Sweet Corn cheese and onion stuffed roasted poblano peppers

Serving size : 2

Total prepartion time : 20 mins 

Ingredients :

2 poblano peppers, washed, deseeded and slit into 2 each, marinated with salt and apple cider vinegar.

1/2 sweet con kernels

1/2 cup finely chopped Roma tomatoes

1/2 cup finely chopped purple onion

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1/2 tspn ginger paste 

1//2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 cheese cubes ( cheddar/ any cheese) 

1 tspn black pepper powder

1 tspn finely chopped chillies

Salt to taste

2 tspn olive oil 

1 tbspn fresh chopped parsley

1/2 tspn basil and oregano 

Method: 

Heat olive oil in a a non stick pan and sauté ginger garlic,green chillies and onion. Once onion is transparent, add the tomatoes and corn kernels, salt and black pepper. Sprinkle some chopped parsley and turn off the heat. 

Now take the marinated poblano peppers, stuff a cheese cube in each of them, and too it up with the above sautéed corn stuffing. Line these stuffed peppers on a Greased baking tray and make at 375 for 10mins.

Top with shredded cheese, basil and oregano and serve immediately.

Black eyed peas in yoghurt sauce/ Lobia dhai curry

A soothing mild spicy gravy high in protein, folate and iron prepared in minutes.

Serving size: 2-3
Total Preparation time : 20 mins

Ingredients :
For cooking :
1 cup black eyed peas, pressured with salt
1/2 cup whipped yoghurt
1 tbpsn gram flour/besan/ chickpea flour
1 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn kasmiri red chili powder/ paprkia
2 tbpn water of as per required consistency
Salt to taste.

For Tempering :
1tbpsn oil
6-7 curry leaves
3 green chillies slit
1 tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn cumin seeds
Pinch of asafetida.

For Garnishing :
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

Method :
Heat oil in a pan and temper with curry leaves, green chilies,asafetida, mustard and cumin seeds. The add the cooked black eyed peas with the whipped yoghurt and 1 tbspn gram flour/besan and season turmeric, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to taste. Simmer for 5 mins on low heat while stirring.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Best served with rice or Phulkas.

Tip :
Whip the yoghurt and besan together and add to the gravy, add water as per required consistency
Add the stock from the lentils if you need to add water.

Spicy pumpkin triangles

Serving size : 3-4 

Total preparation time : 20 mins 

Tangy and sweet appetizers rich in vitamin A.

Method and Ingredients:

Pumpkin pieces cut into thin triangles and marinated for 20 mins with salt, turmeric, lime juice, paprika/ chilli powder, black pepper and cumin powder. Pan fried with ghee/ oil till crisp. Best served with green mint chutney or tomato ketchup. Can be had as a fasting food.( Garlic and ginger paste optional, Mango powder/ Amchoor can be added instead of lime juice) 

Minestrone soup with tri color rotini pasta, beans and vegetables

Serving size :4

Cooking time 15 mins.
Total Preparation time : 45- 60 mins

Ingredients :

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled kidney beans 

1/4 cup pre soaked and boiled black eyed peas
1 cup boiled tri color rotini pasta

3-4 cups home made veg stock

1 tbspn tomato purée

1 zucchini chopped into cubes

3-4 baby carrots finely chopped

1/2 finely chopped med sized white onion

1 stalk of celery chopped

3 cloves garlic finely chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 tspn finely chopped fresh basil leaves.

1 tspn black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 tbspn butter

1 tspn olive oil

1/2 tspn oregano and thyme

Method:
Heat butter in a stock pot, add the garlic and  onion and sauté. Add the celery, zucchini and carrots with salt and black pepper and sauté for 1 min. Now add the veg stock and tomato purée and bring it to a boil. Add the boiled kidney beans and black eyed peas along with the pasta, the fresh parsley, basil, thyme and oregano and add more water/ stock if needed. Simmer for another 2 mins. Serve hot topped with grated cheese and fresh herbs. 

Vegetable pulav

Serving size :4
Total Preparation time: 7-8 mins
Cooking time : 10 mins.

Ingredients :
1 cup basmati rice presoaked for 10 mins
2 cups water.
2 tbsn chopped onion.
2 tbspn chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped green capsicum/bell peppers
1/2 cup cauliflower florets
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped green beans
6-8 garlic cloves. minced
1 tspn ginger paste/ 1 inch grated ginger
2 red chilies
1/8 tspn turmeric
1 inch cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
1 black cardamom
2 cloves
2-3 star anise petals.
3 black pepper corns
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 maggi/knorr vegetable stock seasoning cube

Method :
Heat oil on medium oil in a pressure cooker. Once the oil is hot,add the whole spices and chilies. Saute them for 30 secs and add the ginger and garlic followed by the chopped onion. Add the turmeric. Once the onion is transparent add the rice and saute for 2 mins on medium heat. Now add all the chopped veggies and mix well. Add the water and mix in the vegetable stock cube. Mix well and close the pressure cooker lid and cook until 2 whistles on medium heat. Once the steam is out, remove the rice and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with yoghurt or pickle.

Tip :
Do not skip caulifower, green beans, carrot and capsicum in this recipe. You could add more veggies of your choice.You could use vegetable stock instead of the water and skip the veg stock cube.