A Bright Quinoa Salad

 

Hello all! It has been a while! I have found my kitchen again in this lock down period and have been creating lots of new recipes for you.

As it is sunny here in the UK, I thought it only fitting to make a colourful and healthy salad to lift our spirits.

Though a difficult time, I have always managed to use and create recipes from the ingredients I have in my home so it hasn’t been so bad apart from the constant… “Mummy!! I am hungry!!” song I seem to hear on a constant basis lol.

This salad is packed with protein and nutrients to help us get through this time.  Very simple, easy and versatile.  Feel free to adapt it in anyway!

INGREDIENTS

1 cup pre boiled quinoa

1 yellow bell pepper charred and diced

10 cherry tomatoes chopped

1 small red onion diced

1/2 cucumber diced

1 tin of sweetcorn drained

Handful of coriander chopped

DRESSING

4 tbsp Olive oil

1/2 the juice of a fresh lemon

salt to taste

1/2 tsp sumac

1/4 tsp onion granules

1/2 tsp garlic granules

METHOD

1, Combine all the prepped veg and quinoa together and mix well in a large bowl.

2, In a smaller bowl, make the dressing with the ingredients above, stir well!

3, Pour the dressing over the salad and intergrate all together.

4, Garnish with fresh coriander and cheese if you wish.  I crumbled Wensleydale cheese over the top and some dried chili flakes.

 

Soya Mince Chili

There is nothing like a bowl of hot Mexican tantalizing chili on a Winter’s day, when your mood is low as it is soo dark outside! All you want to do is hibernate in your home.

This dish has definitely lifted my spirits and I’m about to get a second serving.

It is super easy to make it doesn’t take much time and at the end you will be one happy bunny!

Ingredients

300g Quorn Soya Mince frozen

2 medium onions diced

1 tin chopped tomatoes

1 tin kidney beans

4 garlic cloves crushed

2 dried red chili

1 veg stock cube

Salt to taste

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

Fresh lime juice to taste

Method

🌟Heat the oil in a large saucepan on a medium heat sprinkle in the cumin seeds, drop in the chili, onion and crushed garlic. Stir until onion looks translucent

🌟Toss in the tin of crushed tomatoes along with the paprika, crumble in the veg cube and season with salt, bring them to the boil gently.  Put in the soya mince into the tomato sauce and mix well.  Throw in the Kidney beans with the brine

Lower the heat and cook the chili for 30 minutes stirring occasionally, squeeze in a little fresh lime

🌟Serve piping hot with tortilla chips and a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche

Going back in time…

I took a trip down memory lane today!

When I was 7 and in primary school we made Jewish potato latkes for Hanukkah and today I thought of making them.

😊I went straight back in my mind to the classroom with all my friends and my teacher trying something new that tantalised my taste buds😊

Potato latkes recipe

Ingredients

3 large red potatoes, peeled & grated

1 small onion grated

1 large egg

Salt to season

Olive oil

Method

Place the grated potato and onion into a colander and squeeze out excess liquid

Mix the egg and salt in a bowl and stir in the potato and onion mix

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a small frying pan and press the mix into the pan on a low heat

Wait 2 to 3 minutes and carefully flip the latke over

Cook on both sides until golden brown

My New Profession

For the last couple of years as well as cooking up a vegetarian storm, I have set up my very own Business.

Studio ShivAay Photography is nearly two years old and I felt it was time to share my work with my favourite blogging family!

Specialising in children’s photography and family photography. Love capturing emotions and relationships…

Natural, simple and captured

More pictures to follow…until then, love D x

Flaxseed Power

Recently I read on a Facebook post that by eating flax seeds we are not really getting the benefit as they just pass through our internal system.

The best way to absorb all the nutrients and the Omega oils that make this seed a wonder food is to blend it or grind it and put it in something and consume.

I thought what better then to add the seeds to a tomato pasta sauce which in turn gave it more of a thick texture and it stuck to the penne really well!

Simply add a tablespoon of flax seeds to your chopped tomatoes and Blitz and then make your own pasta sauce accordingly!

This is definitely one for the kids especially if they are Fussy Eaters and all they want is pasta with cheese and tomato.

I also add mine to my fruit smoothies.

Hope this helps their friends and that you are all keeping well!

Love Dimple

Smoked Paprika & Coriander Pizza

Recently life has been a bit hectic and not normal so even our diet has been disrupted! We end up craving naughty foods but really want something quick. The chocolate bar or packet of crisps call out to me and I give in readily, however today I made this really simple Mexican/Italian fusion pizza!!

Full of taste and cheese!! Yes as most of you know I adore cheese, it is my absolute weakness combined with tomato, I am in heaven!!!

Here is the recipe for a quick tasty fix…

INGREDIENTS

2 Pitta bread toasted lightly

grated cheddar cheese

handful of fresh coriander

For the sauce

half a cup of crushed tomato

1 tsp rapeseed oil

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

sprinkle of dried oregano

salt to taste

METHOD

In a small saucepan, heat the oil on a low heat with the oregano. Once it sizzles pour in the crushed tomato with the rest of the ingredients

Keep on low, stir well and cook for 5 minutes

Once the sauce is done, spread on the pitta bread, and top with the coriander and grated cheese

Place under the grill until the cheese is melted and then devour!

Quick Tangy Masala Chips

I crave carbs like all the time and the one thing on a hot day that would hit the spot are these chips!! Not too unhealthy as they chips were baked and the sauce cooked with very little oil How …

Sagar Vegetarian Restaurant

A few days ago I went to review Sagar Restaurant, which specialises in Pure South Indian vegetarian cuisine. The menu allows you to explore other regional veg dishes especially infamous chaats from Mumbai!

My initial impression was that it was lovely.  The decor was simple, clean yet striking, a quiet and calming space, very zen like to be able to eat in peace and comfort. Traditional music was floating in the air which definitely added to the ambiece of the restaurant. 

The staff were extremely attentive, helpful and knew their dishes well. I fancied the Idli Sambhar, my mum who had accompanied me, was recommended to have the Medu Vada. 

These starters were truly incredible.
The idli were like soft clouds that just melted away on my tongue. The silky texture of onion in the sambhar and its consistency was spot on!

The medu vada, simple  crispy battered fried doughnuts, not greasy but cooked to perfection, was stunning when dipped into the coconut chutney and drenched in the tasty sambhar!

I was also pleasantly surprised having ordered an orange juice that I received a freshly squeezed sweet and tangy oj.

For my mains the Traditional Udapi thali was getting prepared and the chilli & onion Uttapam for my mum.

The thali is one of their best sellers and I can totally understand why and I agree! Presented well and all the individual dishes were named and shown to me by Shridhara the manager. 

I found all the elements of the thali complimented each other.  A mixture of curries, dry and saucy. Two types of dal to go with the heaped mountain of rice. The over generous puri/flatbread binded each portion together.

My favourite in particular had to be the dry cabbage bhaji. A soft, salty, crunchy dry curry. Extremely tasty and so very moreish! The creamy yogurt based coconut curry was amazing too!

“Rasam…ummmm!” Was how my mum described the thin almost transparent soup.  It was to her liking due to the chilli factor. It hit the back of your throat with a warming sensation!  I just loved how she reacted.

My siro, a sweet semolina pudding had started to disappear mysteriously.  Yes you guessed right, my mother couldn’t help herself.  She said she never eats siro unless it’s homemade but the look of Sagar’s siro tempted her.  I too loved it. Sweetly balanced, the cashews were toasted and cardamom notes stayed on my palette ~ Divine!!

Overall I can’t rate this restaurant enough.  I have to admit so far it is THE BEST SOUTH INDIAN restaurant I have been to and I have been to a few!

There’s no surprise that there are two more branches of Sagar in Central London.

If you fancy traditional South Indian food, good service and great prices, Sagar is the place to go!

I would sincerely like to thank Shridhara and Jay Kumar for awesome service and the management for having us over for the review

Please feel free to visit their website http://sagarveg.co.uk/ and try this yummy restaurant for yourselves 
Until next time, much love D x

If you would like me to review your vegetarian restaurant dishes in the UK, please feel free to message me on dhmakani@gmail.com

Spinach, Pea and Paneer Curry

So today I decided to put two famous paneer curries into one.

Palak and matar paneer reinvented and super tasty. Using fresh spinach adds such a rich flavour. I can’t wait to delve in!

INGREDIENTS 

1 red onion chopped

1 tin tomatoes crushed 

2 cloves garlic minced

1 tsp ginger

1 tbsp oil

Pinch of asofoetida

Pinch of Mustard seeds

Pinch of Cumin seeds 

Little dried chilli flakes

1 star anise 

1 tsp cumin & coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste 

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp dried mango powder

I block paneer cubed 

1 bag fresh baby spinach pureed 

1 cup frozen peas

METHOD 

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a large saucepan with the mustard, cumin, chilli flakes, asofoetida and star anise. Once the seeds start to sizzle stir in the chopped onion, garlic and ginger

Reduce the heat to slow.  Add the tomatoes with the rest of the spices 

Combine and cook for 5 minutes. Place the paneer into the tomato base, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally 

Last thing is to add the pureed spinach and peas. Cook off for a further 10 minutes and your curry is ready to eat!

Pure Vegan Goodness

It’s been a while since i have blogged only because recently my children have become so very fussy and I don’t have time as i’ve been concentrating on my photography work!

But today I was determined to cook something super healthy and blog on the same day like I used to.

I bring with me a super duper trio of broccoli, kidney beans and sweetcorn style filling for the ever popular tortilla wrap!
So here goes…Much love D x

INGREDIENTS 

1 large broccoli into florets

1 tin kidney beans

1 tin tomato crushed

1 small tin of sweetcorn

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

3 shalots diced

2 garlic cloves minced

1 tsp cumin seeds

Crushed chilli flakes to taste

Salt and pepper to taste
METHOD
Heat up oil and cumin seeds in a large saucepan on a medium heat. Once the seeds sizzle,  cook off the shalots for a minute or so.
Toss in the broccoli with the sweetcorn.
Season with salt, pepper and chilli flakes. Mix well

Cover and cook on a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes 

Put in the crushed tomatoes, kidney beans and garlic.  Stir well. Cover for another 10 minutes

Now the filling is ready to put into tortilla wraps! Don’t forget the grated cheese! If you’re not vegan.