prepared baking sheet. Place the cookies an inch apart to help them expand while baking.

Bake them for 14 -16 minutes. They will be very soft when they come out of the oven, so allow them to cool for 30 minutes.

Delicious cookies are ready. Enjoy!

DELICIOUS VEGETABLE BUTTER

This delicious dip is made with roasted peanuts and eggplant which is other wise known as brinjal in India and aubergine in Europe.

This is a simple easy recipe that can be used as a spread on bread or a dip for vegetables or crisps. It can also be used as a chutney.

INGREDIENTS

1 large eggplant about a pound in weight

1 green serrano or chili

10 cloves of garlic peeled

1/2 cup of roasted peanuts.

1/4 cup of olive oil & 2 tablespoons of butter

2 teaspoons lemon juice

salt to taste

PREPARATION

Peel the eggplant and roast it with 2 tablespoons of butter in a pan. After it is fully cooked remove and keep aside.

Now add 2 tablespoons of oil and allow the garlic to roast in medium heat , when it truns brown , cut and add the green chili, close the pan with a lid and after the chili splutters and gets roasted, remove from heat and keep aside.

Now in a blender add the dry roasted peanuts and powder it, now add the cooled garlic and chili and make it into a paste, then add the cooled roasted eggplant and lemon juice and salt and blend them to a paste.

Remove into a dish and enjoy as a dip or a spread. You can keep it in the fridge for 2 weeks.

CREAMY SHRIMP CURRY

This is an easy curry recipe, full of flavor. For this curry the shrimp has to be fried separately before adding to the sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the SHRIMP

1 lb of peeled shrimp

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder or chili powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

3 tablespoons of oil for frying

For the SAUCE

1 red onion finely chopped

1 tablespoon garlic paste

1 teaspoon ginger paste

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

2 tomatoes pureed

1 tablespoon butter

1 and a half cups of unsweetened coconut milk

finely chopped cilantro to garnish

PREPARATION

Add spices to the shrimp and mix it well.
Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep pan and fry the shrimp in hot oil for just one minute and remove it onto a plate.
Now in the same oil add the onions and fry them till the flavor comes and the onions are translucent, now add the spices and fry for a few seconds, add ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute, then add the pureed tomatoes and mix well and allow them to cook and thicken, when you see the oil on the sides add the coconut milk.
Allow the sauce to cook and thicken for about 5 minutes in medium heat, stir occasionally.
Now add the fried shrimp and allow to cook for just one minute.
Remove from heat, garnish with chopped cilantro. Enjoy creamy shrimp curry with rice or any kind of bread.

SPICY MUSHROOM

This is a quick easy and delicious mushroom recipe. It is a side dish for rice or bread.

So simple and easy that it can be done in 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of mushrooms cleaned and cubed

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder of cayenne powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala (optional)

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and clove powder if you do not have garam masala (this is also optional.

Olive oil or any other cooking oil

1 tablespoon of gram flour powder (besan) or corn starch

Salt to taste

PREPARATION

In a shallow frying pan add the mushrooms and the spices and salt and mix well . Now add a tablespoon of oil to the mushroom and mix well, then add the gram flour powder and mix well.

Now place the pan on medium high heat on the stove and allow the mushrooms to fry. Keep stirring now and then so that the mushrooms and spices do not get stuck to the pan, add another tablespoon of oil if you need. After 10 minutes the spices and mushrooms are well cooked. Remove from heat. Enjoy with rice or bread or add on top of your omelette.

MUTTER PANEER – East Indian

MUTTER PANEER – East Indian
Mutter Paneer was one of my favorite dishes growing up in India. It is a delicious creamy, spicy gravy that has Indian cottage cheese (paneer) and green peas. Mutter is a Hindi word that means ‘green peas’
I made my easy delicious version of this recipe in my American kitchen.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup cubed paneer
1 cup cooked green peas
1 big red onion sliced
2 tomatoes sliced
1 tablespoon of garlic paste
1 teaspoon kasur methi (dried fenugreek leaves available in Indian grocery)
1 serrano or green chili finely chopped
About 10 whole cashews roasted and powdered

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1/4 teaspoon cloves powder
1/4 teaspoon cardamon powder
1/2 teaspoon or less cayenne powder or red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoon olive oil or any cooking oil
1 tablespoon heavy cream
salt to taste
PREPARATION
Saute the sliced onions in oil and then add the tomatoes and cook them well together then add the garlic paste and fry for a few minutes till the garlic is cooked. Remove from heat and allow this to cool.
Now add this into a blender along with all the dry spice powders and blend well.
Now in a deep pan add the butter and the mixture from the gravy along with the cooked peas and cook them in medium heat, stir now and then, close with a lid partially to cook.
Add the cubed paneer and the finely chopped green chilie to this mixture and continue to cook them.
After about 5 minutes add the cashew powder and the kasur methi to the mixture and stir well. I usually crush the kasur methi before adding it.
Allow the mixture to cook for another 5-7 minutes taste for salt. Now add the tablespoon of heavy cream and mix well into the curry.
Remove from heat and you can garnish with cilantro (optional)
Serve hot with rice or any kind of bread.
Enjoy!

CREAMY SHRIMP CASSEROLE – KETO

CREAMY SHRIMP CASSEROLE – KETO
This is an easy casserole recipe. This delicious recipe is a baked low-carb main dish that is gluten free and can be served with a salad side dish of your choice.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound peeled deveined shrimp
1 pound broccoli washed and chopped
1 red onion or 2 big shallots sliced
8 cloves of garlic chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder or 1 teaspoon red chili powder ( adjust to your taste)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons of butter and a tablespoon of olive oil or any cooking oil
1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mayo
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup almond flour
salt to taste

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute the chopped garlic and onions in a tablespoon of butter. Add salt and spices. Add the red chili powder, back pepper powder, cumin, to it and saute for a few seconds and remove from pan and spread on the baking tray.

Now saute broccoli with a tablespoon of butter for about 5 minutes and spread it on the baking tray.

Now add the shrimp to the pan and add a tablespoon of cooking oil and saute the shrimp for 3 minutes. Add garlic powder and a pinch of chili powder and a pinch of salt to the shrimp, and spread it on top of the vegetables in the baking tray.

Now add a tablespoon of butter to the same pan add the remaining butter and the cream and the grated cheese with the xanthan gum keep them on heat for a minute to mix well. Remove from heat, add the mayo and mix well. Now pour the creamy mixture on to the top of the shrimp and vegetables till they spread evenly.

Now roast the almond powder in a dry pan, cool it and add the grated parmesan to it and mix and then spread this mixture on top. If you like to roast the almond powder till it becomes brown, that is also good. I did not brown my almond powder just roasted a little. You can also garnish with red pepper flakes on the top (optional)

Bake for 20 -25 minutes in the 350 degrees preheated oven.

Allow to cool for 20 minutes. Enjoy!

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – KETO

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES – KETO

This is a very easy recipe, with just 3 ingredients.

You can be adventurous by adding chopped nuts or chocolate chips to your cookies.

I made mine just with peanut butter, sweetener and egg.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup unsweetened peanut butter

1/3 cup zero calorie powdered sweetener ( erythritol or xylitol)

1 large egg

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a mixing bowl combine 1 cup of unsweetened peanut butter, add the powdered sugar and 1 large egg.

Mix them well with a spatula at least for a minute or two till the mixture becomes a non- sticky cookie dough.

Now use your hand to make balls of cookies and place on your prepared cookie sheet ( lined with non-stick silicone mat or parchment paper)

Flatten all the cookie balls with fork to form a design on the cookies and place them in the preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Remove and allow them to cool completely. Enjoy!