Tag Archives: Healthy Eating

FOOD

A delicious breakfast made from the unloved end pieces of bread

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Please don’t judge me. I do not like the bookend pieces of bread that come in every loaf. The thick, slightly stubby pieces that I eat with reluctance, only to not waste them. But this morning, faced with four of those slices that I had saved from two packs of the low carb 647 bread, I decided to do something a little different; something that turned out to be super delicious. I have always loved the dish called poha, flattened rice flakes made into a delicious savory breakfast with onions, tomatoes, spices and more and that’s exactly what I decided to do with the four lonesome pieces of bread. The result was a delicious breakfast that I totally enjoyed with a steaming cup of cappuccino. Oh and one nice benefit of this dish was that I used a bunch of odds and ends lurking in my fridge.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • A pinch of asafetida
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped
  • 1/4 inch piece of ginger finely chopped
  • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small tomato, finely chopped
  • A handful of baby spinach finely chopped
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 4 end slices of bread with crust cut into small cubes
  • 1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
  • A tbsp of fresh, grated, coconut (optional)
  • A tsp of lemon juice (optional)

How to:

1. Heat oil in a pan for a minute and then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafetida.

2. When the mustard seeds stop crackling, add the green chilies, ginger, and yellow onion. Sauté for five minutes.

3. Add the tomato, baby spinach, turmeric powder, and salt, and sauté for a couple of minutes.

4. Add the bread cubes, and toss so all the veggies and spices are mixed in well with the bread cubes.

5. Turn off the heat, garnish the dish with the finely chopped cilantro, freshly grated coconut, and the lemon juice (if using).

6. Divide into two bowls and enjoy hot with a cup of coffee or tea.

FOOD

Easy, creamy, spring onions

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Can you ever go wrong with spring onions in any form? If you ask me, the answer is never. I use them to add a finishing touch to dishes, as a veggie in omelets, as a flavor punch in sautéed veggies, and so much more. But this particular dish takes my mom’s and my love for spring onions to a whole new level. Neither of us grew up eating it as kids, but discovered it at some point when we lived in Mumbai, where it was commonly served as part of the local Maharashtrian cuisine. It is just so easy to make, is ready in under 15 minutes and disappears even quicker from the plate. My only complaint is that even with five bunches of spring onions, there is only enough for two to indulge in heartily with some rotis.

Ingredients:

  • 5 bunches of spring onions, washed, roots removed, and finely chopped (both greens and whites)
  • 1 tbsp cooking oil (I used vegetable oil)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chili pods broken
  • 1/4 tsp asafetida
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsps chickpea flour

How to:

1. Heat oil in a pan for a minute and then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilis, and asafetida.

2. When the mustard seeds stop crackling, add the spring onions, turmeric powder and salt. Mix all the ingredients well, cover and let it cook for about 10 minutes on a medium flame, tossing once in between.

3. Add the chickpea flour and mix well immediately to prevent clumps.

4. Let it cook for another minute or two.

5. Serve with rotis or dig in with a spoon!

FOOD

Spicy dal with coconut milk

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I can eat dal anytime, anywhere. As a soup by itself, with rice or quinoa, or with rotis. My non-Indian friends are always surprised with the number and variety of dals that we make. In fact, about a week ago, I was orienting a friend through the aisles of a newly opened Indian super market and she was shocked at the colors and shapes of the lentils (dals) that flooded the aisles. This particular dal is one I make regularly in the Instant Pot. The melding of the dal with the spiciness of the chillies and ginger, the sweetness/tartness of the tomatoes, and the creaminess of the coconut milk, just create a dish that is packed with flavors. While the list of ingredients appears to be long, you will still come out with a pretty good dal even if some of the spices are missing.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup tur dal, washed a few times and set aside
  • 2 tsps cooking oil (I used canola)
  • 2 tsps mustard seeds
  • 2 tsps cumin seeds
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
  • 1/2 tsp asafetida
  • 2 inch piece ginger, finely chopped
  • 7 green chilies, four finely chopped, three slit lengthwise
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 3 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsps salt
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 1.5 cups water

How to:

1. Turn on the Instant Pot and set to Sauté function

2. Add the oil to the Instant Pot and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, asafetida, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for a minute, till the mustard seeds stop crackling.

3. Add the tomatoes, turmeric powder, brown sugar, and salt and sauté for a couple of minutes.

4. Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook Mode, add the tur dal, the coconut milk, and 1.5 cups water to the tomato mixture and cook at full pressure for 15 minutes. After that, let the pressure release naturally for ten minutes.

5. Move the pressure valve to the release position and let any remaining pressure release. Once all the pressure has been released, open the lid. You can now either smash the dal with a spatula against the wall of the cooker or run a hand blender once or twice.

6. Serve with rice or quinoa or rotis.

Enjoy!