Edamame salad

Edamame sounds like a strange bean.  Many of us aren't aware that, it's nothing but soya bean, when it is young.  They harvest it before it hardens and turns into soya bean. It is mostly cultivated in Asian countries but became quite popular in the western world.  It is available in the market either fresh or frozen. Edamame is rich in Carbohydrate, protein, dietary fibre and other essential nutrients.
Ingredients:


Edamame  - salted and Boiled or steamed
Cherry tomato- washed and cut in half
Celery- washed and cut in pieces
Carrots- washed, peeled and cut into julianne or grated
Green pepper - washed and chopped or sliced
Dressing:
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil
garlic -  finely chopped
vinegar

Note: I added chat masala powder to bring Indian flavor to the salad.
Edamame can be substituted with other beans for a change.




Method:
Cook edamame according to directions on package. Rinse with cold water to cool. Combine edamame and other vegetables in a bowl and mix together.
Whisk olive oil, vinegar , garlic, salt and pepper and seasonings together. Pour dressing over combined vegetables and mix thoroughly. Adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate and serve.

Broccoli raisin salad

Ingredients:
Broccoli - washed and cut into florets
Golden raisins
dried cranberries
Sunflower seeds
Carrots - Shredded
Cheese - Shredded (optional)


sweet vinaigrette dressing :
Mayonnaise
Vinegar
Sugar



Method:
In a large sauce pan  bring water to boil and add salt. Add the broccoli florets and blanch until the florets turn bright green and slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Drain well, run under cold water to stop further cooking, and drain again.



 Dressing:  In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar,  sugar .  Add  all of the above ingredients including broccoli , toss  to coat with the dressing. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve immediately.


Note:  Quantity or measurements  can be used according to the requirement.

Quinoa Salad

Ingredients:

Quinoa  - cooked

Chickpeas - boiled / Canned

Green apples - chopped

Red peppers - chopped

Green peppers - chopped

Honey

Walnut - chopped

Lentils - cooked / Canned

Parsley

salt 

pepper 

olive oil

lemon juice

Method:

Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low . Cover for 10 - 15 mins and simmer until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed,  Set aside to cool.

 For dressing: Whisk olive oil, lime juice, honey, salt, pepper, chopped parsley together in a bowl.

Combine boiled quinoa, lentils,  chick peas, walnuts, red peppers , green peppers, green apples in a bowl, add the dressing and give a quick toss.

 



Dry fruits and nuts ladoo

"Good things come in small packages"  This stands true, when you look at  the goodness of Nuts.  Nature has provided us with these beautiful nutritional powerhouses, fully packed with heart-friendly fats, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber and Omega 3 fatty acids.  It's the vegetarian's  main source of protein.  It helps us feel full and suppress the appetite. But, not all the nuts are made equal, each one has its own goodness, amount of calories and protein content.

Health benefits:Walnuts provide the richest source of antioxidants, purifies body from within and making your skin glow, flushing out all the toxins.
Almonds are the ones with the most fiber content, richest source of Vitamin E, which  is good for skin . Cashews are a rich source of iron, zinc and magnesium. It delivers oxygen to all the cells of our body, thereby preventing chances of anemia. Pistachios are dieters choice because of the low calories. These are rich in antioxidant gamma-tocopherol, potassium and Vitamin B6.

How much do we need ? 
A handful is enough to take you overboard. Nuts are good when taken in limited quantities. This limit also extends to the value of daily nutritional intake.  Aren't we glad that nuts can make us healthy, wealthy and wise?.

Bad nuts:
Nuts can be bad for health  if it is coated with sugar, salt or chocolate. Nuts in raw form has more nutritional value. Nuts can cause allergies in some people and can prove fatal.

This recipe is all natural no additives or preservatives.  Can be stored upto a week or two in an air-tight container.


Ingredients
Nuts: roasted and chopped  100 grs each
Almonds
Cashews
Walnuts
Pistachios
Shredded/ desiccated Coconut
Poppy seeds / khus khus
Can use whatever is available in the market like Macadamia nuts, Brazilian nuts, Hazel nuts, Pecans, Sunflower seeds, melon seeds etc.
Dry fruits: chopped  100 grs each
Dates
Figs
Raisins


Jaggery- 1cup or Edible gum - 2 tbsp
Ghee or Melted butter -3 tbsp
Cardamom pwd  for flavouring -1/4 tsp

Method:

Roast the nuts in 1 tsp ghee till brown, and in a blender pulse coarsely.

Chop dates, figs and raisins

Dry roast coconut and  poppy seeds till brown.

If using the edible gum: roast gum with little ghee and blend till smooth. Mix all the ingredients well and roll the mixture to balls with greased palms.

If using jaggery: To a heavy bottom pan, add grated jaggery and 2 tbsp. water and melt on a low heat. Filter this to remove impurities. Add 1 tbsp. Ghee to the jaggery and begin to boil it till it reaches a soft ball consistency. You can drop a spoon of this syrup in a bowl  of water. when you see the syrup can be rolled to a soft ball. Switch off the heat. pour it over the nuts and stir well. Wait for few mins until it is easy to handle and roll it into balls.

Go Nuts Go !!

Creamy Fruit salad

Ingredients:
Apple - 1 cup diced
Grapes - 1/2 cup green or red globe grapes
Banana - 1 cup diced
cantaloupe -  1 cup
Oranges - 1 cup segments
Any kind of fruits of your choice can be added.


for the dressing:
Condensed milk - 1 can
Cream cheese -  50 gr
Sour cream - 2 tbsp.



Method:
Combine condense milk, cream cheese, sour cream and beat together.
Add the fruits and mix well to coat .
Serve chilled.


Variation: If condense milk is too sweet, variation can be made with the combination of Cream cheese , whip cream,Agave

BLT Salad

BLT reminds us of sandwich with Bacon lettuce and Tomato.    I enjoyed this delicious salad at a kids camp, where I was volunteering.  The ladies in the kitchen prepared it for about 200 people.  There were several trays, full of  this colorful salad.   As the lunch time was approaching, I couldn't wait to try to this salad.  The lunch also came with black forest ham sandwich and juice.  The lunch was so delicious!  I thought my family would enjoy it just as much as I did....  I knew the basic ingredients used in this salad i.e Bacon , lettuce and salad.   I put it together and prepared it for weekend lunch.   They loved it all and it was quickly vanished from the bowl!

Ingredients:
Bacon - few strips cut in pieces
Tomato -  1 diced
Lettuce -  romaine lettuce washed and cut into pieces
Marble cheese - shredded 1/4 cup
Cucumber- 1 diced
Frozen Green peas/ sugar snap - 1/4 cup  microwaved  for few mins.  Sugar snap can be used fresh. 
Dressing:
Sour cream - 1 tbsp
Mayonnaise - 1 tbsp
parmesan cheese - 1 tsp
Salt , pepper
vinegar - 1 tsp
sugar - 1/4 tsp

Method:
 Combine BLT and other ingredients in a bowl.
Mix the dressing in a separate bowl and toss it all together to coat the salad.


For Bacon:  Place bacon in a  skillet. Cook over medium high heat, turning frequently, until evenly browned. Drain the excess fat, crumble and set aside.

Cantaloupe carving

Here is a beautiful carving made out of a Cantaloupe.   It takes lots of patience and practice to get the excellent results but this one seems to be pretty easy, though looks very complicated.  Makes a good table decoration for special occasions.  We can make two out of a single cantaloupe.

Here is the method:
1.  Choose a firm Cantaloupe. 
2. Draw two lines across, in the middle of the Cantaloupe.
3. In between the two lines,draw big V shapes going up and down all the way around.
4.With a sharp knife cut the V lines.
5. Separate the two lobes.
6. Peel the skin half way through making it look like a petal.
7.  To make extra petals, cut a little piece off between the petals, to make it look like they are separated and not clumpy.
8. cut the base off to keep it nice and steady.
Place it in any table decoration.

Christmas rum cake

  Christmas is the time for food and food and lots of food, In every gathering, every party... But if you don't have the proper kind of cake, it's  takes off the show... In India, during the Christmas season we used to gift the cakes to people around us to spread the joy and cheer of Christmas. Me and my younger sister used to go cake shopping,  on my two wheeler.   We normally used to go to a baker who makes cakes in Mettuguda, Hyderabad.  He runs his business from home.  He is always busy during this season.  He and his sibling works in that small rented room, sifting the flour, mixing, baking etc.  We had to place an order and pickup after a week or two.  The cakes he makes is so delicious, that you want to eat up everything.  I didn't know the name of the cake at that time...it was black, with fruits and no icing.   When I came to Canada , I didn't get that kinda taste anywhere.  I didn't even know the name of the cake to buy or ask the recipe.  Some times I used to enjoy the same kind of cake in the weddings, in India.
Couple of years ago, a friend of mine from Jamaica shared her cake with me... It reminded me of the days of Hyderabad. My curiosity mounted and  showered her with too many questions, what is the name of the cake, what is the recipe ?  Where can I get it to buy?  She told me, that it is Jamaican rum cake, and you will not get to buy it anywhere because they don't make it in stores.  She happily shared her recipe.    It is so tasty that you will forget you are eating the cake without icing. It took me several years to obtain the name and recipe. So, here it is for you....

Ingredients:
2¾ cups Raisins
1¾ cups currants
1 cup Candied Peel
½ cup Walnuts
1/3 cup Prunes, chopped
1/3 cup Candied Cherries, halved
2 cups Brown Sugar
1½ tsp each Vanilla and Almond Extract
½ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Cinnamon
Pinch  of each:   ground Ginger, Allspice and Cloves
1 cup  Rum/ Sherry/ port wine
1 cup Unsalted Butter
5 eggs
1 tsp to 1 Tbsp Browning (depending on how dark you want your cake)
1½ cups All-purpose Flour
½ tsp each baking powder and salt

 Method:
This cake has 4 stages of making, as opposed to regular cake .  

1. Soaking the fruit:   This is the major part of, this kind of  cake making.  If you know how to soak it you've won half the battle. Many people soak their fruit  for 6 months to one year ahead! Fruit that is soaked for that long will get very nice dark color. It doesn’t even need to be ground to paste because it will dissolve by itself into a thick fruit puree while mixing.
Combine raisins, currants, peel, walnuts, prunes and cherries. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves. Stir in ½ cup of the rum.  Soak it in a Air tight bottle and store it .
Instant method of soaking the fruit:
One day ahead, in microwaveable bowl, combine raisins, currants, peel, walnuts, prunes and cherries. Add 1/3 cup brown sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and cloves. Stir in ½ cup of the rum. Cover and microwave at High for 10 minutes, stirring twice; let stand overnight. In large pot, bring fruit mixture and ½ cup of water to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring often; set aside to cool. When fruit is cool, use a hand or stand blender, or a food processor to puree the fruit with 2 Tbsp of water.

2. Cake mixing:
In large mixing bowl, beat butter with remaining brown sugar, beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add fruit mixture and browning, blending well. In another mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt; fold in fruit mixture until well combined.

3. Baking: Pre- heat the oven
 Pour batter into two greased non-stick 9×5-inch  circle or loaf pans.
Place pans into 275 degree oven for 2 hours or until tester inserted in the center comes out slightly wet.
Let cakes cool in pans for ½ hour then turn out onto cooling rack and cool for another ½ hour

4. Liquid shower:  Combine remaining rum with port to make 1 cup of liquor; poke holes in the cakes with a skewer and pour ½ cup equally over the bottom of cakes.
Once the liquor has soaked into the cakes, carefully turn them back into their pans and pour the remaining liquor over the top of each cake. Cover with foil and let stand for 3 days.



Tip:1. For the black cake,  the dark colour is obtained on how much of browning you use and how long you soak the fruit in liquor.
 2. For those of you who don't use the liquor, grape juice can be substituted.

Storage Tip: Cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and Aluminum wrap on top and store it in a air tight tin at room temperature.  It stays for up to 1 month. If the cake dries out, just pour more rum or port over it.

Berry Almond salad

I dropped by at Wendy's for lunch, and was looking for some healthy options in the menu.  There, I found Berry almond chicken salad.  It was very good with the raspberry vinaigrette.  It was perfect meal in itself for me, coz it has protein from chicken and also protein from vegetable source(almonds), the goodness of berries and freshness of tomatoes...  But I felt, It was overly priced. I wonder why the healthy options are overly priced and the fat laden food is priced low. It looks like they don't want us to eat healthy... lol !!   I thought, why don't I make it at home... I replicated the recipe and here you go, you got the recipe to enjoy too...  If you have the left over barbecued  or grilled chicken or roasted chicken pieces from the Thanksgiving dinner, toss it into the salad.Vegetarians can skip the chicken. Raspberry vinaigrette kicks up the notch. It adds zing to any salad.  You can make it at home and  feed 20 people with the amount you spend outside.

Ingredients:
Lettuce - 1 washed and torn in pieces ( romaine or iceberg can be used)
Cherry tomatoes - 5 sliced in halves
Strawberries -  washed and cut in 4 pieces
Blueberries - 1/2 cup washed
Slivered Almonds - 3 tbsp
Kraft raspberry vinaigrette - 2 tbsp for dressing
Grilled chicken  -  Optional ( Vegetarians can skip this item)

Method:
Take a salad bowl and put the lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, grilled chicken, drizzle with vinaigrette and toss.  Sprinkle  toasted and slivered almonds on top and serve.

Oats & nuts laddoo

Allergy warning:  This recipe contains peanuts and other nuts.
Many schools, daycares,  child care facilities, Social and public places  in Canada are peanut free zones.  Especially ,the kids areas are restricted and strictly supervised.  It is restricted to the extent that kids cannot bring a snack which contains nuts, nor can they bring a Birthday cake to the school which is  prepared in peanut processing unit .  Kids safety is the primary concern in these places because allergy to nuts is a serious condition in Canada.  It is life threatening and  sometimes can prove fatal.   Poor kids has to remember to carry epipens with them to schools and other places. There is nothing much we can do about it, except preventing them from getting exposed to such incidents.  

Oats and nuts laddoo is the healthiest snack .  It is a power packed healthy snack.  Have a couple of it for breakfast or pack it for your office snack.  The goodness of the nuts and the properties of oats makes it the healthiest snack. Especially, if it  prepared in a healthy way , dry roasted, powdered and rolled into sweet edible balls. It is not just healthy but inexpensive to make,  long storage life and easy to take with you, on the go....

Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet can be good for the heart. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids  i.e good fats  that your body needs such as mono saturated and poly saturated fats. They are  also rich in omega-3 which are good for the heart and the brain.  All nuts contain fiber, which helps lower the cholesterol.

The other main ingredient of this recipe  is OATS
Oats is the significant sources of dietary fiber. The fiber has proven effective in lowering blood cholesterol. Oats, like other grains  contain hundreds of phytochemicals (plant chemicals) that can reduce a person's risk of getting cancer.The soluble fiber of oats  when consumed,  forms a gel. The gel delays stomach emptying making you feel full longer which helps with weight loss

Oats and nuts Laddoo
Ingredients:
Oats  - 1 cup dry roasted
Peanuts -   1/4 cup  dry roasted
Cashews - 1/4 cup dry roasted
Almonds - 1/4 cup dry roasted
Sesame seeds  -   2 tbsp dry roasted
Jaggery  - 1/2 cup  Powdered or grated
Cardamom powder -  1/2  tsp
Pure Ghee - 4 tbsp approx

Method:
Take a pan dry roast peanuts, cashews, almonds, sesame seeds, oats separately for few minutes  till golden brown. remove from heat and transfer into a bowl.

In a blender  coarsely grind all  the nuts and oats separately.

Grind or grate jaggery.

In a bowl mix  all the ground ingredients , add cardamom powder and ghee. Mix and
knead  all the ingredients well. Divide the mixture into equal portions and make  it like round balls (ladoos).

 This can be stored in a air tight container for more than a week.

Tabbouleh

 

  In India, in the good old days people had an exceptionally healthy food. The most popular grains in those days were wheat, corn, rye, barley, jowar, millet, unpolished brown rice, straight from the mill were available in those days. They had healthy long life consuming these delicious grains.  Each variety of the grain offers different  taste, texture and nutrients covering the entire dietary requirements.  This naturally vitamin/ protein/ mineral/ fibre enriched grains are most forgotten in this new generation fast food days.

 

Recipes of our earlier generation

The most popular recipes using the ancient grains in those days were Jonna rotte from Telangana(  flat bread made with sorghum flour)

Ragi mudde from karnataka/ Rayalaseema ( steamed dough balls made with rye  flour) Ambali  ( nutritious drink made with ragi flour)

makki- di - roti from Punjab( flat bread made with corn flour)

Thepla from Gujrat ( flat bread made with whole wheat flour). 

We can notice that they never used lard or hydrogenated oils in their preparations. Our unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits are the  main risk factors for the Type 2 diabetes, cadio vascular diseases, obesity etc.

 

Kamut

A friend of mine is suffering from Arthritis .  Her doctor suggested her  to take Kamut bread, kamut flour as an alternate to the wheat based diet.  I never heard this word " kamut "- pronounced "ka- moot". After she started using it, she was much relieved of the pain.   When I did research about this ancient grain, I figured it out as the "magic grain".  Looks something similar  to wheat .  Originated from Egypt. KAMUT grain is one of the oldest known to man and has a great number of advantages over normal wheat for many people with wheat intolerance.  It is extremely gentle to the digestive system.  It is a good alternative for the wheat.

Kamut has no fructose. It has a rich, buttery flavour and excellent texture, crust and crumb. It has a sweet taste with no hint of bitterness. The grain is packed full of energy and highe  protein levels than wheat.

Kamut is higher in  minerals .It is rich in B-Vitamins (needed for energy release) and in iron and folic acid, (essential in red blood cell formation) . Kamut contains significantly more of the natural antioxidant, higher in vitamin E. This grain also contains more amino acids .

 

Bulgur, Couscous and Quinoa

I got this recipe from a Pakistani friend, who is an expert in middle eastern cooking. I discuss lot of cooking related topics with her and get great tips and suggestions.

In this recipe, traditionally bulgur wheat ( Bulgar wheat is the result of boiling, drying, and cracking wheat kernels) or couscous is used ( couscous is a form of wheat  with flour coating) But, I wanted to try to use some ancient grains  ( Quinoa) into this recipe and see how it tastes.  It turned out to be delicious.



 "Quinoa"  pronounced -  keen wah. Quinoa a versatile and delicious grain, it is the "mother grain".  It is a complete package of nutrients, meaning it has all nine essential amino acids, which boosts the immunity, improve muscle quality, and regulate hormone production. It's also a great source of high-quality protein, fiber,  riboflavin, thiamine, and niacin, which helps to metabolize energy.  Quinoa is called as "Sajjalu" in Telugu. Most of the ancient grains can be obtained from the whole foods, Health food stores in  Canada.  Sometimes it is also available in bulk barn. 

Parsley health benefits:

Parsley is the main ingredient in this recipe.  By the way, Parsley I used is from my own herb garden.

• Parsley is rich in many vitamins, including Vitamin C, B 12, K and A. Parsley keeps the immune system strong, helps bones and heals the nervous system, too.
• It helps flush out excess fluid from the body, thus supporting kidney function.
• The folic acid in this special herb can help control blood pressure.

Tabbouleh

Ingredients :

Quinoa  - 1 cup cooked and cooled to room temp
Olive oil - 2 tbsp
Curly or flat Parsley - 2 cups, washed , stems removed and finely chopped
Fresh mint - 1 tbsp finely chopped
Tomatoes -  1 big size  washed, deseeded and chopped
Cucumber  - 1/2 , peeled, cored, and cut into small pieces
Red onion - 1 small peeled and finely chopped.
Fresh lemon juice - 3 tbsp
Orange rind - 1/4 tsp
Salt and black pepper

Method:
Cook quinoa like rice. Measurement: for  1 cup quinoa, take 2 cups of water.
Boil the water, add Quinoa and cook.  Lower heat and cook covered for 15 mins. Switch off the flame and  let is stand covered for another 5 mins. Remove the lid, fluff it gently with a fork.  You should see tiny spirals ,curling around the quinoa seeds. Let it cool down to room temp.

Dressing:  Prepare dressing by mixing lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper and mint.

 

In a big bowl add chopped parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, onion  and cooked  quinoa. Pour  the dressing over the salad, and mix well. Refrigerate about 5-10 minutes before serving.  Serve it with pita bread, crackers, on a wrap or just as a salad by itself!

 



Let us broaden our food horizons and invite the ancient grains back into our lives for a healthier and longer life.

Mango salsa

Pic from web source

When I was a child, I remember the days when I visited my peddamma's ( Aunt) house.  They had this big Mango tree, with the sweetest mangoes ever.  I always want to visit her because who ever visits their house gets to enjoy the  delicious mangoes and take some home too...  I used to climb the tree with my cousin to get the delicious Mangoes way up high on the tree top....Almost everyone in India have a story like this  to remember, climbing the mango trees or aiming a slingshot at a neighbor’s tree laden with fruit, have scars and  bruises  to show like a war zone wounded soldier. or I should say the tempting mango fruit tree made us into mini thieves( Aam chor).

Pic from web source

During the summer time, my Mom used to make raw mango juice called Mango panna by charbroiling the raw mangoes on the fire pit, peeling the skin and squeezing out the juice, adding cold water and sugar. Every guest in our home used to get this ever tasting summer treats including the freshly sliced totapuri mango. My brother- in-law used to bring baskets of ( Rasalu) mangoes, fresh from the farm.  We didn't know what to do with it at that time, except enjoying the flavours just as it is... There is no right or wrong way to eat this delicious juicy mangoes. Snack time or after dinner  sucking out the juice and flesh from a chausa (literally a sucker) mango is an exceptional healthy treat. The juices dripping from hand towards the elbow,  mouth smeared with yellow juices.... what a  wonderful memory of mango eating!  After I came to Canada, I still do get the mangoes such as mexican mangoes, Alfonso etc. but cannot match with the taste.

Pic from web source

It is very common sight to see the street vendors selling the raw mangoes  sliced and sprinkled with mixture of red chili powder and salt. During my school days,  we were not permitted to go out during the break time.   Since it's  a girl's school the gates were always closed, except for the small window on the gate. On the other side of the gate is the street vendor selling this sweet and sour mangoes,guava, Jujube ( regi pandu) Kala jamun/ black cherry(Alla neredi) Hari boot ( green gorbonzo beans) etc depending on the season.  Everyday it is one of our friend's turn to buy them and share the treats with all the rest. Can't forget the yummy taste and the beautiful memories .  What a wonderful,  fresh and healthy snack !!  now I understand why American kids are obese, because they never eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

pic from web source

 Each part of the Mango tree is used for various purposes, like mango leafs are used to decorate the house on auspicious occasions . Mango flower is used in Ugadi pachadi. Bark produces a gum which is used in medicine.  The tree logs are used in the funeral pyre.  who can forget Mango jelly ( mamidi thandra), Mango pickle ( Avakai) Mango lassi a typical North Indian beverage.  Dry mango powder  ( Aam choor )can change any dish into tangy delectable delight. Infact, Mango tree has become such an integral part of our lives that the mango motifs are used in various designs, like henna, saree embroidery, block printing, tie and dye, weaving etc.  Every Indian women owns atleast one jewellery with mango design on it.  I see the  mango print on bedsheets, cushions, curtains, shalwars and what not in every Indian home.  The Mango design has become the Identity of indian product in  the International market. 

There are various health benefits of mango, view at  http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/mango-fruit.html

Salsas are the part of  Mexican and spanish cooking. I serve this as a condiment or additional salad on the table.  This recipe is good as a side dish for seafood, poultry etc.  stuff it in your  tacos, wraps, quesadillas, burritos or serve it with tortilla /corn chips.  I learned this recipe from Food network channel from popular chef Rob rainford, he is not only hot looking guy, his recipes are hot off the grill " licence to grill".

Mango salsa
Ingredients
Ripe mangoes 2 - peeled, pitted, and diced
Medium red onion - finely chopped
Jalapeño chile 1- deseeded and minced (include ribs and seeds for a hotter taste if desired)
Small cucumber - peeled and diced
Fresh coriander/cilantro leaves 1 tbsp - chopped
Fresh lime juice -  1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Sweet corn - 1/2 cup cored - fresh or grilled
Sweet red pepper  -  diced
Green onions - 1 tbsp finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Make the dressing by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, coriander. combine rest of the ingredients in a bowl.  Pour the dressing over the salad , toss it and serve chilled.

Green apple salad



" The glory of gardening:  hands in dirt, head in sun, heart with nature.  To nurture a garden is to feed not just only the body, but the soul"-Alfred Austin.

 

I'm back with my blog updates. Too busy with my garden work this season. I'm all excited  to tell you about my new garden. This year I am setting up my vegetable garden.  Victoria day weekend is the biggest day for all the gardeners in Canada to get out of the hibernation after a long winter and dig the yard, loosen the soil and do some planting. That's when the temperatures starts getting warmer and the soil defrosts.  There are lot of  garden centres opened everywhere selling the  plants, soil, compost, garden accessories, etc...  Me and my hub built the retaining walls  this season for the flower beds, vegetable patches and  planted the fruit trees (apple, pear, peach, concord grape)re- potted the indoor plants ..and what not !!   I am also creating a beautiful fairy garden in my backyard for my daughter to sit and enjoy the evenings !!

 I am not going off beat talking about the garden.  Garden and cooking goes hand in hand. The tastiest food comes from the freshest garden produce. Just like in the Advt. of Kashi says..."  You don't have to make the food taste good, nature does it for you.."

 

Here are some of the pics, I would like to share...

gongura seedlings,( katta baji/ sorrel leaves) sprouted in a egg carton.

 

Beans ( chikkudukaya)  - used an empty ice-cream container for sprouts, it worked like a green house.

 

Lilac branches for rooting

 

Here is my favourite - Malle chettu / jasmine plant.

 

Railing planters

 

Vegetable patches and pear tree in the middle.

 

Tomatoes supported with trellis and cage.

 

Apple tree

 

 

Retaining wall - Not the best, but very functional.

 

Ivy - perfectly trained to grow.

 

Thanks for bearing with me.. !!

Now, It's time to share some healthiest and freshest of salads.

Green apple salad

In this salad, I tried to use the fruits and vegetables that are green in colour.





 

Ingredients:
Green apple - washed and diced
Lettuce - washed and chopped or torn with hands
Cucumber - washed and diced
Mozarella cheese - cut in cubes
Dried cranberries - 1 tbsp for color contrast ( you can either add pomogranate)
croutons - 1/4 cup

For dressing:
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt and pepper
olive oil

Method:  Mix lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil in a container and pour over lettuce and toss.  Now add rest of the items one by one like layering and keep it in the refrigerator until it is served.

Stir fried Collard greens and dry fish

 
I happened to attend an opening ceremony of a community centre this month.  I saw this amazing living wall....    It is one of its kind with new technology.  It looked beautiful and also has great air purifying benefits. 

Go Green !!
 Bio wall installation:Living wall system is a great new way of air circulation system.  They operate more efficiently and deliver the greatest benefits.The wall itself is housed in an open case covered by a plastic Brillo pad-like surface into which plants’ bare roots are inserted into pockets. Rainwater is recycled from a roof and runs down the wall, providing the nutrients the plants need to thrive.

  Benefits of the living wall: In a living biowall, the plants’ bare roots are exposed to the air that’s pulled through the wall. The microorganisms living on the roots ingest pollutants in the air, removes volatile organic compounds and formaldehyde, which are harmful to human health, from circulating air. The plants themselves also produce  oxygen and contribute significantly to air quality.
 

I always love greenery around me, be it outdoors, my lawn, garden or interiors with fresh plants. It not only increases the air quality around you, but also calms down the senses.   Greens are good to eat and breathe. Talking about the greenery , I wanted to give out my collard greens recipe.    Collard, Kale, Mustard greens, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and Cabbage all belong to the same family with almost same nutrients and health benefits.   So, here is the recipe of the greens.

Stir fried collard greens and dry fish.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of  fresh collard greens

3 tbsp oil

1 medium-size onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp jeera

4-5 red chillies, crushed

 100 gr. dry fish, sprats, optional ( vegetarians can totally skip this)

 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut (optional)

 

Method:

Wash the Collards, drain them thoroughly , bunch it together and roll it tightly,  cut into thin strips. keep it aside. 

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat,fry the dry fish and keep it aside, then in the same oil fry the red chillies, jeera, onion and garlic, stirring them until they are lightly browned.

Add the collard strips and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes so that the greens are soft, but retain their bright green color. Serve hot.

Vegetarians can add fresh grated coconut just before taking it off the stove.

 

Oriental beef stir fry

In Economic Action Plan 2012, the Government announced it would phase out the penny from Canada's coinage system . That means by feb 4, 2013 The Royal Canadian Mint will no longer distribute pennies.   From now on, the businesses will be encouraged to begin rounding cash transactions.  Good bye  pennies! Oh, how I love thee...   well, It is going to become passe and a good old memory !

This is a very delectable oriental flavoured beef stir fry.
Ingredients:
Beef flank steak, slightly frozen to make slicing easier - 1 lb
Soy sauce  -2 tbsp
vinegar - 1 tsbp
Sugar -  1/2 tsp
Chilli garlic sauce - 1 tsp ( optional- if you want to make it spicy)
Black bean sauce - 1 tbsp
Green onions  -1 washed , roots removed and cut into  1 inch pieces
Green peppers - 1 thinly sliced
Red peppers - 1 thinly sliced
Onions - 1 thinly sliced
Oriental sesame oil -  3 tsp
Salt  - 1/4 tsp
Fresh ginger - 1 tbsp  peeled & grated
Garlic cloves - 2 finely chopped
Sesame seeds - 1/2 tsp for garnish

Method:
With a meat pounder, pound the steaks to a 1/4 inch thickness. Then cut them in 1/2-inch wide strips or keep them as thin wide strips.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper, vinegar, soysauce, chilli garlic sauce and  ginger garlic. Let the steaks sit for 10 minutes to absorb the flavors.
 
 Heat  oil in  a large skillet on high heat, until the oil is shimmering, but not smoking. Add the seasoned steak strips and fry.  Let the beef brown initially, without stirring, but as soon as it is brown on one side, then stir.

Add the sliced onions, red and green bell peppers, cook, stirring, until just barely tender, about 1-2 minutes. Add the green onions just before taking it off the stove.

Serve alone,  with steamed rice or  serve on noodles.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with sesame seeds.

Tip :  Soy sauce, chilli garlic sauce, and black bean sauce consists of salt. adjust the salt accordingly.
Stir frys are normally cooked on high heat. The entire process should not take more than 10 mins. 
Do not cook the vegetables till done.  It has to retain the colour and texture.
Optional vegetables could include broccoli , mushrooms etc.

Tomato basil salad

 

 

This is an exceptionally delicious summer salad. Especially, if it is from your home grown garden, makes it even more tastier.... It is better than having the GMO( genetically modified crop) or the store bought, fake ripened tomatoes. I have grown these tomatoes last summer and had a bountiful of fresh tomatoes from my very own deck yard, yeah, you read it right ! My backyard was not ready  for planting and used my deck for growing some  fresh veggies last summer.  It gives me ultimate satisfaction to see the plants grow and bear fruit; sharing and enjoying the recipe with friends and family is yet another beautiful experience !

My backyard getting ready...

 

My newly laid backyard lawn

 

Shamrock and mini roses

 

 

Blooming tomato plants and topsy turvy tomato plant

 

 Fresh herbs from my garden





Tomatoes are used widely and extensively used in cooking all around the world . Say it, Mediterranean, Greek, Italian, Southeast Asian, and East European cuisine.Tomatoes have acceptance around the globe.  Think of Italians, reminds us of tomatoes... I have yet to come across an Italian who don't use tomatoes .... Other than the various culinary uses, it is excellent source of antioxidants, dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins.  For the dieters,  secret... come closer, let me tell in your ear... it is low in calories, fat content and zero cholesterol !

Tomatoes are rich in water content and  makes refreshing salad  to consume on hot summer days. Whether you love it cut, thinly chopped, diced, sliced or drizzled it on pasta, pizza, or add it freshly sliced on your burgers, make gravies in Indian curries - eating tomatoes regularly is good for your heath. This salad recipe is a beautiful way to capture the flavours of the fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs.

 

Tomato basil salad 

Ingredients:

               3 -4  tomatoes, washed and cut into wedges
               1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
               2 tbsp  crumbled feta cheese
               1 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
               1 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
               1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Combine tomato, basil, feta cheese, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl; toss until tomato wedges are evenly coated. Serve chilled.