Roasted beet soup with buttermilk and garlic

Back with a Beat! A root vegetable that never gets its due. Beets. But  roasted and pureed with garlic buttermilk and a dash of lime, it is a looker that gets you hooked :)

A soup that is bold, creamy but slightly 'different'

All you need
3 beets
3 fat cloves of garlic
2/3 cup of buttermilk
1 lemon; Zested and juiced :)

• Pack the beets and garlic in Aluminum foils and roast at preheated oven at 430 F for 1 hour.
• Let cool and skin off the garlic and the beets.
• Puree with lemon zest, juice, buttermilk, salt and pepper

A creamy coolant!

~happy eating and healthy living

Elegance of fruits and spinach--- travels with you :)

Here is quickie for the traveler. I am one and just had one. Delish

Pears and grapes on a plate of Spinach. Some cheese or a bit of olive oil. Chili flakes you can get from a pizza store and bit of honey drizzled. You can steal one from a cafe. Follow with an americano. Fulfililng as it does not sound


~ happy eating and healthy living!

Hummus without Tahini and with water.YUM!

This is water-y, hummus-y take on Poppy seeds. Spiced up chili peppers and garlic. Its an eternal favorite of anyone I know.

1 can of chickepas. Drained

2 tbsf of poppy seeds

3 cloves of garlic. Crushed

1 tbsf cumin

1/2 tsp of chilli flakes

1 tbsf olive oil

1/4th cup of hot water. Add more (upto 1/3rd water) if you need it to be more 'fluidy'

Juice of half a lime

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together in a blender. 

Serve with crunchy raw veggies or use as a thickner of lentil soup or any veggied you are making. You are gonna love this one.

Garlic-fenugreek roasted cauliflower-- the kid is good lookin for sure :)

The college educated kid is always the better guy. Well...put on some dress shirts, and the kid becomes irresistible. I am talking of cauliflower guys. The cabbage with college education. Or so thought Mr. Lewis Carroll :)

Spicy roasted cauliflower

One small head of cauliflower, chopped up. Chopped up into bite size pieces.
1/2 a tsp of anise
1/2 tsp of turmeric
3 big cloves of garlic chopped up
1/2 tsp pf curry powder or fenugreek powder
Salt and pepper
2.5 tbsf olive oil

In a baking tray, mix all ingredients together. Roast at 425 for 45 mins. For some added color, you can follow by broiling on high for 2 mins.
Alternatively you can shallow fry the mixture in the oil for 10 min at medium heat.

As good as it looks :)


~happy eating and healthy living~

Spicy stir fried okra--from the Indian skillet

Okras are not your favorite veggie. I get it. The slime  and the seeds and the what not's. Here is a recipe that will help you cross over. A side from India, that I absolutely adore. And real happy to share with you, straight from the skillet

You will need
1/2 lb of small okras. Take off the two ends. Chop up coarsely. And a glug of vinegar. And let stand for 20 mins. Wash off. The slime is gone baby
1 onion. Sliced
1/2 tsf of whole all apice.
2-3 cloves of garlic. Chopped
A pinch of Turmeric.
2 tbsf all purpose flour
2 tbsf oil
4 tbsf water
salt and pepper to taste

In a skillet heat oil.
Pop the all spice. Fry for a few secs til your nose feels the aroma.
Add the okra and the flour. Fry 7-8 min. Best if you cover. Will cook faster
Add the onion. Cook for another 3 min
Add the turmeric sat and pepper
Add the water. Let everything marry for a couple of mins.

Serve as a side or on a bed of lettuce and fresh tomatoes. A salad that is a side.

~Happy eating and healthy living~

Asian collard meets Spanish bread.

Spanish styled breadcrumbs over Asian flavored collard greens. Sounds like a deal? What if I told you these collards are organically grown in my very own garden plot!

You will need

A big bunch of collard greens.
1.5 cups of breadcrumbs.
2-3 cloves of garlic
1-2 dried red chili pepper
1 tbsf whole cumin
Half a head of inion diced
2 tbsf olive oil
Salt and pepper for seasoning

• Strip off the leaves from the woody stems.
• Add vinegar to a tub of hot water and soak the greens in it for 30 mins to an hour. Takes the bitterness off
• Meanwhile make your own breadcrumbs by powdering some old bread with a couple of tbsf of water. You need that moisture
• Drain the greens, roll em up like a cigar and chop em
• In a skillet deep enough to hold all the greens, add a tbsf of oil. 
• When oil is hot, add the whole cumin and red chili pepper. Wait for the aroma. 10 secs
• Add the greens and mix everything well.
• wait for the greens to wilt down. 3-4 mins
• Season lightly with salt and pepper (greens have some salt in them as do the breadcrumbs) and dish up on a serving plate
• Next add some more oil to the skillet. Add the breadcrums, garlic and saute for a couple of mins. Season with pepper. 
• MIx in the onions
• Pour all over the collard greens 
• Mix everything lightly

Serve warm as a side. I like it with some garlic pasta and salmon. Long live the green revolution :)

~Happy eating and healthy living~

Its spring time with asparagus

When asparagus is in Spring is not too far away. And the thin ones, you don't even need to cook. Here is how

You will Need

Half a bunch of the really fine asparagus. Chopped into tiny pieces :)
One mdeium onion
1 can of garbanzo beans/chickpeas. Drained well
2 tbsf red wine vinegar
1 tbsf balsamic vinegar
1 tbsf good quality olive oil
1/3rd cup of chopped fresh parsley. Its spring time roo
Salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Hold off on the salt and pepper. Refreugerate for an hour or more. Let stuff get cozy in the cold. Just before serving toss in the salt and pepper. A good filling side.

Or so it looks. Dont' ya all think so?

~ Happy eating and healthy living~