Spinach Berry Salad

We have gotten into the habit of eating as much seasonal produce as we can - so these days its all about cherry tomatoes, peaches, plums, corn and berries etc. Besides having them independently, I love the idea of adding them to our regular meals. So a berry spinach salad is right up my alley - quick to assemble and delicious in taste. This is one of the salads that doesn't require much chopping except the strawberries so its something that you can easily make in the mornings. Give it a try and let me know how it turned out:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cooked Quinoa (1/2 cup uncooked)
• 4-5 handfuls of spinach
• 1 handful of strawberries
• 1 big handful of blueberries
• 1/4 cup almonds- slivered
• 1/2 avocado - chopped (optional)

Dressing

• 1/4 cup lime juice 
• 2 tsp mustard sauce
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp maple syrup/honey
• salt and pepper

NOTES:

- I use regular yellow mustard sauce - you might have to change the quantity depending on how spicy your mustard sauce is.

- You can replace apple cider vinegar with rice vinegar

- Honey/maple/agave syrup either can be used based on availability. I almost always add honey simply because I love it's taste (and I get to lick the spoon afterwards:)

PROCESS:

1. Cook the Quinoa. I usually put twice the amount of water and cook it in a pan.
2. Wash the spinach and berries. Chop the strawberries and put them in a mixing bowl
3. Add the chopped avocado if using
4. Mix the dressing ingredients separately in a bowl and drizzle them over the salad
5. Garnish with almonds and you are done!!

Fig & Arugula Salad with Pistachio Pesto

Serving Size: 2

Ingredients

• two big handfuls of arugula
• 8-10 figs, sliced into halves or quarters
• 1/2 avocado, cubed
• 1 ball of burrata, torn (I did not use it)
• a few splashes of balsamic
• drizzle of olive oil
• sea salt & pepper

pistachio pesto: (this makes extra)

• 1/3 cup toasted pistachios (reserve a few for the salad)
• 1 small bunch of basil (or 1 big handful)
• juice of 1/2 a small lemon
• sea salt & freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup olive oil

Notes:

• added goat cheese instead of burrata.
• My pesto turned out to be a bit too spicy so add the dressing in portions to check the taste.

Instructions

1. Make your pesto by pulsing the toasted pistachios in a food processor. Then add basil, lemon, salt & pepper. Pulse again, then add the olive oil and pulse one last time. Add more olive oil if you prefer a smoother pesto. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Arrange the arugula, sliced figs, avocado, and burrata on a plate. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Dollop pesto (as much as you like), and drizzle the balsamic vinegar. Crush extra pistachios and sprinkle them on top. Try to distribute the ingredients evenly, or gently toss to be sure each serving gets a bit of each ingredient.

Recipe Source: Love and Lemons

Grilled Corn & Pepper Salad

 This is a perfect summer salad that you can have for lunch or as dinner on a warm evening. I made it for lunch last week and and was planning to skip the grilling part of it as I don't own a grill but I am glad I did not. I used my oven to grill the vegetables - which was essentially roasting them but I still liked the corn and peppers better this way compared to adding them raw (at least in this recipe). The salad is topped with a delicious sweet and savory chili lime dressing that brings out the flavors of all the vegetables:

INGREDIENTS:
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2-3 handfuls of Arugula
1 large red pepper - deseeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 small onion - sliced length wise
1-2 corn cobs -
1 cup of black beans (Rajma) - soaked overnight & boiled
1 avocado - chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
Fresh goat cheese
Corn chips - garnish
Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (might need more)
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1-2 tsp honey or agave nectar
1/2 tsp salt

NOTES:
- This time I had not soaked the black beans well in time so could not add them - but I added some cooked black rice which I had in the fridge - they brought some extra texture to the dish.
- Maybe next time - I will try adding the corn without grilling them

PROCESS:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and put it on broil.
2. Put some olive oil on the chopped peppers, sliced onions and the whole corn cobs ( I just use my hand to mix in the oil) - sprinkle some salt and pepper. Place the veggies on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven. Roast/grill the veggies till they are bit charred - takes anywhere between 15-20 mis.
3. Dressing: Whisk in all the ingredients in a small bowl. I had to add in more lime juice later once I mixed the dressing in the salad. So you might have to adjust the lime juice, chili flakes, salt etc to your preference.
4. Once the veggies are done - slice the corn put it in a big bowl along with the onion, peppers and the arugula. Add in the chopped avocado, beans. 
5. Drizzle the dressing
6. Garnish with cilantro, goat cheese and corn chips - crushed into pieces. 

Tomato Panzanella Salad

This is one of my all time favorite salads - I am surprised that I have not posted it till now. I make it ever so often and is one of the few recipes that I remember by heart (kind-of). There are quite a few variations of the Panzanella salad out there, the one given below is broadly what I stick to based on the ingredients I have on hand.

Serves: 2 as main dish

INGREDIENTS:
Bread Croutons (homemade or store bought)
1 handful of salad leaves (optional)
2-3 handful of cherry tomatoes - halved
1/2 red onion
1 small green pepper
1 small red pepper
1 garlic clove - minced
2 tbsp - fresh basil leaves - chiffonade
2 tbsp Vinegar (Rice or Apple Cider)
2 tbsp Olive oil + 1 tbsp for making croutons
Salt
Pepper

NOTES:
- For making the croutons, you can use any bread - I used the multi-grain bread that I usually have on hand.
- A classic panzanella does not include salad leaves, but I tend to add a fistful to add a bit of crunch.

PROCESS:

1. If you are planning to make the croutons at home - its a pretty simple process. Tear 2 slices of bread into bite sized pieces. (You can use any bread -I used the multi-grain bread that I usually have). Put them in a bowl and drizzle olive oil (1tbsp) and mix well. If you want you can sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper as well - I dont. Spread the bread pieces in a single layer on to a parchment lined baking tray and put them in the oven at 400F for about 7 minutes. 
2. Prep the Veggies: Cut the cherry tomatoes into half and dice the onion. Dice the peppers and mince the garlic clove. Chop basil leaves.
3. Mix all the veggies and basil in a bowl. Top with the freshly made bread crumbs. 
4. Drizzle the oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Let the salad for about 10-15minutes for the flavors to develop. You can eat it even later but be careful to add the bread just before eating otherwise it would become soggy.

Rainbow Chard & Strawberry Salad

This is a salad that I have been making for quite some time. It makes for a really refreshing summer meal that has nice sweet and sour notes. I really don't follow any strict measurements and just mix the ingredients in the quantity that looks good in my salad bowl. I made this salad again yesterday but forgot to take pictures - will whip it up again soon and post some photos. Till then here is how to go about it:

INGREDIENTS

• 5-6 leaves and stalks of rainbow chard - finely chopped (can you any kind of chard)
• 1 handful of strawberries - sliced
• 1 handful of cherry tomatoes - halved
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• juice of 1/2 lime
• Lightly Roasted walnuts (optional)
• Goat cheese (optional)
• salt & pepper

PROCESS

1. Cut the chard into thin slices.
2. Add the chopped strawberries and tomatoes
3. Dressing: Mix the olive oil+honey+lime juice and salt pepper in a small bowl
4. Drizzle the dressing on the salad - if need be mix in additional honey or lime juice depending how sweet or sour you want it to be
5. Toast the walnuts on a low flame till they are fragrant.
6. Garnish with roasted walnuts and goat cheese

Pear Arugula Salad

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS
1 pear - chopped
few handfuls of arugula leaves
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/2 cucumber - diced
1 thinly sliced fennel (optional)
1/4 cup pine nuts - toasted
hemp seeds to garnish
1/2 cup goat cheese or feta (optional but recommended)

Dressing
3 tbsp Olive Oil
juice 1 lemon
1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or any other vinegar)
1 tsp mustard sauce (dijon or any other kind)
2 tbsp chopped green onions
salt & pepper

PROCESS:

1. Mix all the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
2. Pour some of dressing on the cooked chickpeas and let them sit for a few minutes - marinating the chickpeas in dressing makes them more flavorful but if you are short on time you can totally skip this step.
3. Put the pine nuts in a small pan and toast them on a very low flame.
4. Mix in all the salad ingredients together - arugula+pear+cucumber+fennel+chickpeas and put the rest of the dressing on it and mix well.
5. Garnish with lightly toasted pine nuts, hemp seeds and a little bit of goat cheese. 

Kala Chana & Chickpea Green Medley

For the longest time, I used chickpeas only to make the traditional Indian chole curry but since that time I have started exploring different cuisines, I have used chole/chickpeas a lot more in my cooking especially in salads etc. This salad is one such example, the original recipe calls for chickpeas but I had boiled kaale chane (bengal gram) in the fridge which I added as well. They both tasted good and I would probably make it next time with just kaale chane. Let me also tell you that this salad tastes much better than it looks, so don't hesitate to try it out.

Serves 2
INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas/ kaale chane (3/4th cup uncooked)
• 4-5 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup cilantro/ parsley- chopped ( I used cilantro)
• 1/2 red onion - diced

Dressing:

• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

PROCESS:

1. Wash the spinach and cilantro and put in a food processor and chop it until its super small
2. Put the chickpeas in a big mixing bowl and add the spinach-cilantro mix to it.
3. Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl
4. Pour the dressing over the chickpea and greens mixture.
5. Ideally, let it sit for 10-15 mins at least to let the flavors develop

Kale Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

This is another one of those salads that I make regularly. Raw kale can be really chewy and hard to actually swallow - that is why this salad needs kale leaves to be massaged well in olive oil - the massaging makes them soft and less chewy.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 bunch kale leaves - de-stemmed and torn into smaller pieces
• 1 lime juice
• 1-2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 1 tsp Sea Salt
• 1-2 Avocado
• 1/2 cup grapes
• 1/4 cup pine nuts

Dressing:

• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Mustard sauce
• 1tsp honey
• 1tbsp poppy seeds
• pinch of salt

NOTES:

• You can use any kind of kale, I usually use lacinato/dinosaur kale
• You can add any variety of veggies and grains to this salad. I have tried adding quinoa and moon dal sprouts. 

PROCESS:

1. Massage the kale: Put the torn kale leaves in a big salad bowl and add the olive oil, lime juice and salt. (I would suggest starting with juice of half a lime and add more later in needed). Now, roll up your sleeves and massage the kale leaves with your palms - do it for about 3-4 minutes till the Kale turns deep green in color and soft in texture.
2. Chop the avocado and grapes and add them to the salad bowl
3. Toast the pine nuts on low flame till they are fragrant and turn slightly brown in color
4. Mix all the dressing ingredients well in a bowl and drizzle it on the salad as much as you need. You can store the leftover dressing in the fridge for up to a week.
5. Top it with toasted pine nuts and your salad is done.

Citrus Salad

I tried this salad a couple of years ago at Delfina and fell in love with its simplicity and bursting citrus flavors. I recreated it at home with a little help from the interwebs and it turned out pretty close to the restaurant version.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Clementines
• 2 Blood Oranges
• 1 Grape Fruit
• 1 Navel Orange
• 1-2 Minneola Oranges
• 1 Fennel Bulb
• 1 small shallot (optional)
• 1/4 th cup hazelnuts or walntus - toasted
• 2-3 tbsp Olive Oil
• handful of mint leaves
• Salt & Pepper

NOTES:

• You do not have to stick with my combination of fruits.You can go with any kind of citrus fruits. The idea is to get a little variety for a good mix of flavors.
• If you are using fennel for the first time, you should look at this short video on how to cut fennel.

PROCESS:

1. Peel and slice all the fruits into 1/2 inch rounds and put them in a bowl.
2. Cut the leaves and trims of fennel and slice the bulb as thin as possible. Add these to the fruit bowl. You can use a mandolin for this job I just did it with my good old knife.
3. If using, then slice the shallot into super thin slices as well.
4. Put the nuts on a pan - and toast them on low heat. If you are using hazelnuts, you will have to roll them in a paper towel or dish cloth to get rid of any loose skin
5. Sprinkle olive oil and salt and pepper on the salad.
6. Garnish with Mint leaves and roasted nuts. 

Chickpea Salad with Sundried Tomato Paste

This is a salad I make whenever I need to make a quick lunch. I have a jar of this sun-dried paste in the fridge and it comes handy whenever I am a little short on time. You can whip up the salad in minutes provided you have boiled chickpeas in the fridge.

Serves 2

Salad
INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups Chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked 
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes - chopped 
• salad leaves (any kind)
• handful of Grapes (optional)
• Paneer cubes (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp sundried tomato paste
• 1-2 tbsp of Olive oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste

NOTES:

- I do not add paneer to the salad and it still tastes delicious.

- In case you don't have cooked chickpeas on hand - you can try boiling them on the spot - adding a pinch of baking soda helps quicken the process, but you would still want to pressure cook them for at least 4-5 whistles on a slow flame. Make sure to discard the water used in boiling.

PROCESS:

1. Dressing: To make the dressing just mix in 1tbsp sun-dried tomato paste with 1tbsp of olive oil. I used the 2 tbsp of each.
2. Boil the chickpeas, that have been soaked overnight - drain them and put them in a salad bowl.
3. Throw in the chopped cherry tomatoes+ the chopped grapes along with the salad greens.
4. Add in the dressing - adjust the salt and pepper
5. And you are done!

Sun-dried Tomato Paste - Makes 1 full jar (250ml)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Sun-dried tomatoes (without oil)
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/3 cup water
• 3 tbsp garlic - crushed
• 2 tbsp capers (optional)
• 1 tbsp red chilly powder or flakes
• 3 tbsp Oregano (preferably fresh)
• 20 leaves of fresh basil
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• Salt to taste

NOTES:
- The measurements are all my best approximation of the original recipe so you might have to tweak them a bit.
- If using oil packed sun-dried tomatoes then skip adding the extra olive oil

PROCESS:

1. Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in balsamic vinegar and water overnight
2. Blend the soaked tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients till it turns into a smooth paste
3. Adjust the seasoning - you might need to add a little bit of sugar if the paste is too sour.
4. The paste stays well at room temperature for about a month and in the refrigerator for about a year.

Recipe Source: Healthfood Desi Videshi

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

Squash & Kale Salad

This winter, I have been on a squash roll - I have used them in so many new recipes and have loved every one of it. This is another squash salad recipe which turned out to be really yummy. This salad uses Kale - previously whenever I added kale to a salad - I massaged it with oil to make it soft and less chewy. This recipe however asked to cook kale for a bit which honestly I was skeptical about as I really don't like cooking my greens - but here they needed to be on the pan for just about a minute and turned out to be much less work than having to massage them.
Btw, here is an image identifying different kinds of squash available:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small Acorn Sqash
• 1 large bunch Lacinato Kale
• 1/3 cup Hazelnuts
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 1/3 cup white miso
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 big garlic clove - crushed
• 1 small shallot - minced
• 1juice of lemon
• Coconut Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Notes:

1. The recipe used Red Kuri squash but I had Acorn squash at home and used that.
2. Also, I didn't have any shallots so I skipped that.
3. This is the Miso brand I use,

PROCESS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Cut the squash - remove all the seeds and strings - slice the squash in small half moons, sprinkle a bit of oil, salt and pepper over it and roast it for about 25 mins in the oven or until its soft.
3. Make the dressing by combining Tahini+Miso+garlic+shallot +lime juice+salt+pepper. Add additional water to create a smooth creamy consistency (a couple of tablespoons)
4. Wash the kale and remove the stems and roughly tear the leaves into smaller pieces.
5. Put a little bit of coconut oil in a pan and cook kale for a couple of mins till its wilted - I cooked kale in two separate batches in my cast iron pan -they cooked faster that way as they had enough room.
6. Put the hazelnuts in small pan over medium heat and cook till they are lightly brown and fragrant - then chop them into smaller pieces.
7. Serve: Put cooked kale, top it with roasted squash, cranberries, hazelnuts and drizzle the dressing.

This is by far the best pic, I have taken for the blog so far!!

 Recipe Source: A house in the hills

Spicy Eggplant & Chickpea Salad

This is one of my all time favorite dishes  - I absolutely love the flavor and the texture that the mix of veggies bring out. It's pretty simple to make and doesn't require much prep except that you need to soak the chickpeas (chole) well in advance. I usually make this for dinner, but I suppose it would make for a yummy lunch option too. I know there are people who are not big fans of eggplant and I have one such person in my family but even he loves this version of eggplant, so I suggest you give it a try.

Serves 3

Ingredients:

• 1 medium size eggplant 
• 2 Persian cucumbers (1 regular cucumber)
• 1 cup uncooked chickpeas (or 1.5 cups cooked)
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 red pepper
• Cilantro
• Roasted peanuts (optional)
• 1 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• Olive oil

Dressing

• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 to 1.5 tbsp honey
• salt to taste

Process:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F
2. In a bowl mix all the dry spices - 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp chili powder + 1/2 tsp cumin powder + 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
3. Put the chickpeas in a cooker or pan and let them get fully done (2-3 whistles in a cooker)
4. While the chickpeas are cooking, chop the eggplant into bite sized pieces (about 2 inches wide at most) and sprinkle half of the above spice mix along with 1 tbsp of olive oil to the eggplant. Mix well and roast it in the oven for about 20 mins or till its fully cooked.
5. Once the chickpeas are done, drain the water completely - I use a strainer and let them sit in it for a few minutes. Now mix the remaining half of the spice mixture to the chole
6. Dice the cucumbers, red pepper and onion and cilantro and mix them all in a bowl.
7. Stir together the dressing ingredients in another small bowl and add it to the above cucumber mix. You can adjust the dressing as per your taste - you want the mixture to be mildly sweet and sour so pour dressing a bit conservatively on your first go.
8. Serve: Place the cucumber mix on each plate, top it with the chickpeas and roasted eggplant. Garnish with additional cilantro and roasted peanuts and eat it alone or with chapatis or pita bread. We love it simply on its own.

Cucumber Mix 

Roasted Eggplant

Chickpea Mix

Zucchini Pasta with Roasted Pumpkin Sauce

Let me begin by saying that I have been a lifelong hater of pumpkin, I tried the typical Indian veggie version of it as a kid and immediately disliked it and have not had it ever since. However, off late I have been exploring new ways to eat pumpkin/squash - there are so many great recipes out there. The first one I tried was this and I absolutely loved it. I have eaten Zucchini noodles with summer veggies but adding the pumpkin sauce makes it perfect for winters. A word of caution - do not make this recipe expecting it to taste like your regular pasta - it will not - the flavors are rich but still will need some getting used to (or maybe it's just my pumpkin fear that's coming out)

To make noodles out of veggies, I use this simple spiralizer and it works great for me. I am planning to graduate to this one soon - which will work better, if you are cooking larger quantities or have the storage space for it.  

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 4 large zucchini

Pumpkin Sauce

• 1 sugar pumpkin - roasted then pureed
• 1 medium green apple (swapped it with lime juice)
• ½ cup fresh sage - chopped
• 1 cup full fat coconut milk
• 1 tbsp roasted pumpkin seed oil (can skip it - I didn't have any)
• Juice of 1-2 oranges
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon (using some for baking)
• pinch of turmeric
• black pepper
• sea salt to taste
• Garnish: roasted pumpkin seeds, dash of cinnamon, fresh black pepper, roasted pumpkin seed oil (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Slice the sugar pumpkin in half, placing the flesh side up. Sprinkle little bit of cinnamon powder. 
3. Bake the pumpkin on a well greased baking sheet for 45 minutes or until tender. 
4. Scoop out the pumpkin from it's skin, puree the pumpkin with all remaining sauce ingredients.
5. Adjust seasonings to taste - I had to add more lime juice
6.  Transfer the pumpkin puree into a pot on the stovetop to heat through again. 
7. Make Zucchini noodles and serve with pumpkin sauce on top and garnish with roasted pumpkin seeds, cinnamon and black pepper. 

NOTES:

• I had leftover sauce, which made for a yummy evening soup the next day - just added little bit of more water and heated it.
• Since the size of pumpkins vary a lot - the seasonings will require some major adjustments. I had to add at least juice of 1 lime to make it work for my palette. 

Recipe Source: Nutrition Stripped

Spicy Cauliflower, Kale, and Pomegranate Salad

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 5-6 cups)
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tspground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• Dash red pepper flakes (skip if don't want too spicy)
• Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 -1 lemon's juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 bunch of Dinosaur Kale
• 1 cup purple cabbage - shredded 
• 1/2 cup pomegranate arils

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425. Toss the cauliflower florets with two tablespoons of the olive oil in a large mixing bowl, and then add the chili powder, paprika, coriander, cumin, pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt. Mix until the cauliflower is evenly coated with the spice rub. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is getting crispy. Turn off the oven and set the cauliflower aside.
2. Whisk the remaining two tablespoons of olive oil together with the lemon juice, honey, and some salt and pepper to taste for a quick vinaigrette. Massage the vinaigrette into the kale, working until the kale is wilted and evenly coated. (Pull your sleeves up and massage the kale for 5-7 mins till it becomes soft in texture)
3. Toss in the purple cabbage, pomegranate arils, and the roasted cauliflower.
4. Adjust seasoning - salt, lime juice etc per taste

Recipe Source: Choosing Raw

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

Roasted Squash Salad with Spicy Sunflower seeds

This is a great salad for the cooler temperatures. I am not a big fan of squash at least not the winter variety and this salad completely changed my mind about it - loved the mix of slightly sweet and spicy flavors. I have already made it twice in the past two weeks - so I strongly suggest you to give it a try.

Serves 4

Recipe Source: Crunchy Radish

For the Roasted Squash

Ingredients

• 1 small acorn squash — seeds scooped, sliced width-wise to create half moons
• 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• Freshly ground black pepper

Process

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. 
• Coat squash with coconut oil, maple syrup, and black pepper in a bowl. 
• Spread squash slices out on sheet pans and roast until golden and caramelized, around 45 minutes.

For the Spicy Sunflower Seeds

Ingredients

• 1/2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp harissa (can substitute with regular chilli powder)
• 1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
• 1 tsp honey

Process

• Mix together coconut oil, harissa, and maple syrup in a bowl. Toss seeds in oil and spice mixture to evenly coat.
• Turn down oven to 350. Using one of the same sheet pans from the squash, spread seeds out evenly. 
• Roast for 10 minutes, tossing with a wooden spoon half way through cooking. (This will likely produce more spiced seeds then you need for the salad. You will not be mad about having leftovers.)

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients

1 tbsp poppy seeds

Juice of 1 lemon (can add more if need be)

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Process

Whisk all ingredients together.

For the Salad

Ingredients

4 cups mixed seasonal greens 

Top with goji berries or any other sweet dry fruit (optional - I didn't add any)

-Mix it all in a salad bowl  - the greens+the squash+sunflower seeds+ dressing

Lentil Walnut Salad

I love this salad and the addition of lentils gives it a nice desi twist. I can't remember where I got the recipe from, but I have been using it for a while. I use sabut masoor (orange one) for this salad but you could try it with any other type of whole lentils like maybe urad. And if you are worried about eating raw spinach, then here is some information that might help.

Ingredients:

• 1 cups uncooked brown lentils - (preferably soaked overnight or for 4 hours)
• ¼ cup sliced green onions - green part only
• 1 cup packed thinly sliced baby spinach
• ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 10-12 kalamata olives - chopped
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon plain yellow mustard or Dijon (I use this brand and besides being organic, I like that it comes in a glass jar)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• Salt and Pepper

Process:

• First cook the lentils in a pressure cooker - these days I have started to soak all my dals - anywhere b/w 30 mins to overnight - depending on the dal and the amount of time I have. This not only reduces the cook time but also helps me stick to the 'cooking on low heat' principle so as to preserve maximum nutrients.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the lentils, spinach, green onions tomatoes and olives.
• Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a jar or bowl - You must add rosemary to the salad as it adds a distinct flavor.
• Pour it over the salad mix and serve:)