Kohlrabi Daikon Slaw with Bits of Dates and Sunflower Seeds

I think the title sums up this dish well, nothing more to write...

Julienne some kohlrabi, Daikon radish, carrots, and thinly slice some red onions. Toss together with a quick homemade dressing and serve fresh.

Of late, I am addicted to the chopped dates rolled in oat flour - my mum-in-law gave me a giant 4 pound container of it. I've been making Date-tamarind chutney for Bhel puri with it, adding it to oatmeal and salads... it's been fun to try and use these sweet treats in different dishes.

Thanks to heavy rainfall, my Kale is still doing fine in the home garden; the onions have sprung up with these lovely shoots, reminding me of Spring when it is just mid-Autumn. Some Lemon drop chilies are still hanging on to the plant as well.

Ingredients
2.5 to 3 cups of julienned veggies - Daikon, Kohlrabi, Carrots, Onions
(Optional: Thinly slice one lemon drop chili and add it as garnish if the eater is up for it)
¼ to ⅓ cup chopped dates (rolled in oat flour)
¼ cup roasted seasoned sunflower seeds

Dressing:
2 Tbsp thick plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos
1 tsp Franks Red Hot Sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Garnish:
Baby kale leaves
thinly sliced lemon drop chilies
chopped spring onions

Whisk or blend the dressing ingredients, toss in with the slaw and serve garnished.

Plaintain, Carrot, Potato, Zucchini Coconut Poduthuval

Plantain and coconut featured in my meals quite frequently during my formative years. Coconut and green chilies ground together to a powdery mix, with no water added, is a favorite spicing additive to many vegetable dishes in my kitchen.

Nothing extra special about this dish, except that I made it one evening and got to enjoy it over three subsequent meals since none of the others at home really care for this dish. Along with my favorite garlic black pepper rasam and plain brown rice, this vegetable medley was quite the comfort food I was craving for.

Plantain, when green and not too ripe, is wonderful as a vegetable in savory dishes. Peel the thick skin before using.

Simply dice the veggies: I used one each of plantain, carrot, potatoes, zucchini.

Coconut+chili Spice Mix: Chop about 4 mild green chilies and add it to quarter cup of dry grated coconut and blend to a powdery spice mix

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, when they pop add cumin seeds and when they plump up, add the veggies (all but zucchini, which cooks faster than plantains), splash about half cup of water, some salt, cover and allow to cook; when par-cooked, add the zucchini and stir well; check often for doneness and add a bit more water as needed till veggies are cooked to your liking. Off heat, stir in the coconut+chili mix and adjust salt to taste.

Kasha with Opo Squash and Carrots with Coconut, Curry Leaves and Chilies

Opo squash and carrots mingled with curry leaves and coconut and chilies is a favorite combination. Simply cook the veggies; grind some coconut, chilies and curry leaves; stir it into the cooked veggies and serve warm; adjust salt to taste.

Easy to make, this side can be served with roti, naan, rice or even quinoa.

Kasha can be an acquired taste for some. No one besides me likes it at home, so I don't make it often. I prefer to cook kasha in the rice cooker. To get it mushy, I add equal parts kasha and water; but for a grainier texture, I reduce the water and add some olive oil to the rice cooker and cook it for one cycle as usual.

Sweet Potato, Carrot, Kale, Cheese, Chipotle Savory Bread

Savory breads or muffins loaded with winter veggies and goodness seem perfect for the cold weather, especially with a hearty soup or stew.

This type of bread makes a wonderful snack when toasted crisp on the outside - ideal for kids' lunch box.

Sometimes, I add in about ½ cup of grated butternut squash to the mix, just for the fun of it.

Rather than pureed, I liked the finely grated veggies for this bread. Chipotle adds a smoky heat that makes this a favorite tea time snack.

Instead of in a loaf pan, the batter can be poured into greased muffin tins for delicious savory breakfast muffins. Reduce cooking time to about 25 minutes or so, till done.


Ingredients
Veggies:
1 cup grated sweet potato
½ cup grated carrots
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup chopped kale (+spinach)
1 Tbsp grated ginger

1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce
Dry:

1½ cup flour

1½ tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp flax meal

1½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
Wet:

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

½ cup neutral-flavored oil

¼ cup buttermilk
1 Tbsp sugar

2 eggs, beaten
1 or 2 Tbsp of water, if needed

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Grease a loaf pan and keep handy
3. Combine the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix till well-incorporated
4. Pour into the greased loaf pan and bake in the 375°F oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, turning half way though; check if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean; if not, bake for another 5 minutes or till done.
5. Allow to cool in pan for about 5 minute and remove from pan, slice and enjoy!

Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry

Chinese bittermelon and Indian bittergourd feature frequently in my kitchen.While the adults in the house love it, the kids are still reluctant to embrace it fully. But then, I was not an early embracer myself and I think constant presence of it in my diet over the formative years helped me develop the taste for it. So, I hope to keep getting the kids to try it every time I make it.

Served warm with roti, dosai, rice, or even rice noodles, this Bittermelon Carrot Spicy Curry is quite versatile and flexible. Adjust chilies to taste.

Ingredients
2 Serrano chilies sliced thin on a bias (seeded if preferred)
1 medium onion, sliced thin
4 bittermelons sliced thin
1 large carrot, sliced thin on a bias
3 Tablespoon tomato paste
1 Tablespoon crushed fresh garlic
1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
3 dry red chilies
1 tablespoon lemon juice (or tamarind juice)
1 teaspoon coarse cane sugar
salt to taste
2 Tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
water as needed

Preparation

1. Salt the cut bittermelon and let it stand in a towel-lined colander for about 10-15 minutes to draw out the bitter juices; then squeeze the moisture out and keep handy
2. Toast the coriander, cumin, caraway, fennel seeds, dry red chilies, and grind them to a fine powder
3. Heat oil in a pan, add the onions, garlic, chilies, tomato paste, and the powdered spices and saute till aromatic
4. Add the bittermelon and carrots, a splash of water and lemon/tamarind juice, cover and cook till bittermelon is done
5. Remove the lid, stir in the cane sugar and adjust salt to taste, and saute till thickened to desired consistency
6. Serve warm with roti or rice

Purple Radish, Gold Beets, Beet & Radish Greens, and Carrots with Coconut

Picked up some fresh veggies bursting with color at the farm and couldn't bring myself to cook them...

Of course, couldn't let them wilt and shrivel either.

So, made this simple dish that showcases the varying flavors and bright colors.

1. Clean, dice, and par-cook the carrots, gold beets, and purple radish in the microwave for about 4 mins
2. Meanwhile, clean, chop, and saute the beet greens and radish greens, with some diced onions and a touch of coconut oil
3. Drain and toss the cooked beets, radish, and carrots with the greens, adjust salt, allow to cook together
4. Meanwhile, grind some coconut and green chilies together - about ⅓ cup grated coconut with 1 Serrano chili; then stir this into the veggies in the pan
5. Tempering (optional): Heat coconut oil in a small pan, when shimmering add the mustard seeds and when they pop, add the cumin seeds and when they splutter, remove from heat and toss it into the veggies.
6. Serve warm with rice or roti; or enjoy as-is.

Wide Rice Noodles with Pickled Beets, Radish, Carrots

Sometimes the simplest of flavors give the most satisfaction. Pickled vegetables is an easy yet flavorful way of adding interest to everyday noodles. For a warm summer evening, cool wide rice noodles with chilled pickled vegetables is a treat.

Cook the wide rice noodles per package direction, drain and rinse in cold water. Then toss with some sesame oil and pickled vegetables; and serve with some extra pickled veggies on the side.

Radish, Beets, Red onions, Green beans, Shallots, White Home Garden Pearl Onions are a few of the usual veggies I pickle at home.

1. Combine 1 cup of vinegar (white, cider, champagne, rice, any combination) with ½ cup of water, bring to a boil; optionally, add any pickling spices (whole black pepper, dry red chilies, cloves, coriander)
2. Slice or cut veggies into preferred size and place in a canning jar; sprinkle some salt, a bit of honey if preferred
3. Pour the boiling vinegar solution onto the veggies in the jar till veggies are fully immersed; cover and allow to cool. Refrigerate after cooling for upto a week.

Slow-cooked Chicken with Pan-seared Carrots and Leeks Spinach Salad

The Crockette® by Rival is a tiny 1-Quart slow cooker that was a garage sale find a few years ago and now has become my favorite cooking apparatus. With very little time left for cooking elaborate meals on weeknights, I look for short-cuts and prepare-ahead methods without sacrificing the variety or taste of our meals.

Before I hit the bed, I throw in a couple of small chicken breasts with some favorite rub or herbs into the Crockette and leave it on all night. With only one setting, and its unique ability to never dry out and burn the foods, this slow cooking renders the chicken breasts superbly moist, flaky, and tender by next morning. And sometimes, I've forgotten to unplug it when I rush off to work and it still keeps the chicken perfectly done till dinner time that evening.

I like to combine this juicy fall-apart chicken with a fresh warm salad for a filling weeknight meal. Carrots and leeks cooked in a high heat cast-iron skillet gives the charred rich flavor. Toss the hot carrots and leeks with a bunch of baby spinach leaves and allow the spinach to wilt a bit. Drizzle with red wine vinegar if preferred.

Carrots Poppy Seeds Flax Bran Muffins

These quick and easy Carrots and Poppy seed muffins make a wonderful breakfast or even an afternoon snack for kids. Especially when baked in a square muffin pan or mini loaf pans.

I vary the ingredients a bit every once in a while - like, add grated zucchini from the garden instead of or in addition to carrots; add some finely chopped rhubarb with the carrots; toss in some chopped dried prunes and some walnuts... the basic muffin recipe remains pretty much the same. (Depending on how many over-ripe bananas I add, I lessen the amount of canola oil.)

Ingredients
¾ cup finely grated carrots, squeezed dry
1 over-ripe banana
¼ cup flax meal
¼ cup wheat bran
1½ cups unbleached white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp poppy seeds
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp pumpkin spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice)
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
¾ cup canola oil

Preparation

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350° F
2. Combine the ingredients to make a thick batter
3. Grease muffin pan and bake in 350°F oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, checking often after 15 minutes

Spinach, Quinoa, Onion Sprouts, Beet and Carrot Salad

It seems like I've been making the usual staples and some of the simplest foods lately. The home-garden is just beginning to establish again. It has been a very wet Spring, too chilly and overcast, but, hopefully the plants will do all right this Summer and gift us with their bounty.

We just threw some onion seeds on the ground saved from last year and a beautiful bunch of onion sprouts have come up, which we've been topping salads with and layering in sandwiches.

I cooked the quinoa with some fresh mint leaves from the garden. The dressing is my favorite Agave Nectar + Sambal Oelek:

1 Tbsp Sambal Oelek
1 Tbsp Agave Nectar (more if preferred sweeter)
1 tsp freshly grated ginger (less if preferred)
3 Tbsp Pomegranate red wine vinegar
8 Tbsp Olive oil (more or less)
salt to taste

Layer the spinach leaves, grated carrots and beets, quinoa, onion sprouts, cranberries, almonds or walnuts, drizzle some dressing and enjoy.

Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage

As unimaginative as Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage sounds, it represents a comfort meal at home. Since we don't eat out much, I like to present "dinner plates" with portioned out variety of menu items. Not only does it help me keep track of what I eat, it also provides a nice gauge for D and the kids, not to mention a nice presentation.

Food Court eateries aren't quite gourmet usually, but, certain menus there satisfy certain moods for me. One such pick I default to when I find myself in a Food Court at lunch time is this combination of Beans and Rice, Potatoes, and Steamed Cabbage+Carrots, topped with some chili sauce. This almost always turns out greasier than I like, but very filling.

The recipe here is nothing exciting: cook the favorite beans and rice together with seasoning, pan-fry some par-boiled and sliced potatoes with onions, steam some green cabbage and julienned carrots. All this can be done in parallel, leading to a quick yet sumptuous meal.

I like black beans and basmati rice for this, but, kidney beans with long grain rice would be good too. Typically, over weekends, I steam some potatoes in the steamer that comes with the rice cooker and store it in the fridge/freezer for later use so it is handy.

For this presentation, I like the rice and beans to be fairly dry, not runny like I prefer the Red Beans and Rice dish. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm.

Beet & Carrot Salad with Agave Nectar & Ginger Vinaigrette

Sometimes as a starter, sometimes as a snack, sometimes as a meal in itself. Sometimes layered and drizzled with freshly made vinaigrette, sometimes well-tossed with a rich creamy dressing... anywhichway we make it, we love salads.

This Beet and Carrot salad with Spring Greens is one of our favorites: the combination of freshly grated beets and carrots, plus the simple vinaigrette on the slightly sweet side enhancing the beet and carrot flavors seems to make this almost addictive.

Pictured here is this salad served with a small sandwich made of: home-made buckwheat buns (recipe to come) toasted with some Swiss cheese, black bean burger (made very much like the Mock Kibbeh recipe but with black beans instead of chickpeas), some pepperoncini, onions and sun-dried tomatoes.

Ingredients
Salad:
Organic Baby Spring Greens
Raw Carrots and Beets, finely grated or shredded
Onion or Alfalfa Sprouts
Toasted Sunflower Seeds

Agave Nectar, Ginger, Chili Vinaigrette:
50 ml raspberry or pomegranate red wine vinegar; or plain red wine vinegar
50 ml Agave nectar
25 ml Sambal Oelek or any favorite Chili paste
150 ml Hazelnut Oil or Olive oil
1 clove of garlic, finely grated or crushed
1 - 2 tsp of freshly grated ginger, to taste
¼ tsp each salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Combine the dressing ingredients and whisk or beat well, adjust flavors to taste
2. Layer the salad items, top with sunflower seeds, drizzle some dressing

Alternately, use Romaine hearts or any favorite greens, julienne the carrots and finely grate the beets, garnish with avacado if preferred, sprinkle slivered almonds instead of sunflower seeds... this is a flexible and versatile salad with the agave-nectar-ginger vinaigrette pulling the elements together :)

Pineapple Carrot Cake

A simple cake for the New Year: carrots, pineapple, brown sugar, flour, and eggs.

Ingredients
¼ to ½ cup brown sugar (½ cup is very sweet)
¼ cup canola oil
1 egg
½ cup flour
½ cup grated carrots
¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
¼ cup crushed, drained, canned pineapple or fresh grated pineapple

Optional Frosting: 2-3 Tablespoon powdered sugar mixed in a few teaspoon of water; food color if preferred, maybe some sprinkles for the kids

Preparation

1. Beat brown sugar and canola oil till fluffy, then beat in the egg
2. Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder together; fold in the brown sugar+canola oil+egg mixture
3. Fold in the carrots, coconut and pineapple and pour into a greased baking pan
4. Bake at 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, turning around midway, till brown and a paring knife inserted in the center comes out clean
5. Optionally decorate with icing