Koshimbir: A Maharashtrian Salad

Ingredients:
For approx. 4 servings
English cucumber – 1 Peeled
Tomato – 1
Sweet onion - 1
Green chili – 1 tsp finely chopped [OPTIONAL]
Fresh Cilantro – ½ cup finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper – 1 tsp
Sugar – 1 tsp
Fresh lime juice – 1 tbsp
Chaat masala -  1 tsp
salt as per taste

Method:

• Cut cucumber, onions and tomatoes in small cubes. Keep aside.
• In a bowl, add all the cut vegetables, green chilies, black pepper, sugar, chaat masala, lime juice and salt.
• Mix well and let it refrigerate till chilled.
• Add fresh chopped cilantro, mix again and serve.

Enjoy this tangy salad with lunch or dinner.

Celebrating Health: High Protein Bean Salad

This healthy salad can easily replace your lunch. It looks appetizing and tastes great as well.

Nutritional Facts:

Kidney Beans: A cup of cooked kidney beans provides 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans supplies 177.0% of the daily value for molybdenum.

In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia.

Source: whfoods.com

Black eyed beans: Like most beans, black-eyed beans are rich in the best sort of fiber - soluble fiber - which helps to eliminate cholesterol from the body. They are a good source of folate, potassium, copper, phosphorous and manganese. As a high-potassium, low-sodium food they help reduce blood pressure. Not only are they low in fat, but when combined with grains, beans supply high quality protein which provides a healthy alternative to meat or other animal protein. Beans also contain protease inhibitors which frustrate the development of cancerous cells.

Source: whfoods.com

Ingredients:

For Bean Salad [6 servings]

Kidney Beans – 3/4 cup (dry)

Black eyed beans – ¾ cup (dry)
Green peas -1/2 cup (dry)

Butter beans -3/4 cup (dry)(optional)

Corn kernels – 1/2 cup (frozen or fresh)

Sweet Onions -1

Cucumber- 1

Tomatoes - 2

Cilantro -1/2 cup

Lime Juice – 2 tbsp fresh

Freshly crushed Garlic – 2 cloves

Extra virgin Olive oil -1 tbsp

Dry Ingredients:

Chaat Masala – 1 tbsp

Black Pepper – 1 tsp

Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Method:

• Soak all the beans overnight in the separate bowls.
• Next morning, boil kidney beans and keep aside. Now boil black-eyed beans, butter beans and green peas together. Keep aside.
• For salad dressing, In a bowl, add extra virgin olive oil, lime juice, crushed garlic and all the dry ingredients. Whisk together for a minute. Dressing is ready, keep aside.
• Thaw frozen corn kernels in microwave for 2 minutes.
• In a covered sauce pan, cook the fresh or thawed corn kernels for 5 minutes. Cool it down.
• Chop sweet onions, tomatoes and cucumber finely. Clean and chop cilantro finely as well.
• In a salad bowl, add boiled kidney beans, black-eyed beans, butter-beans, green peas, cooked corn kernels, chopped sweet onions, cucumber, tomatoes and cilantro.
• Now prepared salad dressing to the salad. Mix salad gently. Serve chilled. Prepared salad can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

Serve fresh with any meal or just as an anytime snack.

Celebrating Health: Lettuce Salad Cups

These adorable cups will grab your attention instantly and increase your appetite. They can be filled with any of your favorite fresh vegetables or fruits.

Ingredients:

For Lettuce salad cups [4 servings]

Green Lettuce head – 1
English cucumber – 1
Sweet Onions -1
Tomatoes- 1
Cilantro – 2 tbsp finely chopped
Lime Juice – 1 tbsp fresh

Dry Ingredients:
Chaat Masala – 1 tbsp
Black Pepper – 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

Method:

• Peel and chop cucumbers in small cubes. Keep aside. .
• Chop sweet onions and tomatoes finely. Clean and chop cilantro finely as well.
• In a salad bowl, add chopped sweet onions, cucumbers, tomatoes and cilantroix gently.
• Now add lime juice, chaat masala, freshly grounded black pepper, roasted cumin seed powder, sugar and salt. Mix the salad again.
• Separate the lettuce leaves gently. Take each lettuce and cut them in 3 inch diameter circular discs. Prepare 4 lettuce discs.
• In a paper cup, line the lettuce leaf and fill it with the prepared salad mix. Repeat the process for the remaining 3 cups.
• Arrange all the four salad cups in a serving plate.

Serve fresh with any meal or just as an anytime snack.

Colorful Carrot Salad

Colorful spring brings color to the food. This salad is perfect for bright, warm days. You can pack this for the picnic or the lazy afternoon lunch in the backyard. Salads are the best compliment to any meal. This colorful and healthy salad is even appealing to the kids. So here comes the simple yet flavorful recipe of Carrot salad.

Ingredients: For Colorful Carrot Salad [4 servings]
Fresh Ingredients:
Carrots – 2 cups shredded
Sweet Onions -1 cup diced
Tomatoes –  1cup diced
Cucumber – 1 cup diced
Cilantro -1/2 cup finely chopped
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp fresh

Dry Ingredients:Walnuts – ½ cup (optional)Chaat Masala* – 1 tbsp
Black Pepper – 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste
Method:

• Prepare the fresh ingredients. Shred the carrots, peel and dice the cucumber and onions, dice the tomatoes and finely chop the cilantro. Also chop the walnuts for crunch in the salad (optional). Keep aside.
• In the salad bowl, add diced onions, tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, walnuts and cilantro. Mix gently.
• Now add lime juice, chaat masala, freshly grounded black pepper, roasted cumin seed powder, sugar and salt. Mix the salad again.
• Serve fresh with any meal or just as an anytime snack .

*Chaat Masala is easily available at all Indian grocery stores.

Refreshing Corn Salad…….spring is almost here!

Refreshing Corn Salad…….spring is almost here!
Salads are the best compliment to any meal. Since this morning I saw new life to my plants, bright sunny sky and fresh breeze, I crave for something fresh and tangy for my palate. So here comes the simple yet flavorful recipe of Corn salad.

Ingredients:
For Corn Salad [4 servings]
Corn kernels – 3 cups (frozen or fresh)
Potatoes – 2
Sweet Onions -1
Tomatoes- 2
Cilantro -1/2 cup
Lime Juice – 2 tbsp fresh

Dry Ingredients:Chaat Masala – 1 tbsp
Black Pepper – 1 tsp
Roasted Cumin seeds – 1 tsp (powdered)
Sugar – 1 tsp
Salt as per taste


Method:

• Thaw frozen corn kernels in microwave for 2 minutes.
• In a covered sauce pan, cook the fresh or thawed corn kernels for 5 minutes. Cool it down.
• Boil the potatoes, peel and cut into small pieces. Chop sweet onions and tomatoes finely. Clean and chop cilantro finely as well.
• In a salad bowl, add cooked corn kernels, chopped sweet onions, potatoes, tomatoes and cilantro. Mix gently.
• Now add lime juice, chaat masala, freshly grounded black pepper, roasted cumin seed powder, sugar and salt. Mix the salad again.

Serve fresh with any meal or just as an anytime snack