Oats Pongal

 Ingredients: 

Ghee - 3 tbsp, split
Rolled oats - 1 cup
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Cashew nuts - 2 tbsp
Ginger - 1 inch, grated
Asafetida - 1/8 tsp
Whole black peppers - 1 tbsp, coarsely powdered
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp - coarsely powdered 
Curry leaves - 6-8
Salt - to taste

Method: 

1. Cook the moong dal with 2.5 cups of water for 15 min. Once done, smash the dal
2. Roast the rolled oats in 1 tbsp of ghee in a heavy bottom pan for 2-3 min 
   
3. Add the roasted oats to the moong dal, add 3/4 cup of water and cook. Keep stirring continuously until the oats is cooked. 
4. Once the oats is cooked, add salt to taste. Cover the pan and simmer until seasoning is ready
5. For seasoning, heat the remaining ghee, add cashew nuts and roast until golden brown. Then add the powdered pepper, cumin, asafetida, and lastly the grated ginger and curry leaves. Stir well for a few seconds. 
6. Add the seasoning to the oats pongal and stir well to combine 

Serve oats pongal with coconut chutney 

Quinoa Dinner Bowl

Ingredients: 

Quinoa - 1 cup, steamed
Carrots - 1 cup, chopped and steamed
Beetroot - 1/2 cup, chopped and steamed
Red bell pepper - 1/2 cup chopped
Yellow bell pepper - 1/2 cup chopped
Green bell pepper - 1/2 cup chopped

Mint-cilantro chutney:

Cilantro - 1/2 cup
Mint - 1/4 cup
Green chili - 1
Ginger - 1/2 inch
Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Salt - as per taste

Method: 

1. Add all the ingredients of the mint cilantro chutney into a blender and blend to a smooth paste.
2. In a large bowl, add the steamed quinoa, carrots, beets, and the colored bell peppers.
3. Garnish with additional sesame seeds, and cilantro. 
4. Serve with a small bowl of mint-cilantro chutney on the side.

Raw Beets Salad

Ingredients: 

Beets - 2
Radish - 3
Cucumber - 1
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
Chia seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Black pepper powder - as desired 

Method: 

1. Soak the chia seeds in water for 10 min 
2. Chop the beets into cubes and add to a mixing bowl
3. Slice the radishes, and cucumber and add to the same bowl
4. Pour the EVOO, add salt and pepper as desired
5. Add the soaked chia seeds, mix well and enjoy. 

Pumpkin Soup

 Ingredients: 

Pumpkin - 2 cups
Onion - 1 medium
Carrot - 1 cup 
Oil - 1 tsp
Black pepper powder  - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 4 cups
Cilantro - to garnish 
Dill seeds - 1 tsp(optional)

Method: 

1. Clean, peel and roughly chop the pumpkin and carrots
2. Slice the onions
3. Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pot, and sauté the dill seeds for 30 sec
4. Add the onions and sauté until cooked.
5. Next add the pumpkin, carrots, and water and cook until the vegetables soften
6. Switch off the flame and allow to cool. Once the mixture cools down, blend until smooth
7. Heat the blended mixture in the same pot, and adjust consistency
8. Add the pepper powder, and salt. 
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve warm. 

Besan Lauki Chilla

 Ingredients

Besan - 1 cup
Bottle gourd - 1 cup, grated
Onion - 1/4 cup, grated
Water - 1 cup
Ajwain - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/4 cup, chopped
Salt - as required 

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl first mix the besan and water - make sure there are no lumps
2. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well to make a thick batter. Note that a runny batter will not hold the heavier ingredients. 
3. Taste to adjust salt and spice level. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes
4. In a pan/ tawa, heat a little oil or ghee to start cooking the cheela. Ladle 1-2 spoons of the batter on top and carefully spread it in a round shape on the tawa.
5. Lower the heat to medium flame and allow the cheela to cook. Add more ghee/ oil around it as required.
6. As the edges turn brown, flip the cheela over and cook until both sides are firm and golden brown. Serve the cheelas hot with chutney of choice.

Black-eyed Peas Salad

 Ingredients: 

Black-eyed peas - 1 cup 
Carrot - 1 cup, diced
Cucumber - 1 cup, diced
Tomato - 1 cup, diced
Apple - 1/4 cup, diced

Seasoning: 
Roasted Seeds (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, sesame seeds) - 1/2 tsp each
Pink salt - as required
Roasted cumin powder - as desired
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Method: 

1. Soak the black-eyed peas overnight and steam until cooked with 1/2 tsp pink salt
   
2. In a mixing bowl, add all the vegetables and then the cooked black-eyed peas
3. Add the seasonings and mix well

Moong Sprouts Salad

Serving - 1 

Ingredients: 

Moong sprouts - 1 cup
Carrot - 1, grated
Cucumber - 1, diced
Tomato - 1, diced
Red bell pepper - 1/4 cup, diced
Yellow bell pepper - 1/4 cup, diced
Green bell pepper - 1/4 cup, diced

Seasoning: 

Dill leaves - 1 tbsp
Cilantro - 1 tbsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Black salt - 1/4 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp 

Method: 

1. To a mixing bow, add the moong sprouts and vegetables. 
2. Add the seasoning, and mix well. 

Thandai Smoothie

 Ingredients: 

Almonds 10-12
Cashews 6-7
Pistachios 10-12
Watermelon seeds - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - a pinch
Fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
Poppy seeds - 2 tbsp
Saffron strands 10-12
Honey - 1 tbsp
Milk - 1 cup, plant based (except soya)
Banana - 1/2
Oats - 2 tbsp
Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 1

Method: 

1. Soak the poppy seeds in warm water for 30 min 
2. Soak the saffron strands in warm milk for 10 min 
   
3. Blend the poppy seeds, almonds, cashews, pistachios, watermelon seeds, fennel seeds and cardomon into a thandai paste
4. Add the saffron milk, and the other ingredients into the blender.
5. Blend on low until the mixture reaches smoothie consistency.

Brown Rice Khichdi

 Ingredients: 

Brown Rice - 1/2 cup
Moong dal - 1/2 cup 
Onion - 2, finely chopped
Tomato - 2, finely chopped
Carrot - 1, cubed
Mixed bell peppers - 1/2 cup, cubed
Green peas - 1/2 cup
Green chili - 1
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Ghee - 1 tsp
Water - 4 cups

Method: 

1. Add ghee to a heavy bottomed pan, then add cumin seeds and let it splutter
2. Add onions and sauté for 2 min, then add the green chili
   
3. Add the rest of the vegetables and sauté for another 3-4 min
4. Add the red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt. Mix well and let the spices cook for a min
5. Add the washed brown rice and moong dal - mix well and sauté until the grains are shiny 
6. Then add water and cook covered until all the water is absorbed 

Serve warm with curd & pickle

Bell Pepper Salad

 Ingredients: 

Onion - 1/2 cup
Green bell pepper - 1/2 cup
Red bell pepper - 1 cup
Yellow bell pepper - 1 cup

Seasoning:
Sesame seed - 1tbsp
Lemon - 1/2
Pink salt - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1 tbsp
Green chilies - 2 

Method: 

1. Cube the vegetables, add them to a mixing bowl, and mix well.
2. Add black pepper, pink salt and lemon and mix. 
3. Garnish with sesame seeds. 

Veggie Rice Noodles

Ingredients: 

Finely Chopped Veggies - 2/3 cups 
(Red/Yellow/Green Bell Peppers, Zucchini, Green Peas, Beans, Carrot)
Rice Noodles - 1 cup
Spring Onion - 2 tbsp, finely chopped 
Olive Oil - 1tsp
Garlic - 1 tbsp, chopped
Green chili paste - 1 tsp
Ginger, Garlic paster - 1 tsp
Chili flakes - 1/2 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 4/5 cups

Method: 

1. Saute the chopped garlic in olive oil, then add the ginger-garlic paste, and choice of vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are 75% cooked
2. Add 4/5 cups of water to the cooker vegetables, and bring water to boil
3. Add the rice noodles, green chili paste, chili flakes, black pepper powder, and salt. Cook pn low flame until the noodles are cooked
4. Garnish with spring onions and serve hot. 

Oats Gourd Roti

Makes: 4 Rotis 

Ingredients: 

Oats flour - 1/2 cup (roasted and ground)
Gram flour - 1/4 cup
Grated bottle gourd - 1/4 cup
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Tomato - 1/2 cup, chopped
Cilantro - 3/4 strands, finely chopped
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red chili powder - to taste
Water - for mixing 
Ghee - for making rotis

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add oats flour, gram flour, grated bottle gourd, onion, tomato, cilantro, turmeric, red chili powder and salt 
2. Add water to make a thick batter
3. On a hot iron griddle, pour one ladle of batter and add a tbsp of ghee
4. Cook on both sides and serve with coconut chutney or mint chutney 

Sauteed and Steamed Veggies

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients:

Tomatoes - 2
Red bell pepper - 1/2 cup, sliced
Yellow bell pepper - 1/2 cup, sliced
Green bell pepper - 1/ cup, sliced
Carrot - 1/2 cup, sliced into 1 inch pieces
Yellow zucchini - 1 cup, sliced
Green zucchini - 1 cup, sliced 
Sweet Corn - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 cup, chopped
Garlic - 4/5 cloves, finely chopped 

Seasoning: 
Olive oil - 1/4 tsp
Chili flakes - 1/2 tbsp
Oregano - 1 tbsp
Basil - 1 tbsp
Thyme - 1 tbsp
Pink salt - 1/2 tsp

Garnishing:
Black olives - 4/5, sliced 
Mixed seeds - Sunflower, pumpkin etc. 

Method: 

1. Blanch the tomatoes and puree
2. Boil sweet corn
3. Steam all veggies other onion
4. In a pan, heat olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent
5. Add the steamed veggies, pureed tomatoes, and seasoning and sauté for another 3-4 min 
6. Garnish with mixed seed and black olives. 

Triple Dal Soup

Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients: 

Masoor Dal - 3 tbsp
Moong Dal - 3 tbsp
Toor Dal - 2 tbsp
Ginger 1 inch, grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, grated
Tomato - 1, cubed
Carrot - 1, cubed
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Cilantro - 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Water - 2 cups

Method: 

1. Wash all the dals and soak it for 30 min 
2. Cook the dal mixture with the ginger, garlic, tomato, carrot, turmeric, and pepper powder until well done
3. Let it cool completely and then blend the mixture to a smooth consistency either using a mixer or immersion blender 
4. Transfer back to pan, add water to adjust consistency
5. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed vegetables.