Salads is one of the simplest ways to get in your veggies. Salads can be served as a side-dish or even as a main course with some protein added to it. Avocados have the perfect texture for making any kind of salad recipe. It is important to pick avocados that are slightly firm but yields to gentle pressure which helps make a good salad. Here's a simple salad recipe...
Ingredients:
1 medium red onion, diced
1 large red bell pepper, diced
1 large avocado, peeled, pitted, diced
1 cup yellow corn kernels
1/4 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
For salad dressing:
2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dijon mustard
Salt, to taste
1 tsp pepper powder
1 tbsp lemon juice (adjust to taste)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp sriracha sauce (optional)
1/4 cup buttermilk
Method:
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a cookie sheet, add the diced onion and red bell pepper. Toss some olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix well and spread evenly on the cookie sheet. Roast the vegetables for 15 mins. Keep aside and cool the vegetables.
In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by adding olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, lemon juice, garlic, buttermilk and sriracha sauce. Whisk all the ingredients together and keep aside.
In a large bowl, add the roasted onion, red bell pepper, yellow corn kernels, avocado and chopped cilantro. Pour the dressing (not all of it, just enough to coat the veggies) on top of the vegetables. If you feel like adding any greens, you can use bite-sized pieces of romaine lettuce (optional). Add chopped cilantro and toss them all together and serve.
Makes 3 servings.
Barley is a cereal grain that is gaining popularity as a health food which is used mostly in soups and stews. Barley is known to improve nutrition, regulate blood sugar and also acts as a diuretic. Soups are always a favorite in my home. So, what better way to use a healthy grain loaded with vegetables than in a soup?? I like barley as it makes the soups thicker but tastes lighter too. Here's a warm and comforting soup for a cold wintry night.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup barley, dry roasted
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
1 medium potato, petite diced
5 cups vegetable broth or water
1/3 cup crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
Lemon juice, to taste (optional)
Method:
Dry roast the barley and keep aside.
In a stock pot, heat olive oil, add onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions are translucent. Add carrots, celery, green peas and potatoes and sauté for 5 mins.
Add the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper powder, red chilli powder, italian seasoning and barley to the vegetables. Mix well and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables and barley cook.
After the vegetables and barley is cooked, add water, if required, for the desired consistency. Add the chopped parsley and lemon juice and stir well. Cook for 3-5 mins. Serve hot.
Makes 5-6 servings.
Loaf with mashed potatoes and gravy is one of the classic comfort foods in the U.S. Being a vegetarian, I wanted to try making a veggie loaf using some different grain other than the usual soy-based or brown rice. The veggie loaf can be prepared with several variations like oats, bulgar wheat, brown rice or even textured soy protein. I decided to go with bulgar wheat. This is a savory veggie loaf which is healthy and flavorful.
Ingredients:
1 cup bulgar wheat
1 1/2 cup boiling water
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
8 - 10 oz mushrooms, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1-2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
Salt, to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
1/2 -1 cup bread crumbs (whole wheat or regular)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1/4 cup tomato ketchup or tomato sauce
Cooking spray, for coating the loaf pan
Method:
In a bowl, add the bulgar wheat and pour boiling water over it. Soak until the bulgar is tender and absorbs most of the water for about 15 mins.
In a nonstick pan, heat 2-3 tbsp of water (a trick I learned in one of the health books) and add the onion, garlic, carrot, celery and red bell pepper. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the mushrooms and cook until the vegetables are soft and the mushrooms are brown, about 5 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Drain the excess water from the bulgar wheat.
In a bowl, add the bulgar wheat and vegetables. Add salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, italian seasoning, nutritional yeast (adds a cheesy flavor without the calories), tomato ketchup, walnuts, parsley and 1/2 cup bread crumbs (add more, if required) and stir for 1-2 minutes until the mixture holds together.
Coat a 5ʺ x 9ʺ loaf pan with cooking spray and spread the loaf mixture and smooth the top. Top the loaf with tomato ketchup or sauce. Bake for 50-55 mins. Allow it to cool for 10 mins before slicing it.
Cut the loaf into 1/2ʺ slices and serve with mashed potatoes and gravy. You can use the left over slices as a sandwich filling to replace your usual burger patties.
To prepare the gravy:
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 tsp garlic powder
2-3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
Pepper, to taste
2 tbsp all purpose flour
In a saucepan, dry roast the all purpose flour and add the vegetable broth and stir with a whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. When the gravy becomes thick, add the garlic powder, soy sauce and pepper. If the gravy is too thick, add a little water to get the desired consistency.
Makes 12-14 slices.
