Schezwan potato puffs

The first time I tasted puff pastries was at Monginis, a local bakery chain in India. Hot puffs with coffee is a perfect snack (when you are not counting calories ;) ) Puff pastry is a quick appetizer one can make by using a variety of stuffings, sauces and ingredients. One can make tasty appetizers using spicy stuffings and desserts using the sweeter ones. Here is an idea I thought of to make puffs using chinese sauces. The recipe is given below.
Ingredients
Puff pastry sheets - 1 packet
*Potatoes - 2 medium, sliced and half cooked (3 mins in microwave)
Sesame seeds - 1 Tbsp
Schezwan sauce - 2Tbsp
Cilantro and cheese for garnishing
Oil, salt and sugar
*Potatoes can be replaced with paneer or chicken.

1. Thaw puff pastry sheets for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Put the sesame seeds, salt, sugar and potatoes in the pan. Fry them well.
3. Then add schezwan sauce and cilantro.
4. Cut the puff pastry sheets in 8 squares. Fill the stuffing inside and give the desired shape to the puffs.
5. Bake the puffs for 15 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and cheese.

Irish cold coffee

Weather is a great metaphor for life - sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad, and there's nothing much you can do about it but carry an umbrella.  ~Terri G. So true !!!
During summer, minerals and oils are sweated out of our body so there is an extra need to drink plenty of fluids. This cold beverage is perfect to cool down the heat.

Irish cream liquor - 1/4 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Sugar- 2 tsp

Iced cubes - 

Instant coffee - 1 tsp

Whip cream - 1 Tbsp

Almonds -  2-3

Blend all the ingredients and then serve in a glass. Sprinkle some coffee powder on the top for garnishing.  
* Irish cream liquor contains 17% Alcohol.

Aloha sandwich

Alohaaa.... :) That's a Hawaiian word which means Hello or Goodbye... On our way to Hana in Maui, we tasted a dish called the "Aloha sandwich" and really liked it. A few days after coming back home, I tried recollecting the ingredients and here is what became my version of the Aloha sandwich.This is a real quick sandwich recipe for breakfast or an evening snack.

Sandwich bread - 2 slices (I used hamburger buns here but sandwich breads are preferred)
**Refried beans -  (1/2 cup). Add Schezuan sauce (11/2 Tbsp ), Pepper - (1 tsp).Add Paprika - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp red chili powder to the refried beans spread.
Veggies - Cucumber slices, lettuce, Alpha alpha sprouts (optional) 
Small fruit chunks - Pineapple, papaya (optional) 
Shredded cheese - 1 Tbsp

Salt  - to taste

 Spread the butter ( 1 tsp)  and  Refried beans spread(1Tbsp for 2 slices)  on the bread slices. Arrange all the veggies and fruit chunks. Put the shredded cheese ( opt.) on it and enjoy the sandwich with ketchup ... Alohaa :)
* If refried beans are not available, you can use boiled and blended black eyed peas and add 1 tsp onion powder, 1 garlic powder and salt to taste.





 

Thai Panang curry with Tofu / chicken / shrimp

Thailand has developed new strategies to attract tourists including culinary tourism.Unlike many other South Asian countries, Thailand has never been ruled by European nations. Thai cuisine is ancient just like the country's history. Rice is central to Thai cuisine and culture. Banana plantations are seen all over the country and leaves are used to serve the food as well as in the cooking.
The very first time I tried Thai, I tasted panang curry and loved it !!! The taste of Thai food is close to Indian cuisine. This curry is a spicy sauce with a coconutty flavor. While making this dish I chose to get a ready-made red curry paste from a local store. It's easily available in the market. The following Red curry paste recipe is from a book.( if someone wishes to make it fresh !!)  Fresh ingredients always gives best results.

Red curry paste -
10 red chilies ,3 shallots. 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch fresh ginger, 1/2 stalk lemongrass, 1/2 tsp galangal powder,1 tsp coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp caraway or Persian cumin seeds, 3 Tbsp tamarind water, 3 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce, juice of half lemon, black pepper to taste. (Source: Everybody's San Francisco cookbook - By Charles Le mos )

 Panang curry ingredients - Cubed Tofu  OR Chicken OR Shrimp ,Cubed veggies (carrots, bell peppers yellow or green, Shallots), Coconut milk (1 can), Red curry paste 2 Tbsp, Sugar 2 tsp, Soy  OR fish sauce ( 1 tsp), Lime juice (2 tsp).

Put oil in a pan and saute red curry paste on oil for 2-3 minutes. Put all veggies and the main ingredient (Tofu /shrimp/chicken). Cook it well for 5-6 minutes. Add 1 can of coconut milk and 100 ml water. Let it boil for a couple of minutes. When its almost ready, add soy sauce and sugar. Serve hot and enjoy with rice.

Minestrone soup

Ingredients -

Penne Pasta - 1/2 cup
Black eyed peas-  1 cup ( cooked )
Cannellini beans - 1 cup ( cooked)
Tomato puree or crushed tomatoes -  1/2 cup
Whole tomatoes - 1 ( chopped)
Celery ( chopped) -1/2 cup
Zucchini - 2 ( cut and cubed )
water / vegetable stock - 5 cups
V8 juice - 1 cup ( opt.)
Parsley leaves - 1 Tbsp ( chopped)
Onion -  1 ( finely chopped )
Carrot -  1/4 cup ( chopped)
Black Pepper - 1/2 tsp'
Basil  - 1/2 tsp
Dried oregano - 1/4 tsp
Garlic  ( minced ) - 1tsp
Sugar - 1tsp ( opt.)
Olive oil  - 1 Tbsp
Salt
Parmesan cheese -1 Tbsp For garnishing
Bay leaf - for garnishing
Recipe -

1.  Heat 1 tsp olive oil in the pan. Saute garlic,onion,celery , zuchhini onion, carrot,pasta whole tomatoes and tomato puree for 5 mins.
 2. Now add the cooked beans, dried oregano, black pepper and salt.
3. Mix 1 cup V8 juice into 5 cups of water ( if vegetable stock is not available ) and then add this into the pan. Let it cook for 10-12 minutes as pasta takes 12 mins. to cook.

4. Garnish it with Parmesan cheese, bay leaf and now add 2 tsp olive oil on the top. Serve hot.
5. One can only use Kidney beans or black eyed peas if the cannellini beans are not availale.

This healthy soup contains pasta ( cereal ) , Beans ( pulses and legumes) and Parmesan as a protein source  , vegetables ( source of fibre), water, Olive oil ( good quality fat).
Italian dictionary describes Minestrone ( Minestra) as a medium thick vegetable soup. The authentic origin of Minestrone comes from countryside contadina families. To use the leftovers , they invented this dish, so the ingredients vary from time to time and place to place. One thing doesn't vary, however is the fact that it's a staple of Italian cuisine.
( source - Where is the Minestrone ? By Peter Carusone )
According to Angello Pellegrini , Italian -American writer of great heart , soul and humor says of Minestrone, the best time to go for Minestrone with a vengeance is in the Fall. Its a seasonal as well as regional dish. By using the dry beans and the whatever vegetables available one may prepare it during any time of the year, But if one wants the best , it must be made in the early fall months when all the fresh ingredients like fresh Basil the real secret ingredient of the soup is available. ( A country inn cookbook )

Baked chicken fritters / chicken kababs

Ingredients -

Ground / chopped chicken - 250 gm
Egg - whites - 2
Lime juice - few drops
Ginger paste -  1tsp
Garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Green chilies -  3-4 ( chopped )
Onion - 1 med. ( chopped )
Red chili powder -  1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch

Cilantro , salt - 
Cornstarch - 1 Tbsp

Salt

Recipe  -
1. Mix all the above ingredients.
2. Beat the egg-whites and mix it with above mixture.
3. Make the small balls. Grease the tray with the cooking spray and place these kababs.
4. Preheat the oven at  350 degree F. and then bake it for 25 minutes.

5. Serve with dips available or mint chutney or sauce.

I  have used  egg- whites instead of the whole eggs and also, baking saves few calories here !!!  Enjoy the recipe !!!

Black Forest cake

Ingredients -

Cake mix - 1 packet
Oil           - 1/3 cup
Egg          -1
Egg - whites - 2
Cherry rum  - 1/4 cup
Sugar          -  1 Tbsp

For Frosting

Egg whites -  3
Water        -  1/2 cup
Sugar        - 3Tbsp
Cream of tartar - 1/4  tsp
Vanilla essence  - 3-4 drops

For Decoration

Canned cherries and  chocolate chips

Recipe -
1   .Beat the egg, egg whites. Mix the oil , and cake mix well . Bake 2 cakes at 350 F for 30 minutes.
(     Instructions are given on the packet. )
2. Cook the cream of tartar, water and sugar in a pan and then cool it for 5 mins . Then in another bowl  take egg whites,  a few drops of vanilla essence and mixture in the pan  and  then whip the mixture with hand blender till it reaches the frosting consistency.
( Cream of tartar helps to make the frosting airy and fluffy. )
3.  Mix the rum and sugar . ( one can replace the sugar with sweetener )
4.  Cut the cake into heart shape or any desired shape . Then slowly sprinkle ( rum + sugar) mixture on it.
5.  Place the cake and spread some frosting over it and then place other cake over it. then again spread the frosting. ( One can use chocolate sauce ) on the second layer.
6.  Decorate the cake with  cherries and chocolate chips.

I  have used  2 egg whites per whole egg to bake the cakes which saves extra calories and cholesterol  from the whole eggs. Instead of using heavy whipping cream , I have prepared frosting made from egg whites which is low fat , no cholesterol and high protein.

pasta salad with pesto sauce

Ingredients -

For Pesto sauce -

Basil leaves  - 20 no.
Pine nuts      - 1 Tbsp
Garlic           -2-3 cloves
Parmesan cheese  - 1 Tbsp
Olive oil         -  1 Tbsp
Salt

Boiled wheat pasta -  2 cups
Boiled black beans - 1 /2 cup
Boiled pinto beans  - 1/2  cup
corn                       -  1 cup

Recipe  -

1. Grind all the ingredients for pesto sauce in the grinder.
2.  Boil the wheat pasta and the beans.

3.  Mix the pasta, beans, corn and 3 Tbsp pesto sauce together.

 This dish contains wheat pasta, beans and corn. Also, the pesto sauce has basil, oilve oil and pine nuts. All these  ingredients used in the dish are very nutritious. Wheat pasta as a cereal source, beans as a legumes & pulses source , corn as a veggie source, and nuts ( protein + fats) , oilve oil as a source of good fatty acids makes this dish, a really complete well balanced meal.

Pine- nuts are very good source of iron. It is an excellent source of B1 & B3, manganese ,copper,magnesium, molybdenum,zinc, B2 , vitamin E and potassium.

wild rice with jalapeno

Ingredients-

rice - 2cups
white wine - 1 Tbsp
Fish sauce - 1 Tbsp ( optional)
Worcestershire sauce - 2tsp
jalapeno - 1
fresh celery - 100gms
salt
Olive oil - 1 tsp
Parsley leaves

INGREDIENTS -

1. Cook rice with 4 cups of water and 1 Tbsp white wine and salt and keep it aside.
2. Heat oil in the pan. add jalapenos and chopped celery.
3. Add cooked rice and fish sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
4. Garnish with parsley.

Rice was not that spicy as my side dish was fiery Cajun shrimp which was spicy. I wanted to balance the spiciness . One can add more jalapenos and make it more spicy. Celery, parsley, makes this dish more nutritious !!!

chicken with gnocchi and tomato sauce

Ingredients-

wheat gnocchi - 2 cups boiled and cooked
Chicken( boneless)- 11/2 cup
Tomato puree - 2cups
Basil -20 fresh leaves
Sun dried tomatoes - 4-5
Oregano - 1/2 tsp ( opt.)
Olive oil - 1 Tbsp
Paprika -1 1/2 tsp
Garlic - 2 tsp
Red pepper flakes - 2 tsp
pepper- 1/2 tsp
Grated Parmesan cheese- 1TBsp
( Reduced fat )
Chopped parsley -
* Vegetarians can add broccoli and mushrooms instead chicken.
Recipe -

1. Boil and cook wheat gnocchi and drain it.
2. Cook chicken and cut into pieces . Vegetarians can cook Broccoli and mushrooms instead chicken
3. take tomatoes, basil leaves,sun dried tomatoes, paprika,garlic, oregano,salt and chopped onion in the grinder and grind it and make a puree.
4. Heat 2tsp oil in the pan and cook this puree and make a tomato basil sauce.
5. Now grease the baking pan add gnocchi or veggies then add this sauce on the top of it then sprinkle Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley on that.
6. Bake in the preheated oven at 400 F for 10-12 Min's.

I always use to feel Italian is all loaded with cheese and extremely high calorie food. But one can modify it into healthy nutritious recipe. I have tried to make it comparatively nutritious with maintaining the taste. It was a very successful recipe.
Though we get ready made pasta sauces, The fresh tomatoes and basil add more nutrition and taste to the dish and also, we can reduce the amount of preservatives in our diet !!!

what gnocchi makes it comparatively high fibre,chicken and low fat cheese gives low fat and high protein source.Also we all know therapeutic value of basil.It has same properties as mint.It has antibacterial,anthelminitic ( antiworm)propeties. It gives aid to the digestive tract, useful in intestinal and kidney ailments.It has orientin and vicenin which has anti cancerous properties. Tomatoes contains phytoestrogen lycopene which has anticancerous and anticholesterol properties. Also parsley has a Nerve stimulant properties.

fiery cajun shrimp

Ingredients - 
Shrimp

1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp Melted butter
1 tsp Olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoons ground pepper
2 teaspoons chilli sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
salt
2 pounds medium shrimp
1/2 medium chopped onion
1 lemons, thinly sliced
2tsp constarch

Recipe

1. Mix Worcestershire sauce,lemon juice,ground pepper,chilli sauce,salt and cajun seasoning together in a bowl and add shrimp to it.
2. Add butter and olive oil in the pan and then add chopped garlic, chopped onion to it and saute.
3. Add obove mixture into the pan and again saute.
4. After 2-3 minutes take caonstarch in a different bowl and cold water to it and mix well. Then put this mixture in the pan.
5. Cook it for 5-10 mins. Fiery Cajun shrimp is ready to serve.


This recipe turned out to be awesome than I expected. This goes excellent with wild rice. I tried cajun shrimp recipe at K.Paul's kitchen, New Orleans. and I just loved it and wanted to try it since then. This was a bit spicy and not all people like to eat very spicy food, so I have mentioned the modified recipe here. I had marinated the shrimp for 6-7 hrs and made this preparation 1 hr before the party.

Shrimp is an excellent source of protein,selinium and B12. It is a very good source of iron and phosphorous. 100 gms of boiled shrimp gives 99 kcal, 21 g protein, 195 mg of cholesterol,177 mg of EPA and 144 mg of DHA. ( EPA & DHA ) are good fatty acids. Because it contains cholesterol , many people tend to avoid it. But, it can be eaten in the moderate amounts to get other nutritional benefits.

salmon sandwiches

This is delicious and very nutritious dish. I loved this one. I used What breads which are high in fiber, also salmon is high in proteins and saturated fatty acids,selenium,niacin, B12, phosphorous, magnesium and B6.Coleslaw has cabbage fiber, Vitamin C,moisture,minerals and phytoestrogens which are anti-cancerous.I used 1 tsp low-fat mayonnaise and mixed it with yogurt which makes it comparatively less fat.

Ingredients -

Wheat bread slice - 4 no.

Mashed potatoes - 4 tbsp
Parsley leaves - 1 tsp
Cayenne pepper - 1 tsp
salt

Coleslaw -
Cabbage - 1 1/2 cup
Low-fat Mayonnaise- 1tsp
Yogurt - 3Tbsp
Parsley leaves- 1/2tsp
salt
Sugar - pinch

Salmon -1
Cajun seasoning - 1tsp
Red chili powder- 1tsp
Olive oil - 1tsp
salt
Garlic paste

Method -
1. Marinate salmon by adding garlic paste,salt,cajun seasoning,red chili powder
and salt
2. Finely chop cabbage and onions. Mix all the ingredients from above coleslaw recipe.
3. make mash- potatoes by adding above spices. You can also add some butter. ( opt.)
4. Bake fish at 350 F for 20 minutes.
5 Toast bread slices.
6. Put ketch-up to the toasted slices.then put layers of mashed potatoes,coleslaw,
and baked fish. One can also fry fish.
7. Sandwich is ready to serve !!!

Broccoli soup

Broccoli is a member of cabbage family. The name is derived from latin name '' Branchium " which means branch or arm. Broccoli provides a complex of tastes and textures ranging from the soft and flowery florets to the fibrous and crunchy stem.
Native country - Europe

Nutritional benefits -

1. Although low in calories, it is most nutrient-dense food.

2. A cup of Broccoli provides same amount of protein as a cup of rice or corn , but less amount of calories.

3. It is an excellent source of Vitamin A,C,K , Folic acid and fibre, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium,B6 and vitamin E.

4.It also contains glucosinolates and phytochemicals with tremendous anticancerous effects.

100g Broccoli - 35 Kcal, 2.3 g protein, No cholesterol, 0.4 g of fat, 7.2 g carohydrate, 3.3 g fibre

Health Benefits -

1.It has anticancerous substances like glucosinolates and lutein.

2. It contains Sulforaphane which helps the body to get rid of Helicobacter Pylori. This bacterium is responsible for peptic ulcers and gastric cancers.

3. It contains carotenoid which prevents macular degenaration. It protects retina from damage.

Tips for preparation.

1. It can be served hot or cold, raw or cooked.

2.It can be added to salads or omlets.

3. It can be lightly steamed for 9-12 minutes, stir-fried or sauteed. lemon juice and sesame seeds can be added to the lightly cooked broccoli.

4.With the puree of lightly cooked Broccoli and cauliflower , one can make delicious soups by adding seasonings of their own choice.

( Reference - Encyclopedia of healing foods, Broccoli and other tales of food and love )

Ingredients of Broccoli Soup.

• 1 teaspoons butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli
• 1 large onion, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth ( opt)
  
• 1 cup Low fat milk
  
• 1/2 cup cream ( opt.)
• Croutons (opt)
• 1 tsp. garlic
• finely chopped parsley or cilantro
  

Recipe -

1. Cook Broccoli , onions, for 9-12 minutes.

2. Blendarize the these boiled veggies with water, low fat milk, cream ( opt), all purpose flour, salt and pepper.

3. Put butter in a pan. Saute garlic paste.

4 . Pour the blenderized puree into the pan. Add 4 cups of water or chicken broth.Let it cook for 3-5 mins.

5. Garnish it with chopped parsley or cilantro leaves.