A mild yet flavourful soup made with brown stock, ketchup and macaroni, the macaroni soup is a favourite with kids. They love the very sight of macaroni floating on a tempting soup. Add to the temptation by sprinkling a little grated cheese on top and serving piping hot with garlic bread.

Corn chips covered with salsa and cheese. A perfect starter for a party.

What a combination! vibrant broccoli and flavourful peaches brought together in a creamy curd dressing loaded with crunchy veggies, indeed this is a treat for food-lovers. You will love the interplay of mustard with the curds, as also the unique topping of almond slivers which adds to the crunch of this salad. Serve broccoli and peaches in curd dressing chilled, after refrigerating for at least an hour so the arrangement settles.

I remember a time when we had to go long distances to lay our hands on mushrooms! but, nowadays they are available quite commonly, even at the local stores. The quality of mushrooms is quite essential to ay recipe using it. Making this starter using the microwave highlights the best characteristics of healthy spinach and delicious mushrooms. The colour, the crunchy feel, the inborn flavour, nothing is lost. Remember to use a combination of cheeses, as mentioned, to get the gooey mouth feel. Don’t fret if the mushrooms let out a little water while cooking. Just discard that water before serving.

A quick jammy snack.

Tagliatelle is a flat ribbon pasta which is native to Naples, the home of pasta dishes. Spinach tagliatelle tossed in mustard and brandy flavoured cheese sauce with the freshness of mushrooms and broccoli is simply marvelous. The addition of cheese spread to the sauce makes it of good thick coating consistency. Like the city of Naples, this sauce is mellow and sophisticated. This sauce also works well using plain fettuccine or spaghetti.

Potato cups filled with a cheese vegetable mixture. I have used a mixture of mushrooms and peas for the stuffing, but you may use any combination of vegetables that strike your fancy. Remember to place a bowl of water in the centre of the microwave, while cooking the potatoes, to prevent them from dehydrating.

Rainbow salad, simple to make and easy to digest! this salad is bountiful of nutrients like vitamin a and c, which act as antioxidants. Ageing takes toll on our skin via wrinkles and blemishes, heres a healthy salad to keep your skin healthy and glowing.

Well, you love idlis, but what if you have no batter on hand? here is a quick and equally tasty (in fact, spicier!) version of idlis made with semolina. Since the batter requires no fermentation, this recipe is a quick-fix! for extra zing, add a little grated ginger to this dish.

Suggested serving size for 100 calories: 2 wraps make the best use of aromatic basil, tangy lemon juice, spicy dry red chillies and zesty soya sauce in these remarkable lettuce wraps. Antioxidant rich veggies add loads of health as well.

The sweetness of the baby corn is complemented well by the spicy marinade in this luscious and easy-to-make starter. This satay is a great match even for dieters, since it is rich in fibre and calcium but low in calories.

Peas pulao! who doesn’t know about it, who doesn’t like it? even kids like to safely order peas pulao when you take them to a new restaurant, because it is quite a simple dish and difficult to spoil! i somehow feel that making this in the microwave retains the colour and crunchiness of the peas, the texture of the rice, and the sweetness of the spices better than other cooking methods. The mild fragrance of condiments that emanates when this pulao cooks transforms the kitchen into a heavenly location! ensure you stir well in between so that the rice grains do not stick to each other. Serve with kadhi to make a complete meal.

Who can say no to Thai -style noodles, stir-fried with tofu and bean sprouts, laced with a tinge of ginger and garlic? Peanuts and bean sprouts impart an exciting crunchy texture to this tangy, easy noodle preparation. Tofu, for its part, boosts the protein and iron content of this dish. I have used rice noodles but added other fibre-rich veggies, bean sprouts etc to make this recipe diabetic -friendly.

As a fitting end to a feisty dinner, try these soya-charged pancakes, which are made with whole wheat flour and served with strawberry sauce. An ideal combination of all your favorite foods to be enjoyed whole-heartedly by all including diabetics! Freshly made sauce enhances the classical effect of this dessert, however you can make it in bulk and store in refrigerator. Soya is good for health as it is rich in fibre, phytochemmicals and other nutrients. This is such a neat way to incorporate soya into your diet, isn't it?