Cheezy peas brown rice

You don't see me writing about many rice recipes since I try to use quinoa as much as I can. I came across this recipe for peas pulao/pilaf which had loads of milk and butter and white rice. I have tried to make it as healthy as I can

Ingredients:

• Cooked brown rice-1 cup


• Shallots-3-lengthwise chopped


• Green peas-thawed-1/4 cup


• Mustard seeds-1 tbsp


• Clove-2, cinnamon-1 small stick, 1 cardamom and 1 bay leaf


• Cashews-5-broken into bits


• Green chilli-1


• Light coconut milk-2 Tbsp (optional)


• Tofutti cheese slice-1/4 (optional)


• Mint and Coriander leaves-10 each-finely chopped(optional)


• 2 tsp oil

Method:

• In a pan, add 2 tsp oil, add clove, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf and mustard seeds. Once they pop, add shallots, cashews, green chilli in and toss until shallots turn translucent.


• Toss in the green peas, salt and add coconut milk until peas are cooked and add the rice in. Add extra salt. Mix them all well and serve with cheese bits on top.


• You could add coriander and mint (add them in with green peas if you are planning to use them)

Chickpea Peanut 'Patty'

I had few left over chickpeas (1/4 cup approx.) and 1 potato. Made this awesome 'patty'

In a high speed food processor, add cooked chickpeas (1/4 cup), unsalted roasted peanuts (1/4 cup), a piece of ginger until they come together. Transfer it to a bowl, add one potato and mix them all well. Use your hands-:) You would appreciate the taste later on. Add in some salt, chili powder, fennel seed powder (ask for saunf powder in Indian grocery). Shape them as patties and dust them with either bread crumbs/multi-grain crumbs and pan fry them :) Top with some cheese (optional)

Fluffy Chocolate mousse

I am not usually a sweet tooth person. But off-late, I have been craving for chocolate. Had avocado banana and cocoa in my pantry :) -that's what you need to make yummy vegan mousse.

Ingredients:

• Banana-1 big


• Avocado-1 medium


• Maple syrup-1 Tbsp


• Coconut oil melted-1 tsp


• Light coconut milk-2 Tbsp


• Cashews-45 gms


• 2 pinches salt


• Raw cacao powder-3 Tbsp


• 100 gms chocolate chips melted

Method:

• Blend everything apart from the choc chips until fluffy and add to the melted chocolate chip mixture. Fold until they are mixed well, chill them for an hour/so and serve.


• Top with Hazelnut meal


• I was too tempted to taste it so had 2 spoonfuls before I realized I had forgotten to take a pic ;)

Quinoa pongal with Minty Coriander chutney

Pongal is one of the usual breakfast in Tamilnadu (one of the South Indian states). I have to admit I used to hate pongal, the reason being it was just cooked rice and split mung bean with loads and loads of clarified butter (ghee) and pepper. My mum always had to make something else cos I was adamant not to eat it. Since last May/so, I have reduced my intake of rice substituting it with world's yummiest grain, Quinoa :) Came back from work yesterday and all I wanted was quinoa and lentils. I was going through my paati's (granny) recipes I saw a non-vegan version of pongal. The Einstein part of my brain was so active I decided to make vegan quinoa pongal.

If you have a pressure cooker, this is really easy to make. Else, use a heavy-lid pan to make it.

Ingredients- Serves 3 (on a portion control diet)

• Quinoa-3/4 cup


• Split yellow mung bean-3/4 cup


• Cashews-10


• Curry leaves-10


• Pepper-coarsely ground-3 Tbsp (lesser if you want less spicier effect)


• Mustard seeds (2 tsp) Cumin seeds (1 tsp)


• Ginger grated- 1.5 Tbsp


• Rice bran oil-2 Tbsp


• Asafoetida-a pinch


• Turmeric- 1 tsp


• Salt-to taste

Method:

• Pressure cook/Cover and cook quinoa and lentils with 3.5-4 cups of water.


• Next step is to season it. In a pan, add oil,heat it,add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, turmeric, cashews, wait for it to be about brown, add ginger and pepper and pour it over the quinoa and lentil mixture.


• Add salt and mix them well. Serve with chutney

Minty Coriander chutney

Ingredients:

• Mint leaves-2 handfuls


• Coriander leaves-2 handfuls


• Ginger-a small piece


• Coconut (fresh/frozen)-1/4 cup


• Garlic-one pod


• Tamarind paste-1/2 tsp


• Oil-a tsp


• Cumin seeds-1 tsp


• Curry leaves-7


• Green chili-1


• Mustard seeds-1/2 tsp

Method

• In a pan, add mint and coriander leaves fry them until they shrink under heat, turn off the flame,let it cool and blend it with green chili, ginger, garlic, coconut, tamarind, salt.


• In a pan, add oil, heat it and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cury leaves and pour them over the chutney

Palak Tofu / Palak Channa

Palak Tofu/Channa is a high protein blessing for vegans :) When I was in India, I used to go to this North Indian restaurant and became best friends with the chef there :)  When I left India to come to Sydney, he had given me a copy of these 126 recipes which are his mum's :) I just pulled it out today, so from today on, I am going to get his recipes veganized :)

Caution: This recipe involves loads of blending.

Ingredients: 

• Baby spinach leaves - 250 gms pack


• Green chilli-1


• Onion-1 cubed


• Tomato-1.5 cubed


• Ginger-1/2" piece


• Garlic- 3 pods


• Raw Cashews soaked in water- 15gms (This is the best cream substitute)


• Clove-2, Cinnamon-1"piece, Cumin seeds-1 tsp, Bay leaf -1


• Oil-2 tbsp


• Organic tofu- 250 gms- water drained and cubed- fork pierced (Chilli powder -a tsp to fry the tofu)/ a cup of cooked chickpea for palak channa


• Chilli powder, coriander powder,garam masala-1 tsp each

Method:

• First Step is to process the spinach. In a pan,add washed spinach and sprinkle water and fry for a couple of mins until it is about to be cooked completely. Take it out and wash it under cold water (it is to retain the awesome green color of the spinach-bit of bragging but have a look at my pics-That's the green you need :P). Add bit of salt and blend into a smooth paste


• Second Step is to make the cashew cream- Blend cashews into a smooth paste


• Third step is to make the curry base. In a pan, add oil, add clove, cinnamon, cumin seeds, once it splutters add onion, green chilli, ginger and garlic and fry until onions are transparent (not brown). Add in tomatoes and the spice powders and fry until tomatoes are soft. Take it off heat and allow it to cool and blend into smooth paste.


• Fourth Step is to fry the tofu. In a pan, add a tsp of oil, add chilli powder and add tofu cubes and fry them until hrown on all sides. This is to be done in parallel with adding cream in the next step otherwise tofu will get really tough


• Time to put them all together. In a pan, add the curry base, let it boil for like 2 mins and add the spinach in. Mix them well. Add more salt and add the cashew cream.Close the pan and let all the flavors infuse together for 5 mins.


• You could add cooked chickpea or Tofu, close and cook for few more mins and serve hot

Sundal

I made quinoa mujadara yesterday. You know how you eat something again and again,  and you are like 'Man, why cant I eat something else'. I reached that state with quinoa. I promised myself not to eat quinoa for like 2 days. I love it so much that I cant live without it. Anyways,  I had some leftover lentils, decided to make 'sundal'. A popular dish in south India - it is a lentil stir fry with coconut and onions. The main seasoning for a sundal is asafoetida. It is an awesome spice with so many benefits.  It boosts metabolism, Google for more benefits :) . To make sundal, you need boiled lentils. Not dal consistency but the ones that can be picked out individually like chickpeas,  black eyed beans etc. I used the flat brown lentils you use for mujadara.

Ingredients: 

• A cup of lentils - boiled


• Black Mustard seeds-1 and 1/2 tsp


• 10 curry leaves


• 1 tsp rice bran oil


• Salt-to taste


• Asafoetida- 2 pinches


• Coconut-3-4 tbsp


• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp(vary this based on your spice limit)

Method:

• In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add mustard seeds, once it pops, add curry leaves, asafoetida. If you like taste of onions, you could add onions now and fry them with it.


• Add the boiled lentils, chilli powder, salt, coconut and mix them together.


• Awesome as an evening snack. You could omit coconut if you don't want it. But then, onions must be added then.

Sundal

I made quinoa mujadara yesterday. You know how you eat something again and again,  and you are like 'Man, why cant I eat something else'. I reached that state with quinoa. I promised myself not to eat quinoa for like 2 days. I love it so much that I cant live without it. Anyways,  I had some leftover lentils, decided to make 'sundal'. A popular dish in south India - it is a lentil stir fry with coconut and onions. The main seasoning for a sundal is asafoetida. It is an awesome spice with so many benefits.  It boosts metabolism, Google for more benefits :) . To make sundal, you need boiled lentils. Not dal consistency but the ones that can be picked out individually like chickpeas,  black eyed beans etc. I used the flat brown lentils you use for mujadara.

Ingredients: 

• A cup of lentils - boiled


• Black Mustard seeds-1 and 1/2 tsp


• 10 curry leaves


• 1 tsp rice bran oil


• Salt-to taste


• Asafoetida- 2 pinches


• Coconut-3-4 tbsp


• Red chilli powder- 2 tsp(vary this based on your spice limit)

Method:

• In a pan, heat 1 tsp oil, add mustard seeds, once it pops, add curry leaves, asafoetida. If you like taste of onions, you could add onions now and fry them with it.


• Add the boiled lentils, chilli powder, salt, coconut and mix them together.


• Awesome as an evening snack. You could omit coconut if you don't want it. But then, onions must be added then.

South African Split Pigeon Pea Soup

I was away for a month in South Africa volunteering with lions (Excuse for not blogging regularly) Had the most amazing time of my life :D. Got to do lot of adventure activities-one of which was cage diving with sharks at Gaansbaai , Cape town.

It was a freezing cold day and had to jump into the water, do up-down up-down like 200 times, it was exhausting. Back on shore, the tour company that took us into the ocean had this vegetable soup ready to warm us up. No offence - I thought Australia was the biggest meat eating country. I was wrong. It is South Africa. Finding vegan food is a challenge there :P. Anyways, I did my normal questioning with the ladies there - Any chicken stock,butter, cream blah blah blah? The lady who made the soup said it had only lentils, potato and carrots. NOTHING ELSE. I had a mouthful of the soup and man, it was the best soup I have ever had. Got the recipe from the ladies.

Ingredients: 

• Split pigeon pea-1/2 cup soaked in hot water for 30 mins and boil until its mushy


• Carrot grated-1


• Potato grated-2

Method:

• Add all the ingredients, lower the heat and cook on low flame for like 40 mins. Keep adding water to retain the soup consistency


• Add salt and pepper and that's it :) Yummy soup. No oil or stock.


• Deepa of Spice Rack blog had added a green mango for sourness. You could do that too :)

Buckwheat Crepe - South Indian style

Being brought up with Indian food, it is hard to not to add spices even in basic salads. I was craving for Dosas, which is a lentil-rice crepe, a usual South Indian breakfast across many homes. I have cut down rice completely, so it was hard to make one without it until I laid my eyes on organic buckwheat flour. My life hasn't been the same since :) If not smoothie for brekky, it is definitely a crepe. I usually make Spinach crepe. Time for change. I tried to do something more close to home.

Ingredients

• Buckwheat flour-1/2 cup


• Chickpea flour-1/2 cup


• Spinach, coriander, curry leaves, chives-2 handfuls finely chopped


• Dietary fibre powder-1 tbsp


• Green chilli-1, ginger-a small piece, garlic-1 pod, curry leaves-5, grated coconut- 1 tbsp, fennel seeds -1 tsp -blend them together to a fine paste


• Red onion-1/2 finely chopped


• Water-(you need enough water for runny consistency)


• Salt-to taste


• Oil-a tsp for crepe

Method

• Mix them all together except oil and make crepe on a hot pan. I topped with chilli and lentil powder [ask for chutney powder in Indian shops ]

Serves: 2 people

Almond chia buckwheat crispbreads

With portion control diets, you have to snack at least twice a day. With high energy, it has to bridge gap between two meals.  This is one  awesome snack. Keeps your tummy full for at least 2.5 hours :)

Ingredients 

• Natural Almond chia spread -1/2 tbsp


• Buckwheat crispbreads -2 nos

Method

• Spread 1/2 tbsp spread on one crispbread. Keep one on top ( Like a sandwich)

Serves:1 person

Protein quinoa pilaf cooked Indian style

Found this recipe in one of my diaries and I knew immediately what was going into my lunch box tomorrow. The actual version of it had rice instead of quinoa and had the title "Chickpea Groundnut High protein pulao". Very much Indian ;) Pulao/Pulav is how any rice that is flavored in termed as. I thought of making this recipe in brown rice but decided to go with organic red quinoa. Heavenly. Ended up having a small portion of it for dinner.

Ingredients 

• Quinoa-1 cup cooked with 3 cups water (My quinoa consumed water like a sponge.. Try with 2 cups of water and add as required)


• Dried Chickpeas,dried Peanuts,dry peas-a handful each-soaked overnight-pressure cooked without salt


• Onion-1 small finely chopped


• Tomato-1, Ginger-a small piece, Garlic-1 pod-blend them together


• Dry chilli powder-1/2 tsp ( is way too low compared to normal Indian spicy limit)


• Channa masala (Spice from Indian grocery) - 2 tsp


• Garam masala-1/2 tsp


• Dry fenugrek leaves (ask for dry methi in an Indian grocery)-1/2 tsp


• Coriander leaves - a handful


• Clove-2, Cinnamon-a small stick, Cardamom-1 pod, Bay leaf-1,cumin seeds-1 tsp,curry leaves-1 strand(optional)

Method

• In a pan, add 1 and 1/2 tsp oil, add cloves, cinnamon,cardamom,bay leaf,cumin seeds,curry leaves and wait for them to roast, add onions, salt, fry, when ever you feel oil is necessary, add water and fry the onions.


• Once onion turns brown, add the blended tomato paste, fry for a minute, toss in turmeric, dry chilli powder, channa masala, garam masala, salt and fry until tomato loses it's raw smell. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup water and add all the cooked lentils, add dry fenugrek leaves and let it boil for a 3-4 minutes. Add coriander leaves and let it become semi-dry curry and add cooked quinoa, add more salt and mix them well :)

Serves: 2 people

Vegan buckwheat crispbreads with tomato salsa

Vegan buckwheat crispbreads with tomato salsa

Losing weight is very depressing if you are with broccoli and greens all the time.  Especially, if you love food, it could be really hard to diet. Over a long run, diets are not going to work. How long can we count calories? Portion control, is a better choice. 5-6 meals a day, you never go hungry and you start to appreciate food much more. So I try to pick different things I have never had before. This is what I found in the supermarket, buckwheat crispbreads :)



Topped these crispbreads with tomato salsa and this turned out to be the best snack I have had in a while.

Ingredients for Salsa

• Onion-1/4 chopped fine


• Tomato-1 chopped fine


• Cucumber- 2" piece-chopped fine


• Macadamia nuts-3 nos-chopped fine


• Chickpea, peas, groundnuts (boiled) / any kind of boiled lentils


• Coriander leaves- 2 strands-chopped fine


• Chilli powder- a pinch


• Chat masala (got this from Indian grocery shop-usually used in Indian street food)


• Salt-to taste, Lemon-optional

Method

• Mix all the ingredients together and salsa is ready to be topped up on buckwheat crispbreads. Yum :)

Serves:2 people

Vietnamese Rice paper roll

Vietnamese rice paper roll with coco-nut dipping sauce

Any time I walk past the Vietnamese takeaway shop in a food mall, I peek in to find out if there are any vegan rolls with just veges, it's hard to find one. So time to make it myself. I was walking through the health isle in Coles, where I found this gluten-free rice paper. Each paper comes to around 27 calories.



Ingredients for filling

• Carrot, cucumber-julienne- 1 handful each


• Snowpea sprout leaves, Sprouts


• Boiled lentils


• Tofu-1 handful (Julienne them and fry with Mexican seasoning in 1tsp oil)


• Onion-1/4 chopped length-wise

Method

• It is better to mix all the ingredients and keep them ready.


• Wet rice paper in warm water and place them on damp paper towel. Place  the filling in and roll them based on the instructions on the rice paper packet.

Coco-nut dipping sauce

Ingredients 

• Garlic-1 pod


• Raw almonds-12, Roasted peanuts-10, chia seeds-1/2 tsp, sunflower seeds, pumpkin kernels-1 tbsp each


• Caster sugar-1 tsp, 1 dry red chilli, 1/4 tsp tamarind paste, salt-to taste


• Light coconut milk- 3 Tbsp


• Onion-1/2 chopped fine


• Oil-1 tsp

Method

• Blend all the  ingredients in the first 4 bullet points together into a very very fine paste


• In a pan, add 1 tsp oil, add onion fry well, add the blended paste, water and let it boil for a couple of minutes.


• Take it off heat and use it as a dipping sauce :)


• This is all healthy fat, but make sure it is just a dipping sauce.

Serves:4 people

Spinach protein crepe

Spinach protein crepe

I have these 5000+ recipes, I am trying to make them all vegan and healthy. This is one such recipe where there were loads of non-vegan ingredients that have been replaced. I also had a conversation with my trainer Cam who was talking about how gluten-free diet aids in weight loss for many people. I have to do more research in trying to make recipes gluten-free. Used buckwheat flour and chickpea flour. Best crepe I have ever had in my life :)

Ingredients

• Buckwheat flour-1/2 cup


• Chickpea flour-1/2 cup


• Spinach, coriander, curry leaves, chives-2 handfuls finely chopped


• Dietary fibre powder-1 tbsp


• Dry chilli powder, cumin powder-1 tsp each


• Red onion-1/2 finely chopped


• Water-(you need enough water for runny consistency)


• Salt-to taste


• Oil-a tsp for crepe

Method

• Mix them all together and make crepe on a hot pan.


• You could either eat it by itself or with some chutney.


• Very healthy, high in protein and fibre

Serves:2-2 people

Green gram crepe and tomato chutney - Gluten free

Green gram crepe with tomato chutney - Gluten free

Ingredients for Crepe

• Green gram -2 cups


• Brown rice- 1/2 cup


• Ginger, no, of, chillies, curry leaves, salt-according to taste


• Onion-1 finely chopped

Ingredients for Tomato Chutney

• Onion-1 cubed


• Tomato-1 cubed


• Garlic-3 pods


• Ginger-small piece


• Coriander seeds-1 tsp


• Cumin-1 tsp


• Oil-1 tsp


• Salt-to taste


• Tamarind- a very small piece


• Hing/asafoetida -1/4 tsp (you get in in Indian/ Srilankan grocery)

 



Method-Crepe

• Soak rice and green gram for 6 hours


• Blend them together with the other ingredients except onions. It needn't be watery crepe consistency, could be little denser.


• Add onions and make crepes (could be bit denser than normal crepes)


• Goes excellent with Tomato chutney

Method-Tomato chutney

• In a pan-add 1 tsp oil, cumin, hing, coriander seeds, roast them, add onion, garlic and ginger (no use of chopping them, cos you are gonna blend them all in), once onion turns brown, add tomatoes and cook until soft/tender. Remove from heat and once cool, blend them with tamarind to a fine chutney consistency


• If oil is very less to fry onions, use water and salt to brown them.

Serves:2-3 people