PIZZA PASTA SALAD

Ingredients:
1 (12 ounce) package garden spiral noodles, cooked and cooled
1 (6 ounce) can black olives, drained
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 cup diced green or red pepper
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 1/2 cups zest Italian dressing, divided

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss together the noodles, olives, cheeses, peppers, and tomatoes. Stir in 1 cup dressing. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight to allow pasta to soak up the flavors. Before serving, stir in an additional 1/2 cup of the salad dressing.

Vegetable Frankies

Ingredients:

For rotis:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour/atta

1/2 cup maida/all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

water to knead the dough

For filling:

2 cups julienne mixed vegetables, beans, carrot, capsicum, beans and cabbage

1 tsp ginger-green chili paste

pinch of turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp chaat masala pwd

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala (optional)

2 eggs, beaten (optional)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 onions, finely sliced

few tbsps of green chutney

few tbsps of guacamole

2-3 tbsps olive oil

salt to taste

1 Add salt to the wheat flour and maida, combine, slowly add water to form a soft yet slightly firm dough. Cover and let it rest till you get the stuffing ready.
2 Blanch the french beans for 3 mts and keep aside. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a vessel, add the ginger-green chili paste and saute for few secs. Add carrots, cabbage and capsicum and saute for 7-8 mts. Add the blanched beans and saute for another 3 mts. Add turmeric pwd, kitchen king masala and chaat masala pwd and combine. Turn off heat.
3 Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and mix. Keep aside.
4 In a separate bowl, combine the raw sliced onions with 2-3 tbsps of green chutney and keep aside.
5 Beat eggs in a bowl, add salt and pepper and keep aside. (Vegetarians can omit this step)
6 To prepare rotis, pinch a large lemon sized ball of dough, dust the working surface with some atta and roll out the stuffed dough to form 6″-7″ diameter circles.
7 Heat a iron tawa and once its hot, place a parantha and let it cook lightly on both sides. Prepare all the rotis and place them in a casserole to keep soft.
8 At the time of serving, drizzle some oil on a tawa, fry the roti on one side for 4-5 secs and on top pour 2-3 tbsps of the beaten egg and flip over the roti so that the egg gets cooked.
9 Remove from tawa, place the egg coated side of the roti up and sprinkle some lemon juice on the egg coated side. Spread some guacamole or you can skip this part if you do not have guacamole. Place 3-4 tbsps of vegetable filling in the middle of the roti and sprinkle the onion-green chutney filling over it and roll the roti tightly to form a roll. To serve, wrap the lower part of the rotis in a butter paper or tissue. Enjoy!

Thai Stuffed Avocados

Thai Stuffed Avocados

serves 2

Ingredients:

1 large avocado, ripe but still a little firm

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/3 cup hummus

1 tbsp chili garlic sauce

spicy sprouts

roasted peanuts

sriracha sauce

Directions:

In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, hummus and chili garlic sauce until well combined.

Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Slice the avocado but keep it in it’s skin — you want it easily scoopable so the easiest way to do that is to make a checkerboard pattern with your knife.

Top each avocado half with a generous amount of the cream cheese mixture. Top with sprouts, peanuts and sriracha sauce. Enjoy immediately!

4-Layer Vegan Sandwich

Ingredients:

FOR THE SUN-DRIED TOMATO HEMP BASIL PESTO: (MAKES 1/2 CUP)

• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes (about 6)
• 1/4 cup hulled hemp seeds
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1-2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FOR THE SANDWICH:

• sprouted-grain bread (or wraps or Bibb lettuce)
• 2 tablespoons hummus
• 2 tablespoons Sun-dried Tomato Hemp Basil Pesto (from above)
• 1/2 avocado, thinly sliced
• 1-2 thin tomato slices
• lettuce
• pinch of red pepper flakes
• pinch of salt & pepper

Directions:

1. For the pesto: Mince garlic in a food processor. Add the rest of the pesto ingredients and process until the pesto is smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed.
2. Toast the bread in a toaster.
3. Spread bread with hummus and pesto (one on each). Layer on the avocado, tomato, and lettuce. Sprinkle on red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Slice in half and enjoy!

Sun-Dried-Tomato Pasta Salad

Sun-Dried-Tomato Pasta Salad

INGREDIENTS

12 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and divided
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon capers, drained
Kosher salt, to taste
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orecchiette or other small pasta
1/2 pound cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, medium-diced
3/4 cup good black olives, such as kalamata, pitted and diced (optional)
1 cup freshly grated parmesan
1 cup packed basil leaves, julienned

DIRECTIONS

1. Add half the sun-dried tomatoes, all the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper to a food processor, and process until almost smooth.
2. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package in a large pot of seasoned boiling water until al dente. Drain well, then toss with the dressing in a large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, mince the remaining sun-dried tomatoes.
3. Add the tomatoes, mozzarella, olives (if using), remaining sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan, and basil to the salad. Toss to distribute evenly. Season to taste with salt.
4. Serve at room temperature.

Tofu Rice

Tofu Rice

Ingredients::
Tofu
potato
carrot
capsicum
peas
turmeric
coriander powder
cumin powder
chilli powder
salt

Procedure:

Fry tofu cubes in oil and keep it aside.
Add some oil to the pan and put some tadka (optional) and/or add some onions.
add the vegetables.
add turmeric let the vegetables fry for few mins.
add all other masalas.
add tofu give it a stir.
add the rice.

Oats Bisibelabath

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Serves: 4

Main Ingredients:

1. oats
2. vegetables
3. tur dal

Ingredients

• Oats - 1 cup, dry roast on low flame for 5 mts
• Tur dal - 1/4 cup, washed and cook till soft
• Carrot - 1, peel and cube
• Potato -1, peel and cube
• French beans - 6, string and cut into small pieces
• Green peas - fistful (optional)
• Tomato - 1, large, finely chopped
• Onion - 1, finely chopped
• Tamarind extract - 1 1/2 tbsps (thick extract)
• Jaggery - 1/2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsps OR 1 tbsp ghee and 1/2 tbsp oil
• For tempering:
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5-6
• Oil - 1 1/2 tbsps oil OR 1 tbsp ghee and 1/2 tbsp oil
• For Bisibelabath powder: (roast in a tsp of ghee or oil for 3-4 mts)
• Chana dal - 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/2 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper corns - 5 to 6
• Red chilies - 2-3, tear and de-seed
• Cinnamon stick - 1/2"
• Cardamom - 1
• Cloves - 1
• Marathi Moggu - 2 (Dried capers)
• Poppy seeds - 1 tsp
• Dry coconut - 1 tbsp
• Raw rice - 3/4 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds - pinch (methi)
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Method

1. Peel and chop the vegetables. Pressure cook the vegetables till soft.
2. Pressure cook the dal. Prepare the bisi bela bhath powder. Dry roast all the ingredients listed above for bisi bela bhath powder in a teaspoon of oil or ghee for 3-4 mts. Remove onto a plate and cool.
3. While the spices cool, dry roast oats for 3 mts on low to medium flame and keep aside.
4. Blend the cooled spice ingredients to make bisi bela bath powder. Keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add mustard seeds and as they splutter, add curry leaves and mix. Add chopped onions and saute for 4 mts. Add turmeric powder and mix. Add chopped tomato and cook for 3 mts. Add the vegetables along with any left over water and jaggery and cook for 2 mts.
6. Add cooked dal and mix. Add tamarind extract along with a cup of water and cook for 4-5 mts.
7. Add 1 1/2 tbsps of bisi bele bath powder and salt and mix. You need to mix the powder well such that you do not find any lumps of the spice powder. Add a cup of water at this stage and cook for 2 mts.
8. Add oats and mix. Place lid and cook on low flame for 5 mts. Turn off heat and remove onto a serving bowl.

Quinoa Moongdal Soup

Quinoa Mung Daal Recipe

 

Ingredients::
Quinoa – 1/2 cup, washed
Mung Daal – 1/2 cup, washed
Water – 4 1/2 cups (divided)
Salt – to taste
Ginger – 1 Tbsp, minced
Ghee (Clarified Butter) – 1 Tbsp
Asafoetida (Hing) – 1/8 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
Garlic – 5 to 6 cloves, roughly crushed
Green Chilies – to taste, slit
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped
Cilantro – 10 sprigs, chopped for garnishing
Lime Juice – to taste
Method:
1. In a large pot, add Quinoa, Mung Daal, 4 cups Water, Salt and Ginger.
2. Cook uncovered on medium heat until Daal and Quinoa are tender but not completely mashed – approx 20-25 minutes. Skim foam off the top as needed.
3. In a skillet, heat Ghee.
4. Add Asafoetida, Turmeric Powder, Cumin Powder, Garlic and Green Chilies. Mix and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add Tomatoes and cook for another 30-45 seconds.
6. Add mixture into the cooked Daal and Quinoa along with 1/2 cup water.
7. Bring to a rolling boil and remove from heat.
8. Garnish with Cilantro and Lime Juice and serve hot as a soup or with Rice or Chapati.

Oats Upma

Healthy Indian Breakfast ~ Upma with Oats

Ingredients

• Oats - 1 cup, dry roast for 5 minutes and cool
• Carrot - 1, cubed
• French Beans - 5-6, string and chop into pieces
• Green peas - fistful (optional)
• Onion - 1, finely sliced
• Green Chilies - 2, slit
• Ginger - 1tsp (grated)
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Water - 1 cup
• Ghee - 2 tsps
• Oil - 2 tsps
• Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
• Tempering/Poppu/Tadka:
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cloves - 2
• Cinnamon Stick - small piece
• Star Anise - 1
• Cardamom - 1
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Cashew nuts - 4-5
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

1. Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Add whole spices, cashew nuts and curry leaves and saute for a minute on low to medium flame.
2. Add the onions, ginger and green chilies and saute for 4 mts. Add carrots and beans and saute on medium flame for 4 mts. Add turmeric powder and salt and mix.
3. Place lid and cook on low flame for 6-7 mts. Add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Reduce flame, place lid and cook for 6-7 mts or till the water is half absorbed.
4. Add the dry roasted oats and mix. Place lid for 3 minutes. Turn off heat and mix well.
5. Remove onto a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve warm with pickle or chutney of your choice.

Tips

• Use any vegetable of your choice. Tomatoes make for a good addition.
• Vegans can avoid ghee.
• If you do not have whole garam masala spices, add a pinch of garam masala powder.

Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (utappam) Recipe

Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) Recipe

SERVES: 4 to 6 Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla

TIME: 30 Minutes

The Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) Recipe is an easy to make recipe specially for breakfast. To make this cheela simply mix the whole wheat flour in water and make a thick lump free batter. Then mix the chopped vegetables in it. Spread this on a greased frying pan and fry it on both sides. Whole wheat flour made from Vivatta is the healthiest flour as it is loaded with vitamins, calcium, phosphorous, zinc,iron and folic acid. It is a good source of dietary fiber too. Since it is loaded with vegetables this is extremely nutritious too. The Aate Ka Chilla gets cooked within 20 Minutes. 

Serve the Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) along with Peanut Chutney for breakfast, tea time snack or dinner.

Equipment needed: Skillet/Tawa

Ingredients

• 1 cup Vivatta Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 cups water
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 medium capsicum, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 small bunch coriander leaves, finely chooped
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Directions for Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) Recipe

1. To begin making the Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) Recipe, in a mixing bowl, mix the Vivatta Whole Wheat Flour and water and make a thick lump free batter.
2. The paste should be thicker than dosa batter.
3. After making a batter, mix the vegetables like chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, chopped capsicum, chopped coriander leaves,cumin seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt to taste. Mix well.
4. Heat a tava and grease it with 1 tablespoon oil.
5. When the oil gets heated, add one ladle full of batter on the heated tava.
6. If the vegetables accumulate in the center, then using your finger tips spread the vegetables around the cheela.
7. Cover the tava with a lid for 3 to 4 minutes and cook the wheat chilla over medium heat. The steam that gets created will help cook the chilla evenly.
8. Open the lid and spread 1 teaspoon oil on top of the chilla while it is frying on the tava and continue to cook until you notice the sides and the bottom of the chilla is cooked through and lightly browned.
9. Flip to the other side and let it get cooked for a few more minutes or until the edges appear crispy.
10. Serve the Whole Wheat Vegetable Chilla (Cheela) along withPeanut Chutney for breakfast, tea time snack or dinner.