Popcorn Walnut Croquette, a Healthy Combination

Walnut is a weird-looking nut. I read somewhere that it looks like brain and that is why it is very good for the body. It is an excellent source of omega-3, Protein and Fiber. In this recipe it partners with the healthy corn and rice to make a crunchy and healthful snack.

Corn is another important ingredient in our day-to-day life. You can find corn in more than 5000 food products in variety of forms. Corn syrup, corn flakes, roasted corn, corn on the cob, breakfast bars, rice crispy treats for kids, corn salads and the list goes on.

The croquette is baked in the oven to form a crisp texture outside and it tastes nutty and yummy, thanks to the walnut. It is very quick to make and very difficult for your guests to guess the ingredients. So try it for a quick evening snack.

Ingredients

Popcorn- 2 cups

Walnut- 2 tablespoons(chopped finely)

Lettuce Leaves- 1-2

Coriander leaves- a fistful or Basil Leaves

Rice Flour - 1 Tablespoon

Green chillies- 2 Finely chopped

Cumin powder- 1/4 teaspoon

Lemon Juice- 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Recipe

Soak the popcorn in water for 10 minutes and squeeze out the water. Add the chopped walnuts, coriander leaves, green chillies, cumin, rice flour and salt. Mix well and shape them into oval-shaped balls. Add some more rice flour if needed. Put them on aluminium foil or baking tray (greased) and bake in a preheated oven at 400 till they are golden brown in color. This takes about 15-20 minutes. Take the croquettes out when done and let them cool. Add a dash of lemon juice, place them in lettuce bowls and serve.

This croquette tests really nice with coriander and mint chutney. Coriander, sometimes referred as cilantro or dhania, is an annual herb. It adds nice fresh taste to your recipe and mostly used to give finishing touch to your dish.

You can follow this recipe to prepare nice coriander and mint chutney.Use this chutney as a bread spread or as a dipping sauce with tortilla chips. I am sure it won't disappoint you.

Ingredients

Coriander- 1 cup chopped

Mint leaves- half cup chopped

Grated fresh coconut (or frozen)-12 cup

Juice of one Small Lime

Green chillies- 5-6 chopped

Salt to taste

Put all the ingredients into a mixer and grind them to a paste. Season it with salt and store the chutney in the fridge.

Fruits Before Meal

Studies have shown that eating some fruits or drinking 1-2 cups of fruit juice 20-40 minutes before meals can prevent obesity caused by eating too much. Because fruit or fruit juice is rich in fructose and glucose which can be quickly absorbed by the body to raise blood glucose concentration and reduce appetite. Crude fiber contained in the fruit can let the stomach have sense of satiety. In addition, eating fruits before meals can significantly reduce the demand for fatty food, it is indirectly prevent the excessive accumulation of fat in the body. However, many fruits such as persimmon, hawthorn fruit, almond, pineapple, and so on can not be eaten on an empty stomach. It is best to choose fruits which the acidity and astringency are not too strong, such as apples, pears, bananas, grapes, watermelons, melons, and so on before meals.

And it is difficult to achieve the effect of weight loss eating fruits after a meal. Because eating fruit after a meal is tantamount to eating excess sugar, this part of the extra sugar can be translated into fat and store in the body easily, and gain your weight.

CHOOSE FRUITS WITH LESS SUGAR

According to research, the glycemic index of pineapple, papaya, bananas, grapes is high, slimmers should avoid eating too many of these fruit. Like apples, kiwifruit, lemons, plums, cherries, citrus, and so on have lower blood sugar, is the better choice of slimmers.

DO NOT OVER EAT

Most people believe that the fruit is rich in cellulose, almost no fat and protein, and uncontrolled consumption. In fact, this is a misunderstanding. For instance every 100 g of strawberries contain about 30 calories, if you like to eat strawberry and eat a lot of, the calories intake is staggering. Another example is to eat a half medium-large watermelon, intake of calories is about 680kcal, to be equivalent to three bowls of rice.

In conclusion, fruits are blessings from nature to human and must be utilized to our advantage. After all, it's cheap and readily available. As long as the methods are right, there will be a lot of results of fruit weight loss. However, we must not substitute fruits for staple food and dinner. After all, the fruit's nutrients are incomplete, if there is long term use of fruit in place of meals, there may be consequences and the whole will be in jeopardy. Above all, balance should be the motto.

Eating fruits can prevents obesity because they are rich in fructose and glucose. They also have crude fiber that will fill the stomach and can give sense of satiety. If eating fruits is done properly without over eating, it will results in weight loss. However fruits can not replace staple food.