Quinoa Lima Beans Pulao/ Pilaf

My favorite way to include quinoa in my diet is by making a salad of some kind or mix it with rice in a Pulao. I usually make quinoa-Black bean salad or make methi pulao. When Camellia sent me a bag of Lima beans, I decided to make Quinoa Pulao without any rice in it using a very simple and basic recipe that doesn’t require too many ingredients or take too much time and yet is simply delicious. The end result was more like a warm salad that is nutritious what with both the main ingredients being protein-rich and quinoa we know is a superfood! 

Do give this recipe a try. It is naturally gluten free, low fat and great for diabetics. 

Servings: 2

Ingredients :

Cooked Quinoa: 2 cups

Cooked Lima beans: 1 cup
Coconut oil: 1  tbsp
Onion: 1 medium, chopped lengthwise.

Bell pepper: one medium, diced
Black pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Salt : to taste

Cilantro/ coriander leaves: 1 tbsp, chopped

Method: 

Heat oil in a kadai/ sauté pan. Add chopped  onions and 1/2 tsp salt. Sauté until the onions turn transparent. Add the chopped bell peppers and sauté for 2 minutes.
Now add the turmeric powder and the drained lima beans and sauté for 2-4 minutes. Add quinoa. Mix well and sauté for 1-2 minutes or until it all comes together.
Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro leaves.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

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Lima Beans Platter, a Slow Food USA Initiative supported by Camellia Beans

When Camellia Beans reached out to the Meatless Monday Bloggers with their Slow Food USA initiative I was quick to volunteer. inspire individuals and communities to change the world through food that is good, clean and fair for all. initiative encouraging vegetarian meals, Camellia Beans is a family owned and farmed business that has been providing consumers with high quality beans since 1923. Beans is a great source of protein, iron and folic acid. When coupled with a carbohydrate such as rice or bread, it makes for a complete meal. Beans form an integral part of the Indian diet as majority of the Indians are vegetarians. There exists a plethora of recipes in the Indian Cuisine that makes use of beans in some form or the other and is beautifully complimented with particular vegetables. I chose to use Lima Beans to be showcased for this special day today as it happens to be my favorite beans. I have created 3 recipes using them, all of them gluten free, diary free, nut free: Lima Beans Rice, Lima Beans in a curry and Quinoa Lima Beans Pilaf, each one competing with the other in taste and ease of making it.

It’s time to come to the table to celebrate Food for Change! Join me in supporting tasty solutions to climate change. On December 10, the global Slow Food network will celebrate Terra Madre Day. In the USA, we are taking to the kitchen to prepare plant-based meals with ingredients grown and produced in climate-friendly ways. I am sharing my food with my neighbors in my apartment building. Whom are you sharing yours with??

By acting together as a global network, we can pivot towards more sustainable food production and farming systems, and achieve a climate friendly future. Food is a cause and victim of climate change, but also a delicious solution. This year, @SlowFoodUSA has focused on the positive solutions of Slow Food to connect the dots between farmers and consumers as the everyday climate champions.

Choose climate-friendly foods, try this recipe at home, and tag your dish with #FoodforChange and #MeatlessMonday.

Click on the title for the recipe:

Lima Beans Rice:

Quinoa Lima Beans Pilaf

Lima Beans Song (Curried Lima Beans)

CAMELLIA BEANS

Camellia Beans has generously contributed many pounds of beans for our Food for Change meal participants to use, which you will/have received from Slow Food in anticipation of Dec. 10. Here is a little more about their delicious beans and some vegetarian recipes for inspiration!

Why Beans Are Nutritious | Camellia Beans

Adding Flavor to Vegetarian Beans | Camellia Beans

Vegetarian Recipes by Camellia Beans

MEATLESS MONDAY

Our Food for Change meal on December 10 is in support of Meatless Monday (because it’s a Monday!) and isdesigned to inspire our community to reduce their meat consumption. If you are in need of inspiration for plant-based recipes, Meatless Monday has a whole bunch of tasty-looking recipes on their website!

    Meatless Monday Vegetarian Recipes with BEANS!

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Lima beans Rice

I am Indian and therefore rice has a ubiquitous presence in my diet. My husband prefers pulao( pilaf), fried rice, Biryani or any kind of one pot rice dish as opposed to plain white rice served with some curry ( side-dish that has gravy). Lima Beans is one of my favorite beans and I decided to make a rice dish using the Lima beans sent by our friends at Camellia Beans. Many of you must have eaten the cilantro lime rice at Chipotle. Imagine that with Lima beans added to it. Believe me when I tell you that not only does it taste delicious but it makes for a complete meal what with the essential elements of protein, carbohydrate, fat and minerals. 

Do try it. It is quick and easy and you will fall in love with it. You won’t even need a side dish for it! It is a great way to make use of leftover rice!! 

Servings: 2-3

Prep time: 2 mins
Cook time: none
Total time: 3 mins 

Ingredients:

Cooked rice: 4 cups 

Cooked Lima beans: 1.5 cups
Olive oil: 1 tbsp
Lime juice: from one small lime
Salt: to taste
Black pepper: 1/8 tsp
Garlic powder: 1/8 tsp ( optional)

Method: 

Add 4 cups of warm/ hot rice to a bowl. Now add all the other ingredients and toss until the rice is thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients. Be gentle while mixing so that the rice does not become mushy!

Serve hot with a side of your choice or eat it as is!

Enjoy!

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Lima Beans Song (Curried Baby Lima Beans in spicy onion-tomato sauce).

At the outset let me confess that this post has been sponsored by Camellia Beans. 
We Konkanis make several types of songs. Not the musical kind; the gastronomical kind. Song is basically the type of sauce or gravy that is make out of sautéed onions and tomatoes. Loads of onions and tomatoes are used in this dish. Song can be made with coconut ( masolu ghalnu) or without coconut in which case it is referred to as mirsange pitte song ( which essentially means song made with chilli powder). This is a nice tangy , spicy,delicious dish. Like I mentioned earlier there are several types of song: batate song( made with potatoes), mushroom song, tingalavre song ( made with navy beans).It is again one of the favorites in my household. The best part is that it is quick an easy to make! I decided to make this song with my favorite beans: baby Lima Beans. 




Servings: 4

Ingredients:

Baby Lima beans: 1/2cup ( dry) 

Water: 4 cups + 4 cups ( for soaking and cooking)
Onions: 2 medium, diced small
Cherry Tomatoes: 10 whole
Cooking Oil: 1 tbsp( I use coconut oil)
Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Coriander leaves( cilantro): 4-5 sprigs for garnishing.

Method:

Soak Lima beans in 2 cups water for Atleast 4-5 hours or overnight. Then drain the water, add fresh water about 1.5 cups and cook in pressure cooker with until tender. Generally about 15 minutes on medium heat or until you hear 1 whistle. Make sure you don't overcook the beans as the dish will turn into a mushy paste.Do not open the pressure cooker until the pressure has completely been released. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan/ wok on medium heat. Add the chopped onions, sauté until they turn almost golden brown. Add the tomatoes and sauté until the tomatoes begin to wilt. Now add turmeric powder and Chilli powder and sauté for 30 seconds. Now add the cooked navy beans( without the water) and mix well. Add the water left behind from cooking the  beans as needed based on your desired consistency of the dish. Add salt, mix well. Simmer until it comes to a gentle boil. Turn off the flame.

Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Serve hot with rice/ roti/ bread.

Enjoy!

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Vegetarian Options at Qdoba, Mexican Eats; Meatless Monday

At the outset let me tell you that this post has been sponsored by Qdoba. However, anyone who knows me can vouch for the authenticity of my review.
I also have to humbly acknowledge that in the 12+ years that I have been living in this country I have never been to Qdoba. I have been to Chipotle on multiple occasions over the years.. Hmm wonder why??? Simple.. I think in NYC Chipotle is ubiquitous and there are very few Qdoba locations.

So finally I went to their location on 188 Street, Fresh Meadows. I wanted something vegetarian. I asked the guy at the counter what are my vegetarian options and he told me : “ anything here. All you have to do is skip the meat!” I was thrilled!! I ordered my favorite: burrito bowl!! The very same thing that I order at Chipotle!! 

Qdoba has 3 kinds of queso ( cheese) with different spice levels! They have more sauce options and guess what the first scoop of guacamole is free!!

I also found all the ingredients to be fresh and was very low on sodium. Overall a very healthy, fulfilling meal!!

They also have other options apart from the Burrito Bowl. My kids shared a burrito. They chomped it down in record time!! They have the quintessential nachos , quesadillas, fajitas and tacos, all of them can be vegetarian!!

I would totally go visit Qdoba again!!

Here are some interesting facts about Qdoba:

Founded in 1995, QDOBA Mexican Eats got their start over two decades ago in Denver
- They have more than 700 restaurants across 47 states
- QDOBA’s prepares many of its menu items in-house, fresh every day:
o Guacamole is hand-smashed in-house every day
o Produce: Hand-sliced vegetables, like onions, garlic, tomatoes, parsley, bell
peppers, avocados, etc.
o Proteins: Grilled marinated steak and adobo chicken over an open flame –
something a lot of competitors don’t do
o Fajita Veggies: Hand-sliced onions and red and green bell peppers, seasoned and
seared in-house
o Pickled Jalapenos: Hand-sliced and pickled in our own citrus marinade
o Our guests won’t be charged extra for adding a single scoop of our beloved 3-
Cheese Queso or hand-smashed guacamole to any entrée
o Entrees include: tacos, burritos, burrito bowls, quesadillas, nachos, salads and
Loaded Tortilla Soup
o Every meal is 100% customizable
o Vegetarian options are available
- QDOBA Catering offers a customizable spread for any event or appetite. Choose from a
hot bar option or convenient boxed lunches. Pick up and delivery are available
- Yes, they have a rewards app! Download the QDOBA app in the iTunes App Store or
Google Play
-Questions?

Contact qdoba@boltpr.com

Hope you get a chance to visit a your local QDOBA restaurant in the near future and build your own meal just the way you like it!

Dry Fruit Phirni; quick version

 

Diwali is incomplete without desserts. You have to make something sweet to celebrate this very important Hindu Festival of Lights. That being said, time is an elusive commodity for me. I never have enough time to do everything that I want to do. You might have noticed that I haven't

been blogging of late. I have tons of pictures for recipes that I would like to post, but find it hard to find the time to write the post or watermark the pictures. On the flip side I guess I should be thankful

that I am blessed with the skills to be able to be of service to children and that my skills are recognized and are in demand all the time. So anyways, I wanted to put together something quick for my family. So I decided to make phirni using dry fruits, broken rice and  condensed milk!! I have to say it was quick, easy and super delicious! You don't have to use condensed milk, you can use regular milk too.

Here is my quick and easy recipe.

Servings: 4 ( serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

Broken rice: 1/2 cup

Mixed dry fruits: 1/2 cup, roasted in a drop of ghee.

Water: 2 cups

Condensed milk: 1 cup

Cardamom: 2 pods, deseeded and powdered.

Salt: a pinch

Method:

Boil the water in a saucepan. Add the broken rice to it and bring it to a boil. Summer and cook until the broken rice is nicely tender, about 10 mins. Add the condensed milk and simmer it for 3-4 mins. Add the cardamom powder and the roasted nuts.

Serve hot or cold!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

You can use regular rice or cooked rice to make this Phirni.

Tip for healthy living:

Often people indulge beyond the recommended serving size especially during festival season!! It is a good practice to be mindful of the serving size.

Food for thought:

Of all human activities, man's listening to God is the supreme act of his will and reasoning. Pope Paul VI

Stuffed Bell Peppers ( Capsicum) and a give-away..

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. When I came to know that Dr. Kristi Funk is again giving out copies of her book, Breasts: The Owner’s Manual, I too decided to take part in the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign in spite of my crazy schedule.

For those of you who are not familiar with Dr. Kristi Funk, she is a leading board-certified breast cancer surgeon and specialist in comprehensive wellness, including nutrition, fitness, and stress management. Best known as the breast surgeon for Angelina Jolie and Sheryl Crow, Dr. Funk has compiled her accessible and powerful strategies for reducing cancer risk and achieving optimal overall health into this informative book. 

To get your own free copy by entering the giveaway, all you have to do is enter your email address when prompted by this page or at the top of this page where is says "SUBSCRIBE". The deadline will be October 31st. 

I am sharing another of Dr. Funk’s recipes which I have slightly modified based on my family’s preferences. I skipped the broth and used water to cook the quinoa, used mushrooms instead of zucchini and added some chili powder to give it a slight kick!

This is a very easy recipe and would be great for kids and grown-ups alike. Here is the recipe in Dr. Funk’s own words.

Serves 4 - 5 

Ingredients:

• 3 red peppers halved lengthwise 

• 3 green peppers halved lengthwise 

• 2 cups dry quinoa (4 cups already cooked)


• 4 ½ cups vegetable broth ( I used the same amount of water)

• 1/2 cup dry lentils


• 8 basil
 leaves, finely chopped

• 1 tsp fresh oregano (preferred) or 1/2 tsp dried oregano 

• 1/2 tsp salt


• 3-4 T of your favorite red sauce ( you can use pasta sauce, tomato sauce) 

1/2 tsp red Chilli powder 

• 
2-3 zucchini
, finely chopped ( I used  mushrooms, around 6-7 large ones)

• 1/ 2 cup whole grain bread crumbs 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Roast peppers cut side up in until they are soft but holding their shape (about 25 mins). 

While the peppers are roasting, prepare the quinoa. Gently boil 3 1/2 cups veggie broth and then add 2 cups (well rinsed) quinoa. Shut the heat off when the quinoa has fully opened and is almost done (as a sign, at around 15 minutes, you should see a tiny bit of water or broth at the bottom of the pot), fluff it, then put the top on. 

Prepare red split lentils by combining 1/2 cup lentils with 1cup broth or water and simmer until soft but not mushy (about 15 mins). 

Heat another pan with a tiny bit of broth just covering the bottom of the pan. Once the broth is simmering, add the chopped finely chopped zucchini with salt and oregano until it is soft and fully cooked. Add the chopped basil leaves and add to zucchini. 

Combine the zucchini and the lentils and the fully cooked quinoa together, mix, then stuff into the peppers (they will look like cute little pepper boats).Top with a couple tablespoons of bread crumbs and, if desired (unless avoiding oils), add1 tsp melted Earth Balance vegan butter. 

Put back back in the oven for about 15-20 minutes until browned a bit on top. Peppers get sweeter as they cook… but lose their structure. More delicious butslightly less attractive peppers win out every time in our house! ;) 

Tip 1: You can add whatever veggies you want to this one! Onions taste great in here, as does garlic. Add them when you sauté the zucchini. You can also add finely chopped mushrooms, kale or spinach for even more of a nutrient punch! 

Tip 2: Batch cook quinoa every week so you have it ready to go when needed, and can cut out that step.You can also use precooked lentils from a can or refrigerated package which cuts out another step. Black lentils work well in this too, but in the interest of time, I use split red ones, since they take so much less time to cook.

My family loved it. I hope yours does too..

It is never too late to eat healthy!!

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