Quinoa Salad with Broccoli and carrot

A perfect healthy salad for lunch, dinner or as a side dish to any meal. This has been our dinner on most days and we enjoy this flavorful salad every single time. You can also make this and take it to your potluck parties.

Ingredients:

¼ cup quinoa

1 small broccoli

1 shredded carrot

2 tbsp chopped dill leaves

2 tomatoes chopped

2 tbsp sprouts

½ small onion finely chopped

1 orange

1 tbsp each almonds and walnuts chopped

Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp pepper powder

How to Cook Quinoa?

Place the quinoa in a mesh strainer and rinse it in water. Mix ½ cup water and quinoa in a sauce pan on medium fire and boil it, once it begins to boil keep it under low fire until all water is absorbed. Put off the fire, close the lid and keep it aside for twenty minutes. Then open it, fluff it with a fork and leave it to cool.

Method to make the Salad:

Cut broccoli into florets and wash nicely. Boil two cups water with a pinch of salt and add the broccoli. Leave it in boiling water for three minutes and remove. Let the broccoli be crunchy and let it cool.

Chop all the ingredients that need to be cut and put them in a bowl. Add the cold broccoli and the quinoa. Keep the salad bowl refrigerated for two hours or more.

Once cold, mix all the ingredients for dressing together and pour over the salad, gently mix. Garnish with the nuts.

Enjoy the delicious salad for dinner. Stay healthy!

Quinoa Salad

Light and refreshing salad, quinoa with fresh veggies and nuts, a complete healthy dinner.

¼ cup quinoa

1 cucumber

2 carrots shred thin or grate

2 tomatoes or few baby tomatoes

1 small onion

1 cup of mixed sprouts

2 tbsp chopped mint leaves

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

2 tbsp chopped roasted walnuts

1 tbsp roasted flaxseeds

For the dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

½ tsp finely cut green chillies ( or ½ tsp pepper powder)

1 tsp finely cut ginger

salt

Quinoa Salad

Boil quinoa in water in the ratio of 1:2. Once water is completely absorbed, close the lid and keep it aside.

Chop cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, onion, into small pieces and refrigerate along with sprouts, mint, coriander leaves.

Combine all ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl. Take all the chopped items under ‘salad’ in a bowl, add the quinoa, sprouts, now add and mix the dressing gently along with the walnuts and flaxseeds, serve immediately.

Enjoy the salad!

Meat Puff

Meat puffs have always been my favourite, they are crispy and delicious. Its a great appetizer and can be served for breakfast, brunch or as an evening snack.

Ingredients

Heat oil in a vessel.  Add finely chopped onion and fry for some time.  Then add ginger garlic paste and sauté.  Add tomato paste and fry for some time.  Add red chili powder and mix.  Add carrot and peas.  Add to it the mince.  Mix it well and allow it to cook on slow fire for half an hour.  Once the meat is cooked make sure it is dry without any liquid remaining, put off the fire and keep it open to cool.

Pre-heat oven to 180°C.  Now take the pastry sheets one by one.  Place the stuffing in the centre.  Apply water lightly on the sides and bring the two ends together and seal it.  Do the same with all the sheets.  Place them in a baking tray and bake them for about 40 minutes or until the top of it becomes slightly brown.

Note: Brush the top of the puffs with a beaten egg to give it a shiny look before placing it in the oven.

Chicken Stuffed Sausage

This starter Chicken stuffed Sausage is a huge hit for any parties. This is really loved by all young and old, you give this to children and it disappears in no time. I had first tasted this starter at my friend Violet Pais’ house a few years back in Dubai and loved it, who gave me the recipe and ever since I have been preparing this starter.  My children have always enjoyed this starter.

Ingredients

400 gms minced Chicken

3 tsp Soya Sauce

5 green chillies finely chopped

1” ginger finely chopped

1 egg

2tbsp bread crumbs

4 Chicken Sausages

½ tsp Pepper powder

Salt

Foil to roll

Mix all the above ingredients except for the sausages.  If too sticky you can add little more of the bread crumbs. Divide the mixture into four portions.  Spread each portion of the mixture on a separate piece of foil.  Place the whole sausage on the mixture on one end and gently roll it along with the sausage and twist the two ends of the foil like that of a chocolate.  Steam the rolls for 20 minutes.  Then open it and cut it into circles.

This is a good starter and children normally enjoy having this chicken stuffed sausage dipped in tomato sauce.  Do try it and let me know.

Spicy Delicious Prawns

A quick way of frying  prawns, delicious, sweet and spicy.  The shell on prawns has lot of flavour in it, a bit messier to eat, but the taste is heavenly! Try once, you will certainly love it!

How to Cook Prawns Quickly

½ kg big prawns with shell

1tsp ginger garlic paste

1tsp  sweet and sour tomato sauce

1tsp dark soya sauce

1tbsp tomato ketchup

1tbsp BBQ sauce

1½ -2tsp  kashmiri chilli powder (according to your taste)

½ tsp garam masala powder

Pinch of turmeric powder

1tsp vinegar

Salt

Wash the prawns, cut off the legs, a small part of the top head and the small end of the tail.  Devein it, making an incision on the centre back and gently remove the vein with the help of a toothpick

Mix all the other ingredients of the in a bowl, mix and marinade the  prawns in it for an hour or more. 

Heat two tsp ghee/oil in a wok and fry the prawns on high fire for 3-4 minutes only.   It should be cooked but juicy.   Serve hot.  Garnish with coriander leaves.