Quinoa Black Bean Salad

                          

Quinoa Black Bean Salad is a quick, easy and healthy dish to prepare. This salad has a wonderful taste, nice aroma of garlic, olive oil and lime flavor. The brightness and color of the salad is best for parties. We love the quinoa salad at Costco and was eager to try this salad at home. Basically my husband is a soup and salad lover. I prefer making chickpeas cranberry pomegranate salad or black eyed pea salad or apple salad but wanted to give this a shot for a change and it worked wonders. Quinoa lovers, please refer our quinoa pulao posted earlier. Here's my version of the Costco's quinoa salad...

Ingredients 

• Quinoa - 1 cup (soak for 30 mins in water and wash well before use)
• Water - 1 1/2 cups
• Green bell pepper (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup 
• Red bell pepper (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup 
• Jalapeno (finely chopped) - 1
• Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup
• Black olives - 1/3 cup 
• Black beans (I used tin) - 1/2 cup

For dressing 

• Garlic (finely chopped) - 3 cloves 
• Lime - 2
• Olive oil - 1/4 cup 
• Lime zest - 2 tsp
• Salt as needed 
• Pepper as needed 

Method 

• In a kadai, cook the quinoa with 1 1/2 cups of water. Once quinoa cooked, allow it to rest for sometime and fluff it with a fork. Keep it separately.
• Take a wide mixing bowl -  add onions, green & red bell pepper, jalapeno, black olives. 
• Drain water from black beans in the tin and wash it several times to remove the preservative smell.  
• Then add black beans to the bowl along with cooked quinoa.

                            

• Now start preparing the dressing for the salad in another bowl by adding the ingredients mentioned under " for dressing" one by one. Mix well. 
• Add the dressing to the bowl. Toss well with the quinoa.
• Quinoa black bean salad is ready to be served. 

                             

Tip 

• You can replace black bean with chickpeas or  black eye peas.
• You can add tomatoes without seeds. Its optional.
• You can add all colors of bell pepper to make it colorful.

     

Capsicum pasta in red sauce

As most of you, I'm a big fan and marathon watcher of "FOOD NETWORK". I watched this recipe and then tried it several times in my world. You might think what is my world? Its my 'kitchen'. 

It's an easy, delicious, flavorful pasta. When I made this pasta, it was a big hit. My hubby is crazy about pasta. He wants to try different flavors and kinds of pasta.

The schools are closed for the summer holiday and I'm sure your kids will love this pasta. This is a  super quick idea for dinner or lunch with a side of garlic bread and a glass of fresh juice of your choice. That would make it a complete meal. I have also posted some more pasta recipes like spinach pasta, vegetable pasta, do try those recipes as well. Stay tuned for more kids recipe ;)

                           

Ingredients 

For the red sauce 

• Tomatoes - 6 (Blanch tomatoes in hot water, peel the skin and blend to smooth paste)
• Basil leaves - 4 (roughly chopped)
• Garlic cloves - 3 (finely chopped)
• Black olives - few 
• Salt as needed 
• Sugar - 1 tsp (to subside acidity in the tomatoes)
• Pepper as needed 
• Olive oil as needed 
• Italian herbs - 1 tsp 

Method 

• Heat the pan with olive oil, add garlic. Saute in medium flame for few seconds. Add blanched tomato puree and give a quick mix. Cook in medium flame for 10 minutes.

                        

• When tomato puree boils, add salt, sugar, pepper, Italian herbs, basil leaves and black olives. Give a stir and cook for 5 minutes in medium flame.
• Now red sauce is ready. Keep it aside. 

For capsicum pasta

• Pasta - 2 cups (any shape you can use)
• Capsicum - 1 1/2 cups (all color)
• Basil leaves - few roughly chopped 
• Black olives - few 
• Pepper as needed 
• Salt as needed 
• Onion - 1/2 cup finely chopped 
• Garlic - 4 (finely chopped)
• Italian herbs as needed 
• Mozzarella cheese for garnish   

Method 

• Keep a water in pan and bring it to boil. Add salt and olive oil, then add pasta to it. Cook it in high flame for 10 minutes. Once done strain the water from pasta and keep aside. 
• Heat pan with olive oil, add and fry garlic till raw smell goes then add onion saute till transparent pink color.

                         

• Add capsicum and give a quick toss, add salt, pepper, italian herbs, black olives and basil leaves. Mix and cook in high flame for 3-5 minutes.
• Now add pasta to the tossed capsicum. Mix well.
• Add the tomato puree to the pasta and cook for 10 minutes. 
• Capsicum pasta with red sauce is ready to be served hot with garlic bread and choice of your juice.  Garnish with cheese when hot and serve.

                         

                    

Tips

• If you want pasta to be cooked faster, you have a trick - soak pasta in water for few hours before cooking.
• Don't over cook the capsicum. It should be crunchy.
• You can avoid cheese and have as such. 

      

Curd Rice/Thayir Sadam

Curd rice is a popular South Indian dish and very easy food to make. It tastes great with pickle or potato fry or simple kootu. If curd rice is made with fruits and nuts it's called as Bagala Bath. My husband is a big fan of seasoned curd rice, he'll be very happy even if I temper with mustard and curry leaves alone. Me too!!

Curd has a semi solid and creamy consistency. Curd helps you beat the heat in tropical countries. It's a diary product with the following health benefits like instant relief from diarrhea and dysentery, enhances digestion, zero carbs, sugar and trans fat.
                            

Ingredients

• Sona masoori - 1/2 cup
• Curd/ Yogurt - 1/2 cup
• Milk - 1/2 cup
• Mango (finely chopped) - 2tbsp
• Carrot (finely chopped) - 1tbsp
• Cilantro (finely chopped) - 1tbsp 
• Green Chilli (finely chopped) - 1
• Ginger (finely chopped) - 1tsp
• Salt - as needed

To temper 

• Oil - 2tsp
• Mustard - 1tsp
• Urad dhal - 1tsp
• Asafoetida - pinch
• Curry leaves - few 

Method

• Wash the rice and pressure cook with 1 & 1/2 cups of water for 4-5 whistles in medium flame. Once done immediately mash the rice well and add hot boiling milk, mix well. Add more water if needed. Allow the rice mixture to cool down.

                             

• Now add curd along with salt, all the chopped ingredients one by one.
• Then temper with the items given under 'to temper' table and mix well.

                             

 

Tips

• You can add cashew nuts, dry grapes, cucumber, pomegranate, grapes, apple etc. It's your call. 
• If your preparing for occasions then add butter for creamy and rich flavor.
• While tempering you can also add red chillies, that also gives a nice flavor  to the recipe. 
• Before adding curd, ensure the rice is cooled down, because it tends to cause curdling when rice is hot. This will cause the killing of bacteria in the curd, which will not be comfortable to the tummy!
• Always add hot milk to the rice. 
• If you are packing for lunch then add more milk and less curd, which will prevent the rice turning too sour/tangy. 
• If packing for kids, avoid green chilli. 

                               

 

Vegetable Cheese Sandwich

                               

Looking to surprise your family/spouse with a special breakfast this weekend? Check out this easy & healthy breakfast. Give your loved ones a break from cereals, pancakes and waffles. Have it with a glass of chocolate milk or fruit juice or cut fruits to make this a perfect breakfast combo. 

                                    
                                                  Don't care how late you wake up
                                             eat your breakfast......

    

Breakfast makes you energetic, it improves your focus & concentration, weight control, metabolism boost, helps in lowering the bad cholesterol and balance your hungry for rest of the day. We can keep going, so please don't skip your breakfast.

   
                     "EVERYTHING IS POSITIVE IN LIFE WHEN YOU ARE HEALTHY"

                                         

                   
                              

Ingredients

• Bread - 4-6 slices
• Butter - as needed 
• Sandwich spread - as needed (you get this in Indian grocery)
• Cheese slice - 3 (optional)
• Tomatoes (sliced) - 1
• Capsicum (juvenile cut) - 1
• Cucumber (juvenile cut) - 1
• Pepper powder - as needed 
• Salt - as needed 

Method

• Take two bread slice ( I used white bread ) . Generously spread butter on one side of each bread slice.  
• Next grease the sandwich spread on one side followed by cheese on the same side of the bread slice. 
• Now top it with all the cut veggies one by one, then sprinkle some salt & pepper powder on the veggies.
• Close the veggies filled bread with the other bread slice.
• Repeat the same steps for other slices of bread also.
• Meanwhile heat the panini maker. Once ready, place the bread slices over the grill. Then close the maker and wait till it turns green in color. 
• Once the bread is grilled completely, take it carefully and cut into triangle or square as you desire.
• Now hot and tasty sandwich is ready to be served with ketchup and chips.

                         

Tips 

• You can also use whole wheat bread to make this sandwich.
• Any vegetable of your choice can be used.
• You can also replace cheese with mayonnaise or ranch. 
• Black pepper powder can be replaced with white pepper.  

Check our other sandwich recipe also Avocado Sandwich

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Veg Momos

                                       

Vegetable Momos are steamed dumplings made with all purpose flour or maida. It can be filled with either veggies or meat. These popular street dumplings are so versatile. Momos are very healthy and delicious when served with hot chilli sauce. Pardon me for the shape and size, as it's my first attempt ;-)  

These dumplings were so good that we skipped dinner. I made these dumplings a month back and for some reason I have not been able to post this recipe but better late than never. This will be perfect for your kids, as it's not every day that you see kids relishing with lots of vegetables. These dumpling can be tried with wheat flour or deep fried as well. 

Ingredients 

For the dough 

• All purpose flour - 1/2 cup ( you get 10-15 dumplings)
• Water - as needed
• Salt - as needed
• Oil - 2tbsp 

For the stuffing 

• Finely chopped cabbage - 1cup
• Finely chopped carrot - 1/2 cup 
• Finely chopped garlic - 1tbsp
• Spring Onion - 4-5 (finely chopped)
• Sugar - 1/4 tsp 
• Pepper powder - 1tsp
• Soya sauce - 1tsp
• Salt - as needed
• Oil - 1tbsp

Method 

• Mix flour with salt, oil & water into a smooth pliable dough (just like poori dough). Cover the dough and keep aside. 
• Heat a pan with a tbsp of oil. Add garlic, chopped white part of spring onion and stir fry in high flame. 
• Then add chopped veggies, sugar and fry in high flame for a minute. 
• Once the veggies are cooked then add salt, pepper powder, soya sauce and mix well. Finally add finely chopped green part of the spring onion and mix well. Switch off and keep aside.

                      

• Roll the dough into a big disc and use a lid to cut them into a smaller disc. After that I rolled the smaller discs into a thin circles then added stuffing in the middle. 

                             

• Fold it into momos shape. Now steam it in a steamer spaced properly for 5 minutes. 
• Veg momos is now ready to be served with hot chilli sauce or tomato ketchup. 

Tips 

• Adding oil will soften the dough.
• You can also add veggies like beans, sweet corn.    

                         

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Thayir Vadai/ Curd Vadai

                           

Thayir Vadai/Curd Vadai is a very yummy and delicious south Indian snack. Whenever we go to an Indian restaurant my first order would be thayir vadai, as it's one of my favorite snack. My mother's preparation of thayir vadai is a super duper hit in our family. In most homes, thayir vadai would be prepared using left over vadais but I make them with fresh vadais like my mother. 

Ingredients

• Thick curd (Yogurt) - 2cups
• Coriander leaves (finely chopped) - 3 tbsp
• Carrot (grated) - 2 tbsp 
• Chat masala - a pinch 

For the Vadai

• Urad dhal - 1/2 cup
• Salt - as per taste 
• Water - as needed
• Oil - for deep frying 

To Grind

• Coconut - 2tbsp 
• Cumin seeds - 1tsp
• Green Chilly - 2
• Ginger (finely chopped) - 1tsp

To Temper 

• Oil - 2tbsp 
• Mustard - 1tsp 
• Dry red chillies - 2
• Hing - a pinch
• Curry leaves  - a spring 

Method

• Soak urad dhal for atleast 2-3 hours. Drain water completely and then sprinkle water little by little while grinding.  
• Don't sprinkle more water to the batter because it will become runny. Grind the batter thick and fluffy in texture. Once the vadai batter is ready add salt and mix well. 

                        

• Meanwhile heat oil. Wet your palm with water, then take a small ball out of the batter and pat it on. Now make a hole in the middle and carefully drop it into the oil.
• Fry the vadai in medium flame, turn over to other side once it becomes light golden brown color. Same way cook the other side also.
• Make all vadais and drain them to remove excess oil with paper towel. 
• Then whisk curd with salt. Add the paste to the whisked curd and mix well. Heat oil and temper the items listed under " to temper ", transfer to the curd mixture. Give a quick mix. 

                          

• Then drop the vadais to hot water, remove it immediately ( this is to make the vadais soft and make it absorb curd well).
• Add the vadais to the curd and arrange them to a plate, then pour little curd mixture over the vadais. 

                           

• Then garnish with grated carrot, boondi, chat masala and cilantro. Now vadais are ready to be served in room temperature or you can serve it cold also. It's your call !!

                            

Tips

• Always make sure that you make the vadai batter fluffy.
• While tempering the curd, you can also add red chillies for flavor.
• Soak the urad dhal for atleast 4-5 hours max.     

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