Pav Bhaji

Ingredients:

Mixture of vegetables ( Potato -2, cauliflower -1 C, carrots - 2, little beans, Peas - handful, Green capsicum - 1/2, Onion - 1 if using)
Tomatoes - 2 or 3 big
Spices (1 tbsp corriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp fennel powder, 1 tsp kasuri methi,1/4 tsp amchur powder, 1/4 tsp turmeric, pinch of asafoetida)
Make a paste of 4 green chillies and a big piece of ginger
Butter - 2 tbsp
Cilantro chopped for garnish
Pav buns

Method:
1)Pressure cook potato, cauliflower, carrots, beans
2) Heat little butter and add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, add chopped onions and cook till translucent
3)Add chopped tomatoes,capsicum,peas, cumin powder, coriander powder, fennel powder, amchur powder, chilli ginger paste (or you can even grind whole spices along with chillies and ginger), turmeric and asafoetida. Cook until the tomatoes are soft
4) Add pressure cooked vegetables to this and mash nicely with a masher
5) Add required salt, crushed kasuri methi and cook for few minutes
6) Squeeze half a lemon into this mixture
6)Add a tbsp of butter to this in the end and garnish with lots of chopped cilantro

Spread little butter onto the buns and toast

Serve the buns with bhaji, little chopped onions, lime, cilantro.

Quick Quinoa vangi bath for lunch

Quinoa vangi bath is very healthy and takes only minutes to cook. This recipe works well when you are in a hurry especially in the mornings making lunch for office or school goers. To save time, you can as well cook quinoa the previous night and keep it in the fridge.

Ingredients: Serves 1

Quinoa - 1/3C
Small brinjal - 10
Red Chillies - 2
Curry leaves few
Cilantro chopped
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Channa dal - 1 tsp
Cashew nuts or peanuts - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric, Asafoetida, salt
Tamarind juice - little

Method:

1) Boil 2/3 cup water and add 1/3c quinoa to boiling water. Simmer after 10 minutes. Switch off the heat and close the pan and let it cook for 10 more minutes.
2) Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, urad dal, channa dal, peanuts/cashew nuts, red chillies, curry leaves and roast for few minutes, add pinch turmeric, asafoetida
3) Add brinjal and cook over medium heat till veggies becomes soft
4) Add tamarind juice, salt, 2 tsp MTR vangi bath masala(quick version) and cook for few minutes
5) Add cooked quinoa to brinjal masala and mix everything together.
6) Switch off the heat and add chopped cilantro

Thin bagel sandwich --- Quick and Yummy

This sandwich recipe can be made in minutes with simple ingredients. Can be had for breakfast/ lunch or dinner. A versatile healthy sandwich. If you do not have hummus, use ground mustard.

Escarole is like other greens, can be sauteed, chopped into soups and stews, or as part of a green salad.

Ingredients:

Any Hummus of your choice either home made or store bought. (I used yellow lentil hummus from store)
Pair of thin Bagels
Sliced Tomatoes
Sliced Cucumber
Sliced Avocados
Any Cheese slice
Escarole leaves
Salt and pepper

Method:

1) Toast bagel in a bread toaster
2) On one side place cheese slice, cheese would melt and stick to the bagel if you put it as soon as you take the bagel out of the toaster
3) Put 1 or 2 escarole leaves on top of cheese, place 3 tomato slices, 3 cucumber slices, avocado slices, sprinkle salt and pepper on each layer
4) Apply generous amount of hummus on the other side of bagel and close the sandwich.

Enjoy with soup or salad.

Quinoa and Tofu stir fry with Spicy peanut butter sauce

Since Quinoa and tofu are bland, we can add colors to the dish by adding broccolli, spring onions, snow peas for green, red pepper and carrots for red, yellow bell pepper and corn for yellow.

Ingredients: (Serves 2 to 3)

1 Cup Quinoa
Half cup diced tofu
Half red pepper cut into 1 inch
1 Carrot cut into matchsticks
1/2 Yellow pepper cut into 1 inch
1/2 Cup broccoli flowers
4 Diced spring onions
1/2 Cup snow peas cut into half
1/4 Cup fresh or frozen corn
Handful bean sprouts

For Sauce:


1 tbsp peanut butter
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp soy milk
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp lime juice
couple of pinches red pepper flakes
2 inches minced ginger
If you are using garlic, 2 cloves minced garlic

For Garnish:

2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts or roasted white sesame seeds


Method:


1) Heat 2 cups water and add quinoa, let it boil for 10 minutes and close for 5 minutes and cook until done
2) Heat a tsp olive oil in a pan and fry tofu
3) Once tofu is done, add carrots and stir fry for couple of minutes
4) Add red peppers, yellow peppers, broccoli and cook for couple of minutes
5) Add snow peas, green onions and corn and cook for couple of minutes
6) Add a handful bean sprouts. salt pepper and cook for couple of minutes and mix tofu with the veggies
7) Heat tsp olive oil and add ginger and garlic if using, red pepper flakes, fry for couple of minutes, add peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, lime juice
8) Add sauce to the stir fry veggies and serve over quinoa

Banana peach smoothie

Ingredients: (Makes 2 glasses)

1 Banana
2 Peaches
3 Wedges Pineapple
1 Big slice Papaya

Blend all the ingredients and enjoy the smoothie! Add honey if you need.

Berry Milkshake

Variety of berries are abundant in summer. Try this refreshing power packed berry milkshake for your breakfast and enjoy the day.

Ingredients: (1 serving)

4 to 6 Strawberries
Handful Raspberries
Handful Blueberries
1 Cup 2% or low fat milk or Soy milk

Method:

Blend all the berries with milk. You can even add 2 tsp sugar or honey and 1 tsp vanilla extract to it.

Tropical fruits smoothie

Fruits are very good for health but we cannot eat a lot everyday but smoothies are a good way to consume varieties of fruits. So heres one smoothie recipe that everyone would enjoy. If you are a person who doesn't like papaya, then you should try this recipe. You would want more believe me.

Ingredients: (Serves 2)

1 mango
3 wedges pineapple
1 big slice papaya
3 big strawberries
2 tsp honey

Blend all the above fruits and honey and serve with or without ice. Its sooooooo yummy!