All posts tagged: Cooking

bowl of pasta with Butternut squash fettuccine with sambal oelek and bacon bits sprinkled with grated cheese

Make it Vegan or Meaty: Butternut Squash Fettuccine Recipe

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I love creamy pasta. What I don’t love is all the cream, milk, and cheese that make it so creamy. This butternut squash pasta recipe is the best of both worlds. It’s smooth and creamy without the milk products. As a bonus, you can make this as a vegan dish or sprinkle some crispy, crumbly bacon bits to satisfy your meat cravings.

Butternut squash is from the pumpkin family and is versatile enough to be used in various dishes—from soups to a roasted side dish and this pasta sauce. They are a good source of fibre, vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, and vitamin A. It is not commonly available in India, but once in a while you do find it.
Here’s an indulgent pasta recipe you’ll love.

Easy Healthy Meal Ideas: Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

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October is a time for pumpkins. I am not a big fan of pumpkin pies or lattes, but I do love a good soup. This lentil soup is healthy and filling. It also tastes great and is easy to make. Ingredients: Makes 4 servings 2 cups boiled and mashed pumpkin (or squash) ½ cup boiled and mashed orange carrots 2 cups cooked yellow lentils (toor or mung dal) 2 cups vegetable stock (or water) Salt to taste 2 tbsp butter or oil for tempering 1 tsp grated ginger Coarsely ground pepper Roasted and ground cumin seeds Drizzle of cream to garnish (optional) Roasted pumpkin seeds for garnish (optional) Method: Sieve the boiled pumpkin and carrot to remove seeds and fibre.  I usually take out as many seeds as I can before boiling the pumpkin. Then rinse it and roast it to use as a crunchy topping for the soup. Cook the pumpkin, carrots, lentils, and stock on medium heat till it comes to a boil. Add salt to taste. In a small pan, heat the …

a Buddha Bowl of quinoa, roasted cauliflower, chickpeas, with hummus on the side

What’s in your Buddha Bowl

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There was a time when all food blogs were filled with pictures of Buddha Bowls of various kinds. They looked so lovely and fulfilling that I wanted to try something too. I don’t prefer the oatmeal or smoothie in a bowl kind, so I opted for something savoury. A Buddha Bowl is a dish that has five main ingredients:  Whole grains like rice or quinoa Protein like tofu or meat Vegetables Dressing Garnish such as nuts, seeds, or microgreens Here’s what went into my bowl: Quinoa cooked as per instructions Crispy chickpeas for protein Baked cauliflower Hummus Mixed seeds and mint leaves Instead of quinoa, any millet or grains like barley will do. Just rinse and cook in the pressure cooker. I also like to add a little salt and garlic for more flavour. You can make crispy chickpeas by seasoning boiled chickpeas and baking them in the oven or the air fryer. I also like some of the packaged ones available when I don’t want to put in a lot of effort. Baked cauliflower …

Kid making rotis while his mom supervises

Kids in the Kitchen: Kitchen Chores by Age

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I am not fond of cooking. I cook for sustenance or because I happen to be craving something, rarely ever for enjoyment. I first saw the programme Masterchef Australia Kids before I had even thought of having kids. The show gave me a new perspective on how they could be helpful to have! Do men belong in the kitchen? Jokes apart, I was sure I wanted to raise a child who would be self-sufficient and independent. Especially as a mother of a boy in South Asia, I’d did not want him to grow up to be a man-child. I’d seen enough men who couldn’t find their way around a kitchen even to get a glass of water, and the women (mother, wife or sister) who found it funny or exasperating but never did anything to correct that behaviour. My husband has, over time, become pretty proficient in the kitchen. He took up more kitchen duties after our son was born. Our kid has not known a day when his dad hasn’t been part of the …

Meal Ideas: Lasagne from Scratch

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I love Garfield. Garfield loves lasagne. So it just proves that I love lasagne. I used to buy the packaged lasagne sheets till I realised how easy it was to make them at home. They’re easy to make, taste better, and you have full control over what goes in them. I don’t add eggs because I prefer to keep the ingredients to a minimum, but they taste great nevertheless.  These are best for parties. You can make all the items a day before and just assemble them before cooking and serving. That way you’re not stuck in the kitchen while everyone’s chatting away. Ingredients: Serving size: 1 9-inch tray (good for 2 adults) Lasagne sheets: 1 cup refined flour (maida or bread flour) ½ cup whole wheat flour (even ragi or millet flour would do) 1 cup warm water (adjust according to the dough) 2 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp salt Extra flour for dusting A large deep pan full of salted water  Method: Add both the flours to a large mixing bowl and mix in …

Lunch Ideas: Vegan Cauliflower, Peas, and Saffron Risotto

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You know how all recipes start with a story. I won’t do that here. Recipe first, stories later! Note that this is a vegan recipe. You can substitute for non-vegan options if you prefer. Options are given below. Ingredients: Serving size: Makes for 2 adults (or 2 adults and 1 child) White sauce: 10 medium sized florets of cauliflower  15 pieces of cashews Salt & Pepper to taste Risotto: 1 ½ cup Arborio Rice 2 cups vegetable stock (I use stock powder if I don’t have fresh stock handy) 1 large onion 2 Tbsp olive oil 5 cloves garlic ½ cup peas A few strands of Saffron Salt & Pepper to taste Toppings: Garlic Chips* Nutritional yeast Parsley (optional) Method: White Sauce: Boil the cauliflower, save half a cup of the water and drain the rest.  Once it cools, grind the cauliflower and the half cup water with the cashews. Season and keep aside. Risotto: Heat a large pan or skillet on medium heat. Add butter then chopped onions and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.  …