Green Apple, Cucumber, Onion Salad/Chat

What do you think is good combination Banana with peanut butter or Apple with Almond Butter. Even though I like the second one much better than the first one, I was totally getting bored with the sight of loads of green apple lying in my refrigerator and snacking on them with nut butters. I some times make pickle out of these tart apples and for a change and as a easy and healthy snack tried this green apple, cucumber, onion salad spiced up with red chili powder. I wanted to give it a little more twist and  added little bit of black salt and chat masala which you can get in the Indian grocery stores with a dash of lemon. The result was a very interesting and healthy snack. Next time make sure to pick some tart green apples and try this one out and let me know how you liked them.

Preparation Time – 15 Minutes

Cooking Time – None

Serves – 1 to 2

Ingredients

Green Apple – 1

Cucumber – 1 (Peeled and diced into small cubes)

Onion – 1 small(Washed, peeled and sliced)

Red chili powder – 1/4 Tsp or to taste

Salt – 1/4 Tsp or to taste

Black salt – 1/4 Tsp

Chat masala – 1/2 Tsp

Chopped cilantro – handful

Juice of a lime – 1/2 Tsp

Method

1) If using organic apples wash, core and cut into small cubes or pieces. If you are not using organic variety make sure to peel the apples. You will be better off without eating those waxed peels than getting the nutrients from the skin of the apples.

2) Add the cucumber, onion, cayenne pepper, salt, black salt, chat masala, cilantro, lemon juice. Toss and serve.

Events

Sending this to Let’s Cook with Fruits an event by Radhika of Tickling Palates.

Also sending this to Bon Vivant #4 – Fruit recipes.

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Papaya & Cucumber Salad

I love the color of papaya and the nutritional value in it and buy it often from the farmer's market. But not always the fruit is sweet and if it is slightly sweet , I make a smoothie or milk shake. But the one which I got  last week was absolutely bland and it wasn’t worth making anything sweet out of it.  I make pineapple and mango salsa with bland pineapple and mangoes. These fruits turn out great in salads with some salt and pepper and that’s how this idea of pineapple salad came to my mind.  Very easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious and refreshing. Do try it out some time when you papaya in hand and let me know how you liked it.

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes
Cooking Time – Nil
Serves – 2

Ingredients

Papaya – Peeled and Cubed 2 Cups
Cucumber – 1 (Peeled and deseeded and cubed)
Onion – half red onion chopped into fine pieces (small in size)
Cilantro – handful
Lemon juice – 1 Tsp or to taste
Salt – 1/2 Tsp
Crushed black pepper – 1 Tsp or more to taste

Method

1) In a bowl combine papaya, cucumber, onion and cilantro.
2) To this add salt, pepper and lemon juice.
3) Toss and serve.

Events

This goes to Beat the Heat by Best of Kitchen.	This goes to Ramya’s Fruit Fietsa.
This goes to Srav’s Cooking Concepts Vegan Diet.	Sending this to Summer Splash an event hosted by Sangee of Spicy Treats started by Kalyani.
Off to I’m the star event hosted at Veg Food & Me	Off to Speedy Snacks hosted by Simply Sensational Food.

Off to

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Mixed Veg & Chick Pea Salad with Parsley & Yogurt Dressing

Do you love salads? I do, not just because they are so healthy and good for the body but also they are easy to put together in a jiffy. Most of the time no cooking is involved, add this and that. Come up with a dressing and toss things together and the salad is ready in few minutes. Starting the meal with fiber and water rich food like salads or soups with veggies fills you up and prevents from over doing the high calorie main course later. So give this colorful salad a try as a part of your Thanks giving meal and let me know how you like it. Now getting on to this super simple recipe.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - None

Serves - 4



Ingredients



Cucumber - 1 (Medium size, washed, peeled and cubed)

Tomato - 1 small chopped

Mixed bell peppers - 1 Cup(Red, yellow and green washed and cubed)

Salted & boiled chick peas - 1/2 Cup



Dressing



Greek yogurt or thick yogurt with excess water drained - 3/4 cup

Fresh parsley or cilantro - 1/2 cup (finely chopped, I just put them in my food processor with little bit of yogurt and blended till a coarse paste)

Lemon juice - 2 Tbsp or to taste

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp to taste



Method



1) Stir together yogurt, parsley or cilantro(works wonder with yogurt dressing too), lemon juice, salt and pepper. If you like crushed garlic add 2 cloves but I didn't.



2) Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, mixed peppers, chick peas and add dressing, tossing to coat.

Serve.

Events



1) Sending this to Herbs and Flowers - Parsley an event hosted by Anu's Healthy Kitchen an event started by PJ of Seduce your taste buds.



2) Sending this to Soup and Salad Mela by Srivalli.

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Black Bean & Bell Pepper Salsa

Past few days were very hectic, fall recess for kids, work, Navarathri festival and inviting guests and getting the house, food everything ready for some fifty something people. I didn't even open the dashboard of my space for past few days and to break the Ice thought will post something today.

I love bell pepper for their color and the nutritive value they give. So every time, I go to the farmers market to pick up my vegetables I really get mesmerized and buy couple of them and add them to every thing possible.

This salsa is so easy to put together, throw in couple of healthy ingredients give a toss and serve with some organic whole grain corn chips or some almond flour tortilla chips which I will post soon. Don't forget to top with some tomato salsa to add some more spice to this dish.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes(If you are cooking the black bean by yourself)

Serves - 4

Ingredients



Soaked & Cooked black bean - 2 Cups(salted)

Tomato - 1 big or 2 small(Chopped into small pieces)

Thawed frozen baby corn - 1 Cup

Chopped bell pepper - 1 1/2 Cups(Green, Red, Orange & Yellow chopped into small pieces)

White or Yellow Onion - 1 Small (Chopped into small pieces)

Chopped Cilantro - 1/3 Cup

Lime juice - 2 Tbsp or to taste

Red wine vinegar - 1 Tbsp

Salt - 1 Tsp or taste

Freshly ground black pepper - 1 to 2 Tsp as per taste

Extra Virgin olive oil - 1 Tbsp

Chopped Jalapeno - Remove seeds & cut into small pieces(optional)



Method



1) In a large bowl add all the ingredients and toss together and serve with some tortilla chips

 

Events

1) Sending this to Kid's Delight Party event hosted by Srivalli.

2) Also sending this to MLLA-40 edition hosted by Veggie Platter an event started by Susan.



3) This mexican appetizer goes to Sizzling Tastebuds: A-100 day Global Food Festival an event hosted by Kalyani.

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Navara Rice Salad with Coconut Milk & Honey Dressing

Have you heard of Navara rice before? If not, don't be surprised because it is a special kind of rice grown in Southern India(Asia in Kerala) and unless you come from that part of the country it is very doubtful if you would have come across it. Unlike brown rice, in spite of its health benefits this rice is still not in the main stream cooking. This rice is an essential part of Ayurvedic treatment used for muscle strengthening associated with certain neuro muscular disorders. This unpolished variety of rice red in color is very  nutritious  and has lot of health benefits associated with it.

There are certain days when  I have little bit of everything  in my refrigerator which will not fit a single meal when cooked alone, I am sure this happens to every body. So I threw in whatever I had to come up with this colorful salad. A cup of  cooked navara rice along with peanuts, blanched carrots, beans, chopped cucumber, bell pepper, raisins & pomegranate seeds not only tastes great but is good for you too. Also my refrigerator was all cleaned up to get more fresh veggies & fruits and I was done with my meal.  Do try out and let me know, how you liked it.



Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes

Cooking Time - 20 Minutes

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Navara rice - 1 Cup (cooked)

Boiled peanuts - 1/2 Cup (salted)

Carrots - 1/2 Cup (Blanched in hot water for 3 minutes)

Chopped Beans - 1/2 Cup(Blanched in hot water for 5 minutes)

Chopped bell pepper - 1 Cup (Red & Green each 1/2 Cup)

Cubed cucumbers - 1/2 Cup

Raisins - Handful

Pomegranate seeds - Handful



Dressing



Coconut Milk - 2 Tbsp

Salt - 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Honey - 1 Tbsp

Freshly Ground Black pepper - 1 Tsp or to taste



Method



1) Add the coconut milk, salt, honey, freshly ground black pepper in a big bowl and whisk together.



2) In a wide mouthed bowl add the cooked rice, cooked peanuts, blanched carrots, beans, bell peppers, cucumber, raisins and pomegranate seeds and to this add the dressing and

toss and stir to combine and serve.

Events

This dish goes to Food palette Series - Rainbow colors event.

This dish goes to Healthy Living event hosted by Yummy in my Tummy.

This goes to Scintillating Salads event hosted by Divya of Dil Se an event started by Meeta.

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Mango Mania - Mango, Strawberry & Nuts Salad with Ginger, Honey dressing

What do you do with fruits which are neither sweet nor sour? How about some fruit salad with some Ginger, Honey dressing? This salad was made in spring when the season's first mangoes were available in the farmers market. The mangoes and strawberries were looking so good and flavorful, I couldn't control my urge to buy. But they both tasted totally bland and I didn't know what to do. So tried out this fruit salad and it was gone in few minutes.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - Nil

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Mango - 1 (Peeled and cubed)

Strawberries - 5 to 6 (Washed and chopped into pieces)

Mixed nuts - Handful (Almonds, Cashews, Pistachios and pumpkin seeds)



Dressing



Orange Juice - 1 Tbsp

Honey - 1 Tsp

Ginger Juice - 1 Tsp



Method



1) Pour the orange juice, honey and ginger juice in a wide mouthed bowl and using an egg beater combine till the honey is mixed well with  the juices.

2) Now add the chopped fruits & nuts and toss well and serve. 

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Cucumber, Bell Pepper, Scallion & Coconut Salad

 Do you love fresh raw vegetables and include salad as a part of your every day meal. Then this recipe is definitely for you. I try to include at least one raw vegetable dish as part of our meal and in order not to get bored, I try a variety of them. This simple salad is perfect for any body including carb watchers. Made with all low GI vegetables, these are perfect even for people on a diet plan.  Do try this out and let me know how you liked it.



Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 2 Minutes

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Cucumber - 1

Yellow bell pepper - 1 (Small)

Scallion - 1 bunch

Grated coconut - 2 Tbsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Lemon Juice - 1 Tsp or to taste

Freshly ground pepper - 1/2 Tsp or to taste

Chopped cilantro - 1 Tbsp



Tempering



Coconut oil - 1 Tsp

Asafoetida powder - pinch (avoid this in case of gluten intolerance)

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp



Method



1) Wash all the vegetables, peel and chop the cucumber into small pieces. De seed the yellow bell pepper and chop into fine pieces. Remove the root of the scallion and chop the white portion and little bit of green portion alone into pieces.



2) Combine cucumber, yellow bell pepper, scallion, grated coconut, salt, lemon juice, chopped cilantro and freshly ground pepper and keep it aside.



3) Heat a small pan and once it is hot, add the oil. After the oil is warm, add the mustard seeds and once the mustard seeds stop spluttering add the asafoetida powder and transfer the tempering to the salad.

Combine well and enjoy.

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Greens, Fruit, Nut & Veggie Salad with Yogurt & Honey Dressing

Eating vegetables raw is good as they retain the optimum nutrients required for the body. Cooking or over cooking leads to lose of nutrients, so try to include atleast one raw vegetable in your diet every day.

Salads are a good way to include raw vegetables in the diet. This is a very easy to make salad, the addition of fruits and nuts add lot of taste and make it very interesting to eat.

I had two cups of Organic Spring mix left out, a carrot,  bell pepper, half orange, a carrot and half an apple. Added handful of pistachio and sliced almonds and raisins. Addition of yogurt and honey made this salad taste almost like a dessert. Toss everything together and enjoy.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - Nil

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Organic Spring Mix ( Baby Lettuces, Baby Greens, Endive, Radicchio) - 2 Cups

Organic Carrot - 1

Chopped bell pepper - 1/4 Cup

Chopped apple - 1/2

Diced Oranges - 1/2

Pistachio and Sliced Almonds - Handful

Raisins - Handful

Dressing

Thick Yogurt - 1/4 Cup

Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp

Honey - 1/2 Tbsp

Orange Juice - 1 Tbsp

Method

1) Add all the dressing ingredients in a shaker or container and shake it to mix well.

2) In a big bowl, add all the salad ingredients and add the dressing, toss, chill and serve.

Note - If you are looking for a salad for a person on diabetic diet, exclude carrots, raisins, apple and orange. Add cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and go for Balsamic Vinaigrette as salad dressing. But substitute the sugar in the salad dressing with Xylitol. Will post later on how to make Balsamic Vinaigrette at home.

Events

1) This goes to Only Salads hosted by Chef and her Kitchen an event started by Pari.

2) This goes to Food Palette Series - Green.

3) This salad goes to The Seasonal Sundal event.

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Cucumber Carrot Pomegranate Salad





 I try to include atleast one salad in our everyday meal. I try to be as much innovative as possible, first thing not to get bored eating the same salad again and again and also different fruit and vegetable has different nutrients. So to get different nutrients, one has to try different fruits, veggies and legumes.

This is one such easy salad, but yet tasty and nutritious. However, if you are looking for low carb vegetables, please skip the carrot. Also I have used Nusalt instead of regular salt, which is high in potassium and low in sodium. Normally the taste of this salt is very distinct and one can easily find out the difference, but the addition of carrot and pomegranate adds a mild sweetness and kinds of suppresses the taste. If you are on a low-sodium diet, try substituting this salt instead of regular salt.

Preparation Time - 10 Minutes

Cooking Time - 2 Minutes

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Pomegranate seeds - 1/2 cup

Carrot - 1

Cucumber - 1

Black Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tsp or to taste

Nusalt - 1/3 tsp or to taste

Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp



Method



1) Grate the carrots, chop the cucumber into small pieces.

2) Add the pomegranate seeds, nusalt, lemon juice, black pepper powder, chat masala to the

carrots & cucumber mixture.

3) Combine thoroughly and serve.

Events

This directly goes to the Innovative Salad Event-Cucumber.

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Pineapple Salsa/Salad

Pineapple is such a perfect juicy fruit with its a vibrant tropical flavor that balances the tastes of sweet and tart. Pineapple is available year around at a very nominal price. I  made this salad with the leftover pineapple and few of the veggies in hand and it tastes delicious. Try out this flavorful salsa and you are sure to love it.



Know what you Eat - Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese. Vitamin C is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, defending all aqueous areas of the body against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells. It is also a good source of vitamin B1, vitamin B6, copper and dietary fiber.



Cooking Time – None

Preparation Time – 10 – 15 Mins

Serves - 2





Ingredients



Fresh Pineapple - 1 1/2 cups (Chopped)

Red Onion - 1/4 cup (Chopped finely)

Green & Red Bell Pepper – 1/2 Cup(Chopped Finely)

Fresh Lemon Juice – 1 tsp

Finely Chopped Jalapeno Pepper - 1/2-1 tsp. (or to taste, if serving for kids replace this with powdered black pepper) 

Finely Minced fresh ginger – 1/2 tsp

Salt -  1/2 tsp(or to taste)

Finely Chopped Cilantro - 2 Tbsp



Method



1) Combine pineapple, red onion, green & red bell pepper, ginger and chopped  cilantro.                    

2) Add Jalapeno or Black pepper, Salt and Lemon Juice.

3) Chill 2-3 hours to marinate flavors and then enjoy.

4) Enjoy with some baked corn tortilla chips as a guilt free snack.

Read more »

Brown Rice Pasta & Black Beans Salad

Know what you eat:



Just one cup of brown rice will provide you with 88.0% of the daily value for manganese. This trace mineral helps produce energy from protein and carbohydrates and is involved in the synthesis of fatty acids, which are important for a healthy nervous system.



Black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other legumes. In addition to lowering cholesterol, black beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, black beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. You may already be familiar with beans' fiber and protein, but this is far from all black beans have to offer.







If you are looking for whole grain pasta, try out brown rice pasta. It tastes much better than whole wheat and the fiber content is much more than whole wheat.











Cooking Time - 25 mins



Preparation Time - 10 mins



Serves - 4





Ingredients







Cooked brown rice pasta - 3 cups



Cooked rinsed & drained black bean - 1 cup



Chopped vegetables - cherry tomatoes, scallion, celery, black olives



Salt to taste for pasta, bean







Dressing





Olive oil - 2 tbsp



Lemon juice - 1 tbsp or to taste



Onion powder - 1/2 tsp



Garlic powder(optional) - 1/4 tsp



Dried Oregano - 1/2 tsp



Dried parsley - 1 tsp



Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp



Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste.







GarnishingChopped cilantro or parsley











Method





1) Cook pasta as per directions, rinse in cold water and drain completely.



2) Soak black bean overnight and add salt cook till soft. Remove, rinse and drain the water completely.



3) Whisk all the salad dressing ingredients.



4) Combine cooked pasta, black bean and the chopped vegetables.



5) Add the salad dressing and toss gently to combine.



6) Garnish and serve.

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Rajma(Kidney Bean) Salad

Know what you Eat - Kidney beans are an excellent source of molybdenum. Molybdenum (MO) is an essential trace element although its functions are poorly understood. These are not fully understood at this stage, but it is thought that molybdenum aids in the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates, is involved in protein synthesis, is vital for the utilization of iron, protects against cancer, prevents anemia because it is necessary for iron metabolism, is necessary for the formation of uric acid, promotes a feeling of general well being and helps to prevent tooth decay.



Preparation Time - 10 mins

Cooking Time - Nil

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Cooked Kidney Bean(Either home cooked or canned one) - 2 cups(16 oz)

Tomato - 1

Scallion - 4 stalks

Salad Dressing

Olive oil - 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp to taste

Chat masala or Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Garnishing

Chopped Cilantro - 1 tbsp

Method

1) Take 2 cups of cooked kidney beans and rinse in cold water and let the water drain completely.

2) Chop tomato and scallion into small piecese and combine with drained kidney bean.

3) Combine olive oil, salt, lemon juice and chat masala or powdered black pepper, whisk and transfer it to kidney bean + chopped vegetables and toss gently.

4) Garnish with chopped cilatro and serve.

Adding chat masala will give a zing to the salad.

l This is our entry for My legume love affair 11th helping hosted by Taste with eyes.l This is our entry for WYF Event hosted by ECl This dish goes to 15 mins Event hosted by Mahimaa

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Carrot Salad

Ever wondered why Carrot is good for your eyes? It is because of the beta-carotene present in them. In addition to giving the carrot its name and orange color, it also converts to vitamin A in the body which helps improve vision. The Vitamin A forms a purple pigment called rhodopsin the eye needs to see in dim light. Rhodopsin production is spurred by vitamin A, raising the effectiveness of the light-sensitive area of the retina. Not getting enough vitamin A can actually lead to night blindness. The beta-carotene in carrots is an anti-oxident combating the free radicals that contribute to conditions like cancer, heart disease, and macular degeneration.

Even though carrots are so good, being a root vegetable and sweet in taste, be mindful of it if you are on a diabetic diet. For this salad, i added Nu Salt which is a salt substitute for sodium, so if you are on a low sodium diet this will be a perfect salad where the kind of awful taste of nu salt is offset with the sweet carrot and the lemon juice.

Preparation Time – 10 Minutes

Cooking Time – 2 Minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Carrots – 4

Onion – 1

Bell Pepper – 1/2

Nu Salt – 1 Tsp or to taste

Lemon Juice – 1 Tsp or to taste

Black Pepper – 1 Tsp

Tempering

Oil – 1 Tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 Tsp

Asafoetida powder – pinch

Method

1) Wash, peel and grate the carrots, chop the onion and bell pepper into fine pieces.

2) Add nu salt, lemon juice, black pepper to the vegetable mix.

3) Heat a pan, add a tsp of oil and once it is hot add the mustard seeds.

4) Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add the asafoetida powder and switch off the stove.

5) Transfer this to the vegetable mix, stir to combine and enjoy.

.

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Beetroot Salad

Containing the powerful antioxidant betacyanin, which gives beetroot its deep red hue, this vegetable purifies the blood and has anti-carcinogenic properties. Research shows it boosts the body’s natural defenses in the liver, regenerating immune cells. Also contains silica, vital for healthy skin, fingernails, ligaments, tendons and bones. With all these health benefits, i do include this veggie in my food very often. This salad is very easyto prepare and very nutritious too. Try out and let me know, how you liked it.

Preparation Time – 15 Minutes

Cooking Time – 2 Minutes

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Beetroot – 2

Onion – 1

Lemon Juice – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Salt – 1 tsp

Tempering

Oil – 2 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder – 1/4 tsp

Grated Ginger – 1 Tbsp

Green chili – 2 or to taste

Method

1) Wash, peel and grate the beet root, keep it aside.

2) Peel and chop the onion into fine pieces and add it to the grated beetroot.

3) Heat a pan, add the oil and then add the mustard seeds, once the mustard

seeds stop spluttering add the asafoetida powder, green chili and the grated ginger.

4) Switch of the stove, transfer the contents to the grated beets and onion bowl.

5) Add lemon juice, salt and stir thoroughly and serve.

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Mung Bean & Vegetable Salad

Getting bored of the same old salad, try these colorful and nutritious ones which will please your taste

buds and are good for you. Combined with the goodness of legume and all the colorful vegetables, these

can be had along with your meal or as a snack. Mung Bean is very easy to digest and are a good source

of protein and low in glycemic index. If you are looking for a filling and low carb salad go for this one

who can even eliminate the carrot and use the rest of the vegetables. They taste equally good even

without the carrot in them.



Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 2 minutes

Serves – 2



Ingredients

Split yellow Mung Bean – 1/3 cup

Carrot – 2

Cucumber – 1 (small sized one and not the size of a foot long)

Bell pepper – 1/2 cup chopped finely

Green onion/scallion – 3 stalks

Chopped cilantro – 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp or to taste

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder – pinch

Green Chili – 1 chopped finely

Grated ginger – 1 tsp



Method



1) Wash, rinse and soak the mung bean in enough water up to twice its height and let this sit

for an hour or two.

2) Peel and grate the carrot, peel and chop the cucumber into fine pieces and also

the bell pepper, scallion and cilantro.

3) Rinse, drain the water completely from soaked mung bean and to this add the

grated carrot, chopped cucumber, bell pepper, scallion and cilantro.

4) Heat a small pan and to this add oil and the mustard seeds, once the mustard seeds

stop spluttering add asafoetida powder, green chili, grated ginger and add this

content to the mung bean bowl.

5) To the mung bean add nu salt and lemon juice, stir and combine and serve.

This directly goes to the Innovative Salad Event-Cucumber.

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Radish Salad

Radish is low in Saturated Fat, cholestrol, high in Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Folate, Potassium, Riboflavin,

Vitamin B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Copper and Manganese.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – 2 minutes

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Radish – 1 long or 2 small

Cucumber – 1 (small sized one and not the size of a foot long)

Tomato – 1 medium sized

White onion – 1 small

Chopped cilantro – 2 Tbsp

Lemon juice – 1 tsp or to taste

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida powder – pinch

Green Chili – 1 chopped finely

Grated ginger – 1 tsp

Method

1) Peel and grate the radish, peel and grate the cucumber and let this sit for a while as the water

will come out. Squeeze the water out and gulp it down as this will be very refreshing. Now chop

the onion, tomato and cilantro into fine pieces and add it to the radish and cucumber.

2) Heat a small pan and to this add oil and the mustard seeds, once the mustard seeds

stop spluttering add asafoetida powder, green chili, grated ginger and add this

content to the radish salad bowl.

5) To the mung bean add nu salt and lemon juice, stir and combine and serve.

Read more »

Tomato & Pepper Salad

Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and vitamin K. They are also a very good

source of molybdenum, potassium, manganese, dietary fiber, chromium, and vitamin B1. In addition,

tomatoes are a good source of vitamin B6, folate, copper, niacin, vitamin B2, magnesium, iron,

pantothenic acid, phosphorus, vitamin E and protein.

With salads being a part of our everyday meal, i literally run out of ideas. I try different colored vegetables

to get different nutrients and also not to get bored with the same type of salad everyday. Try to replace

your regular salt with Nu salt to get a potassium rich and low sodium salad.

Preparation Time – 10 minutes

Cooking Time – none

Serves – 2

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 2 medium sized chopped finely

Chopped bell pepper – 1/2 cup(red, green and orange) into fine pieces

Onion – 1

Chopped cilantro – 1 tbsp

Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp if tomatoes are not sour

Nu salt – 1/2 tsp

Olive oil – 1 tsp

Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp or to taste

Method

1) Combine chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, cilantro in a bowl.

2) To this add nu salt, lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper.

3) Toss to combine evenly and serve.

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Cabbage Coleslaw with Avocado Dressing

Cabbage is an excellent source of manganese, calcium and potassium. It is a very good source of iron,

phosphorous, magnesium. It is also a very good source of fiber, folate and omega-3 fatty acids. Further,

sodium, zinc and copper are found in good amounts in cabbage. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C,

B1, B2, B6. It also contains good amounts of Vitamin K, A and Protein. If you cook cabbage for a longer time

most of its nutrients will be lost. So take care not to over cook.

I have used Nu-Salt instead of regular salt in this recipe so it is safer for people looking for low sodium

recipes. Personally i don’t like the taste of Nu-salt but when substituted in salads like this with the

taste of lemon, pepper and the addition of sweet fruits one can literally not notice the taste. I prepare

a raw salad for my family, but when prepared for guests who are not used to raw salads like this

i blanch them slightly to make it tender. So the choice is yours, but after blanching do not discard

the water but use it in your cooking.

Preparation Time – 20 minutes

Cooking Time – 5 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients

Shredded Cabbage – 3 cups

Carrot – 1 cut into thin strips

Red & Green bell pepper – 1/2 cup(Cut into thin strips)

Pineapple pieces – 1/4 cup

Grapes – 1/3 cup halved

Avocado – 1-2(1 if big or 2 if small)

Lemon juice – 1 + 1/2 half of lemon

Nu-salt – 1/4 tsp

Ground black pepper – 1/2 tsp or to taste

Olive oil – 1/2 tbsp

Method

1) Boil water and to boiling water add the shredded cabbage, carrot and

bell pepper strips and cover for 1 minute.

2) Exactly in a minute drain the water and rinse with cold water, save

both the blanched and rinsed water as it will contain nutrients of the cut

vegetables and use it in your cooking.

3) If you prefer a raw salad like me skip 1-2 and come to step 3, combine

the shredded cabbage, carrot, bell peppers, grapes and pineapple pieces.

4) Peel and scoop out the avocado pulp in a bowl and then add oil, lemon juice

black pepper, nu salt and mix thoroughly.

5) Add the shredded vegetables to this avocado pulp and combine thoroughly

and serve.

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Spinach, Chick Pea, Fruit & Veg Salad and Almond Milk for brunch

During school days, my kids have to be woken up really hard. But in the week ends, they get up by themselves earlier than school days and we are all up and running early in the morning. My husband sits with them and make them do little yoga and exercise and I am off to the kitchen making an elaborate breakfast for the special Sunday. So we have full breakfast and lunch(in fact a little elaborate than the weekdays) on the week ends too. But unusually I ended up having brunch on a Sunday morning few months back. This salad I prepared for brunch on one of those Sunday's for myself when my husband was travelling out of country and my elder one had gone to his friend's place for a sleep over and stay. Only me and my younger one were at home, lazing around we both read for some time, watched tv for some time. Being a picky eater I had prepared things which my younger one normally eats and for me  had a little bit of everything in my refrigerator. Little lazy to cook just for me, I prepared this healthy & filling salad.



Know what you Eat - Spinach is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A, Spinach is also an excellent source of folate. Folate is needed by the body to help convert a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine that can lead to heart attack or stroke if levels get too high, into other benign molecules. In addition, spinach is an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral that can help to lower high blood pressure and protect against heart disease as well. Chick Pea(Garbanzo) are a good source of Protein, folate and also contain the following minerals Calcium, Iron, Potassium and Magnesium. Eating diets rich in fresh vegetables help in weight loss and are good for people with diabetes and for the healthy people to remain active throughout the day. Source - Whfoods & Nutritiondata.



Preparation Time - 15 mins

Cooking Time - none

Serves - 2

Ingredients

Spinach - 1/2 bag(I had  half of 5 oz bag)

Cooked Chick pea - 3/4 th cup

Iceberg lettuce - 1/2 cup(chopped)

Carrot - 1(Peeled & cut into thin strips)

Beet root - 1(small)

Cherry tomatoes - 10(cut into half)

Black grapes - 10(cut into half)

Red raddish - 5(cut into thin slices)

Cucumber - 1/2(cut into thin slices)

Orange - 1/2(cubed)

Red bell pepper - 1/4 (cut into thin slices)

Toasted walnuts - handful

Shredded Cheese(vegetarian) - handful

Dressing

Extra virgin olive oil - 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp

Orange juice - 1 tsp

lemon juice - 1 tsp

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Method

1) Peel the beetroot and cut into small cubes, add 1/2 tsp of olive oil and put in a toaster for 2-3 minutes.

2) Remove it and once cooled, add the spinach, lettuce, chick peas, carrots, raddish, cucumber, grapes, tomatoes, orange, bell pepper strips, toasted walnuts and cheese.

3) Whisk all of the dressing ingredients together and add it to the salad ingredients and serve.

4) I had this salad with Almond milk and believe it, this is a very nutritious and filling lunch.

Almond Milk





Ingredients



Almonds - 12 nos

Raw Milk - 6 oz

Ice cubes - few

Honey - 1 tsp

Cardamom powder - pinch

Saffron - pinch



Method



1) Boil the almonds in little bit of water for a few minutes and set it aside to cool.

2) If you press the almonds between your fingers, the almond peel will come off.

3) Grind the almonds into a smooth paste and then add milk, ice cubes, honey, saffron and cardamom powder and blend them together and serve.



Event Participation



1) Taking the Salad & Almond Milk to Monthly Mingle Brunch hosted by Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey.



2) This also goes to No croutons required-November theme root vegetables hosted by Lisa.



3) This also goes to Yasmeen's healing foods event.

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Sprouted Mung(Green) Bean Salad

Know what you Eat: Mung beans(green bean) are a good source of protein, dietary fiber, thiamin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium ,copper, and folate.


Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 0
Serves: 3 to 4


Ingredients

Sprouted Mung(Green) Beans - 1 cup
Chopped Tomato - 1 cup
Choppped Green Pepper - 1/2 cup
Chopped Red Pepper - 1/2 cup
Chopped Scallion - 1/2 cup

Dressing

Lemon Juice - 1 tsp or to taste
Salt - 1 tsp or to taste
Powdered black pepper - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Garnishing

Chopped Cilantro - 1 tsp

Method
1) Combine sprouted mung bean, chopped tomatoes, green and red pepper, scallion.
2) Add lemon juice, salt and pepper to the above and toss gently.
3) Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve.

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