Tag: family time

Spinach Pecan Yogurt Dip-दही पालक की चटनी

On By lavinamehraIn Dips to lift your spirits up!Leave a comment
Healthy home made alternative to high calorie readymade dips
Gluten Free, quick to make and nutritious 
Ingredients:
500 grams greek yogurt
10 nuggets of frozen spinach or 200 grams of fresh baby spinach
1 teaspoon salt
1 tea spoon of oil ( for sautéing spinach)
1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)
30 grams of crushed pecans
1 tablespoon of seasoning of your choice
2 inch frozen crushed green chilli (optional)
2 cloves of crushed garlic fresh or frozen
Preparation:
If you do not use greek yogurt, you will need to extract water from regular yogurt.For this put yogurt in a muslin cloth and hang it for 1-2 hours for the water to drain out.
STEPS:
Step 1. If frozen, thaw and cook spinach in microwave for 3-4 minutes and remove all water. Sauté spinach and garlic in  a pan.
Step 2. Add salt, sautéed spinach, seasoning, frozen crushed green chilli and pecans to greek yogurt or block of yogurt drained in muslin cloth.
Step 3. Mix everything thoroughly and add olive oil (optional).
Handy Tips:IMG_1488
1. Spinach yogurt dip can be served cold or warm (serve as you make it warm sautéed spinach or heat up in Microwave for 30 seconds) to go with baked naan bread, corn wafers,  crackers or thin savoury biscuits.
2. You can be as creative as you want to be , add spring onion or other herbs like dill weed, rosemary, basil, mint, coriander or spices like red chilli pepper, black pepper.
2. You can also add finely chopped bell peppers, mushrooms or cucumber.

Yogurt Dip Grilled Zucchini & Eggplant

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker RecipesLeave a comment

SERVES: 2-3

GLUTEN FREE-Good source of vitamin A and vitamin C, plus potassium and fibre.

QUICK TO MAKE

COOKING TIME: 8-10 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 Zucchini
2 long eggplant
100 grams sliced mushrooms
1 big tomato chopped
50 grams grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon red chilli flakes
PREPARATION
Make diagonal cuts on zucchini and eggplant without letting them break.
STEPS
STEP 1. For pan cooking- Place zucchini and eggplant in 1 teaspoon of heated oil, sprinkle salt and red chilli powder. Add tomatoes and mushroom. Close the lid of pan to cook for 4-5 minutes on high flame.
For oven/grill cooking- Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder on zucchini and eggplant. Place on the baking tray/grill,  add tomatoes and mushroom. Grill/Bake for 10-12 minutes.
STEP 2. When zucchini and eggplant are tender, add dollops of yogurt dip, spring onion and cheese and let it grill/bake or broil( for pan cooked method) for 2-3 minutes.
STEP 3. Serve it with sweet potato fries smeared in yogurt dip and green coriander chutney.
HANDY TIPS:thumb_IMG_1400_1024
1. Using the pan method saves electric/fuel energy used in oven/grill and has reduced cooking time as it uses water from tomatoes to cook the veggies faster.
2. Be creative and throw in other veggies like cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potato or turnips.

 

Juicy Baked Pork Ribs in 40 minutes

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipesLeave a comment


GLUTEN FREE

REALLY QUICK TO MAKE

Why this recipe? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?

A similar conventional recipe takes 3-4 hours in oven or grill. Using Pressure Cooker will take 20-25 minutes on stove and 15 minutes of oven time. Meat comes out as tender as a marshmallow and falling off the bone.

You save: 90% of fuel energy and 3 hours of your precious time that you can spend doing something more productive with your loved ones.

SERVES: 2-3
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 35-40 Minutes

INGREDIENTS:

For Tenderizing and Marination
25 ml lemon or lime juice (one lime or lemon)
1 teaspoon salt
½ kilo Pork ribs/riblets
100 grams yogurt
50 gms frozen or fresh crushed ginger
50 gms frozen or fresh crushed garlic
2-3 finely chopped green chillies
1 tablespoon all spice

For Basting
50 ml barbecue sauce
20 ml thai sweet chilli sauce
20 ml Teriyaki sauce
1 teaspoon oil

For Cooking Ribs
1 teaspoon oil
8-10 black pepper corns
2 bay leaves

For Side
½ kilo baby potatoes

PREPARATION:
Put lemon juice and salt on ribs to tenderize for 10 minutes
Add all marination ingredients to yogurt and smear it on ribs to marinate it for 10-15 minutes

COOKING STEPS:
STEP 1. Put black pepper corns and bay leaves in heated oil in pressure pan, and place marinated ribs to cook on slow heat for 20-25 minutes..
STEP 2. Open cooker lid when all steam is released and place ribs on a foil tray to be put in the oven preheated to 550F maximum heat (Broil option)
STEP 3. Mix all Basting sauces and baste ribs with it before putting it in the oven for 5 minutes. Repeat basting every 5 minutes for 2-3 times
STEP 4. When ribs are baking in the oven, put baby potatoes along with all ribs broth/juices from the pressure pan under the ribs tray. Both ribs and potatoes will be ready at the same time.

Serve with one of the delicious and healthy Yogurt dips

HANDY TIPS:
1. Always wait for the steam in pressure cooker to release by itself. This is a safety precaution as well as retains all flavour of the food.
2. You may want to put baby potatoes in the ribs broth/juices from the pressure pan at the time of preheating the oven, this will give additional time for potatoes to cook. This will maximize the use the oven heat.

CHICKEN TIKKA-जला भुना मस्त मुर्गा

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipes1 Comment


Grilled/Barbecue/Sautéed

SERVES: 3-4

GLUTEN FREE- LOADED WITH PROTEINS -QUICK TO MAKE

COOKING TIME: 10-15 minutes
INGREDIENTS:

750 grams chicken breast cut into pieces
100g yogurt
4 inch frozen garlic or 8 crushed cloves
4 inch frozen ginger or 50 grams freshly grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 tablespoon meat masala powder
1/2 teaspoon orange food colour
For stove cooking: 1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce or 1 teaspoon of sugar

STEP 1 .Mix all ingredients and add boneless chicken except sweet chilli sauce and/or sugar (if using stove method). Leave it for 30 minutes, to get best flavours, you can choose to marinate it for lesser time or just cook right away.

STEP 2. 

  • On the Stove: Put marinated chicken on a heated pan with one tablespoon of oil, cook for 5 minutes on high heat with lid on and then add one tablespoon of any sweet chilli sauce or half a teaspoon of sugar. Cook for about 5 minutes with lid open on high flame. Chicken will be dry, little burnt and crisp with smokey flavour.
  • On the Barbecue: Put chicken pieces on BBQ sticks and put them on high fire for 5 minutes turning in between.
  • In the Oven-To bake place chicken on silver foil (poke holes in foil cause the chicken will let out water) and put in oven for 20 minutes.

thumb_IMG_0157_1024

Serve with one of the delicious and healthy Yogurt dips

HOT CORIANDER CHUTNEY-हरी भरी धनिया मिर्च चटनी

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker Recipes2 Comments

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch of fresh coriander/cilantro leaves
10 frozen crushed green chilli chopped
½ small raw green mango chopped (fresh or frozen)
½ lime squeezed
1 pinch asafoetida powder
2 teaspoons Cumin
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mango powder

THE ONLY STEP:
thumb_IMG_0825_1024

Put everything in a food processor and chop it all up together till you get a chutney

 

 

 

HANDY TIP:
If you do not have raw green mango, replace it with handful of dried roasted chickpea, or peanuts or cashews or any other nuts. Raw mango gives the right density and sour flavour to the chutney. The flavour will vary if you replace with another ingredient, you may want to add a little more of mango powder or lemon juice to get cover the sour side of the chutney. Just be creative..

Spicy Roasted Nuts-चटपटा भुना मेवा

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker RecipesLeave a comment


Why this recipe? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?

Using microwave and stove cooking in place of oven cooking for this recipe will take less than 10 minutes in all whereas it will take 20-30 minutes otherwise. 

This recipe saves you : more than 70% of fuel energy and 20 minutes of your precious time that is about 16 to 20% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average (assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen)

Allows you to explore your creative side. Add any nuts, herbs and spices or no spices as you like. 

COOKING TIME- 8-10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

200 grams Almonds
200 grams Cashews
200 grams Pistachos
1/4 glass of water
1 table spoon melted butter or oil
1 teaspoon salt
2teaspoon red chilli powder
2 teaspoon all spice -garam masala powder

STEPS:
1. Mix all nuts together in a microwaveable plate and put it in microwave for a total of 2-3 minutes moving it every minute.
2. Move all nuts into a pan with heated butter or oil. Add salt, spices and water. Cover the Lid.
3. Move nuts in 2-3 minutes once, replace the lid. After 5 minutes remove the lid and sauté for another 2 minutes with lid removed.

HANDY TIPS:IMG_0777
1. Be creative and add other nuts or spices or herbs that you like.
2. Crushed dry mint tastes very good on nuts.
3. Try using Maple syrup or fresh orange juice instead of water. It will give a distinct flavour to the nuts and very few people will be able to find out the secret behind the unique flavour.

YOGURT DILL DIP-दही की चक्का सोई चटनी

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker Recipes5 Comments
Gluten Free, quick and nutritious
Ingredients:
750 grams yogurt
1 teaspoon salt
2 inch frozen crushed green chilli
2 teaspoon dill weed or fresh dill
Preparation:
Put yogurt in the muslin cloth and hang it for 1-2 hours for the water to drain out.
STEPS:
Step 1. Remove yogurt block from the muslin cloth and put it in a container.
Step 2. Add salt, frozen garlic, frozen crushed green chilli and dill weed.
Step 3. Mix everything thoroughly and store in refrigerator.
Handy Tips:IMG_0450
1. You can be as creative as you want to be , replace Dill weed with other herbs like chives, rosemary, basil, mint, coriander or spices like red chilli pepper, black pepper.
2. You can also add finely chopped bell peppers, mushrooms or cucumber.

Cocothai curry-गरीथाई करी

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker RecipesLeave a comment


SERVES: 3-4

Why this recipe?

Gluten Free , Quicker than any quick recipe. Just 3 Steps

COOKING TIME: 6-8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons of sesame seeds(white til seeds)
1 tablespoon of Thai curry paste (Red, Green or Yellow)
1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
500 grams of mixed frozen vegetables or fresh mixed veggies

STEP 1. Put sesame seeds in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds and add thai curry paste to it.

STEP 2. Thaw frozen veggies in microwave for 2-3 minutes or steam fresh veggies with a cover in microwave for 2-3 minutes.

STEP 3:Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables and salt. Keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes with lid covered. Let it simmer for 3-4 minutes with lid covered.

HANDY TIPS:thumb_IMG_0381_1024
1. You can add boneless chicken or any other meat to make it a non-vegetarian option.
2. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
3. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.
4. If you do not have readymade curry paste, make a paste with ginger, green chillies and fresh curry leaves or coriander leaves for a green curry.

Coconut Veggie – Cocotom curry-तु॑गटम सब्ज़ी

On By lavinamehraIn Less than 10 minutes Quicker RecipesLeave a comment


SERVES: 3-4

Why this recipe?

Gluten Free , Quicker than a quick recipe. 

COOKING TIME: 6-8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons of mustard seeds
5-10 tender curry leaves
2 medium sized chopped tomatoes
1 can of coconut milk or coconut cream
500 grams of mixed frozen or fresh vegetables
½ teaspoon of red chilli powder
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli
2 square inch of frozen grated ginger or 25 grams fresh ginger

STEP 1. Put mustard seeds and curry leaves in heated oil. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute.
STEP 2. Add chopped tomatoes, ginger, green chilli and red chilli powder and let it simmer for 2 minutes with lid covered.
STEP 3. Thaw frozen vegetables or steam fresh veggies in microwave in the meanwhile for 2-3 minutes
STEP 4. Add coconut milk, thawed frozen vegetables and salt. Keep it on the heat for 2-3 minutes with lid covered.

HANDY TIPS:thumb_IMG_0374_1024
1. You can add boneless chicken or any other meat to make it a non-vegetarian option.
2. This preparation can be served as a soup, a topping on grilled veggies or meats or as curry to go with rice or with roti, naan or bread.
3. Bring your creative side to play and add some flavourful herbs like lemon basil, rosemary, cilantro or dill.

Luscious Indian baby pumpkin-पश्छिम के बेसनी टिंडे

On By lavinamehraIn 10 minutes or more recipesLeave a comment


SERVES: 2-3

GLUTEN FREE, HIGH IN PROTEIN AND FIBRE

Why this recipe? How is it green? How am I contributing to making this earth green by following four steps or less recipes?

Using Pressure Cooker will take 8-10 minutes whereas it will take 20-25 minutes in a regular pan.

You save: 70% of fuel energy and 10 minutes of your precious time that is about 5 to 8% of the total time you spend in kitchen on an average (assuming you spend a total of 2-3 hours in a day in the kitchen)

This is a completely gluten free recipe that is a delicacy from Western India.

COOKING TIME: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
1 teaspoon oil
2 teaspoons jeera (cumin)
1 pinch of hing (asafoetida powder)
1 big tomato chopped
1 tablespoon besan (chickpea flour)
½ kilo tinda (baby pumpkin), each cut into 4 pieces
1 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon red chilli powder
½ tablespoon haldi (turmeric powder)
½ teaspoon garam masala (all spice)
1 square inch of frozen chopped green chilli
2 square inch of frozen grated ginger or 25 grams fresh ginger
100 ml or 1/2 glass of water
Dhania (coriander) leaves for garnish

STEP 1. Put asafoetida powder and cumin seeds in heated oil and let it brown.
STEP 2. Add chopped tomatoes and besan (chickpea flour), sauté it with tomatoes for 2-3 minutes for chickpea flour to roast. This will take 1-2 minutes.
STEP 3. Add all of the rest of ingredients and 1/2 glass of water before you close the pressure cooker/pan lid.
STEP 4. Let it whistle 1 time (4-5 minutes) and open the cooker after all steam is released (it might take 5-7 minutes). Add garam masala and coriander leaves as you serve.

HANDY TIPS:baby pumpkin

Asafoetida has a very unique flavour, the recipe will still come out fine, even if you decide not to use it.

Always wait for the steam in pressure cooker to release by itself. This is a safety precaution as well as retains all flavour of the food.