Tag: Sustainable

Sapna4 Comments

Fresco Carpaccio

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!
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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.
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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).
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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!

Sapna2 Comments

Root Vegetable 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 “ →

Sapna6 Comments

Spinach Dal 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 “ →

Sapna2 Comments

Microgreens Salad 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 “ →

Sapna2 Comments

Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad 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 “ →

Sapna3 Comments

Crispy Chickpeas and Sweet Potato Tacos Yum

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 “ →

Sapna2 Comments

Veggie Pasta Sauce 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.
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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.
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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!
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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!

Sapna1 Comment

Desi Masala Bowl Yum

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.
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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!
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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!).
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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.
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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!
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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!

Sapna1 Comment

Roasted Garden Salad

I don’t like to labor over big meals during the summer time – I’d rather spend my time outdoors!  To me, summertime is all about simple but filling foods and clean eating so I can enjoy the sun as much as possible.
This salad is just that.  It’s refreshingly light, satisfying, healthy, easy, and best of all, I can do it within 20 minutes!

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It truly is a one pan deal – all you have to do is line all the veggies in the pan, roast them in the oven and voila!
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I added in some roasted chickpeas for crunch and protein… let me tell you this completed the salad in the best way possible.
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Ingredients:
1lb fresh arugula
1 Bell Pepper
1 Onion
1 Zucchini
1 Yellow Squash
1 14oz can of Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat oven to 350ºF.  Sliced all veggies and line in a baking sheet.  Drizzle with EVOO, add salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.  Mix well so all the veggies are equally seasoned.

Meanwhile, in another tray, spread out garbanzo beans in a flat layer.  Drizzle with EVOO, add salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly.  Sprinkle paprika on the top but don’t mix it.

Bake veggies for 20 minutes and beans for 20-25 minutes.  In a bowl, add arugula.  when veggies and beans are done, add them to the arugula.  Drizzle EVOO lightly, add balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and toss.  Enjoy this salad as much as I do!

Sapna1 Comment

Zucchini Corn Cakes on a bed of Grilled Peach and Pineapple Salsa

Phew! That’s a long name for sure.  And the name lives up to the punch that it packs!  We had a BBQ on the 4th and had plenty of food leftover.  I definitely didn’t want to eat the same stuff for the next few days so I figured, this is when I need to get creative and upcycle it. Continue reading “Zucchini Corn Cakes on a bed of Grilled Peach and Pineapple Salsa” →

Sapna3 Comments

Grilled Pineapple Peach Salsa

I wanted to do something this Father’s Day and so instead of the typical “Best Dad Ever” shirts or another mug with pictures on it, I chose to create beautiful memories for the girls and their amazing Dad.  I took the family to go peach picking at a local farm one fine weekend and boy did the girls have fun!  We definitely made memories!  We also ended up with a ton of peaches because the girls had so much fun picking them right off the tree, they didn’t want to stop! Continue reading “Grilled Pineapple Peach Salsa” →