Cranberry Rice; Meatless Monday

Thanksgiving is the only time of the year when we get cranberries. I didn't know what cranberries were until I came to this country. Then I only knew of cranberry juice, which I love and cranberry sauce that comes in a can. Until last year, I had never brought home cranberries as I didn't know what to do with them. Everything changed last year. I made cranberry pecan bread, cranberry chutney, cranberry wild rice pilaf and it all turned out good. This year I am expanding my horizons even further. I made this cranberry rice which was delicious. I tried it with the organic Mekong brown rice from Lotus foods and it came out delicious! I really like their brown rice! It cooks within 30 minutes to a perfect consistency. The texture is great and not chewy. I, who would not eat brown rice before, now look forward to it! No,Lotus Foods is NOT paying me to say this or to write this post. This is entirely my opinion. You have to give it a try to know for yourself if what I say is true. Last time I made Thai Salmon basil fried rice using their organic brown rice and it turned out delicious! I wanted to check if that recipe was what was making it taste so good by using a recipe that was vegan and with no sauces in it. I made this cranberry rice using very few ingredients and with the primary flavor coming from the cranberries. It is a very simple and quick recipe which gives you a delicious meal! 

Servings: 3 ( 1 cup per person)

Ingredients:

Lotus brand organic brown rice : 1 cup
Water: 1 3/4 cup
*Cranberries purée: 1/4 cup
Cooking oil: 1 tbsp ( I used coconut oil)
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig ( optional)
Urad dal(Split matpe beans): 1 tsp
Chana dal ( split chick peas): 1 tbsp
Peanut halves: 2 tbsp ( optional if allergic to nuts)
Green chillies: 2, chopped fine( can be adjusted based on individual spice level)
Ginger: 1 inch, minced
Asofoetida ( hing) powder: a pinch
Sugar: a pinch
Salt: as per taste

Method:

* to make cranberry purée, heat 1 cup fresh cranberries with 1 tbsp water until soft around 7-10 minutes. Cool it. Blend when cooled.

In a saucepan, bring 1  3/4 cups water to a boil. Add the brown rice to it and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the flame to low , cover and cook for 30 mins. When the 30 mins are up, fluff the rice with a fork, keep it covered for another 15 mins.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a sauté pan . Add mustard seeds. 

Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves, urad dal, Chana dal,green chillies, ginger, hing and peanut halves one after the other. 

Sauté for a couple of minutes until the lentil and peanuts turn slightly golden in color.

Add the cranberry purée, salt and sugar and sauté for 2 more minutes.

Now add the cooked brown rice and mix gently but thoroughly.

Garnish with freshly grated coconut and/or coriander leaves ( cilantro). This last step is optional. 

Serve hot. I am bringing this to the wonderful Angie's Fiesta Friday #96.

Cooking made easy:

I always look for ways to make my weeknight dinners more efficient. One of my tricks is to make cranberry rice using Cranberry Chutney. I make a big batch of cranberry chutney and use it instead of the cranberry pulp in the above recipe. You can find the recipe for cranberry chutney here.

Tip for healthy living:

Cranberries is a superfood that is a powerhouse of antioxidants. They are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. They are a rich source of vitamin C and dietary fiber. It is known to prevent and help treat urinary tract infection.

Food for thought:

All great achievements require time. Maya Angelou

Cranberry Pecan Bread with fresh cranberries; Meatless Monday

Remember that bag of cranberries I have been cooking with lately?? Well that bag of fresh cranberries is not done yet! So, I decided to try and make some cranberry pecan bread!

Breads are not only easy to make, it tastes great and most importantly, my kids, colleagues everyone likes it! It is also much healthier compared to cakes. So less work and much healthier. You can eat it as a dessert or as a snack with a cup of tea or coffee.It came out absolutely delicious! Do try it if you get a chance!

Servings: makes one 9 x 5 loaf

Ingredients:

Flour: 2 cups
Butter: 2 tbsp
Sugar: 1 cup
Egg: 1, well beaten ( Mix 1 tbsp flaxmeal with 3 tbsp water for vegetarians).
Baking powder: 1 1/2 tsp
Baking soda: 1/2 tsp
Yogurt: 1 cup
Orange zest: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1/4 tsp
Fresh cranberries, chopped: 1 1/2 cups
Chopped pecans: 1/2 cup

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan and keep aside.

Cream butter and sugar, until creamy.

Add the beaten eggs, yogurt, vanilla essence, orange zest,salt, baking powder and baking soda and mix well. Do not over mix.

Now mix in the flour little at a time and mix until well blended.

Add in the chopped cranberries

and pecans and mix gently.

Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan . Place it on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 45 minutes .

At the end of 45 minutes if it is still wet in the center, cover a piece of foil on top of the bread and bake for 10 more minutes.

Take it out of the oven and let it cool in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes before taking it out of the pan.

 After this time, take it out of the loaf pan and let it cool down completely on a cooling rack before slicing it; around 1 hour.

Eat it as a snack with some hot tea or as a healthy dessert!

I am bringing this to Angie's anniversary party for all those friends who are staying back late enjoying the festivities! I am sure Nancy and Selma , the gracious co-hosts will appreciate the extra food considering the crowd!

Enjoy!

Cooking made easy:

There are two way to grease baking pans and trays. One, is applying butter/oil to the pan/ tray and then sprinkling some flour on top. Overturn the pan over the sink to get rid of the excess flour. The second way to do it is to liberally spray a non-stick spray on the pan/tray!

Tip for healthy living:

Pecans are healthy and make for a great snack. They are extremely nutrient-dense and are rich in mono saturated fatty acids like oleic acid and an excellent source of phenolic antioxidants. They are also rich in minerals like manganese, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc and selenium. They are a great source of B-complex vitamins.

Food for thought:

To be prepared is half the victory. Miguel de Cervantes

Cranberry Chutney; Anniversary special; Meatless Monday

As part of my blog anniversary week, I wanted to bring to you  healthy, yummy, delicious and easy recipes. What better than this tangy, spicy cranberry chutney?

Fall brings in fresh cranberries to our area. Around thanksgiving, it is all about cranberries. I love cranberries. I love the color, the texture, the taste.. Everything about it. I eat cranberries all through the year. Dried ones, of course. I put it in my oatmeal every morning, I add it in my breads, pulav/ pulaf, I even snack on them.I drink cranberry juice quite often. Cranberries are good for you after all. But, nothing beats fresh cranberries!

Last year during Fall,  when I visited my best friend, Phani, I came across this amazing chutney that her mom made. It was love and first sight! Well, I have to tell you about this amazing person that is her mom. I am yet to meet a more efficient, creative, multi-talented, multi-faceted person. Her imagination is amazing! She can make/ create things/ recipes that I could not. Not in a hundred years! Then again, I have very poor imagination! :(
This lady can sow, do wonders with arts and crafts and is a great chef! All this effortlessly, without complaining. She is a lady after my own heart. She perseveres in feeding her family healthy, freshly cooked food. This cranberry chutney is her original recipe. It is super-easy to make and super delicious! It could be eaten as a dip, as a condiment to a meal and as chutney for bread/dosa/idli.

Servings: makes 2 cups of chutney

Ingredients:

Fresh cranberries: 1/2 lb or 250 grams
Urad dal ( split matpe beans): 2 tbsp
White Sesame seeds: 2 tbsp
Dried red chillies: 3-4 count ( you can adjust based on your spice level)
Jeera( cumin): 1 tsp
Garlic clove: 2 small
Salt: as per taste

Tempering ( optional):
Coconut oil: 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Hing powder ( asofoetida ): a pinch

Method:

Rinse and dry the cranberries. Put them in a thick bottomed pan and cook on a low flame with a little salt until completely mushy. Takes about 10-15 mins. When done, turn off the flame and let it cool down.

While the cranberries are cooling, individually dry roast urad dal, sesame seeds and cumin ( jeera) until toasted ( a slight aroma or it acquires a golden hue). Keep aside. Now in the same pan, dry roast the red chillies and keep aside.

Once the urad dal and the sesame seeds have cooled down, powder them using a food processor/ blender/ mixture. Add the red chillies, cumin seeds and garlic. Grind to a fine powder. Now add in the cooked and cooled cranberries. Blend to a fine paste.Add salt as needed.

Cranberry chutney is ready. Tempering is optional.

For tempering:
Heat oil in a small sauté pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add curry leaves and hing. Pour it on top of the chutney. Mix well before serving.

Store the chutney in an airtight container. Stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Serve with rice/ dosa/idli / bread! I am going to bring this dip to the Anniversary block party at Angie's Fiesta Friday! I don't want the co-hosts Hilda & Julianna to fret because they are out of dips!

Cooking made easy:

Even though I am not a great fan of microwave cooking, in a pinch, you could toast the urad dal and sesame seeds in the microwave. Do it a minute at a time. You could even cook the cranberries in the microwave. This would save time and you don't have to wash too many dishes!

Tip for healthy living:

Cranberry top the list of healthy foods and are considered  "super food". They are extremely "nutrient-dense" and are very rich in antioxidants. Of course, low in calories! Cranberries are especially known for their benefits in preventing/ curing urinary tract infection. They are also known to prevent certain types of cancer , improve immune function and help reduce blood pressure. Cranberries are rich in vitamins C & E and dietary fiber. Cranberries can be consumed in juice form, relish/ sauce or even had as a snack when dried.

Food for thought:

The love we give away is the only love we keep. Elbert Hubbard