Stir fried noodles - Under 30 minutes

THIS this this is the ultimate lazy person's quick meal. Quicker than a take-out. No kidding. With all the snow, -52F and stuck at home, I am in no mood to spend hours cooking. Though that is a good way of spending time, somehow, I've become this lazy person with my nose in a book. Perfect for a cold brrrr day. 

That was almost ten days ago, I have been meaning to post this, but somehow one thing or the other has kept me away. Between my skype photography lessons, client work and my own life the days seem to blur into nights in a flash. I have never enjoyed photography as much as I am doing this year. I think the classes are so refreshing, thank you for enrolling. Keeps me on my toes.

Between all this, I've been catching up on reading. Right now I am reading two books, both non-dual inquiry. As a teen, I have spent hours learning about Advaita philosophy from my father. Somewhere, between my twenties and now I got distanced from any form of philosophy as life took over. And the same life just pulled me back into it. With such strength, that I willingly got pulled along. The last couple of years, I have started meditating, it has changed my life. I'm just so happy, not that I was ever a sad person, but this happiness has a different texture to it, it has a sense of fulfillment. Earlier, I was outcome driven and now I am more task driven. That really cuts out the anxiety of the outcome and makes the overall experience of doing anything very joy full.

We only live once and we have to be truthful to who we are. There is no perfect life, it is all in the mind and the mind can mislead, often addressed as monkey-mind, needs to get tamed and meditation is a great tool.

Going back to the stir-fried noodles, the sauce is the key. Add any veggies or meat of choice. I have used fettuccine here as I ran out of my favorite brown rice noodles. So pick the noodle of your choice.

Here comes the recipe ....

How to make coconut milk - three easy steps

I just love coconut milk and the reason is the versatile use of this amazing vegan milk....

I use it in curries, dips, soups, curried rice, sweet rice,  smoothies, ice-cream, baking and kheer (Indian pudding)... I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others.

The milk is thick, mildly sweet and very flavorful.

The best way to make fresh coconut milk is from fresh coconut.

• Grate the coconut
• Soak in 1 cup mildly warm ( not hot) water for an hour. Hot water will make the coconut spoil easily and it will smell. 
• Grind 
• Sieve - if you do not many any chunks, use muslin cloth, else a sieve removes 90% of the coconut meat.  

Unfortunately the shelf life is only 24 hours - yup it goes bad very easily, so unless you plan to cook/use it do not make it ahead of time.

You can add additional water and remove more milk, it will be not as thick as the first batch. You can also freeze the coconut meat and use it in curries.

Have you tried  Coconut Horchata ..it is the yummiest drink I have ever tasted...

Pesto Zoodles, healthy pita pockets, vegan buddha bowl and more - The color diet

In a 2012 study, 52% of Americans ( polled numbers) said doing their taxes was easier than figuring out how to eat healthy. USA, is one of 10 most educated countries in the world and we do not know how to eat well. You walk into any super market, you have fresh produce, locally grown, organic, imported ... you name it. Where is the issue, is it time? is it lack of education ?? What is making an abundant nation unhealthy ?? I don't have an answer to this question but I do think cooking is not rocket science, a bit of planning, some simple recipes and some good music while cooking ...is the secret to a good home cooked meal.

I am sharing three simple recipes for week nights. I am not a nutritionist, so I do not have much knowledge about carbs, protein, fat ....but I do know from my gut feel that a good meal incorporates raw foods and colors. As much color as you can get. I can it the color diet... you just cannot go wrong with veggies. Just make sure you go through the dirty dozen list - aka the most pesticide laden fruits and veggies. One way is to avoid the dirty dozen or just buy organic. Make sure you also go through the clean fifteen list - that way you are not forced to buy organic.

I make three kinds of pesto and I rotate between them ... I usually make all three and have it in my refrigerator. Add lime to all of them and it stays good for at least one week in the refrigerator.

First I will share the recipe of the pesto - that is the main punch of flavor to these almost raw meals.

Pesto

Mint pesto

• Small bunch of mint leaves
• 3 tbsp walnuts
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 jalapeno
• salt to taste 

Basil Pesto  

• Small bunch of fresh basil leaves
• 3 tbsp cashewnuts
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 jalapeno
• salt to taste 
• 
  

Lime Basil-Cilantro Pesto 

• Small bunch of fresh basil and cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 
• 2 tbsp walnuts
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 jalapeno
• salt to taste   

Blend into smooth thick paste and store in airtight container 

Sauce 

1. Add 1 tsp garam masala to 1/4 cup of ketchup.
2. Add 1 tsp sriracha to 1/4 cup Greek yogurt 
3. Add 1 tbsp roasted sesame, 1 tbsp crushed pepper to soy sauce 

Eating Health - bagelwich. EASY! EASY! EASY!

Eating healthy is on everybody's mind. No one wants to eat unhealthy, but at the same time ... we don't want to eat food that the pallet does not approve. When we think about healthy, we usually think of sad food... I love colorful food and try to put as much color on my plate. Healthy food is actually happy food.

This is an easy recipe  meal...way to easy, fresh produce, cream cheese (store bought). the only thing I made was beet-cranberry relish for vegan lovers.

Beet-Cranberry Relish

1 cup granted beet
1 cup cranberry
2 green chilies
2 tbsp finely cut ginger
3 tbsp olive oil
salt to taste.

Heat oil, add all the ingredients and let it cook till cranberry is nice and soft, add salt. After it has cooled, store in airtight container. Stays good for a month.

Indian Vegan Buddha / Glory / Hippie Bowls

Healthy, delicious, colorful and looks like it is from a gourmet magazine... all in one single bowl - the Buddha / Glory / Hippie Vegan Indian Bowl.    

Starting from left (picture above). First jar has pickled radish, second cashew sauce, third peach chutney.

After all the love in the previous Buddha bowl post, I thought of creating a vegan Indian Buddha bowl.  A friend of mine saw my Buddha bowl post on the blog and she asked me to make one for her, since she loves Indian food and prefers vegan, I created this for her. It was so much fun, catching up over lunch and assembling the Buddha bowls. They look tiny but trust me, they are very filling and even though we wanted to go for seconds, we could not...

I love the concept of Buddha bowls, as there is so much variety on one plate bowl,  also you can get very creative with the ingredients and assembling the bowls. If you are a foodie like me, I assure you, you will love this. Teen who is so fussy with her taste, not picky but fussy with flavor parings and taste, she just loved it. I think that was my biggest victory for the day... to get a 'wow' from a teen. Those of you who have a teen, know what I am speaking about. Just a decade ago it was a look of awe, "mom knows best" and now it is more like, "mom doesn't know" in a decade it will change again :) I'm glad even though mom does not know much, she's somehow figured out, how to make a 'decent' Buddha bowl. lol!

The Buddha bowl recipe does look long and intimidating, but it's not. It's pretty simple when you get to making it. I personally think, writing the recipe is more work than making it.

Buddha Bowls or Hippie / Glory Bowls

Buddha Bowls or Hippie / Glory Bowls are colorful veggie bowls, they have artistically arranged veggies, roasted or fresh, with some grains, lentils, noodles or rice. Topped with nuts and seeds. Tossed with choice of sauces. The combinations are countless.

Don't they look fabulous. Not just a treat to your eyes but your palate and tummy too. Healthy food never looked so good. A lot of people swear by buddha bowls; a healthy way to loose weight. I'm not sure about loosing weight,  but it make sense. It does have a lot of food with little calories and hardly any calories from fat. I'm not doing the math as am not a dietitian or a nutritionist. But, I hope it helps me get into my skinny jeans soon.

I was planning to post this next week, but thanks to some of you ...I promised, I will do it today, and here it is..on the blog.

In other news, as it is getting warmer. My morning walks are back. It looks so beautiful outside. "Be with those that help your being" Walking outside in the fresh, crisp spring air, what else can enrich my being more than being with nature. I have walked miles on that trail, I know every leaf, every, tree, how the light falls in the mornings and how the shadows change as the sun goes higher in the sky.

It was mid morning, a comfortable time to get out at this time of the year. I was thrilled to be walking outside with my favorite companion dangling on my neck. Glad I took the camera, it saved me a trip to go back home. Some images from the walk...

Swiss Chard and Black-eyed Peas

Creamy flavorful curry with swiss chard and black-eyed peas, cooked with onions and spices. Great with naan breads or simple pilaf.



I was talking to a friend of mine the other day and she was wondering if I spend half of my life in the kitchen. Well, even if we do assume that I spend half of my life in the kitchen, I would not mind. If someone would take care of the rest of the things for me, I would be happy. The creative process is exhilarating. Well, truth be told : I do not spend a lot of my time in the kitchen, I love recipes that are quick and easy - not semi-home-made. I prefer to make things from scratch- like to know what we eat.  However, my recipes are usually easy and fits my lifestyle of doing multiple things in a day, cooking being one of them. Love working on labor intensive recipes, that require mastery of a technique...that's not something you can do everyday. For everyday it should be simple, soulful and delicious - at least for me.

Last week we visited one of our friends in Moline, it's about three hours drive from home ....my friend has a tiny community farm that she maintains and it was an absolute treat to see it. She was so generous to give me a huge bag of produce and I was thrilled....These swisschard are from her farm. I paired it with blackeyed peas. Loved the combination! The sweetness of the peas with the mild bitterness of swiss chard - perfect balance, caramelized onions and tons of garlic...y u m !

Here are some of the images from my her farm. It reminded me of fresh produce from India. I remember the vegetable vendor would bring fresh veggies from his farm early morning (he still does), he would carry it in a cart and push it door to door, selling as he went from one home to another.  He would hide some extra fresh stuff for my mom :). My mom buys veggies every single day. It's hardly refrigerated, as she gets it directly from the farmer - it's almost everyday, other than Sunday ! Everyone needs a day off. What we take for granted in one part of the world is such a luxury in another part of the world. I do love farmer's market in the US and love to shop in the summer, but the luxury of having the farmer home deliver is something I can only dream off. I was super excited to get fresh organic produce and needless to say it was super delicious.

Potatoes n Greens stir-fried

Creamy potatoes - with greens! Such a versatile side. Our good old aloo methi with a twist :)


Maybe time is moving at a faster pace. Each day seemed to be booked edge to edge with little room for daily chores. The to-do list has grown a couple of miles. Maybe I need time management 1o1.

I planted my first set of annuals and have been wanting to do the rest - my herbs and tomatoes, it is almost June and probably if I keep postponing this, soon it will be fall.  I need an intern to help. I think I should hire teen for the summer months…hmmm! not a bad idea. It is hard when you are doing everything…styling, photography, edits, clients briefs, communication & rate negotiations …money matters! I have never been good at numbers and it's a miracle I understand my apertures and shutter.

Somedays  Most days my morning stroll helps me clear my mind and think…it forces me to slow down and catch my breath and most important it forces me to absorb it all. The pace at which life is running, if I don't slow down…I'll exhaust myself and I think it is more about enjoying my journey than the destination. That's the reason my weekends are sacrosant - I don't touch my laptop. My camera yes :)

This week I read two write ups,  one of them is an experiment on social media and the other a commencement address. Both so relevant to the times we live in. At the end of the day…what you create is what stays with you …that compelling feeling of satisfaction. It's not a numbers game or stats or followers…! I remember once when a brand approached me about a affiliation, they asked me about my media-kit..I don't have one. It's not rocket science to put it together…but it is not who I am that was important …it was more about the numbers. To me it felt like working in a boxed room with no windows. I know numbers are important but when it becomes the only criteria …That is just me, I love my readers because they give me feedback, we chat…it's more like friendship, they are not numbers in a spreadsheet - most certainly not.

It's almost become a ritual to share some clicks from my walk…not too many :) I don't want you guys to run away…..this time it's downtown Chicago.

Honey n' ginger brussels sprouts

Holiday Sides

Links to Holiday sides 
Potatoes n'  Crunchy Spinach 
Roasted Cabbage Wedges 
Sweet Potatoes Baked In Coconut Curry
Spicy Sweet Potatoes 
Stuffed Peppers 
Baked Green Beans 

The kitchen counter has a bag of all purpose, a bottle of molasses with molasses dripping on one  side, ginger, sugar, butter plus more. The gas stove has a big cooker whistling, veggies washed on the side, chopped herbs.…A cup of coffee, which has been heated twice. A camera on the side, a few prop boards, some plates…

A few years ago this scene would have given me high blood pressure, I used to be a neat freak. I have no idea what changed and exactly when. I look at all the mess and a sense of warmth and homely feel embraces me.  I always wanted things in order and could never work in an untidy kitchen… fast forward a few years and I can see through the mess and see the beauty in it. I guess we are constantly evolving and hopefully for the better, to me this is definitely a step in the positive direction. I want to celebrate life, my home, for me is to enjoy not to be spic n' span.

I think my journey with brussels sprouts is quite similar, I did not like that tiny cabbage look-alike, to say the least, a few different recipes and now it has found a place in my veggie section of the refrigerator. I really love this recipe, it's simple, easy to make and absolutely delicious. This is how my teen makes it, love the flavors.

Thank you everyone for being there and the constant support and encouragement. I hope my work is worth it. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. Lots of love!!

Stuffed Cubanelle Peppers

Yum

Cubanelle peppers filled with aromatic potatoes and tofu and roasted with onions and cherry tomatoes. A great vegan side. 



It was a very eventful day (pun intended) My neighbors have the cutest dogs ever, one silly to the bones and the other shy and he won’t look at me straight in the eye. I think he’s worried I will dognap him. Usually they are rather quite and very well behaved. Today morning one of them (silly one) was barking, moving from one window of the dinning room to the other. I assumed my neighbors were not home so I went around the fence to check: all was well.  Usually if they ever bark it is a symphony of two …so I got a bit worried. Hoping the other one was safe.  I waited,  it was almost thirty minutes. Finally, I texted my neighbor. After all the investigation - guess what ? Last night they had moved some tiles  by the deck (outside) and apparently one of them (you know which one) was sleeping when that happened. So today when he saw those tile boxes, he was alarmed and raised hell till he was let out to sniff and he declared them all safe and gave his stamp of approval.

I thought the story was adorable. They know I am fond of them so they choose to ignore me by looking the other way. My husband  on the other hand gets all the attention, as he is scared of dogs ( yes a grown man super scared of dogs) they love to bark at him, it’s hilarious. Growing up with a pet was the best thing ever, one learns so much. If Chicago was not that cold, I would get a dog. Walking a dog in 40 below is not something I look forward too, hate to see them cooped up indoors. Yes, the other minor issue of the Mr being scared, I need to work on that.

The recipe has nothing to do with the story, I just wanted to share it with you guys. This is hubby’s favorite and  he insisted I share it on the blog. Am surprised as he hardly every tells me what to blog about.

 You can grill it roast it on the gas top or roast it in the oven. The Cubanelle peppers are NOT hot at all. Almost like bell peppers.

Lentil, quinoa and wheat fritters or savory pancakes

It is  crisp on the outside and soft inside, beautiful texture, whole sum, flavorful and super easy to make. I forgot to add - it is like a super food, really healthy. You can call this fritter or a savory pancake too. Created by your truly . If you do use this recipe or blog it, please link back, it takes lots of effort to develop recipes and I love link backs. :)

Am looking at my kitchen and wondering at the mess. I am not interested in spending my evening cleaning up the mess I just created, but I guess I have no option.  Rewind a decade ago and I  was a clean freak - proper things in proper place, all labeled, everything well organized. Somehow the mess does not bother me any more. Yesterday, I was shooting glass refection ( don’t ask why) and my neighbor just walked in. Instead of being embarrassed by the mess, I pulled the white diffuser cloth from the chair and made room for her to sit and we enjoyed a coup of tea over a bit of gossip ( a bit of gossip here and there is really healthy). Am so proud of myself, I have evolved. You think I am exaggerating - NO! My father-in-law once told me he does not like to sit in one place in my house,  he’s afraid I might dust him and probably place him with  curios. Thankfully that never happened, but my love for super clean has been replaced by reality check.

Evolved I have and somewhere I think it is all because I have found a creative outlet that I identify with. I have discovered myself. Small things don’t bother me, I don’t feel the need to prove myself to others - I just want to enjoy the journey. Wow ! I sound like a perfect angle….well, far from it. It was in September that I baked a cake for hub’s birthday - it was a new recipe and it fell apart and I did throw a mini tantrum that I was the worst cook ever. ( looks sheepishly )

Thankfully this is NOT a failed recipe and I just love it - total added bonus that it is super healthy.

Sweet Potato and Carrot Halwa in Coconut Milk - Indian flavored sweetpotato truffles

Make it vegan or regular. In slow cooker or gas stove….

Rich, aromatic full of flavor, nothing beats a great halwa. I love Indian desserts and this is one of my favorites. It is made from sweet potatoes, carrots and coconut milk - vegan halwa.   The flavors work very well and I love the mild coconut flavor in the halwa. It is a great slow cooker dessert.  It’s halwa but formed as a ladoo ( balls) just to control my portion size ;)

I am an over enthusiastic shopper. No! It’s not handbags, foot wear, make up or dresses….( that too but  not as much). I go berserk in a grocery store - produce section drives me crazy. For one I do not do weekly menu planning - neither do I have a grocery list that is cast in gold. I have a basic list, but it’s always way beyond what’s on the list. For most of my friends going grocery shopping is a chore and a stressful exercise, for me it’s quite the opposite. I even take cell phone pictures of produce - if you follow me on FB or Instagram you know what am talking about. 

A few weeks back I got a huge amount of sweet potatoes ( no kidding!)…the freshness just enticed me. Everything sweet potato was on my mind, pies, curries, soup and even ice cream (am planning that really soon).  Thankfully Sweet potatoes has a long shelf life, I forgot about them and discovered them a couple of days back.  I had originally planned to make an ice cream or a curry, but..I was not in the mood for ice cream in sub zero, horrible, terrible, no good winter day ( ops! I shall reserve this rant for another post) anyway, long story short…I wanted to have a warm dessert - something traditional.  Halwa it was. I used coconut milk instead of milk - loved the flavors. 

There are a lot of ways to serve the halwa - make it into tiny bite size balls (ladoo) and coat them with powdered pistachio or desiccated coconut.  Or just serve in a bowl topped with pistachio.