Easy Pear salad with Feta Cheese and walnuts

 Easy Pear salad with Feta Cheese and walnuts 

So the saying goes : When life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade.

I improvised on that saying ..... 

So when life gives you pears, you should make a delicious Pear Salad. 

When I recently visited the Bandra Bazar I noticed an abundance of pears being sold at every street vendor's stall. I got really excited to pick up a bagful of fresh soft juicy pears at a really good price. On  returning home, I wished to make the best recipe with them hence I tried this Pear and Feta Cheese Salad. The secret ingredient that makes it extremely palatable and delicious is Mustard. 

It was light refreshing and extremely delicious. The fresh pears, salad leaves when combined with soft Feta cheese made a  great combination to relish.  

Note the ingredients for the easy Pear  Salad with Feta Cheese and walnuts..

Ingredients 

For the Salad 

1 Bunch lettuce or rocket salad leaves 

2 Sweet & crunchy pears

1 cup crumbled Feta Cheese

 Handful mixed nuts ( walnuts, almonds, Cashew Nuts) 

Pomegranate seeds/Corrinader for garnish (optional) 

For the Dressing

2 tsp honey 

1 tbsp mustard 

1tsp Balsamic vinegar 

1 tsp  Extra virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste 

Juice of half lemon

Method 

1. Roughly chop the lettuce leaves. Also chop the pears into small cubes.

2. Now make the marinade dressing with ingredients and keep aside.

3. Take a large bowl, add the Pear, nuts, lettuce leaves and mix it together lightly.  

4. Add salt, pepper and a dash of lime juice to this. 

5. Keep it in the refrigerator. Just before serving mix in the marinade.

6. Now add the crumbled Feta cheese and toss it lightly. 

7. Garnish With Pomegranate seeds and Corrinader leaves. Serve the salad chilled and fresh.

Trust me it's a refreshing change to your regular salad. You can add cubes of cottage cheese if feta cheese is not available. 

Hope you liked my easy Recipe. If you have any other interesting salad recipe do share it in the comments below. 

Carrot Rice Pudding/ Gajjar ki Phirni

 Carrot Rice Pudding/ Gajjar ki Phirni

Weekends are always the time to try out desserts. And I especially like to try out Indian sweet recipes in my kitchen. So today, I am trying a new recipe today, phirni with a twist. Adding carrots to the dish proved to be a good idea in this dish, so before the Indian carrot season (the one we make gajjar ka halwa with) was over I prepared Gajjar ki phirni....

 

 

Ingredients

2 Carrots

4 cups Milk-3 cups

½ cup Jaggery

½ cup Basmati rice

½ tsp Cardamom powder

6-8 Almonds

4-5 strands of saffron

Method

 

1. Start by soaking the basmati rice in the water for an hour. Strain the rice, and then grind the rice with this remaining water in a grinder until you have a fine paste.

2. Grate the carrots and keep aside.
3. Now in a saucepan, heat the milk and add the grated carrot and cook for ten minutes.

4. Add the rice paste and mix it with a whisk so as to ensure that no lumps remain.

5. Add the jaggery granules, and slow cook the mixture.
6. Keep stirring so it doesn’t burn at the bottom.

7. Now add the ground cardamom, and saffron to the thickened mixture.

8. Set the firni in terra-cotta or glass bowls and refrigerate, covered.

9. Garnish with crushed almonds and serve chilled.

Now enjoy a chilled bowl of phirni and give in to your sweet tooth cravings. This is just another a worthy treat, like creamy traditional pudding 'Phirni' loaded with the goodness of carrots. Welcome your weekends on a sweet note.

 

Easy Avocado on Toast Breakfast Recipe

 

Have you tried having avocado on toast for breakfast? With plenty of avocados available in the market I decided to give it a try instead of the regular scrambled eggs on toast. So here is a simple and easy Avocado on toast recipe I stirred up in my kitchen. With the ingredients available to me that morning.  Well the recipe was easy and done in a jiffy. But my only advice is, once the avacado mixture is prepared, do not wait ti eat it. It has to be eaten as soon as possible ot else you will get a bitter after taste. 

Before I explain the recipe here are a few tips to buy and store avocados.
1. Buy the darker colored avocados, they are more freshy and loaded with health benefits.

 2. They should feel a tad bit soft but not mushy.

3. If avocados are hard, then store it in a newspaper or paper bag to ripen.

4. If you have used half an avocado and need to store the other half then squeeze some lime juice or vinegar on half of it. Also store it in an airtight container or else it will turn brown.

And Now for the Recipe ..... 

 

 

 

Easy Avocado on Toast Recipe

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado 
2/3 slices bread
1 clove of garlic
1 tbsp virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 tsp lime juice
Cilantro or parsley (do not use coriander leaves, skip it if you don't have) 

 

For Garnish

Red chilly Flakes
Pomegranate

Method

1. First you need to cut the avocado in half and remove seed from the middle. Peel the skin of the avocado. 

2. Chop into pieces and add it to the mixer jar. 

3. To this add the other ingredients and blend well till it gets pulpy like a smooth buttery paste.

4. Toast the bread slices. Now scoop out the avocado mixture and apply to the toast. 

5. Garnish with red chilly flakes and pomegranate. 

6. Serve immediately with egg (fried or boiled) and cut fruit. 

Note 

You can top your avocado with various toppings of your choice
Cream Cheese, Baked Beans, Tuna, Cherry tomatoes or even strawberries and balsamic vinegar.

What would you like to try on your Avocado toast? Let me know in the comments below. 

 

 

Quick and Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup Recipe

Quick & Easy Broccoli Cheese Soup

When life gives you lemons, use them to make lemonade”, is an age-old adage used to encourage positivity in any situation you are put into.

Well, today I wish to add to make another saying. When life gives you broccoli, use it to make a quick & easy Broccoli cheese soup.

So are you ready to make a delicious creamy broccoli soup with me? The best part of this soup is filling and very easy to make.  Yet it is a different soup, unlike the regular ones we make eg - Tomato or Spinach soup.  It is very healthy and has fab nutrient content.

This Broccoli soup was made with a twist. I added a dash of Parmesan Cheese to it. I have used Dlecta There’s just something magical about a hearty bowl of soup in your belly sipping warm soup as you watch your favorite TV aerial on the weekend.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter
1 chopped onion
3 cups fresh broccoli
1 potato
1/2 teaspoon  thyme (optional)
1 Chicken Stock Cube ( can use veg option)
2 garlic pods
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp fresh cream
1 heaped tbsp fresh parmesan cheese.

Method

1. Take a large saucepan, melt the butter and lightly saute the garlic.

2. Add the chopped onion, broccoli flowerets and chopped potato to this. Stir for about two minutes until vegetables soften

3. Now add the chicken cube, one glass of water to this. Simmer until broccoli is softened, about 8 minutes.

4. For faster results pressure cooker this for one whistle or maximum 5 minutes. We don't want to overcook it as the nutrients get destroyed.

5. Now transfer the vegetables into a blender and make a fine paste of it.

6. Place it back in the saucepan on low flame.to simmer. Add the pepper and thyme at this stage.

7. Lastly, add fresh cream.  At this stage no not add any water as the taste will get adulterated.

8. Turn off the heat and continue whisking until thick and bubbly.

9. Stir in cheeses & serve immediately. You can serve it with soup sticks or garlic bread.

Note 

You can even take the stems of Broccoli for this recipe.
The color of the soup can vary from yellow-green to light green. But that doesn't matter as you are definitely going to love the warm mushy soup.

Moong Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Recipe

Moong Sprout Salad with Pomegranate Recipe

When was the last time you had a healthy Sprout salad?
Many find it too boring to make or eat. However, I love to munch on homemade sprouts. Guess, I know its nutritional value while also being used to its acquired taste.

What can be better than an early dinner with a  wholesome Healthy Sprout salad, packed with all kinds of health, the abundance of flavor, and crunchy textures?

The recipe I am about to share is super easy to make, loaded with vegetables and fruits. So check this salad recipe, it will leave you satisfied and full.

Ingredients

250 gms sprouts ( 2 cups ))

1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup pomegranate
1 tsp lime juice
1 chopped green chilly
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish

Optional
I boiled potatoes
1/2 cup chopped raw mango
1/2 cup chopped apple

Method

For the sprouts

You need to soak the green whole moong overnight. They will swell by soaking water and sprout.
Now drain out the water and keep it in a vessel with a lid on the top. Alternatively, you can tie it in a cloth and let it rest for 4 to 8 hours further.
The moong with germinate and swell more. You will see a root growing out of the seed. Now it is ready to be used for the salad.

For the Salad preparation

1. Parboil the moong in half liters of water with a pinch of salt. Salt is added so the sprouts don't lose the bright green color.

2. Drain the water, cool and keep aside.

3. Finely chop up the tomato. Make sure to scoop out inside seeds and discard.

4. Take a mixing bowl, add the sprouts and other chopped vegetables, green chili and pomegranate.

5. Also add the lime juice, salt, and sugar.

6. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

6. Refrigerate for half an hour and serve it a little chilled to enjoy it better.

Note

I have not added onions as it starts to smell. But you can add if you wish.
Add a dash of pepper in the winters.

Variations

This preparation can be made with chopped pineapple and mayonnaise. And filled in canapes. It makes a lovely kitty party/evening snack.

Add boiled potatoes and imli chutney to the same salad mix and top with the readymade sev. This is a lip-smacking snack. 

Same salad mix can be added to whipped curd. This makes delicious raita.

Try experimenting in the kitchen especially with sprouts. Sprouted seeds like moong and making are excellent sources of fiber and antioxidants. The fact is, a sprouted seed contains far more vitamins and nutrients than the dry grain variety.

Health Benefits of Flaxseeds

Proven to be the world’s most nutritious superfood with health benefits in abundance, Flaxseeds is simply amazing. Why is it that in India people have still not understood flaxseeds and have not yet started to inculcate it in their daily diet and meals.  Its mild nutty flavor and crunchy texture are so enjoyable. 

What Is Flaxseed?

Flaxseeds are also called linseeds, their appearance is small, brown, tan or golden-colored seeds. In fact, linseed or “flax seed” are two names for the same seed. Flaxseeds are an incredible source of dietary fiber and plant-based protein. According to scientists, flaxseeds contain zero cholesterol.  They have an abundance of alpha-linolenic corrosive, omega-3 unsaturated fats, and lignans. Minerals present in these seeds incorporate thiamine, manganese, and magnesium. They are additionally a source of nutrient C and B6, calcium, iron, potassium, and sodium.

 Health Benefits of Flaxseeds

1. Flaxseed stimulates brainpower.

"They're high in omega-3 unsaturated fats, a plant-based source, which is significant for vegetarians or people who don't eat fish,". "This kind of fat ensures the mind stays healthy with the food it requires to sharpen brain power

2. Helps constipation.

"They are a phenomenal source of dietary fiber, which means they'll keep your absorption ordinary, flushing poisons and abundance fats out of the body," They contain both solvent and insoluble fiber so they are really a powerhouse, as these sorts of fiber additionally keep your gut microbiome in solid equalization.

3. It helps you stay full.

It's has a decent source of protein and will enable you to remain full and fulfilled. Surveys have shown that constant munching on flaxseeds help you remain less hungry. Actually, one tablespoon of flaxseed contains two grams of protein. Furthermore, when joined with such fiber, it'll keep you super-satisfied.

4. It helps diminish cholesterol

About 20 to 40 percent of flaxseed's fiber is solvent, which structures a gel in the gut that ties to cholesterol in the gut and expels it from dissemination

5. Flaxseeds help in weight loss.

The low-calorie wonder superfood flaxseeds are perfect for weight reduction. Yet, flaxseed can support the procedure: "On account of their fiber content, they help to keep up glucose levels, avert hunger in this way supporting in weight reduction.

Recipes ideas

Smoothies: Add a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds to a smoothie, porridge, cornflakes for that morning jumpstart. 

Baking: Perfect for baking cookies, muffins, pancakes, and quick breads: If you love to bake, coarsely ground flaxseeds can be mixed here to boost texture and nutrition.

Salads: Sprinkle some flaxseed oil over roasted vegetables, or add the chopped seeds as a last minute topping. 

Snacks: Flaxseed oil can be sprinkled on popcorn or the ground meal can be mixed with herbs and spices and used to make your own crackers or baked chips.

Egg Substitute: Mix one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with three tablespoons of water. This can substitute an egg in any recipe. 

Granola and breakfast bars: If you make your own energy bars or granola, add ground flax meal to the recipe.