Showing posts with label quick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label quick. Show all posts

Monday, May 7, 2018

South of the Border Burrito; Meatless Monday vegan recipe and a giveaway!!




My family is a connoisseur of vegetarian food. Fish and chicken is cooked only occasionally. I love fish and cannot resist grilled chicken. However, my husband and kids prefer vegetarian food over non-vegetarian. Needless to say, I therefore end up cooking more vegetarian dishes than non-vegetarian. Truth be told, personally for me, cooking a vegetarian dish is much easier and quicker than non-vegetarian.



I am a huge supporter of the Meatless Monday Movement. I often feel that people in the West have this misconception that a meal is incomplete without some form of animal protein and that animal protein is essential for normal growth and development.  Indian cuisine proves that this is a myth. Many Indians are vegetarian and lead a healthy, whole and successful life. 

Coming back to the recipe on hand.. when Taylor from Meatless Monday told me about an opportunity to work with Kristi Funk by trying one of her healthy recipes that support her  latest book filled with tons of information regarding breast cancer, how to prevent it with a healthy lifestyle, I was all for it! I am always on the quest for cooking in a healthier manner. I grew up in a family where 1 liter of oil would last the entire month. This recipe of Kristi’s uses no oil at all! I had to try that. I have to tell you, it came out delicious!! 




For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Kristi Funk, she is a leading board-certified breast cancer surgeon and specialist in comprehensive wellness, including nutrition, fitness, and stress management. Best known as the breast surgeon for Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow, Dr. Funk has compiled her accessible and powerful strategies for reducing cancer risk and achieving optimal overall health into a much-anticipated book, Breasts: The Owner’s Manual, which came on shelves May 1, 2018.



Dr. Funk embraces meat reduction for healthy living. She personally provided a selection of delicious Meatless Monday recipes exclusively for us to try. One of them was the South of the Border Burrito. I tried it and everyone at home loved it! It was quick and easy. I would have never imagined that cooking without oil would taste so good! I made some minor changes to it due to lack of some ingredients. I didn’t have cilantro or avocado and therefore skipped it. I used chopped lettuce instead. Instead of Braggs amino acids I used tamari sauce. I have described the recipe verbatim as provided by her.

If you would like a copy of Dr Funk’s book, sign up with your email to participate in the give away! 




Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz.) organic firm or extra firm, well drained tofu (prep technique below)
1 onion
1 large green pepper
1 large red pepper
2 handfuls chopped spinach
2 tomatoes
1 tsp turmeric
2 T Bragg Amino acids (or tamari)
Veggie broth to broth sauté
Salsa
1 Avocado
Cilantro to taste
Whole grain tortillas

Directions:

Heat pan with a tiny bit of broth just covering the bottom of the pan. Once the broth is simmering, add the chopped onions, tomatoes and peppers. Sauté until they start to get soft (about 6-8 minutes). Keep adding broth by the tablespoon when pan is gets too dry.

Crumble tofu (I use my hands), add turmeric and Bragg Amino acids and sauté until everything is starting to brown just a bit.

Add spinach, turn OFF heat, and toss for a minute or so.

Taste and decide if you want to add a little more Bragg’s.

Heat tortilla until soft and fill with mixture. Add salsa, cilantro and avocado and wrap into a burrito.

Tip: Draining tofu completely is important. Cut the tofu block in half and press in clean kitchen towels, then wrap in a dry towel and place under a heavy pan (or a stack of books!). Leave for at least 20 minutes and change out towels if they get too saturated. Better yet, buy a tofu press... such a great gadget to have!

I am bringing this salad to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday #223. Her cohost this week is the amazing Mollie @ The Frugal Hausfrau.


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Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Vegetarian Bean Quesadilla


My daughter is that stage of growing where she wants to try different kinds of cuisine and food. She also tells me that she does not want to eat baby food anymore. She wants to eat "grown up" food. So for dinner the other day I decided to make some thing that she could eat. She prefers vegetarian fare. I know she likes rotis/ chapatis which are basically Indian flat bread that is like a whole wheat tortilla. She also likes cheese and sour cream. I decided to make a bean quesadilla using most of the ingredients that she likes or will eat. I swapped the sour cream with Greek yogurt. The beans stuffing was easy to make and she liked it.







I added some picked jalapeños to half it for my husband and I to spice it up a bit. I served it with fresh salsa with avocado and Greek yogurt. The end result was so good that my husband asked me where I had gotten the quesadilla from!! 




Do try it. It is great because you don't have to slave in front of the stove in this warm weather.The recipe is also in time for Cinco de mayo and Mother's Day which is around the corner! Serve the quesadilla with 
guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde, or all of them if you wish!



Servings: 3-4



Prep time: 10 minsCook time: 15 minsTotal time: 25 mins



Ingredients:


Whole wheat tortillas/ roti/ Chapati: 2, large.
Mexican shredded cheese mix: 1 cup
Greek yogurt: 1/2 cup

For the bean stuffing:
Cooked & drained red kidney beans : 2 cups ( or 1 can (8oz).
Cooking oil: 1 tsp ( I used coconut oil)
Onion: 1 small, diced fine
Cumin powder: 1/4 tsp
Bell pepper/ capsicum, diced fine: 1/4 cup
Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro, chopped fine: 1 tbsp ( optional)
Pickled jalapeños, chopped: 1 tsp ( optional)

Method:


Heat the oil in a sauce pan or sauté pan on medium heat.


Add the dice onion. Sauté until the onion begins to sweat.


Add the diced bell peppers. Sauté for a minute.


Add the cumin powder. Sauté for 10-20 seconds.


Add the cooked and drained red kidney beans, salt, black pepper and mix well until it all comes together.


Using a potato masher, lightly mash this mixture.


Add finely chopped cilantro. Mix.




Turn off the flame and keep aside.




Heat a griddle/ tawa on medium flame. Place one roti/ chapati/tortilla on it. Reduce the flame to low.




Spread the bean mixture on top of the tortilla evenly.

Sprinkle the pickled jalapeño pieces if you want it spicy.


Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top. 




Place the second roti/chapati/ tortilla on top. Let it cook for a minute or two.

If possible, flip the quesadilla and cook for a minute on the other side. If you cannot flip, it is ok. Just continue cooking for couple more minutes until the cheese melts.

Turn off the flame. Using a pizza cutter or serrated knife , cut it into six pieces/ wedges.




Top it with a dollop of Greek yogurt.




Serve it with 
guacamole , any kind of salsa,  pico de gallo or salsa verde if you wish.!

Enjoy!


I am bringing this to all my friends at Angie's Fiesta Friday for the Cinco de Mayo celebrations!!   Monika @ Everyday Healthy Recipes and Sue @ Birgerbird are the co-hosts this weekend!

Cooking made easy:


If you are gluten free, you can use corn tortillas. If the tortilla is really small, just cut it into 2 or 4 pieces.

Alternatively, you can use just one tortilla, put the filling on one half of the tortilla, top it with cheese and fold the other half of the tortilla on top. You can then choose to cut it into 3 pieces/wedges or just 2 halves.

Tip for healthy living:


You can enjoy any of your regular food by switching high calorie, high fat ingredients with low calorie, low-fat, healthy ingredients. For eg, in the above recipe, I have switched the sour cream with healthier Greek yogurt.

Food for Thought:


The secret of our success is determined by our daily agenda. John Maxwell.





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Monday, April 17, 2017

Authentic Mexican Guacamole ; Meatless Monday



Guys, spring is here!!! Even though it does not feel like spring at times...But not to despair!! It will get warm soon enough! We have to now get our bodies ready for summer!!






We are always on the look out for healthy snacks: snacks that are not processed, low in calories and replenishes & rejuvenates the body. One such snack is Guacamole. Made out of ripe avocados, they are filling,nutritious  and flavorful and cooling! Avocados are known as butter fruit in India. 




There are many versions of guacamole. Some make it chunky, some smooth, some add tomatoes and garlic while others don't. I have the good fortune of working with quite a few Hispanics and therefore learn authentic Hispanic dishes. This particular version of guacamole comes from a coworker of mine. I first tasted her guacamole at a workplace event that we had and the foodie in me was impressed to say the least. I loved the freshness of the guacamole and that there was no overpowering taste of one single ingredient. I had to have the recipe.



 She was kind enough to share it with me. I love the ease of making this guacamole with no food processor or blender needed. I use my stone pestle and mortar to make it. This recipe also requires only 6 ingredients including the avocado! Since making this version, I have not made any other.. I like to eat it as a dip with quinoa chips, quesadilla and as a topping on my sandwich or in my wrap.





Today, I am sharing this delicious recipe with you.

Servings: 3-4



Prep time: 8-10 mins

Cook time: 0 mins

Total time: 8-10 mins


Ingredients:

Avocado: 1 large, ripe
White Onion: 1/2 small, diced fine
Serrano pepper: 1, small, deseeded & deveined.
Lime Juice: from 1 small lime.
Cilantro: 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Salt: to taste

Method:

Deseed the Serrano pepper and chop it finely. Add it to a bowl.


Slice the avocado into 2. Remove the seed. 


Using a spoon, scoop it from the peel. Dice it into medium sized cubes. Add it to the bowl.

Add lime/lemon juice to the avocado and mix immediately. Otherwise the avocado will discolor.


Now add the chopped onion, finely chopped cilantro, and salt to the bowl.


Mix well. Mash the mixture gently to get the desired consistency.

Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Preferably serve immediately.





Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:


One of the problems of avocado is that it turns black. This can be prevented by the addition of lime or lemon juice and also by leaving the seed in the guacamole. The guacamole with remain green even the next day!!

Tip for healthy living:


Eating low calorie dips made using naturally occurring foods like avocado is much better than the high fat and calorie dips that use sour cream, cheese and mayonnaise as a base!

Food for thought:

To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one's own in the midst of abundance. Buddha


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Friday, March 3, 2017

Ramen/Maggi noodles Made Healthy!!



You don't believe me do you?? It is true.. Ramen can be made healthy..
Check out my Buckwheat Mushroom Rice Ramen.





So what exactly is Ramen?? Ramen has many names. Ramen in India is popular as Maggi noodles. Basically these are instant noodles that comes with a seasoning packet( tastemaker) that can be ready in 2 minutes!! The biggest issue with ramen that makes it unhealthy is the seasoning packet or tastemaker that most often than not has monosodium glutamate amongst other ingredients that makes ramen  so desirable. Not to mention the fact that these noodles are made out of white bleached flour with little nutritional value!




With all that being said, how do we make these noodles healthy?? Basically, by taking away the undesirable ingredients and adding nutritient-rich ingredients. Instead of using plain water, we use vegetable broth to cook the noodles. A variety of vegetables are sautéed and added on top of the noodles. Now does it sound healthy, nutritious and delicious??Also, do not forget that Maggi is available in atta version and oats noodles. Here in US, we get buckwheat and rice noodles/ramen. 





Whatever said and done, all of us at some point in our lives have lived on Ramen/Maggi ( remember college days??) or had it when we didn't have anything else in our pantry.. someway or the other, Ramen remains a comfort food... With the weather yo-yoing, people look forward to a bowl of Ramen to warm them.

Check out the recipe to see how you can make it, enjoy it but in a guilt-free manner.

Prep time: 5-10 minsCook time: 8-10 minsTotal time: 13-20 mins


Servings: 4


Ingredients:


Instant noodles ( Maggi/Top Ramen): 2 packets
Water/ vegetable broth: 4 cups
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Onion: 1, medium, sliced lengthwise.
Green Pepper: 1 medium, sliced lengthwise
Red Pepper: 1 medium, sliced lengthwise.
Mixed vegetables: 2 cups ( any combination can be used; I used frozen peas & carrots)
Green chilies: 1-2, chopped fine ( optional)
Tomato: 2 medium, sliced lengthwise.
Lemon wedges: 4-8 nos
Salt: to taste
Cilantro: 1 tbsp for garnish, optional

Method:


In a saucepan, bring 4 cups of water/ vegetable broth to a boil. While waiting for the liquid to boil, prepare the veggies.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauté pan or frying pan. 

Add sliced onions. Sauté until the onions wilt. 
Add the frozen vegetables, chopped green chilies & sauté for 2-3 mins until the peas & carrots are slightly tender. 
Add the sliced Bell peppers. Sauté for 2 mins. 
Add salt & cilantro ( reserving some for garnish). 
Turn off the stove.

Break the noodles & add it to the boiling liquid. 
Continue to boil for exactly 2 mins. Turn off the stove. 
Cover the pot and let it sit for 1-2 mins.

Take 4 serving bowls. 
Divide the noodles equally into them. 
Divide the veggies into 4 equal portions. 
Top each bowl with the cooked vegetables , slices of tomato and a wedge of lemon. 
Garnish with little cilantro.

Serve immediately!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:


Any combination of frozen & or fresh vegetables can be used. Just keep in mind the cooking time for the vegetables. If the vegetables take long to cook, cook them separately and then add to the sautéed onions.


Tip for healthy living:


Adding 3-4 colors of vegetables to your dish ensures that you get a variety of essential vitamins and other nutrients through your meal. The color of the vegetable is usually an indicator of the nutrient that they are rich in. For examples, the orange color of carrots indicates that they are rich in beta carotene.


Food for thought:

It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. John wooden



Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!





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Monday, January 30, 2017

Pineapple Couscous Baby Greens Salad.




When I saw Angie's Healthy Recipe Challenge I was intrigued. When I saw that the primary ingredients that she wanted in the dish were pineapple and greens, I was challenged. I wanted to think out of the box and create something that had these ingredients. I was in the process of making Couscous salad with cranberries and walnuts  for dinner . I decided to encompass these two ingredients and come up with a more nutritious salad. The resulting salad was exotic and delicious! My husband loved it! Him saying something is good is a big compliment in itself.





So try this salad when you get a chance. You will be hooked. My neighbor loved it too.. I got the couscous that cooks in just 10 mins. This is perfect for a weeknight dinner! The leftover makes for a perfect lunch.






Here is the recipe:

Servings: 3

Prep time: 5 minsCook time: 10 minsTotal time: 15 mins



Ingredients:


Couscous: 1 cup
Water: 1 & 1/4 cup
Salt: a pinch
Olive oil: 1 tsp
Dried cranberries : 1/3 cup
Roasted Walnut pieces : 1/4 cup
Pineapple pieces: 1 cup, diced small
Parsley: 1/3 cup, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper:1/4 tsp
Extra Virgin olive oil: 1/3 cup
Lemon juice: 1/4 cup, freshly squeezed
Sea salt: 1/2 tsp
Sriracha or hot sauce: 1/2 tsp ( optional)
Minced garlic: 1/4 tsp
Baby greens: 4 & 1/2 cups

Method:


Take 1 & 1/4 cups water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Add salt, olive oil and couscous. Cover and cook on low for 10 mins. When done, turn of the flame and fluff it. Keep aside to cool.

Add into a small jar, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, black pepper, minced garlic, Sriracha/ hot sauce. Close the jar and mix thoroughly. Keep aside.




Take the cooled couscous in a salad bowl. To this add the pineapple pieces, chopped parsley, dried cranberries, roasted walnuts & the prepared dressing. Mix thoroughly. Keep it refrigerated until ready to serve.



For serving:
Divide the baby greens equally among 3 plates. Then divide the couscous salad on it. Sprinkle some walnuts &/or parsley on top.



Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:


If you intend to make/ pack this for lunch, then pack the greens separately in a container. Make sure you wrap the greens in papertowel.


Use another container for the salad. I you want the walnuts crunchy, pack it separately in a small container/ ziplock.

Tip for healthy living:


A salad like above can be quite nourishing and filling. It has pretty much all the food groups in it making for a complete balanced meal that is satisfying, yet low in calories.

Food for thought:


A little patience goes a long way. Unknown




Please do share your thoughts. Your opinion matters!




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