Murungakeerai Rasam / Drumstick Leaves Soup | Rasam Recipes

I never fail to pick up the fresh bunch of greens whenever I spot them. Apart from the big bag of spinach from Costco in my fridge, my freezer always would have a packet of frozen methi leaves. In my last week's trip to the farmer's market I picked up this super fresh bunch of drumstick leaves / Murunga keerai, planning to make Murungakeerai Adai, DH's favorite. With the other half of the bunch I made these super fragrant Murunga keerai Rasam.

Ingredients:

Drumstick leaves / Murungakeerai - 2 cups

Toor dhal - a fistful

Tomato - 1 small

Tamarind - size of half a lime

Rasam powder - 1 tsp or as needed

Coconut milk - 2 tbsp (optional)

Salt - to taste

Tempering:

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp 

Red chilli - 1

Method:

Soak tamarind in water and extract juice. Wash and pressure cook toor dhal with 1 cup of water for 3 whistles. Meanwhile in a large saucepan, cook the drumstick leaves with 1 cup of water until it is soft. Add the tamarind juice with 1 cup of water and allow to boil for 3 minutes. Add rasam powder, salt and the mashed dhal with the water. Allow to heat up for a couple of minutes. Check for salt and add coconut milk. Remove from heat and transfer rasam to the serving bowl. Heat oil and splutter the mustard seeds and red chilli. Pour over the rasam and serve hot with steamed rice or just bowl it for a warm soup.

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Mushroom Asparagus Egg Drop Soup | Low Calorie Soup Recipes

Want to eat healthy but don't have enough time? I have been there some days. Answer: a healthy but simple soup to the rescue. This soup is loaded with all the goodness of the veggies with the protein from the egg whites and protein and calcium from the tofu. What else does one need in a filling meal? Yes, this soup is a one pot meal and is very filling.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3; Preparation time - 15 mins; Cooking time - 20 mins
Adapted from Cooking light - way to cook vegetarian cookbook
Vegetable Stock - 2 cups
Water - 1-1/2 cups
Ginger - 1 tsp minced
Garlic - 1 tsp minced
White Mushroom - sliced thin - 1 cup (about 5-6)
Asparagus - sliced on a bias - 1 cup (about 7-8)
Extra Firm Tofu - 4 oz ~ 100 g - cut into cubes
Rice wine vinegar - 2 tbsp
Soy sauce, low sodium - 1/2 tbsp
Black Pepper, freshly ground - 1/2 tsp
Corn Starch - 1 tbsp
Water - 2 tbsp
Egg whites, lightly beaten - from 2 eggs
Scallions/Spring onion greens, a handful - chopped
Cilantro - chopped - a handful

Method:
Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce and pepper in a small bowl. Mix 1 tbsp of corn starch with 2 tbsp of water in another small bowl. In a non-stick pan spray some oil and toss around the tofu until it crisps up ever so slightly. In a large pot mix the stock, water, ginger and garlic and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile saute the sliced mushrooms and asparagus one by one with very little oil, for about a minute each. When the soup boil, add the veggies and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar mixture and tofu. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Pour the corn starch mixture and mix well. Continue to simmer for another 3 minutes or until the soup thickens a little. Stirring continuously with a wooden spoon, pour the egg whites in a steady stream until tiny ribbons form. Remove from heat and garnish with cilantro and scallions. Serve hot.
Notes: The soup does not need salt because of the salt in the soy sauce and stock. But you may add salt for your taste.

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Asparagus Lentils Salad | Salad Recipes

This is a warm and comforting salad for a cozy meal. I just love my meals simple and nutritious. But with a picky eater (well I am not talking about my son) and a toddler it is almost difficult to make something which is one dish for all. But whenever I can (read as whenever I find some extra time in the kitchen) I sneak in these dishes as a part of my regular lunch menu. This is a perfect dish for side or if you are thinking of eating light, just top it with a little yogurt and you are all set for a yummy lunch.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Asparagus - 1/2 a bundle - chopped
Dry Brown Lentils - 1/2 cup
Oil - 1 tsp
Curry powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - to taste
Salt - to taste
Cilantro - a handful

Method:
Pick over and soak the lentils in water for about 15 minutes. Take the lentils in a saucepan covered with water. Bring it to a boil and simmer until the lentils are cooked al-dente, about 10 minutes and drain. Heat a wide pan with oil and saute the asparagus for about 2-3 minutes. Add the curry powder and the cooked lentils. Mix well and remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste and garnish with cilantro. Serve as a side.

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Vegetarian Three Bean Chili / Chili Sin Carne | Vegan Chili

This post is due for a while now. Remember I told about my Valentine's day menu plan in my Orange Blueberry Cake post? Our Dinner was Onion Garlic Foccacia with this Vegetarian Three bean Chili. Since we did not make any plans to go out, I decided to make what I though DH would love for a good dinner. I had done all the chopping the previous day and kept in the refrigerator, soaked the beans overnight and cooked them in the morning. And when I had made the foccacia bread in the afternoon, this rarely took an hour to be finished. Dinner on the table without too much stress. Nothing elegant but it was hearty and home-made.

Ingredients:
Serves - 6-8; Preparation time - 8 hours; Cooking time - 1 hr.
Adapted from Cooking light - Way to cook vegetarian cookbook
Measurements in standard cups and spoons
Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Onion - 1 cup - chopped
Celery - 2 stalks - approx 1 cup chopped 
Carrots, medium sized  - 4 - cubed
Garlic cloves - 4 - sliced thin
Red bell peppers - 2
Cumin powder - 2 tsp
Paprika - 1 tsp (see notes for substitution)
Red pepper flakes - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Vegetable broth (Low sodium) - 4 cups - click here for homemade stock recipe
Crushed tomatoes - 1-28 oz can
Dry Kidney beans - 2/3 cup (see notes)
Dry Black beans - 2/3 cup
Dry Pinto beans - 2/3 cup
Spring onions / Green onions - 1/4 cup

Method:
Pick over and soak all the beans together for 8 hours or overnight. Cook with 6 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Alternatively the beans can be cooked in stove top until cooked through. Preheat the broiler. Slice the red bell peppers in half lengthwise and place cut side down in a foil lined baking pan. Broil for 12-15 minutes or until the skin is charred. When done place in a glass bowl with a tight fitting lid for about 15 minutes. This lets the bell peppers to sweat and helps easy removal of skin. After removing the skin cut into bite sized pieces. 
In a heavy saucepan, heat oil and saute the chopped onions and celery until cooked through, about 12-15 minutes. Add the garlic cloves, cumin, paprika, pepper flakes and salt. Cook for another 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers, carrots, vegetable broth and canned tomatoes. Mix well and check for salt. Cover and cook in medium heat until the carrots are cooked, about 15 minutes. Add the cooked beans and mix. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and cook for another 10 minutes or until the desired thickness is achieved. Serve hot topped with green onions.
Notes:
Instead of dry beans, use canned beans, one of each kind. Kashmiri chilli powder can be substituted for paprika. 
Linking this up to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

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Chicken Soup for Cold / Kozhi Rasam | Soup Recipes

Last week my son was under weather with a severe cold. Poor thing was finding it difficult to concentrate on keeping himself busy with the nose block and congestion. All the vaporiser rubbing and steam sauna wasn't helping him much. So I made a simple chicken soup for him. This is a super comforting soup and if your little one can't bear the spicy heat, you might as well just mix this with rice and serve like rasam rice.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Chicken (with or without bones) - 1/2 lb (1/4 kg) approx 1/2 cup
Water - 2 cups
Pearl onions - 8
Garlic - 3 cloves 
Ginger - 1/2" piece
Pepper corns - 1 tsp 
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste
Garnish:
Coriander leaves / Cilantro - a little

Method:
Crush the pearl onions and garlic cloves with knife. Crush the pepper corns and cumin seeds with a mortar & pestle or just with the bottom of a heavy glass. You could also pulse a couple of times in a blender or coffee grinder. Add all the ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook until the chicken is done. Alternatively you could pressure cook the ingredients for 1 whistle. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve piping hot.
Notes: 
Do not use chicken breast pieces for making soup. Half a tsp of cumin powder and coriander powder can also be added. I decided to keep it simple, so did not add.

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Radish Salad with Lemon Peanut Dressing

Salads are a refreshing accompaniment to any meal. I love my salads colorful with lots of texture. My recent love are these little red salad radishes. I also used bell peppers and snow peas for little sweet note. I would also suggest adding a cucumber for a refreshing bite. I did not have any at hand, so did not add.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Red Radishes - 1 bunch - sliced to half moons
Snow Peas - 1 handful
Red Bell Pepper - 1 - julienned
Scallions/Spring onion greens - 2 tbsp
Roasted Pistachios - 15
Lime Peanut Dressing:
Peanut butter - 2 tbsp
Lime - 1 - juiced
Extra Virgin Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Salt & Pepper - to taste

Method:
Mix the ingredients for dressing (except EVOO) in a blender. With the blender running, drizzle the olive oil in the blender to create a smooth dressing. Mix the red radishes, snow peas and red bell pepper. When ready to serve, drizzle required amount of dressing and garnish with green onions and pistachios. The remaining dressing if any can be refrigerated for a couple of days.

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Tomato Red Bell Pepper Soup | Indian Soup Recipes

It may be inappropriate to post a soup recipe when this is the Summer season and it is super-hot. But all I wanted to have for dinner was something light and refreshing. I made this soup a couple days before for dinner. If you are looking for a simple vegetable soup without using stock, then this is a great one because all the flavorings comes in the spices used. I am linking this to Vegan Thursdays.

Ingredients:
Recipe adapted from Kankana's space
Serves - 2
Tomato - 2 big - approx 3 cups cubed
Red Bell Pepper - 2
Garlic - 3 cloves - crushed
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Olive oil - 1 tsp + 2 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cinnamon - 2 small pieces
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400 F/200 C. Cut the tomato and red bell pepper into 1" pieces. Deseed the tomatoes if desired. Toss the cut tomato, garlic and red bell pepper in olive oil, salt and pepper. Layer the vegetables in a cookie pan and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, shaking the pan midway. Allow the roast vegetables to cool and then puree in a blender / food processor. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a saucepan and heat the bay leaf and cinnamon pieces. When the spices have infused the flavor to the oil, about 2 minutes, add the puree and the spice powders. Mix well and check for seasoning. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. 
I am sending this to Monsoon Delights event and also linking this to Srivalli's Summer Special Mela.

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Sesame Crusted Tofu Salad with Broccoli and Bell Pepper | Indian Tofu Recipes

I could use all the protein I get from vegetarian dishes since DH is a pure vegetarian. Tofu is a great source of vegetarian protein, hence I am always in the lookout for more Tofu Recipes. I have started experimenting with substitution method for recipes. This recipe here is which I have tried with potatoes from Sailu's space a couple of years ago. It stuck me, why not try tofu in this. And so I arrived at this tasty delight. I am linking this up for Vegan Thursdays.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Sailu's recipe
Serves - 2-3
Broccoli - 1 crown - precooked/steamed for about 2 mins  
Red Bell Pepper - 1
Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp
Extra firm Tofu - 1 block - pressed and cut into 1/2" cubes
Sesame seeds - 2 tsp - toasted (White/Black can be used)
For the marinade:
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Almond meal - 2 tsp (optional)
Oil - for pan frying
For the Sauce:
Oil - 1 tsp
Ginger - minced - 2 tsp
Garlic - minced - 2 tsp
Tomato Ketchup - 2 tsp (optional, I added for a slight sweet touch)
Chilli Sauce - 2 tsp (I used Sriracha)
Soy Sauce - 2 tsp (I used Low Sodium variety)
Lime juice - 2 tsp (Vinegar can be substituted)
Salt - to taste

Method:
Mix the tofu pieces with the marinade. Heat oil (1 tsp per batch) in a wide pan  and fry the tofu in batches. Make sure all the sides are browned. Set aside. Add the broccoli, red pepper with chilli flakes and toss in high heat for a minute. Set aside. In the same pan, heat 1 tsp of oil and add the ginger and garlic. Fry for about 2 minutes in medium heat. Throw in the other ingredients for the sauce and allow it to boil. Add the fried tofu, remove from heat and toss well. Add the toasted sesame seeds and mix to coat. Serve it mixed with the broccoli and red bell pepper as a salad.

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Chickpea Tropical Salad | Summer Salad Recipes

Summer is here and it calls for healthy and simple salads. What if there is something that makes you spend less time in the kitchen. Well, I would definitely go for it, especially if it is packed with goodness bursting with flavors. This is a salad with all the ingredients of summer. Warmth, Fresh and Colorful.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Chickpeas - cooked - 2 cups or 1 can - Check out how I made canned chickpeas at home
Cucumber - 1 - chopped
Avocado - 1/2 chopped
Tomato - 1 - chopped
Mango - 1/2 of a big one - chopped
Cilantro - a handful
Dressing:
Cumin powder - 3/4 tsp
Lime juice - from 1 lime
Extra Virgin Olive oil - 3 tbsp
Salt and pepper - to taste

Method: 
Reserve about 1 tsp of lime juice and whisk the remaining with olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper to make the dressing. Toss the avocado pieces with the reserved lime juice. Mix all the ingredients with the dressing and serve.

Linking this up to Jagruti's My Bowl of Salad, MLLA #59 by Susan & Lisa, Healthy Salads event by Priya.

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Paruppu Rasam / Pigeon Pea Soup | Soup Recipes

Back home in India, Rasam is a must have in our daily lunch menu. After coming to US I do not make it quite often as it has to be featured in a South Indian Kitchen. The goodness of rasam / chaaru cannot be forgotten. It is a comforting soup which aids in digestion and regulates metabolism. Kavin loves rasam and so I make it very often. This paruppu rasam is a simple recipe and his favorite with ghee. As in many (okay, most) of my recipes I have used my favorite kitchen gadget, the pressure cooker.

Ingredients:
Toor dhal / split pigeon peas - 1/3 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves
Tomato - 1 - medium sized - cut into half
Olive oil / Castor oil - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tamarind - size of half a lime - Soak in 1 cup of water and extract juice
Rasam powder - 1 tsp - 1 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tempering:
Olive oil / Ghee - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - a pinch
Cumin seeds - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few

Method:
Wash and soak toor dhal for 30 minutes. Cook the dhal and garlic, tomato, oil, salt, turmeric powder with 3 times water until it is fully cooked and turns mushy when pressed with a ladle. I used my pressure cooker to cook for 3 whistles. When done, drain the water and reserve. Mash the dhal, garlic and tomato with the back of a wooden spoon or ladle until fully mashed. Return the reserved liquid back to the pan and add the tamarind extract and rasam powder. The rasam should be watery at this stage. Add half to one cup of water until desired consistency is reached. Do a taste check for salt and spice (from rasam powder) and allow it to boil in medium heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and continue to heat for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat. In another small pan heat ghee and add the ingredients for tempering viz. mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves. When the curry leaves splutters pour the tempering over the rasam. Serve steaming hot with steamed rice or as a soup before meal.

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Cauliflower and Cheese Soup - Guest Post for Savitha

Cooking from cookbooks is always exciting isn't it? I and my sister always used to experiment by cooking from cookbooks. It was those days when we learnt the difference between teaspoon and tablespoon measurements. I was more of a sous-chef doing all the chopping and she will be the one who cooks. Most of our "experiments" turned out fine, some "ok" but nothing went terribly bad :). I stopped collecting cookbooks after a while and recently started collecting again. This recipe is from my newest collection "Williams Sonoma - Soup" book. I loved all the recipes and many of it being pure vegetarian, made me love the book even more.

Savitha and I are pretty close blog buddies. I still remember when we first got into chatting. It was when she blogged about her Strawberry Banana Smoothie  when we started exchanging comments and started chatting. Web chats got more than just food when she was pregnant with her second kid the same time that I was with Lil Kavin and she was a real support on tips on what to eat and to tackle glucose levels.. When I was skeptical on getting back to blogging full-fledged after a baby she was an inspiration which had me back. When she asked for a guest post in her space I immediately agreed. Who wouldn't want to be a guest.. right? This Cauliflower and Cheese Soup is something I have been wanting to make ever since I got this "Williams Sonoma - Soup" book. 


Hop over to her space for the full recipe..

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Pad Thai Tofu Lettuce Wraps / Vegetarian Lettuce Wraps

Being an Indian, I love the other Asian cuisines very much since the complexity and levels of flavours are so similar in all of them. Grazing through my menu one could see that I love Thai food and tried quite a number of varieties. One of my favorite go-to dish in thai restaurants is Pad Thai (meaning "Fried, thai style"). While the authenticity of the origin of the dish is still in question, I do not mind where it originated given it being tasty. Another cuisine I love is the Chinese and the PF Chang's Tofu lettuce wraps is an inspiration for making this dish. This recipe is vegetarian and Vegan too.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2 as a meal; 4 as an appetizer
Firm Tofu - 1/2 block
Lettuce wraps - as needed (I used iceberg lettuce)
Peanuts - 3 tbsp
Scallions / Spring onion - cut on a bias - for garnish
Lemon juice - for garnish
Oil - 2 tbsp
For Tofu Marinade:
Low sodium Soy sauce - 3 tbsp
Agave syrup - 2 tbsp (see notes below)
Red pepper flakes - 1 tbsp
Grated ginger - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
For Sauce:
Tamarind extract -  3 tbsp (see notes below)
Agave syrup - 1 tbsp (see notes below)
Low Sodium Soy sauce - 2 tbsp
Red pepper flakes - 1 tbsp
Salt - as needed

Method:
Press the tofu and remove excess water. Cut into tiny pieces or into desired size. Mix the ingredients for marinade in a ziploc bag and put the cut tofu in the bag. Close the bag and mix well for the marinade to coat the tofu pieces. Store in the fridge until ready to use. Anywhere from 4 to 24 hours is good. 
Dry roast the peanuts until toasted. When done, allow to cool, remove skin and crush into little pieces. Mix the ingredients for sauce and do a taste check. Balance out the flavours according to your palate.
When ready, heat oil in a wide pan and add the marinated tofu. Let it sear for a couple of minutes in med-high heat and then toss. Allow it to sear for couple more minutes and then transfer to a plate. Add the sauce to the same pan and allow it to boil. Reduce the heat and add the tofu and mix. Remove from heat after about 3-5 minutes and garnish with crushed peanuts, lemon juice and spring onions. Serve over lettuce cups.
Notes:
1. I used big gooseberry sized tamarind to make the extract. If using ready to use tamarind paste, mix about 1 tsp of the extract with water to make 3 tbsp.
2. I have used salt very sparingly since the soy sauce already has salt.
3. I used agave nectar for a mellow sweetness. Feel free to substitute with brown sugar or honey. Increase the amount though, since agave is sweeter than sugar or honey.

Sending these beauties to PJ's Celebrate Women's day; Susan's MLLA#57; Taste of the Tropics - Ginger; Flavours of Cuisines - Chinese;

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Lettuce and Rajma Soup | Soup Recipes

When I was searching for soup recipes which would be wholesome and make a complete dinner, I landed on Kalyn's recipe. For those who have not checked Kalyn's space, hers is a huge collection of tasty and healthy recipes. If you think healthy has to be boring you should definitely check out her space which would change that idea. I adapted her Chicken, Black Bean and Cilantro soup to make this Lettuce and Red Kidney beans soup.

Ingredients:
Serves - 4 for dinner
Lettuce - 4 cups - chopped
Red Kidney beans / Rajma - cooked - 2 cups OR use 1 can rinsed
Chicken stock / Vegetable stock - 3 cups
Water - 2 cups
Cilantro / Coriander leaves - handful - chopped
Juice of half a lime
Oil - 2 tsp
Onion - chopped - 1/2 cup
Celery - chopped - 1/2 cup
Tomato - 2 - chopped
Cumin powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste
Salt - to taste

Method:
Heat oil in a wide bowl and saute the onions and celery until soft. Add the cumin powder and chilli powder. Add the tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Saute for a couple of minutes before adding the beans and lettuce. Saute until the lettuce wilts. Add the chicken/vegetable stock and heat for 10 mins. Now transfer half the contents to a blender and pulse for a few seconds. Alternatively you could use an immersion blender. Continue cooking until it boils. Now add the cilantro and simmer for 10 minutes. Squeeze the lime juice and continue to simmer for 3 or 4 minutes and remove from heat. Serve hot for a delicious and filling meal.
Linking this soup up to Spotlight - One pot Meal; HITS - Diabetic Friendly event by Sangeetha; Winter Foods - 30 min challenge.

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Thai Style Mushroom Tofu Soup | Soup Recipes

This Thai style soup is sure to fill your senses and appetite. This soup makes for a delicious dinner which has the goodness of all the vegetables and is light yet filling. I made this for dinner last week and totally enjoyed it. It reminded me of the Thai soup served at Noodles and Company. 
Looking for more Thai recipes? Check out my Garlic Basil Vegetable Fried Rice, Thai Red Curry and Thai Green Curry.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2
Preparation time - 10 mins; Cooking time - 20 mins.
Mushroom - 4 oz - about 1 cup sliced
Tofu - 4 oz - julienned
Bell peppers - julienned - 1 cup (I used a mix of green, red and yellow)
Zucchini - 1 small - sliced into half moons
Garlic clove - 1 - sliced thin
Ginger - sliced thin - few slivers
Chicken / Vegetable stock - 2 cups
Coconut milk - 1 cup
Thai Curry paste - 1 tbsp 
Light soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Red pepper flakes - to taste

Method:
Heat a skillet and saute the mushrooms for a couple of minutes. Follow the same method for the zucchini and tofu. This step is completely optional though. Heat olive oil in a wide saucepan with the ginger and garlic. When the garlic is cooked add the thai curry paste and saute for a couple of minutes. Add the stock and allow it to heat. Add the vegetables and tofu along with coconut milk and let it come to a boil in medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the soy sauce, salt and pepper. Remove from heat after 5 minutes and serve hot garnished with cilantro or basil.
Note:
1. Any type of vegetables can be added to this soup. Carrots, Beans, asparagus, snow peas, bamboo shoots, broccoli etc., are good additions.
2. Watch the amount of salt which goes in the soup since the stock and soy sauce already has salt in them.
3. Heat the oil along with ginger and garlic so as not to burn the garlic.

Sending this to Saras' Dish in 30 minutes - Soups & Salads event and to Pari's Only-Vegan event hosted by PJ. Also to Favorite Recipes - Non-Indian Food event by Satya.

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Spinach Broccoli Cream Soup | Soup Recipes

I am trying to include Spinach to my diet atleast twice or thrice a week. But I get bored with the regular Spinach with dhal curry. So I am trying many ways to include spinach which is interesting too. Spinach chapathi, Spinach basil pesto, Spinach chutney are few of the many ways I try them. The recent addition to the list is this Spinach Broccoli cream soup.

Ingredients:
Serves -2
Fresh baby spinach - 2 cups - tightly packed
Broccoli - (fresh/frozen) - 1 cup - steamed
Chopped onions - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 1 clove - halved
Vegetable stock - 2 cups - Homemade or Store-bought
Cooking cream - 1/4 cup (optional)
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste
Salt  - to taste
Olive oil - 1 tbsp

Method:
In a wide sauce-pan heat olive oil. Saute the onions and garlic until it becomes soft. Add the steamed broccoli and fry for a minute. Add the spinach and saute until it wilts. Add pepper and the vegetable stock. Allow it to boil and remove from heat. When it is slightly cool, puree in a blender in batches or using an immersion blender. Return the puree to the sauce-pan and heat slightly. Add the cream and whisk until it is well mixed. Add salt to taste but remember the store-bought stock may already have salt in it. Remove from heat and serve warm or cold. It tastes good either way.

Sending this healthy and tasty soup to Healthy Morsels - Pregnancy and also to CC-Spring Seasonal Food.

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Minestrone Soup | Soup Recipes

Minestrone (pronounced min-NESS-throw-nay) is a hearty Italian Soup made with vegetables, beans and pasta (or rice). There is no set recipe for this soup but the basic recipe has vegetables (and/or meat), vegetables in season and different types of beans. I have used the vegetables I had at hand with a combination of black-eyed beans and garbanzo beans. It calls for a very simple preparation with a variety of flavoring. This makes a whole meal in itself and we enjoyed it for Saturday night dinner to keep ourselves warm when it was snowing outside. Yes it was snowing in October here!!

Ingredients:
Serves - 4-5
Vegetables:
Onion - Chopped fine - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 cloves - chopped fine
Carrots - 2 - cubed - 1/2 cup
Cauliflower florets - 1 cup
Potato - 1 small - cubed - 1/2 cup
Baby Spinach - 1/2 cup - packed tightly
Tomato - 1 - cubed
For flavoring:
Vegetable Stock - 4 cups (I used 2 Knorr Bouillon cubes with 4 cups of water) 
Red pepper flakes - 1/2 tsp
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Butter - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
For the texture:
Pasta - any short cut variety - 1/2 cup (I used Mini Penne)
Blackeye peas / Cowpeas - cooked - 1 cup 
Garbanzo beans / White Sundal - cooked - 1 cup

Method:
Heat butter and olive oil in a wide saucepan and saute the onion and garlic until it is transparent. Add cauliflower, carrot and potatoes in the said order frying for 2 mins after each addition. Add baby spinach and stir until it wilts. Add the red pepper flakes, pepper, beans and the vegetable stock. Check for salt and add if needed, note that the stock would already contain salt. Add the tomatoes and cook covered until it boils. Add the pasta and cook in medium heat until the pasta is cooked and soft. Simmer for about 5 minutes and serve hot with your favorite bread. 
Note: You can add any vegetables of your choice. Feel free to add seasonal vegetables. Red kidney beans is also an excellent addition. I mashed about a tablespoon of cooked garbanzo beans and cowpeas and added it to the soup for thickness. I used canned beans.

Sending this to Srivalli's Soups and Salads Mela and to Radhika's Winter Carnival.

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Pasta salad with Lemon and Peanut dressing

Come Summer I am going more towards anything light for lunch. And that means soups and salads to the rescue. I love salads with lots of colorful veggies and something substantial like pasta or paneer to make a whole meal in itself. The lemon peanut dressing in this salad is very simple yet gives a lot a flavour combined with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil. 

Ingredients:
Serves - 3 or 4
Pasta - any short cut variety like rotelle - 2 cups
Chopped Vegetables -1 to 1 1/2 cups - I used chopped celery, carrots, cucumbers and red bell peppers
For the dressing:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) - 1/4 cup - Oriental sesame oil can be used
Fresh Lemon juice - 3 tsp
Lemon zest - from one lemon
Brown sugar - 1/2 tsp
Peanuts - roasted and crushed - 2 tbsp - Black sesame seeds can also be used
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al-dente (cooked but not too soft). Drain and set aside. Dry roast the peanuts until toasted. Allow to cool and remove the skin. Pulse in the blender until coarsely powdered. For the dressing, whisk together the EVOO and lemon juice until frothy. Add the lemon zest, brown sugar, crushed peanuts and salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and set aside. Mix the cooked cooled pasta and the chopped vegetables. Top the salad with the dressing when ready to serve. Give a gentle toss and serve in individual bowls.
Note: This salad is super tasty and absolutely satisfying. Practically any vegetable can be added. The pasta may be rinsed after draining. Technically rinsing the pasta after cooking is not recommended since the resident starch in the pasta allows the sauce to stick to the pasta and impart greater flavor. But for pasta salads, you may rinse the pasta to avoid the extra starch.
Check out my other Soups and Salad recipes here.

I am sending this to Monthly Mingle - Scintillating Salads, B2B - Basic Chutneys and to Fast Food to Fat Food event.
Sending this to Srivalli's Soups and Salads Mela

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