Pizza anyone?

Another GAPS/SCD recipe and very easy to make. Basically it is make it your own style pizza. I used very minimum ingredients for this, but you could add more or less. So get creative and enjoy!

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash - top half - lengthy part of it.
Cheese - shredded
Olives - sliced
Bell peppers - sliced.
Onions - sliced
Salt
Pepper

Cut the top portion (lengthy, seedless part of it) off separately and cut into 1/2 inch slices. Peel the skin off he slices. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with little oil. Place the squash slices on it. Add salt and keep it in a preheated oven at 375 F for 10 minutes. After 5 minutes, turn the slices over and sprinkle salt on the other side. This helps the squash to cook partially before adding the toppings. Otherwise the toppings might get burnt by the time squash is cooked through.

Make sure the squash is cooked 70% before adding the toppings. When you are ready to add the toppings, add cheese, olives, onions, bell peppers. Sprinkle some fresh ground pepper and keep it back in the oven until cheese is melted and squash is cooked through.

Lima beans hummus

Hummus is usually made with garbanzo beans and I love it. Lima beans is another healthy version of hummus and can be enjoyed as a dip for veggies and chips.

Ingredients:

Lima beans - 1 cup cooked
Garlic - 2 cloves
Mint - 1/2 cup
Salt - as per your choice
Lime juice - 3 or 4 tspns
Pepper - as per your choice



Soak dry Lima beans and pressure cook. Blend all the ingredients, except lime juice and pepper. Once well blended, add lime juice and pepper and mix well. Serve with veggies and chips for a delicious, healthy snack.

Lima Beans pulao

I use Lima Beans a lot. I make Zucchini stuffed with Lima beans, Lima beans curry, Lima beans fry too. Recently I had soaked some and was planning to make curry. But then lost interest in curry and then an idea sparked to try something new. It turned out to be delicious and that was what I was aiming for. It is pretty simple to put together and worthy as party food.

You need:

Basmati rice - 1.5 cups
Lima beans - 1 cup

Whole Garam Masala - Bay leaf, Cinnamon, Cloves
Cumin seeds - 1 tspn

Onions - thinly sliced - 1/2 onion
Green chillies - 2 - thinly sliced
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbspn
Mint, Cilantro - 1/4 cup. I chop the leaves finely or just pulse it coarsely in a chopper.
Tomatoes - 2 (ripe ones)
Chilli powder - 1 tspn
Coriander powder - 2 tbspns
Turmeric
Salt

How to:

Soak Lima beans atleast for 8 hours and par boil it. Heat a pan and add oil or butter for frying the ingredients. First add whole Garam Masala and Cumin seeds. Once they sputter, add onions, green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears. Add mint and cilantro and tomatoes and fry for 3 minutes. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and fry till till oil comes out. Add par boiled Lima beans and cook for few more minutes. Make sure to wash and soak Basmati rice for about 30 minutes while you are preparing the masala base in the pan. Drain the rice and add the Lima Beans masala and the rice to a rice cooker and let it finish cooking. Serve hot with raita.

Roasted Almonds and Walnuts

I love roasted nuts. They are healthy and easy to make, not to mention that I can't stop munching on them. You could add pecans too. I have not tried roasted cashews yet.

Ingredients:

Almonds - 1 cup
Walnuts - 1 cup
Honey - 1/4 cup
Paprika or chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tbspn - optional. Use it if you'd like to sprinkle.
Salt

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 350F. Heat a wide shallow pan and add honey mixed with 2 tbpns of water. Once this is heated up add nuts and mix well. Transfer this to a foil covered baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. As the timer gets close to 10 mins, check on the nuts. They should lightly brown, not more than that. Once done, remove them and spread them on a plate and sprinkle with paprika, salt and sugar. Mix well and let it cool. The nuts get crunchy and yummy. Store in a closed container and enjoy!

Squash soup

Soups - Perfect for the winter. This is a squash soup with many other vegetables added. I have made Butternut Squash soup with just the squash. But I also experimented by adding other vegetables to it and the soups tasted hearty and delicious.

You can try this soup with as little veggies you would like, or add a lot more.

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash or Acorn squash - 2 cups chopped
Onions - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 2 or 3 pods
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Carrots - 1/2 cup
Zucchini - 1 cup
Celery - 1/2 cup
Cilantro - 1/4 cup
Butter - 1 tbspn
Salt
Pepper

Method:

Heat a big pan, add butter and let it melt. Add onions, garlic and ginger and fry for 3 minutes. Add carrots, zucchini and celery, salt and pepper and fry all the veggies well. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes. Now add 1 to 1 1/2 cups water, just enough to cover the veggies and let them finish cooking. Close the lid and let the veggies cook. Once they are cooked, remove the pan and keep it aside for it to cool. Then it is time to puree the veggies in a blender. The soup will be little thick and that is fine.

Heat the pan again and add the pureed soup along with 2 cups of water and check for salt and pepper. Mix well and let it heat up thoroughly. Serve it hot or warm!

I sometimes add grated cheese just before serving.

Refreshing Salad

Just as the name says, this is a very refreshing, healthy salad recipe and easy too. This dish is a regular in our home, especially in the Summer!

Ingredients:

Apples - 2

Carrots - 3

Cucumbers - 2

Cilantro

Dressing: 

Lemon juice - 4 tbspns

Jaggery - 2 tbspns - powdered

Salt

Pepper

Method:

Chop apples, cucumbers into small pieces. Grate Carrots and add them all to a big bowl. Add finely chopped Cilantro. In a small cup add all the dressing ingredients and mix well until Jaggery is melted. Make sure to add the dressing only 30 minutes before serving. So that way the veggies will have just enough time to absorb the dressing.

Beetroot Halwa - Sugarless

I was thrilled to find this recipe. We are following GAPS diet for our son and sugar has to be avoided. Beetroot halwa is one of our favorite Indian sweets. I basically have a big sweet tooth. I was thinking maybe I should try this with honey instead of sugar. But was not sure of the end result. Then with the help of my bestest best buddy Google search, I found good recipes for sugar free Beetroot Halwa and decided to give it a try. Well, all I can say is I managed to take a picture before it was gone!

I followed the recipe from Indian Vegetarian Kitchen:

http://www.indianvegetariankitchen.com/2010/03/beetroot-halwa-sugarfree.html

I used Water to cook, instead of Milk. And also instead of Cashews, I added fried Almond pieces.
I chopped the Dates, added little water and microwaved it for 30 seconds to soften it up and to heat the water too.

Pan fried Zucchini

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetable. It is so versatile to be made into oven bakes fries, pan fried and also to be added to soups, stir fries and even Zucchini Rice.

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 3 - Cut into rectangular strips
Oil - for shallow fry
For the Coating:
Cheddar/ Swiss Cheese - grated
Almond flour - 3 or 4 tbpns
Salt
Chilli powder
Turmeric

Method:

Wash, wipe and trim the ends of Zucchini. Cut them into strips. Do not make it too thin. Put them in a wide bowl, add all the coating ingredients and use your hands and mix well.

Heat a shallow pan, add oil and once it heats up on medium flame, add few zucchini pieces at a time and fry for 2 or 3 minutes. Turn them over and fry the other side. Once done, remove them onto a plate and repeat the same with the remaining slices.

Note: You can skip Almond flour if you do not have or do not want. Adding little rice flour also makes it crunchy. Of course you can add bread crumbs!

Kidney beans / Rajma served in Romaine hearts

Fancy presentation gives this simple dish an interesting twist and will have everyone asking for more!

Ingredients:

Kidney beans - 1 cup (cooked)
Onions - chopped finely
Ginger - 1 tsp - grated
Garlic - 3 or 4 pods - grated
Turmeric powder
Chilli powder
Coriander powder
Salt
Coriander leaves - finely chopped for garnish
Juice of 1 Lemon

Romaine hearts - washed and dried to remove excess moisture.

How to:

Heat a pan, add oil. Add onions, garlic, ginger and fry till the raw smell goes away. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt and fry well. Add cooked Rajma and mix well and let it all come together. Squeeze juice of a lemon and garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Let it cool a bit.

Scoop some rajma onto a romaine heart and serve with yogurt on the side. Yummy lunch!

Broccoli fry - Indian style

Broccoli is a very healthy vegetable. I bake it with cheese and salt and pepper. But I like the spicy Indian version the best.

Ingredients:

Broccoli
Onions
Red chillies
Mustard seeds
Cumin seeds
Urad dal
Turmeric
Chilli powder
Salt
Oil

How to:

Heat a pan, add oil. Once that warms up, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add Cumin seeds, Urad dal and Red chillies. After they turn light brown, add chopped onions and fry for 5 minutes. Add chopped Broccoli florets, salt and add few tbs of water, mix well and close and cook. Stir often so that Broccoli does not brown. I don't like to add more water and make it little mushy. I steam it with little water and make it dry and slightly brown. End result is yummy!

Caramelized Pears

I like to caramelize apples, pears, figs with butter and little brown sugar and honey. Add a little vanilla ice cream and there is the best dessert!

Heat a pan, melt some butter, add sugar and honey and whisk to mix. Place the cut side of the Pears down and let it cook and caramelize on medium low flame. Once done, serve them warm with some ice cream. Go ahead and drizzle some more honey or chocolate syrup. Indulge!

Zucchini boats with Kale chips

Zucchini boats are a fun way to eat veggies, especially if you have a fussy eater. It is simple, easy to make and delicious. I have tried various stuffing for the boats. You can get creative too. This is one of my versions:

Ingredients:

Zucchini - 2
Onion
Bell pepper
Lima beans - cooked. I soaked them overnight and steamed them.
Tomatoes
Cheese
Salt
Chilli powder/paprika/Pepper
Oil


How to:

Wash and trim the ends if the Zucchini and cut them into half lengthwise. Carefully, scrape out the flesh with a  spoon or fork. Make sure you leave little flesh and not to make any cuts or holes. Set this scraped zucchini aside.

Heat a pan, add oil or butter and saute chopped onions until light brown. Add tomatoes and fry. Add in the chopped bell peppers, reserved zucchini flesh, salt, chilli powder/pepper. Once this comes together, add lima beans and let it cook for few minutes until most of the moisture is evaporated. You could add cilantro. Adjust the spices according to your preferences.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Sprinkle salt on the Zucchini boats and bake it in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes. You will see some mositure come out. Handle the boats carefully and drain out the water. Now fill the stuffing in the zucchini boats base. Top with grated cheese. Bake in the Oven at 400F for 15 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

Bread crumbs could be used as a topping as well.

Enjoy!

Variations in the stuffing: Black beans, kidney beans or any kind of beans. Or just vegetables. I guess even fish or meat could be used as a stuffing too.


Kale chips:

Some of us like to eat greens. I think anything crunchy appeals to many, especially kids. Kale chips are easy to make and of course very healthy.

Wash the Kale thoroughly. Cut the leaves part into 3 or 4 inch pieces. Leave the bottom part of the stem as it is thick. Spread them on a towel to remove most of the water. Line a baking sheet, spray with olive oil. Put the kale leaves and add salt and pepper and little more oil and mix well. Bake in the oven at 350F for about 12 to 15 minutes until they become crunchy.

Brussels Sprouts curry:

Come winter, we have Brussels sprouts in abundance and I think they taste much better now than in off season. I came up with a simple recipe for this veggie packed with nutrients.



Ingredients:

Brussels Sprouts - 10 - chopped
Onion - 1/2 - chopped
Tomato - 1/2 - chopped
Turmeric
Salt
Chilli powder - 1 tbspn
Garam masala - 1/2 tspn (optional)
Curry leaves - few


Heat a kadai, add oil. Add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add cumin seeds, urad dal. Add onions, curry leaves and fry till onions are light brown. Add tomato, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and let the tomatoes become soft. Add Brussels sprouts and mix well and sprinkle some water and close the lid. Stir once in a while. Garnish with cilantro!

Pita Bread:

I have so many pictures waiting to be posted. I've been very busy with work. Finally I found some time to post this. Enjoy!



You can find the recipe here.

Oven baked Fish:

I have been making oven baked fish for years, but never got an opportunity to post it. I'm glad the time has come. This is a healthy, easy and delicious recipe. I have used fillet, but you could try the same recipe with trout too.


Ingredients:

Fish fillet - 2 pieces
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tspn
Chilli powder - 2 tspns
Salt
Turmeric - 1/2 tspn
Olive oil/sesame oil/vegetable oil - 1 tbspn

Clean the fillet and take out excess moisture using a paper towel. Mix rest of the ingredients in a bowl and apply to the fillet on both sides. Lets the fillet marinate for atleast 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the fillet for 13 - 15 minutes. Then broil for 4 to 5 minutes, until it starts to get crisp. Serve hot with rice.

Note: Do not broil the fish for a longer time. It becomes hard. So, watch out carefully. Enjoy!!!