I Don't Like Pea & Carrots, Unless I Add Cheese and Garlic

I don't like peas and I don't like carrots, unless I add garlic and cheese. I bet some of you thought I was going to douse my veggies in a bright orange cheese sauce. I always thought that stuff looked terrible. It tastes unnatural, just like it's color. If I have offended some of you, I'm sorry, but maybe you shouldn't be consuming neon orange cheese, perhaps I'm doing you a favor?

In an effort to make something for dinner that wasn't totally green, I took a random bag of peas and carrots (with other assorted vegetables) from the freezer and when inventive on it's butt. I tried to prove the point that eating peas and carrots doesn't need to be a "hide it in your napkin" type of game. Just check out the recipe below. 

Peas eat us!! 

Peas & Carrots Paneer Kura 

Ingredients 

• 1 bag of peas & carrots (other veggies can be mixed in) 
• 1 medium onion, diced 
• 2 cloves of garlic roughly chopped 
• Hing powder 
• 3 tbs shredded coconut 
• 1/2 tbs garam masala 
• Red chili powder 
• Salt 
• Turmeric 
• 1/2 bag of paneer cubes, fried 
• Sesame oil (optional) 

Directions 

1. In a medium size pan, heat oil and add the hing powder. When it sizzles add the garlic and onions. When they become translucent add the paneer. Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Then add the vegetable mix and cover. Leave for 2 minutes. Then add the shredded coconut and mix in. 

3. Add the garam masala, salt, red chili powder, and turmeric. Thoroughly mix in. Cover and cook until tender.

*Notes* 

* This will probably go best with roti. 

Ease: Super easy

Ayurvedic Friendly: Yes, and if you want to keep it that way, you have a recipe for spelt roti to compliment it! 

Yummy: Even I was able to bear the peas and carrots. 

Spelt Flour Roti!

My Ammama!!

I've decided that I need to make more of an active effort in following my Ayurvedic diet; hence my adventure in making spelt roti. I've started to take a strong liking towards roti and thought why not make some I can actually eat?

Spelt is supposed to be very nutritious. Commonly seen in central Europe and the Middle East; spelt is a healthier version of wheat. It has a lot of protein and less gluten than conventional wheat. 

My grandmother has been staying with us for the past week and a half. I thought this was an ideal time to ask her how to make many traditional Indian foods. Since I never have made roti, I naturally asked her. I wanted her to tell me what to do in order to make them. Instead she took the reigns and made the spelt roti herself....I should have seen that coming. Check out the recipe for spelt roti below! 

Spelt Roti

Ingredients 

• 3/4 cup of spelt flour
• Water (enough to make a dough) 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp oil 
• Ghee

Directions 

1. In a bowl combine the flour, salt and water. Gently, knead into a dough. 

2. When a ball forms, add the oil and knead again. 

3. Form ping pong size balls. Then with a rolling pin make the dough into a thin circle. Or you can attempt to make it into a circle, I can't make a round roti to save my life. Then dab a little bit of ghee on the flat disc and roll it up into a cigar and then roll it into a ball. Then with your rolling pin, roll it into a circle. When you add the ghee and roll it up, it gives the roti layers. 

4. Place your tava or plan on medium high heat. With a paper towel, rub some oil on the tava and place the roti. Cook until both sides are golden brown. 

This isn't a tava, but this allows you to further brown your roti

*Notes*
* Don't over knead spelt dough, the gluten doesn't need to be worked as much as regular flour. If you over work it then it will become dry and brittle. It's a trial and error sort of situation.

Ease: Very easy to make
Ayurvedic Friendly: Yes
Yummy: It doesn't taste any different from whole wheat rotis 

Heat Wave Cool Down: Spicy Yogurt Soup

When did half of the US decide to join a sauna? Did we get some great membership discount to World's Gym and decide that a group trip to the heat box was okay? Oppressive humidity, baking heat and sizzling sun have caused many of us to retire into the air conditioning and pray for rain. 

One way to deal with the is through a cooling yogurt soup that requires little heat and effort. This recipe takes about 5 minutes to make and is perfect when you don't want to suffocate your house with the heat of your stove. Also known as majiga charu in Telugu, this soup can be eaten many ways and is always delightful. 

Majiga Charu: Spicy Yogurt Soup

Ingredients 

• 3/4 cup fresh plain unsweetened yogurt (homemade is preferable) 
• 3/4 water 
• Pinch of turmeric 
• 3 green chilies, finely cut 
• Salt 
• Pinch of hing powder 
• Splash of lemon juice 
• Poppu/Thadka 
• Pinch of mustard seeds 
• 1 tbs of ajwain seeds 
• 1 dry red chili 

Directions 

1. In a heat proof bowl, add the yogurt and water. Whisk it vigorously until there is a thick soup formed. 

2. Add the: turmeric, green chilies, salt and hing powder. The mix thoroughly.  

2. In a small sauce pan, heat a small amount of oil. When the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop add the ajwain seeds and red chili. Wait 20 seconds and then add it over the yogurt. 

*Notes*

*Traditionally this is served with cooked toor dal and rice. However it can be eaten by itself or with rice. 

* The proportion of yogurt and water is almost 1:1.
*Always add more ajwain seeds to the mix. 

Ease: This is incredibly easy to make and quick

Ayurvedic Friendly: No

Yummy: Lovely for the taste buds 

Creamy Dill Spiced Scalloped Potatoes

Dear readers, where the heck have I been? That is an excellent question. I have been MIA and I don't like it. I had quite the busy week. I went to four states, count 'em FOUR. in one week. Travelling more than 1000 miles. I traveled to NYC for some Ayurvedic adventures, Virginia for a job interview (wish me luck!), Rhode Island for a bachelorette party and of course my lovely Massachusetts, where I reside. This trip tuckered me out and I am about ready to pull a Rip Van Winkle. 

Fatigue never seems to stop me from cooking though. That is why I made some scalloped potatoes with a creamy dill sauce. The sauce was initially for potato pancakes that I made for dinner on Saturday. However, those pancakes turned out severely salty. You my dears will not be getting that recipe. Check out my recipe below, perhaps you will all be trying it. If you do please please comment!

Which brings me to this request; if you make one of my dishes please please write a comment! I would love to know what you think. The people who have my food when I make it never comment, aka those people are my parents. They never comment, sometimes I wonder if they read my blog.....

Creamy Dill Spiced Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients 

• 1.5 lbs small Yukon gold potatoes (thinly sliced into rounds) 
• 2 medium onions thinly sliced lengthwise 
• 3 cloves of garlic sliced thinly
• Olive oil 
• Splash of apple cider vinegar 
• 1 tsp salt  
• Creamy Dill Sauce
• 1 pint of light cream 
• 3 tbs fresh chopped dill 
• 1.5 tsp black pepper
• 1.5 tsp red chili flakes
• 2 tsp salt 
• Splash of lemon juice 
• 1.5 tbs butter
• 1 tbs flour 

Directions

1. Wash and slice the potatoes. Then place them in cold water. 

2. In a pan heat oil on medium heat. Add the onions and garlic, and then add the apple cider vinegar and mix in. Cook until the onions are soft and golden brown. Set aside. 

3. In a small sauce pan place on medium heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Then add the flour (I think this is like a roux...maybe). Mix until it creates this creamy brown mixture. 

4. Add the cream and mix in, preferably whisk in. Then add the black pepper, red chili flakes and salt. Whisk until all of the lumps are out. Once the lumps are gone, add the dill. Put on medium low heat, stirring frequently. Cook until the sauce thickens a bit and then set aside.

5. Heat your oven to 350F degrees. Grease an oven proof dish. Remove the potato slices from the water and pat them dry. Then create two layers of potato (lay them out nicely), then sprinkle some of the onion mixture, then spoon and spread the cream sauce. Repeat until all of the potatoes, onions and sauce are used.  For mine I had two layers.

6. Place in the over for an hour. Remove and let it cool for five minutes. Serve immediately. 

*Notes*
*You can omit the red chili flakes if you don't like heat. I only added it to give it a little kick.

Ease: This isn't that difficult to make, but it does take a while to make.
Ayurvedic Friendly: No
Yummy: I was proud of myself because I didn't think I could pull it off! 

CSA Provides Me Warm Zucchini Lettuce Wraps

This is the first summer in which my family and I have participated in a CSA. I just love it, it's like a fun game you play every week. You get a fun menagerie of farm fresh veggies and fruits that you then have the good fortune of figuring out, what the heck you should do with it!? Just look at some of the beautiful veggies we have gotten in the past weeks!

Now that is just beautiful.

It has become apparent to me that early in the season, you get a lot of leafy greens, and that includes lettuce of great assortment. However this week brought some new, less green veggies. Carrots! Yellow Squash! And zucchini (wait, that's green!) The zucchini and lettuce inspired me to make a warm summer treat: warm zucchini wraps. Check out the recipe below! 

Warm Asian-Inspired Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients 

• 1 large zucchini, washed and cut into a small dice 
• 1 small onion, finely diced 
• 1 sliced green onion
• 1 head of butter lettuce (or something that looks similar, broad leaf is key) 
• 1/2 tbs mustard powder
• Salt 
• Pinch of chili powder 
• Sesame oil (if you have it) 
• Pinch of cumin seeds 
• 1 in. piece of ginger, finely diced 
• Sauce 
• 2 tbs soy sauce 
• 1 tbs chili paste 
• Splash of lemon juice 
• 1/2 tbs honey 
• 1 small clove of garlic, finely diced 

Directions 

1. Break off each leaf of the lettuce and wipe with a damp cloth. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine and mix all of the ingredients needed for the sauce. 

3. In a pan, heat oil. Once the oil is heated add the ginger, onion, green onion and cumin seeds. 

4. When the onions are fully cooked, add the zucchini. Season with mustard powder and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes. Set aside.

5. Take a clean lettuce leaf (snip off the stem if need be) and spoon small amount of the zucchini into the leaf. Then drizzle some of the sauce. Then repeat. 

Ease: Very easy and quick to make

Ayurvedic Friendly: I used all friendly ingredients for the most part 

Yummy: Twas awesome! 

Is This Ready for Consumption? Grilled Pizzas. Happy 235th Birthday America!

I used to hate pizza. Why oh WHY did I ever have such a terrible thought? Well I was highly addicted to Indian food as a child. So much so, I'm surprised I didn't take it intravenously. Ridiculous imagery aside, summertime makes me want to grill. I desperately wanted to try grilled pizza and this weekend was when I succeeded in my mission! 

I made a deal with my uncle (who possesses the grill), he makes the dough and make of all of the toppings. For sauces I did the basics but gave them a twist. I just a slight masala version of a tomato basil sauce and then turned pesto on its head, by adding fennel leaves and made it more refreshing. Then for toppings I made simple roasted tomatoes and onions, mushrooms in dill, roasted garlic and grilled bell peppers. Then to make things better, we had grilled baby artichokes with garlic infused butter, and corn on the cob!! 

Making grilled pizzas is clearly a delicate process that isn't for those who have attention issues. So why did I decide to make them? Because I had adult supervision.

There were three pizzas on tap: classic veggie, fennel pesto and Indian style. For the Indian pizza I used the Tomato Basil Chutney and paneer. It was interesting, I don't know if I would do it again, but the other two were a rousing success!

Masala Tomato Sauce
Ingredients

• 1 can of chopped tomatoes 
• 4 cloves of garlic, sliced 
• 1 package of basil (roughly chopped) 
• 1/2 tbs cumin powder 
• 1/2 tbs coriander powder 
• Salt
• 1 tbs red chili flakes 
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 2 tbs tomato paste 

Directions 

1. In a medium size pot, heat oil. Once the oil is heated add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

2. Add the can of tomatoes, tomato paste, half of the basil, salt, chili flakes, cumin and coriander powder.

3. Put on low simmer until the sauce thickens. You can use the back of your spoon smash some of the tomato chunks to get a thicker sauce.  

Fennel Basil Pesto: 
Ingredients

• Stalk and leaves from 1 fennel head 
• 1/2 package of basil 
• 1/4 cup of cashews 
• 1/3 Extra Virgin Olive Oil 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• Salt 
• Lemon juice 

Directions

1. In a blender add all of the ingredients. Then slowly pour the olive oil into the blender. Add until it becomes a uniform mixture. Make sure the cashews have been properly blended in. 

*Notes*

* Both of the sauces can be served with pasta, on a pizza, as a sandwich spread. Use your imagination! 

Ease: Both sauces have minimal prep time so they are quick and easy to make. 

Ayurvedic Friendly: The pesto is friendly!

Yummy: Yum yum yum