Spaghetti with minced quorn

Quorn is a (frozen)veggie meal with high quality protein and it is low in saturated fat.It can be served with pasta or baked potatoes.

Quorn ingredients and meals tend to be lower in saturated fats and calories than similar foods made with meat .

My hubby loves, to taste different types of food..(Unlike me,as am very choosy when it comes to food especially). So ,i tried making Spaghetti with minced quorn. It turned out to be so well, and has driven me to the extent of posting it in my blog..

Here goes the recipe.

Spaghetti:

In a wok, or sause pan, boil the water, add some little salt and oil, so that the spaghetti does'nt stick. Once the water comes to boil, lower the heat,add the spaghetti and cook for 10 or 12 mins till they are tender.Then drain the excess water adn keep it aside.




Minced quorn

1 packet frozen minced quorn
2 onions finely chopped
1/2 tin chopped tomatoes
2 tbspn tomato puree
3 cloves of garclic finely chopped
2 teaspoon cumin powder1 teaspoon coriander powder(optional)
salt as per taste
chilli powder 1 tspn
mixed veggies 1 cup ( i used, capsicum, beans,carrot, can also add spring onions.)


In a pan heat oil, add chopped garlic, onions, saute till onions are cooked.

Then add frozen minced quorn.cook for few minutes, now add , veggies, and cook till they are tender.(or you can cook the veggies seperately and add them finally.Thats how i made. Its more easier and veggies will be cooked well.)

Then add 1/2 tin chopped tomatoes, and also add cumin powder,chilli powder and salt. let them cook for sometime, till the raw smell disappears.

Then finally add 2 tblspn tomato puree and cook for 3 or 4 minutes.

Can add more water if you want to have more gravy.

Serve it with spaghetti and some grated cheese on top.

Capsicum chutney

My MIL gave me the recipe for this chutney.I tried this chutney, as a side dish for dosa, and it turned out to be very tasty and had a different taste. Its, quite different from the usual, coconut or tomato chutney. Can certainly, give it a try.

The recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

Capsicum 2

(Fry the below items in little bit of oil)

1 spoon mustard
hing
2 tspn urud dhal
2 green chillies ( can add more if you want it to be more spicy)
3 dried red chillies

Also finally ,add capsicum and saute till its half cooked.. switch off the stove. Let it cool for 5 mins.
Add salt as per taste and grind the above , like chutney.
finally add 1 or 2 tspn of curd and mix well.garnish and serve.

It goes well with Dosa, Idli, Adai..

Cheers,
Vima

Corn Salad

This my own version of Corn salad. Im reminded of beaches in chennai when i see this corn. I like Corn (otherwise called as makka cholam in tamil) and bell peppers a lot. Especially Red Bell peppers have 3 times of vitamin C than that of an Orange.

One fine day i came up with the idea of making this salad by mixing all my fav ones and my hubby liked it a lot.
Also, kids can also have a nutritional intake.

Ingredients:
Sweet Corn 1
Onion 1 medium size (finely chopped)
Very finely chopped bellpeppers (green ,red,yellow)
Grated carrot 1/2 cup
Salt (as per taste)
Pepper 1/4 tspn

Cook the corn in stove directly. It is my (indian) version of Grilled corn. Once its done, coat the cooked corn with little bit of salt and chilli powder along with few drops of lemon. This is done,so that the corn is spiced up evenly. Then slice the corn vertically with a knife and the kernels will come out easily. This is how i normally make this salad.

Now mix the bell peppers, onions,grated carrot, little bit salt and pepper. Combine all. Then serve, with a bit of lemon on top. Enjoy!!

Beans-potato Masala

This simple and easy recipe was given to me by my SIL. She is a great cook. I tried this recipe and was very pleased with the outcome..So i thought i will post it in my blog.

The recipe is as follows:

1) Boil 1/2kg green beans (cut them into size of finger chips) and 2 medium sized potatoes(cut as cubes) with salt and turmeric powder

2) Grind the following ingredients raw into a masala paste: 1tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp Black pepper, 2tbsp shredded coconut, 2 green chilies, 2 cloves, 1 pod cardamom, 1/2 a bunch coriander leaves

3) In a kadai, add 1tsp oil, saute 1 medium sized chopped onion and 2 tomatoes,till tomatoes are mushy, and now add the boiled veggies(beans and potatoes) and then add the ground masala.

4) Let it cook till the raw smell disappears.
You can remove from fire either dry or if you want it to be a gravy, you can add 1/2 cup water and let it boil for for few minutes and then garnish and serve with roti.

your comments/suggestions are most welcome.

Honey -Date-Walnut Cake

We had a Farewell party , in my house and I tried this Cake for the very first time, and it turned out to be an instant hit .

The recipe is as follows:

Recipe:

1 cup dates
½ cup honey (or 1 full medium size bottle of honey can be used for sweet lovers!!! I used 1/2 cup.)
1 cup walnuts
2 eggs - at room temperature
¼ cup each - milk and butter at room temperature
2 cups - all-purpose flour (maida)
½ cup brown sugar or white cane sugar
½ tsp each - baking powder, baking soda and cardamom powder


Honey, Walnuts and Dates

Dates and Honey: Finely chop dates . Take them in a cup and add honey. Keep the dates soaked in honey for about 30 minutes. This is done to soften and further sweeten the dates. (Extremely sweet and soft Medjool type does not need the honey/soaking part.)

Walnuts: Finely chop walnuts to small pieces

Eggs: Break eggs into a cup and beat with a spoon. For those who do not prefer egg, mashed, ripe banana can be added instead of eggs.

Sift and add flour to a big vessel. Add in sugar, baking powder, soda and cardamom powder. Mix well.Add butter, milk and eggs. Also add walnuts and dates along with the honey as they are soaked in. Combine all thoroughly. If the batter is too thick, adjust the consistency by adding little bit more milk. Pour the mixture into a cake pan. level it evenly.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the cake pan in the bottom rack for the first 15 minutes, and then move the pan to the top rack. Bake for about a total 30 minutes, until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Remove the cake from oven. Let it cool. Then serve!!