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This is a really good balanced meal, carbs, plenty of vegetables and a good sized portion of protein, a satisfying and complete meal. This dish is very quick to fix if use pre-cut veggies. This dish could be had for lunch/ dinner, and works well, when you are not ready to spend a lot of time in kitchen.
Ingredients
- Onion – 1 (sliced)
- Red chili Pepper- 1(deseeded and diced)
- Green Thai eggplant – 6(diced)
- Bell pepper- 1 (diced)
- Zucchini- 1 (diced)
- Button mushrooms – 1(8 ounces pack- sliced)
- Carrots- ½ cup ( I used crinkle cut carrots)
- Cilantro leaves- ¼ cup
- Ginger –1 teaspoon (minced)
- Garlic – 1 teaspoon (minced)
- Mint leaves- 3 sprigs
- Soy sauce – 3 teaspoons
Directions
1. Heat oil in a non stick skillet over medium heat. Add minced ginger, garlic, red chilies and onions. Cook till onions become translucent. Add chopped egg plants and stir fry for 5 minutes until eggplants are tender.
2. Stir in bell pepper and zucchini and stir fry for 4 more minutes. Stir in sliced mushrooms and stir fry for 4 more minutes until veggies are tender.
3. Add cilantro leaves and mint leaves along with soy sauce and cook till the leaves are wilted.
4. Switch off and serve with brown rice/ jasmine rice.
This is my entry for Priya’s It’s a vegan world- Thai and Vaishali’s Vegan world.
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Some of my favorite soups are the simplest. This carrot and red lentil soup has a glorious flavor on its own without any added ingredients. This hearty soup could be served at any time of the day on all occasions.
Ingredients
- Carrots – 3 (chopped)
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Garlic – 2 pods (chopped)
- Red lentils / masoor dhal – 4 tablespoons
- Soy milk/ rice milk – 1 cup
- Salt to taste
- Ground pepper
- Olive oil – 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable broth/ water – 2 cups
Directions
1. Add oil to a pan. Once hot, stir in garlic and onions. Stir fry them for 3 minutes.
2. Add carrots and sauté them for 3 more minutes. Add red lentils and fry for couple of minutes. Stir in vegetable broth/ water and let it cook for 20 to 25 minutes.( the lentils must be cooked properly)
3. Switch off the stove. Let cool. Puree carrots, lentils, onion and garlic in a blender.( use water/ vegetable broth to thin out the consistency required)
4. Bring the pureed mixture to a boil adding a cup of soy milk.
5. Switch off the stove and add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve with croutons.
Notes
1. If using pressure cooker, cook carrots with lentils for two whistles.
This is my entry for Courtney’s My Legume Love Affair 10th helping and Susan’s My legume love affair .
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All of us are great fans of Thai cuisine in our house. If asked to pick a restaurant to dine, all of us would unanimously vote for Thai restaurant. There is something magical about the Thai food. Green curry, red curry, yellow curry are all time favorite and noodles and pad thai are no lesser attractions. Here is my version of palatable Pad thai.
Ingredients
- Flat rice noodles – 1 pack
- Tamarind concentrate – 2 teaspoons (if using regular tamarind, use a small marble size, soak in water, extract the tamarind juice)
- Brown sugar – 1 tablespoon
- Agave nectar/ maple syrup – 2 teaspoons
- Chili flakes/ chili sauce – 1 teaspoon (if you want more heat, add ½ teaspoon more)
- Soy sauce/ tamari sauce – 3 to 4 tablespoons
- Tofu (firm) – 14 to 16 ounces (cubed)
- Red onion – ½ (cut into thin slices)
- Garlic cloves – 3 (chopped)
- Scallions/ green onions – 1 bunch (separate green parts and white parts and chop them)
- Carrot – 1 (shredded) ( optional)
- Bean sprouts – 1 cup
- Cilantro – ¼ cup
- Roasted peanuts – ¼ cup
- Vegetable oil- 2 tablespoons
Directions
1. Cover noodles with very hot water. Stir in to separate. Soak noodles for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not over soak. Drain noodles and set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk agave nectar, tamarind concentrate, soy sauce/tamari, chili flakes/chili sauce.
3. Heat wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil, and stir fry tofu for 4 minutes, browning all sides equally.
4. Stir in 1 more tablespoon of oil and stir fry onions, for a minute. Stir in chopped garlic and stir fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add noodles and sauce mixture and stir fry until noodles are evenly coated with sauce.( keep turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly).stir fry for 2 more minutes
6. Add scallions, bean sprouts and carrot and stir fry until all the ingredients are well combined and heated through.
7. Switch off stove, transfer pad thai to plates, garnish with roasted peanuts, cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.
This is my entry to Priya’s event It’s a vegan world- Thai and Vaishali’s Vegan world.
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I have seen that, baking gives me intense satisfaction. It not only provides me comfort and joy but something to savor at the end of the day. Like any other culinary art , this home this home art becomes perfect with practice and using right ingredients in right proportion.
Today I baked bread with sundried tomatoes which my family relished.
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour- 1 ½ cups
- Bread flour – 2 ½ cups
- Sundried tomatoes – ½ cup (drained from oil and chopped into pieces)
- Maple syrup – 1 ½ teaspoons
- Active dry yeast- 1 packet (2 teaspoons)
- Ground pepper- 2 teaspoons
- Garlic – 2 pods (crushed)
- Salt – 1 ½ teaspoon
- Olive oil – 3 tablespoons
- Water – 1 ¼ cup
Directions
1. Warm water in microwave for 15 to 20 seconds, add yeast, maple syrup. Mix well and set aside for 5 minutes. it would get foamy.
2. In a large bowl, mix the flours, ground pepper, chopped sun dried tomatoes, and crushed garlic, salt, olive oil and yeast mixture.
3. Flour the counter and knead the dough for 10 minutes, until the dough becomes pliable.
4. Return the dough to a bowl, cover and let rise for 1.5 hours. ( by this time, the dough would have doubled in quantity)
5. Grease a loaf pan, punch down the dough, knead a bit and shape it into a loaf. Cover with a towel and let prove for 1 hour in a warm place.( it would have almost doubled in size).
6. pre heat the oven to 375° F with a rack in the middle.
7. Bake for 30 -35 minutes until the loaf is golden .Insert a skewer in the middle to see if it comes out clean.
8. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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Who does not want to look good and attractive? Most of the ingredients that enhance our beauty are in our kitchen. All we have to do is take time for self pampering and use it at right amount. This particular juice helps us reduce the weight, nourishes our eyes, decreases the puffiness around eyes and also lightens the dark circles around our eyes. Get into your kitchen and prepare this juice right away.
Ingredients
- Bottle gourd- ½ cup (peel the skin, remove the seeds inside and chop them the veggie)
- Cucumber – ½ cup (chopped)
- Ginger – ½ inch piece
- Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
- Sugar – 1 tablespoon
- Cumin powder- ¼ teaspoon
- Dash of salt
Directions
1. Blend bottle gourd, cucumber and ginger with ½ cup of water.
2. Strain the juice; add sugar, salt, cumin powder and lemon juice. Mix well.
3. Add a cube of ice if necessary and drink.
Posted by: Uma
Filed under: Juices
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Pakoda is a popular snack of India. Traditional pakodas are made with gram flour. It is crispy and is welcome at anytime of the day. Onions are used in this snack, I have replaced onions with spring onions – the taste is no less.
Ingredients
- Oatmeal – 1 cup (old fashioned)
- Gram flour/ besan flour – 1/2 cup
- Rice flour – 1/4 cup
- Water – 2 tablespoons
- Spring onions – 1.5 cups (chopped)
- Ginger – 1 inch piece (grated)
- Red chili powder- ½ teaspoon
- Baking soda- ¼ teaspoon
- Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
- Oil for deep frying
Directions
1. Soak oatmeal in a cup of water for 5 to 6 minutes. Drain the water and squeeze the excess water from oats. Set aside
2. In another bowl, mix gram flour, rice flour, salt, baking soda, chili powder. Mix them thoroughly. Add chopped onions and grated ginger.
3. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil and pour over the mixture. Stir in soaked oatmeal. Mix thoroughly. You will get a crumbly texture.
4. Add water little by little and knead to stiff dough. It should not be too sticky.
5. Heat oil in a fry pan and drop the mixture in the form of even sized pieces.
6. Fry until it is golden on all sides. Remove from oil and serve with ketchup or mint chutney.
Notes
Add very little water to knead the dough. Excess water may turn the pakodas soft and not crunchy.
This snack tastes best when had immediately. It can be stored for two days but it becomes soft.
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Have you tried adding cabbage and beets in your burger? Try this burger. This colorful, nutritious burger is very tasty too!
Ingredients
- Split green peas- ¼ cup (soaked overnight and cooked)
- Beet- 1 (grated)
- Cabbage – 1 cup (shredded)
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Cumin powder – ½ teaspoon
- Garlic powder- ½ teaspoon
- Ground pepper
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil/ cooking spray
- Breadcrumbs – ½ cup
Directions
1. Cook split green peas until soft and blends it to a paste in a food processor. Set aside.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of oil to a pan and fry onions for 2 minutes. Stir in cabbage and beets and stir fry for 5 more minutes. Add garlic powder, cumin powder and salt. Fry for couple of minutes.
3. Switch off stove and let it cool.
4. Once cooled, mix, green peas paste and fried veggies and ground pepper.
5. Add 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs for binding. Mix well. Roll the veggies into patties, flatten it.
6. Heat the skillet and cook the patties by adding 1 spoon of oil on both the sides. Let them cook for 6 to 7 minutes. Flip the Pattie to the other side and cook it until golden brown.
Your colorful patties are ready to be served.
Notes
1. For low fat version, steam veggies and mix with green peas paste. But the moisture content will be more in veggies, so add dry bread crumbs instead of fresh bread crumbs.
2. When frying your patties in skillet, use spray on one side and oil on another side for low fat version.
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Why do you go for Chinese take out when you can prepare them yourselves with restaurant flavor and taste?
Here is a fat free version of a Chinese favorite. I am using eggless Chow Mein which are in light yellow color and are made of durum wheat flour.They are available in oriental markets, health food stores and many large super markets. If you cant find them substitute spaghetti.
Ingredients
To cook noodles
- Chow Mein noodles – 1 pack (8 to 10 ozs)
- Low sodium soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Garlic – 3 pods (minced)
- Ginger – 1 inch piece (minced)
- Rice vinegar – ½ teaspoon
Directions
1. Cook noodles according to the package directions until tender. Drain set aside.
2. Set a wok. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil. Once hot add minced garlic and ginger. Fry well. Stir in noodles, fry for 2 minutes, stirring continuously until you get nice aroma. Add soy sauce and rice vinegar and fry for couple of minutes. Set them aside.
Vegetables for Chow Mein
- Onions – 1 (sliced lengthwise)
- Mushrooms – 1 cup (sliced lengthwise)
- Broccoli – ½ head (cut into florets)
- Celery – 1 stalk (chopped)
- Bell pepper – 1 (cut in lengthwise)
- Carrot – 1 (shredded)
- Cabbage – ½ cup (shredded)
- Bean sprouts – 1 cup
- Chili sauce – ½ teaspoon (if u prefer spicy make it 1 tsp of chili sauce)
- Tamari sauce/ soy sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon
Directions
1. In a wok or large frying pan over high heat, warm oil. Stir in carrots and celery. Stir fry for 2 minutes.
2. Add sliced mushrooms and stir fry for 5 more minutes. stir in bell pepper and cabbage , broccoli. Add tamari sauce and chili sauce and stir fry veggies for a couple of minutes. Sprinkle a dash of salt. Stir in bean sprouts and fry for 2 more minutes.
3. Add cooked noodles and toss well until the veggies are well blended with noodles.
4. Switch off the stove and serve warm.
Notes
1. Zucchini and water chestnuts can be added.
2. Napa cabbage can be used in place of ordinary cabbage.
3. Sesame oil is important as it enhances the flavor and taste of chow mien.
4. To stir fry veggies peanut oil can be used in place of vegetable oil.
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Looking for dinner ideas? Try this spinach rice. This fragrant, colorful rice is packed with vitamins.
Ingredients
- Brown rice or Basmati rice – 1 ½ cup, soaked in water for 30 minutes.
- Spinach- 2 cups
- Fennel seeds – 1 ½ teaspoon
- Ginger – 1 (small piece)
- Garlic – 2 pods (cut into 2 pieces)
- Onion – 1(cut into thin slices)
- Green chilly – 1 or 2(slit into 2 in length wise)
- Nuts 10 (sliced and roasted- almonds or any kind of nuts can be used)
- Margarine or olive oil- 2 tablespoons
- Salt to taste
Direction
1. In a hot pan, add 1 tsp of oil and sauté 1 onion, fennel seeds, ginger, garlic one at a time.
2. Now add the washed green leaves and cook until it loses its water. Take it off stove and grind the mix once it cools down.
3. In another pan, add 1 tablespoon oil and sauté with onion and green chilly.
4. Add the ground spinach mix, nuts and 1.5 cups of water.
5. Once water content boils, add the rice and cover the pan with a lid. Reduce the flame and cook it for 10 to 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.
Note: To add variety to this rice, you can add any veggies you like in step 4.
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No, the name does not matter, as for as the dish is tasty. I wanted to fix a super quick meal and at the same time wanted it to be healthy. I hate to prepare an elaborate meal, when it comes to me dining alone for lunch. Sometimes I go in for sandwich and very rarely my taste buds demand something hot from stove. So, I settled for oats upma. Upma is a kind of dish prepared in cracked wheat, semolina and vermicelli. It’s a like fast food and is ready in minutes, without much labor in kitchen. Its is versatile too and different veggies are added in various permutations and combinations.
Here I have tried the same with frozen veggies (carrot, beans and corn). I named it pilaf as my oats upma is similar to pilaf preparation.
Ingredients
- Old fashioned oats- 1 cup
- Onion- 1 (chopped)
- Green chilies- 2 (slit)
- Tomato (medium sized) – 1 (chopped)
- Ginger and garlic paste- 1 teaspoon
- Frozen veggies – 1 ½ cups
- Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon
- Oil – 2 teaspoon
- Water- 1 ½ cups
- Cilantro for garnishing
Directions
1. Set a pan, add oil and splutter cumin seeds. Add onion, green chilies ginger garlic paste and cook till onions become translucent.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and cook till they become mushy.
3. Stir in frozen veggies and fry till they become tender but crisp.
4. Stir in cup of oats and fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add water and bring it to boil. Add salt and stir occasionally.
6. Cook till the water is well absorbed by the oats.
7. Switch off the stove and garnish with cilantro. Serve with lemon wedges.
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