Review and Unboxing: Etekcity WiFi Smart Scale, USB Rechargeable Bluetooth Body Fat Scale

Hello Weight Watchers,

               This etekcity scale will make it easy for you to get the amount of data you want to meet your goals. This body composition scale is designed to strike a right balance by giving you detailed information about Weight, Body Fat, Body Water, Muscle Mass, Bone Mass, Protein, BMR, Metabolic Age, Visceral Fat, Subcutaneous Fat, Fat-Free Body Weight, and BMI.

We found it is a nice set of scales with all the features it has.

So if you want a good set of scales, Etekcity's all scales are vast, that syncs all your details.

YouTube Video:

              If you want all the features to work, you'll have to download this Etekcity's VSync App and set a user profile on your mobile phone. Then when you stand on it wait for the weight to register then after a few seconds, you'll see a 0 mark across the screen, and it will beep once it has done BMI, body fat, muscle, water, and bone density. This smart body scale can measure from 11lb-400lb. It has three units to measure the weight and other parameters. So you can weigh your weight in lbs, kg, and in grams too. Cheap on the wallet.

                This scale has met all of our expectations. I set it for my husband and me, and it shows all the info that I'm looking for. Plus it's very consistent. I can see how weight, BMI, etc. vary and set some goals based on its readings. Also, very easy to read. Much more comfortable than the non-digital scale, I was using, and weight appears more consistent than on the older scale, plus the additional information. 

Here are some features of Etekcity Body Fat Scale:

• 12 Essential Measurements: VeSync calculates helpful data for you: Weight, Body Fat, Body Water, Muscle Mass, Bone Mass, Protein, BMR, Metabolic Age, Visceral Fat, Subcutaneous Fat, Fat-Free Body Weight, and BMI. Many other smart scales offer only 6 data points
• Support 8 Users
• Detailed Design: 4 high-accuracy sensors deliver accurate weight measurements up to 400 lb (180 kg) in 0.2 lb (0.05 kg) increments. Get solid footing on the generously sized 11.8 x 11.8-inch platform
• Store all your data in one location to track your progress—Download Free App: Get the free VeSync app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store! Sync your fitness data with Apple Health, Google Fit, and Fitbit.

Chicken Samosa Instant Pot and Air Fryer Recipe:

Hello Foodies,

          This classic, crispy and flavorsome Indian snack is full of flavor and spices, and can be made in your instant pot and to get crispy edges fried in an air fryer! Biting into greasy fritters and samosas must be my one of the ultimate closet pleasures. But I must say, though, that after about one plate of onion fritters or 1 samosa, McDreamy takes over and I worry myself sick over the amount of grease I have consumed. Well, no more… Now, I have found a way to reduce the oily, greasy food, without compromising the taste and can satisfy my cravings for most of the Indian fried snacks. Making homemade chicken samosas in the airfryer is so much healthier than fast food or frozen samosas. Stuffing made with ground chicken and some Indian spices in instant pot and covering or pastry made using all purpose flour (you can use whole wheat flour too) and then air fried until golden-brown and crispy from outside. These also happen to be egg-free, so they are also great for kids with egg allergies. You can bake these samosas.

        Making stuffing for samosas in an instant pot is so easy to make and very tasty! And frying the samosas in an air fryer is not only a healthy and nutritious option but also I do not need to waste a whole bottle of cooking oil in the frying process. You will need only 30-45 minutes of preparation and cooking time for this super simple snack that is sure to be a crowd pleaser. 

YouTube Video:

Here are some of my favorite Air Fryer Recipes:

• Air Fryer Sweet Dumplings/Mawa Karanji
• Air Fryer Indian Fiery Red Chicken 65 
• Air Fryer crispy Okra Fry
• Air Fryer Simple and healthy Bitter Gourd Fry

            This samosa is now(because of the instant pot and air fryer) guilt-free comfort food. I like to invent recipes that are easy to make, but also needs fewer ingredients and not so hard on the budget. I have made this chicken samosas in my Go wise air fryer; you could make them in your oven too! Whenever I prepare ground chicken, leftover goes into my Parathas, Samosas, or into the empanadas. This Instant pot and air fryer Chicken Samosas are always winning in my house. 

Why I used Instant Pot to Cook Chicken here? Or why not stove top?

          Pressure cook function of an instant pot, cook food very quickly, that tender shredded chicken that you cook in the slow cooker takes 7-8 hours, but you will get the same result in just 10-15 minutes with an instant pot.

Why I fried Samosas or other deep-fried delicacies into Air Fryer?

           I have been using this GoWise air fryer for the last nine months, and it helped me to turn my favorite deep-fried delicacies into healthier indulgences. It's all the delicious without the grease and fat. Traditional frying cooks by deep-frying foods in hot oil.  The air fryer works alternatively by coating food in a thin layer of oil while circulating air heated up cooks foods, with 70%-80% less oil than a traditional deep fryer.

Ingredients:

To Prepare Dough:

• All Purpose Flour 1 ½ Cup
• Salt ½ Tsp
• Carom seeds ½ Tsp
• Milk Powder 1 Tbsp(you may use baking powder 1 Tsp)
• Ghee/Butter 1 Tbsp, melted
• Oil few drops to grease the dough
• Water to knead the dough

To Prepare Stuffing For Samosa in instant pot: 

• Ground Chicken( Chicken Keema) 200 g
• Onion 1 small, finely chopped
• Tomato 1 small, finely chopped
• Olive Oil 2 Tsp
• Green Chillies 2 Strips, finely chopped
• Ginger garlic paste ½ Tbsp 
• Red chili powder ½ Tbsp
• Garam Masala ½ Tsp
• Amchur powder 1 Tsp
• Salt 1 Tsp
• Coriander leaves 2 Tbsp, chopped
• Olive oil 2 Tsp
• Water 3-4 Tbsp
• Egg to give an egg wash

Instructions:

To Make Dough for Samosas:

• In a mixing bowl add all purpose flour, salt, milk powder, carom seeds, and melted ghee and mix all well (ghee should be evenly mixed with the flour).
• Now, add water and knead to make a soft dough(the dough should be pliable but yet not as smooth as for rotis, it should be a little hard).
• Keep the dough covered for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, grind dough in a mixer grinder, or you may use a food processor to make it soft or knead the dough using hands to make it smooth.

To Prepare Stuffing for Chicken Samosa in Instant Pot:

• Turn on an instant pot on the saute mode and heat oil.
• Add onion, tomatoes, green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, ground chicken, red chili powder, garam masala, salt, amchur powder, and coriander leaves and saute and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Now add water 3-4 Tbsp and mix all well
• Close the lid and place the vent on sealing position and cook 
• on manual mode(Hi) for 3 minutes.
• NPR for 5 Minutes and then release the remaining pressure manually.
• Open the lid and turn on saute mode and cook for 2-3 minutes or until all the water evaporates.
• Here, stuffing for chicken samosa is ready, keep it on a plate to cool.

To Stuff and Seal Samosas:

• Divide the dough into equal portions and roll out each portion into 5-6 inch diameter circles.
• Divide each circle into two halves, make a cone from each half.
• Stuff each cone with about 2 tbsp of prepared chicken stuffing and apply some water at the edges and seal the edges of samosa(make a plate as shown in video).
• Repeat the same procedure to make the remaining samosas.

To Fry Samosas in Air Fryer:

• Preheat air fryer at 370°F for 5 minutes and grease a pan with cooking oil.
• Place prepared samosas into the oil greased pan and give it an egg wash(you can use milk instead of egg).
• Fry samosas for 15 Minutes or until it becomes golden brown color (flip them after 7-8 minutes).
• Crispy and tasty chicken samosas are ready to serve, serve with samosa chutney or tamarind chutney. Enjoy!!!

Dietary Comment :

• The calorie count is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
• Per serving contains 150 calories, along with 16.2g carbohydrates, 1 g dietary fiber, 5.9 g fats, and 7.33 g protein.
• Portion size can always be increased or decreased depending on your health goals and activity level. 

Good Time To Eat:

            It is good to eat chicken samosas for snacks or as an appetizer.

• If you make this recipe, share your food picture with hashtag #aaichisavali on Instagram and Facebook so that everyone can enjoy it too! 
• Subscribe to my YouTube channel for Healthy, Tasty, Instant Pot, and Air fryer recipes.

Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!!!

Homemade Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Without Pectin

Hello Food Lovers,

          If you are like my family and love jam, then this Homemade Vegan Strawberry Jam will be your new favorite in this world! I love bread("Indian flatbread Chapati") and jam roll and find it addictive, never being able to stop at one roll! This is perfect for breakfast and needs 5-10 minutes to prepare whole wheat flatbread and already made strawberry jam sitting in the fridge. Every time I prepare any fruit jam, it brought back childhood memories with delicious comfort food. Jam and Chapati roll is my family's favorite and soothing food. My dad, my brother, and I are grown up by eating this delicious jam roll, and now my nephew loves it as we do. 

            
This simple, easy, and effortless homemade strawberry jam is fruity and less sweet. Here are a step-by-step instruction, pictures, and video recipe to making this homemade classic strawberry jam, artificial flavoring, and pectin. So nothing beats this homemade strawberry jam, made using three ingredients. It's 100% natural, preservative-free and color free. So guys give it a try this summer! 

YouTube Video:

Is preparing Strawberry Jam difficult?

        Not at all! It takes me about 45-50 minutes to marinate and cook. The first step to making strawberry jam is to marinate the strawberries to get the syrup, so at least 30 minutes before cooking. Ripe berries are the sweeter! So it needs less sugar. Mix the strawberries with sugar and lemon juice and let them hang out for 30 minutes. After some time goes by, you’ll see that there are a lot of juices released from the berries, which means you don’t have to add extra water to the pot when you cook it. Cook the jam on manual mode(Hi) for 1 minute, then let the release pressure naturally. Open the lid and mix all well. Use a potato masher and mash the jam until desired consistency. I like to keep it a little chunky, so I used a masher. If you want the consistency of jam like store-bought, you can blend the cooked strawberries instead of mashing.

The shelf life of strawberry jam and How to Store it?

• If you are storing correctly, it will last for up to a year in the freezer. If you are refrigerating it, then it lasts for up to 3 weeks. 
• Let the jam cool completely and then store in an airtight container with a tight-fitting lid for up to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Can we use other types of fruits for Instant Pot Jam?

Yes! You can make this jam using raw mangoes, peaches, and berries! Let me know what you try and how it turned out! I am going to try pineapple jam next. Also, you can use frozen fruits to make jam. Here is my Raw Mango Jam Recipe and for more jam recipes stay tuned. 

Why I don’t use pectin to prepare Strawberry Jam:

         Lemon juice is high in pectin; it gives the low pectic strawberries a boost, so I have not used pectin or corn starch here. Also, lemon juice prohibits bacteria growth, and that helps the jam lasts longer. And to set jam needs acid and lemon juice has this property.  If you are okay with using pectin in your recipes, feel free to use it; however, this strawberry jam comes out perfectly without using pectin. 

Which jam is better, homemade jam or store bought jam?

         I feel Homemade Strawberry Jam is that I know what is in it and have control of the ingredients I want to use to make my jam. No artificial preservatives, sweeteners, or colors. Store bought jam contains pectin, preservatives, colorings. So McDreamy and I love this homemade strawberry jam.

How to use this Strawberry Jam

• Spread this freshly prepared strawberry jam over Chapati (Indian whole wheat flatbread). This is our(McDreamy and me) all-time favorite way to eat any jam.
• Use as a topping on your dessert, faluda, or ice cream.
• On a slice of bread or toast
• Swirl it on any Indian Kheer(Rice Pudding / Cracked wheat Pudding / Sago Pudding)
• Add to your yogurt bowl(Add Yogurt+Sugar 1 Tbsp+ strawberry jam, mix it and slurp (if using yogurt is sour then only you need to add sugar), so yum!).
• Fill it in your donuts and to fill and decorate cakes and cupcakes.

Which is your favorite way to eat this yummy strawberry jam? Please feel free to leave a comment sharing your ideas.

Preparation Time: 5 Minutes; Cooking Time: 5 Minute.

Marinating Time: 30 Minutes.

Each Serving of Instant Pot Strawberry Jam Contains 72 g Calories.

Ingredients:

• Strawberries, fresh and ripe ½ kg, chopped
• Sugar ½ Cup
• Lemon Juice 2 Tbsp

Instructions:

To Prepare Strawberry Jam in Instant Pot:

• Thoroughly wash the strawberries and pat dry them and cut them(here you can find the detailed instructions to wash and cut the berries). 
• Add the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to the Instant Pot and stir well. 
• Cover and allow them to marinate for half an hour at least, or until the strawberries are juicy.
• After half an hour, close the lid and place the vent on the sealing position.
• Cook on Manual Mode Hi for 1 minute and then NPR, and then open the lid.
• Using a potato masher or blender, blend the jam until the desired consistency.
• Press the Saute button on the pot and boil for 5 minutes or until the jam reaches the desired gel state(Skim off and discard any foam).
• Allow the jam to cool and then serve and store. 
• Store remaining jam in an airtight container up to 3 weeks in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!!

To Prepare Strawberry Jam on  the Stove Top:

• Thoroughly wash the strawberries and pat dry them and cut them(here you can find the detailed instructions to wash and cut the berries). 
• Add the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice to the pan and stir well. 
• Cover and allow them to marinate for half an hour, or until the strawberries are juicy.
• After half an hour, turn on the flame and cook the strawberry and sugar mixture on low flame until the sugar completely dissolves.
• Turn up the flame to start bubbling the jam and bring it to boil(The sugar must be completely dissolved before increasing the heat; otherwise, it will be difficult for the jam to set).
• Boil for about 8-10 minutes and turn off the flame.
• Allow the jam to cool and then serve and store. 
• Store remaining mixture in an airtight container up to 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!!

How to know the jam is ready or not?

            Spoon a little jam on one of the plates. Leave for a few seconds, then push with a finger or spoon. If the jam wrinkles and doesn't flood to fill the gap, then it is ready. If not, turn back the heat on for 2-3 minutes, and repeat the wrinkle test until ready. 

My Take:

• You can add orange juice instead of lemon juice, and both will work the same.
• Don't release the pressure manually, let it naturally release or you will have a mess of strawberry juice all over the floor.
• You can use any berry of your choice to make this jam.
• Add more sugar if strawberries are very sour.
• You can substitute sugar with stevia, honey or agave too.
• You may add more or less sugar according to your taste.

Dietary Comment :

• The calorie count is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
• Per serving contains 72 calories, along with 18.3 g carbohydrates, 1.5 g dietary fiber, 0.22 g fats, and 0.52 g protein.
• Portion size can always be increased or decreased depending on your health goals and activity level. 

So guys if you get some strawberries next time, I recommend you to spend some minutes of your time and make this refreshing and long-lasting strawberry jam this summer.

If you make this recipe, share your food picture with hashtag #aaichisavali on Instagram and Facebook so everyone can enjoy it too! 

Subscribe my YouTube channel for Healthy, Tasty, Instant Pot and Air fryer recipes

Recommended Products:

Instant Pot

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Eat Healthy Stay Healthy!!!

How To Clean And Keep Strawberries Fresh With Vinegar

Hello Friends,

            Fruits and veggies you buy at the grocery store may look clean, but there's always a chance it’s contaminated with bacteria and bits of dirt. Washing will help remove bacteria from the surface of fruit and vegetables. Most of the bacteria will be in the soil attached to the fruits and veggies.

When you wash fruits and vegetables, wash them under running tap water. Give your fruits a good rinse and use your fingers to rub away dirt or other residues. Dry them with a clean towel or paper towels. Do that, and you can feel confident your fruits are safe to eat. Strawberries grow close to the soil, and when we don't wash them properly, they'll get moldy quickly. So let's get started.

YouTube Video:

1) To clean strawberries without vinegar, you will need:

• Strawberries 
• Cold Water 

Instructions:

To Clean the Strawberries Using Cold Water:

• Discard berries that are mushy, moldy, and keep berries that have a deep red color(Don’t remove the stem before washing as that way the strawberries will absorb water).
• Add cold water in a large clean bowl and add the strawberries, and clean them.
• Keep moving them gently with hands, making sure each one gets washed.
• Dry the strawberries: pat them dry with a paper towel gently.
• Once pat dry, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel. 

Do I need to rinse strawberries with vinegar if I'm making jam?

       Washing in cold water should be fine if you're making jam.

To Clean Strawberries using the Vinegar you will need:

• Strawberries 
• Cold Water 3 Cups
• Vinegar 1 cup

To Clean the Strawberries Using Vinegar:

• Discard berries that are mushy, moldy, and keep berries that have a deep red color(Don’t remove the stem before washing as that way the berries will absorb water).
• Add cold water 3 Cups and vinegar 1 Cup in a clean bowl(you may use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar) and mix well.
• Dump the strawberries into the solution and leave it for 1-2 minutes.
• Again quick clean under tap water.
• The pH of the vinegar does the job of killing the bacteria and removing any residue. 
• It also helps your strawberries last longer without going bad for up to a week in the refrigerator.
• Dry the strawberries: pat them dry with a paper towel gently.
• Once pat dry, then spread them on a clean kitchen towel. 

Will the vinegar bath remove harmful bacteria?

        If you leave the vinegar bath on for a minute or two and then rinse under tap water, it will kill the bacteria.

How To Cut the Strawberries:

• Cut the tops/head off the strawberries with a knife and don't cut the beautiful red part, just cut the raw, green or white piece off.
• Cut the strawberries into round slices and again cut them into the half circle(Refer Video).

Is it right to wash them after I cut them?

          No, never do that. Wash them before you cut.

My Take:

• Remove rotten or spoiled strawberries. 
• Don’t wash them before you’re ready to use them, as they absorb water fast, which speeds up spoiling.
• When left wet, berries start going bad fast. Even if they are left wet to air dry, they will absorb the water and taste less sweet.

Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy!!!