Asparagus Salad with Vinaigrette Dressing

For this weeks blogging marathon I'm showcasing " How to perfect " recipes. Today I'm sharing recipe for "Vinaigrette" adapted from here . Check this Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#38.

Asparagus, I was first introduced to this veggie by my friend & I loved them in my first tasting. From then on this veggie joined my shopping list. This salad is crunchy, refreshing & filling. 

Prep Time-10mins | Cook Time-5mins | Yields-3servings

Ingredients

30Asparagus 

4Carrots 

3Garlic cloves minced

1/4Tsp olive oil

1/4Cup chopped almonds

Vinaigrette

1Tsp dijon mustard 

1Tsp honey 

1/4Tsp salt 

1/2Tsp pepper powder

2Tbs oilve oil (evoo)

2Tbs apple cider vinegar 

Directions

- Wash & wipe the veggies. Cut the hard's of asparagus & cut them in to half. 

- Peel off the carrot skin & cut them in length wise equally. 

- Heat a pan with 1/4 oil. To that add garlic & chopped veggies. Mix them & close them with a lid. 

- Cook for not more than 5mins on medium heat. Switch off & transfer them to a plate.

- In a bowl mix the mustard, honey, salt, oil & vinegar. Mix them well. 

- Add vinaigrette & almonds to veggies. Mix them well.

- Salad is ready to serve.

Recipes with Asparagus:

Asparagus Fry

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Mung Sprouts Salad | Moong Sprouts Salad | Sprouts Salad

For this weeks blogging marathon I'm showcasing " Soups & Salads". Today I'm sharing a healthy sprout salad. Check this Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#38.

Moong sprouts salad / Mung sprouts salad is a healthy indian style salad. Sprouts are a healthy & nutrient food. They can be made with different pulses & I chose moong bean sprouts for this salad. I made it in Indian style as I don't have to add oil in the dressing & it only needs 3 ingredients to build the flavor in salad. Check my post for how to sprout for step wise post.

Prep Time-16hrs | Cook Time-10mins | Yields-2servings
Ingredients
1Cup moong dal sprouts
1/2Cup grated carrot 
1Tbs lemon juice 
1Tsp red chili powder (Adjust accordingly)
salt
Directions 
- Steam cook mung dal for 5mins. Remove them & cool them.
- Mean while in a bowl mix carrots, lemon juice, red chili powder & salt. 
- Now add the moong sprouts to the bowl & mix them well. 
- Adjust salt & chili powder if needed. 
- Garnish as you like & enjoy this healthy salad.
Note:
- You add finely chopped onions for a crunch in the salad.
- You can mix & match veggies in this salad. So play with the combo's as you like.

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Tabbouleh | Quiona Salad | Keen-wah Salad

For this weeks blogging marathon I'm showcasing " Soups & Salads". For the First day I made Tabbouleh an arab salad for the event. Check this Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#38.

Tabbouleh is a arab salad, traditionally made of bulgur wheat & mix of veggies topped with a lemon & oil dressing. I replaced bulgur with quiona & rest of the salad recipe remained the same. It is sure a healthy filling salad.

Prep Time-10mins | Cook Time-20mins | Yields-2 servings
Ingredients
1/2 Cup Quiona / Keenwah
Water 3/4 Cup water
1big roma tomato chopped in to small pieces

2Scallions chopped

1Tbs lemon juice
1Tsp black pepper (Adjust if needed more)
1Tbs olive oil
1/4cup chopped parsley
Salt
Directions
- Cook quiona with 3/4 Cup water on a stop top. Once all the water is absorbed switch off heat & close it with a lid for 10mins. Transfer the cooked quiona on to a plate and allow it to cool.
- Mean while in a small bowl add chopped tomatoes, scallions, lemon juice, black pepper, oil, salt & parsley. Mix them well. 
- Now add the quiona to the mix bowl & mix it gently. Make sure that the ingredients are mingled well.
- Adjust salt, pepper & lemon juice if needed. 
Note:
- If needed add little more of oil. But I liked it with less oil.
- Use olive oil for perfect taste. 

I served it with my afternoon lunch along with roti.

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Cucumber Kimchi (Oi Kimchi)

Kimchi is a Korean side dish & also a national dish which is fermented under ground from couple of days to months for a perfect taste. This dish is mainly made of napa cabbage & other vegetables to which seasonings are added to flavor up the dish. 
Kimchi is not a vegetarian dish as it has fish sauce, but it can be made vegetarian by avoiding the sauce from it. I made Cucumber kimchi or Oi Kimchi where Oi means Cucumber in korean. This is a instant kimchi that is enjoyed by koreans mostly in summer. I got this recipe from here & loved it as it tasted.

Prep Time-20mins | Yields-6 Servings
Ingredients
1Big Cucumber / 2cups bite size chopped cucumber 
1Cup chopped onions 
3Scallions / spring onions
2Garlic pods chopped or minced 
2Tsp sea salt / rock salt 
2Tsp red chili powder / cayenne pepper powder (Adjust according to your spiciness)
1Tbs vinegar 
2Tsp honey
1Tbs sesame seeds 
Directions
- Wash & clean wipe the cucumber before cutting it in to pieces. Now cut them to bite size pieces.

- Chop the scallions in to equal pieces & keep aside. 
- In a wide pan take cucumbers, scallions, onions & garlic.

- Now add salt, vinegar, chili powder, sugar & sesame seeds.
- Mix them well using spatula & kimchi is ready. 
- Transfer kimchi to a air tight container & allow it to ferment for 8hrs.
- After 8hrs refrigerate it & enjoy it along with rice.
Note: 
- You can avoid fermenting and enjoy the dish as it is. 
- It stays good for 1 week when refrigerated. 

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Italian Pasta Salad

Last week this time we were experiencing high temps, but today to our surprise the temperature has taken down lane & it's all pleasant and cool. Keeping the temps aside last few days have been very busy. I was feeling so lazy to resume things where I have stopped. Decided to make myself useful I took cooking as my option. With the cool temps & being rejuvenated I decided to bake some goodies for my coming post. 

For todays post I went front & back with different options & later settled on this salad. This salad is easy to make & keeps you full. Try making it & I'm sure you will enjoy it.

Ingredients

1 Cup cooked pasta 

1/2 Cup corn 

1/2 Cup grated carrot 

2 Tbs. chives 

2 Tbs. scallions

1 Tsp. oil

For Honey Lime Vinaigrette

1/4 cup lime juice 

2 Tbs. honey 

1 Tbs. olive oil 

1 Tsp. black pepper powder 

Salt for taste

For cooked pasta follow the packet instructions. Generally I take a vessel full of water & the vessel size depends on the quantity of pasta. So bring water to boil with pinch of salt. To that add the pasta & cook it. After 10mins check if the pasta is cooked. Switch off heat & strain the pasta. 

Heat a pan with oil. Once it's hot add the corn & saute it till corn fry's well as above. Now switch off heat & keep aside.

Vinaigrette

In another bowl add lime juice, honey, olive oil, pepper powder & salt. Whisk together & keep aside.

Making Salad 

Take a bowl to that add cooked pasta, corn, carrots, chives & scallions. Now add the vinaigrette to bowl & mix them well.

Serve as a side with lasagna or as you wish.
***My Hubby finished the whole bowl & demands for more.. :)
His comments are it's spicy,sweet & yum.

Note: 
- The vinaigrette I used was yummy. If you like to play around you can use any other vinaigrette.  
- Add more veggies for more healthier salad. 

Corn Salsa

I'm sharing one of the easiest mexican dishes. I love this when they serve it on my chipotle rice & the chunky texture it gives is just awe some. For me it is a eve time low calorie snack to fill up.

Ingredients 

1 Cup corn kernels

1/4 Cup diced onion 

1/2 Cup diced tomatoes

1 Tsp paprika 

1 & 1/2 Tsp lime juice

1 Tbs thinly chopped cilantro

1 Tsp olive oil

Salt 

Heat a pan with oil & toss the corn kernels in it. Sauté them for few minutes or till you the brown crispy kind of coat on the kernels. It takes around 5mins to get the consistent color to kernels. Switch off heat & allow them to cool.

In a bowl toss kernels & the other ingredients one by one. Mix them well & serve it cold or @ room temperature. 

Corn with Black eyed pea Salad

I'm not kind of a salad person but occasionally I love indulging in them. The one reason I go for them is they make you feel full & helps you in diet. So whenever I want to go on a crazy diet I make one of this for myself & enjoy it to the fullest. 
Today I'm sharing a refreshing salad for upcoming hot summers.This salad is packed with protein, carbs & also goodness of the greens. 

Ingredients
1 Cup cooked black eyed beans
1/2 Cup uncooked sweet corn
1/2 Cup finely chopped brussel sprouts
1/2 Cup diced scallions
Few pomegranate arils to sprinkle on top
For Dressing 
1 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tsp freshly grounded black pepper
Salt (Adjust acc. to your taste)

In a large bowl add black eyed peas, sweet corn & diced scallions.For blanched brussels follow the below instructions.
Blanched brussel sprouts:
Take a wide pan with full of water & a 1tsp of salt. Place it on a stove top & bring water to boil.
Mean while in a bowl take lots of Ice cubes & fill it with water. To that add 1 Tsp salt & dissolve it. 
Now add the chopped brussels to boiling water & cook them 4 to 5 mins. Mean while the sprouts change to brighter green & also will be perfectly cooked with out leaving their crispy texture. Strain them into a bowl & add them immediately to iced water. Now strain the iced water & add sprouts to salad. Mix them well. 

In a small bowl mix lemon juice, pepper powder & salt. Mix it well till salt gets disolved. Now mix dressing with salad & sprinkle few pomegranate arils on top. 

Serve it right away & enjoy.

  

Sweet & sour apple salad

Summer is starting here in US & I'm craving for some cool dishes rather than normal ones. You can enjoy it on any part of the day & to me it's for dinner... :)
I had some apples hanging around in my refrigerator & wanted to put them on a good use. I mixed lettuce with apples & believe me it's a sweet combination. 

Ingredients
1 Apple 
1/2 Lettuce
For sauce 
1 Tbs non-fat yogurt 
2 Tbs non-fat milk 
1 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 Tsp sugar
1 Tsp pepper powder
Pinch of salt 

Chop apple & lettuce. Keep them aside. Take a bowl & mix all the sauce ingredients in it.

Take a bowl & place a layer of lettuce & add apple on to of it. Pour some sauce on them & top it with some more lettuce. 

Finally mix them smoothly in the bowl & salad is ready to serve. 

Serve it chilled & it tastes awesome.. :)