One Day At A Time!

Hey everyone! I am back after a long break. Well, last few months were quite memorable. We celebrated our child's 1st birthday at Shedd Aquarium. Later, an amazing trip to India, visiting family and friends. One month just flew by. 25 hours air travel with a one year old was the only exhausting part, but it all went well. Today's post is inspired by my India trip - an Indo-Chinese style soup with mixed leafy greens, carrots and chana dal. A spicy low calorie vegan soup with loads of veggies and protein is perfect for this cold weather.    Ingredients: Mixed Greens - about 200 gm Carrots (thinly sliced) - about 100 gm Chana Dal/Split Chickpeas - 1/4 cup Onion - 1 medium Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp Oil - 2 tbsp Salt  How to cook Vegan Mixed Greens and Lentil Soup: Soak chana dal in about 1 cup of water for about an hour. Wash soaked dal well. Finely chop onions. Heat oil in a pan. You can use butter if you li...

Lately, I have been cooking Italian couple times a week. Cooking pa sta is easy and quick. Pastas are deliciously perfect for busy weeknight dinners. Last night, I made a Creamy Pasta Salad  with some of our favorite veggies and everyone was happy.

For movie nights, we like a variety of snacks - popcorn, pita chips and hummus, raw celery sticks with cream cheese, potato chips and so on. Well, some are healthy and some not so much. This weekend, tortilla chips and salsa was our pick. So, leftover celery became a part of our weekday meal. Crunchy celery feta salad is a good change from the regular lettuce salad.

My new favorite ingredient is feta cheese. There are so many cheeses in the market, but some you like and some you don't. Goat cheese is not my kind of cheese. Well, you all have read about cream cheese and ricotta cheese recipes. Now is the time for a refreshing summer salad with olives and feta cheese.

These days I get 20 - 30 minutes to cook our lunch. That's my baby's morning nap time when I try to finish my household work. Today's weather demanded something comforting and I managed to fix up a creamy bowl of cauliflower soup for us. When my baby is playing around, I do the photography and blogging part. Now comes the time to relax. All set for a walk in the park with my baby. You guys have a great day and I'll see you soon with my next post. Ingredients: Cauliflower/Gobi Florets - about 4 cups Coconut Cream - 200 ml Onion - 1 medium Green Onions - 6 Garlic - 2 big cloves Coriander/Dhania Powder - 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera Powder - 1 tsp Black Pepper - 1 tsp Aamchur/Dry Mango Powder - 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Croutons  Salt How to cook Creamy Cauliflower Coconut Soup: Finely chop onions and garlic. Chop the pale green and white parts of green onions finely.  Heat oil in a big pan. You can use butter as well. Add onions and g...

Though the cold weather is long gone, these rainy days make me cook those wintry meals. Soups are perfect for such days... hot and comforting. Let me tell you about one of our family favorites - Vegetarian Broccoli Cheddar soup. Ingredients: Broccoli Florets - 3 cups  Carrots (grated) - 1/2 cup Onion (finely chopped) - 1/2 cup Whole Milk - 1 cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese (grated) - 1 cup Garlic (finely chopped) - 1 big clove Bay Leaves - 2 Dry Thyme - 1 1/4 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Nutmeg/Jaiphal - 1/8 tsp Rice Flour - 1 tbsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Creamy Broccoli Cheddar Soup: Heat oil in a big pan. You can use unsalted butter as well. Add onions bay leaves and garlic. Sauté until onions soften. Add carrots, thyme and nutmeg. Sauté for a couple minutes.  Add rice flour and sauté for another couple minutes so that the raw flour smell goes away. Rice flour will help thicken the soup. You can use all purpose flour (maida) or corn starch or po...

Recently, a new member joined our family and I got promoted to being a Mom. I am enjoying every minute of it. Part of being a parent is eating healthy and making it look appealing to a child's eye. These days I go for more colorful delicacies. Today's Lemon Pasta Salad fits that profile perfectly with lots of bright colored veggies and protein rich beans. My baby doesn't eat solid food yet, but I am getting ready to cook for her. Ingredients: Bow-tie Farfalle Pasta - 2 cups Green Beans - 1 cup Dry Pinto Beans - 1/4 cup Bell Peppers - about 1/2 cup Carrots - about 1/4 cup Celery - about 1/4 cup Tomato - 1 small Lemon Zest - 1 tsp Lemon Juice - 5 tbsp Olive Oil - 4 tbsp Dry Basil - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Garlic Powder - 1 tsp Salt How to make Rainbow Pasta Salad with Veggies and Beans: Soak dry pinto beans in plenty of water overnight. Wash the soaked beans. Add 3 - 4 cups of water in a pot. Bring it to a boil and add the soaked beans. Cook ...

Kale Bean Soup March is here and still there are no signs of spring. Hopefully, by 21st, warm weather will grace us. Until then, hot soups are my favored meals. One of my comfort foods is today's wholesome kale and bean soup with tangy tomatoes. Ingredients: Kale Leaves (chopped) - about 3 cups Dry White Beans - 1/2 cup Canned Tomato Paste - 4 tbsp Yellow Onion - 1 medium Dry Oregano - 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp Dry Rosemary - 1/2 tsp Garlic and Herb Seasoning - 1/2 tsp Celery Salt - 1/2 tsp Sriracha Sauce - 1 tsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Kale and White Bean Soup: Soak dry white beans in plenty of water overnight. Wash the soaked beans well and cook them until soft. Save the water used for cooking beans. You can use any other beans of your choice. And canned beans will save some time. Finely chop onions. Discard the thick stems and roughly chop kale leaves. In a big pot, heat oil. Add onions and saute for a minute. Add celery salt and saute unti...

Spinach Bean Soup Cooking for your loved ones is more fun and easier as compared to cooking just for yourself.  That's how I feel.  Most of my solitary meals are soups and salads.  When I make a soup or a salad, I try to include all nutrients - carbohydrates, proteins and vitamins.  Today's spinach and white bean soup flavored with Thai Sriracha sauce is one of my light yet wholesome lunches. Ingredients: Spinach/Palak - about 3 cups Dry White Beans - 1/3 cup Red Onion - 1 medium Garlic - 2 big cloves Ginger (grated) - 1 tsp Soy Sauce - 2 tbsp Sriracha Sauce - 1 tbsp Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp How to cook Sriracha flavored Spinach and Bean Soup: Soak white beans in plenty of water overnight.  Wash the soaked beans well.  Heat about 5 cups water in a big pot.  Add the soaked beans and cook them until soft.  Add more water if required.  Alternatively, you can also cook the beans in a pressure cooker. Use any other beans of...

Brussel sprouts, which look like mini cabbages taste great when roasted in an oven. That's one way we relish this veggie. Let me tell you about another way, a coleslaw. Generally, coleslaw is made with shredded raw cabbage and a mayonnaise dressing. I prefer cooking the brussel sprouts and a lighter green lime vinaigrette. Hope you all like it too. Ingredients: Brussel Sprouts - 1 pound Red Onions (thinly sliced) - about 1/2 cup Lime Zest - 1 tsp Lime Juice - 3 tbsp Olive Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard - 1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Black Olives - 4 Salt How to make Green Lime Brussel Sprouts Slaw: Blanch the Brussel Sprouts: Wash the Brussel sprouts well. Discard the woody hard parts of the Brussel sprouts.  Set aside a bowl of ice water to add the cooked Brussel sprouts. Heat 6 - 8 cups water in a big pot. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and Brussel sprouts. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, ad...

There was a time when I used to like just one kind of salad - Koshimbir , with a yogurt dressing. Lately, I have started enjoying other kinds too... the oil and vinegar based vinaigrettes. Today, lets eat a simple mixed fruit salad with an Orange Vinaigrette. Drizzle this colorful salad with honey, vanilla yogurt or a scoop of ice cream and your kids will love it too. Ingredients: Golden Apple - 1 Peaches - 2 Green Grapes - 1/2 cup Orange Juice - about 1/4 cup Olive Oil - 1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar - about 2 tsp Salt - 1/8 tsp Roasted Nuts - about 1 tbsp How to make Mixed Fruit Salad with an Orange Vinaigrette: In a big mixing bowl, prepare the dressing/vinaigrette. Add freshly squeezed orange juice, olive oil, sugar and salt. Whisk until all the ingredients are mixed well.  I have used light brown sugar. You can use healthier alternatives like honey, maple syrup, agave syrup. Add salt and more or less sugar based on the sweetness of the fruits. Now time...

I like to cook simple and easy, nutritious, wholesome meals. Leafy salads are one of my favorites, but they lack protein. Today's Three Bean Salad has both veggies and protein rich beans. I have used white and red beans. You can make it more colorful by adding black beans, pinto beans and so on. Hope you like this easy, flavorful salad. Ingredients: Green Beans/French Beans - about 2 cups Dry White Beans - 1/4 cup Dry Red Kidney Beans/Rajma - 1/4 cup Red Onions (finely chopped) - about 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar - 2 tbsp Olive Oil - 1 1/2 tbsp Spicy Brown Mustard - 1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Salt How to make Three Bean Salad: Soak dry white beans and red beans in plenty of water overnight. Cook them in about 5 cups water in a pot until soft. Add salt and bring it to a boil.  Drain all the water. Save the cooked beans for later. Use any dry beans of your choice. Canned beans work fine too. Set aside a bowl of ice cold water to add the cooked...

Summer is here and so is the time to hydrate ourselves. As such, cucumbers are a part of our diet throughout the year, but its especially beneficial around this time of the year. One of the ways we love to relish this high water content vegetable is this simple refreshing salad. Its quite easy to put together, both in terms of time and ingredients. Ingredients: English Cucumber - 1 big Roma Tomato - 1 medium Red Onion - 1 small Lime Juice - 2 tbsp Olive Oil - 1 tbsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Cilantro/Coriander Leaves - 1 tbsp Mint/Pudina Leaves - 5 Salt How to make Tangy Cucumber Salad: Peel the cucumber and thinly slice it. Thinly slice the tomato and onion as well.  Finely chop cilantro and mint. In a mixing bowl, add olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, mint, fresh ground black pepper and salt. Mix well. Add sliced cucumbers, tomatoes and onions.  Toss them well. Let the salad rest for 5 - 10 minutes. Check for seasonings and add more lime juice ...

Koshimbir , a vegetable yogurt salad is a regular at our place. Some of you might know this as North Indian Raita, where cucumbers are the main ingredient.  Today, I made this Indian salad with crunchy Romaine Lettuce leaves. This salad with a creamy yogurt dressing is a good option for those who don't like Ranch dressing. Plus, its quite easy to make. Ingredients: Romaine Lettuce (chopped) - 3 cups Red Onions (finely chopped) - 1/3 cup Tomato - 1 medium Yogurt/Curds/Dahi - 1/2 cup Black Pepper Powder - 1/4 tsp Green Chili/Jalapeno Pepper - 1 Salt How to make Romaine Lettuce Koshimbir: Wash Romaine lettuce leaves well and remove all excess water using salad spinner. Discard the thick stems and medium chop the leaves. When it comes to greens, the darker the color, better its nutritive value. That's the reason I prefer slightly darker Romaine lettuce leaves for this salad. You can use Iceberg Lettuce as well. Discard the soft pulp and seeds of the tomato and fi...

Beans and lentils are the best sources of protein for vegetarians and vegans. And Bean sprouts are far more nutritive than beans. Today's salad is a light and wholesome meal.  If you are bored of the regular leafy salads and are looking for something different, this warm sprouts salad with a hint of mango and ginger is something you should try. Ingredients: Dry Mung Beans - 1/2 cup Red Onion - 1 small Tomato - 1 small Lettuce - about 1/2 cup Green Lime - 1 Ginger - 1/2 tsp Aamchur/Dry Mango Powder - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Salt How to make Bean Sprouts Salad: MAKING SPROUTS: Soak mung beans in plenty of water for 8 - 10 hours. After soaking, beans will almost double in quantity. Wash the soaked beans well and drain the water completely. Make sure there is no water, or else sprouts might decay. Cover the vessel with a lid and leave it overnight in a warm place to sprout.  Alternately, you can tie the soaked beans in a cloth as well. ...

Last few days, we have been relishing high calorie festival goodies. Next couple days, we'll be having simple, light meals.  Koshimbir or Raita - an Indian yogurt salad is a light and flavorful side dish made of veggies like tomato, Cucumber , beetroot, carrots and onions. For today, we are having Carrot Curd Salad with Tadka Dal , Rice and Stir Fried Green Beans . Ingredients: Carrots/Gajar (grated) - about 2 cups Yogurt/Curd/Dahi - 1/2 cup Roasted Peanut/Shenga Powder - 2 tbsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp Cilantro/Coriander/Kothimbir Leaves - few sprigs Salt How to prepare Gajarachi Koshimbir: Peel and grate the carrots. Finely chop cilantro leaves. You can use finely chopped green chilies/Jalapeno pepper, instead of black pepper. In a mixing bowl, add carrots, yogurt, peanut powder, fresh ground black pepper, chat masala, cilantro and salt to taste. Easy Carrot Salad is ready. Traditionally, chat masala is not added to koshimbir...

A hearty vegetarian soup with lots of vegetables, beans and pasta. An authentic Italian Minestrone soup is cooked with wine, but we loved the soup even though I didn't use wine. Ingredients: Dry Red Kidney Beans - 1/3 cup Pasta Shells - 1/3 cup Onion - 1 medium Tomatoes - 2 medium Zucchini - 1 medium Green Beans - about 1/2 cup Yard Long Beans - about 1/2 cup Carrots - about 1/2 cup Celery - 2 sticks Spinach - about 1/2 cup Garlic - 2 big cloves Tomato Ketchup - 1 tbsp Italian Seasoning - 1 tsp Dry Parsley - 1 tsp Oregano - 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1 tsp Cayenne Pepper - 1/4 tsp Olive Oil - 2 tbsp Salt How to cook Italian Vegetable Minestrone Soup: Soak kidney beans overnight. You can use any other beans like black beans, chickpeas/kabuli chana. Canned beans would also be great for this soup. Wash the soaked beans and cook until beans turn soft. Do not overcook them. Medium chop onion, carrots, celery, zucchini and tomatoes. Cut beans int...

Indian meals are generally served as a single course meal, which is popularly known as Thaali . A traditional Thaali includes rice, roti/flatbread, fried appetizers, curry, achar/pickles, raita, mithai/sweets and many more delicacies. For our weekday meals, I don't find time to cook such an elaborate menu. But I definitely make time for this Koshimbir . Ingredients: Mini Cucumbers/Kakdi - 4 Yogurt/Curds/Dahi - about 1 cup Roasted Peanuts/Groundnuts/Shenga - 2 tbsp Phutane/Dalia/Roasted Chana Dal - 2 tbsp Green Chili - 1 Coriander/Cilantro Leaves/Kothimbir - few sprigs Sugar - 1/4 tsp Salt How to prepare Kakdi Koshimbir: Grind roasted peanuts, phutane and green chili to a slightly coarse powder. Finely chop coriander leaves. Wash and grate the cucumbers. You can finely chop the cucumbers as well. No need to peel the skin. In a mixing bowl, add yogurt, salt and sugar. Mix well. Now add peanut powder, phutane powder and grated cucumbers. Mix all the ingre...

Chickpeas are an excellent source of proteins for vegans and vegetarians. Today's protein rich bean salad with the natural sweetness of carrots and a tangy lemon dressing is quite refreshing. You need not worry about calories here as this salad is oil free and cheese free. This salad is popular as Chana Chaat all over India. Ingredients: Dry Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans/Kabuli Chana - 1/2 cup Grated Carrots - about 1/2 cup Tomato - 1 medium Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp Chat Masala - 1 tsp Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/4 tsp Coriander/Cilantro/Dhania Leaves - few sprigs Red Onions (finely chopped) - 2 tbsp Salt How to prepare Chickpea Carrot Salad: Soak chickpeas overnight. After soaking, 1/2 cup chickpeas will turn to 1 cup. Cook them in about 2 cups water until soft. Add more water if required. Add salt and bring it to a boil. You can use canned chickpeas or any other beans of your choice. Discard the seeds and the soft pulp of the tomat...

Coleslaw is a raw cabbage and carrot salad with a mayonnaise dressing.  I am not a big fan of mayonnaise because of raw eggs used in it.  This coleslaw recipe has a yogurt dressing with a few Indian tweaks.  In Marathi and Konkani this curd salad is well known as Koshimbir . Ingredients: Green Cabbage/Kobi/Pata Gobi - about 3 cups Carrot/Gajar - about 1 cup Yogurt/Curds/Dahi - about 1 cup Coriander/Cilantro Leaves/Kothimbir - few sprigs Pomegranate Seeds/Anardana/Dalimb - about 1 tbsp (optional) Cumin Seeds/Jeera - 1/2 tsp Black Pepper Powder/Kali Miri - 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/8 tsp Sugar or Honey - 1/2 tsp Salt How to prepare Cabbage Coleslaw: 1. Finely chop cilantro.  Chop cabbage and carrots into long thin strands or the way you prefer.  1/2 cup of red cabbage can also be added. 2. In a big vessel, add hot water and little salt.  Soak cabbage and carrots in this hot, sa...