Simply Delicious

Asian Salmon with Bok Choy Stir Fry

2011-08-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Searching for new ways to make salmon, this recipe is for you. An asian twist on the salmon. Very easy to make yet tastes so delicious.

Ingredients:
handful of roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)

for salmon:
2 6-8 oz salmon fillets (I used salmon fillets without skin, I usually find salmon smelly with skin)
3/4 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons good oilve oil
3/4 teaspoon soy sauce
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

for stri fry:
1 pound bok choy - trim the ends. Trim off the ends of the bok choy and chop, keeping the white parts separate from the greens.
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup water
1 inch fresh ginger root, finely minced or grated
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

Method:
Whisk all the ingredients under "for salmon" except salmon (dijon mustard acts as emulsifier). Coat the salmon with the mixture and keep them aside.

In a pan on medium high heat, add vegetable oil, sesame oil. Add white parts of bok choy and saute for 3 minutes. Add the greens and saute for another couple of minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the rest of ingredients under "stir fry". Add this sauce to the bok choy and stir until the water content is evaporated.

Cook the salmon in a pan on medium heat until just cooked (this will take couple of minutes on each side). We don't need to add oil to the pan as there is oil in the marinade. Also try to coat the fish with all the marinade before you add it to the pan. Serve salmon with bok choy stir fry topped with roasted peanuts.

Tips and More:

Spinach is also a best option for this recipe instead of bok choy. In fact, any greens like chard, kale etc. should work.
Don't overcook salmon. It will be dry. Turn of the heat when you still see a thin pink line in the middle. Salmon continues to cook by the time you eat. By doing this, you will have a tender moist juicy fish.

Gobi / Paneer Manchuria

2011-08-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

If it is the weekend, you got to treat yourself with something extra special. Manchuria is the one for you. Once you taste it, you will crave for more and you will make it again and again. This recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients:
1 large red bell pepper - cut into strips (optional)
1/2 medium onion - sliced length wise (optional)
1/2 pound paneer - cut into 1 inch by 1/2 inch paneer pieces
1 small head cauliflower, around 16 florets
oil for deep frying (I used canola oil)
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, for garnish

for sauce:
1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons oil (canola or olive)(1 teaspoon if you not using red bell peppers and onion)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vine vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional, adjust to your spice level)
4 cloves garlic - sliced
1/4 teaspoon Ajinomoto (you can find it in any chinese, vietnamese or thai grocery store, this is optional)

for batter:
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup corn flour
water

Method:
Mix all the ingredients under the batter. The batter shouldn't be too thick or too thin. You are looking for something of pan cake batter consistency. Coat the cauliflower and paneer with the batter, let any extra batter to drip off (we just need light coating, else it will be too doughy) and deep fry them on medium high heat until they turn golden brown. Take them onto a paper towel to remove any excess oil and keep them aside.

In a separate pan on medium high heat, add oil and saute onion for 4 minutes, or until the onions just starts to turn translucent. Add red bell peppers and saute for another couple of minutes (or just until the way you want the peppers to be). Add garlic, saute for another minute until fragrant. Add ketchup, soy sauce, chili powder, rice vine vinegar, ajinamoto, water and stir well. Bring to a boil and let it reduce a bit, or just until the sauce is enough to coat all the fried pieces. Add the paneer cauliflowers pieces to the sauce. Combine well, check on the seasoning, and add some salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy.

Tips and More:

Corn flour is a must in this recipe to achieve crunchy texture to the paneer and cauliflower pieces.
You can make paneer manchuria alone or gobi manchuria alone instead of mixing both.
You can make the same recipe with baby corn. Try green bell peppers instead of red.
Add some green onions for more flavor.

Lemon Pasta with Blackened Chicken

2011-08-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

It was pasta night again and this recipe was a hit. Blackened seasoning is a tasty spin on a boring salt and pepper chicken. Lemon pasta compliments already delicious tasting chicken.

Ingredients:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons blackened seasoning
1 pound whole grain pasta of any type (penne, curly)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 lemons, juiced
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Reggiano
1/4 cup peas (optional)
1 large roasted red bell pepper, skinned and cut into strips (optional)

Method:

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, until al dente and drain the water.

Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and apply blackened spice both sides to the chicken. Heat a pan over medium high and add 2 tablespoons of oil to it. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is cooked through and browned on both sides. Remove to a plate and cover with a aluminum foil for 10 minutes. Then slice the chicken.

In a separate pan, add the garlic and red pepper flakes to a saute pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and saute until fragrant, around 2 minutes. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, butter, stir well and season with salt and pepper. Add the cooked pasta, peas, roasted red bell pepper, combine all together and turn the heat off. Sprinkle in parmesan cheese and mix all together. Add fresh parsley at the end. Plate the pasta and top the pasta with chicken pieces.

Tips and More:

Make sure to rest the chicken before slicing in order to sear in the juices.
Plan for tomorrow's lunch. Make 4 blackened chicken breasts instead of 2. 2 for pasta and save 2 for tomorrow. Thinly slice the chicken breast, add these pieces to a mayo or mustard spread whole grain bread. Add fresh tomato, lettuce, red onion and enjoy deli style sandwich.
Lemon Pasta tastes great by itself. The other version instead of chicken would be Lemon Pasta Shrimp. Saute 1/4 cup finely minced shallots for couple of minutes, or until translucent. Add garlic, red pepper flakes to the pan, add 1/2 a pound of peeled and deveined shrimp and cook until shrimp turns pink. The rest of the procedure is the same.
If you don't want to buy blackened chicken just for this one recipe, you can make it yourself. It a combination of spices and herbs that you find in your own pantry. 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon ground dried thyme, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano. You can store this in a air tight container.

Palak Paneer / Spinach n Cheese

2011-08-19T07:59:00.000-07:00

Rich Creamy Deliciousness. Palak Paneer is one of the Indian recipes you can't get enough of it. Try this recipe and you won't be disappointed.The following recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
1/2 tablespoon garlic paste
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
4-5 curry leaves (optional)
1 teaspoon chili powder (adjust to your spice level)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small onion finely chopped (around 2 cups finely chopped onion)
1 large tomato pureed (around 1 1/2 cups tomato puree)
1 pound spinach (I used baby spinach), rinsed
1 pound paneer, cubed, 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 - 1/2 teapoon garam masala (make a poeder of 2 cloves, 1 cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1/2 star anise)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves chopped finely

Method:
Put the spinach in a microwave safe container and pop in the microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, or just until spinach is wilted. Puree the spinach and keep it aside.

Add 2 tablespoons ghee, olive oil in a heavy bottomed vessel on medium high, and add cumin seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves, onions, salt and saute them till translucent, it will take around 5 minutes. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for another minute or until fragrant. Add chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric and saute for another minute. Add tomato puree and cook for about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the spinach puree, water and let the gravy cook for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, heat another pan on medium high and add 1 teaspoon ghee (just to coat the bottom of the pan) and brown the paneer pieces. Add paneer, heavy cream, garam masala to spinach mixture and let it cook for another 5 minutes. Finally add kasoori methi and cilatro and let it cook for another couple of minutes. Check the consistency, it shouldn't be too thick or too thin. Serve hot with roti, naan or rice.

Tips and More:

You could blanch spinach in hot water for couple of minutes instead of using a microwave.
Browning the paneer pieces is optional. It is to your preference.
Other variations would be to use fresh mustard leaves or fresh fenugreek leaves instead of spinach.
For Spinach Paneer Pastry - finely chop paneer (instead of cubes) and do not brown paneer (use the way it is). Do not add water to the recipe. The rest is the same. Bring the curry to a very thick consistency and let it cool. Make a puff with a store bought puff pastry and with spinach paneer stuffing. It would be great as an appetizer.
Don't be intimidated with the list of ingredients. Once you have all of them, cooking procedure is very simple.

Red Curry Shrimp

2011-08-17T16:02:00.000-07:00

We Indians eat curries with roti or rice very often. I thought why not try curry from other cuisines. My very first thought was thai curry. There are many variations to it and the recipe I tried is red curry with shrimp and of course with lots of veggies.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound shrimp - peeled and deveined
1/2 cup peas
3 carrots diced
2 celery stalks diced (optional)
1 small onion diced
2 table spoons thai red curry paste
2 tablespoons oil (peanut, sesame, canola)
dill or basil for garnish (optional)

Method:
Heat a pan on medium high and add oil to the pan. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables and saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add red curry paste (I bought it from a thai grocery store) and saute for another minute until fragrant. Add shrimp to the pan and cook until the shrimp is cooked through, it will take 4-5 minutes. Garnish with basil or dill and serve with white rice or brown rice. Is that quick or what.

Tips and More:

You can go little or over the board with veggies. Well you got to eat your vegetables.
I personally don't like coconut milk in curries, but many people love it. Actually, thai curries traditionally have coconut milk as their base to the curries. So, add 1/2 - 1 cup coconut milk, store bought (you can make it yourself if you have all the time in the world) and add it to the pan after you saute the red curry paste for a minute. Let the milk come to a boil and then add the shrimp.
You can also make chicken version with the same recipe. Add green and red bell peppers for additional flavor.
Curry paste usually has all the elements but check on the seasoning at the end.

Pasta with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce

2011-08-03T10:40:00.000-07:00

We love pasta! Pasta is always a winner dinner, whether you are feeding a crowd or just have it for dinner on a weekday. The following recipe serves 6 people.

Ingredients:
5 - 6 walnuts (optional)
3 large red bell peppers
up to 1 pound penne pasta (I used eating right whole grain pasta - 13.25 oz)
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream or whole milk
1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic finely minced
1 small onion finely chopped
couple of pinches of red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup spinach (optional)
1/2 cup peas (optional)
8 asparagus - woody ends trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces (optional)
1/2 - 1 cup grated parmesan reggiano (depending on how much cheesy you want the dish)
shaved parmesan for garnish (optional)
salt

Method:
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place the peppers on the baking sheet and char them under the broiler for 20 minutes turning 3 times in between, or until all the skin of pepper is charred. Place the peppers in a ziploc or place them in a bowl and cover them with plastic wrap and allow the peppers to steam for 5 to 10 minutes. This will loose the skin and it will be very easy to peel the skin. Skin the peppers, remove seeds, inner membrane (ribs), stem and keep the peppers aside.

Heat a small pan on medium and toast the walnuts. Puree the peppers, walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a blender or a mixer and keep the sauce aside. Bring a pot of water to boil to cook the pasta. When the water is boiling, add handful of salt (it is your only chance to season the pasta) and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dante. Drain the water, mix in grated parmesam cheese and keep the pasta aside.

Meanwhile, heat another pot or skillet on medium, add olive oil, chopped onions and saute for 5 minutes or until the onion just begins to soften. Throw in the minced garlic and stir. Add the red bell pepper puree, crushed tomatoes. Cook the sauce for about 5 minutes and add cream, pepper, red pepper flakes, asparagus, peas, spinach and stir well on medium heat for another 2 - 3 minutes. Taste the sauce and add more salt if necessary. Finally add the pasta and stir well so that all the pasta is coated well with the sauce. Take the pasta into a serving bowl and shave parmesan on the top. Yum yum yum !!

Tips and More:

You can use regular pasta if you want. But remember, by replacing regular pasta with whole grain pasta will give you more fiber, protien and you will get your serving of whole grains as well. Whole grain pasta taste nuttier than a regular pasta but tastes equally delicious.
I used walnuts instead of pine nuts in this recipe. But if you have pine nuts at hand, use them and they would be perfect for this recipe. 2 tablespoons of pine nuts is what all you need.
Kids would love this recipe. Its a great way to make them eat their vegetable. Add more vegetable like broccoli, carrots etc. for more veggies.
I used broiler to char the red bell peppers. Although fired up grill or the open flame on your cook top are equally effective. What you are looking for is this

Lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil will avoid cleaning process. However, charring the peppers on a grill or on a cook top will leave them a little messier.
I used penne pasta because they will hold the sauce inside them along with coating the sauce. If you don't have penne in your pantry, then any kind of short pasta should do.

Fish Po Boy

2011-07-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Its time not to order a fish po boy at a restaurant. Because this recipe is so simple to make and taste equally delicious. This recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
4 burger buns - cut in the middle
lettuce
thinly sliced tomatoes
thinly sliced red onion
4 4oz tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon butter

spice rub:
1/4 teaspoon salt
couple pinches of pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
couple pinches of cayenne pepper (optional)

for sauce:
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon finely minced dill (pickle relish)
pinch of salt and pepper
a splash or 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:
Mix all the ingredients under sauce and keep it aside. Apply the spice rub to the fish and keep them aside. Heat a pan on medium, add butter to it. Toast the buns on the cut side for couple of minutes and take the buns on to a plate. In the same pan add oil and when the oil is hot, add fish and cook the fish for 3 minutes on each side.
Assemble the burger. On the base bun, put lettuce, tomato, onion and fish. Apply teaspoon of sauce to the cap bun (the remaining piece of the bun) and top the burger. Enjoy the delicious fish po boy.

Tips and More:

You can use your favorite white fish like halibut, catfish etc. instead of tilapia.
Also, play with the spice rub. Try the fish with blackened seasoning, cajun spice, grill seasoning etc. for different variations of fish po boy.
Entertain your friends outdoors with this recipe by cooking the fish on a grill.
The fish will be juicy and tender if you use fresh fish over a frozen fish.

Gulab Jamun

2011-07-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

If you have a sweet tooth, you will love this recipe.This is one of the staple Indian desserts and this is from my grandmother's cookbook. The following recipe serves 10-12 people.

Ingredients:
ghee or oil for frying.

For jamun:
2 cups mawa (also called khoya, you can find it any regular Indian grocery store)
3-4 table spoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 table spoon ghee

For syrup:
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon elaichi powder (it is nothing but the powder of cardamom seeds)

Method:
Mix mawa, milk, all purpose flour, and ghee well and knead the mixture 10-12 times. Make small balls, around 1 inch by 1 inch balls (do not tend to make bigger sized balls, they won't cook when you fry them). 2 cups of mawa should give you around 30 balls.

Heat a pan on medium high heat, put sugar and water and bring it to a boil. Cut down the heat to medium and let the syrup continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes or until the syrup turns very light golden brown. Add elaichi powder at the end. Keep the syrup warm.

In another pan heat ghee or oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, fry the mawa balls until golden brown. It should take around 10 minutes to turn golden brown. If they turn golden brown too fast, it means that your oil is very hot than necessary. Do not over crowd the pan or cook the balls over high heat. Once the jamun are out of oil, take them onto a paper towel to remove excess oil (for 5 to 10 seconds) and immediately drop them in the warm syrup.

Leave the jamuns in sugar syrup to soak for up to 30 minutes. These jamuns could be served warm or cold.

Tips and More:

Garnish with toasted slivered almonds and pistachios.
Serve these jamuns with vanilla bean ice cream and you will be over the top.
If you are planning for a party, this is one dessert that you could make almost two days ahead of time and leave it at room temperature.
When you buy mawa from a store, what you will get it as a thick block. Cut it into small cubes and put them in a mixer. Pulse the mixer for 5 seconds.
If you don't find mawa/ khoya in the regular Indian grocery store, it is easy to make at home. Heat a pan on medium high and add 3 cups of ricotta cheese to it. Stir constantly so that the cheese doesn't get burnt at the bottom of the pan. Do this until the moisture in the cheese is gone and the mixture is thick and leaves the pan easily. The texture should be like a thick dough ball. This will take around 20-30 minutes. It will take hours to make mawa in the traditional way.
Ghee is nothing but clarified butter. If you don't find ghee, use butter. For this recipe, you can also replace ghee with 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Roasted Broccolini or Broccolette / Roasted Vegetables

2011-07-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

This recipe will make delicious vegetable side to your meal. It is easy to make yet tastes simply delicious. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
12 stems broccolini or broccolette
3 garlic clove roughly minced
2 table spoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.

Trim ends of clean broccolini and scatter evenly over a baking sheet on a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccolini and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Tips and More:

Make the same recipe with broccoli. Temperature is same, but broccoli might take a little longer, around 20-25 minutes to cook. The other night, I made roasted broccoli

Sprinkle with 2 table spoons of Parmesan cheese immediately after taking the broccolini out from the oven. It tastes even better with addition of cheese.
Vegetable tastes great by itself, you don't have to add lot of seasonings. Simply roasting vegetables will enhance the natural flavors and tastes good. Here are some ideas.

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes: Potatoes have healthy starches and they are good for your health when they are cooked right. These rosemary garlic potatoes satisfies your craving for french fries but yet keeps you fit and healthy.

Ingredients:
3 pounds small red or white potatoes - cut into halves (any kind you like - cut into any shape, medium size pieces or into wedges or rounds, any way you want, but the cooking time varies depending on the size of the potato piece)
1/4 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (or 1 teaspoon regular salt)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced garlic (6 cloves)
1 teaspoon dried rosemary (or use fresh if you have on hand)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Place the potatoes on aluminum lined baking sheet and toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary and garlic. Toss until the potatoes are well coated. Spread out the potatoes into 1 layer. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour (depending on the size of the potato piece) or until browned and crisp. Flip twice with a spatula during cooking in order to ensure even browning. Remove the potatoes from the oven, toss with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot. Note: I like my potatoes with skin. They crisp up nicely, and adds texture. Also they add more fiber.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts: These cute little babies has great nutritional values.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt (to your taste), and serve immediately.

Ginger Chicken

2011-07-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

A party appetizer and a delicious way to eat chicken. This Indian recipe is packed with flavor and is irresistible. The following recipe serves 4-6 people.

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts cut into 1 inch pieces
5 table spoons corn flour
2 table spoons all purpose flour
1/2 tea spoon + 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 tea spoon pepper
1 tea spoon soy sauce
1 table spoon ginger paste
1 table spoon garlic paste
1/2 medium onion -very finely chopped
4 shallots finely chopped
4 inch ginger root finely minced
6 scallions finely chopped- both greens and whites
1 table spoon ketchup
1/2 table spoon rice wine vinegar
couple of pinches or 1/4 teaspoon ajinomoto (optional)
1/4 cup chicken stock or water
1 tea spoon + 1 tea spoon chilli powder (adjust to your spice level)
5 tablespoons cilantro
6 tablespoons + 1 tablespoon canola oil

Method:
In a bowl, mix chicken pieces, corn flour, all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 tea spoon pepper, ginger paste, garlic paste, and soy sauce (water is not needed, the moisture in the chicken will bind everything together). Mix until the chicken is coated well with the flour mixture. Take a large pan and put it on medium heat with 6 tablespoons of oil in it. When the oil is hot, layer the chicken in the oil (you should fit the chicken in the pan in single layer, do not over crowd the pan. If your pan does not fit all the chicken pieces, fry them in two batches). Fry the chicken on both sides, 5 minutes on each side, until the chicken turns golden brown. Take the chicken pieces onto a paper towel to remove the excess oil and keep them aside.

In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Add onion, shallots and saute them for 2 minutes. Add chili powder, ginger, scallions and saute for another one minute, until the ginger is fragrant. Add tomato ketchup, ajinomoto, vinegar, chicken stock and stir them just until everything combines. Add chicken pieces to the sauce and combine well. Put the lid on and let the chicken cook 5 to 10 minutes stirring for every 2 minutes. Finally, add cilantro and mix well. Delicious ginger chicken is ready to serve.

Tips and More:

Add bell pepper (red, green or yellow) for added flavor and additional veggies.
Serve with fresh lemon juice and red onion and you cant stop eating this appetizer.
The above recipe is the dry version of ginger chicken. For more sauce or a wet version, double the quantities of ketchup, vinegar and chicken stock and add 1/4 teaspoon of soy sauce. This is best when served with fried rice.

Roasted Soy Nuts

2011-07-18T15:32:00.000-07:00

Wonderful soy!! A healthy way to have your mid afternoon snack.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried soy beans
salt (optional)
cayenne pepper (optional)
black pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)

Method:
Rinse the soy beans. Soak the soy beans in a bowl large enough, to allow beans to double in size. Allow the beans to soak for at least 8 hours. Preheat the oven to 300 degree F. Drain the beans and pat them with a towel. Toss them in olive oil and this step is optional. Spread the beans on a baking sheet in a single layer. Slow roast them stirring every 10 minutes. It will take around 30 - 40 minutes. The time it will take for crunchy soy nuts will depend on the moisture of the soaked beans. If you under roast them, they will be chewy, if you over roast them, they will be burnt. So, keep a close eye on them at the end. The nuts should turn golden brown and crunchy. Once you take them out from the oven, toss the nuts with a couple of pinches of salt, pepper and paprika for extra flavor. Cool them for 30 minutes, store them in an air tight container and enjoy when ever you want.

Tips and More:

You can increase the oven temperature up to 350 F if you want to speed up the process. In this case, the nuts will take 20-30 minutes.
Season the nuts with your favorite spice like Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning etc. instead of paprika and salt.

Herb Salmon with Spinach Mashed Potato

2011-05-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

Does Salmon need any introduction? Its one of the healthiest food source available to us. Rich in Omega3s, high in protein content and what not. This is not to say that it will not be delicious. Try this and it will surely end up in your list of favorite recipes. The following recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
For Fish -
2 6-8 oz fresh Salmon fillets
1 teaspoon fresh Dill (or 1/4 teaspoon dried dill)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Spice Mix - 1 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon dried italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon chili powder (little or adjust to your spice level)

For Spinach Mashed Potato -
2 large yukon gold potatoes - peeled and chopped medium pieces
3 cups (tightly packed) fresh spinach
salt
pepper
3 cloves garlic finely minced
pinch of dried rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/2 tablespoon butter
splash of milk (I used 2% milk, you can use half n half for more creamier mashed potato)
1/4 cup low sodium chicken stock

Method:
Add the potatoes to a microwave safe bowl, add splash of water, close with a lid and put it on high in the microwave for 6 minutes, tossing half way through. Repeat the same process for spinach but, don't add water and cook the spinach in microwave until just wilted, which will take around 3 minutes. While you cook the potatoes, rub the spice mix to the salmon fillets. Also pat fresh dill on both sides of the fish and keep the fish aside.

Heat a pan (for salmon) over medium heat. Add olive oil to the pan and when the oil is hot, add the fish and let it cook for a couple of minutes on each side (just until the fish is cooked). In another pot add butter, garlic and rosemary and take it onto the stove over medium heat. By doing this, the garlic slowly takes the heat and won't burn. Once the garlic starts to turn light golden brown, add the potatoes, milk, chicken stock and mash it with a wooden spoon or masher. Squeeze out the excess water in spinach and add it to the mashed potato. Add some salt and pepper and mix well.

Serve the fish with mashed potato and enjoy!

Tips and More:

If you want sauce with your fish and mashed potato, after you take out the fish from the pan on to a plate, add 1/4 cup white wine, 1/2 juice of lemon and 1/4 tablespoon butter. Stir for 30 seconds or just until the quantity is reduced to half. Pour the sauce onto the fish for light citrusy taste.
You can also add parsley to the sauce for more flavor.
Serve with sauteed asparagus for more veggies on your plate.

Spinach Asparagus Stuffed Omelette

2011-05-26T18:12:00.000-07:00

Asparagus and scrambled eggs is one delicious combination. I whipped up this recipe by adding a few more ingredients and had this classic breakfast as dinner. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 asparagus - woody ends removed
2 cups spinach
6 extra large eggs (Use only 2 egg yolks and 6 egg whites)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or chili flakes (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 tablespoons grated monterey jack cheese

Method:
Heat a pan on medium high and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to it. Add asparagus and saute them for 2 minutes. Add 2 pinches of salt (from the 1/4 teaspoon) and couple of pinches of pepper (from 1/2 teaspoon). Add spinach and saute until just wilted. Take them on to a plate and keep them aside. Beat 2 egg yolks, 6 egg whites, remaining salt, remaining pepper, chili powder, milk until just combined. Reduce the flame to medium and pour the egg batter into the pan. Wait just until the top layer of omelette is set and flip it. Wait for 30 seconds and flip again. Switch off the stove, add the asparagus spinach mixture in the center and add cheese to it. Fold the omelette onto the asparagus and spinach and wait until the mixture is heated through and cheese is just melted.

Tips and More:

Add mushrooms, olives, broccoli, bell peppers or any of your favorite vegetables.
We are taking out the egg yolks, just to lower the cholesterol content.
Serve with couple of slices of your favorite bread or you could make a sandwich out of it, like my husband did :)
Add 1 clove of garlic (minced finely) to the asparagus spinach mixture for extra flavor. You have to add the garlic after you add the spinach in order to avoid burnt garlic flavor. Nothing worse than the taste of a burnt garlic.

Thai Fried Rice

2011-05-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

You can't make a meal quicker than a thai fired rice. If you are planning for a take out tonight, try this recipe and you won't be disappointed. I tried 10 times to perfect this recipe and finally here it is. This recipe serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 cups cooked white rice (I used the left over rice from previous day)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup chopped onion pieces
2 carrots diced
8 thai basil leaves
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
1 teaspoon sambal or chili garlic paste (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 eggs (I used only 1 yolk, 2 egg whites)
3 scallions- both greens and white parts chopped
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
couple of pinches salt

Method:
In a bowl, mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sambal, sesame oil, chicken stock, scallions, turmeric and keep it aside. Heat a pan on high heat, and add peanut oil. When the oil is hot, add onion, carrots and salt. Stir for 2 minutes, add ginger, garlic, turmeric and stir for another 30 seconds. Add eggs to the pan wait until the eggs are settled. Break the eggs into a crumble, add rice, basil and peas to the pan. Stir just until every thing in the pan is mixed well. Add the prepared sauce to the rice and stir well for 1 minute.

Tips and More:

Add mushrooms, beans, bokchoy, tomatoes, celery, sprouts for more veggies.
Avoid egg for vegetarian version, add chicken for thai chicken fried rice. If you are adding chicken, add it after you added ginger and garlic to the pan. You can also use vegetable stock or water instead of chicken stock.
You can add cilantro at the end for extra flavor.
Don't add too much chicken stock. It will make the rice soupy.
Use low sodium soy sauce and chicken stock in order to control the amount of sodium in-take.
Peanut oil has a high smoking point and hence is used in most of the asian recipes. If you don't have peanut oil at hand, use canola or vegetable or any other oil you regularly use.

Fish Piccata

2011-05-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

Tilapia is such a delicious fish with almost no fat. Its a good source of protien and always satisfying.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tilapia fillets
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup white wine
1-2 lemons, juiced (depending on how much citrusy you like your fish, I would say 1 lemon is good)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder (optional or adjust to your spice level)
2 tablespoons capers
1 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or basil

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, blot the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and chili powder. Dredge in the flour, shaking off any excess. Saute the fish in oil until just cooked, about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove the fish from the pan and place on a platter. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, stirring for about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and capers and stir. Add the butter and stir to bring the sauce together. Pour onto the fish and garnish with the chopped parsley.

Tips and More:
You can use any kind of white fish for this recipe, not just tilapia. Serve with sauteed asparagus or french beans on the side.

Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Bread

2011-05-09T21:20:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't like banana bread, and if we can make a healthier version of that, its ever better ! Check out for a low cholesterol, low sugar, whole wheat, anti oxidant and omega 3 rich "banana walnut bread" and enjoy it anytime, guilt free. Believe me, this recipe is so delicious, I made this 3 times in a month :)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup walnuts, dry roasted and roughly chopped
2/3 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen blueberries that are thawed)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and dust it with all-purpose flour. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, sift it twice and set aside.
Mash 2 bananas. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the bananas and sugar together for a good 3 minutes, you want a light and fluffy banana cream. Add the melted butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla, beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients (flour mixture) just until incorporated, no need to overly blend. Mash the remaining 2 bananas with a fork in a small bowl so that they still have a bit of texture. Fold in the nuts, blueberries and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give the pan a good tap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.
Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown. Good way to check if its done is to insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf and it should come out clean. Don't get nervous if the banana bread develops a crack down the center of the loaf; that's no mistake, it's typical. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning.
Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Tips and More:

If you don't have vanilla extract, vanilla essence is fine.
You can substitute walnuts with pecans.
The sugar we put in the bread is very less and thats fine too, the bananas give the sweetness needed.
We are sifting the flour twice in order to incorporate air into it. Since the whole wheat flour is denser than the all-purpose flour, this step is very important.
Butter is high in cholesterol, vegetable oil is not. Hence, I replaced most of the oil content with vegetable oil. I added some butter for much richer taste.

Vegetable Soup

2011-05-07T00:09:00.000-07:00

Whats better than a hot bowl of chunky soup. This is best way to eat your vegetables. Kids will love this recipe. The following recipe serves 6.

Ingredients:
5 medium size carrots
1 large tomato
2 medium size zucchini
5 celery stalks
1 cup peas
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3 cups spinach
1 medium size onion
32 fl oz chicken stock (1 box)
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 bay leaf
5-6 garlic cloves minced finely
14 oz can crushed tomatoes
14 oz can garbanzo peas - strained and run water thoroughly
3 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil

Method:
Heat a big pot on medium high. Add olive oil to the pot. When the oil is hot, add the onions and salt, carrots, celery, zucchini, (garlic, rosemary, parsley and bay leaf - all at once) and tomatoes one after the other with 3 minutes of interval for each ingredient except for the one in brackets. Occasionally stir the vegetables during that interval. Once the tomatoes start to sweat a bit, add chicken stock, water, crushed tomatoes, garbanzo beans and tomato paste and bring it to boil. Once the mixture starts to bubble, add spinach and peas and let it cook for another 1 or 2 minute. Pull out the bay leaf before you serve.

Tips and More:

Chop and drop. Since it is a one pot meal, the best way to save time is to chop the vegetables when needed instead of preparing them ahead of time (chop onions and add to pot, while onions are cooking, chop carrots, add it to pan and so on).
Again, instead of garbanzo beans, you can add roasted chicken breast pieces for non vegetarian version of this soup.
Add a teaspoon of grated parmesan cheese to each bowl of soup for extra flavor.
Serve the soup with you favorite bread from your local bakery. Rub a piece of raw garlic on the bread (you can also use roasted garlic cloves), sprinkle it with a teaspoon of parmesan cheese and pop the bread under broiler for a couple of minutes until the cheese is melted and the edges are little browned. By adding bread, you are getting your starch/carbs for that meal.
If you don't have either the tomato paste or the crushed tomatoes, thats ok too. You could use one of these ingredients. If are using just one of these, use around 3 tablespoons of tomato paste or 16oz crushed tomatoes.

Greek Chicken Kebabs

2011-05-04T22:22:00.000-07:00

Greek food is very flavorful and satisfying too, yet very healthy. It is one of the recipes to take onto the outdoor grill and entertain your friends. The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
wooden skewers around 8-9 soaked in water for 20 minutes

for chicken -
2 chicken breasts - cut into cubes
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
3 garlic cloves grated
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon chili powder (optional or adjust to your spice level)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
juice from half a lime

for vegetables -
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic grated
2 pinches of chili powder (optional)
1 medium zucchini - cut 1/2 inch thick
1 medium red bell pepper - cut into squares
1 medium green bell pepper - cut into squares
10-12 broccoli stems

for tzatziki sauce -
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 garlic clove grated
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
juice of 1/2 lime
couple of pinches of pepper
4 inch cucumber grated (no seeds, skin can be on if it is an english cucumber)
1 tablespoon of fresh mint or 1 pinch of dried marjoram or 1 pinch of dried/fresh dill

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all the ingredients (under "for chicken") except chicken. Add chicken to the marinade, mix well and keep aside. Chop all the vegetables, drizzle olive oil, add all the ingredients under vegetables and mix until the vegetable are evenly coated. Now skewer the chicken and the vegetables alternatively on to the skewers. Place the skewers on the rack and place the rack on a baking sheet to collect any juices from chicken. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Mix all the ingredients under tzatziki sauce for dipping.

Tips and More:

To the above vegetables, you can also add red onions. If you don't have marjoram in hand, replace with dried oregano, it tastes almost the same.
Also, you can make the same recipe with fish or lamb. However, the cooking time is a little less for fish and little long for lamb.
You can buy pita pockets from any grocery stores, add these kebabs, fresh lettuce, tomatoes, onions, feta cheese and the tzatziki sauce for gyros.
Geek yogurt is a thick and creamy yogurt. You can find it at any regular grocery store. Usually it is high in fat content as they use whole milk. So, to make low fat greek yougurt at home, place the yogurt (low fat) in a tea towel, gather up the edges, suspend over a bowl, and drain for 2 hours in the refrigerator.
This particular recipe has lot of ingredients but is very simple to prepare. It will not take more that 30 minutes. First marinate the chicken, keep aside. Now preheat the oven, chop the vegetables and coat them with the marinade. Vegetable don't have to marinate, so immediately skewer the chicken and veggies onto the skewer and pop it into the oven. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the sauce :)
Just to avoid hard scrub cleaning, line the baking dish with an aluminum foil.

Vegetable Pasta

2011-05-03T15:17:00.000-07:00

Pasta really fills you up and is good for you. Whole wheat pasta has more fiber than regular pasta and that is even better. I made this recipe on a week night with in no time. The recipe turned out to be really delicious that my husband and I couldn't stop eating :) The following recipe serves 4.

Ingredients:
10oz whole wheat spaghetti pasta
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion - chopped
16oz can crushed tomatoes
2 medium size zucchini - cut into thin match sticks
1 cup frozen peas
8 - 10 broccoli stems
3 cloves of garlic - finely minced
1/2 cup half and half
1 large red bell pepper - cut into strips
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup chicken stock (vegetarians can use vegetable stock or water is fine too)
salt to taste - around one teaspoon
1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
chili flakes - 1/2 teaspoon (optional or adjust to your spice level)

Method:
Bring a big pot of water to boil and season the water with salt (this is your only chance to season the pasta), add the pasta and cook until aldente(almost cooked but still has a bite to it).

Heat a pan over medium high heat and add olive oil. Saute the onions for about 4 minutes or until the onions start to turn translucent. Add zucchini and saute for another 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, basil, red bell pepper, broccoli and saute for another 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes and chicken stock. Turn the heat up to high and let the veggies cook for 3 minute until the mixture is thick enough for a sauce. Stir in the milk (half and half) and peas and let the mixture cook for another 2-3 minutes. Finally add the cooked pasta and cheese and mix it well for 30 seconds. Bon Appetit :)

Tips and More:

Cut your cooking time by10 minutes. While you cook your sauce, try to cook the pasta too, not one after the other.
You can really be so versatile with this dish. When I cooked this dish, the vegetables I used were the ones I got in my fridge that day. But you can use carrots, mushrooms, corn etc. Add parsley for more flavor or replace basil with parsley
You can also add chicken for additional protein (pasta has protein in it).

My Pantry

2011-05-03T15:16:00.000-07:00

A good pantry encourages you to think out of the box. If you are planning to whip up new dishes with the vegetables and protein you got in your refrigerator, fill up your pantry with these:

Spices:
Dried Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Dill, Rosemary, Italian seasoning. These will last forever and add great flavor to any dish. You can grow indoor plants as well. But I don't prefer buying them fresh at the grocery store as they are too costly (except parsley). Dried leaves have intense flavor than the fresh ones. You can replace 3 tablespoons of any of the above fresh leaves with 1 tablespoon of their respective dried variety.

Paprika, Chili powder, Chili flakes etc. to add little heat to the dish.

Whole spices like Coriander, Cumin, Star Anise, Fennel, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Salt and Pepper.

Sauces:
Mayonnaise, Dijon musturd, Tomato sauce, Soy sauce (regular or low sodium), Rice vine vinegar, Honey, Toasted sesame oil, Sambal or Chili garlic paste, Fish sauce, Oyster sauce, Chinese barbeque sauce, good White wine.

Few more ingredients:
good Olive oil, Garlic, Ginger, Tomatoes, Capers, Lime juice, Lemon juice, Chicken stock / Vegetable stock.

And yes...all the wonderful vegetable produce you find at the market.

Well, it looks like a long long list. But believe me, these make life so much easier. If you stack these up in your pantry, they will last forever. Also, you don't need to have all of the above. Some of you might not like Chinese and some of you may not like Italian. You can always skip some of these ingredients according to your preferences. But I would try every cuisine thats easy to make and tasty to my palette.

Plan your plate :)

2011-05-03T04:39:00.000-07:00

The first key step for healthy eating is to look out what goes on to your plate. Plan you meal this way:
Divide you plate into four parts
           1. Protein (palm size) - like lentils, fish, chicken breast, shrimp, eggs etc.
           2. Starch - like rice, potato etc.
           3. Vegetables - like broccoli, asparagus, zucchini, carrots, this list is endless.
           4. Greens - like lettuce, romaines, kale, chard, spinach and many more.

Along with that... Don't forget to include 8 glasses(1 glass is typically 8oz) water, dairy(in any form like milk, cheese, yogurt) and fruits in your diet.

I always try to incorporate this combination in my meals. In this blog, you will find the recipes that will exemplify one of the above kinds. Enjoy :)