Vegetarian crock pot tofu chili soup

Vegetarian crock pot chili soup by Ria Jain

Makes 3-4 servings

1/4 cup water

1 can kidney beans

1/4 cup frozen corn

1 canned diced tomato and green chili. ( crush them with hand blender)

1/2 slab of drained firm tofu crumbled to tiny pieces.

1 chopped onion

3-4 cloves of chopped garlic

1/2  chopped green chili or jalapeño

1 tsp Oregano 

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp coriander powder

Salt and pepper to taste.

( optional vegetables: mushroom, celery, capsicum)

Method: 

In a crock pot dump kidney beans and crushed tomato green chile purée. Add 1/4 cup water to it and turn crock pot on. 

Sauté  cumin seeds, onion, garlic, green chili, add crumbled tofu and sauté till light brown. Add frozen corn, dry coriander powder, Oregano, salt and pepper. 

Dump all the seasoning into the crock pot. Let it cook for one hour in the crock pot until piping hot. 

Serve hot with parmesan cheese or feta cheese garnish or eat as is.

You can make this recipe on stove top in 15-20 minutes. 

Caesar Salad Dressing

Caesar Salad dressing

Makes 3-4 servings

Dressing:

3-4 cloves of garlic finely chopped.

1 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp vegetarian hoisin sauce

1 tbsp crushed pepper ( add more if you like it spicy)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

Salt and pepper 

Pour all the ingredients in a jar with tight lid. Shake the jar to mix the dressing. Pour over fresh cold crispy salad and top with fresh Parmesan.

For Salad:

Fresh chopped Romaine lettuce 

Grape tomato

Cucumber

Onion (optional).

Olives (optional)

Toppings: croutons and fresh Parmesan cheese.

Wheat Germ (Fada) Halva dessert

Wheat germ (fada) halva with cinnamon and apple pie spice.

Similar to Indian desert Lapsi.

1 cup fine fada or wheat germ

1/3 cup butter or ghee

3 1/2 cup water 

6-8 strands of saffron 

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder

1/3 tsp apple pie spice or pumpkin spice

1 cup and 2 tbsp of Brown sugar 

10-12 Elaichi seeds

Heat a large skillet, add butter and wheat germ and stir. On the side boil water with saffron. Once the water comes to boil add all the sugar to the water and let it melt. Meanwhile stir the wheat germ every couple minutes till you smell the sweet flavor of roasting wheat germ. Don't burn it. Cook it on medium flame. Once the wheat germ turns light red, add cinnamon, cardamom seeds, apple pie spice ( or pumpkin spice) and stir for few seconds. Gently pour all the boiled sweet water on to the wheat germ. Be carful as it splutters a lot. Stir slowly and continue stir until all the water is soaked by the wheat germ and you reach the halwa consistency. 

Serve hot or cold with choice of nuts. You can serve it hot with a dollop of vanilla or butter scotch ice cream with drizzled chocolate. 

Indian Masala Chia (Tea)

Indian Masala chai (Tea)

For 3 cups of tea. 

3 measuring cup water

1 1/2 measuring cup milk 

3 tbsp Sugar ( add more or less sugar as per your taste) 

1tbsp of black Wag bakri tea leaves ( use any Indian tea black tea any other but I prefer this brand)

1/2 tbsp of Tea masala (use 1/2 of the recommended measure if you don't like spicy tea. I make my own but you can get it from any Indian grocery stores)

2 pinch of Cardamom powder

Bring water and milk to a boil. Lower the gas to low flame. 

Add tea leaves, chai masala, cardamom powder and sugar. Stir for few seconds. Let the tea leaves turn the milk into desired tea strength of your choice over medium to low flame. You can keep boiling for 5-6 minutes until you get the color and aroma that suites your taste buds. Turn gas off. Filter tea with Indian tea filter and pour it into a cup. Enjoy it hot with biscuits, toast or just as is. 

Note: if you don't have tea masala just add 1 pinch of cinnamon powder, 1 pinch of black pepper powder, 3-4 pinch cardamom powder, 1-2 pinch of ginger powder (or 1/2 tsp grated ginger and couple mint leaves).

Jicama Pickle

Jicama pickle

2 cups of finely chopped jicama

Juice of 3 lemons

1 tsp ground coriander powder

3 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp asafetida (hing)

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp oil

Method: Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida. Lower the gas to dim flame. Add jicama, salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder. Immediately  add lemon juice and stir. Turn gas off right away. Do not over cook jicama, it should be crispy. Pickle should last for a week. 

Spicy tangy curried broccoli

7 minute 7 ingredients Spicy tangy broccoli 

Easy to make for busy collage kids

4-5 cups of broccoli chunks rinsed, steamed and little under cooked. Do not over cook the brocolli💀. If too busy to steam then just microwave broccoli for 4-5 minutes instead of steaming. 

1 tsp olive oil 

1 tsp sambar powder or curry powder

1 tsp chat masala ( MDH chat masala)

1/4 tsp red chili powder

1/4 tsp six pepper seasoning or garlic herb seasoning from GFC (Optional)

1 lemon 

Sauté broccoli in olive oil for a minute. Add all the above available seasoning and turn the gas off so you don't burn the seasoning. Squeeze lemon juice and it's ready to eat. The most time spent is in steaming the broccoli, it's that easy.

Just eat it hot don't need anything with it. Real easy, really tasty. And remember that if you don't have all the above seasonings  just add chat masala, red chili powder and lemon to the saluted broccoli and it will still taste amazing. 

Greek style bread sticks with Zattar

5 ingredients 5 minute flatbread garlic butter bread sticks.

Really easy to make for busy collage kids in their apartment for a quick filling meal. Goes well with salad or soup or as is.

1 flat bread Greek style

1 tbsp garlic butter ( available at most middle Eastern stores)

1tbsp

Zattar seasoning ( available at most middle eastern stores)

Crushed pepper optional.

1/4 tsp olive oil.

Method:

Brush olive oil on both side of pita bread and roast it on a skillet over gas on medium heat.

Cut pita into desired shape with pizza cutter or scissors. 

Spread garlic butter over pita bread, sprinkle zattar and crushed pepper and it's ready to eat.

Majadra daal fry

Majadra daal Fry

2 cup middle eastern majadra lentil 

5-6 cups water

(cook majadra on stove top with 5-6 cups of water until tender. It takes about 20 minutes)

For gravy:

1 large onion

7-8 clove garlic

2 cube ginger

1/4 tsp fennel seeds

1-2 green chilies

1/4 cup cilantro

2-3 mint leaves ( optional)

Take all the above ingredients and finely crush them in food processor. 

2 tomatoes (crushed in food processor separately) 

4-5 tbsp olive oil 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp asafetida 

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp methi masala

1/3 tsp crushed roasted coriander seeds

1/2 tsp red chili powder

1/3 tsp turmeric powder.

Salt to taste.

Cooking method:

Heat 4-5 tbsp olive oil, add fennel seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida. Add the crushed onion, garlic, ginger, green chili and cilantro mix to the hot oil. Stir often till the onions turn brown. Add garam masala, methi masala, salt, turmeric, red chili powder, cherished roasted coriander seeds and stir for 2 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes to it and stir. cover with lid and let it cook until tomatoes are well cooked and blend into the onion gravy. Add this prepared gravy to cooked majadra daal. Add a cup more water if necessary. Continue cooking daal for another 10-15 minutes. Eat with rice or roti or as daal soup. 

Garnish daal with butter, cilantro and lemon ( optional) 

Henna designs by Vidhya jain

Peal Millet Bajri sweet and savory multiple combination!

Basic Bajri ( pearl Millet) moong Khichidi!

1 cup Bajri 

1/2 cup green moong dal

3 cup Water

Pressure cook all the ingredients  for 3 whistle. 

You can use this base Khichadi for the following combinations.

1. Hot Khichadi + honey+ ghee.

2. Hot Khichadi+ hot milk+ honey +cinnamon+ cardamoms+ nuts

3. Hot Khichadi + Kadhi.

bajri provides us with disease fighting phytochemicals that lower cholesterol, antioxidants, plenty of fibre, folate, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc, vitamins-E and B-complex, thiamine, riboflavin and niacin. It is a gluten free grain and rich in iron. 

Honey Aspirin Coconut oil face scrub!

Honey aspirin coconut oil Face cleanse/wash/scrub!

1 cup coconut oil

1 cup honey

1 cup baking soda

1/2 cup tbsp powdered aspirin ( took half a bottle of Un coated regular strength aspirin and powdered them in coffee grinder)

20 drops of tea tree oil ( optional for acne prone skin)

10-30 drops of pepper mint essential oil. (Optional)

Blend all ingredients in a large bowl with fork until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly. Store in 3 to 4 glass or plastic containers. Makes enough and lasts for months at room temperature. 

Apply all over face and neck with fingertips. Use few drops of warm water if the scrub is too hard especially in winter. scrub gently with a warm wet wash cloth or jut with your fingers for couple seconds. Rinse face with warm water. Towel dry. Skin will feel soft, shiny and glows naturally. 

You can also take about one tablespoon of this wash and add turmeric. keep this wash on your face for 15 to 20 minutes couple times a week and scrub as above. 

Aspirin:Unclogs oily pores, lightens blemishes and acne scars, and is anti inflammatory.

Baking soda: antibacterial properties, abrasiveness removes dead skin thus exfoliating,results in skin tightening thus minimizing appearance of pores.

Honey: anti microbial, anti bacterial, anti aging and acts as a moisturizer. 

Tea tree essential oil: helps heal and prevent acne outbreaks.

Peppermint oil: contains numerous minerals and nutrients including manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, folate, potassium, and copper. It also contains omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. It also improves blood circulation, thus helps in nourishing dull skin, has cooling effect. 

Almond Rose Chia seed Lassi (yogurt drink)

Almond Rose chia seed Lassi!

Makes about 3-4 glasses. 

Soak 3-4 tbsp of chia seed in 1 cup water over night or couple days early and refrigerate it. 

10-15 Almonds

8-10 Ice cubes

6-8 drops of Rose water

5-6 tsp Sugar

2- 3 cup Yogurt

Blend all ingredients except chia seeds. Once the lassi is ready to be served add chia seed mixture. Mix with spoon. Pour in glasses and serve chilled.

Pineapple Chia Lemonade.

Pineapple Chia lemonade!

1 quart 100% pineapple juice not from concentrate with no added sugar.

3 tbsp chia seeds

Juice of 3 lemons

1/4 tsp lemon rind

2 drops of mango essence or 1/4 cup of mango pulp.

Soak chia seeds in 1 cup water overnight.

Pour lemon juice, pineapple juice, mango essence( or mango pulp) and run through blender. Add soaked chia seeds and gently with spoon mix the juice. Serve chilled. Stays well for 4 to 5 days. The more the chia seeds soak the more the juice is thickened. It taste refreshing. 

Bromelain in pineapple is anti inflammatory, has protein digesting enzyme, and pain relieving properties other than all other vitamins.

chia seeds: They are loaded with fiber, protein, Omega-3 fatty acids and various micronutrients, antioxidants, roach in calcium. Really good for diabetics. 

Chia seeds Falooda drink!

Chia seeds soya noodle Falooda

1 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 3/4 glass milk.

1/3 stick falooda sev or I used soya bean thread available at Chinese store

2 tbsp Rose syrup 

2 drop rose essence

1 scoop of Vanilla ice cream 

Chopped nuts ( almond and pistachios)

Break soya noodles into 2-3 inch long threads with scissors. Place them in a large bowl and pour hot boiling water over them. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes.

Drain soya noodles completely and soak them in rose syrup.

Soak chia seeds over night in milk in refrigerator ( not freezer) if Chita seed soak up all the milk or form lumps just add more milk and gently break them apart with fork.

Take a tall glass, layer soya noodles, chia seeds, rose essence, milk, vanilla ice cream. Drizzle some more Rose syrup and sprinkle nuts. 

Summer 2015 flower arrangements

Some flower arrangements from the flowers around my house.