Warm or Cold - Veg or Non-Veg - THE WAY YOU WANT SALAD

Ohh, we were so bored to eat the same type of food and also didn't want to add the extra calories, sodium from outside food.  Wanted to eat something tasty, crunchy, spicy yet healthy... 

Tada...made this salad with anything that came to my hand from the life saver refrigerator. 

We n'joyed the flavor, crunch and yummy..

YOUR CREATIVITY CAN COME VERY HANDY WITH THIS SALAD. 

Come on ppl, I know you are artistic, add more color and texture to the palatte.

Ingredients

1 pack cooked shrimp (Chicken eaters- add just chicken strips; Vegans - can add TOFU, PANEER)

2 or 3 colors of Bell peppers - medium sized cubes

Sprouted beans (any type)

Romaine lettuce (If not shredded cabbage - green, purple)

Chopped Apples, Pears, Peaches, Apricots or Mangoes

Chopped Cilantro

Chopped Tomatoes (Can use cherry tomatoes too).

Handful of walnuts, almonds, pistachios, peanuts (can add 1 nut or a mix of nuts)

Cubed Boiled potatoes (Red, white, Purple)

Dressing

6 tsp Olive oil

1 tsp BLACK PEPPER (or more to taste)

1 tsp WHITE PEPPER (or more to taste)

1 tsp CUMIN

1 tsp DHANIA

1 tsp fine grated GARLIC

1 tsp shredded GINGER

1 tbsp Lemon concentrate (or fresh juice)

Salt to taste

(Mix all the dressing ingredients well).

Pan fry Shrimp / Chicken / Tofu / Paneer with minimal oil & 1 tsp CHILLI powder

If needed pan fry Bell peppers and sprouted beans (if raw veggies do not trigger your senses : ) )

Toss all the salad ingredients, dressing mix and the spiced Shrimp / Chicken / Tofu / Paneer.

Tip -

Can add cooked Quinoa, Orzo, any type of pasta, noodles.

For more flavor - can add 1 tsp of Soy Sauce, Vinegar.

For more CRUNCH - add crushed Tortilla chips right when ready to serve.



Bread, Potatoe, Spinach Casserole - Warm & yumm breakfast / snack

Ingredients (serves 4)

8 slices of bread

4 Hash brown patties

Half bag frozen spinach

2 cups Parmesan cheese

6 Eggs (beaten with yolk)

½ cup 2% milk

Black PEPPER

2 tsp CUMIN powder

5 or 6 – thinly sliced GARLIC cloves

Instructions

Thaw frozen spinach, squeeze out the water with napkin.

Blend Egg, Squeezed spinach, black Pepper, garlic cloves, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, cumin powder, salt to taste (if desired, add 1 tsp chilli powder for more added spice)

Beat mixture till bubbles form.

Layer 1 set of bread on the casserole dish base (4 slices)

Layer Hash brown (one on each bread slice)

Sprinkle – Parmesan cheese

Layer the other slice of bread to make the sandwich

Pour Egg mixture liberally on the sandwiches.

Poke slightly with a fork (on sandwiches) for the sandwich to absorb the mixture and moistness.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees;

Pop in the casserole dish and bake for 35 or 40 mins, till the egg mixture bubbles and browns slightly. 

Note

If using plain white bread baking time can be reduced by 7 mins.

Remove dish before top layer turns dark brown & let baked dish sit for cooling.

Serve luke warm with Maggie sauce (hot & sweet)

or

Spicy Mayo for added flavor & taste.

Bread recommendations (multigrain, Focaccia, Cheese & Jalapeno can be used for additional taste or flavor).

Great breakfast on a cold morning…. Yumm.. Yumm..

PEPPER

Native to India, pepper has played a very important role throughout history and has been a prized spice since ancient times.  A tropical plant coming mainly from India and Indonesia.

It spices /heats up food. Ah hah and could disguise a food's lack of freshness.

Black pepper comes from the berries of the pepper plant.

Interestingly, Black pepper, green pepper and white peppercorns are actually the same fruit (the difference in their color is a reflection of varying stages of development and processing methods).

Black peppercorns are made by picking the pepper berries when they are half ripe. They are dried which gives the black color.

Green peppercorns are picked while still unripe and green in color,

White peppercorns are picked when very ripe and subsequently soaked in brine to remove their dark outer shell leaving just the white pepper seed.

Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese, iron and vitamin K,

Also a good source of dietary fiber and copper.

(Diving in for health benefits…..  much needed information are not always the most interesting…. J )

Good for stomach: Pepper increases digestion. In turn helps avoid diarrhea, constipation and colic, flatulence.  

Promotes sweating and urination – neutralizing body temperature and toxins.

Helps to lose weight: The outer layer of peppercorn assists in the breakdown of fat cells & aids with weight loss.

Good for skin: Pepper helps to cure Vitiligo, a skin disease that causes some areas of skin to lose its normal pigment and turn white.  It also reduces the chances of skin cancer due to excess ultraviolet radiation.

Relief for cough and cold: G ves relief from sinusitis and nasal congestion.

It’s antibacterial property helps to fight against infections, insect bites etc.

Clears up the arteries, thus aiding with blood flow.

Good antioxidant: Prevents or repairs the damage caused by the free radicals and thus helps to prevent cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver problems.

Enhances bioavailability: It helps in transporting the benefits of other herbs to blood stream.

Helps avoid ear-ache and gangrene.

Good for conditions of hernia, hoarseness, joint pain, tooth decay, eye problems and insect bites.

Pepper tid bits –

Once used as currency and presented to the gods as a sacred offering, it is fortunate that this most popular of spices is available throughout the year.

In the Middle Ages the wealth of a man was measured by his stockpile of pepper.

During the fall of ancient Rome, the invading barbarians were even honored by gifting black pepper.

Pepper became an important spice that catalyzed much of the spice trade.

A major reason for exploration of many undiscovered lands, & also developed merchant trading in Europe and the Middle East.

WINTER TREAT - QUIK & EASY - RAISIN BREAD PUDDING

Ingredients:

2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup butter
2 cups sugar

5 eggs
2 teaspoons CINNAMON
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups bread – preferably raisin-cinnamon bread, torn into small pieces

½ cup chopped nuts ; Sprinkle SAFFRON

Directions:

Batter

1. In medium saucepan, combine warm butter and milk, stirring until butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm.

2. Combine sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 1 minute. Add to milk mixture.

PREP

3. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart casserole.

4. Sprinkle with nuts. Pour batter on top of bread.  Let batter soak the bread mixture well.

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or until set. Serve warm.

For Additional flavor – you can sprinkle chopped dates, apples, berries on top.

Make slices - trickle CARAMEL syrup (zig zag fashion) for better presentation and taste.

Serve & n'joy.