Quinoa Tava Pulav

 Because of nutritional values of quinoa; especially 14.1 gm of protein in 100 gm of quinoa; I try to incorporate it in my diet as much as possible.. Tava Pulav is traditionally made with rice; basmati rice.  As much as it tastes good, heathier version is what I have to share by replacing rice with quinoa.

 This recipe is diabetic friendly, Gluten Free, Kids Friendly and high in proteins. This is a treat if you are a vegan, vegetarian.

Ingredients:
1. Quinoa- 2 Cups Cooked
2. Onion - 1/2 Medium
3. Tomato- 1 Medium
4. Cauliflower- 1 Cup
5. Green Peas - 1/3 Cup
6. Corn - 1/3 Cup
7. Bell Pepper- 1/2 Cup
8. Garlic - 4/5 Cloves
9. Cumin Seeds - 2 TSP
10. Red Chili Powder - 1 TSP
11. Pulav Masala - 2 TSP
12. Butter / Oil - 2 TSP
13. Salt - 2 TSP or as per taste

Method:
1. Cook quinoa as per the instructions on the package. I have used tri blend sprouted quinoa from Trader Joe’s. You can choose single colored as well.

2. Tava is essentially a griddle; electric or stove top. Heat it on high settings. Melt the butter of heat the oil and add cumin seeds. For Whole Food Plant Based diet, directly roast the cumin seeds in the griddle and continue to next steps.

3. Add chopped onion, bell pepper and minced garlic. You need to stir it for 4-5 min.Your kitchen will be already aromatic by now. Since you need to continuously stir, have all vegetables chopped and spices ready to add. 

4. Next add cauliflower florets. Let those cook for 3-4 min. While stirring.

5. Add chopped tomato and stir for another 1-2 min.

6. Add peas and corn. I have used frozen. You can use fresh. Stir for another 3-4 min.

7. Next is to add all spices; red chili pepper, pulav masala and salt. I have cooked quinoa without any salt. 

8. Mix in all cooked quinoa. Stir it for 2-3 min  

9. Serve hot with yogurt.

Vermicelli Upma

 Vermicelli is traditional pasta similar to spaghetti. Although those are available in various thickness, I am using thinner. It’s high in carbohydrates; mostly made for breakfast or afternoon snack with tea.

Ingredients:
1. Vermicelli- 1 Cup
2. White Onion - 1/2 Cup
3. Tomato- 1 Medium
4. Corn - 1/4 Cup
5. Green Peas - 1/4 Cup
6. Oil - 1 TSP ( Vegetable/ Corn/ Canola/ Saffola/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil) 7. Muster Seeds - 1 TSP
8. Green Chili- 1
9. Curry Leaves- 7-8
10. Garlic Powder- 2 TSP
11. Ginger Powder- 2 TSP
12. Turmeric Powder- 1 TSP
13. Water - 2 Cups 14. Lemon juice- 2 TSP 15. Salt - 2 TSP or as per taste

Method:
1. Dry roast vermicelli until it’s browned.

2. Heat a thick bottom pan, add oil and muster seeds. Once the seeds start to sputter add curry leaves and chopped green chili. Give it a min to try.

3. Add chopped onion. Let those cook for 4-5 mins or until turned brown, translucent.

4. Add tomato, green peas and corn. You can add carrot, green beans also. 

5. Add turmeric powder, ginger powder, garlic powder and salt. Instead of using dry ginger and garlic powder, you can use freshly grated ginger and garlic as well. Mix all the veggies and spices well and cover for 3-4 min.

6. Tomato will be softened completely.

7. Now add water, vermicelli and lemon juice. If you are adding more veggies, add more water accordingly. Mix well and cover for 8-10 min. 

8. Once you open the lid, you will notice that all of water is absorbed. If some is left, let upma simmer by leaving the cover open. Serve with chopped cilantro or grated coconut.

Cilantro Garlic Chutney

Over the years I have tried many recipes for cilantro chutney. My favorite of all is with garlic. Most of ingredients are to suit your taste. I am sharing what I prefer; the spicy version.

Ingredients:
1. Cilantro - 1 Bunch
2. Garlic - 4-5 Cloves
3. Green Chili- 2/3 
4. Lemon Juice- 1 TBSP 
5. Salt - 1/2 TSP
6. Sugar - 1 TSP
7. Water - 1 TBSP

Optional:
1. Oil- 1 TSP

Method:
1. Wash thoroughly and place all the ingredients in a blender; blend it until you get smooth texture.. Instead of lemon juice, you can use tamarind pulp.

2. Add more water until you get consistent Chutney. Give it a taste test and adjust ingredients if you need to.

Quinoa Stuffed Bell Pepper

 Quinoa Stuffed bell pepper has all the nutritious ingredients from fresh veggies, healthy grains and proteins. It is forgiving recipe to play with veggies you prefer. Here is my favorite variation.

Ingredients:
1. Bell peppers - 3
2. Quinoa- 2.5 Cups cooked
3. Brown Rice - 1/2 Cup Cooked
4. Onion - 1 Medium
5. Tomato- 1 Medium
6. Jalapeño- 1
8. Cilantro- 1/2 Cups Chopped
9. Ginger Powder - 2 TSP
10. Garlic Powder- 2 TSP
11. Red Chili Powder- 2 TSP
12. Cheddar Cheese- Medium - 1/4 Cup
13. Monterey Jack Cheese - 1/4 Cup
14. Salt and black Pepper- As per taste

Optional:
1. Hot sauce - as per taste
2. Corn Cernels - 1/4 Cups

Method:
1. I prefer to use colored bell peppers; red, orange and yellow. You can choose green as well. Green is bit bitter than the others but bakes equally well. So cut the stem off and scoop out all the seeds from the inside. If you like you can lightly grease the inside but you don’t have to. Line those in an oven safe container.

2. Cook quinoa and brown rice.You can play with the proportions. I prefer more quinoa over brown rice. I add rice only for texture. You could rice other varieties of rice as well. For quinoa I have used organic three blend sprouted quinoa. You don’t need to add any spices other than salt while cooking  rice. If you choose to make both spicy you can.

3. Wash and chop all the vegetables; onion, tomato, jalapeño and cilantro. You can use frozen or fresh  corn cornels also.

4. Mix cooked quinoa, brown rice with chopped vegetables. Add in garlic powder, ginger powder, red chili powder, black pepper and salt. To give it extra kick, you can mix in hot sauce as well.

5. Shred cheddar cheese and Monterey Jack cheese. Mix in with the stuffings.

6. Fill each of the bell peppers with stuffings upto the top

7. On the top, sprinkle some shredded cheese.

8. Preheat the oven on 450 degree Fahrenheit. Backed the stuffed bell peppers for 20-25 mi uor until the cheese from the top is browned and skin of the bell pepper started to brown. Serve hot as is as the vegetables do produce wonderful juices while baking. If you like you can always pair with salsa.

Avocado Caprese Salad

 I had bought fresh mozzarella balls. So thought to make Caprese salad. At the same time, I came across the recipe attached with avocado I had bough. So here is it -

Ingredients:
1. Fresh Tomato - 2 Cups - Variety of your choice - I am using vine-ripened
2. Red Onion - 1/2 Small
3. Avocado - 2 Large
4. Basil - 1/2 Cup
5. Mozzarella Cheese- 8 oz
6. Balsamic Vinaigrette - as per your taste
7. Salt and Black Pepper - as per your taste

Optional:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil- 1 TSP

Method:
1. Wash and chop all the vegetables.
2. Layer tomato, onion, avocado, basil and mozzarella cheese. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette and EVOO if using. Sprinkle salt and freshly crushed black pepper. This is fairly forgiving recipe; if you are not a fan of basil, you could substitute for spring mix, spinach as greens.

Tomato Chutney

The Tomato Chutney I am about to share with you is versatile to be paired with sandwich as well as Dosa. I have experimented with few traditional tomato chutney recipes to come up with this one. It is simple and tasty.

Ingredients:
1. Tomato- 2 ripe medium
2. Onion - 1/4 medium size
3. Garlic - 3/4 Cloves
4. Muster Seeds - 1 TSP
5. Chili Flakes- 2 TSP or 2/3 whole red dry chili
6. Oil - 2 TSP (Muster Seed/ Vegetable/ Corn/ Saffola/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
7. Salt - 2 TSP

Method:
1. Heat the thick bottom pan, add oil, muster seeds and red chili flakes.

2, Once the seeds start to sputter, add roughly chopped onion and garlic. I have used ed onion. You can substitute for white or yellow or even pearl onions.

3. Let the onion and garlic cook for 3-4 min and change into golden brown color. By this time, aroma of spices, onion and garlic will be all over the kitchen. Now add roughly chopped tomatoes.

4. Mix well and cover for 4-5 min; until tomatoes are cooked well and juices are out. 

5. Let the mixture cool down completely. Blend it into smooth texture. I used Vitamix 6300 on ‘smoothie’ settings and let it blend through the cycle.

6. The mixture is runny. If you like it to be thick you can pour the mixture back to the thick bottom pan and cook for another 3-4 min for thicker chutney by adding salt. I prefer runny chutney, so I pour the chutney into serving bowl and mix in salt. If you want the chutney to be more spicy, you can add red chili powder as well at this point.

Sambar

 Sambar is essentially a lentil soup made with variety of vegetables and spices. South Indian dishes such as Idali, Dosa are incomplete without a side of Sambar.
 It is vegetarian, diabetes friendly, low calorie, low cholesterol soup.

Ingredients:
1. Toor Dal/ split pigeon peas lentil - 1 Cup Dry
2. Onion - 1 Medium
3. Potato - 1 Small
4. Sweet Potato- 1 Small
5. Drumsticks- 1 Cup
6. Tomato- 1 Large
7. Mix Vegetables- Carrot, Peas, Green Beans - 1 Cup
8. Oil - 1 TBSP (Vegetable Oil/ Corn Oil/ Saffola Oil/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
9. Muster Seeds - 1/2 TSP
10. Red Chili- 2/3 Dry
11. Curry Leaves- 4/5
12. Red Chili Powder- 1/2 TSP
13. Sambar Powder- 2/3 TBSP
14. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 TSP
15. Tamarind Pulp - 1 TBSP
16. Salt - 2 TSP or as per taste

Method:
1. Chop onion, potato and sweet potato. I am using frozen cut drumsticks. If you are using fresh ones,  cut those as well.

2. . Boil all four vegetables with 3 Cups of water with turmeric powder and half of the salt.

3. Boil for about 10 min or until onion is translucent; completely cooked.

4. Pressure cook toor dal in 3 Cups of water. 

5. Blend it with immersion blender. Then add boiled vegetables. Keep the flame Medium or low as you will be adding more vegetables and all the spices.  Now add chopped tomato and other mix vegetables. I am using frozen mix of carrots, peas and French beans.

6. Star of the recipe is Sambar powder. I am using 24 Mantra Organic Sambar Powder; 3 TBSP. This gives the most spicy taste.

7. In a small thick bottom pan, heat oil. Add muster seeds. Once those starts to sputter, add in curry leaves and red chili. Add this tampering to sambar. We like the sambar spicy, so add in red chili powder at this point. But it’s optional if you are looking for mild taste. 

8. Give the pot a good stir and add tamarind pulp and salt. Let Sambar simmer for 5-7 min to species.    get obsorbed. Serve hot!

Grapes Raita

Grapes Raita is on sweeter side. So if you have spicy curry, this Raita will balance out the flavors. It needs only handful of the ingredients and about 15 min to make.

 It is Gluten Free, Kids Friendly, Indian, Spicy, Sweet, Vegetarian side dish.

Ingredients:

1. Grapes - 1 Cup - Red Seedless 

2. Greek Yogurt- 1 Cup

3. Red Bell Pepper- 1/2 Medium 

4. Oil - 1 TBSP - Vegetable Oil/ Saffola Oil

5. Muster Seeds - 2 TSP

6. Cumin Seeds - 2 TSP

7. Red chili powder- 2 TSP - you can vary as per the taste

8. Curry Leaves- 7-8 - fresh or dry

9. Sugar - 1 TSP - White or brown 

10. Salt - 1 TSP - you can vary as per the taste

11. Water - 1/2 Cup

Method:

1. Whisk Greek yogurt and water until you get a runny and consistent mixture.

2. Red seedless grapes I have are huge in size so chopped each in 4 pieces. Chop red bell pepper. Mix both to yogurt mixture.

3. In a thick bottom pan, heat oil first, followed by cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once seeds start to sputter add curry leaves and red chili powder. Add sautéed spices to yogurt mixture with sugar and salt. 

4. Mix all ingredients well together and refrigerate for 15-20 min atleast. Now Grapes Raita is ready to serve. It stays well for 2/3 days in a refrigerator. So if needed you can make it a day or two in advance.

Spinach Fritters - No Fry

 Fritters goes well as a side dish with the indian meal or snack for tea time. Although needing those to be deep frying kept me off from making those until I learnt how to use Appe pan or Aebleskiver pan. It literally takes a drop of oil per Fritters. Total time taken is about 15-20 min makes.

I must add these spinach fritters are Dairy Free, Diabetics Friendly, Kids Friendly, Gluten Free, Lactose Intolerance Friendly,  Low Calorie, Low Carbs, Vegan, Vegetarian,

 Ingredients:
1. Spinach- 2 Cups
2. Chickpea Flour - 1/2 Cup
3. Garlic - 2/3 Cloves
4. Ginger - 1 Inch
5. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 TSP
6. Cumin Seeds Powder- 1/2 TSP
7. Green Chili - 1
8. Salt - 1 TSP
9. Water - 1/2 Cup
10. Oil - 1 TSP ( Vegetable Oil/ Canola Oil/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil/ Corn Oil/ Saffola Oil)

Method:
1. Mix together finely chopped spinach, minced garlic, shredded ginger, finely chopped green chili, turmeric powder, cumin seeds powder and salt.

2. Mix in chickpea flour and water slowly to avoid any lumps. The mixture should not be runny but easy to drop easily with spoon.

3. Heat the Appe pan on high flame. Add a drop of oil in each mold. Reduce the flame to medium. Now add a spoonful of fritters mixture in each mold. 

4. Cover the lid and let the fritters cook for 4 min. Using skewer, turn each one. You should see the bottom side has turned golden brown. If not, let those cook for another min by covering the lid. 

5. Now let the other side of fritters cook for another 4 min by covering the lid on medium flame. Two cups of spinach makes about 24 fritters. Well, crispy fritters are ready to be served!