This post is dedicated to Food Network’s summer fest’s special edition: Back to school lunches! I remember when I was a kid, tiffins were the highlights of my day! I used to wait eagerly for the lunch recess so I can sit back, relax and indulge my mom made various dishes everyday and sometimes share it too!! Aah precious childhood!

So this time I am participating with my recipe of Corn (pan)cakes with yummy black bean salad. _­Corny, spicy, lemony and cumin flavored aah absolutely refreshing! This (pan)cakes have become one of our favorites for summer or at least till we get fresh corn in the market! It’s very easy to make but I guarantee it will become your favorite too!

So here’s what you will need:

Corn (pan)cakes with Black bean, roasted corn salad

Total time: 40-45 minutes

Corn cakes: Yields: 6-8 cakes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh corn or 1 cup pureed partially
• 1 ½  cup Yellow cornmeal
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds
• 1 Jalapeno, chopped finely
• 1 Tbsp honey
• ½ cup buttermilk (or use as required)
• Few Tbsps of Olive oil for the corn cakes

Method:

1. Puree corn using food processor. Make sure you do not completely liquidity it, leave some coarse chunks too. Keep it aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl add cornmeal, baking powder, salt, cumin seeds, honey along with chopped jalapenos and pureed corn. Mix well and add buttermilk as required few tablespoons at a time. Again mix well and keep it aside for at least 20 minutes.
3. When you are ready to make the cakes, pre-heat the non-stick pan. Check on corn batter, if it is too dry add more buttermilk and make it a pourable consistency. Check on salt too.
4. When pan is hot, with a measuring cup pour 1/4 cup of batter into the skillet for each corn cake. Splash bit of olive oil on each side of cakes while cooking them. Cook until you see caramelized layer on the cakes. This will take 2-3 minutes on each side.
5. Serve warm with slightly cold roasted corn salad.

Note: The cakes won’t be too soft and fluffy like pancakes because we are not using eggs here. But I love the texture.

Black bean and Roasted corn salad

Ingredients:

• 2 Corn on the cobs
• 1 can organic black beans – rinsed
• 1 Red bell pepper diced
• 1 Jalapeno, chopped
• ½ cup chopped green onions (optional)
• ½ cup Chopped fresh cherry tomatoes
• ½  Cumin Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Method:

1. Grill corn on the gas stove and let it cool down before you cut the corn off the cob.
2. In a large serving bowl, mix all the ingredients above and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.

Cumin lemon vinaigrette

Ingredients:

• 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
• 3 Tbsp Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 4 Tbsp Avocado oil or Olive oil
• ½ cup Finely chopped cilantro leaves
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:

In a bowl, whisk lemon juice and oil along with salt, pepper and cumin powder. Mix thoroughly. Add cilantro leaves when you are ready to use the vinaigrette. Store it in a glass jar in refrigerator.

How to assemble:

Layer your serving platter with warm corn (pan)cakes and top it with Slightly cold Bean salad tossed in Cumin vinaigrette and garnish with some cilantro leaves, cumin powder and some cheese (if you prefer).

Also check out for my other foodie friends are making for this special edition!

• Tidy Mom: Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Peanut Butter Cookies
• Made by Michelle: Almond Butter and Banana Sandwiches
• Chez Us: Healthy Tuna Salad
• And Love It Too: Healthy Lunchbox 2012: The Ultimate Collection
• Napa Farmhouse 1885: Back to School Roasted Chicken Legs
• Bacon and Souffle: Gruyere Grilled Cheese With Apple Salad
• Zaika Zabardast: Fresh Corn Cakes With Black Bean Salad Tossed in Cumin Vinaigrette
• This Girl Can Eat: Cashew-Curry Chicken Salad Sandwiches
• Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Spicy-Korean “Ramen” Noodle Soup
• Haute Apple Pie: Edamame Hummus
• Feed Me Phoebe: Deviled Egg Salad Sandwiches
• Creative Culinary: Margarita Watermelon
• Big Girls Small Kitchen: Swiss Chard Turnovers With Parmesan and Pistachios

Question: Do you pack your lunch or you eat outside? If you pack you own, I would love it if you share your ideas too!

In this stir fry I have used the combination of jalapeno and green bell peppers but you can go wild with how hot you like. This stir fry is super easy to make. It goes really well with hot roti, rice or as a side dish or salad. I was just munching on it like snack. This is a recipe of one of my aunt who we visited every summer when we were kids. This stir fry was always there in her menu because she knew how much we loved it. She is one loving and caring person who is always ready to give and do things for other. She always has this bright big smile that will enlighten your day any time of the day. Love her! And you know the most exciting part of our visit was that we got to eat farm fresh food every time besides her warm hospitality.  And that was a real treat for us. I do not know the exact recipe but I do remember how it looked and tasted. So here’s my version of quick and easy Peanut-Pepper Stir Fry!

Yields: 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1 ½  cup chopped Peppers
• 1 cup boiled Peanuts
• 1 tsp Sesame Seeds
• 1 Tbsp Canola oil or any vegetable oil
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds and mustard seeds
• A pinch of Hing
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• Lemon juice to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro

Method:

• Rinse peanuts and boil it in a microwave with a pinch of salt in it for 7 minutes. While it’s boiling, chop the peppers. Be careful while handling it. Rinse hands with generous amount of salt after using it.
• Heat the oil in a medium wok or stir fry pan. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let it crackle.
• Add sesame seeds and hing along with some salt and chopped peppers. Toss or mix and let it cook on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
• Once peppers are almost cooked add boiled (strained) peanuts. Add rest of the spices and mix well. Let it cook (covered) for another 5-7 minutes.
• Drizzle with some lemon juice and check the salt before serving it. Garnish with some cilantro and sesame seeds. Enjoy with hot roti or rice or just munch on! Enjoy!

Also check out what my other blogger friends have made with peppers!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Stuffed Peppers With Quinoa Grilled Vegetables and Pesto Sauce
Cooking With Elise: Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
What’s Gaby Cooking: Oven-Roasted Peppers With Herbed Breadcrumbs
And Love It Too: Roasted Red Pepper Paleo Hummus
Feed Me Phoebe: Grilled Flank Steak With Gazpacho Sauce
Big Girls Small Kitchen: Seared Pepper Tacos With Pintos and Avocado Crema
Delicious Lean: Peppery Kung Pao
Daily*Dishin: Shrimp and Chorizo With Red Pepper Chermoula Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Dip With Baked Corn Tortillas
Thursday Night Dinner: Black Bean and Sweet Pepper Salad
Cooking Channel: 5 Stuffed Pepper Favorites
HGTV Gardens: Garden to Table: Peppers
Sweet Life Bake: Rajas de Poblano con Elote y Crema
Zaika Zabardast: Peanut Pepper Stir-fry
Dishin & Dishes: Bacon, Onion and Green Chile “Jam”
Healthy Eats: Peppers for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Question: Do you like Peppers? If yes, how do you enjoy it?

Here’s a quick recap for recipes that I have created using summer produces like Berries, Mango, Broccoli, Avocado, Cucumber, Zucchini, Squash, Stone fruit, Watermelon etc.All these produces are available right now in your local grocery market. So why not make a best use of what is available and make your meal affordable, healthy yet delicious! Let’s enjoy summer together

“Image courtesy: Google”

Summer is at its high peak and the weather demands for some chilled drinks!

Strawberry Cheesecake Milkshake - Strawberries are still available in the market and that too at good price. Grab some before it is gone to make this delicious fulfilling, low calorie healthy milkshake. I know you will get hooked to it.

Mango-Pineapple non alcoholic Sangria – So summery! Mango, pineapple, mint and ginger – bliss! And oh kid friendly too

Kid Friendly Mango Pineapple Sangria

Rooh Afza Lemonade – Refreshing and perfect to beat the heat. Rose, lemon and cumin does wonders.

Breakfast:

Berry Lemon Scones – Looking for perfect healthy breakfast? Here’s the solution – Make this delicious, flaky berry lemon scones to accompany your coffee! You won’t need to stop at Starbucks next time – I guarantee that!

“Berry scones drizzled with lemon glaze”

Not in mood to eat scones? Make these wholesome banana crunch muffins that are made of Healthy whole wheat flour, granola, nuts and banana!

Wholesome Banana crunch muffins

Or how about some savory breakfast?

Sun dried tomato pesto breakfast rolls Can be made earlier and store at room temperature.

“What to make for dinner tonight”?? That is the one question that rises in every household everyday. Doesn’t it? Even I am blank sometimes when I am too tired or feeling lazy to cook dinner or even lunch!   So here are some ideas to help you make quick, easy and healthy meal at home in no time.

Soups, Sandwiches and Salads:

In mood to have soup in this hot weather? Really? Well yes, you can still have it. These soups tastes best when served at room temperature or chilled.

Broccoli-pistachio soup with avocado

Cucumber Gazpacho with avocado and spiced croutons

And if your weather demands for something hot then here’s what you can make

Hearty Potato soup

Sandwiches are like always go to meals in our house. Easy to make yet yummy and fulfilling.

Classic Indian Summer Sandwich

Simple vegetable tea time sandwich with cucumber ranch

Sun dried tomato pesto Sandwich with grilled tofu

Salads are just not about leafy greens anymore! Pasta salad, Fruit salad, Quinoa salad and what not! Salads can take place of your meal easily if prepared carefully.

Caprese

Mediterranean pasta salad

Peach n Beetroot salad with Lemon n Shallot Vinaigrette

Quinoa salad with Kale and Summer vegetables – Best when served at room temperature

Spinach Strawberry salad with Baked Goat cheese

Watermelon Mozzarella Salad

Some dinner ideas for using summer produce!

Greek Zucchini and beetroot fritters

Caramelized Onion and Tomato Tart

Corn Chevdo/ No-rice Risotto – No need to eat starchy risotto when you can make risotto using fresh corn.

Pan-fried Bruschetta with thai tomato chutney – I can have this all day every day! Flavors are just amazing.

Spring pasta with lemony, garlicky, buttery walnut sauce – we love this!

Char grilled Broccoli with Cherry chillies and garlic tadka – perfect side dish

Chole Chaat

5 Layer Mexican dip Eggplant Raita/Dip

Balsamic Cherries n Peach crisp

Mangomisu Swiss Rolls

No-bake chocolate pudding

Orange Custard – Hubby’s favorite

Pineapple coconut curd that goes well on scones, biscuits or cupcakes!

And last but never the least our favorite Strawberry ricotta mousse

Question: How are you all celebrating summer??

Time really flies, isn’t it? I cannot believe it is already August. Does that ring bells for fall around the corner? Yes, it does. Can’t wait for summer to get over, I am just tired of high heat and humidity around here in Nashville. Every time when I want to do food photography, I have to go in my patio and that is killing me these days because of heat. It’s really crazy. So besides heat do I love summer? Yes, I do. I get to see sunlight for long hours and get to eat some of my favorite produces. Like mango, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, squash, watermelon…wow I will really miss summer for all these!

Talking about summer, Food network’s summer fest is back and I am excited to participate along with few other fellow bloggers. Every week they give one ingredient which has to be the hero of the dish we create and today’s hero is “Tomatoes”! I enjoy summer fest especially because it really pushes me to try out new things and get out of my comfort zone. Last year I made Tomato ice cream for the summer fest and this year I tried making Tomato truffles but recipe is still under progress. I will post it if I am happy with the end results.

But for now I decided to share my favorite quick and easy “Sun dried tomato pesto Sandwich with grilled tofu and vegetables”. I normally make this sandwich with regular basil pesto but I thought to switch the ingredients a bit and it actually worked well. Sun dried tomato pesto is my all time favorite alternative to regular basil pesto. It is tangy, tomaty and I love the texture of it.

This is very easy to make recipe. The important step here is to marinate the tofu with the pesto so it absorbs the flavors. Then grill it along with other summer vegetables like here I used eggplant, onion, red pepper etc… So here’s what you need for this yummy sandwich.

Grilled tofu and sun-dried tomato pesto grilled sandwich.

Yields: 4 Sandwiches

Total time: About ½ hour and another ½ hour for marination

Ingredients:

• 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 8 slices (2 for each sandwich)
  ½ cup Sun dried tomato pesto (Recipe follows)
  1 Red bell pepper, thick slices
• Few thick slices of Eggplant
• ½ Red onion, thick slices
• Salt and pepper to taste
• EVOO to grill the sandwich
• 8 slices of good cheese, I used Jalapeno jack and mozzarella (use whatever you have available)
• 8 slices of any whole grain bread of your choice

Method:

Prepare tofu to marinate. Drain well and in a flat glass tray rub tofu with sun-dried tomato pesto and let it marinate till you prepare other vegetables.

Cut the vegetables, season it with salt and pepper and grill using bit EVOO. Charcoal grill is best but in this heat I preferred to stay inside and use my iron pan to grill it on gas. I did not get grilled marks but the taste was good.

Once you are done grilling vegetables, on the same pan grill marinated tofu and grill till you get those charred marks.

Now it is time to assemble the sandwich. Spread some pesto on each slices of bread. Layer it with cheese, tofu, vegetables and cheese. Cover the sandwich with other slice of bread and grill the sandwich either on sandwich maker or in a same pan you grilled vegetables.

Enjoy!

Sun dried tomato Pesto recipe:

Total time: 10 minutes

Yields: 1 1/2 cups

Method:

• 1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil or else add 1/2 cup of EVOO
• 2 garlic cloves (Add more if you really love garlic)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves packed or 1/4 cup dried basil
• 2 Tbsp roasted pine nuts or walnuts
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Blend the sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, pine nuts, salt and pepper and basil in a food processor and blend until the tomatoes are finely chopped. Stir in the Parmesan and blend once.

Transfer the tomato mixture to a bowl and use as required. Or you can even store it in a refrigerator for a week or so.

P.S. I figured that I really suck at taking pictures of sandwiches. I just cannot get the right angle. How do you do it? I would love to learn if you have anything to share about it.

Also check out what my fellow bloggers made out of tomatoes this time! Fun, fun!

Cooking With Elise: Fresh Tomato Sauce
Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Tomato Gazpacho Salsa
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Tomato Cobbler Anyone?
Virtually Homemade: Spaghetti With Tomatoes, Prosciutto and Fresh Corn
What’s Gaby Cooking: Chicken Kebabs With Romesco Sauce
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Salmon Spaghetti With Plum Tomatoes and Avocado
Feed Me Phoebe: Roasted Fresh Tomato Puttanesca Sauce
Chez Us: Easy Tomato Tart
Made By Michelle: Tomato and Pesto Pizza
Ingredients, Inc.: Lighter Fried Green Tomatoes
Delicious Lean: Creamy Light Tuna Salad Stuffed Tomatoes
Daily*Dishin: Spicy Tomato-Tomatillo Chicken Tenders
From My Corner of Saratoga: Tomato Jam
Dishin & Dishes: Tomato Zucchini Frittata
And Love It Too: Roasted Garlic, Basil and Tomato Paleo Tart
Healthy Eats: The Fresh-for-Once Tomato
Sweet Life Bake: Pico de Gallo
Zaika Zabardast: Grilled Tofu and Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sandwich
Thursday Night Dinner: Tomato and Watermelon Salad
Cooking Channel: How to Prepare Summer Tomatoes
FN Dish: Tomatoes Go Beyond Salads

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a new grain that is very popular these days in my house.We are absolutely enjoying this nutty flavored tiny ancient Peruvian seeds(grain), which is full of protein, fiber, magnesium, iron and what not! Oh, I can’t even remember all the benefits but overall it is a winner of all the grains.

So what is Quinoa and how to cook it?

Quinoa (pronounced keh-NO-ah or, sometimes, KEEN-wah) is a relative newcomer to the American pantry. The tiny, ancient Peruvian seed, which has a mild, nutty flavor, is related to leafy green vegetables and is often used like a grain. Quinoa is as versatile as rice but it has a protein content that is superior to that of most grains, because it contains all the essential amino acids.

In particular, quinoa is high in lysine, an amino acid important for tissue growth and repair. It’s also a good source of manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and copper, and it has a high iron content. (Source: Nytimes.com)

Quinoa is very easy to prepare and it can easily take place of other grains in your palate. First time when I cooked quinoa on the stove top, I made a huge mess. It was lumpy, watery and just not good. We still ate it but not satisfied. So next time I googled and figured out the best and easy way to cook quinoa is in rice cooker. Make sure you take double amount water compared to the quantity of quinoa. Cook in rice cooker the way you cook rice. Rinse quinoa (although if it says it is pre-rinsed, rinse it well), add 1 tsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt to it to add bit of flavor. Once cooked, fluff the cooked quinoa with fork. Leave it aside and use it as desired.

Tip: Make sure that cooked quinoa is not watery when cooked. If it is cook for few more minutes. And you can even cook quinoa with vegetable stock to add more flavors.

Here I have made quinoa pilaf salad with lotsss of summer vegetables, kale and some nuts. You can use whatever you have available in your pantry and still enjoy it. Either make it like pilaf or serve stir fried vegetables over the cooked quinoa. Either way it is great. I am sure if you try it, you will enjoy as much we did.

Quinoa pilaf salad:

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Cooked Quinoa
• 2 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic
• 1 medium Red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium red Onion, sliced
• 1 cup chopped Kale
• 2 cups diced Vegetables (I used zucchini and summer squash)
• ¼ cup chopped Almonds
• ¼ cup dried Cranberries
• ½ squeezed fresh Lemon juice or to taste
• Handful of fresh chopped herbs like basil, thyme, rosemary etc… (Use dry if fresh not available)
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle in the end (optional)

Method:

1. While your quinoa is cooking, you can sauté vegetables on the side. This way both the things will be done under 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat.
3. When oil is hot, add chopped almonds. Saute for a minute, let it get slightly roasted. This way you do not need to roast them separately and the almond flavor will incorporate in oil.
4. Now add sliced onions and chopped kale. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for few more minutes and add other vegetables.
5. Cook until vegetables are slightly soft, but not overcooked. Cooking all these normally takes less than 10 minutes.
6. Sprinkle crushed red pepper and handful of cranberries along with cooked and fluffed quinoa.
7. Drizzle a tablespoon of EVOO and fresh lemon juice. Mix everything well and let it cook for another minute or two.
8. Make sure it is properly seasoned before you serve it.

Serve hot or cold, it is best any way.

Question: Have you ever tried quinoa? Do you like it or love it or not a fan of it? Why?

If you have your favorite recipe of quinoa, please share. I would love to try it.

Thanks,

I have been meaning to share this recipe from long time. But as some of you know (facebook fans) I have got tendonitis in my right wrist and doctor has asked me to give it rest. And I am a right-handed so it has been pretty tough and boring because of limitations. But by God’s grace and V’s full support, it is recovering pretty well. I still need to take precautions like wear a wrist brace strictly for few more weeks, ice massage n do some special exercise. So hopefully I will be able to get back to normal routine pretty soon.

Salt and pepper tofu – way too simple, quick, healthy, tasty and comfy! That says it all about this dish. It gets ready in minutes and it is super healthy because of course of tofu. By any chance if you are a tofu lover like me, you are surely going to love this recipe. I remember when I tried this dish for the first time at our favorite restaurant “Lucky Palace” in Pocatello. We used to go there a lot – almost on every occasion. The owner was such a nice woman. Her warm welcome used to make us go there again and again. Too bad the restaurant closed down because of recession and till this day I haven’t had same salt and pepper tofu!

The magic key to get this dish right is to season it properly with salt and pepper. Not much or no less – just properly seasoned. Perfect seasoned dish can literally win over any dish that is under seasoned. You know who am I thinking of right now when I say “Properly seasoned”? Mr. Ramsay! I can literally hear his voice in my head – saying “Under seasoned/properly seasoned” to his Master chef season 3 contestants. I love this show not only because it is a cooking show but it is very inspiring. Do you watch the show? If not, you are really missing out. There is this one contestant Christina, who is BLIND but oh boy she is outstanding! No matter what you give her to cook, she does an incredible job. Brave and inspiring are the words for her.

Check out the video :

Isn’t she brilliant?

Coming back to the recipe, traditionally tofu is deep-fried in this recipe. But I used shallow fry method and used EVOO to make it healthier. But you can definitely go for deep-frying method using normal canola/vegetable oil.

I am sure you will love this comfy, healthy n quick recipe.  Here’s what you need to make crispy salt and pepper tofu.

Ingredients:

• 1 pk Extra firm drained Tofu
• ½ cup Corn starch
• Salt and pepper to taste (about ½ tsp each)
• 2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra virgin Olive oil) to shallow fry
• Red chili oil
• Few strings of celery – sliced diagonally
• 1 or 2 Green onions – sliced diagonally

Method:

1. Drain tofu very well. Cut in to one inch cubes and keep it aside.
2. In a medium zip-lock bag, add corn starch, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Add tofu pieces to the corn starch mixture. Zip the bag and toss it well. Make sure all the tofu pieces are well coated.
4. Heat EVOO in a non-stick skillet on medium heat. Fry tofu pieces in a batch. Do not crowd up, otherwise it won’t crisp up. Turn the sides in between using tong or toss the tofu (chef style).
5. Serve it on a platter with toothpicks. Garnish with chopped celery and green onions. Oh and do not forget to sprinkle some freshly ground black pepper.
6. It goes very well with simple red chili oil. If you do not know how to make it, let me know.

Tips:

1. Make sure the pan is hot enough otherwise tofu won’t crisp up properly.
2. Celery n salt and pepper tofu are like perfect match. For me, I have to have one piece of celery with each tofu piece along with bit chili oil. Just comfy! So do not skip on celery, you will love the combo.
3. I really love Trader Joe’s tofu. It is organic yet cheaper than normal tofu. So go for Trader Joe’s tofu if you have the store close by.

Question: Do you like Tofu?? Yes/No – why?

I am crazy for tofu. I can have it all day every day.

Enjoy!

Amishi – Comment #7

Congratulations! Winner have 24 hours to get back to me. Or else I will have to pick another winner.

It’s a Giveaway time – AGAIN! Birthday celebration continues with my another promised giveaway! And this time, It is a box full of fresh, beautiful and carefully grown the famous Lipman tomatoes! Do I even need to mention that this giveaway is sponsored by Lipman tomatoes? Yup, it is. So generous. Thank you Lipman! I will get back to giveaway details in a while. At first let’s talk about what I made of these beautiful tomatoes!

Do you remember my post about Tiamo tarts that I made using Lipman tomatoes?  So this time I have made Thai tomato chutney using their gorgeous, delicious cherry tomatoes and used it on my all time favorite snack – Bruschetta.

Bruschetta! Pan fried baguette in EVOO/butter or both, rubbed with garlic and topped with the toppings you like…mmmm the best! There might be many ways to make bruschetta but I prefer pan-fried method over oven toasted. Have you seen this movie Julie and Julia? Oh, of course you did, if you love food. It is my all time favorite movie. If you remember in that movie, Julie replicates Julia’s recipe of bruschetta using pan-fried method and from that day I am a fan of making bruschetta this way.Yup, I noticed!

Pan frying makes a whole lotta difference in the world. Believe me! Do try it yourself.

Here’s how to make Pan fried bruschetta!

Ingredients

• 1 French baguette, sliced ½ – ¾ inch thick diagonally
• 3 Tbsp EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil)
• 3 Tbsp butter (Optional use EVOO instead)
• 3 big cloves of garlic, peeled
• ½ cup fresh mozzarella cheese (I used tiny mozzarella balls)
• 1 cup Thai tomato chutney (Recipe follows)

Method:

1. In a separate bowl, mix mozzarella cheese with Thai chutney and keep aside.
2. In a large non-stick pan/skillet, heat EVOO along with butter(if using or else more EVOO) and toast the bread slices on both sides, until you get nice golden color.
3. Remove the bread from the pan and immediately carefully rub the garlic clove over the hot bread. Use paper towel if required to hold the hot bread slice. This way hot bread will soak the garlic flavor in to it and gives it amazing flavor. Believe me, it really makes whole lotta difference.
4. Arrange bread slices in a serving platter and top each one with a chutney/cheese mixture. Garnish with few julienned basil leaves and enjoy!

Thai Chutney

This chutney is out of the world. Made with delicious Lipman cherry tomatoes and packed with refreshing Thai flavors. Bit tangy, bit sweet and bit spicy. All in one byte. It is absolutely delicious.

Ingredients:

• 1 pint Lipman Cherry Tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp chopped Lemon grass
• ½ Tbsp Galangal/Ginger
• 2 Tbsp chopped Onion/Shallots
• 2 cloves chopped Garlic
• 2 Tbsp chopped Thai Basil
• 1 tsp Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Red crushed pepper to taste
• Zest of one lime
• 1 tsp Lime juice
• 1 tsp Soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp Brown sugar

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add lemon grass and galangal and sauté for a minute until fragrant. Add chopped shallot/onion and garlic. Season with some salt and pepper and sauté for 3-4 minutes.
2. Add whole cherry tomatoes, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, soy sauce, lime juice and lime zest.
3. Mix, cover and cook for about 10–15 minutes or until thickened. You do not want too thick or too watery chutney. So cook accordingly. Stir in between.
4. Let it cool down a bit and grind in food processor. Just for few times. We want chunky chutney not puree.

Why the color is different? Because I tried making this chutney using Roma tomatoes. Result? Color is different but no compromise on taste! So make it with whatever you have available.

Now let’s talk about giveaway.

Lipman tomatoes is giving away One box full of different tomatoes that they grow in their field. Different verity includes their most famous Tiamos, cherry, Jewel, Roma and Heirloom tomatoes. I do not know exact quantity but it’s a lot that’s all I can say.

See what I am talking about?

Here’s how you can enter:

This giveaway is open for USA residents only.

This giveaway is open until Thursday (5/31/12) 11:59:59 pm (your time). I will pick one lucky winner on Friday (06/01/12).

Because of Memorial day long weekend holiday here in USA, I am extending the giveaway deadline for another week. Now the giveaway is open until Thursday (06/07/12) 11:59 pm (your time).  I will pick one lucky winner on Friday (06/08/12). 

The winner will have 24 hours to get back to me so make sure to leave a valid email address. Your information is confidential.

I will use the random number generator software to pick the winner. So if you choose to go for extra entries, make sure to leave separate comments for each entry. Otherwise the number generator software will not recognize your entry.

Mandatory entry: Just leave a comment in this post.

Optional entries: Make sure to leave separate comments for each step you follow.

Remember to leave a separate comment for every step.

1. Subscribe to ZaikaZabardast so you do not miss a single post. (You don’t want to miss a post if you are the winner, do you? Go Subscribe!)
2. Follow me on Pinterest.
3. Like my Facebook page.
4. Follow me on Twitter.
5. Follow Lipman Tomatoes on Twitter.
6. Tweet about this giveaway saying: “I just entered to win a box full box of awesome lipman tomatoes from ZaikaZabardast http://wp.me/pTI6E-sI @zaikazabardast @lipman_produce” or something like that.

Other OPEN Giveaways to enter:

Free Wholly Guacamole Products

Beautiful Mexican Vanilla beans by Beanilla

Food Blogging for Dummies – A book giveaway

Somewhere around the first week of April, I was contacted by the Lipman Produce saying that “They loved my creation of ‘Balsamic roasted tomato-basil ice cream’ and they want me to create an original recipe using their flavorful tomatoes for their site. Of course I was doing a happy dance and I was like hmmmmm Sure, let’s do it! Lipman Produce has been a family owned and operated for more than 70 years. And they are known around the country for our intensely flavorful tomatoes. So when I agreed to develop a recipe for them, they sent me a box full of Lipman tomatoes in less than a week to experiment on. And I was actually surprised to see the varieties. Heirloom tomatoes, Jewel, Cherry, Grape, Roma, and the Tiamos! See the picture below?? 

But of the all my heart decided to go with the Tiamo. These tiny little golf sized tiamos are really really flavorful. Little bit tangy, bit sweet, crisp and so fresh! Chop the tiamos, drizzle some EVOO, and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper and you are good to go. Perfect bowl of salad is ready. Or you can even use it as your bruschetta topping. Either ways, it is great.

So, after brainstorming some ideas (lots of actually), I thought of caramelizing the Tiamos to bring out the flavors more and make a tart out of it. I tossed the Tiamos with little bit of sugar, salt, pepper, EVOO and also added some garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Roasted in pre-heated oven for 25 minutes and that’s it. Caramelizing method really rocked!

To finish the puff pastry tart along with the caramelized tiamos, I also added a layer of slightly roasted yellow onions on the bed of herbed ricotta cheese. The flavor combination absolutely works and makes every bite enjoyable. This tart is great when it is slightly warm but it is even better when at room temperature. Perfect for brunch/dinner or even for evening snack. Choice is yours.

Below are the recipes for how to make caramelized tomatoes and how to roast onions. For tart recipe please visit Lipman Kitchen!

Caramelized Tiamos (tomatoes):

Ingredients:

• 1 pint Lipman Tiamos – 1lb
• 3 Tbsp Extra virgin Olive oil (EVOO) to drizzle
• 3-4 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp freshly crushed mixed peppercorn or black pepper
• Salt  to taste

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.

Cut Tiamos into half and place them on baking sheet. Drizzle EVOO and sprinkle salt, sugar and pepper. Also garnish each of them with garlic and thyme. OR In a large mixing bowl, toss Tiamos with EVOO and other spices along with garlic and thyme and place it on baking sheet. Do whatever is easier for you.

Let it caramelized for about 25-30 minutes. Keep your eye on it after 25 minutes. Do not let it burn. When it’s done,

Let it cool down on baking tray on kitchen countertop till you are ready with your tart. Or you can even make this a day or two ahead and store it in refrigerator in an air-tight container and use it when you are ready.

Slightly Roasted Onions:

• 2 medium-sized yellow onions
• EVOO to drizzle
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Pre- heat oven to 350 F. Thinly slice onions and toss them with EVOO, salt and pepper. Transfer them into oven proof baking dish and roast them for about 20 minutes. Make sure not to burn them. We want nice dark golden brown color.

Tip: To save time, you can caramelize tomatoes and roast onions at the same time. That’s what I did.

For Tart recipe, please visit Lipman Kitchen!

p.s. All the reviews are my own but the tomatoes were provided by Lipman!

You can even use grape or cherry tomatoes for this recipe.

Enjoy!

Creativity blockage – the last thing you want to experience in this entire world! Believe me – it is just horrible. You get like tons of ideas at one time and you are so confused that whatever you do, goes wayyy down. You feel like you are losing control over everything and before you know, you are doing stress eating – well at least I did.

"Image courtesy: http://shethinkstoherself.wordpress.com/"

You even enjoy eating Mac and Cheese (Yes, the  one from that blue packet) for lunch everyday and you even love store-bought sauces/spreads. Which NORMALLY will make me feel guilty but No it did not. And that’s why it was even more dangerous. In the end all of this made me homesick. But there was no way I can go back all the way to India but thanks to Skype and some proper authentic recipes of my mom that helped me to get out of this coma. 

Poha

Talking about homesickness, my mom always makes this poha on almost every Sunday for breakfast. Sunday is a day when everyone is home, relaxed and enjoying their one day off. So I thought why not make Bataka Poha aka Potato poha? My all time favorite comfort food. Great for breakfast, brunch, lunch, snack or even for dinner. Poha means flattened rice that is rinsed and drained in water and mixed in with lottts of tempered vegetables, nuts and flavorful of spices. Little bit of everything in just one bite. That’s what comfort food means to me. See food does wonders! And it really did. I felt real good and of course some shopping doesn’t hurt, does it? haha

One thing I have to tell you is that this is a super easy to make comfy and flavorful recipe. I know you will love it. So here’s what you need.

Total time: 25-30 mins

Yields: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups thick poha (flattened rice)
• 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp Sesame seeds
• 6 to 8 Curry leaves
• 4-5 Dried red chilies
• A pinch of Asafetida (hing)
• 3 to 4 chopped hot Green chilies
• ½  cup chopped Onions
• 2/3 cup Bataka aka potatoes, peeled and cubed
• ½ cup chopped Tomatoes
• ½ cup shredded Cabbage (optional)
• ½ cup chopped Carrot (optional)
• ½ cup Green peas (optional)
• 1 clove of Garlic chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 ½  tsp Coriander-cumin powder
• ¼ – ½ tsp Chili powder (optional)
• ¼ tsp of Clove-cinnamon powder (my magic ingredient)
• 2 tsp Sugar (use less if you prefer)
• 1 Tbsp Lemon juice
• 1 ½ Tbsp – 2 Tbsp canola/vegetable oil
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup chopped Cilantro (take some out to garnish)
• ¼ cup red skinned Peanuts

Method:

1. Place the poha in a colander and hold it under running water for a few seconds. Toss well to drain out all excess water and keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and lightly sauté peanuts and take them out as soon they turn golden brown.
3. Now add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once it starts to crackle, add asafetida along with curry leaves, green chilies and half the turmeric. Sauté for 30 seconds and add chopped potatoes. Season with salt and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat until potatoes are almost cooked for about 7 minutes. After 7 minutes remove the lid and add onions and all other vegetables (except tomatoes) along with chopped garlic and cook for another 5 minutes – covered. Stir in between.
4. Once vegetables are tender it’s time to add poha that we rinsed in water. Add poha along with all the other spices and tomatoes. Mix everything well and cook for 5 more minutes – covered and stir in between.
5. And it’s done! Tadaa…told you it’s super easy to make. Garnish with peanuts and chopped cilantro and drizzle some lemon juice if you prefer and enjoy with hot tea or coffee.

Tip: So when I make poha, I make it in large quantity so I can have it all week along any time of the day. And it is perfectly fine for a week in refrigerator. When you want to re-heat it, sprinkle some water before heating it.

Enjoy!

Well finally spring has officially arrived. But it doesn’t feel like, does it? It is still freezing in here…brrrr. Last weekend, we did our spring garden shopping but the weather is just not with us. It was like into 80’s last weekend and now into 50’s Poor plants, they are sitting in one corner of my living room dying to get some sun light. May be soon, may be soon!

"Poor plants - super duper hungry for warm weather"

So what are you all up to? How is the weather treating you? Hey do you like gardening? Have you started your gardening yet for the season? If yes, what are you planning to grow? I bought most of all the vegetable plants including herbs, of course J Isn’t it fun to cook from what you grow! So exciting! Well and I just realized that I just asked so many questions…OOPS! But here’s the last one, I promise – talking about spring, do you like Asparagus? I LOVE them. Grilled, baked or steamed I can have like a bowl full of them.

Never noticed the PURPLE - isn't it gorgeous!

Here I have made this beautiful whole wheat pasta packed with the goodness of roasted asparagus, rocket greens aka arugula tossed in lemony, garlicky walnut sauce! And this pasta is to die for. Believe me, it is best when it’s hot and even better when not hot. Perfect for any season. So this is what you need:

"We are in love with any type of whole wheat pasta - NO NO to regular pasta in our house"

Spring pasta tossed in lemony garlicky buttery walnut sauce

Yields: 4 servings

Total time: 30-40 minutes mostly boiling/roasting

Ingredients

• 1 pound whole wheat linguine/spaghetti or any type of pasta you prefer
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb of asparagus
• 3 Tbsp Olive oil for roasting asparagus and to cook pasta
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• 1 pkg of rocket greens aka Arugula

Lemon garlic walnut sauce:

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 3- 4 clove garlic, finely chopped and if you like more go for it
• Crushed red pepper to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Zest of one lemon
• Juice of one lemon (use half if you prefer less tangy)
• ½ to 2/3 cup pasta water
• ½ cup roasted walnuts (Keep some aside to garnish)

Method: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Now let’s prepare asparagus. Cut the ends of asparagus and chop them about 2 to 3” long. Tip: Do not remove rubber band off the asparagus, this way it is easier to trim off the ends all in one shot and even save time. Plus do not throw ends; you can use them in stock. Now spread them out on cooking sheet and drizzle olive oil and season with salt and pepper and slide in oven to cook for about 15 to 20 minutes or until it’s tender. Once it is cooked, switch off the oven and roast your walnuts. It only requires 8 minutes and this way you can even save electricity. Well I know it’s not a lot but every small thing helps, ryt? Okay, getting back to the recipe.
2. So while your asparagus is in oven, cook pasta according to the direction on the package. Remember wheat pasta is going to take more time to cook than regular pasta.
3. Meanwhile let’s make lemony garlicky buttery walnut sauce.
4. In a wide-bottomed flat pan, heat up oil and butter and let it brown a bit. Once you see medium amber color add chopped garlic and sauté for a while. Now add chopped walnuts along with lemon zest and lemon juice and pasta water. Season with salt and pepper and bring it to boil. Also add some crushed red pepper for more heat. When it comes to boil, lower the heat to low-medium heat and add roasted asparagus along with pasta and toss it in sauce. Let the pasta absorb all the flavors.
5. Throw in desired amount of parmesan cheese and serve on the bed of rocket greens aka arugula greens.

"Yummy, delicious Spring pasta"

You can even mix up greens while tossing the pasta if you do not prefer to eat raw greens. I like to have it raw but V prefers little bit cooked. It’s great either ways.

You know what, I might just make this for dinner! But I might try steaming up asparagus. What about you folks? 

Enjoy!