Tag: vegetable

Vegetable Whole-Wheat Noodle Bowl ~ For Two

Vegetable Whole-Wheat Noodle Bowl ~ For Two1

 

This peanut butter-flavored dish is a cinch to throw together. So convenient on a weeknight or when you’re just lazy. Just boil a pot of water, saute some vegetables and whisk together some sauces from your pantry. Dinner is served!

Vegetable Whole-wheat Noodle Bowl

Serves:2 | Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 15 minutes | Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

For noodle bowl:

  • 2 nests of whole wheat noodles
  • 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch thin strips
  • 1 small head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • Pinch of salt
  • Freshly cracked pepper, to taste
  • 1 small bunch of scallions (spring onions), finely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lightly toasted white sesame seeds*, for topping

*You may use toasted peanuts too instead.

For sauce:

  • 3 Tbsp peanut butter
  • 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
  • big pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tbsp of hot water (or a little more to achieve a thin yogurt-like consistency of sauce)

Directions:

  1. Boil a medium sized pot of water. Add the whole wheat noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add oil and sauté  garlic for about 30 seconds. Add red pepper and broccoli to the pan and sauté for another 5 minutes over medium high heat. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Whisk together all the ingredients for sauce, adding the hot water in increments at the end. You are going for a thin yogurt-like consistency.
  4. Once the noodles are cooked and drained, toss together the noodles, sautéd vegetables and scallions.
  5. Portion into small bowls and top with a generous sprinkling of sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
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Skinny Mac’n’Cheese

Skinny Mac'n'Cheese2

Oh I love me some mac’n’cheese! It is my no.1 comfort food… I love it on a rainy day, on a bad day, when I’m sad, when I’m happy! I crave for it. I resist few times and sometimes just cave in!

To be honest, I can’t allow myself good-old-over-the-top-cheesy mac’n’cheese everytime I want one! So I gave it a skinny make-over! Of course they are not totally guilt-free but everything in moderation doesn’t hurt right?!

Skinny Mac'n'Cheese1

 

If you are anything like me then you are going to love my version of mac’n’cheese. It has goodness of vegetables too. Yup, I have added some veggie tid-bits to make it little bit nutritious and kid-friendly. Best for those picky-eaters! You can sneak in any vegetable you want.

So wait no more & make it tonight!

Skinny Mac'n'Cheese3

Skinny Mac’n’Cheese

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 cups macaroni pasta
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp finely chopped red onion
  • 4-5 button mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
  • 2/3 cup skim milk
  • 1/3 cup vegetable stock/pasta water
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
  • 2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese
  • 1 Tbsp breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta and broccoli together in a large pot of salted water as per the package instructions for al dante (or slightly under-cook for 2 minutes). Keep 1 cup of pasta water aside if you do not have vegetable stock. Drain cooked macaroni-broccoli in a colander. Grease a baking dish with oil and preheat oven to 190°C/375°F.
  2. In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat. Add onion and saute it for about 2 minutes. Then add and saute mushrooms, chili flakes for another 2 minutes.
  3. Add flour and saute for another minute till flour is golden and well-combined. Add milk and vegetable stock/pasta water and whisk raising heat to medium-high. Let it boil for about 3-4 minutes or till the sauce becomes smooth and thick.
  4. Once the sauce is thick, remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Add grated Cheddar and mix well until cheese is melted. Adjust seasoning. Add macaroni and broccoli and mix well.
  5. In a prepared baking dish, pour the mix. Top with grated cheese. Combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, pepper together and sprinkle over the cheese layer. Spray a little more cooking oil on top. Bake for 15 minutes and broil for 1-2 minutes for golden breadcrumbs.

Dig in!!

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Zucchini, Tomato & Red Pepper Soup

Zucchini, Tomato & Red pepper Soup1

There is nothing like a hearty soup on a rainy day. Nothing beats the smell of rosemary infused with all the ‘veggie gooey mess’ after a full day’s hardwork.

Bangalore weather has occasional spell of rain ready for us at the most unpredictable time of the week and it is always much appreciated as it would have arrived after the sun was done pelting us with its blazing agony. I know it’s summer at most of the places around the world but I just couldn’t resist making and posting this nutritious soup loaded with good stuff after a rainy evening.

Coming back to the soup, it is a ‘one-pot meal’. Totally convenient when you don’t want to do extra dishes. 😉 Just throw in whatever vegetables you are likely to have in your refrigerator to a pressure cooker. Blend and sieve them after pressure cooking and infuse with rosemary, add chunks of zucchini, season it and Hallelujah!!! Dinner is ready! Who thought it was this simple?! 🙂

Zucchini, Tomato & Red pepper Soup2

Serves: 2 hungry souls as dinner

Recipe can be easily doubled if you wish to freeze extra portion or feeding larger family

Ingredients:

  • 3 tomatoes
  • 1 carrot, peeled
  • 1 celery
  • 2 handfuls spinach, washed and dried
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 4 Cups water
  • 1 medium zucchini, diced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • few sprigs of fresh rosemary or a pinch of dried rosemary
  • salt and pepper, for seasoning

Directions:

In a pressure cooker, combine coarsely chopped tomatoes, carrot, celery, spinach and red pepper. Add 4 cups of water. Let cook for 10-15 minutes. Let rest for another 10-15 minutes and then open the pressure cooker.

Puree them in a blender and sieve.

Take olive oil in a sauce pan, add rosemary and diced zucchini to it. Saute for 5 minutes and add pureed vegetables to it. Add 1 cup of water if it is too thick for your liking. Season with salt and pepper and let it simmer for about 10 minutes.

Serve it with a drizzle of fresh sour cream or a shaving of Parmesan cheese.

*I had my 1st portion with Double Margarita Pizza and 2nd portion with garlic bread. Feel free to pair up as per your liking.

Hope you enjoy! 🙂

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