Tortilla Soup is one of my favorite soups. Especially this instant pot recipe which takes only 4 minutes to cook! It’s filled with delicious veggies and spices like ancho chile and chipotle powder to build a good depth of flavor. Perfect for a hectic weeknight or a cold day, this tortilla soup is a great way to use up pantry essentials. Continue reading “Instant Pot Tortilla Soup”
Chili almonds are the perfect snack. You can make these ahead and have them after a workout, an afternoon snack, or even on a cheeseboard. Quick to make, these chili almonds are a delicious combination of spicy and crunchy. Continue reading “Roasted Chili Almonds”
I’m all about summer and summer foods these days. This Pineapple Fried Rice is the perfect balance between sweet, spicy, crunchy, soft, and a burst of flavors. Best of all, it takes 20 minutes to make! A fun weeknight recipe, or a weekend recipe with some Thai Curry on the side. Go ahead, try this out and bring a taste of Thailand to your home.
Continue reading “Pineapple Fried Rice”
Paneer Cabbage Cups are a light and healthy dish that is packed with a burst of flavor and texture in each bite. The spicy jalapeño, a pop of lemon, the crunch of the cabbage and the creaminess of the paneer and avocados. And if you know me, the vibrant colors of all the different veggies bring this together in the most perfect way. You just can’t go wrong! Continue reading “Paneer Cabbage Cups”
This is the most perfect afternoon drink on a hot summer day. We’ve had temps in the high 90’s and low 100’s lately so we’ve been making ice cold drinks to stay cool. One of our favorite is this Tropical Fruit Smoothie. Though we can’t be in the tropics, the girls and I decided to bring the flavors of the tropics home. Continue reading “Tropical Fruit Smoothie”
So, traditionally, a carpaccio is an appetizer made of thinly sliced meat. I decided to take the technique and make my own summer version of that. The sharp tang of lemon, the fresh fruit, and the crunch of toasted pistachios on top are an amazing combination. This Fresco Carpaccio is great as an appetizer for any dinner or party you are hosting, or just follow what I did and make a plate for yourself, and enjoy it in the sun!
Yum
I really didn’t want to stop eating it! Hubby and I finished it within minutes and this has become another of our favorite summer recipe.
The best part, this is so healthy for you with not too many calories or fat, there’s no cooking involved, and it takes 10 minutes to make (I’m not counting how long you have to wait for it to marinate).
Notes:
I highly recommend marinating this as the flavor of the dressing will be sharper and will help breakdown the raw taste of the zucchini since you are not cooking it.
I used a mandolin for this but if you don’t have one, no worries. Use a potato peeler and make thin ribbons of the zucchini and cucumbers.
What fruits and veggies will you use? Share your pictures!
From my kitchen to yours, enjoy this carpaccio as much as we did!
Ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 cucumber
1 avocado
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ c Avocado Oil
2 Tbsp pistachios
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a large bowl, mix together lemon zest and lemon juice. Whisk to mix well.
2. Add in oil and whisk 2-3 minutes until oil and lemon juice have emulsified.
3. Add in salt and pepper and whisk one last time to mix. Set aside.
4. Trim the ends of the zucchini and cucumber. Using slicer or peeler, make very thin ribbons.
5. Add zucchini and cucumber ribbons to dressing and toss to coat each ribbon equally.
6. Cover bowl and marinate in fridge for 30 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, on a med flame, heat up a small skillet. Add in the pistachios and toast 3-5 minutes until they are nice and crunchy.
8. Give the toasted pistachios a rough chop and set aside.
9. Pull zucchini and cucumber out of fridge.
10. Thinly slice avocado.
11. In a plate, line up each fruit with one slightly on top of the previous one. If you have any dressing left, drizzle a little on top. Garnish with toasted pistachios.
Enjoy!
There’s no wrong way to make a quesadilla. It’s one of those foods that can be served as a quick weeknight meal, an after school snack, bite sized as a party app; filled with just cheese, grilled veggies, or shredded meat! The possibilities are endless.
Continue reading “The Best Veggie Quesadillas”
Crispy, garlicky, and full of flavor, these Garlic Herb Potato Stacks are an easy to make crowd pleaser! One of my new favorite ways to eat potatoes, you really can’t go wrong with them. Continue reading “Garlic Herb Potato Stacks”
Aloo parathas are a standard in any Indian household, especially for breakfast/brunch on the weekends. Traditionally a Punjabi dish, it is popular amongst everyone for its taste, and the nostalgic reminder of home. Continue reading “Aloo Paratha Yum “
The weather has been so nice lately and we love spending the days in our backyard as much as possible. The evenings have also been amazing so we have been grilling and BBQ’ing more often. Continue reading “Grilled Veggie and Couscous Salad Yum “
Root vegetables are so versatile in any recipe you use. They can be roasted, baked, sautéed, mashed or even eaten raw! They have an earthy taste when raw that turns sweet when you cook them. Continue reading “Root Vegetable Salad Yum “
Rainy days always inspire a bowl of soup from my kitchen. This particular stew is inspired from my love of including rainbows in my food. Even better, it’s a one pot meal that’s easy to make with staple ingredients already in your pantry/fridge. Continue reading “Rainbow Lentil Stew Yum “
Rainy days always inspire a bowl of soup from my kitchen. This particular stew is inspired from my love of including rainbows in my food. Even better, it’s a one pot meal that’s easy to make with staple ingredients already in your pantry/fridge. Continue reading “Rainbow Lentil Stew Yum “
I’m a pasta lover and and am so proud to say so are my girls. I can get them to eat almost anything as long as I pair it with pasta. The only caveat, they keep changing what type of sauce they want. First, I couldn’t get them to eat anything but marinara sauce, then they moved on to pesto, and now they are stuck on brown butter. Continue reading “Brown Butter Toasted Tortellini Yum “
One of my favorite memories is coming home to a nice cup of hot cha (as many Indians call it, but also famously known as Chai) and hanging out with my mom talking about our day. It didn’t matter if I was coming home from high school, college, or once I moved out, coming home for the weekend – cha was our time. Especially during the cold, snowy winters, that cup of chai just worked wonders. Continue reading “Cha (Chai) Yum “
These days, I’ve seen and heard friends and family tell me they are working harder than ever, missing meals during the day. Some are working from home trying to manage homeschool, work and life in general. Others have a profession that is an essential role to our community right now and are giving so much to us. While I hope missing meals doesn’t become daily routine, here is a breakfast omelette that will start out anyone’s day on the right foot! Continue reading “Masala Omelette Yum “
Both the girls need their dal (lentils) at least once a week and I love it! It makes me so happy that they turn to Indian food for comfort and norm. I try to vary out the dals that I feed them so they get a variety of nutrients and flavors and I get to rotate my lentils. Continue reading “Spinach Dal Yum “
About a month back, we finally had a weekend free to take the girls to the Farmer’s Market which we’ve desperately missed during the winter months. The girls love tasting all the fruit samples and of course stopping at the kettle corn stand, while I love to check out all the new produce and imagine different recipes I can create. Continue reading “Microgreens Salad Yum “
I really had to find a way to sell eating oatmeal to my kids. We went through a phase where they loved oatmeal then, for the past 6 months, just the name would send them running in fear as if I was punishing them.
So, what does any desperate mother do? Change the name, feed the same food, and take the win. Seriously, I love this game where they think they won, and I know I definitely did!
When I first started making steel cut oats, it was a dump and turn on the machine type deal. You can absolutely still do that with this recipe instead of roasting the oats. I just love to do that because it gives it a little more of a nutty flavor and aroma. We are all busy these days and need more time so if you don’t have enough to roast the oats, don’t worry – the oatmeal will still taste just as great. (Side note, I do not roast the oats in the slow cooker as it takes forever to heat up – at least for me – and I don’t have the patience for that).
I love this recipe because it is so easy to make and you can batch cook it so it lasts you for a few days. Let’s face it, life is crazy for a lot of us, between working from home, homeschooling children and just trying to keep sane. My favorite method of cooking this recipe is either in a slow cooker or an instant pot as you don’t have to spend so much time watching over it. It is therapeutic to just stand over the stove and stir it until it cooks (as I practice to zone out the kids bickering who will get a certain spoon or sit in a specific spot).
I’ve made it all three ways so I know it turns out delicious regardless of your method of cooking. The ratios below are for 4-6 servings. You can double or triple the amount without any change in flavor and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just add a little milk or water when you are reheating it to loosen it up a bit.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you and your family enjoy this apple pie oatmeal!
Ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, cored and diced (reserve ½ apple, chopped for topping)
2 c almond milk
1 c water
1 c steel cut oats
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tsp cinnamon powder
2 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 Tbsp EVOO or Avo Oil
¼ tsp salt
¼ c chopped walnuts
Directions:
For Instant Pot:
Set to sauté mode and heat up oil. Add the oats and roast for 3-5 minutes. Add in the apples and mix for 1 minute. Add in the remaining ingredients and cover instant pot with vent in sealing position. Change setting to pressure cook or manual and set time for 5 minutes. When the instant pot beeps, do a 20 minute NPR (natural pressure release). Release the steam left in the vent and open up the instant pot. Add remaining apples and walnuts for topping and enjoy hot!
For Slow Cooker:
Spray the inside of your slow cooker with a little cooking spray to prevent burning and sticking.
Mix all ingredients and cover overnight. Set a delay start for 4 hours with a cooking time for 4 hours on high heat. Remove cover and stir to combine evenly. Serve hot with toppings and enjoy!
For Stovetop:
Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add in the oil. Add the oats and roast for 3-5 minutes. Add in the apples and mix for 1 minute.Add in the remaining ingredients and stir continuously for the first 3-5 minutes until the oats start thickening. Cook for 35 minutes, stirring frequently. As they start to become creamy and thick, you may want to lower the heat. Once they are cooked, remove from heat and let them rest for about 5 minutes. Serve hot with toppings and enjoy!
This recipe is one of my favorites. I learned it almost 4 years ago in Arizona. We had gone for the weekend to hang out with Pankaj’s friends from college. It was Sunday morning and we decided to do a fun brunch. Rupal (our friend who we went to visit) suggested we make Greek Crepes. OMG have I been hooked on them since! I don’t know about her, but I know I definitely stumbled through this one, pretending I knew what I was doing when in fact, all I knew how to do was make the crepes. The Greek part was literally Greek to me. Continue reading “Greek Inspired Crepes Yum “
Brussels Sprouts are a vegetable that I didn’t realize I liked until I was an adult, going out on the town and pretending to eat it like I loved it with friends who actually did. One day, I realized, I actually do like it. Especially when they’ve been either fried or roasted so the outer leaves are nice and crunchy….ummm, I’m salivating just thinking about them again! Continue reading “Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad Yum “
One of my favorite Italian dishes is risotto. It’s so creamy, decadent, and delicious. I started experimenting with the basics of making risotto about 9 months ago.
When I first started making it, I was a little intimidated. To be honest, I had to work up my nerve to attempt it for quite a while as I had heard stories about how hard it is to make risotto. One day, I decided to just go for it. If nothing else, I have frozen pizza to serve the family. (Yep, I always have frozen pizza on hand …. though, currently I stock this amazing cauliflower crust pizza with veggies on top. Ummm, anyways, story for another time.)
I must have looked through a dozen recipes to see which didn’t intimidate me and seemed the easiest. In hindsight, they are all easy. You see, I think people get overwhelmed with the idea that you have to babysit this dish. You literally do. It’s not a quick and easy weeknight dinner but it is an amazing labor of love. From start to finish, I would say cooking this specific dish (we’re including the time to roast the squash), I spent about an hour in front of the stove. About 80% of that is stirring the risotto so it doesn’t stick, 10% was prep work and 10% was zoning out the kids while they screamed their latest rock concert with Frozen lyrics.
The secret to a perfect risotto, you have to stir the broth in one ladle at a time. Yep, a bit tedious, but this is definitely one of those times where patience brings very delectable rewards.
During my extensive research to find an “easy” recipe for risotto, I also looked into why I couldn’t just add the broth all at once. One reason that I found for adding the broth slowly is that by doing so, the rice releases the starch slowly and therefore, giving the dish its creamy texture. Adding the broth all at once, covering it and leaving it to cook can ruin your risotto in two different ways. One, the water will sit at the bottom from lack of stirring the risotto and can burn the dish from the bottom. Second, instead of giving the risotto its creamy texture, dumping the broth all at once can make break the rice and make it mushy rather than keeping the rice kernels whole but cooked and creamy.
From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1½ c butternut squash, cubed
1 ½ c arborio rice
1 med onion, diced finely
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp thyme, roughly chopped
6 c veggie broth
1 c Parmesan cheese
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp Oil (Avo or EVOO)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. Toss squash with 1 Tbsp oil, salt and pepper. Spread out on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
In a large pot, heat veggie broth until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat to low and cover.
Meanwhile, In a deep and wide pan, heat oil and add onions. Cook for 7-8 minutes until they are cooked through and translucent.
Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute on med-low flame. Add in the risotto and 2 Tbsp thyme and cook for 8-10 minutes until the rice is toasted and has a light golden red color to it.
Add in 1 ladle of broth and wait for it to burn off while you keep stirring the risotto. As it burns off. Keep adding the broth 1 ladle at a time until you use up all of the broth. As the risotto cooks with the broth, you’ll notice it getting plumper and creamier. When all of the broth is used up, and cooked into the risotto, the texture should be thick and creamy. Turn off the heat and mix in ¾ c Parmesan and mix well.
Add in the butternut squash and remaining thyme and mix.
Serve hot into bowl and garnish with some of the remaining Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
When I first started experimenting with this recipe, I wasn’t sure how the sweet potato was going to work in my tacos. I debated constantly trying to pair a different vegetable, but ultimately, I kept coming back to the sweet potatoes. Continue reading “Crispy Chickpeas and Sweet Potato Tacos Yum “
When my kids were younger, I had a bit of a hard time getting them to eat certain vegetables. Even today, my oldest will not eat any type of leafy green because it’s a “salad” and she doesn’t eat salads apparently. My youngest pretty much copies her Sissy and does whatever she says. Sanaya loves spinach….. if it’s cooked down into a saag, blended into her Popeye muffins or hidden in this veggie sauce.
This recipe came into being when Aishani was new to eating foods at about almost 1 year old. Sanaya used to love pasta and Aishani liked it because she was all about finger foods and rotini was big enough for her to hold in her cute little pudgy hands. Added benefit, I can make a batch, freeze it for future use on a last minute day.
I load this pasta sauce up with onions, carrots, bell peppers, spinach, and frozen mixed veggies. I also add tons of spices including turmeric, especially in the winter which is rich in it’s anti-inflammatory properties. It’s such a healthy pasta sauce and my wonderful kids don’t even notice further than it being a red pasta sauce. Try it out…. trick your kids or even spouse and see if they notice the difference!
From my kitchen to yours, Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 med onion, chopped finely
1 bell pepper, chopped finely
1 carrot, chopped finely
¼ c frozen mixed veggies
¼ c spinach
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (about 1½ pounds) your favorite pasta sauce
¼ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
¼ tsp haldi (turmeric)
½ tsp lal mirch (cayenne pepper)
¾ tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp Avocado (or Olive) Oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
Directions:
In a deep pot, heat oil on medium flame. Add in the carom seeds. When they splutter, add in the onions and sauté until translucent, about 3-5 minutes. Add in garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add in the turmeric, and let it bloom for about 30 seconds.
Once the turmeric has mixed in well, add in all the veggies except the spinach, spices, salt and pepper. Mix well and cook for about 10 minutes or until they are tender. Finally add in the spinach and sauce and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.
Turn the flame off and with a hand blender, blend the veggies into the sauce. You should get a chunky consistency though if you prefer a more smooth texture, you can blend in a blender. If it’s too thick, add 1 Tbsp of water at a time until you achieve your desired consistency.
Taste and adjust for salt.
Serve with your favorite pasta!
Times are trying right now as we adjust to working from home, homeschooling and entertaining children at home and just keeping a normal routine for a minimum of the next month as we battle COVID-19. The first couple of days at home, my children thought we were on vacation…… well, it kind of is I suppose. In our household, that also means waking up earlier, knowing the children don’t have to pretend they’re sleeping to avoid going to school (they’re starting early!), and also, wanting to eat whatever they want whenever they want.
I decided I needed to get an upper hand in this mess and started a frenzy of organizing my pantry and creating my menu.
Over the years, I’ve learned that my munchkins are creatures of habit and though they would prefer to eschew breakfast in lieu of playing and running around or snacking all day, their bodies tell me different when we go through a tantrum. This berry bake is loaded with fiber, protein, vitamins, and great flavor, it’s a win-win.
I put this recipe of a bake together because it can loosely be termed as a breakfast bar and it’s a dump and bake deal. It’s also really easy because you make a generous amount and refrigerate the rest up to a week and pull them out throughout the week without putting in much effort. The best part is most of these items may already be in your pantry.
Completely vegetarian and easily modified to be a vegan recipe if you replace the butter with vegan butter. You can also substitute frozen berries instead of fresh or any other fruit you have on hand without compromising the integrity of the bars. Try it out and tell me how you like it.
From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy! Be safe, Be healthy!
Ingredients:
1 c almond milk
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 ½ Tbsp butter, melted
1 ½ c Old Fashioned Oats
½ tsp cinnamon powder
1 Tbsp Flaxseed
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 c mixed berries
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF
2. Spray a 10×7 cake pan with nonstick cooking spray
3. Mix all the ingredients and transfer to the pan
4. Bake for 25 minutes, a few minutes longer if you prefer a crunchier bar
5. Cool for 5 minutes and cut into 1″x2″ bars
6. Wrap leftover bars individually in saran wrap and refrigerate up to 1 week.
Enjoy!
As the panic of being quarantined and working from home during a now declared pandemic of the coronavirus surrounds us, many people have started to stock up not only on toilet paper and hand sanitizers, but also on food. People are running to their local Costco and grocery stores trying to stockpile on food, but really, should you? And if so, what do you need to get versus what just doesn’t make sense? In an effort to spread food safety, awareness, and hopefully, help those who are confused as to what to store and how to store for your quarantine period, I’m going to outline a few basics in this article. Continue reading “Food Safety and Stocking during a Crisis”
Growing up, one of my favorite North Indian dishes has always been Chole. Whether we were eating at a wedding, an Indian restaurant, or requesting it as my special birthday dinner, Chole has always been a constant and a comfort in my life. The aroma of it freshly made in the air, just pulls at you.
There are so many different versions of making this recipe based on where in North India you are. Sometimes, even in the same region, recipes differ vastly from home to home. I prefer mine to have a thick red gravy, which is best achieved I’ve found by adding an abundance of tomatoes (and I really mean A LOT) and spices. The best part is that this dish is such a classic, you can never go wrong. Serve it hot with rice, naan or Bhatura and be prepared to be wowed!
From my Kitchen to yours, I really hope you enjoy this.
Ingredients:
1 c dried chickpeas, washed and soaked overnight (at least 4 hours)
1 ½ c water
1 Tbsp Olive or Avocado Oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1″ ginger, grated
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 med-large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 ¾ c tomato sauce
2 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 Tbsp Chole Masala
1 tsp aamchur (dry mango) powder
1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
2-3 bay leaves
½ tsp peppercorns
1″ cinnamon stick
cilantro to garnish
Directions:
1. Start the instant pot on sauté mode. Add oil and let it heat up.
2. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add in the cinnamon stick, peppercorns and bay leaf. Sauté for 30 seconds.
3. Add ginger and garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds.
4. Add in the onions and sauté for 3-5 minutes until they turn translucent and start shrinking.
5. Add in the tomatoes, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, chole masala, and salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes start softening. Add in the tomato sauce and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Drain the water from the chickpeas and add them to the instant pot. Mix well with the gravy and cook for 2-3 minutes.
7. Add in the water and mix well. Turn off the instant pot, cover with vent to sealing position and change setting to manual/pressure cook for 40 minutes.
8. When the instant pot beeps, do a 20 minute NPR (natural pressure release). If the pin has not dropped at this point, release the pressure and open the instant pot.
9. Change setting to sauté, add in the aamchur powder and let boil for 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt.
10. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice, naan or bhature.
Enjoy!
My youngest is in love with Roti. Give her roti and yogurt and she will happily eat it all day. Unfortunately, there’s not much nutrition in plain rotis (well, some fiber I suppose and lots of carbs. And they do taste really good. So I’ve been coming up with ways to make roti that will satisfy her roti cravings as well as make me happy that I’m feeding her something nutritious.
These avocado rotis are one of my better creations I think. The girls loved the green color of the roti, there was just a hint of avocado in it without overpowering it, and even if the girls didn’t eat any sabzi (veggies) on the side, at least they were still getting some in their roti.
Wait….avocado is a fruit – what veggies are you talking about? Yes it is, but there’s a secret ingredient in here that no one suspected. Drumroll please……..
Spinach! Yep, not even my husband figured out there was spinach in these rotis. I actually had been struggling with this recipe for a while because I had the flavor profile down but they wouldn’t stay green once I added the flour to the avocados and a certain ratio was necessary otherwise, it would change the essence of the roti. I happened to also be making spinach dal – another favorite of my youngest – and thought, why not add some spinach to the roti dough. Worth a shot. And what a shot let me tell you. It gave the green color I was looking for, added some extra fiber and calcium. Like I said, win-win!
Try it and tell me what you think!
From my kitchen to yours, I really hope you enjoy this one.
Lately, I’m hooked on salad bowls. They’re so delicious, easy to make, loaded with healthy foods and vibrant in color – ensuring you get a variety of nutrients.
I’ve been talking to my daughters about “eating the rainbow” and this was a fun way to help them do that.
Another reason I really like to do the salad bowls is because it’s so easy to play around with the cuisine type, the textures, and the flavors. I can add raw and roasted veggies, nuts, and choose whichever grain I want. There’s really no wrong way to make these and super easy to substitute an ingredient you may not have. Honestly, food can’t get easier than that!
We’ve been doing a lot of non-desi (non-Indian) foods lately and I wanted to get the girls into Indian spices without going over the top. Plus, I don’t think I can go without Indian food and spices for that long anyways.
For the sweet potatoes, I did a simple roast with an addition of paprika for color and flavor. I’m using paprika to gradually build up the girls to trying cayenne and other types of peppers and spices so this is especially great for those of you who prefer milder spices.
I also roasted some chickpeas as those are so easy and delicious to make. It made me proud that both my girls were eating them as soon as they cooled down from the oven. These turned out so good and honestly, I had to go back and make more because between the three of us, we snacked on most of the beans! I’m definitely adding it to my snack rotation list!
The dressing on here was probably the hardest to figure out as I wanted Indian flavors but nothing too intimidating. I used almond butter to give it a little bulk and the addition of a little protein is always appreciated. Because I had already used a lot of spices for the chickpeas, I fell back a little with the dressing and opted for curry powder, turmeric (for the color and my youngest happened to have a cold which needed some help) and some fresh garlic and ginger (which appears on 90% of Indian cooking!).
I left the quinoa simple by cooking it only in salt water as there are so many flavors going around, I felt if I added more, everything would get lost in a chaotic world of spice.
For the rest of the ingredients, it was nice to have the crunch from the vibrant red cabbage, the creaminess of the avocado, and oh! those toasted cashews were just the icing on top of a great salad!
Try it out! From my kitchen to yours, I hope you enjoy this one.
Ingredients:
1 Sweet Potato, diced into 1″ cubes
1 avocado, sliced
1 cup red cabbage, shredded
1 cup baby spinach
½ c quinoa, rinsed
¼ c raw cashews
2 Tbsp & 1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
For the chickpeas:
1 15oz can chickpeas, rinsed, drained & dried with a paper towel
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp garam masala
¼ tsp salt
For the dressing:
¼ c almond butter
½ lemon, juiced
1 tsp lemon zest
1/3 c water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp honey
1 tsp curry powder
½ ginger, grated
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes, 1 Tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well and roast for 20 minutes.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the chickpeas. Transfer to baking sheet and bake for 35 minutes.
In a medium pot, heat water and ½ tsp salt. When it comes to a boil, add the rinsed quinoa and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook quinoa for 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and use a fork to fluff it.
In a small pan, mix ½ tsp olive oil and cashews. Toast on medium heat until they are a light golden red color. Turn off heat and remove pan. Set aside to use as topping.
For the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in a mason jar and shake well.
To assemble:
Line a bowl with spinach and add the quinoa, sweet potatoes, avocado slices, shredded cabbage, toasted cashews, and drizzle with almond curry dressing. Enjoy!
The other day, I opened up my blog to type up a recipe and I got a notification. Most of my notifications are the usual responses to my recipes but this one was different. I had to read it a couple of times to make sure I was reading it correctly. Rebecca, from www.simplerecipeideas.com, had compiled a top 20 list of the best Brown Rice and Quinoa recipes and mine made the list! I was honored that my Quinoa, Brown Rice and Black Beans was chosen for her top 20 and thank you Rebecca for including me and mine in your list!
When I came up with this recipe, I was had just discovered the Seeds of Change Brown Rice and Quinoa pouches. They are so delicious, I could finish a whole pouch in one go (which could usually be enough for 2 servings!). To make myself feel a little less guilty, I decided to add some veggies and beans, give it a southwest-ish flavor profile, and voila! I ended up making a delicious meal out of the pouch! It’s great because this is a 10 minute meal recipe, or a great side dish. Check it out at the link above and tell me what you think!
We’ve recently started eating more barley during meal times and use it as a go to for most of the week. When I’m cooking the barley, the aroma that wafts out just makes your mouth water. Then you bite into the nutty flavor and it’s a home run for me. Plus, it’s really healthy so I don’t feel guilty about eating a little extra (as I tend to do). It’s high in dietary fiber, a good source of protein, it’s low in sodium, and is a really good grain to eat if you’re trying to lose weight.
This recipe was born of out sheer laziness. Nope. Not kidding. I had been running errands all day, doing what seems like an indefinite load of laundry for the girls, and just wasn’t in the mood to cook (a rare moment).
So, I started to putter around the kitchen feeling guilty about what to serve the family for dinner, feeling guilty that I wanted to pull something from the freezer, then unsatisfied with everything that I had because maybe, deep down, I knew I would figure something out.
I’ve also been obsessed with sweet potatoes lately. I’m not sure why… maybe it’s a slow developing discovery that I love them whether steamed, roasted or bbq’d? Anyways, of course then I decided I wanted to put the sweet potatoes and the barley together.
I figured on adding avocado because, who doesn’t add avocado to everything? But I was still missing one more thing. As I was getting started prepping, it hit me. Caramelized Onions! I discovered the joy of eating these a couple of Thanksgivings ago, and I keep wondering, what was I doing with my life?! Of course, since I was trying to keep this to a healthy dish, I used EVOO but it does taste so heavenly with butter. If you want to use butter, just swap out the EVOO for equal measurement of butter.
Little by little, I started putting this bowl together without having a real sense of direction and now, my husband wants it in the rotation weekly! Score for me!
I added a chimichurri dressing to this to give it a little pizzazz and some chia seeds at the end (originially for presentation but, hey! the added Omega 3, fiber, and protein helps).
Check out the recipe below, try it out and let me know what you think!
Ingredients:
1 med red onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2-3 sprigs Rosemary
1 c pearl barley
4 c veggie broth (optional, 2 c broth & 2 c white wine)
1 large sweet potato, 1″ cubes
1 lg yellow onion, ½” slices
1 lg avocado, cubed
1 Tbsp Chia seeds
2 tsp paprika
salt to taste
pepper to taste
3 Tbsp EVOO
For the Chimichurri:
1 bunch cilantro
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
3 Tbsp EVOO
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp dried red chili flakes
Salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 serrano pepper (optional for more heat)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF . Place sweet potato on baking sheet, add 1 Tbsp EVOO, salt, pepper and paprika. Mix well and bake for 25 minutes.
In a shallow pot, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO. Add onions and cook until they are browned. Add in the barley and cook until it’s golden red in color. Add in the garlic, rosemary, broth, salt and pepper. Mix well and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, cover and cook on medium heat for 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat and pick out the rosemary stems.
While the barley is cooking, in another pan, heat 1 Tbsp EVOO and add the yellow onions. add some salt to taste and mix well. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, while mixing the onions around every 5 minutes.
For the chimichurri, put all the ingredients in a small food processor or blender and blen everything until it becomes a smooth dressing.
For assembly:
Line a wide bowl with a cup of the cooked barley. Add in the sweet potatoes, caramelized onions, avocado, and chimichurri. Sprinkle some chia seeds on top and enjoy!
