Chickpea Spinach Salad

A quick and healthy protein+ Iron packed lunch with bursting flavors. Chickpea Spinach salad with cucumber, pear, pomegranate and crumbled Feta Cheese in a tangy and zesty lemon olive oil dressing. Pear and pomegranate add little bit sweetness to the salad, feta gives a nice tangy after taste. Dressing is very simple yet perfectly compliments the salad elements. 

Yield : 2 servings 

Ingredients

• 1 and 1/2 Cups Cooked chickpeas
• 1 Cup Spinach roughly chopped
• 1/2 Cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 Cup Pear cut into Small cubes 
• 1/4 Cup pomegranate seeds
• /4 Cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves 

For the dressing

• 2 Tablespoon Good EV Olive Oil
• Juice of one lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 Garlic clove minced
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon cumin powder
• a pinch of cayenne
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large bowl, prepare the salad dressing. Add Garlic, EVOO, lemon juice, salt, ground pepper, cumin powder, Cayenne, lemon zest and whisk
2. In a microwave safe bowl, add spinach along with 1/2 cup water and a big pinch of salt and microwave on high for 30 seconds. Close the bowl with a lid and let the spinach remain in hot water for 20 seconds. Then drain and squeeze excess water from spinach
3. Add cooked chick peas, blanched spinach, pear, cucumber, pomegranate seeds and gently toss
4. Finally stir in feta cheese and cilantro leaves and toss gently. Serve at once

100% Whole Wheat Carrot Zucchini Muffins with Cinnamon Walnut Streusel

An easy recipe for healthy muffins made with 100% whole wheat flour. No refined Sugar, No APF, No Butter, No Eggs. Naturally sweetened with Honey and Apple Sauce. With loads of grated carrots and Zucchini. Topped with crunchy walnut Streusel.

 

Enjoy Guilt free breakfast or satisfy your sweet cravings in a healthier way!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients 

• 1 and 1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour / Atta
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Cup Grated Carrot
• 1/2 Cup Grated Zucchini
• 1/3 Cup unsweetened Apple Sauce
• 1/3 Cup Organic Honey
• 1/4 Cup Plain Natural Yogurt
• 1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Ground flaxseed / flaxseed meal
• 1/4 Cup Melted Dark Chocolate
• 1/3 Cup of warm water
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla extract

For the Streusel ( Mix everything)

• 1/4 Cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 Cup Rolled Oats
• 1/4 Cup Chopped Dark Chocolate
• 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• 2 Tablespoon Organic Honey

Directions

Preheat the oven to 180C / 350F

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and set aside
2. In a small bowl, add ground flax and pour 1/3 Cup warm water and mix well. Set aside for 10 minutes
3. In a separate large bowl, add apple sauce, honey, yogurt, oil, flax mixture, melted chocolate and using a thick wooden spoon mix everything
4. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 2 additions and mix well after each addition. Finally fold in grated carrot and zucchini.
5. Pour the prepared batter in the greased muffin trays up to 2/3 rd way full
6. Top the muffin batter with 1/2 Tablespoon of Streusel
7. Bake at 180C for 25 to 30 minutes until a tooth pick inserted through comes out clean
8. Cool the muffins in the tray for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack and cool.
 

Restaurant Style Chicken 65 / South Indian Style Chicken Fry

Crispy and Super moist South Indian style fried Chicken. A very popular appetizer / snack and possibly the most selling appetizer in South Indian restaurants. 
 
You need boneless chicken breast pieces cut equally in size. Chicken pieces are marinated in rice flour, APF, Corn Flour, Ginger paste, Garlic Paste, red chilli powder, salt, ground pepper , turmeric powder. You need to marinate the chicken at least an hour. Yogurt marinade helps chicken absorb all flavours and makes it juicy from inside.  

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 300 Grams Boneless Chicken Cut into Small Cubes
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Flour
• 2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
• 1 Tablespoon All purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon plain natural Yogurt / Curd
• 1 and 1/2 Teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
• 1 Teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 inch Fresh Ginger root
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• Zest of One Lemon
• Juice of One Lemon
• Salt to taste
• Oil for Deep frying

Directions

1. In a food processor, add ginger, garlic + 1 tablespoon of regular tap water and grind it to smooth paste
2. In a large mixing bowl, add ground ginger garlic paste, rice flour, all purpose flour, corn flour, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, salt, ground black pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, yogurt and mix everything
3. Add Chicken Cubes to the bowl and mix everything. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if the mixture is too dry. I did not add water at all
4. Refrigerate the coated chicken pieces for an hour
5. When you are ready to fry the chicken, remove the chicken bowl from the fridge and place it on the kitchen top for 15 minutes
6. heat oil in a wok for deep frying the chicken. When the oil is smoking hot, reduce the flame to low and add 4 to 5 chicken pieces in the hot oil and fry until the chicken is crispy and golden. Drain on a paper towel
7. Fry the remaining chicken pieces in batches. Do not crowd the wok with more chicken pieces. Fry in batches of 4 to 5 chicken pieces only
8. Serve hot with mint yogurt dip


 

South Indian Style Mashed Potato Curry

South Indian Style Mashed Potato Curry with coconut milk. Creamy, mildly spicy curry with crispy caramelized shallots with a hint of Cumin Seeds and Garlic.

 

 

Ingredients

• 3 Large potatoes 
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/3 Cup Thick Coconut Milk
• 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Urad dal
• 2 Garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 Cup Shallots Chopped finely
• a big pinch of Hing / Asafoetida
• 1 Teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder or Paprika
• 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
• Salt and Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 Tablespoon Chopped Cilantro Leaves for Garnish

Directions 

1. In a large pot, cook potatoes with plenty of water and 1/2 Teaspoon salt until a knife inserted through them goes smooth inside. You should be able to mash the potatoes easily. Alternatively you can pressure cook the potatoes with 1 Cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt for 5 whistles on low flame. 

 

                                           

 

 

2. Once the potatoes cool down slightly, peel remove the skin and using a potato masher, mash the potatoes. Leave few little chunks of potatoes and mash the rest of the potatoes to a smooth paste

3. In a small sauce pan combine coconut milk and butter and gently heat it on low flame just until the butter starts to melt and the mixture is warm. Do not let the mixture boil. Coconut milk will split if the mixture starts boiling. The goal is to just warm the coconut milk and to melt the butter

4. Add this warm coconut milk butter mixture to the hot mashed potatoes. Using a strong wooden spoon, gently combine everything. The mixture should look smooth with few little chunks of potatoes.                  

 

5. In a large frying pan or wok, heat oil When the oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add cumin seeds, urad dal and fry until the dal is light golden

 

6. Add Garlic and fry until the garlic is light golden. Then add shallots and fry on low flame until the onions are nice golden and slightly caramelized                        

 

7. Add Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala along with 1 tablespoon of water and fry for a minute

 

8. Add the mashed potatoes and give it a nice stir to coat the potatoes with the masala. Cook on low flame for a minute or two.                  

 

9. Switch off flame and garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve hot.

Pan Roasted Lemon Garlic Green Beans

Crisp, Light, garlicky Green beans with a hint of lemon zest and drizzled with lemon Juice. Delicious, nice crunch from the fried beans, bit of bite from the chilli flakes, zing of lemon zest and that tangy lemon Juice!

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 250 Grams Green Beans Washed and trimmed
• 3 Garlic Cloves minced
• 1/4 Teaspoon red chilli flakes
•  Juice of Half lemon
• Zest of one lemon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Olive Oil
• 1/3 Vegetable oil for frying Green Beans
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash Green Beans and trim the edges. Cut them lengthwise into half
2. In a pot bring plenty of water to boil. When the water starts boiling, add green beans and cook for 40 seconds. Immediately remove from the boiling water and add the green beans to a bowl filled with ice and chilled water. This will stop further cooking of the beans.
3. Drain water and pat dry the beans with kitchen towel
4. In a frying pan(shallow) , heat vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, add green beans in batches of 10 and fry until the skin starts to wrinkle. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towel
5. Fry the remaining beans in batches and set aside
6. In a separate pan / wok, add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add garlic and fry until garlic turns light golden
7. Add chilli flakes, lemon zest and stir
8. Add Green Beans and give it a nice stir. Squeeze lemon juice over the green beans. Season with a pinch of salt and stir in
9. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the beans are crispier and cooked through
10. Serve hot immediately

Eggless Chocolate Espresso Mousse

Rich, velvety smooth, decadent Dark Chocolate mousse with a hint of espresso. Eggless and Gelatine free. Perfectly portioned in single servings. This easy dessert will certainly impress your guests.

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe Adapted From : http://prettysimplesweet.com/eggless-chocolate-mousse/

Ingredients

• 200 Grams Dark Chocolate roughly chopped
• 1/3 Cup of Water
• 3 Tablespoons Granulated White Sugar
• 200 ml Chilled Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 Tablespoon Espresso / strong black coffee
• a big pinch of sea salt

Directions

1. In a microwave safe bowl add chocolate

  

 

2. In a small sauce pan, bring water and sugar to boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the syrup reduces little bit. Switch off the flame and let it cool slightly
3. Add syrup and espresso to the chocolate and let it stand for 30 seconds.

Using a spoon / whisk until the chocolate is completely melted and there are no chunks. Set aside. If chocolate is not melted through, then microwave in the intervals of 10 seconds and stir in between until the chocolate is melted through. Let the chocolate cool slightly.

4. In a large mixing bowl add whipping cream and using a electric beater beat on medium speed until soft peak forms

5. Now fold in the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture. Stir in Sea salt.

 

6. Pour the prepared mousse in serving bowl /glasses and cover them with a cling wrap. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight until the mousse is set

7. Serve with shredded chocolate, whipped cream on the top and with few chocolate sprinkles

Buttered herb Garlic Toast with Cheese Omelette

Healthy, nutrition packed food, clean eating is the fast becoming mainstream. There are some foods we crave, food that we should not be eating too often, still we do eat it anyway. Our guilty pleasures!

 

Here is an easy to make weekend brunch loaded with calories, ultimate Guilty pleasure! Buttered herb Garlic toast with Omelette with cheese. So delicious!

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

For the Toast

• 4 Slices of bread (I used whole wheat bread)
• Butter as per your requirement
• 1 garlic clove crushed
• 1/2 Teaspoon dried mixed herbs ( I used oregano, basil and rosemary)
• a big pinch of red chilli flakes

For the Cheese Omelette

• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or butter
• 4 Large Eggs ( I used 3 egg whites and one yolk; )
• a big pinch of salt
• 1/3 Cup Grated Cheese ( I used amul processed cheese cubes)
• 2 Tablespoons finely chopped spring onion greens
• 1/4 Teaspoon Red chilli flakes ( optional)

Directions

1. Crush the garlic clove and gently rub the garlic on the both sides of the bread
2. Apply butter generously on both sides of the bread slices. Sprinkle dried herbs, chilli flakes. You can sprinkle finely chopped garlic clove if you wish more garlicky toast. Arrange the bread slices in a large baking tray
3. Preheat the oven to 200C and bake the bread for 3 minutes. Remove the baking tray from the oven and flip sides of the bread slices and return the tray back to the oven and bake for 2 more minutes until the bread is crispy and golden. Do not walk away from the oven while the bread is getting toasted in the oven. They burn too quickly
4. Remove from the oven and serve immediately with the omelette

For the Cheese Omelette

1. In a medium mixing bowl, add eggs and salt and whisk for a minute until they are frothy
2. In a non stick pan, heat oil. When the oil is hot, turn down the heat to the lowest setting
3. Pour the egg mixture and do not disturb the omelette for 2 minutes. Let the omelette get crispy and golden from the bottom side
4. Now Sprinkle cheese over the omelette( over the uncooked side; don't flip the omelette yet). Sprinkle spring onion greens. Sprinkle chilli flakes
5. Fold the omelette half way through ( to make a semi circle). Let the omelette cook for a minute more
6. Remove from the pan and serve hot with the toast + a cup of orange Juice or coffee