Wheat Penne Salad

IPL fever is on everywhere and our home is no different. My 3 musketeers are crazy about this mega cricketing carnival; the weekends and especially Sundays are a hoot! The clock strikes 3 pm and the house turns in to a mini stadium of sorts - the couches are pulled forward, phones kept on mute and the mister along with his band of 2 minions is ready to enjoy the fun. While popcorn and a never ending pitcher of green tea is staple, last sunday saw a huge bowl of pasta salad. Do you know what I love about the IPL ? Besides the eat fest that ensues, Jumping Japhak is my only reason for enduring the IPL madness - the catchy tune is groovy and brings out the dancing shoes of yours truly :)

Coming to the salad, the star of the dish is definitely the wheat penne supported by the fruits in it - the luscious mangoes, the crisp apples and the red pearly pomegranates add to the zing. Besides, the slightly pungent taste of the onions and the succulent cottage cheese cubes ups the ante!

The recipe is no rocket science but the taste and flavor is bang on. Have to credit my HUBBY for making the Sunday TV session a lip smacking affair.

The health quotient is intact as the pasta in it is Penne and that too from Whole Durum wheat. You can use any other type of pasta like macaroni or fusilli.

What's in it :- 

Cottage Cheese, Fruits and Vegetables are cut into Macedoine.

• Ripe, Luscious Mangoes - 2  medium - peeled
• Pomegranate - Red pearls from 1 a medium fruit
• Cottage CHeese - 200 grams
• Apple - 1 large
• Onion - 1 large
• Penne - 300 grams (I used Whole Durum Wheat Penne)
• Green Pepper - 1 large
• Peanuts - two fistfuls or to taste
• Green Olives - a fistful - halved
• Black Olives - a fistful - halved
• Black Pepper Powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Italian Seasonings - 1 tbsp crushed
• Mayonnaise - 3 to 4 tbsp (I used egg-less mayonnaise)

Here's How :-

In a big bowl add the cubed mangoes, apples, red pearls, cottage cheese, peanuts, olives, green pepper and the onion. Mix it and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. In the meanwhile, cook the pasta as per the instructions of the packet. The penne should not be overtly mushy, neither should it be al dente but just perfectly cooked.  Bring the nutty mix from the fridge and add the cooked pasta, black pepper powder, Italian seasoning and salt and mix well.

Finally tip in the mayonnaise and mix thoroughly so that it coats all the ingredients  evenly. Serve in big bowls along with toasted or garlic bread if you please.

Beating Hunger Pangs with Wheat Berry, Corn & Cottage Cheese Salad

How do you beat hunger pangs while/after watching Masterchef Australia ?  I am hooked to the episodes of culinary adventures Down-under and like the previous seasons this one is turning out to be a cracker. Not sure about you, but I also have this hungry urge to cook eat hog right during the show or sometimes after the episode finishes. Seeing Audra,Beau & ilk dish out something funky one after the another, the rumbling in the tummy gets hard to ignore.This when the  show is inundated with a whole lot of animals and birds on the negative side of the spotlight. But when the trio of Gary, George and Matt blaze the screen it is electric. The ultra-modern kitchen stocked with a pantry to die for has the kitchen buzz with abundant energy and bagful of flavours.Also laced with humour, warmth and camaraderie, the show is  not over the top and at the same time tugs the heart. So when you are addicted to such a show it is natural that the hollering tummy seeks your attention more than once and sneaking in to the kitchen to take a lick (ok make that a few spoons) from that jar of Nutella or peanut butter does not satiate the tummy. Neither does it look good on the bulging curve :P

Why not toss a salad that is supremely blissful,filling and very healthy to dig in ?  Hubby dearest had picked up a few items on his recent trip to Hyderabad and one of them was the Honey and Mustard Dressing. When the nutty & chewy wheat berry along with the sweet and crisp corn kernels blended with the rich goodness of the dressing, the salad tasted a different high. The salad is also dotted with black olives, onion and diced pepper.

Wheat Berries are  the whole wheat kernels and is the seed from which the wheat plant grows. These whole grains contain high fibre and have a very earthy and nutty flavor when cooked. To reduce the cooking time it is advisable to soak it for a few hours. You can use any ingredients in the pantry - carrots, shallots,feta or goat cheese, snow peas or dates, nuts like walnuts and dried fruits like raisins and apricots to give it a different twist; literally anything as the cooked berries can absorb the flavor of the other ingredients well

What's in it :-

• Wheat Berry - 200 grams (soaked & cooked)
• Cottage Cheese - 100 grams (cut in to mini cubes)
• Sweet Corn - a big fistful (boiled)
• Onion - 1 small - thinly diced
• Bell Pepper - 1 small - thinly diced
• Black Olives - 10 to 12 - halved
• Honey & Mustard Dressing - 1 to 2 tbsp (I used store bought)
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 to 2 tsp
• Black pepper Powder - 2 tsp - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Mint Leaves - a fistful - washed and roughly chopped

Here's How :-

The recipe is no rocket science. Wash the wheat berries well in running water and soak it with adequate water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Cook it in a pressure cooker up to 5 or 6 whistles. The berries would be done well and chewy to the bite. Alternately you can bring it to a boil in a sauce pan with enough water and cook on a medium flame for a good 40-45 minutes.

Drain the water from the cooked grains in a colander. Tip it in a mixing bowl. Add cottage cheese, sweet corn,diced onion and pepper. Tip in the black olives and toss. 

Add the honey and mustard dressing along with apple cider vinegar. Season it with salt and pepper. Finally add the mint leaves. Fluff it up.

Let the salad stand at room temperature undisturbed for a good 45 minutes to 1 hour so that the flavours are infused thoroughly.

Verdict :-

Every bite is guilt-free indulgence guaranteed. The refreshing flavours of mint combined with the acidic touch of apple cider vinegar adds the much needed pep. Also the honey & the mustard dressing gives the zing.Lazy Sundays or a leisurely brunch the salad is ideal.And yes Masterchef viewing is more satisfying now.

E.N.J.O.Y

Nutty Tofu & Shell Pasta Salad

Tucking in to a bowlful of Pasta and Tofu as a salad for the sunday brunch is blissful. An easy breezy preparation, it is light on stomach and very filling.This simple dish suits my lazy sundays and the best part is my kids love it too ! 

The only cooking here is the pasta that needs to be well done but not overtly mushy. I had refrigerated the pasta & tofu for a good 30 minutes before dressing them up.The dressing for the salad is a tasteful blend of lemon juice,garlic, pepper, olive oil and a spoonful of mayonnaise.You can add few olives to make the salad more interesting.The recipe is already featured on Honest Cooking

Ingredients

• Shell Pasta – 1 large cup – cooked
• Tofu – 1/2 cup – cut in to bite sized cubes
• Walnuts and Pistachios – a fistful – roughly chopped
• Fresh Mint Leaves – a few sprigs
• For the dressing
• Eggless Mayonnaise – 1 tbsp (I used store bought)
• Dried Basil – 1 1/2 tbsp
• Garlic – 3 pods – grated
• Juice of 1 Lemon
• Olive Oil – 4 to 5 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
• Pepper Powder – to taste

How:-

Cook the pasta as per instructions on the pack. Drain it well and set aside. Mix the tofu pieces along with nuts and toss in with the cooked pasta and mint leaves. Refrigerate it for some time. In the meanwhile mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl. Just before serving, add the dressing and toss well.

Just before Serving

Enjoy a very easy brunch or lunch preparation with tofu and pasta that promises guilt-free indulgence !

Sending it to Archana & Priya's FFNFF and to Kalyani's GFF - 100 days

 

Mango-Roasted Pepper-Cottage Cheese Salad

Sometimes, all it takes to rustle up a wonderfully refreshing salad is to raid (rather clean-- ;) the fridge and pantry shelves.Long forgotten bottles of english mustard & apple cider vinegar jostled for attention during today's clean-up and were used to quickly dish this salad with mangoes, cottage cheese & roasted pepper. The green pepper was roasted on stove-top after slightly oiling them, you can also grill them for the charred effect. A fistful of olives joined the party with some iceberg lettuce and hola you get a scrumptiously tasty salad. 

This was a perfectly filling lunch that was wholesome and healthy and it saw a fine blend of the sweet-sour mangoes with smoky peppers balanced by the cottage cheese. Also the piquant taste of the mustard along with the acidic apple vinegar gave a stimulating & engaging bite.

I used Totapuri mangoes and retained their skin for the salad and yes, the mangoes are happy to be back in the spotlight after a whole lot of adulation in Minty Mango-Rose Sorbet ;))


What's in it :- (Serves- 2 to 3, preparation time - less than 30 min ,spice- as u wish)

• Mango - 1 large - peeled, pitted & diced (retain the skin if you please)
• Cottage Cheese - 200 gms - washed & cubed
• Green Peppers - 2 
• Black & Green Olives - a fistful
• Iceberg Lettuce - as required- roughly torn

For the dressing:-

• English Mustard - 1 tsp
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 to 2 tsp
• Olive Oil - 1 tsp
• Salt & Black Pepper powder- as required

How:-

Lightly oil the peppers and sear it on a stove-top (or a grill). Dice it and set aside.

Mix the chopped mangoes along with cubed cheese (paneer) and the olives. Tip in the diced pepper and add the leaves of lettuce and mix well. Sprinkle black pepper powder as required and mix well.Refrigerate for a while.

In the meantime mix the contents for the dressing and set aside. Just before serving add the dressing to the contents of the bowl and fluff well with a fork.

Enjoy a very tasty salad along with toasted slices of bread!

This is off to Nithu's Quick & Easy Recipe Mela & Spicie Foodies YBR-June

Pearl Millet - Cucumber Salad with Pineapple Compote

The best way to enjoy a lazy weekend is to wake up late, have a cup of Green tea or any other drink that fuels and read newspaper till it is past the breakfast time. Then prepare a hearty salad for brunch cum lunch with a smoothie/cooler to guzzle it down and enjoy the whole experience with a book currently hooked to. Of course you don't get this privilege every week- last saturday was exactly the way  I mentioned - Hubby dearest was out of town, daughter was busy with her friends after a quick breakfast of bread and eggs and my sweetest son was unusally happy playing on his own with his cars and stuff ! I made this salad with Pearl Millet & enjoyed it with Pineapple compote. The Recipe courtesy is Roger Mooking who enthralls with his jazzy cooking on TLC. He had made a Quinoa Salad With the Compote. A few changes to the recipe were made to accommodate the items in my pantry, but the salad truly rocked. The burst of flavours made sure this salad makes an appearance in my hearth regularly !

Pearl Millet/Cattail Millet/Bajra/கம்பு is a very nutritive and gluten-free grain that packs quite a punch as it is fully loaded with essential minerals & vitamins.

Not only is the grain easily digestible but also it supports weight-loss in the sense that having it activates the I AM FULL button in the brain, thereby reducing hunger pangs. 

Also it looks so much like Quinoa the wonder grain (pseudo cereal rather)! 
The packet of the bajra in the super market actually made me squeal  in delight that finally I found Quinoa, but it was not to be ! I googled to find if quinoa was indeed bajra in disguise but could not find any satisfactory result ! But I am quite happy with this millet as it was really filling and can be cooked like the rice with adequate water. Upon cooking, the millet rose in volume to almost 3 times the original quantity. The millet also tastes good as porridge (konjee/kanjee). So here goes the recipe !

Ingredients:-

To make Salad:

• Pearl Millet - 1 cup ,Water - as required
• Cucumber - 1 (small cubes)
• Onion - 1 (medium - finely chopped) - can also use scallions
• Coriander Leaves - a fistful (finely chopped)
• Mint - a few leaves (chopped)
• Lemon - 1 (zest of half a lemon and the juice of a whole lemon) - to taste
• Olive Oil - 1 to 2 tsp
• Salt N Pepper - to taste

To make the Pineapple Compote:

• Pineapple - 1 cup (chopped to small pieces)
• Butter - 1 tbsp 
• Sugar - 1 tbsp - to taste
• Salt - to taste - did not add it - used salted butter
• Ginger - a small piece (peeled n grated)
• Cinnamon Powder - 1 tsp

HOW:-

Wash the millet well and pressure cook with adequate water. I liked the millets with a little bite to it, you can make them a little mushy if you want.

In a bowl add all the ingredients for the salad and season it with salt and pepper.Gently toss the mix so that the ingredients blend. 

I put the bowl in fridge for a while and in the meantime made the compote ready !

Compote is French for mixture and is basically a dessert made of whole pieces of fruit in sugar syrup. While the mix stews for some time over low heat, it is spiced with ground almonds/vanilla essence/candied nuts/cloves (SOURCE:WIKI)

For the Pineapple Compote:


Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat. Add the sugar and as it starts to blend with add the chopped pineapple and season it with salt. Saute the mixture over 
low/ medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the ginger and stir, and take it off flame.

The salad is ready to be eaten just like that and the compote can be savored a little later or enjoy the rush of flavours by mixing the salad with the compote !

Linking this salad to Aipi's Bookmarked Recipes: Tuesdays event announcement by Priya & kankana's Hearth N Soul Blog Hop # 44
  
Also to kurinji's HRH-Healthy Summer

Watermelon & Assorted Salad

I made myself a hearty bowl of watermelon and assorted items salad that was so filling and a fun way to watch the finals of the Cricket World Cup! The huge bowl finished in no time and was enjoyed thoroughly. The spectacular win by the men in blue further heightened the excitement and the i decided to make it the following day. A bowl of cut watermelon was given a nice makeover by adding leaves of Chinese cabbage & mint, onion, pitted olives and shavings of mozzarella cheese. Sesame seeds,olive oil and pepper joined the party to create a wholesome dish .

What goes:-

• Watermelon - 1 bowl (seeds removed & cut in to chunky triangles)
• Chinese Cabbage - 2 to 3 leaves (washed & sliced roughly)
• Fresh Mint Leaves - a fistful (chopped roughly)
• Onion - 1 (very thinly sliced)
• Lemon  - 1
• Black Olives - a fistful (pitted)
• Pepper Powder - to taste
• Mozzarella Cheese - to taste (grated)
• Olive Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds - a fistful - to taste

How:-

Once the watermelon is cut in to chunky pieces refrigerate it for a little while and in the meantime ready the other items for the salad.

To the cut melons add the pitted olives and the roughly chopped greens. To it add the very thinly sliced onions and dribble in the juice of a lemon. Dribble in the olive oil and add the required pepper powder. 

Add the sesame seeds to give it that crunch and finally shave in the cheese.

Toss it with a fork and just enjoy !


Linking it to Priya's Only Fusion Recipes event announcement by Pari

Noodles Salad

A breezy dish on a lazy afternoon , the noodles salad was also a  good way of including the leafy chinese cabbage that was sitting in my fridge.Coming home after school, my  daughter was delighted that i made noodles and she did not mind the greens present in the dish ! 

I created  a mini picnic style buzz in the verandah where she happily wolfed down the noodles washing it away with a Lemon-Ginger Cooler !

What goes in :- (Source: Nigella Lawson)

To the Dressing -  (adjust the quantity to taste)

• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp
• Sesame Oil - 1 tbsp
• Lemon Juice - 1  lemon fully squeezed
• Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Tomato Sauce - a few drizzles
• Peanut Butter - 2 tbsp

To the Salad

• Noodles - 200 gms
• Coriander Leaves - fistful (finely chopped)
• Celery leaves - a few snips from the stalks (finely chopped)
• Chinese Cabbage - 2 leaves (thinly sliced)
• Red Onions - 1 (diced- u can also use scallion)
• Sesame Seeds - a generous sprinkling
• Green Bell Pepper  - 1 (julienned) - add red or yellow to make it a rainbow platter

How:-

A look at my cluttered workplace--

Mix all the ingredients for the dressing and whisk it thoroughly. Let it rest for a while and the flavours blend !

Cook the noodles as per instruction on the pack. Drain the water, add little oil and fluff the noodles with fork and let it cool for a while. 

Toss the noodles with the chopped veggies and greens. Dribble in the salad dressing

Sprinkle sesame seeds all over.  Mix well and serve !

The crunchiness of the sesame seeds and the subtle but persistent flavour of the peanut butter added a whole new zing to the salad . It was filling and thoroughly enjoyed !

Enjoy !


Linking it to Aipi's Bookmarked Events : Tuesday event announcement by Priya



Also linking it to Girlichef's Hearth n Soul Blog Hop : 35



Also to Torview's Food Palette : Brown