Bhavna's Kitchen: From Top Food Influencer to Nutrition Expert, Bhavna Patel Shares her Journey
“The thali is being replaced by instant take-aways. The fast lifestyle, the boom in the food processing industry has disabled people and made them nutritionally lazy.” Today’s woman dreamer, Bhavna Patel, returns to Women Who Win, to share her recent journey in studying nutrition and in educating her audience on healthy eating and lifestyle. With her creative spin on traditional and fusion Indian dishes, she has built an audience of millions of viewers around the world across social media with her simple, fun, and eclectic recipes. She also shares her must-try poha recipe, and her key kitchen essentials. Enjoy!
1. We shared your story on Women Who Win last year, and how you built your online cooking empire. You recently studied nutrition, and are aiming to bring more nutrition and healthy recipes. Tell us more about your studies here?
It was an honor & privilege to share my youtube journey with Women Who Win. Thank you so much for having me here again.
It’s been over a year, I have been studying Nutrition and got National Nutrition Program Certification. This year in August, I achieved Meditation Teacher Training and about to finish Yoga Teacher Training this month. Diving deeper into all these has been on to do list for a very long time and finally, I got some time to work on the wishlist!
2. What are some of your key healthy ingredients you keep in your kitchen?
I stock variety of lentils, beans, whole grains, nuts, seeds, spices of all kinds. I shop fresh produce every week that includes vegetables, fruits, & dairy.
3. How do you aim to use your platform to educate Indians on healthy eating?
I personally strongly believe that Indian food can be the healthiest option if we learn what to eat, how much to eat and when to eat. I have been enjoying my traditional Indian food for all my life and will continue to enjoy forever! Healthy eating is so simple but we have made it so complicated.
The fast lifestyle, the boom in the food processing industry has disabled people and made them nutritionally lazy. The thali is being replaced by instant take-aways. The shift from traditional to modern food, change in the cooking process, increased intake of processed and ready to eat food, intense marketing of so-called healthy junk food and health beverages had affected the perception of food as well as dietary behaviors. There is a lack of vigilant control over the nutritional value of food in the food process industry. We are repeatedly told from our childhood about the importance of proper healthy diet, habits, and preventive measures to maintain good physical & mental health. We also hear and read every day in the media for health-friendly products & services. But we forget how and what to eat.Follow the concept of Indian thali religiously. The only change in the concept of traditional thali is requiring cut down quantity as we are leading a mostly sedentary lifestyle. I would encourage to eat two sabjis, a roti, daal, chawal, with yogurt is definitely still a great choice.
4. You are certainly a dynamic woman. What's coming up next on Bhavna's Kitchen?
As I mentioned earlier, It’s been over a year, I have been studying Nutrition and got National Nutrition Program Certification. This year in August, I achieved Meditation Teacher Training and about to finish Yoga Teacher Training this month. My study hours leave me barely any time to update social medias. It’s been a while, I was not able to post much across my social media and I would like to get connected with my followers again. I am planning to share my passion for building a healthy relationship with food and my spiritual journey of practicing meditation & yoga to inspire community around me to live life blissfully.
5. Please share one of your new recipes with us. Please provide the ingredient list, directions, and a photo of the completed dish!
Lately, I have been making very simple meals and poha (beaten rice) with plenty of vegetable choices has been one of my quick & easy meal. Sometimes, I mix some whole grains like cooked barley or quinoa or oats to poha as well. Sprouted mung bean, chickpeas can go well as well if serving poha for lunch or dinner. The possibilities are endless with poha. Let me share here that how one simple ingredient can do a magic to your simple meals!
Nutritionists acknowledge poha's high nutrient value and recommend it as one of the healthiest Indian breakfasts. “Poha is a wholesome meal. It is a good source of carbohydrates, packed with iron, rich in fibre, a good source of antioxidants and essential vitamins and is gluten free.
Poha is the best breakfast recipe as it is low in calories which helps in weight loss. A bowl of cooked poha is just 250 calories. Of course if you will add veggies to it, the count will increase but so will the number of minerals, anti-oxidants and vitamins.
Ingredients for preparing basic poha:
1.5 cup jada / thick poha flattened rice
2 tablespoon oil
1/4 cup peanuts
1/4 teaspoon jeera / cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon rai / mustard seeds
5 cadipatta / curry leaves
1 green chilli split in two
1/3 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
3/4 cup chopped onion
3/4 teaspoon salt divided
1/4 teaspoon haldi / turmeric powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
Wash the poha a few times in running water until it softens. Then strain out all the water, and set it aside in a covered bowl (so that it doesn’t dry out).
In a pan, heat up a little oil, and roast the peanuts for a couple of minutes, till they get well roasted. Then take the peanuts out of the oil, and set them aside.
Now, in the same heated oil, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Wait till the mustard seeds start popping, then add curry leaves, green chilli and hing. Mix and let it all roast for a minute or two on medium heat.
Next add in the chopped onions, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Mix well, and saute till the onions develop a golden brown color.
Once the onions are done, add in the poha that was set aside earlier, along with haldi, and rest of the salt. Mix everything well.
At this point you can add the lemon juice (though it is optional) & chopped coriander leaves.
Give everything a quick mix, and cover & cook on low heat for 3-5 mins. Then add in the roasted peanuts & serve hot.