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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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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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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