Brown rice chutney salad

This surprising recipe is sure to have friends asking for more!

Ingredients

½ cup mango chutney

3 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp curry powder

2tbsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp salt

½ tsp garam masala

8 cups brown rice, cooked and cooled

3 shredded medium carrots

¾ dried cranberries [optional]

1 red bell pepper chopped

1 chopped apple

1 cup salted cashew

Method

Mix the first six ingredients in the recipe. Toss in the rice, carrots, bell peppers, green onions and cranberries. Refrigerate for several hours. Sprinkle the spinach and apples and toss. Garnish with cashews and serve cold.

Tip: Where does one find ripe mangoes in November? Green mango or apple chutney made to your taste are great substitutes.

Quick-fix butter paneer

Sometimes it's the simple things that give the best flavour.

Ingredients

1 large onion, cut into chunks

3 large cloves of garlic

1 tomato chopped into chunks

½ inch piece of ginger

1 green chilli

A fist full of cashew nuts

A cup of milk

2-3 tbsp of oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tej patta

¼ tsp Haldi

1 ½ tsp dhania jeera powder

1 to 2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 or 2 cardamom

300 gms paneer

Chopped coriander

Salt to taste

Method

Toss the onions, garlic, tomatoes, chilli, and ginger into a mixture and make a fine paste. Next, put the cashew nuts into the mixer and make a paste by adding a bit of milk.

In a pan, heat the oil. Put in the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add the tomato paste and let it simmer until the raw onion smell fades. Next, add the dhania jeera powder, chilli powder,haldi, salt, and garam masala. Cook till the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Add the cashew paste and the milk and cook till the gravy becomes thick. Now toss in your paneer cubes and cook for two minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with roti and rice.

Chocolate quinoa fudge balls

These fudge balls are tasty and healthy too!

Ingredients

1/3 cup quinoa uncooked

1 cup pitted dates [around 10-12]

1/3 cup almonds

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Cocoa powder to coat the balls

Pistachio powder for coating

Shredded coconut for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the quinoa on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6-8 minutes till golden. Keep a check, so it doesn't burn. Next, combine the dates, cocoa powder and almonds and pulse in a food processor. Add the honey and pulse again. your mixture should be crumbly and doughy. Take a bit of the dough in your palm and check if it sticks. If it crumbles, you can add a bit of honey and blend again. Now, add the toasted quinoa and pulse for a few minutes. Remove on a plate and shape it into bite-sized balls. depending on taste, roll these balls in coconut, pistachio powder or mixed nut powder.

Broccoli pesto pasta

Pasta is easy to make and a lovely addition to a party menu. Serve with baked garlic bread.

Ingredients

For cooking pasta

1 cup quinoa pasta

6-8 cups of water for boiling pasta

Salt as per taste

For pesto

1 cup broccoli cut into florets

1 cup fresh sweet basil leaves

8-10 walnuts or almonds

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 tsp red chilli flakes

¼ cup olive oil

Salt to taste

Method

Bring the water to a boil. Add salt and broccoli. Let it cook for 2 mins and drain. In the same water, cook the pasta till done.

To make the pesto, grind the walnuts, garlic, red chilli flakes, and parmesan cheese and pulse till well-blended. Next, add the olive oil, fresh basil leaves and broccoli to the blender and pulse a few times to get a coarse paste.

Drain the pasta, add the pesto and toss. Sprinkle cheese as garnish and serve with garlic bread.

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