Salads

/ Jay Leave a comment

Cold Lettuce, Sprouts, Peppers salad – Chilled, Fresh , Crunchy and Refreshing!

#30days30salads

Sweltering heat and hitting high 90’s. The folks at home resemble the wilted greens of a supermarket long past their fresh -by days. The stove at large is not very inviting ..Need something , quick, refreshing, filling, bursting with flavors and filling !

This is going to be a super quick assembly line post folks, please bear with me 🙂

A quick peek into the chill box reveal a few assorted ingredients:

Ingredients, Assembly,Serving :

 For the salad : Toss all of these in a wide bowl and refrigerate for half an hour if required.

  • 1 cup of Mixed bag of lettuce shredded ( fairly large bite size)
  • 1 cup of fresh green Moong Sprouts – Blanched or microwaved for 3-5 min
  • 1/2 cup of cherry tomatoes – halved pieces
  • 1/2 cup of Carrots – Shredded finely as per your taste
  • 1/2 cup of sweet bell pepper (multicolor) – finely sliced in rings or in julienned

For the dressing: Mix all these and pour out on your bowl of salad just before serving

  • Juice of 1-2 Limes/ lemon : tanginess is as per your taste
  • Black pepper roughly pounded or as a coarse powder : 1 tsp
  • Honey ( organic preferred )  : 1 tsp.
  • Salt : 1/2 – 1 tsp.

Optional :  Adding a a teaspoon of green chutney in the dressing to drizzle over your with this works too

 Optional : Use  any other dressing of your choice . Italian works very well too.

 The idea is to keep it light and refreshing! Dig in, crunch up and enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

/ Jay Leave a comment

Chilled Sweet Corn Salad – Refreshing!

#30days30salads

 

Day 4 dawns with a sunny and bright disposition.. Hitting 90’s weather and it is still officially spring in NC. Unofficially though it’s like we rolled out of winter with bare cursory knock into spring and right into summer! It’s time for chilled salads, popsicles and fruit treats!

A trip to the grocery yielded much of the bounty but I was so tempted to bring in these sweet white corn. Oh, they looked just perfect !

And todays lunch called for cold, crunchy nutritious salad.

 

Minimal ingredients, low effort , awesome satisfaction..

Chilled Sweet Corn Salad Ingredients: 

  • Sweet white/ golden Corn ears: 4
  • English seedless cucumber : 1( finely chopped)
  • Sweet baby carrots : 8( finely chopped)
  • Mint leaves : A handful ( finely chopped)
  • Cilantro : A handful ( finely chopped)

 Dressing:

  • Lemon : 1-2 ( juiced)
  • Black Pepper : 1/2 tsp
  • Salt : 1/4 tsp
  • Honey : 1/2 tsp(optional)
  • Paprika Flakes : 1/4 tsp (optional)

Preparing the corn:

  • In a huge saucepan , boil enough water so you can dunk in the shucked corn ears.
  • Boil it in this water, say for about 5 min. The corn ears are al dente and tender , and not mushy or over cooked.
  • Drain and cool for about 2-3 min.
  • Slice of the kernels.

 Preparing the Dressing:

Combine all the ingredients in the dressing category and whisk it lightly together.

Preparing the salad:

  • Combine the sliced kernels of corn(make sure they are separated well and you don’t have any big clumps), cucumbers, carrots and toss it in gently with the mint and cilantro.
  • Refrigerate  for an hour or so.
  • Just before serving , add in the dressing and toss it gently.

 

This is one extremely refreshing salad and you can introduce a ton of variations to this.

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/ Jay Leave a comment

Sprouts of Joy : Green Sprouts Salad

Day 3: Sprouts of Joy : Green Sprouts Salad

#30days30salads

What a wonderful Saturday morning it turned out to be. We had a refreshing family time in the water yesterday. And on the kids request, all of us pigged out on their favorite foods. Laden with joy and calories, and marching on today I fall back on the family favorite of all time. This salad is so refreshing and so versatile that it can be eaten as a side, main course or dressed up to yield a satisfying result.

Cook time : 10 min        Prep time : 15 min   Serves : 4

The family favorite Salad

  • Sprouted Whole Green Moong Dal: 2 Cups
  • Peeled Green Cucumber: 1/2 cup (Finely diced)
  • Green apple : 1/2 cup (Finely diced)
  • Red Apple : 1/2 cup (Finely diced)
  • Baby Carrots : 1/2 cup (Finely diced)
  • Pomegranate seeds : 1/2 cup
  • Mint : 1/4 cup Fresh, Finely chopped
  • Cilantro : 1/4  Fresh, Finely chopped
  • Lime/ lemon : 2 . Juiced
  • Thai green chili: 2 Finely chopped ( optional)
  • Red Onion : 1/4 cup Finely chopped ( Optional)
  • Black pepper : 1/4 tsp. Fresh ground
  • Chaat Masala : 1 tsp (Optional)
  • Salt : 1 tsp + as required

 Prep Work, Assembly, Serving:

 Sprouts Prep:

  • Add 2 -3 quarts of water in a big saucepan and bring it to boil with a tsp of salt. Once it is boiling , dunk in the sprouts for say 3 -4 minutes.
  • The idea is it is not completely cooked but more like to give a blanched effect, al dente, with a crunch in the bite. Rinse it in cold water and let it cool completely. 

Salad Prep:

  • Now add in the diced vegetables , chopped mint and toss it in gently.
  • Cool this in the refrigerator for atleast an hour.

Serving:

  • Just before serving, add in the lemon juice, salt , chaat masala and garnish with cilantro and serve.
  • Best eaten Cold. 

Notes:

  • Adding in the mint in the initial part of prep, imparts a nice flavor when it sits in the refrigerator for an hour or so.
  • Also remember to just salt before you serve. Adding it initially will result in a watery mess!

 

[yumprint-recipe id=’6′]
/ Jay Leave a comment

Thai Fusions – Quinoa Veg salad with Crunchy Cashews

#30days30salads

Day 2

 Day 2 dawned bright and early! Yay! No thunderstorms today. Plus its TGIF moment/ day/ revelation. While the hankering for tangy , spicy is inbuilt in my genes, the heat outside also meant I was not willing to eat something that was “right of the stove” kind. So needed something, that is cold and crunchy and yielded all nutrients as well and Voila!

Thai fusions – Quinoa Veg salad with Crunchy Cashews

 Cooking time : 15 min   Prep time : 15 min  Serves : 4

  •  Cooked Quinoa : 2 cups
  • Broccoli slaw : ÂĽ cup thinly sliced or finely chopped
  • Cucumber : ÂĽ cup thinly sliced or finely chopped
  • Red Cabbage : ÂĽ cup thinly sliced or finely chopped
  • Sweet mini peppers : ÂĽ cup thinly sliced or finely chopped
  • Raw or firm Mango : ÂĽ cup finely diced
  • Cilantro: ÂĽ cup finely chopped
  • Toasted Cashews : 12-14 halves
  • Red Onion : ÂĽ cup thinly sliced ( optional)

Dressing:

  • Peanut Butter : 3 tbsp
  • Fresh Ginger or Mango ginger, grated :1 tsp
  • Soy sauce : 2 tsp ( optional)
  • Honey : 1 Tbsp 

  • Red wine Vinegar : 1 Tbsp
  • Olive oil : 1 tsp
  • Sriracha hot sauce : 1 tsp ( optional )
  • Luke warm water : 3 Tbsp
  • Wedges of Lime /Lemon : Garnish

Prep work, Assembly and Serve: 

For the dressing:


  • Add in all the ingredients for the dressings in a bowl and stir until smooth and creamy.
  • Add in more water , if you would like to thin it out a bit more.

Salad Combine:

  • 
In a large bowl combine the vegetable ingredients of the salad and toss in gently with most of the salad dressing.
  • Gently fold in the quinoa.
  • Add in the remaining dressing to your taste.
  • Garnish with cilantro and chill in the refrigerator.
  • When ready to serve, add in a wedge of lime for garnish and preference.

  

[yumprint-recipe id=’5′]
/ Jay Leave a comment

Cold Minty Garbanzo Salad – Farmer’s bounty in a bowl! (Chole/channa fruit and veg salad)

Gorgeous Garbanzo salad that simply explodes with flavors of mint and lime with fresh crunchiness of baby carrots and apples, and dash of tangy kiwi and crisp cucumbers.

Soaking time : Overnight                  Prep and cooking time : 30 min

 Serves : 4

Ingredients:

  • Garbanzo beans ( Kabuli channa ) ; 1 cup dry. Soaked overnight and pressure cooked with a pinch of salt the next day
  • English cucumber : 1 small (Finely chopped )
  • Red delicious apple : 1 small (Finely chopped )
  • Kiwi : Peeled,1 small (Finely chopped )
  • Baby Carrots : 10 (Finely chopped )
  • Mint : few sprigs (Finely chopped)
  • Cilantro : ÂĽ cup Finely chopped
  • Lemon or Lime : 1-2. Juice extracted
  • Salt : A Dash to taste
  • Chaat Masala : 1 tsp
  • Thai Green Chillies: 2 (Finely chopped ) Optional
  • Onion : ÂĽ (Finely chopped) Optional

Prep work and Assembly :

  • Soak the Garbanzo beans overnight in sufficient amount of water. The next day you can pressure cook it tender with a pinch of salt.
  • Let the beans cool down very well.
  • Next add in the finely chopped vegetables and fruits and gently toss it in. Add in the Onions and Thai chilies if you decide so.
  • Add in the chopped mint , salt to taste and chaat masala and juice of lime.
  • Gently toss the mix until it is finely coated
  • Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. Especially good in hot summer nights.
  • Garnish with cilantro and serve.
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/ Jay 1 Comment

The 30 days – 30 salads.. journey begins.. May Madness !!!

#30days30salads

After a slew of back to back family gathering and a couple more planned in May.. what can you say , 2 birthdays and a special event coming up,  the need for a taking it more of the healthy green stuff sort of dawned on all.

With advent of spring / summer the hunt for more of the fresh, crunchy, delicious salad varieties begin..!

And so will begin my attempt in May to bring to you one new recipe every day.. quick and easy, refreshing , side, entree and more..

Here’s to us all !

Salad here we come!
Salad here we come!