Slurp N Burp

1/6/15

Guajillo Peppers Quinoa with Black Beans

This recipe uses a pressure cooker but you could make it on a pot as well. All the goodness of Quinoa and Black beans in one pot - healthy and delicious. Yum! Watch your portions though!

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans
1 small onion, cut in small squares
1 tbsp tomato paste
Spices: 1/4 tsp of red chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin and coriander powder

Method:
1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker
2. Add onions and roast till translucent
3. Break Guajillo peppers (dried) and roast a bit
4. Add tomato paste and mix well
5. Add the black beans
6. Add a little chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin and coriander powder, salt and stir
6. Add quinoa and 2 cups of water
7. Let cook for about 3 whistles (all cookers will vary)

Do not open the cooker right away. Let stay for about 10 to 15 minutes and then open the lid.

Enjoy!

6/23/14

Quinoa and Sprouts Tikki

This were so easy to make and tasted so delicious! Hope you like it!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/4 cup parmesan cheese (powdered kind)
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Salt/Pepper to Season
1/4 to 1/2 cup cooked matki sprouts
1/8 cup finely chopped red onions
Shaan Bihari Kabob Masala (2 to 4 tbsp)
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp cumin and coriander powder
1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl together
2. The mixture should hold together in order to form little cakes/tikkis as shown. If they are not forming, you can add 1/2 an egg to it to use as a binder. My quinoa was sticky so I did not use any.
Assemble all cakes and set aside.
3. IN a flat bottom pan, heat some oil. Add the tikkis gently - sear on each side till golden brown.

Note:
1. If you are unsure if your tikkis/cakes will hold, just make one at first. While you are at it, get a taste test going as well! They taste amazing when hot.
2. Cooked quinoa - 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water (I took a little over 2x so make sure its cooked mushy!). when cooked I seasoned it in a pan with little oil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper and tossed and set aside. Cool the quinoa and set in a fridge - this will make it easier to form the patties.
3. Matkis or sprouts - I basically soaked them overnight, drained, then sprouted them. To cook them, I took some oil and steamed them with basic seasonings - salt, turmeric, garlic, and red chilli powder. I left them a little al dente (not mushy!) so they can be used in the cakes or on salad.

6/20/14

Guacamole Sandwich

Looking for a delicious lunch idea - Try this ever so simple Guacamole Sandwich!

Ingredients:

Guacamole ingredients:
1 avocado, pitted and diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 green chilli, cut into small pieces
A little cilantro, cut finely
Dash of fresh lime juice
1/8 tsp crushed garlic (optional)
Salt and Black Pepper

Alfalfa sprouts (store bought)
Amul cheese (or any other cheese of your choice)
Bombay sandwich chutney (store bought)
Italian bread, pan toasted with butter on both sides
Sunflower seeds (optional)

1. Combine all the ingredients under Guacamole ingredients and gently toss together in a bowl.
2. Assemble the sandwich now - Toasted bread, add the chutney, the cheese, guacamole mixture, sprouts, and sunflower seeds (for that extra crunch)

Enjoy!

Skin Revitalizer Juice

There must be very few people in this world who do not like fruits - well I am one of them. I find them unnecessary. And the lack of fruits in my diet shows on my skin! But better late than never. So i finally got myself to start juicing in the morning. Research says that you should consume fruits on empty stomach for optimal benefits. Its on an empty stomach that all the vitamins and nutrients can be absorbed to their fullest. But then others suggest that this is not necessarily true - eat the fruits anytime you can. I decided to follow the "first thing in the morning" routine! No sugar added to this juice - unlike the 25gms sugar in one 8 oz Tropicana juice. Try this delicious juice - recipe from Well and Good website!

Skin Revitalizer Juice:

1/2 Apple

2 small carrots

Blend and consume!

You can add some ginger for an early morning zing!!

6/17/14

Methi Gobhi Pasanda

A simple yet rich recipe using basic vegetables such as cauliflower, peas and fenugreek. Hope you enjoy it as much as my family did.

Ingredients:
Half of a medium cauliflower, broken into small florets
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed and almost cooked in a mircrowave
1 bunch of fresh methi leaves, washed thoroughly, use only leaves portion
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 tsp garlic paste
1/4 tsp ginger paste
1 green chilli chopped
1 medium tomato finely chopped
Spices:
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Dash of hing
1 Bay Leaf
1/4 inch cinnamon stick
2 cloves
1/4 tsp each turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder , coriander powder
1/4 to 1/2 tsp garam masala (based on how strong your garam masala is)
1 tbsp jaggery
1/4 to 1/2 cup half and half (as creamy as you like)

1 Heat oil. Add ginger garlic paste and sautee. Add 1 green chilli. Add onions and sautee till translucent.
2. Add tomatoes and sautee.
3. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder and sautee.
4. Sautee until the paste leaves oil on the side. Now add 1/8th cup of water and cook until the onions are soft. Cook the paste until the onions and tomatoes are well cooked and mushy. Transfer to a food processor and blend to a thick paste with little water. Set aside.
5. Add oil (use a non stick flat bottom pan). When hot, add the cauliflower florets. Sautee on medium heat till the cauliflower gets a golden tint. You may want to use a little extra oil for this stage. When cooked this way the cauliflower will taste better than cooked in the paste. Set aside
6. Add a little oil. Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves. When fragrant, add the methi leaves, the green peas and toss well. Season with salt.
7. Add the ground onion tomato paste and mix well.
8. Add garam masala powder and jaggery and toss gently. Add half and half and mix well. (Since half and half is a bit watery. Toss gently until the half and half reduces a little. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is cooked.
9. Check seasonings and serve.

2/27/14

Undhiyu Style Mix Veg

Undiyu is a Gujrati (north Indian) dish that is pretty intricate and takes a while to cook - I remember the Gujju side of my family used to sit all day prepping the vegetables and the fritters that go along with the dish. I skipped the fritters in my recipe as I wanted something healthy. And also my undhiyu is not the real undiyu - it is just a mixed veg dish based on Undiyu - but it tasted very close to the real deal and was super duper easy!

Ingredients:
3 cups of Surti Lilva Beans

Vegetables:
1 sweet potato, cut in medium square pieces
2 small potatoes, cut in medium pieces
Half medium eggplant, cut in medium square pieces
Prep the veggies - drizzle oil on the veggies and set aside

Ground Masala:
1.5 cup shredded coconut
2 green chillies
2 to 4 cloves of garlic
1 inch ginger piece
Make a paste of the above ingredients while adding very little water.

Spices:
Carom seeds or ajwain
Asofoetida or Hing
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder

1. Heat oil. Add 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (carom seeds). Add a dash of asofoetida.
2. Quickly add the cut veggies and toss gently with a spatula
3. Add salt, turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder and mix so that the vegetables are coated with spices.
4. Now add the ground masala paste and mix well. Add the lilva beans and mix. Add a little water and mix. cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.
5. Adjust seasonings - salt/sugar/lime juice

Masoor Masala Pilaf with Mint Potatoes and Mint Eggs

1.5 cup of basmati rice, wash well and soak for 5 minutes and drain the water and keep rice aside
About 2 cup whole cooked masoor, washed and pressure cooked (about 3 whistles) (not masoor dal but whole masoor ) (keep the masoor al dente - if you overcook the masoor the pulav will get too mushy)
1/2 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp garlic paste
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 tsp tomato paste
4 cups of chicken broth (or water if vegetarian)
Whole Spices:
1 bay leaf
1 piece of cinnamon stick
4 to 6 peppercorns
1 cardammom (crushed a little)
Biryani ka phool or Star Anise
Powder spices:
1/2 tsp each of turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, and 2 tsp garam masala or any readymade pulav masala

2 Medium potatoes
Mint chutney
4 to 6 boiled eggs
Chat masala

1. Heat oil in a flat bottom skillet. Add all the spices (listed above) and saute until fragrant. Add onion and sautee till translucent. Add ginger garlic paste and mix well until the raw smell of garlic is gone. Then add tomato paste and sautee. Add all the powdered spices. This step will take a while as you want the mixture to be well integrated together. You might have to add a little water along the way to get it mushy.
2. Now add the rice (ofcourse there should be no water!) and gently fold the rice with the masala. Gently being the key word !!! You do not want to break the rice grains as they are already soft from soaking.
3. Now add 4 cups of chicken broth, drizzle some olive oil all over to keep the pulav from getting sticky, add salt and mix gently. Add the masoor and mix. Let come to a rolling boil and turn the heat to lowest setting. Cover the skillet with aluminum foil and put a lid on. The foil should trap all the heat. Let the rice cook on the lowest setting for 10 to 15 minutes check if its done. If not keep longer. If the water has dried up and rice not cooked add some hot water 1/2 cup at a time and continue to cook.
4. Prep the potatoes while the rice cooks. Wash and peel potatoes. Cut in strips as seen in the picture. Add some salt, black pepper, and paprika and toss. I used Fish Fry (found at regular grocery stores) for coating the potatoes. Toss the potatoes with some fish fry mix. Add oil in a non stick pan and when hot throw the potatoes in. Cook on medium heat while tossing them in the pan to prevent burning. Sometimes I cover with a lid and cook for few minutes just to speed the process but that might get the potatoes soggy so be careful. If they do get soggy after covering with a lid, just continue cooking uncovered while tossing. Towards the end of the cooking process, add mint chutney (about 1 tbsp or so) and chat masala and toss around. Set aside.
5. Cut eggs into half. Arrange all of them face up on a plate (meaning yellow side up). Sprinkle a little salt, a little black pepper, a pinch of red chilli powder, a pinch of paprika, some chat masala and finally using a butter knife smear a little mint chutney. Drizzle a little oil all over in a non stick pan, put eggs face down (yellow side down) and keep it on low heat (as the mint and spices burn easily). let the masala eggs roast a little to get a smoky flavor (only 3 to 4 minutes).

Garnish the rice with the fries and the eggs and cilantro. Serve with limes.

2/6/14

Avocado Rolls

How many of us drool over the Avocado egg rolls at Cheesecake Factory!? I know I do - These came out pretty close to the ones I have eaten there. The egg rolls at CCF are made out of egg roll wrappers. But I used a 8inch tortilla as I did not have egg roll wrappers on hand.

Ingredients:
Half of a ripe avocado (not too ripe or smushy - has to be just right) cut into medium size cubes
Half of a tomato - deeseded and cut into small pieces
2 tbsp finely diced red onion
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of onion powder
Salt/Black Pepper
A little finely chopped cilantro
A few thinly chopped green onions (green part only) (optional)

Method:
1. Gently mix all the ingredients in a bowl together. Toss gently.
2. Line the mixture in the center of the tortilla. Fold the tortilla in from both sides (vertically) and then roll it up (like how chefs roll the burritos as Chipotle ;))
3. I was not sure if the egg wash would hold the thick tortilla together, so instead of using egg wash that would act as glue, I poked toothpicks to hold the roll together.
4. Now heat vegetable or canola oil to fry the roll. Keep the heat on medium as you want the tortilla to fry slowly. Fry it until golden brown. Set aside. Serve with chilli garlic sauce or any spicy sauce of your choice.

Note: You can add add finely chopped jalapenos to give it a little zest!

Yogurt Garlic Sauce Pita Pizza

This sauce is inspired by the Toum Garlic Sauce that primarily uses oil. I used yogurt to make it a little more healthy and filling.

Ingredients:
1 Pita
Shredded Mexican Cheese
Italian Seasonings
Pickle (optional)

Garlic Sauce:
2 cups full fat yogurt (or you can use greek yogurt )
1 cup olive oil
2 to 3 garlic cloves, crushed and made into a paste
Little lemon juice
Salt/Black pepper

This sauce needs some preparation ahead of time. Put the yogurt in a muslin cloth and let the yogurt hang so that all the water comes out. You want the sauce to be thick but also not so thick that you cannot beat it. Leave it hung atleast for 4 hours.

Now take the yogurt out in a bowl. Add the garlic and mix well. Now add olive oil to the yogurt in a slow stream as you constantly beat the yogurt in circles to mix. Continue until the entire olive oil is emulsified slowly into the yogurt. Add salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice.

Now you are ready to build the pizza. Heat the pita with some butter on a pan until soft. Preheat oven to 400F. Toast the pita so that its a somewhat crispy. Take out, smother the garlic sauce on the pita. Add shredded cheese on it. Sprinkle Italian Seasonings. And toast again until crispy. Your delicious Pita Pizza is ready.

Note: Save the extra sauce as a dip for chips or kabobs!

1/24/14

Black Pepper Crab

I love crabs and crabs love me - Enough said! I got this recipe from SBS.com. The whole recipe word to word is from their site. It was just perfect!! I did not fry the crabs, however, as I had precooked steamed crabs. I just tossed them in the sauce and let steam for 5 to 8 minutes before serving. Thanks to HP for the recipe.

Ingredients

4blue swimmer crabs
250 ml(1 cup) vegetable oil
35 g(¼ cup) black peppercorns, lightly crushed
4garlic cloves, sliced
5 cmpiece ginger, peeled, sliced
½bunch spring onions, sliced
2long red chillies, thinly sliced
60 ml(¼ cup) soy sauce
60 ml(¼ cup) oyster sauce
2 tspcaster sugar
80 gunsalted butter, chopped
125 ml(½ cup) chicken stock
1bunch coriander, leaves picked

To prepare crabs, break off tail flaps on the underside and discard. Carefully pull off back shells and reserve. Remove ‘dead man’s fingers’ (soft gills) and discard, then rinse and discard stomach sac. Cut each crab in half lengthwise, then crack large claws to ensure they cook through. Pat crabs dry using paper towel.

Heat oil in a wok over high heat to 180°C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 10 seconds). Add crabs in batches and cook, turning occasionally, for 2 minutes or until just before cooked through. Using tongs, remove crabs and drain on paper towel.

Remove half the oil from wok and discard. Add peppercorns, garlic, ginger, half the spring onions and half the chillies to the wok and cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.

Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, butter and chicken stock, and simmer for 1 minute. Return crab to wok and simmer, turning occasionally, for a further 4 minutes or until sauce has reduced. Top with remaining spring onions, chillies and coriander leaves, and serve immediately.

Asian Cabbage Salad

Asian cabbage salad

Ingredients:
2 cups finely shredded cabbage
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
1/8 cup thinly sliced red onion
Dressing:
1 or 2 tbsp Soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
Few drops Sesame oil
Vinegar
1 or 2 small Roasted garlic, peeled and crushed
Salt/Sugar/Black pepper
1 tbsp Coarsely crushed peanuts
Cilantro for garnish

Mix all the dressing ingredients together. Pour over the dressing and toss well. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Dosas - Indian Crepes

Dosa Batter Recipe:

3 cups rice
1 cup white udad dal
One handful Poha

Soak both separately for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight. Separately grind them in blender adding little water. Grind the poha with some water. Mix all three together. You do not want the batter too watery as you can always dilute as per your choice later but you cannot go back. You can also grind a few methi seeds and add that to the batter. Keep the batter in a closed pot in a dark warm place and let sit overnight to rise.

When ready to make dosas, take out few ladles in a small bowl, add salt and water as per your desired choice.

Heat a non stick pan on medium heat. Take some batter in a ladle and start putting the batter in circles. Drizzle some oil. Keep the heat on low med. I generally flip my dosa as my dosa ends having peaks that might not cook if not flipped.

Serve with coriander chutney, sambhar or potato bhaji.

Note: Some people do 2 rice to 1 udad dal proportion. But that makes the dosa very soft which I do not like.

1/15/14

Margarita Grilled Chicken

Margarita Grilled Chicken is my favorite dish when I go to Chillis. I found this recipe online but made some changes to it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 Chicken Tenderloins
Margarita mix
Tequila
1/4 cup Black Beans (canned beans drained)
Handful of Green beans (cooked in boiling water, drained)
Chipotle Seasoning
Cheese
Salt and Black Pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder

1. Marinate chicken in a ziploc bag with 1/8 cup margarita mix and 1tbsp tequila. Marinate for atleast 2 hours.
2. Heat griddle When hot, add oil, add the chicken. Add some chipotle seasoning, salt, pepper garlic and onion powder. Flip after 3 to 4 minutes. Grill until no longer pink on the inside. (Since I am using tenderloins, they cook really fast. If you use chicken breasts, make sure they are pounded for tender results)
3. When cooked, add a little cheese over the chicken.
4. Add the black beans and green beans in the same pan. Season a little and keep the pan moving to coat the seasoning.

Serve hot. Makes 1 serving.

11/6/13

Bhindi Malai

Staring at Bhindi/Okra this morning, I was wondering what can I do differently - I came up with this recipe. Its basically a cross between Butter chicken and Chicken Tikka Masala style recipe. I thought it turned out good - but I put too much Bhindi/Okra for the amount of onion masala I had - The dish ended up having very less gravy. Perhaps next time, I would like to make this into more of a curry dish. Let me know if you like the recipe.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs Bhindi/Okra
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1/2 medium red onion, cut into squares
1/4 tp mustard seeds
Pinch of Fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 green chilli
1 medium tomato, finely choppd
1 tbp tomato paste
Paprika for color
1 to 2 tsp Shaan Tandoori BBQ Masala
1/8 cup heavy cream
Tava Fry Masala

Method:
1. Cut okra into medium big pieces.
2. Heat oil in a flat bottom non stick pan. Shallow fry the bhindi on high heat constantly moving the pan. Add salt. The goal is to sear the okra and not just cook it. Also fry the okra in batches so as to not crowd the pan. Crowding the pan will cook the okra and make it too mushy. Towards the end of the searing process, sprinkle tava fry seasoning generously. Keep tossing the contents around. Do not overcook the okra. Set aside. In the same pan, add a little oil and add the square cut onions. On high heat, sear the onions for 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds - when they sputter. Add the asofoetida. Add fennel seeds. Swirl the pan around. Add the chopped onions and cook till translucent. Add the tomatoes and cook for good 10 to 15 minutes adding a little water at a time. The onion and tomato paste should be completely cooked and mushy. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Let cook til oil leaves on the side. Add the cumin, coriander, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and mix. Let cook for a few minutes. Add a little water if you need to. The masala should be thick with very little water. Add the tandoori chicken bbq masala. and mix. Add the heavy cream and stir and let cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the okra and mix well. Let cook for a few minutes. Sprinkle some paprika for color (optional) Now add the seared onions and toss the okra with it. Serve hot.

10/30/13

Palak Masoor Biryani - Spinach and Lentils Biryani

Well this aint nothing like the real deal (Sigh) - Making Biryani from Palak and Masoor takes a lot of inner strength (we have gone to all veggie 6 days a week!) when you can just see chicken or mutton in the pot !!! But - this wasn't too bad! Give it a try.

2 cups of basmati rice
1/2 cup masoor
1 onion, cut lengthwise
Whole spices: 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4 black peppercorns, 1 whole cardamom, 1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder
2 tbsp tomato paste
4 handfuls of spinach leaves, finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
2 tbsp Shaan Bombay Biryani Masala
Store bought fried onions
Pinch of saffron dipped in hot milk

Prep: Wash and soak the masoor (whole) for about 1 hour. Drain the masoor.
Prep: Cook basmati rice. I cook mine in a microwave - 2 cups of basmati rice with 4 cups of water with some salt and olive oil. When the rice is done, I pour it out on a flat pyrex pan or a foil tray to let the steam escape. I add some olive oil to get it a little greasy when the rice comes to about room temperature. Add the saffron all over the rice.

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and roast a little.
2. Add the onions and fry them till brown. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Sautee till the mixture leaves oil on the sides.
3. Add the garlic ginger paste and sautee the mix for a few minute. Add the turmeric, chilli, coriander, and cumin powder.
4. Add the masoor and mix. Add the spinach. Add about 1 cup of water and pressure cook the masoor for just 1 whistle. The masoor should be al dente - should have a bite to it.
5. When the whistle steams out, remove the lid.
6. Heat a little oil in pan. Add the spinach masoor mixture and sautee. Add the biryani masala and some salt and cook until the water evaporates. You should have a thick mixture.
7. Now, we are ready to layer the biryani. You can either layer it in a stockpot or a foil tray. for both, add the masala at the bottom, layer some rice, followed by masala and then top it off with rice. Top it with fried onions. Let it cook on simmer for about 20 minutes. If using an oven, cover the tray with a foil and preheat the oven to 200F and steam cook for 20 minutes.

10/28/13

Zunka Style Green Onions - Kanda Paath Bhaji

This is a very simple and basic Green onions preparation that I absolutely love with fresh hot chapatis. Zunka (Zoon-ka) is a rustic gram flour or besan (chickpea flour) dish that is prevalent in many Maharashtrian households. Adding green onions to it provides a little more fiber and a unique taste.

Ingredients:
2 bunches of green onions, remove and discard the bulbs at the bottom - Chop the green onions separating them into white parts and green parts
1 small red onion
1/8 tp mustard seeds
Dash of asofoetida
2 kokums (optional)
3 tsp besan of chickpea flour
Spices: 1/8 tsp each of turmeric, red chilli powder, cumin and coriander powder (add more if you like it spicy)

Method:
1. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds and when they crackle add hing.
2. Add finely chopped red onions and kokum. Sautee till golden brown
3. Add the chopped green onions and toss well.
4. Add some salt, turmeric and red chili powder, cumin and coriander powder.
5. Cook the green onions until it wilts significantly.
6. Add about 3 tsps of gram flour or besan (sprinkle each tsp as you mix it with the green onions)
7. On medium heat, work the contents as the two mix well.
8. Add about 1/4 cup water (a little at a time) as you keep mixing the contents. Let the besan cook either covered or open for 5 to 8 minutes.
Adjust seasonings - salt/sugar

8/19/13

Towards a healthier life....

Well the day has come for my Amma and Api (in laws) to leave and for my cooking escapades to begin again. Two kids, dance school, home making, fitness and cooking - all this to be juggled with the slew of festivities that are awaiting in the near future. Let us see how I do - I am sure I will survive just like everyone else is and has been surviving. Life is going to be fast paced - lots of sacrifices (even more than I am making now) - standing lunches, lost sleep (wait that cannot happen as I am already not getting any), and perhaps some more stress of juggling life and work and family and oh! THE social life (root cause of all evil).

But, as I start my journey back to cooking and blogging, I have vowed to make sure to atleast "think" if not act right away about not comprising health for convenience. I have always been good about cooking home cooked meals (as you can see through the blog) - but upon doing some thinking over the last few months I have come to realize that what I have been thinking is healthy may not be as healthy after all; what I have known is healthier than what I have been eating needs to be incorporated into my diet, and what I have quietly been consuming under the excuse of "just this last time" needs to leave my life...

There are a slew of things that I want to evaluate and eradicate from my house - Orange juice, Milk, Eggs, Meat in general, energy bars, canned soups, canned beans, canned sauces, salad dressings, candy, whole wheat bread, margarine, shredded cheese, diet coke, flavored yogurts.... the list is endless

And then there are a slew of things that I want to incorporate in my diet - Green Tea, Chia Seeds, Flax seeds, Brown rice, Kale, Almond milk, etc.

Let us see where this new journey takes me and my family and how long it lasts....

2/20/13

Quinoa Spinach Soup

What is so special about this soup is the ease with which this can be cooked. I used a pressure cooker to make this soup which helped me cut my cooking time into half. But if you do not have a pressure cooker, no sweat - it can be cooked in a regular stockpot as well. Generally, you will see massive size pressure cookers in an INdian kitchen - one that fits two stacked pots. But I have this handy small pressure cooker as well that I use to cook soups, dals, khichdis etc.

Ingredients and Method:

2 small garlic cloves, peeled and finely diced
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 small red onion
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery, diced
2 handfuls of fresh spinach, washed and chopped coarsely
Dash of garlic powder, onion powder, red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning (as per your taste)
1/4 cup quinoa
1 to 1.5 cup cannelini beans (I used red kidney beans)
2 cups chicken broth or veg broth
Feta cheese

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add the garlic and sautee till fragrant on low heat. Add the red onion - sautee until translucent but not mushy on medium heat. (about 3 to 4 minutes)
2. Add the carrots and celery - sautee on medium heat. Sauteeing these veggies before adding the broth brings out flavor of the vegetables (about 3 minutes)
3. Add the tomato and stir. Right away, add the spinach and mix. Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning and mix. Add the quinoa and stir gently.
4. Add a little water (about 1/2 cup) and pressure cook the mixture for about 3 to 4 whistles. Every pressure cooker is different so you will have to toy around with yours to figure out how many whistles it takes to cook it to the perfect texture you want. I do not like mushy veggies in soup!!!
5. When the cooker is ready to be opened, do so and add 2 cups of chicken broth or veg broth and mix. Add the beans and mix. Let it come to a rolling boil and then reduce and simmer for a 5 to 8 minutes until all the flavors blend together. The soup will thicken up due to the quinoa. You can add more water or leave it as is depending on your choice of thickness.
6. Add feta cheese before serving.

Note:
1. Broths are filled wI do with sodium - even the low sodium ones leave a salty taste in my mouth. So one could do half and half - half broth/half water.
2. If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can simply follow the recipe and cover and cook until veggies are tender.
3. I used red kidney beans in the recipe - but I think white cannelini beans would go much better with this soup.

2/18/13

Tex-Mex Chicken Soup

A very easy yet flavorful and spicy soup recipe - you will surely love this!

Ingredients and Method:

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1.5 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn, precooked in microwave with water
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup pulled cooked chicken*
1/2 avocado, chopped for garnish
Few jalapenos
1/8 tsp cumin powder, oregano, onion powder,
Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish: Lime juice, cilantro
Tortilla chips

1. Heat oil in a stockpot. Add garlic and sautee. Add the green chillies and jalapenos. Add the onions and sautee till translucent.
2. Add the tomato paste and mix well. Sautee for 5 minutes until a smooth paste is formed
3. Add cumin powder, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and black pepper.
4. Add the black beans and corn along with the water from the corn.
5. Add 2 cups of chicken broth.
6. Bring to a rolling boil. Add pulled cooked chicken. Then simmer and cook till the soup condenses.
7. Add cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, and lime juice. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips.

For chicken: Boil water in a separate saucepan. Add salt and stir. Add 1/2 chicken breast and cook for a 5 minutes. Remove and let cool. Pull the chicken apart and add to the stock pot.

Note: SKip the chicken and chicken broth for a veg option. Use veg stock or just water. Make your soup as watery or as thick as you wish.

Note: For kids, skip the green chillies.