Chickpea salad with Couscous

This is a no onion, no garlic recipe. Simple, clean, delicious and quick - this is great for the days when you have acidity and want light food. This quantity would serve around 3 adults.

 

Ingredients:
Couscous
1 cup uncooked couscous
1 and 1/2 cup boiling water
Handful of chopped coriander
Some freshly grated ginger
Some chopped raisins
Chilly powder or Black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Optional: A hint of Cinnamon powder

Chickpea Salad
3/4 cup uncooked chickpeas
1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 yellow bell pepper
2 small radishes
1 medium size tomato
1/2 cucumber
1 lime
Handful of chopped coriander
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Couscous

Uncooked couscous

1. In a large bowl, mix couscous, salt, pepper, cinnamon powder, grated ginger, coriander and raisins. Cover with boiling water, cover with a lid and set aside(for at least 5-7 minutes or according to packet instructions).

Cooked and fluffed up couscous

Chickpea Salad
1. Cook the chickpeas in one of the following ways:

• cook unsoaked chickpeas with salt and water for 45 minutes in an electric pressure cooker
• cook overnight soaked chickpeas with salt and water for 25 minutes in an electric pressure cooker
• use canned chickpeas
• use any other method to cook chickpeas that you prefer

2. Chop the vegetables - yellow, red and green peppers, radishes, cucumber and seeded tomato - in small cubes.

3. In a large mixing bowl, mix cubed vegetables, cooked chickpeas, coriander, olive oil, juice of one lime, salt and pepper/chilly powder.
Cover and let this rest for 5 minutes until the dressing is nicely absorbed.

Enjoy this as a light and quick meal.

Chicken Clear Soup

Try this recipe on a cold and windy weekend to warm your heart. It's a dish that will take a little longer time to cook on stove, but very little time off your schedule! :)

Ingredients:
1 whole chicken
2 medium sized carrots, cut in big chunks
5 celery stalks, cut in big chunks
1/2 leek
2 bay leaves
One bunch cilantro stalks
10-15 thyme leaves stems
2-3 tbsp peppercorn, lightly crushed
5-6 cloves
Salt to taste
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
Water

Method:
1. Tie bay leaves, cilantro stalks and thyme leaves in a small bundle.
2. In a big stock pot, place sliced carrots, celery stalks, leek, herb bundle, peppercorns and chicken with skin on(pat dry the chicken with paper towel before using it).
3. Fill the pot with with water until the chicken is barely covered, no more(otherwise soup will not be flavourful).
4. Bring the water to boil and then lower the heat. Partially cover the soup with a lid and simmer the soup for 90 minutes on medium to low heat such that there is a constant gentle simmer.
Note: You can remove the white scum that forms on the top of the soup during the initial boil.
5. After 90 minutes, take out the cooked chicken carefully in a big plate. Strain the soup and set aside. Check the soup seasoning for salt, pepper and thyme. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
6. Remove the meat from the chicken bones and put the bones back in the soup. Bring the soup to a boil and then simmer with a lid on for another 40 minutes.
7. Strain the soup through a paper towel to remove any access fat and serve hot!

Lemon and Nuts cake

Something that is crumbly and sweet, yet gives a good feeling of being healthy without weighing down on your conscience. This cake is perfect for late afternoon snack as it is perfect compliment to morning your cup of java. Enjoy this delicious and super easy lemon, yogurt and nuts cake!

Ingredients:
150gm all purpose flour
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup almonds
1/2 cup walnuts
1/4 cup pistachios
1/4 cup cashews
1/2 tbsp baking powder

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1 cup yogurt
1 egg
1 lemon zest

Method:
1. In a processor, make a rough flour out of all the nuts.
2. Add this nut mixture with all purpose flour, coconut sugar and baking powder.
3. In another vessel, mix egg, lemon zest, yogurt, oil and honey.
4. Now mix together these wet and dry ingredients.
5. Bake at 165C/325F for 40 minutes in a 9"x9" pan.
6. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

Veggie Protein Bowl with Barley

Quick, easy and healthy recipe is all this is!

You can cook cook and assemble this in 15 minutes or under!

If you were to cook barley while making this recipe then you will have to allow yourself additional 20-25 minutes to cook barley itself.

I often eat this as a workday lunch and most of the time I make it hot during lunch itself!

Ingredients:

Cooked barley

Some small paneer/cottage cheese cubes(to make it Vegan, you can substitute with firm tofu)

Veggies medley - cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, beans, snowpeas

Some salt and pepper to season

Some soy sauce

Schezwan sauce

Some coriander to garnish

Method:

1. Heat some ghee or oil in a non-stick skillet.

2. Add the veggies medley and saute for a minute on high heat.

3. Season with salt and pepper and saute for another minute.

4. Add paneer cubes and saute for a minute until they are just warmed through.

5. Then add a dash of soy sauce and 1 table spoon of schezwan sauce.

6. Turn off the heat and assemble as follows:

     - Fill the bottom of the bowl with warm cooked barley.

     - Top it with the paneer and veggie mixture.

     - Garnish with some coriander.

     - Don't wait for anything and JUST EAT! :)

Salmon with Asian sauce and rice

This is a dish that is literally prepared and served in 30 minutes. You can make this for a quick lunch or a weeknight entertaining dinner. This is healthy, super quick, delicious and low on utensil usage too!

Ingredients:
For Salmon:
Salmon fillet
Some oil
Salt and pepper

For Asian Sauce:
3-4 dashes of Fish Sauce
1/2 tbsp Oyster Sauce
6-7 tsp of  Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Peanut Butter
1/2 tbsp Maple Syrup
1/4 cup Sake (optional)
1/2 cup Vegetable Broth or Water
1 inch piece of Ginger
3-4 tsp Chinese Spicy Chilly Crisp Sauce

Leafy Vegetable Salad:
Two Scallions
Some coriander
Some Romaine Lettuce

Rice

Method:
1. Heat some oil on a non-stick pan. Once the oil is heated put the salmon fillet on the pan, skin side down.
Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the salmon and cover the pan with a lid.
Cook salmon on low-to-medium flame with the lid on for 15 minutes.

2. On the side, put some rice for cooking.


3. While the salmon is cooking, prepare the sauce in a bowl. Mix soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sake, vegetable broth, chilly crisps, peanut butter, grated ginger, salt and pepper.

4. Thinly slice two scallions. Chop coriander and some romaine lettuce. Mix these vegetables and keep on side.

5. After 15 minutes, remove the salmon from the pan and wrap in an aluminum foil. Seal this wrap with another aluminum foil to make a double insulation around the salmon. Set aside on a wooden chopping board for 10 minutes.


6. While salmon is resting, put the prepared sauce in the same pan with the salmon juices. Boil the sauce for 5-6 minutes or until it thickens.

7. In the end assemble the dish by placing some rice at the bottom of the plate, top with the flaked salmon and vegetable salad. Dress up the dish with the Asian sauce.

Entertain!

Or take a carry out for lunch!

Chickpea pastry with Cashews and Dates

This is a really quick and simple dish that is easily put together with little effort!
High on protein and flavour yet feels like indulgence :)

Ingredients:
1/2 sheet of phyllo pastry dough, thawed according to the package instructions
1 can of Garbanzo Beans or chickpeas, drained and washed
5-6 Dates, chunky chops
6-7 Cashews, chunky chops
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4 tsp cumin powder
4 tsp coriander powder
2 tsp red chilly powder
2 tsp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Oil or Ghee for sauté

Method:
1. In a non-stick pan, take some oil or ghee and sauté finely chopped onion until it starts turning translucent, about 4-5 minutes on low flame.
2. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, chilly powder, black pepper powder and salt. Sauté for another minute to cook the spices.
3. Now add the chopped dates, cashews and beans to the pan and cook for about 4-5 minutes.
4. While the beans are cooking, roll the dough to a thin flat bread shape and place it on the baking sheet.

5. Arrange the beans mixture on top of the pastry sheet and bake at 375F for about 20-25 minutes until the pastry is cooked.

Cut into four parts with a pizza cutter and enjoy savoury Chickpea pastry!

Tip: You can also use the chickpea filling as a side dish with lamb, veggies and roti.

Coconut Ice cream

Want to beat the heat by making an ice cream in 10 minutes??

Here is how you do it.

Ingredients:
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tbsp grated fresh coconut

Method:
1. In a big bowl, mix coconut milk, cream and sugar. Whip this mixture lightly for 2-4 minutes on low speed until the size doubles. Make sure the mixture is smooth and the cream doesn't thicken too much.
2. Add the grated coconut and fold it gently in the whipped mixture.
3. Set this batter to set in the fridge for 2 hours at least, overnight is better.

Beat the heat and get a refreshing kick from the tropics!