Capsicum Rice

Hi,
Today I am going to share a rice recipe that i love.

Ingredients:
2 cup basmati rice
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 and half cup roughly chopped green bell pepper
2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 table spoon butter
salt to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
Water

Method:
Take a heavy bottom pan
Start with 2 tablespoon butter, once it starts melting add onion, ginger garlic paste. Once the butter starts to separates add bell pepper, let it cook for a minute and add tomato paste. Cook the mixture for another minute.
Add the rice .
Add salt to taste. Add water. (now rice has a 2:1 ratio with water, for every 1 cup of rice 2 cups of water)
Bring to boil, then reduce to medium heat and cover and let it cook until rice is done.
At this point add garam masala and stir.

This rice dish is good by itself or can be served with yogurt and onions.

Enjoy.

Paratha - carrot, paneer and a sweet surprise

Hi,
For me its very easy to hide all the vegetables i want my kids to eat in the paratha.
Anyways so i decided to try a different combination usually potato and paneer are versatile so i just kicked up a notch and substituted potato for sweet potato and carrot.
I hope your family will enjoy this recipe as mine.

Ingredients:
1 cup shredded carrot
1 cup boiled and mashed sweet potato
1 cup shredded paneer ( indian cottage cheese)
6 -8 Precooked roti or tortilla of your choice depending
1 cup shredded or small cubes of mozzarella cheese
salt to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 teaspoon ginger - garlic paste
oil to cook

Method:
Mix in a large bowl carrot, paneer and mashed sweet potato, add ginger garlic paste and salt to taste.
Now on a board/plate start assembling your paratha - first place your cooked roti on the plate and layer the veggie mixture on it. On top of it place your cheese just like you would be making quesadilla.

Now fold it in to half. Mean time heat a nonstick Tawa, place your paratha on it.
Now your ingredients does not need much cooking time and your roti is cooked too. So here we are just melting the cheese.
Add a little oil to get the nice golden brown color.

Cut in to triangle and serve hot with a dollop of salsa or hummus of your choice.
This serves as a great meal, after school snack or even better send it in your kids school lunch box. Very nutritious and healthy.

Enjoy

Chili with corn cake

Hi all,
During my recent trip i had a chance to try more varieties of food choices that i would less likely look to try here. We had a tasting of vegetarian chili, let me tell you it was so yummy..so bring back the memories I came up with this almost similar chili recipe that i hope you all love and make it your favorite too.

Ingredients:
1 cup of overnight soaked black beans and kidney beans ( combined)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
2 cups mushroom( portbello) chopped
1 cup onion chopped
1 cup carrot chopped
3 cups tomatoes chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely minced
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon paprika powder
salt to taste
2 tablespoon oil
1 cup of water or broth of your choice

Method:
Place a heavy bottom pan and place oil in it and start by adding onions, when they are turning translucent go ahead and add veggies ( except tomatoes) and garlic.
Cook it a little until oil separates. Now add all the spices and salt to flavor.
Cook another one minute.
Now add tomatoes and overnight soaked beans with the water that you soaked it in, stir the mixture and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker.
At this point add an additional half cup of water.
Cover the lid. Turn the slow cooker to high for 4 hours and you are done.

Now if you are not using a slow cooker. Please continue in your heavy bottom pot the rest of the cooking. Please stir in between to avoid the beans to stick to the bottom and burn.

Enjoy with the side of corn bread or a sourdough bread.
Garnish with cilantro and avocado.

Yum, dinner is served.
Enjoy.

Quick trail mix

Planning a day out with kids and having handy things on hands so easy-breezy. But that's all in books in reality half of the times we ( I ) even forget their water, just to take a u turn and come back home for it. How many of you agree happened to you?
Well anyways, today i was trying certain combinations and found this one so much loved by my family would love to share with you. Do you have any that you can share with me? Please do so....

 Chex mix:
The one from store has so many things in it that my kids certainly don't like and then i end up eating them :(
So we made this:
4 cups of honey chex mix cereal ( gluten free)
2 cups M &M peanut butter flavor ( if allergies can substitute to plain chocolate M&M's)
2 cups yogurt pretzel
2 cups dried cranberries

mix all above ingredients in a large bowl fill out in individual  snack bags. Snacks are ready . You know what went in there and so healthy and so yummy. No leftovers !!!

This will make four 100 calorie snack pack Ziploc full quantity.

Let me know what are your favorite trail mixes and how do you make them or which do you buy?
Until then
Enjoy

Paratha - mixed vegetable

I know for me its a question every now and then what would be a healthy but quick fix for my kids. While talking to my mom the other day she reminded me of this Paratha that I would love to share with you.

Total start to finish less than 30 minutes...i love it already!

Ingredients:
3 cups of finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup finely shredded carrot
1/2 cup boiled and mashed peas
1 cup boiled and mashed sweet potatoes
2 cloves garlic mashed
1 green chili, finely chopped
3 cups wheat flour
1 cup gram flour ( Besan)
2 tablespoon yogurt
Salt to taste
Oil to cook

Method:
Mix everything in a large mixing bowl except oil.
Let the dough sit for 3-4 minutes covered with wet muslin cloth.
Heat the griddle.
Now roll the dough in to the quarter size balls and roll them out on the counter to the size where they are medium thin. Since your griddle will be hot by this time, place your paratha on it
Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes until you see slight golden brown spots on it and then flip for the other side.
Before the third flip put some oil in the pan..hear the sizzle, press it a little with the spatula to cook evenly on both the sides and your first paratha is ready.
 Continue doing the rest of the paratha's in this manner.
You will get about 12-15 paratha's depending on your size of the dough balls.

I promise everyone will ask for the seconds...
Enjoy.

Yum Yum Mum

I cannot believe my kids ate lunch so fast without even making me say please eat.....makes me giggle..
Today's recipe is from leftover rice, white or brown they both would make this recipe a yum yum.

Ingredients:
2 cups of rice ( cooked)
1/2 bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup carrot shredded
1/2 cup cabbage shredded
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
2 table spoon cilantro
1/2 cup yogurt
5 tablespoon besan flour
4 tablespoon wheat flour
Salt to taste
2 green chilies ( u can opt it out but add it in your recipe for little spicy version)
Oil to cook

Method:
Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl except oil.
Let it sit for 2-3 minutes.
In the mean time heat your non stick tawa / pan.
Now slightly oil your hands and make thin flat patties about your palm size and place it on your hot nonstick pan with little oil sprayed on it.
Continue making those patties. You will get about 8-10 of those depending on the size and thickness.
Serve it with ketchup or chutney of your choice.

Enjoy the quick fix.
Have a wonderful, relaxing weekend.