Pasta with Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Here is filling, healthy and yummy vegan Alfredo sauce with pasta and variety of sauteed vegetables. Here you can basically use any choice of pasta and any single/mix of vegetables as you like. This sauce tastes good with almost anything.

Serving size: 3

Ingredients:

1 cup raw cashews
2.5 cup water
2 tbs all purpose flour
1.5 tsp garlic powder/ fresh garlic
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbs olive oil
1 tsp dried basil/fresh basil

Combine cashews and 1 cup of water with flour, salt, garlic and oil. and blend it to smooth paste. Add remaining water and blend until all even. Pour the mixture in a pan, cook it on medium flame and bring it to boil. Make sure to stir in between to avoid forming lumps. Once boiling, turn off the stove and add basil. Serve with your choice of pasta and veggies. Enjoy while warm.

Tahini salad dressing

This is our house favorite dressing. With just a right amount of tangy taste and creamy texture, this salad brings mouthful of fresh, crisp goodness with every bite. It is not only easy and quick to fix but filling too :) Mix it with your favorite veggies and enjoy without guilt. I found it best to be paired with baby spinach though.

Serving size: 2

Ingredients:
2 tbs tahini sauce (make sure to buy a good brand or make your own at home from sesame seeds)
2 tbs EVOO (Extra Vergin Olive oil) ( select light in the flavor to keep tahini as a main flavor or you can use VOO )
3.5 tbs fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and make an even paste. Add in mixture of salad veggies of your likes and mix well. We like it with baby spinach, cherry tomato and cucumber. But you can basically add in whatever you like. Serve immediately with main course or just as it is :)

pav (bun)

Here is the recipe for indian pav (bun) that we use for pavbhaji, vadapav, dabeli, misalpav, sev usal, maska bun etc....this absolutely delicious pieces of breads are my household favorites. Hope you all like them too.

Ingredients:

1 packet rapidrise yeast
2 tbs sugar
lukewarm water
3 tbs unsalted butter/oil
1 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour

recipe:

In a big bowl, add 1 packet yeast (2and 1/4 tsp) and 2 tbs sugar. Add 1+1/4 cup lukewarm water (100 F) and mix well. let it set for 5 minutes.

Add 3 tbs of melted unsalted butter/oil, 1 tsp salt and mix well. add 3 cups of all purpose flour and make a sticky dough.

keep kneading the dough for 8-10 minutes using more butter/oil and upto 1/3 cup of flour. it is very important to knead the dough for that long to develop gluten and to make the dough elastic. it will help produce fluffy and light pav.

coat the dough with butter/oil and cover the bowl with wet cloth. make sure the bowl is deep enough to let the dough rise double in size. Let it res for an hour.

get a tray ready to arrange the pav by greasing the walls and bottom and then dusting with some flour.

knead the dough again for 8-10 mins with some more butter/oil and some flour if needed. divide into 15-18 parts, make small rounds and arrange in the tray leaving 1-2 inch space all around.

again cover with wet towel and let it rest for 1 hour or until double in size.

bake at 450 F for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

enjoy however you like them.

   

Kathiyawadi chilli pickle

Here is a recipe of kathiyawadi style chilli pickle. Every household in kathiyawad, Gujarat have their own variation of this pickle. Here is how my granny, mom and aunts used to make it, and we grew up eating. Normally this pickle is made with red chillies grown in a particular area in kathiyawad. They are called Gondaliya Marcha,  but since we don't find them here in US, I made them with habanero chillies and they still came out delicious. This recipe can be used for any type of chillies. Do let me know how you like it.

Ingredients:

Habanero chillies: 10
Crushed/split mustard seeds: 1/4 cup
Crushed/split fenugreek seeds: 2 tbs
Coarsely crushed black pepper: 2 tbs
Fennel seeds: 2 tbs
Turmeric powder: 1tsp
Asafetida: 1tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil: enough to submerge all chillies
Sugar: 1 tbs
Lime/ lemon juice: 3 tbs or according to taste.

Recipe:
Wash, dry, de seed  and cut chillies into 2 inch strips.
Heat some oil in a pan, turn off the gas and add Asafetida,  Turmeric powder, crushed mustard seeds, crushed fenugreek seeds, Fennel seeds, black pepper and mix well.
add chillies, salt, sugar, lime/lemon juice and mix all well together. Add enough oil so that everything is submerged. Fill in a sanitized jar and keep out for a day. Refrigerate later for extra crisp and freshness.

whole mung daal

Here is very simple yet delicious and satisfying recipe for mung daal.  It is super easy, healthy and very common recipe in Gujarat,  India.

Ingredients:
Whole mung: 1 cup
Garlic: 6-7 cloves
green chillies: 2-3 chopped
Ginger: 1 inch
Tomato: 2 finely cut
Salt as per taste
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
asefetida: 1 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1tsp
dhana-jeera powder: 2 tbs
Chilli powder: 1 tbs
Lemon juice: 1 lemon
Oil: 1 tbs
water

Recipe:
Wash and Soak whole mung over night.
wash again and add water enough to dip 1/3 of index finger from the top surface of mung beans.

1. In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tbs oil, add cumin seeds, Asafetida,  Turmeric powder,  garlic, ginger, green chillies and stir fry for few seconds. Add little red chilli powder for color and tomato. Cook for few more minutes. Now add whole mung with water. Add salt, sugar, dhana-jeera powder, chilli powder, cover and cook for 2-3 whistles. Let it cool down completely before opening. Add lemon juice and cilantro.. if mung beans have not been soaked overnight than you can still follow the same recipe but make sure to cook for 7-8 whistles.  

Cabbage oatmeal puda

Today being Sunday we woke up late and on the top of that cuddled for an hour or so with kids in the bed. By the time we got out of bed, it was almost 10 and we were all super hungry. No one was in mood for cereal or bread in the morning, so I made these cabbage oatmeal puda in hurry and we all dug in for the yummy satisfying treat. I made little extra batter thinking of our trip later in the day. But to my surprise, not only my hubby overate but my 3 yr and 1 yr kiddos ate them deliciously too :) and at the end, no extra puda or batter was left :) hope you like them as well.

 Ingredients: serving size: 4 persons

cabagge 1/2 head

 Ginger 1 inch

 Oatmeal 1/2 cup. I used old fashioned oatmeal, but any oatmeal could be used.

Salt as per taste

 Kasuri methi 1 tbs crushed

Sugar 1 tbs optional

Carrom seeds 1 tsp

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Green chilli 3-4

Turmeric 1 tsp





Recipe:

 Crush dry 1 cup oatmeal in a blender and make a coarse powder form. Add remaining 1/2 cup oatmeal in a bowl along with crushed one. Add salt, coarsely crushed cumin and carrom seeds, turmeric powder, kasuri methi and sugar. Add water and make a batter with thick consistency. It is okay if it is not a smooth batter. Add finely chopped or shredded cabagge, green chillies and ginger. Taste for salt and all and adjust according to your taste.

In a dosa pan, or similar pan, heat up one tsp oil and coat the whole pan. On a low-medium heat, add one scoop of batter, cover it with parchment paper and spread it in round by pressing with your palm. Let it cook on medium setting for few minutes, slowly remove the parchment paper and turn the puda other side. Let it cook for few more minutes or until crisp and done. You can use the same parchment paper for all the puda.

Serve hot with green chatney, ketchup or cold yogurt.

Spinach beans ( palak chhole)

My husband loves greens, and I try my best to incorporate them in daily foods for my kids too. But the problem is, my hubby only likes them if they are cut very very fine. And I hate to cut greens superfine on my lazy days. So I came up with palak chhole, which not only provides tons of greens but protein and carbs from chhole too. It is very filling, healthy and all in one dish. My kids and hubby absolutely love this, and I hope you like it too :)

 Ingredients: serving size: 4

1 whole bunch spinach

2 cans garbenzo beans/ 1/2 cup raw garbenzobeans

 Ginger 1 inch

Garlic 4 cloves

 Onion 1 medium

 Tomato 2 whole

 Whole black pepper 1 tsp

Cinnamon 1 inch

Cardemum seeds 1 tsp

 Cloves 4-5

Fennel seeds 1 tbs

Cumin seeds 1 tbs

Whole coriander seeds 2 tbs

 Dry kasuri methi 2tbs

Water




Salt to taste

Asafetida 1 tsp

 Sugar 1 tbs

 Lemon juice 1 tbs




Recipe:





Wash and rinse canned garbenzo beans and set aside. If you are using raw ones than wash them and soak them overnight. Wash them again and pressure cook with some salt and 4 cups of water for one whistle. Lower the flame and cook for 45 minutes and let it cool down completely.

Wash and cook spinach with one cup of water and 1tsp salt. Cook it open until tender. Do not cover while cooking to maintain the bright green color. Let it cool down completely.

In a pan heat some oil, add black pepper, cloves, cardamum, cinamon, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds. Roast it till aroma comes. add asafetida, turmeric, onion and some salt. Let it cook few minutes and add garlic, ginger and cook it raw aroma is gone. Now add finely chopped tomatoes, cover and cook till oil seperates. Let it cool down.

In a blander, blend all this cooked mixture together. Add cooked spinach and blend all to a puree.

Pour it back to the pan, add cooked/canned garbanzo beans and water. Check for salt. Add some sugar and lemon juice and crushed kasuri methi. Cook open at low flame for 5-7 minutes.

Serve hot with rice or paratha. It is still yummy if you eat it alone :)  

Green peas kachori

This kachories are our family favorites. Crispy outside and moisty inside.......they are little pieces of awesomeness :) My hubby loves to eat them just as it is with some green and temerind chatneys while I take my time making a kachori chat and dig in ;) A perfect teatime snack especially when it is raining outside. If you are too health conscious than go ahead and bake them instead of frying.....they will still come out delicious :)

Ingredients: serving size: 4 people

For outer layer:

All purpose flour: 1+1/2 cup

Suji: 2 tbs

Oil/ghee: 1+1/2 tbs

Water

Salt to taste

For stuffing:

Onion: 1 medium

Ginger paste: 1 tbs

Garlic paste: 1 tbs

Green chilli paste: 1 tbs

Green peas: 1 small pack

Salt to taste

Turmeric: 1 tsp

Asafetida: 1 tsp

Chilli powder: 1/2 tbs

Dhana-jeera powder: 1 tbs

Sugar: 1 tbs

Lime/aamchur powder: 1 lime juice/1 tbstbs

 Recipe:
 In a big bowl, combine all purpose flour, suji, salt, oil/ghee and mix well. Let it aside for 5 minutes. Add water little by little and prepare a dough like paratha. Not too soft, not too hard.

Wash and crush green peas and set aside.

In a pan, heat some oil, add asafetida and turmeric. Add finely chopped onion, little salt and cook it till little brown.

Add ginger, garlic, green chilli paste and let it cook for couple of minutes.

Add green peas, salt and cook on low- medium flame. Cook until you have dry mixture,
 It should not stick to your spoon anymore. This will take a long time. You can also microwave it to dry all the moisture. It is very important that all moisture go away, otherwise kacories will not be able to stay crisp for longer.

Once cooked, add chilli powder, sugar, dhanajeera powder, lemon n juice/aamchur powder. Taste and correct all the spices.

Roll small chapati from dough, stuff little of the mixture with a spoon, seal off and discard extra dough. Make sure to keep rolling the stuffed kachori in between your palms to make it perfect round.

Heat some oil and fry these kachories at medium flame till golden brown.

Enjoy with chatneys or tea :)

Dry bitter guard ( karela) subji

This is the recipe I developed when I was looking for a cure to control my blood sugar levels during my gestational diabetes. It worked wonders. Just one serving of this karela sabji in the lunch used to regulate my blood sugars all day long. And funny thing is, this happens to be my Hubby's favorite vegetable too. And now I am so blessed that both my kiddos just love the way I cook this bitter vegetable. Hope you like it too.

Ingredients: serving size 4

Bitter guard: 10 medium size

 Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Cumin seeds: 2 tsp

Asafetida: 1 tsp

 Turmeric: 1 tsp

Dhaniya powder: 2 tbs

 Salt: 4 tbs

Sugar: 1 tbs

Gram flour: 4 tbs

Lemon juice: from 1 lemon

Cumin powder: 1 tbs

Red chilli powder: 1/2 tbs

Oil: 3 tbs

Cilantro for garnishing

Method:
 1. Wash and cut bitter guard in think slices. Add 3 tbs salt, mix well and set aside for half an hour.

2. After half an hour, wash and rinse bitter guard properly to take all salt out, let it dry for another half hour.

3. In a pan heat 3 tbs oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add cumin seeds, asafetida, turmeric powder and washed and dried bitter guard.

4. Add some salt and let it cook stirring occasionally.

5. Once bitter guard is almost done, add gram flour, cover it and let it cook for 5 minutes at medium flame.

6. Add sugar, chilli powder, cumin powder, dhaniya powder, lemon juice and mix well. Cover turn off gas and let it set couple of minutes.

7. Serve and garnish with cilantro.

PS: Add more sugar if you still find the bitter taste bothersome. Many completely omit the use of sugar while eating bitter guard. Choice is always yours :)