Slow Cooker: Kale-Spinach Cannellini Beans Side Dish

Yet another simple, tasty and healthy dish for those long days. I love it when you get home from work and not have to think about what to make for dinner.

I used a combination of Spinach and Kale. You can use just Spinach or Kale if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• Spinach - Washed and chopped - 2 cups
• Kale - Washed and chopped  - 4 cups
• Dried Cannellini beans - 2 cups (you can use any other dried beans)
• Onion - Chopped - 1 medium (I used Red Onion)
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 2 tea spoons
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Red Chilly powder - 2 tea spoons (add per taste)
• Water - 6 cups

Method:

Add all the above ingredients to the slow cooker and cook it at high for 6-8 hours.  Add more water if you like a little diluted consistency.  Mix well, drizzle some Olive oil and serve with Bread, Chapati, Naan, Roti, Rice or you can eat by itself.

Pearl Couscous Khichidi (Indian Spiced Couscous) - Sabudana Khichidi with a twist

Recently I read a post from one of my friends.  She used Pearl Couscous instead of Sabudana (pearled Tapioca) to make khichdi.  I thought it was a great idea.  No soaking Sabudana overnight or dealing with how much water to add while soaking it (different batches soak differently).  Gave it a try and loved it!!

Ingredients:

• Pearl couscous - 1/2 pound - Cook following the directions on the package
• Peanuts - Roasted and coarsely crushed - 2 table spoons
• Potatoes - 1/2 cup - Peeled and cut into small bite size pieces
• Green Chilies - 2 finely chopped (add per taste)
• Cilantro - 1 table spoon - chopped finely
• Curry leaves - 3-4 leaves
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric - 1/4 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Lemon juice - 1 table spoon

Method.

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Let it heat up.  Then add mustard seeds and cumin.  Wait for them to splutter.  Add curry leaves, Green chilies, potatoes.  Saute for a few minutes.  Add Salt and Turmeric.  Saute and close the pan for 4-5 minutes until potato is cooked.  Add all the remaining ingredients except lemon juice and cilantro and mix well.  Close the lid of the pan for 2-3 minutes more till all the ingredients have heated well.

Squeeze the lemon, sprinkle the cilantro and serve hot.  I love to have it with Tea or coffee.

Simple Cucumber-Hummus Salad with Sumac

Summer is fast approaching and it is time to switch from warm soups to crispy crunchy salads.  This salad can be served as a starter or you can make it a meal by adding some grilled chicken or thinly sliced lunch meat.

Ingredients:

• Cucumber - 3 cups - peeled and sliced thin
• Radish - 1 cup - sliced thin
• Onion - 1 to 2 table spoons thinly sliced
• Hummus - 2 table spoons (I used store bought Garlic hummus)
• Sumac - 1 tea spoon
• Crushed pepper powder - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - add per taste
• Lemon - 1 table spoon
• Grilled Chicken/lunch meat (Optional) - 1/2 cub sliced

Method:

Mix all the ingredients well in a glass bowl.  Tasty cucumber hummus salad is ready to be served.

Note:  I learnt this tip from a good friend.  Washing the Onions few times in ice water makes it crunchier and removes the spicyness from it (I get heart burn if I eat raw Onions and this helped).

Healthy Salad mix and nuts Chutney / Salad dressing!!

What do you do when you do not have the ingredients you want to make a dish at home?  Improvise and come up with something that you never have made before and make it a household favourite!!

Ingredients:

• Salad mix - I used Kale, Spinach and Chart - 2 cups
• Mixed nuts - I used Almonds, Cashews and Walnuts - 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies - 4 to 8 (add per taste)
• Garlic pods - 2
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon (Optional)
• Tamarind Paste - 1 tea spoon
• Salt -  1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Desiccated Coconut - 2 table spoon (Optional)

Method:

Blend all the Ingredients fine and you have a spicy and healthy chutney ready to serve!! You can serve this as a salad dressing, with roti, dosa or with plain white rice!!

Healthy Slow Cooker Brown Lentil Side Dish / Misal Pav ( Matki Usal)

This is one of those healthy yummy simple dishes which you can make for a party ahead of time...will be loved and talked about by everyone for a long time :)

Ingredients: For 8-10 large servings

• Dried Moth bean - 3 cups
• Onion - 1 chopped
• Tomato - 1 chopped
• Red Chili Powder - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste)
• Coriander Powder - 1 table spoon
• Cumin Powder - 1 table spoon
• Ginger Paste - 1 table spoon
• Garlic Paste - 1 table spoon (optional)
• Garam Masala Powder - 1 table spoon
• Salt - 2 table spoons (adjust per taste)
• Coconut oil - 1 tea spoon
• Water - 8-10 cups

For Garnish:

• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Cilantro - 1 cup finely chopped 
• Lemon - 2 table spoons (optional)

Method:

Add all the ingredients above except for the ones to garnish in a slow cooker/crock pot.  Put it on high for 8-10 hours.  How do you know it is done??  House will smell divine and of course the moth beans will be cooked all the way through :)

Garnish and serve hot with bread, pav, roti or it tastes really good by itself.

Spicy Udon Noodles

My daughter loves any kind of noodles.  I saw some fresh Udon noodles in Asian super market and had to get it home.  This recipe is very quick, easy and tasty!!

Ingredients:

• Udon Noodles - 1 pound cooked (follow the instructions on the packet)
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup (I used frozen carrots, peas, corn and beans)
• Basil leaves (optional) - 6-8 leaves crushed roughly
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (adjust per taste)
• Chili Garlic paste - 1 table spoon (you can buy this in any super market)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Chicken (optional) - 1/2 cup shredded - I did not use it

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the mixed Vegetables.  Saute and cover the lid till cooked.  This takes about 5-10 minutes depending on how finely you have chopped the vegetables.  Add the Udon Noodles, Basil leaves, Salt, Chili Garlic Paste and Chicken (Chicken is optional) saute well till the Noodles take on all the moisture and flavor.  Serve hot with some pot stickers!!

 

Quick and Easy Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken

We moved to our new home a few weeks back and I was dying to try my new oven.  I got some veggies from a local organic farm and tossed up some simple pasta with that.  Made some Chicken along to add the protein.  A complete, tasty and satisfying meal!!

 

Ingredients:

• Vegetables of your choice for roasting  - I used Brussel sprouts, Zucchini and Asparagus - chop them mostly into same size to aid roasting at the same time
• Chicken - 2 pounds - Cut into portion size - This is optional if you want to keep the meal vegetarian
• Angel hair pasta - 1 pound
• Olives - about 1/4 cup - I used an assortment of pitted and pickled Olives
• Feta Cheese - about 2 OZs - cut into small cubes
• Pesto - 2 tbs - I got the Organic freshly made from the store
• Salt - 1 table spoon - add per taste
• Freshly crushed black pepper - 1 table spoon - add per taste
• Olive Oil - 4 table spoons

Method:

 

For Roasted Vegetables:

Take a flat non stick oven tray and spread the vegetables evenly on one half and Chicken pieces on the other half..  Drizzle it with about 2 table spoons of Olive Oil and Salt.  Preheat the over to about 350 deg F (this might differ depending on the size and type of oven you are using).  Use the roast setting if available.  Once the oven is preheated, place the oven tray with vegetables and Chicken inside.  Roast it for about 20-30 minutes until you can see the vegetables and Chicken turn golden on the edges.  Take the tray out and sprinkle it with some pepper.  You can also sprinkle it with some lemon salt or rosemary salt.  Be mindful that both these contain Salt already.

 

For Pasta:

In a large pot, bring about 8 cups of water to boil.  Add some salt.  Add the pasta once the water comes to boil.  Follow the instructions on the pasta package for how long to cook it.  I like it al-dante. So, it took about 8 minutes.  Drain the pasta and keep aside.  In another bowl large enough to toss the pasta, add 2 table spoons of olive oil, Feta Cheese, Pesto, Olives, Salt and Pepper.  Toss the pasta you kept aside gently with these.  Serve it Luke warm with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken.

 

 

 

Quick and Easy Paneer/Indian cottage cheese Stirfry

There is a saying "Laughter is the loudest where food is the best"!!  Very true I think, specially when good food is easy and quick to make.  This recipe is one of the more flavorful, crispy and fingerlickingly satisfying.

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 1 pound - Cut into bite size pieces (You can substitute Paneer with firm Tofu)
• Onion - 1/2 cup - Sliced thin
• Garlic - 3-4 cloves - Sliced thin
• Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
• Red Chili powder - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste)
• Red Chili flakes - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste0
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon

Method:

To a non stick pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the Garlic and Onion and saute till onions are browned.  Add Paneer/Tofu.  Saute until the Paneer/Tofu crisps up.  This will take about 8-10 minutes.  Now, add all the dry ingredients and mix till all the Paneer/Tofu pieces are well coated.
Serve this hot by itself or with rice or roti.  I served it with some yogurt and Pita Bread.  My daughter loves it as a roll.

Udad dal vada/ Medu Vada/ Savory Fried Lentil Dumplings

Urad dal vada or medu vada are very popular in south Indian households.  We make them for breakfast or as an evening snack.  Most of the times, it is paired with Idly.  Best served with hot spicy Sambar and coconut chutney. 

Ingredients:

• Urad dal/Split black gram - 2 cups
• Black pepper corns crushed - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Green Chillies finely chopped - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Cilantro finely chopped - 2 table spoons
• Onion finely chopped - 2 table spoons
• Kalounji / Nijella seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - to taste
• Baking soda - 1 tea spoon
• Cooked rice - 2 table spoons
• Hing / Asafoitida powder - 2 pinches
• Oil to fry - 3 cups

Method:

Soak the Urad Dal over night.  Drain all the water and grind it fine with cooked rice.  Add very less water while grinding.  Adding more water makes the dough to soak in more oil while frying.  The consistency should be like the bread dough or a little looser.  Now, add all other ingredients and mix well. 

Heat oil in a deep frying pan to medium high.  To make sure that the oil is ready to be fried in, add a little of the prepared dough.  If the dough rises to the top, then the oil is ready.  Now, wet your left palm with water or oil.  Take about 2-3 tablespoons of the dough and place it on your left palm.  Form a hole in the center with your right hand finger and now slide it slowly into the hot oil.  Be very careful while doing this as the oil can splatter on you.  The form of the vada should look like a tiny doughnut.  The hole in the center is made not only so that it looks pretty, but also for even cooking.

Lower or turn the heat for oil to make sure that you do not burn the dough.  It needs to be fried on even heat until cooked and friend golden.  Turn the dough a couple of times to ensure even frying.

Now the crispy yummy urad dal vada is ready to be served.  You can serve it with Sambar and Chutney.  You can also soak the vadas in some yogurt for about 3-4 hours to make Dahi-vada.

Slow cooker Garlic-Peanut Yellow Lentils / Lahsun-Moongphali Dal

Simple ingredients married together to form an explosion of flavors....yes, this is one such recipe!! 

Ingredients:

•  Toor dal - Yellow lentils - 2 cups
• Onion - one medium - Thinly sliced
• Garlic - 5-6 pods - Minced finely
• Whole Peanuts - 1/2 cup
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons - finely chopped
• Green chilies - 5-6 - roughly chopped (adjust per taste)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust pre taste)
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 5-6 leaves

Method:

In the slow cooker, add Lentils, Onion, Garlic, Whole peanuts, Green Chilies, Salt, Turmeric and about 6 cups of water.  Turn it on low for 6-8 hours. 
Just before you are ready to eat, heat a small sauce pan on medium heat.  Add Olive oil to it.  Once the oil is heated, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds to it and let them splutter.  Now add the curry leaves and take the pan off the heat.  Add this to the dal and enjoy it with hot white rice or roti!!

Peppered Raw Jackfruit side-dish (Meeri wale phanas)

My husband is a vegetarian.  Everytime I make peppered sukkha mutton, he loves the smell of it but, cannot eat.  I always try and make the same masala with something vegetarian so that he can enjoy it.  In this preparation, I used raw Jackfruit and it went very well with the peppered masala I had made for the mutton and he loved it!!

Ingredients:

• Coconut oil - 1 table spoon
• Curry leaves - 8-10
• Onion - 1/2 cup chopped thin and long
• Whole red chilies - 5-8
• Salt - 1 table spoon
• Turmeric - 1/2 tea spoon
• Raw jackfruit - 2 cups shredded (I used the canned ones)

For the spice Mix : Dry roast and gring all the below ingredients using a spice grinder.

• Black pepper - 1 tea spoon
• Elaichi - 1 pod
• Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Fenugreek/Methi seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin/Jeera seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the coconut oil.  Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.  Then add the curry leaves and let them splutter.  Add the onions and saute them till translucent.  Add the whole red chillies.  Then simmer the flame to the lowest.  Add the spice mix you just ground in the spice grinder (If the flame is not simmered, the spice mix might burn).  Then add the shredded Raw Jackfruit, Salt and Turmeric.  Mix well and cook closed.  Add water if needed.  As the Jackfruit out of a can is already cooked, it does not take long for all the spicy goodness to penatrate the jackfruit.  Turn the flame off.  Serve it hot with Roti, Chapati, Nan or rice.

 

Channa with Kale / Chickpeas with Kale side dish

I love pairing food with not so commonly paired ingredients.  I usually use Kale in soups.  I had a bunch left over and was wondering if I could make something different with this.  I saw Suvir Saran not only one of my favourite chefs and friend but also the Bravo TV Celebrity Chef and Respected food authority on Indian Cuisine make a version of this.  I took his idea and made it my own.  This is my version of Kale and Chana.  This is quick and easy to make and very tasty.  It has become one of our favourate dishes at home.

Ingredients:

• Kale - Washed and chopped roughly - 5-6 cups
• Channa/Chickpeas - Cooked - 2 cups (I used the canned ones with no sodium)
• Olive Oil -1 table spoon
• Onion - finely chopped - 1/2 cup
• Garlic - finely chopped - 2 pods
• Ajwain/Carom seeds - 1/4 tea spoons
• Green Chillies - finely chopped - 2 Number (adjust per taste)
• Coconut powder - 1 table spoon
• Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoons
• Salt - 1 table spoon (adjust per taste)
• Water - 1/2 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Add Garlic once the oil is heated.  Then add Ajwain to this.  Once it splutters, add Onion and Green Chillies to this.  Saute for a few minutes till the onions soften.  Then add all other ingredients and saute.  Add Kale and Chana.  Cover the pan till Kale cooks well.  Make sure you do not add too much water.  Kale releases water when it wilts.  Once the Kale is cooked, turn the heaf off.  Kale and Channa is ready to be served!!  Serve hot with Chapati, roti or rice. 

Mooli Paratha / Radish Flatbread

Today my daughter taught me something...she said that the recipe that has the least number of ingredients is the healthiest.  I pondered about it for a few minutes...then, realized that it is true.  They are the simplest to make and the tastiest also.  One can taste the star ingredient instead of a whole lot of them.  This is one such recipe.

Ingredients:

• Whole wheat flour - 3 cups
• Radish grated  - 1 cup (I used the white Radish.  You can use any kind)
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cilantro - 2 table spoons finely chopped
• Green chilies - 2 finely chopped (add per taste)
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 2 table spoons

Method:

Keep aside about a cup of whole wheat flour.  Mix all the above ingredients except Olive oil in a bowl and knead it to form a soft dough.  Usually, we do not need extra water as the Radish sweats its own once it mixes with salt.  Leave it for a few minutes covered.  When you are ready to roll this dough, add more whole wheat flour if you want the consistency a little harder.

Make small balls about a big lemon size and then roll them in the whole wheat flour you had kept aside.  then roll them flat and round (it takes a little bit of practice to get it totally round.  It tastes the same even if it not round :) ). 

To a flat pan or a griddle on medium heat, add a little olive oil and then place the flat bread you just rolled out.  Roast it on each side for about 3-5 minutes till it gets cooked and the edges crisp up.  Serve it hot with some chili pickle and yogurt.  Melt a little butter as shown in the picture for extra flavor.

This can be an excellent breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.  Wholesome and tasty...enjoy!!

Phansachi Bhaji - Raw Jackfruit Stirfry

Have you ever tried Jackfruit when it is still not ripe?  It is very similar in texture to Bread fruit but, is much more tastier.  It takes on to flavors you add very easily.  Back home, it was so much work to clean the Jack fruit and seasonal too.  I used to wait the whole year for summer so that I could eat Mangoes and Jackfruit.  But now,  we find canned raw Jack fruit in most of the Asian grocery stores.  They are pretty good in taste and needs very less cooking time.  If you have never given it a try, do surely try it.  I am sure you will love it!!

Ingredients:

Raw Jackfruit - About 2 cups (I used canned Jackfruit) - chopped into bite size pieces

Shallots - finely chopped - 1/4 cup

Methi/Fenugreek seeds - 8-10 seeds

Haldi/Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon

Jeera/Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Red Chili powder - 1 teaspoon (add per taste)

Salt - 1 teaspoon (add per taste)

Olive Oil - 1 table spoon

Water - 1 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil and wait for it to heat.  Once the oil is hot, add Methi seeds and Shallots at the same time.  Once the shallots get translucent, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and cover the pan.  Cook for about 15-20 minutes until the raw Jackfruit is fully cooked.  Enjoy it hot with Chapati, Roti, Nan, plain white rice or Fragrant ghee rice.

Kaale Chane Ki Sabzi-Black Chickpeas Stirfried Indian style

Mom's cooking is the best!!  Everyone would agree.  I learnt how to cook watching my mom or helping her in the kitchen.  Many dishes I have made my own now altering it to taste like what my husband or daughter would love.  But, for me the taste of my mom's food still lingers....

This side dish (which my daughter eats as her main) is easy to make, tasty and healthy.

Ingredients:

Black Chickpeas - 2 cups cooked (see the note below)

Onion - 1 large chopped fine

Garlic - 2 medium pods chopped fine

Cumin powder - 1 tea spoon

Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Turmeric powder- 1 tea spoon

Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon

Olive oil - 1 table spoon

Salt - 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Add the chopped Onion and Garlic to it once the oil is heated.  Saute for a few minutes until the Onions get translucent.  Add all the other ingredients and saute for a minute.  Now, add the Chickpeas and mix well.  Cover and let it heat thoroughly.  Enjoy hot with Roti, Phulka or Paratha or eat it by itself.

Note:

• You can buy black Chickpeas in most grocery stores.  In any Asian grocers for sure.  They are found in dried form. 
• I cooked my dried black Chickpeas in the slow cooker for 8 hours on high. 
  You can also use a pressure cooker to cook them.  For one cup of dried Chickpeas, add about 3 cups of water.  Drain the remaining water once they are cooked.
• You can hydrate your black Chickpeas in water overnight.  They will need a lot less cooking time if they are hydrated.  You can cook them on the stove top covered with water for about 20-30 minutes.
• Add a little salt while cooking.  This makes it taste better.

Achari Chana - Chickpeas with Indian pickle spices

This is one of my goto preparations when I am hungry and craving for something savory.  Very easy to make and satisfies the taste buds.

Ingredients:

• Chick peas/Garbanzo beans/Chana cooked - 2 pounds (I  used the canned ones)
• Onions - 1 medium chopped fine
• Olive Oil - 2 table spoons
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (add to taste)
• Red chili powder - 1 tea spoon (add to taste)

For pickle spice

• Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Coriander seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Black pepper - 1/2 tea spoon

Method:

Firstly, dry grind the ingredients in pickle spices.  To a pan on medium heat, add Olive Oil.  Let it hear up.  Then add the Onions.  Saute for a few minutes or until they turn semi soft.  Add the pickle spice powder, salt and red chili powder.  Saute for 2 minutes.  Now, add the Chana and mix well.  Add water if needed for consistency.  Close the lid of the pan and let it heat well.  Serve hot with white rice, Fragrant ghee rice, chapati, roti or it can be eaten as is.

Mix Veggies with Sausage served with Quinoa

Generally on weekdays, we try to eat healthy and save all the binging for the weekends :)  This is one of the healthy, quick and easy and tasty recipes for a weekday dinner/lunch.

Ingredients:

• Asparagus - 1 pound - Cut into bite size pieces
• Zucchini - 2 medium - Cut into bite size pieces
• Carrots - 2 medium - Cut into bite size pieces
• Onion - 1 small - Chopped fine
• Chicken/Vegetable stock - 2 cups
• Sausage - 2 number - Cut into bite size pieces (I used Italian hot chicken sausage) - This is optional if you want to keep it vegetarian
• Olive Oil - 1 table spoon
• Soy sauce - 2 table spoon
• Garlic powder - 1 tea spoon
• Ginger powder - 1 tea spoon
• Italian seasoning - 1 table spoon
• Salt - 1 table spoon (Add per taste. Soy sauce contains salt also) 
• Pepper - 1 tea spoon (Crushed)
• Corn flour - 1 table spoon (add this to 1/2 cup of water and mix well)
• Quinoa - 2 cups Cooked (to serve it with)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add chopped Onions.  Saute till translucent.  Add sausage and stir fry for 5 minutes (omit this step if you are keeping it vegetarian).  Add all the other vegetables and stir fry for 5 more minutes.  Add all the other ingredients except the corn flour and let cook covered till the vegetables and sausage is cooked. Open the lid and add the corn flour mixed with water.  Let cook for another 2-3 minutes till the stock thickens.  Serve it hot with Quinoa, Brown or white rice.

Bread Upma (Stirfried Savory Bread)

Breakfast for lunch or dinner is my favourite.  One pot meal..quick and easy to make...delicious to eat!!  This dish takes about 15 to 20 minutes including the preparation.

Ingredients:

• Bread -  8 to10 slices (I used sourdough with crust on) - cut roughly into bite size pieces
• Olive Oil - 2 table spoons
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Cumin seeds - 1 table spoon
• Turmeric powder - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 8 to10 number
• Green Chilies - 4 to 5 chopped fine (add per taste)
• Salt - 1 table spoon (add per taste)
• Water - 1/2 cup to 1 cup

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add Mustard and Cumin seeds.  Wait for them to splutter.  Then add the curry leaves and Green Chilies.  Then add Salt and Turmeric powder.  Lower the heat on the pan.  Now add the cut bread and mix well.  Sprinkle water till the bread is a little softer but not wet.  Mine needed about 1/2 a cup.  Cover the pan and heat for about 5 more minutes.  Turn the heat off.  Hot fragrant Breat upma is ready to be served.  You can serve it by itself or with some plain yogurt.

Slow Cooker Quinoa Khichidi (Quinoa and Lentils Indian style)

Khichidi is soul food for many.  I could eat it from breakfast, lunch or dinner.  It is so easy and quick to make and so very delicious to eat.  Also guilt free as I am using Quinoa.  Slow cooker (crockpot) is my best friend on weekdays.  This is one of those recipes which just takes 5 minutes to assemble.  Just put it to cook when you leave to work in the morning and you will enter a fragrant home. 

Ingredients:

• Quinoa - 1 cup
• Toor dal (split yellow lentils) - 1 cup
• Jeera (Cumin) - 1 tea spoon
• Mustard seeds - 1 tea spoon
• Curry leaves - 5-8 number
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper corns - 1 tea spoon crushed (add per taste)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• water - 6 cups (use less if you like thick consistency.  I love it a little runny)

Method:

Add all the above ingredients to the slow cooker.  Put it on low for about 6-8 hours.  Hot and fragrant Khichici is ready to be served.  You can serve this with some potato chips, pickle or just plain drizzled with some ghee.

Note: 

• If you do not have a slow cooker, you can use a pressure cooker instead.  Just add all the ingredients (water=4 cups instead of 6) and pressure cook it until 3 whistles (that is about 10 minutes depending on the size of the pressure cooker).
• You might need to adjust time for the slow cooker depending on the kind of cooker and sometimes the type of dal also.  Just increase the cooking time by another hour or two if you see that the dal is not completely cooked.  Also, cooking for little longer does not harm the taste or quality of the dish.  The slow cooker does not burn food.

Almond Mint Chutney (Badam Pudina Chutney)

Of lately, my daughter has taken a liking to chutneys.  She loves them on anything.  I have been trying chutneys that are simple, quick and healthy.  I tried this combination last week and it turned out really good.

Ingredients:

·         Almonds – 1 cup – I used the raw kind.  Not the roasted.

·         Mint – 1 cup loosely packed -  Take the leaves out of the stem.

·         Desiccated coconut – 2 table spoons

·         Garlic  – 2 pods

·         Salt – 1 tea spoon (add per taste)

·         Green Chilies – 4-6 in number (add per taste)

·         Tamarind paste – ½ tea spoon (add per taste)

·         Water – 1 cup (add more if you like thinner consistency)

For seasoning:

·         Olive oil – 1 tea spoon

·         Curry leaves – 4-6 in number

·         Mustard seeds – 1 tea spoon

Method:

Blend all the above ingredients well till a smooth paste like consistency is attained.  Dish it out in the serving bowl.  For seasoning, heat the oil in a small sauce pan on medium heat.  Once the oil starts smoking, add the mustard seeds and wait till they splatter.  Add the curry leaves and take the pan off the heat.  Add this seasoning to the chutney.  Simple, quick and healthy Almond Mint chutney is ready to be enjoyed with naan, chapati, roti, poori, idly, dosa, bread or just plain rice.