Quinoa Spinach Burger Patties

Whenever I think of burgers, the only one that comes to my mind and has me drooling is the Mc-aloo tikki at McDonalds in India. Since coming to US, I have tried burgers from a few different places including the world famous 'In & Out' one but I never found 'the one' that floated my boat - so I had basically given up on the whole burger genre of food. But now after turning into a vegetarian, I tried a couple of decent versions here in the city and was curious to replicate something similar and healthier at home
When I cam across this recipe as always I was quite doubtful about the success of these especially considering it was my first attempt at making patties of any kind. The long list of ingredients wasn't helping my confidence either but surprise surprise they turned out pretty awesome. I have already made them twice once at home and once for a friend's barbecue. Both times I went the extra mile to make some potato wedges and they were the perfect accompaniment to these yummy patties.

Makes 12 patties
INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups cooked Quinoa 
• 1/2 cup rolled oats ground into flour
• 3 tbsp besan/ chickpea flour (or regular all-purpose flour)
• 1 cup finely chopped spinach (can use Kale too)
• 2 tbsp ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp water
• 1/2 cup finely grated sweet potato
• 1/4 cup finely diced sun dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp finely diced onion
• 1 clove garlic - minced
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp Tahini paste - runny (can add bit of oil to make it less firm)
• 1 1/2 tsp oregano flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• red pepper flakes to taste

NOTES:

• Its very important that you chop all the veggies very small - otherwise they would not bind properly.
• You can use oil soaked sun-dried tomatoes. I used the non-oily ones, but make sure to soak them in warm water for about 30 mins before chopping

PROCESS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. Mix the flax seed powder in the water in a small bowl and set it aside for about 5 mins - till it thickens
3. Chops the veggies - spinach + sweet potato+ onion+garlic
4. Take a large mixing bowl and mix in all the ingredients - wet & dry. 
5. Mix them well and use your hands to form a dough
6. Wet your hands to roll the mixture into patties - you will use about 1/4th cup mixture for each of the cakes.
7. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put it in the oven.
8. Bake for about 15 mins, then take them out and flip them on the other side and bake them again for about 8-10 mins till they turn golden brown.
9. Cool for 10 mins and serve.
10. Serving Suggestion:  I placed them on a multi-grain bun along with a slice of tomato, onion and and some ketchup and mustard sauce. I also added a few slices of avocado and salad leaves. Serve with home made fries (Recipe coming up soon) 

Recipe Source: Oh She Glows

Burrito Bowl

When I first arrived in the United States, the only fast food that I actually took a liking to was the burrito bowl at Chipotle. I remember eating it at least once a week during the first few years. Ever since then Chiptole has been our go-to place for non-greasy and tasty fast food. I had been thinking of creating the burrito bowl at home since the ingredients looked simple enough but the ease of a Chipotle pick-up always put my grand plans on hold. Anyhow, cut to a few months back and I finally tried making the burrito bowl at home and it turned out way way better than I expected.

I made it again recently on Super bowl Sunday and thought of posting it here. Let me tell you once you go home-made it will be hard to go back to the store made stuff - it is that good. Another thing I want to point out is that please don't be discouraged by the long list of ingredients- it might take some time but all of them are relatively easy to put together.

                         You need to make Rice, Beans, Fajitas, Tomato Salsa & Guacamole

INGREDIENTS
Cilantro -Lime Rice
2 cups of Jasmine or Basmati Rice
4 cups of water
1 tbsp ghee or butter
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup of cilantro - chopped
1.5 tsp Cumin Powder
Salt to taste

Beans:
1 cup kidney beans (rajma) soaked overnight

Fajitas:
2-3 medium sized bell peppers (preferably green) - sliced
1 big red onion - sliced
1 tbsp of ghee or coconut oil

Tomato Salsa:
2 large tomatoes - finely diced
2 tbsp red onion- diced
1 garlic clove - minced
1/2 green chilli - diced (I used Serrano pepper)
handful of chopped cilantro
salt to taste
a pinch of sugar
juice of 1 lime

Guacamole:
2 Avocados - pulp
2 Tomatoes - de-seeded and diced
1/2 medium red onion - diced
1 garlic clove - crushed
Juice of 1 lime
handful of chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin powder
salt and chilli powder to taste

Lettuce: Shredded (optional)

NOTES:

• You can use either brown or white rice. I used white basmati rice.
• You can use Jalapeno or Serrano peppers - just err on the side of caution and add it in portions.
• I have seen Roma Tomatoes work best for Guacamole as they have less juice and pulp. 
• When I am in hurry, instead of making guacamole, I just use chopped avocados.

Process:
Rice 

1. Start by making the rice first. Wash the rice and put them along with 1 tbsp of ghee and water in the pan to cook just like you would regular rice.
2. You should add the chopped cilantro, lime juice, cumin powder and salt after the boiling stage i.e at the simmering stage, when the rice is about to be done and there is a little bit of water left. 
3. Mix well and keep it covered. Remember the key ingredients that will make this rice similar to the one at Chipotle are lime juice and cilantro - so adjust the seasoning as per your flavor.

Beans:

Pressure cook the soaked beans - you just need to add little bit of salt to them

Fajitas:

In the meanwhile, slice the peppers and onions and saute them in a pan and cook them to your preference. You can sprinkle a little bit of salt on these too.

Tomato Salsa:

Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl and adjust the seasoning according to your taste.

Guacamole:

1. Remove the Guacamole pulp and add the diced tomatoes, onion and garlic along with all the other spices - cumin, salt and chili powder. 
2. It's a good idea to take out the pulp and juice of tomatoes - otherwise your guacamole will turn out to be too soggy and liquidy.

Serve: Start with a bed of rice, add the beans and fajitas and garnish with tomato salsa, guacamole and lettuce. You can top it with bit of Sriracha and a few spoons of yogurt.

Crunchy Apple Celery & Sweet Potato Salad

This salad recipe was something I saw in a magazine a while back. Although I had written it down, I was a bit doubtful about trying it out primarily because it said to use raw sweet potato. I mean I love sweet potatoes but eating them raw was not very appealing. Anyhow, I made the salad yesterday all the while thinking of a back-up lunch option. Let me just say that not only are you going to love this salad, you will want to make it again and again. It was that good. It was crunchy, savory with a hint of sweetness.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small sweet potato - peeled and finely julienned
• 1 apple (preferably green apple) - finely julienned
• 1 stalk celery- thinly sliced
• 2 scallions (green onions) - finely chopped
• 2-3 red radish - finely julienned
• 3-4 tbsp Sesame seeds - toasted
• 1/4th cup cilantro leaves - chopped

Dressing

• 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

NOTES:

• It's crucial to julienne the all the fruits & veggies because that's what creates the crunch. I tried using the shredder attachment of my food processor but they were coming out too small and slightly mushy.
• I used half a sweet potato - as mine was too big in size
• Green apple would work best here because it's tart and adds to the flavor.

PROCESS:

1. Start by cutting the all the veggies and fruits in a big bowl (Sweet potato+apple_+celery+radishes+scallions) - cut them as fine as you can- this is what's gonna take time - but it adds to the crunchiness. 
2. Put the sesame seeds on a pan toast them on low heat till they are fragrant.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients (ginger+limejuice+olive oil+ salt &pepper) in a bowl.
4. Add the dressing to the veggie mix
5. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro
6. Enjoy

Purple Cabbage, Carrots and Fig Salad

This is another one of my go to salads - its simple, healthy and wonderful tasting.

Makes 2 big servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 4-5 medium sized carrots
• 1/2 purple cabbage
• handful of parsley- chopped
• few mint leaves - chopped
• 1/4 th cup Pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup dried black mission figs - chopped

Dressing

• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp honey/agave syrup
• 1/2 clove garlic minced
• 1-2 pinch of ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 pinch red chilli powder (optional)
• 1 tsp salt 

NOTES:

• I have made this salad with fresh figs when they are in season and it tastes a lot different and maybe slightly better too. 

PROCESS:

1. Cut the carrots into super thin round slices (or you could shred them in the processor) and slice the cabbage as thin as possible (again you can use a food process - I did it by hand). Put both of them in a big salad bowl
2. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients
3. Place the pumpkins seeds in a skillet and lightly toast them on low heat until fragrant
4. Chop up the herbs - parsley and mint and add them to the salad
5. Chop the figs and mix them in
6. Drizzle the dressing and fold the salad to combine well. You may need to adjust the seasoning (At times I have to add more lime juice and salt)
7. Top it with toasted pumpkin seeds and Enjoy!!

Recipe Source: My New Roots

Sweet Potato Tacos

This sweet potato dish is an Indian version of tacos. While growing up we only ate sweet potatoes as a snack - slow roasted in the clay oven - just the thought of it makes me drool. Anyhow, I was skeptical trying to make a meal out of sweet potatoes but we absolutely love the end result.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil or ghee
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp. chili flakes
•  sea salt
• 2 medium onions (I like using red onions for this)
• 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound / 500g), scrubbed and cut into cubes
• ½ cup – ¾ cup / 125ml–175ml water or vegetable broth
• eggs (optional)
• ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
• Lime juice to taste

Serve with:
sliced avocado
chapatis, tortillas or pita bread
hot sauce
extra cilantro

Process:
1. In a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, melt the oil over medium heat. Add the spices, including the chili flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Add the onions along with a few pinches of salt. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they have caramelized.
3. Add the sweet potatoes and toss to mix with the onions and spices. Add about ½ cup water or broth, cover skillet with a lid and let cook undisturbed for 10-12 minutes, this will allow the sweet potatoes to steam. (If the potatoes are not cooked through, put the lid back on and cook for another five minutes or so, adding more water if necessary. If there is water in the pan remaining, simply remove the lid and allow it steam off.) Once the sweet potatoes are done, squeeze a little bit of lime juice.
4. Optional:To cook the eggs, make a few divots and crack eggs into them. Put the lid back on and allow the eggs to cook for about 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can cook the eggs separately as per your liking (the recipe suggested runny yolks.)
5. We ate this with corn tortillas -  just before serving, add chopped avocado, cilantro and egg.

Mung Sprouts & Cabbage Poriyal

All this time the only way I knew how to eat mung sprouts was to mix them in salads - my go to summer salad was mung sprouts mixed with watermelon and few other ingredients. But Eating sprouts in winter has always been a challenge for me and this warm cabbage poriyal is a great way to add mung to your winter meals.

Mung sprouts are a great source of Vitamin C, folate, iron and Vit B complex. They are a good source of protein and fibre too. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1.5 cup cabbage - finely chopped 
• 1 cup mung sprouts
• 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut (I used dried grated coconut)
• 2-3 tbsp Lime juice
• Salt
• Pepper

Tempering Ingredients

• 2tbsp Sesame Oil or Coconut Oil 
• 1 pinch heeng / asfoedita
• 10-12 springs fresh curry leaves
• 1tbsp urad dal (split)
• 1 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1tbsp green chillies - chopped
•  1 tsp green chillies - chopped
• 2 tsp ginger - minced

Method:

• Heat oil in the kadhai and add heeng and mustard seeds first.
• Then add the minced ginger, curry leaves, urad dal and green chillies - let them all sizzle for a few seconds
• Now add the cabbage. Toss and stir fry for 3-5 mins. ( I did not have enough green cabbage so I added some purple one too)
• Add salt and pepper
• Mix well and add the coconut.
• Take off the stove - add sprouts and lime juice 
• Serve warm or at room temperature

Millet & Broccolini Salad

This is one of the few non-raw meals which I make pretty often for lunch. I love the idea of incorporating different varieties of grains in our diet especially with the wheat heavy Indian diet that most of us are used to. Millet can sometimes feel a bit dry - so I try and take it off the stove when it's still a little moist.

Here are some of the Benefits of Millet:

• Gluten free
• Alkaline in nature - thus help balance the pH levels
• Good source of fibre
• Low Glycemic index than wheat and rice
• High in protein - 1 cup cooked contains about 12-15% of your daily protein intake
• Niacin (Vit-B3) in millet can help lower cholesterol and helps in reducing triglycerides.
• It acts as a prebiotic - thus help feed the microflora (the good bacteria) in your system
• Only CON: Potential Goitrogen - People with thyroid problems should take millet in moderation because it contains goitrogens that might suppress thyroid activity. Unlike cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower where cooking reduces the goitrogen levels, millet's goitrogen levels infact increase when cooked.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups dry millet (I use Pearl Millet - pictured above)
• 3 cups water
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 bunches of broccolini or baby broccoli
• handful of pitted kalamata olives - chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro
• handful of pine nuts + more to garnish

Vinaigrette:

• 4 T fresh pesto (recipe below)
• 4 T balsamic vinegar
• serious pinch of sea salt

METHOD:

• Dry toast millet in a saucepan for a few minutes until nutty and brown. (If in a hurry, I skip this step and directly boil it)
• Add water and bring to a boil. Cover and turn down heat to a simmer. Cook for about 10-15 minutes. 
• Roughly chop the broccolini, pour some coconut oil, sprinkle with a couple pinches of sea salt and roast in the oven for 10 minutes or until crispy. (Can totally do this in skillet)
• Mix the cooked millet, roasted broccolini, kalamata olives and parsley in a bowl
• Combine the dressing ingredients and mix well and add it to the millet mixture
• Add more salt to taste.
• Garnish with pine nuts

Pesto Recipe

• 3 cups fresh basil, sans stems
• 1/2 cup olive oil (I use much less oil- and add it progressively to get the right consistency)
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 4 small/medium cloves of garlic
• sea salt

the how: throw it all in a food processor and blend. Add salt to taste

Recipe Source: A house in the hills

I garnished this with a boiled egg

Greek Salad with Sundried Tomatoes & Olives

This is one of the first few salads that I learnt to make and it's still one of those recipes that I turn to whenever I need to whip up a quick and healthy lunch. Its super easy to make if you discount the amount of chopping involved (working moms can chop the veggies in advance if need be).

INGREDIENTS

• Mixed Salad Greens
• A few handfuls diced Bell Peppers, use a variety of colors
• A few handfuls Cherry Tomatoes, sliced in half
• Cucumber - diced (I prefer Persian ones)
• Small red onion - diced
• Handful of Green Onions
• A handful of Kalamata Olives
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced Sundried Tomatoes (I use dried ones - use kitchen scissors to cut them)
• Few pinches of Garlic Powder (optional)
• Black Pepper & salt
• Dressing: Squeeze Lemon Juice & drizzle Olive Oil
• Crumbled Feta cheese/ Goat cheese (totally optional - I use goat cheese once in a while)
• Chopped dill & parsley or cilantro (optional)

METHOD

Start with the salad greens - at times I chop them a bit - so they are easier to eat

Add all the veggies

Top with sun-dried tomatoes, Olives, cheese (if using), salt & pepper, garlic powder

Add the Lime juice and olive oil

Garnish with chopped dill & parsley or cilantro 

Recipe Source: FamilyFreshCooking

Spinach & Mung Daal Idli

This was my first attempt at making idlis - although I love them a lot, I have never tried making them. In fact no one in my house has ever made them - which should tell you that I am the best cook in my family in generations;)

Anyhow, coming to the recipe  - instead of going with the good old rice idli, I found this spinach dal recipe by Tarla Dalal which sounded really cool and easy to make plus I loved the healthy ingredients.
Makes - 12 idlis

Ingredients

1/2 cup yellow mung dal  - soaked for 3 hours and drained

3/4 cup blanched and roughly chopped spinach

1-2 green chillies, roughly chopped

2 tbsp yogurt

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Eno/Fruit Salt 

1/4 tsp oil for greasing

Method

1. Combine the yellow moong dal, spinach and green chillies and blend in a mixer to a smooth paste without using any water.
2. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, add the yogurt and salt and mix well.
3. Just before steaming, add the fruit salt to the batter and pour 2 tsp water over it - Mix well as soon as the bubbles form.
4. Grease the idli moulds using oil, put spoonfuls of the batter into idli moulds and steam in a steamer for 10 to 12 minutes or till the idlis are cooked.
5. Cool slightly, serve immediately with sambhar or chutney.

I love this Tomato-Peanut chutney with it:

Burmese Tomato Chuney

Recipe From Health Food Desi Videshi

This is a super simple and super tasty chutney

• Chop 3 large tomatoes
• Chop 1-2 green chillies
• Chop a handful of cilantro leaves
• 1/4th cup of roasted peanuts (Or dry roast raw peanuts on the stove)
• Lightly fry 2-3 whole garlic gloves in 1 tbsp of mustard oil
• Salt 

Put everything together in a blender and make a coarse paste.

Can add cut onions for topping when serving

Buckwheat Upma

This recipe is a twist on the Dalia Upma that I make very frequently at home. Recently my cousin suggested that I swap dalia for Buckwheat groats.
Besides being gluten free, Buckwheat is  full of Vitamin B complex, fibre and is highly anti-inflammatory making it great for people with arthritis. It's also a very good source of protein and has been proven to help reduce LDL (the bad cholestrol) and increase HDL levels (the good kind).

Toasted Buckwheat

Raw Buckwheat 

I prepare buckwheat the same way you make dalia - toast it in ghee for few minutes and then add water and let it cook for a 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye out when it's cooking because if you let it be on the stove for too long it becomes mushy very quickly. You can also get toasted buckwheat groats - buy these if you want to save sometime in the morning.

The recipe in itself is pretty simple can be made under twenty minutes for a healthy lunch option:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of cooked Buckwheat groats/dalia
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin)
• Lots of chopped curry patta . 
• 1 medium chopped onion , 
• 2-3 chopped tomatoes 
• 1 chopped Bell pepper ( I add whichever ones I have on hand)
• one chopped green chilly and 
• 1 tbsp Ghee/Oil

Process:

• Heat coconut oil in a kadhai and add mustard seeds and jeera followed by fresh curry patta
• Now add all the veggies in one go - and let them cook uncovered for a few minutes
• I like it the veggies crunchy so I make it a point to not overcook them
• Finish with salt and pepper

Broccoli Roll w/d Leftover Chapati

This is one of my all time favorite recipes to make on a weekday morning especially if we had made chapati's the night before. Its simple, tasty and healthy and requires very few ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup besan (chickpeas flour)
• 1 bunch broccolini
• 1 garlic clove
• 1/2 tsp of ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric)
• Red chilly powder to taste
• salt and pepper
• Ghee for cooking
• Sriracha (optional)

Process:

• Make a thick paste of besan by adding all the masalas in it. 
• Add a bit of oil in pant and add diced garlic. Cut the broccoli/broccolini in small bite sized pieces and add it to the pan. Let it cook for a few minute - I take them off when they are still crunchy
• Smear the besan on one side of the chapati and put it on hot greased tawa- besan side down. Cook it well - the chapati will start coming off the tawa and then you can cook it a bit on the other side too if you want too - I usually skip it.
• Put the broccoli on the besan roti, I add a bit of Sriracha sauce and roll the roti in half moon.
• You can eat it with a side of dahi. I also added some alfa alfa sprouts

Steamed Dal Dumplings

These dal dumplings make a healthy snack as they don't involve any frying - we even eat it at times for lunch. I use my idli mould to make them - it makes good sized portions and are easy to steam. I usually serve them with the tomato garlic chutney (the cooked version). They are called bhapouri in Hindi and are apparently a very common household snack in a few regions - I had personally not heard of them until I came across this recipe:

Ingredients:
Should make about 4-5 snack portions for 2 people

For the Paste:

• 1 cup Dhuli Masoor (soaked overnight or a min of 4 hours)
• 2 Tsp cumin seeds
• 1 inch ginger - minced/grated
• 3 garlic cloves (use more if they are small in size like in India)
• 1-2 dry whole red chillies as per taste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder

Add to the Dal Paste:

• 1 cup onions -diced
• handful of chopped cilantro leaves

Process:

• Blend all the first six ingredients in the food processor to make a thick paste - I don't usually add any water - but if you feel the need then add few tbsp of water. Keep the paste slightly coarse.
• Add the chopped onions and cilatro to the dal mixture.
• Fill the idli maker with the paste and steam for about 10 minutes on medium flame - the cooked dumplings look dull yellow in color - test if fully cooked by sticking a toothpick in it - if it comes out clean then the batch is done.
• You could also store the extra paste in the fridge and make a fresh batch anytime you want in about half the time.
• The dumplings themselves stay well in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• You could try making these with some other dals as well - I haven't tried it yet- let me know if any of you tries any other dal.

Recipe Source: Health Food Desi Videshi

Masala Roasted Veggie Roll

This is a yummy recipe for lunch or dinner and works really well for the Indian palette. These days, I find roasting veggies in the oven a lot easier and hassle free than sautéing them on the stove. Although that was not always the case - For some reason I always found using an oven a bit cumbersome especially when I needed to bake/roast in small quantities. One reason could be that in India we never used ovens and are pretty much alien to the concept and the other and more likely reason could be that I have stuffed my oven with all sorts of pans and griddles which are a real hassle to take out for a simple task like this. Anyhow my solution to the problem was to replace my old toaster with a small over the counter OTG that I use pretty much everyday for simple easy baking and roasting and use the big oven only larger quantities or baking desserts. 
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

• Filling
• ½ cup diced red onion
• 1 cup diced red pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1½ cup diced zucchini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tsp each of haldi (turmeric), jeera (cumin) and dhaniya (coriander) powder
• 1/4th tsp garam masala
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup chickpeas - boiled
• Avocado
• 1 avocado
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• Juice from half lime
• Rolls
• 3-4 whole wheat roti or pita bread
• Cilantro, for serving
• Lime juice, for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400˚. In a roasting pan, toss together onion, pepper, tomatoes, zucchini, chickpeas, olive oil and all the masalas. Roast for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are tender. (NB:It took me a total of 15 minutes - I didn't want my veggies to be overcooked and mushy)
2. While vegetables are roasting, in a small bowl mash together avocado, cilantro, and lime juice.
3. Once vegetables are done, assemble the rolls by smearing avocado on the inside and a few spoonfuls of roasted vegetables. Sprinkle with cilantro and squeeze a bit of lime juice over filling (if needed). Roll up and eat!

Recipe Source: Naturally Ella

Five Bean Mexican Salad

Ingredients

 2 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup Parsley chopped
1/2 cup Coriander chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard (available at grocery stores)
5 tablespoons Vinegar
3/4 teaspoon Salt
Black Pepper freshly ground
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup Flageolets (Green Kidney Beans) dried
1/4 cup Chawli (Black Eyed Beans) dried
2 cups French Flat Beans cut in 1 inch pieces
1 -1/4 cups Kabuli Channa ( White Chickpea ) rinsed
1 cup Cherry Tomatoes cut in half
1/2 cup Bell Peppers 

Preparation
1) Soak the dried beans overnight and cook the next day in water that covers them very generously until soft, but not soggy.
2) When they are soft, bring them to a boil and add the green beans and cook for 3 minutes.
3) Drain and transfer the beans to a ice water bath.When the beans have cooled, drain and pat dry.
4) Make the dressing by whisking together the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper, then whisk in the oil. Add the herbs and adjust the seasoning. 
5) Toss the beans, chickpeas, and dressing together and season with salt and black pepper.

Recipe source: Foodhall

Green Egg Roll w/d leftover chapati

Ingredients

• celery 
• cucumber
• boiled eggs
• home made dressing (Recipe below)

So this meal can be really quick - All you have to do is slice (or dice) the boiled eggs, chop the and cucumber. Soak them in the dressing and fill them in a chapati roll. 

Notes: Use a mix of coriander greens and mint with some fresh baby spinach if celery is not available. 

1st Dressing: (I use this more often)

1 tsp of olive oil

a tsp or more of lemon juice

1/4 tsp yellow mustard powder or mustard sauce

salt n pepper to taste

2nd Dressing: 

1/2 cup dahi+1/2 cup cilantro+1/2 lime+1/4 tsp cumin powder+salt

Basil Egg Salad Sandwich

Makes about 4 servings

What You Need
8 eggs
12 leaves fresh basil (you can substitute dried basil, dried dill, or omit if you don’t have access to fresh basil)
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 red onion
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste

What To Do

1  Hard boil the eggs.

2  When the eggs are done and cooled, peel them, then chop them roughly. Chiffonade the 12 leaves of basil. Finely mince the 1/2 red onion.

3  In a bowl, combine the eggs, basil, and red onion with 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoonsDijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and fresh ground pepper. Taste, then add more seasonings as desired.

Keeps for several days in the fridge. The taste of the fresh basil does dull after the first day, so you could add additional fresh basil to the leftovers as desired.

Noops Notes: I use it as a sandwich spread for lunch. I love the idea of using yogurt instead of mayo and I have been using the regular dahi and it works great. 

Recipe Source: Acouplecooks

Nori Veg Rolls

Ingredients:

• Hummus (recipe here)
• 1 carrot, peeled with a vegetable peeler into strands
• Leafy greens (spinach, baby kale, arugula all work great)
• 1/2 Avocado
• Nori sheet (i love this brand)
• Sriracha (I use this)

 METHOD:

• It's quite simple to make these rolls. Pile it all in, roll it up and eat! 
• I do recommend staying away from things that have a high liquid content (like tomatoes, salad dressing, etc) as they can soak through the nori and get quite messy. 
• And the trick to get them to stay together beautifully is a very light smear of hummus along the edge.  it binds it all together when you wrap it up. 

Noops Notes: If you are not fond of seaweed you can use the same ingredients to make a sandwich although I highly recommend adding some form of seaweed into your diet and these rolls are a easy and tasty way to do so. Also, its best to eat these rolls as soon as you make them, because they tend to get soggy quickly.

Alternative Recipes: For a snack, toast strips of nori in the oven at low heat. Or cover a sheet with cooked brown rice; add a layer of sliced carrots, celery, or avocado, and a dash of wasabi. Roll it up and dip in a sauce of tamari, toasted-sesame oil, ginger, and rice vinegar. 

Seaweeds Health Benefits: 

Among the marine flora, nori is one of the richest in protein (up to 50 percent of the plant's dry weight), and one sheet has as much fiber as a cup of raw spinach and more omega-3 fatty acids than a cup of avocado. Nori contains vitamins C (a potent antioxidant) and B12 (crucial for cognitive function) and the compound taurine, which helps control cholesterol.

Recipe Source: A house in the hills