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??

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,

Hey..hey ..hey…Summer is not over yet. So what if the leaves are turning yellow and the weather is getting colder. I am still not ready to say Goodbye to all those gorgeous berries and vegetables. Sunshine and fresh produce that is what I am going to miss the most about the summer but not the Heat – no way!!

So this post is the last post for Food Network’s summer fest. It was really fun participating and trying out new recipes. Especially I really stepped out of my comfort zone for my Tomato – Basil ice cream. I am so proud of myself.

Back to the summer fest, this week’s main ingredient is “Broccoli”! I used to hate this green weird looking vegetable till I had amazing pita pockets at one of the Greek restaurants in Pocatello,ID. And that had fried broccoli in it so there was nothing not to love about it. So I started experimenting and now I really like broccoli. But I still cannot eat it raw .

At first I wanted to post about Roasted broccoli soup but it did not come out well. If you have nice recipe for that, please leave a note below. It was a bummer.

So rather than experimenting on new stuff I thought to share our favorite Char grilled Broccoli (side) dish.  Actually I will not just call it a side dish, because it is good as salad or I can just eat it as my main dish. It goes very well with marinated minty tofu n rice. You won’t imagine what bit of char-grilling, chilli and garlic can do. Just give it a try. You will start loving broccoli even more. I guarantee that.

Also do not forget about my “Brown bag challenge”!! This is what I had for my lunch today.

Char grilled Broccoli with Cherry chillies and garlic tadka

(Adapted from http://gourmettraveller.wordpress.com but with bit of my changes)
serves 2-4

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 big heads of broccoli
• 5 Tbsp of Olive oil – use less if preferred
• 1 tsp of Soy sauce
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 mild red-hot cherry chillies/jalapeno  thinly sliced/diced
• coarse sea salt
• black pepper

Method: 

• Separate the broccoli into florets and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes – don’t be tempted to cook longer!
• Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and leave to dry completely. Use paper towel if needed.

"Boiling Broccoli"

"Broccoli cooking process"

• Once the broccoli is dry, toss with 3 Tbsp of the olive oil, soy sauce and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place a griddle pan on high heat and leave for 5 minutes until smoking hot. Grill the broccoli in batches on the hot pan, turning to get lovely char marks on all sides.
• While the broccoli is cooking, you can prepare tadka for it. Place the remaining oil in a small saucepan together with the garlic and chillies and cook on a medium heat until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Be careful not to let the garlic and chilli burn – they will continue cooking in the hot oil even when off heat.
• Pour the garlic and chilli oil over the hot broccoli and toss well. Season to taste and serve immediately or at room temperature.

This salad is simple, flavorful and super easy to make. It is healthy and full of flavors…oh wait I think I already mentioned that! But I can’t stop saying that it is yummy . I strongly recommend you to try it! Because it is just YUMMY..hahah

I also LOVE goat cheese and walnut is my favorite nut .  So I thought to add both of these in to my salad to give it crunchy and creamy texture. And believe me, it is delicious!

Combine vinaigrette ingredients in a small jar.  Shake until evenly combined.  Drizzle about 1/4 cup of it on the mixed salad greens. Remember it servers 4 so 1/4 cup for each plate/bowl

"Lemon n Shallot vinaigrette"

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F. Remove beet greens and wash the beet roots well.  Place beets onto an aluminium foil on a baking tray first. Then lightly rub beet skins with olive oil. My beets were kind of small so I roasted them all together. But if you want you can roast all separately. Cover the beets and make small hole in the middle for air to come out.

Now bake the covered beets for about an hour or more. When beets are done, allow them to cool and peel of the skin. Trim the ends and dice it to desired size. Refrigerate until ready to use. Toss it into your salad and enjoy!

Microwave method: Easy method but it will not be so juicy 

Remove beet greens and wash the beet roots well. Put 2 beet roots in microwave and microwave it on high for 5 minutes. Once done, leave it out on counter for another 5 minutes to cool down and peel the skin off with vegetable peeler. Also slice about 1/4″ from both the ends. Dice is to desired size and toss it in your salad!

Enjoy!

Enjoy more salad recipes:

• Mediterranean pasta salad
• Spinach Strawberry salad with Baked Goat cheese
• Watermelon Mozzarella Salad

This Mediterranean pasta salad is perfect for summer. Easy to make and kid-friendly too! And I must say that this is one of my all time favorites. I can eat it all day around. It’s delicious when it’s hot but it’s even more delicious when it is cold. Perfect for all weathers. So here you go!

Total time: 20 Minutes

Complexity: Easy

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Gemili pasta (I strongly recommend this one because it has unique flavor of its own but if you cannot find it you can use tricolor rotini pasta, or fusilli)
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp Red Pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1/2 cup diced sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 can 14 oz. Organic Garbanzo Beans
• 1 cup canned artichoke hearts  - chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley / 2 tsp. Dried parsley plus more for garnish
• 1/2 cup diced shallots
• 2 garlic cloves – roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons halved Kalamata olives or black olives
• 2/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled plus more for garnish

Method:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and a Tbsp of EVOO to it. Add the pasta and cook until al dente; drain, Keep it aside. (Or just follow direction on your package).
2. Meanwhile while your pasta is cooking, put 2 Tbsp of EVOO in a pan on medium heat and sauté diced shallots, season with some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Let it cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Now add chopped garlic and sauté for just 30 seconds. Do not let it cook for longer because you do not want to lose garlic flavor.
4. Now add Garbanzo beans and let it cook for 5 more minutes. After 5 minutes add chopped artichoke hearts, parsley and sun-dried tomatoes. Let it cook for 7 more minutes so all the flavors from artichokes and tomatoes will get into Garbanzo beans.
5. Now it’s time to add cooked pasta, 1/2 teaspoon salt (If needed) and 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Mix it nicely so it covers all the pasta, now add feta cheese, olives and mix nicely again!!
6. Now time to taste and adjust salt amount!! It’s ready to serve. But remember to garnish with some feta cheese, some parsley and some freshly ground black pepper before serving.

Serve hot or cold….It’s enjoyable either way. Perfect for winter and summer!!

So including preparation and cooking time it takes about 20 minutes…not bad at all for a  healthy home cooked meal!! What say?

Enjoy!

Watermelon Mozzarella salad is very easy to make, flavorful and crowd pleasing.  It is perfect for your BBQ parties or any other summer gatherings.

This salad reminds me of my visit to my in-laws in San Francisco last fall. I was very nervous since I was seeing them for the first time after marriage. But Fortunately V’s family was very supportive and excited to welcome me in their family. I also had chance to win their hearts and I did not miss it. I made this gorgeous watermelon salad for them and guess what they loved it!! YAY!! Felt soooo good.

The original recipe uses cantaloupe but I really did not enjoy the flavors. But when I tried it with cold watermelon, I fell in love with it. The magic is all in the zesty salad dressing! It helps to bring out the flavors of watermelon and marinates Mozzarella as well.

And believe me it is very refreshing, light and delicious. Now we prefer to eat watermelon this way only!

Melon and Mozzarella Salad 

(Slightly adapted from Pinchmysalt.com)

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of cold, bite-sized watermelon cubes or balls
• 1 cup of bite-sized fresh part-skim mozzarella balls or cubes (Optional if you are very much calorie conscious)

Salad Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 ½  Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp fresh chopped mint leaves
• small pinch of salt
• small pinch of crushed red pepper (Optional for kids)

Method:

Put watermelon cubes and mozzarella in a serving bowl.  In a separate bowl, whisk together honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped mint, salt, and crushed red pepper.

Pour dressing over the melon and mozzarella then toss to combine.  Serve immediately.

Enjoy! I guarantee you will Love it!

Chole means Garbanzo beans/Chick peas and Chaat is a combination of savory snacks mixed with different types of condiments (chutnies). It can be enjoyed as a snack or dinner. (I can eat it all day ).

Normally we get the best Chaat at road-side stalls or carts in India. Every Indian loves it (at least we girls go crazy for it, don’t we?) Evey bite of chaat is full of flavors like Hot(spicy), sweet, tangy, crunchy and what not. Love it!

Some of the popular dishes are Pani-puri, Bhel-puri, Dahi vada, Aloo tikki, Chole chaat etc…Hold on recipes coming soon . May be I should do a Chaat week – what say? But for now, let’s start with the recipe of Chole-Chaat. 

Total Time: 20 mins (if you have Chutnies ready in your refrigerator)

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 can of Organic Garbanzo beans (28 oz.)
• 2 boiled potatoes
• 1 chopped green chilli
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes (Optional)
• 4 Tbsp Tamarind chutney (Recipe follows)
• 4 tbsp Mint Chutney (Recipe follows)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
• 1 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp Chaat masala

Method:

Rinse garbanzo beans in cold water and cube (bite-sized) the boiled/peeled potatoes. Put them in a salad bowl. Add some onions, some chilies, potatoes, tomatoes, some coriander leaves, both the chutnies, salt and chaat masala.

Mix well to coat chickpeas well. Do not forget to taste. Garnish with some onions, chillies, tomatoes (if using) and sprinkle some chaat masala, red chili powder and roasted cumin powder. Serve at room temperature.

Mint Chutney

A very refreshing chutney. It can be served as a Dip, on the chaat or make nice vegetable sandwich possibilities are endless.  

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups chopped mint leaves
• 1 cup chopped coriander
• 3 to 4 Green Chilies (Hot ones) , roughly chopped (As per your taste)
• 1/2′” piece ginger
• 2 Tbsp Peanuts
• Juice of 1 to 2 lemons abt 2 Tbsp
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• salt to taste

Method:

Clean mint, coriander, ginger and green chilies with water and put all the ingredients in a blender. Blend it to a smooth paste using a little water if required. Taste to check on the salt. It’s ready to serve and you can even store it in a Refrigerator and use as required. It’s good for a week or so.

Tamarind Chutney

Authentic sweet and tangy chutney, which can be used as a Dip or served on the top of the Chaat. It is also called Saunth in North India. It has different variations as well. But this is what I like to serve on my chaat, so here you go.

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Tamarind concentrate
• 1 cup Jaggery (gur)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds (jeera) powder
• 1/4 tsp Ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp Nutmeg powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 1/2 tsp chilli powder (or as per taste)

Method:

Add tamarind concentrate, jaggery and sugar to a small pot. Now add water and let it boil on medium flame till jaggery and sugar melts completely. It should not take more than 10 minutes. Keep stirring in between.

Now add all the spices and mix it nicely. Let it simmer on low flame for another 5 minutes and do not make chutney too thick since it will thicken up when it cools down. Once it has cooled down, it is ready to use and you can store it in refrigerator in airtight glass/plastic bottle. It’s good to use for at least a month or more.

You can even make this in microwave but make sure not to burn yourself since the bowl will be very hot to handle. Just be careful.

Enjoy,

Love,

Few days back I had a pint full of strawberries and a bag of baby spinach in my refrigerator. So rather than making a typical strawberry smoothie or palak-paneer (Spinach curry), I started looking for recipes online and I found this beautiful and refreshing Strawberry Spinach salad recipe with baked goat cheese.

After going through the recipe I was bit concerned about using Balsamic vinegar with something sweet especially strawberry. But I thought, let’s just try it.

Strawberry and balsamic vinegar are match made in heaven. What a Perfect combination. Now next time I am going to try this combination in dessert!!  We totally enjoyed this Salad with a warm bite of baked Goat Cheese and crunchiness of Pecans in every bite.

Spinach Strawberry Salad with Baked Goat Cheese

Adapted from Kokocooks.blogspot.com

Total time: 15 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients: