All posts tagged: Food

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

Published by

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.

Sticky Rice pudding with coconut cream paired with pieces of ripe mangoes served on a blue floral plate is a sweet Thai delicacy

How to Make Mango Sticky Rice: A Delicious and Simple Recipe

Published by

I first had Thai Mango Rice in Hong Kong over 20 years ago, and I’ve been hooked on it since. It used to be that I could only have it if I travelled to South East Asia, but in recent years, ingredients from all over the world have become readily available in India. The recipe for Thai Mango with Sticky Rice couldn’t be more straightforward. It’s a rice pudding with coconut cream accompanied by juicy sweet, ripe mangoes. Since we are in the middle of mango season, it is the perfect time to have this. I made this on Father’s Day, and everyone just polished it off their plate in no time. Ingredients:  Serves 4-6 1 cup uncooked glutinous rice   2 cups water 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut cream 3 tbsp sugar Pinch of salt 2 ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced or diced Method: Wash and soak the rice for at least 30 minutes Drain and cook with 2 cups of water in a pan for about 20 minutes. Check for doneness. While the rice …

blue plates with a millet salad set on a table with colourful runner and plants

Easy Healthy Lunch Ideas: Millet with Veggies and Cheese

Published by

Quick and easy meals are a saviour, with the Indian summer lingering over our heads. You don’t need to spend hours slaving over a stove to make a delicious and healthy meal.
Millets are nutrition dense and an excellent substitute for your regular wheat and rice grains. They are gluten-free and contain high protein, fibre, and antioxidants. These properties also make them easier to digest.
Lunches like these are light on the stomach but pack a punch in nutritional value are also great to pack for the school or office. They don’t need to be re-heated either.

Pearl Barley salad with BBQ spiced cottage cheese

Quick and Healthy Lunch Options: Barley salad with BBQ Cottage Cheese

Published by

Try out this healthy lunch option with pearl barley. With so many meals being cooked at home in the last two years of quarantine, it can be pretty challenging to keep coming up with exciting meal ideas. I mean, how many ways can you cook rice? Healthy meal options that are not too heavy on the tummy can be difficult to plan when you don’t have access to exotic ingredients.

Easy Recipe Ideas: 3 Ingredient Diwali Laddoos

Published by

The school our son goes to has one day of the week dedicated to cooking and kitchen skills. From peeling and cutting to making something edible, with minimal help, these kids are learning some basic life skills and absolutely loving it. Recently, they made coconut laddoos with just three ingredients. They look and taste delicious, and best of all, kids can do this all by themselves. Ingredients: Makes about 10 pieces 2 cups desiccated coconut (plus 3 tbsp more for top coating) 1 cup condensed milk 2 tbsp Rooh Afza syrup Method: Combine all ingredients, making sure the syrup is well blended. Divide this mixture into 10 parts and roll each into a ball between your palms. Coat this with the extra coconut. This will stay outside at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or in the fridge for a week. The blush pink colour looks gorgeous. Note: Some links are part of an affiliate program, which means that if you click on a link and buy something, I might receive a percentage of …

Easy Healthy Meal Ideas: Pumpkin and Lentil Soup

Published by

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 …

colourful salad ingredients in a wooden bowl

Easy Meal Ideas: Black-eyed Beans Salad

Published by

We try to have salads as often as possible, but it’s a pain to wash and dry the salad leaves. This bean salad is filling and full of protein and other awesome things. It can be had as a meal in itself or with some garlic bread and soup on the side. Ingredients: For a meal for one ½ cup boiled black-eyed peas ¼ cup roasted peanuts  1 small tomato, cubed 1 cucumber, diced 1 small carrot, diced Few pieces of pickled radish or onion A few olives ¼ cup of semi-ripe mango, diced (or Totapuri mango), optional  2 prunes, cut into small pieces Coriander and Mint leaves to garnish Salad dressing I like the store-bought Sweet onion dressing for this one  You can also quickly make your own dressing with 3 parts olive oil to 1 part lemon (or vinegar). Add a teaspoon of honey or sugar. Mix well and pour over the salad. Enjoy your health boost for the day! Note: Some links are part of an affiliate program, which means that if …