Quinoa salad on a bed of lettuce,pan fried salmon,jalapenos & squash

 Something is fishy in the kingdom of health ! Madame Quinoa is red.Looks like she is pepping up her mood -- relaxing on a bed of lettuce and surrounded by fishes-the red wild salmons,jalapeno boats and squash rings !! What a vibrant view !! I am so jealous..I may eat her :-\ what say?

By the way,I came across this amazing website with dire health related information and also a mind blowing, well-researched article about the interesting facts especially the 27 science-backed health benefits of quinoa that is indeed worth mentioning and sharing with you all. Please go through it !! Wow Quinoa rocks !!

After a vege,eggy and chicken-y ,now it's time for a fish-y makeover.It's ,another ,pampering time.

Quinoa salad on a bed of lettuce,pan fried salmon,jalapenos & squash

Ingredients

Quinoa - 1 cup

Water- 1 3/4 cup

Salt to taste

Carrots,chopped-1 cup

Peas,boiled - 1/2 cup

beans,chopped,boiled-1 cup

Onion,chopped - 1/2 cup

Romaine Lettuce leaves,cleaned - 6-8 nos

For the dressing

Lime juice - 2 tablespoons

Olive oil-1 tablespoon

Vinegar-1 teaspoon

Pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Chilli oil -1/2 teaspoon(optional)

Honey - 1/4 teaspoon(optional)

Salt to taste

To pan fry :

Salmon fillets,skinless - 4 nos.

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Fennel  powder - 1/4 teaspoon(optional)

Salt - 1/4 teaspoon

Jalapeno, wedges -  6 nos

Squash ,rings - 6 nos.

Oil - 2-3 tablespoons

Lemon juice as needed

Method:

• Rinse quinoa under the tap water and put it in a saucepan with water and little salt.
• Place that saucepan on the stove and allow it to boil on high heat.
• Once it reaches the boiling point,reduce the flame to medium-low,cover it and let it cook for about 15-20 minutes until all the water is absorbed and most importantly,grains become translucent with a spiral tail. or watch this ...
• Put off the stove.Let it stand covered for another 5 minutes to make sure it absorbs any moisture left.If there is any water left,then do drain it well.
• Fluff it with a fork and keep it aside.
• In a small bowl mix all the dressing ingredients well and keep it aside.
• In a big bowl ,put the quinoa,all chopped vegetables-carrots,onions ,boiled peas & beans and the above dressing and toss everything well.
• Adjust the salt and other seasoning if desired.
• Quinoa salad is ready.

To pan fry fish :

• Marinate the fish with all spices plus few drops of water for 5 minutes or more, in the refrigerator.
• Warm a large skillet with 2 tablespoons of oil on high-medium heat.
• Place the marinated fillets and fry them until golden brown on each sides for about 4 minutes per sides.To speed up the process ,you can cover the fish for 2 minutes till the fish softens up and then fry.
• Add another tablespoon of oil in a pan and shallow fry the jalapeno wedges and squash rings until tender.Cover it and then fry to speed up the process.
• Squeeze lemon juice on the top of fish and vegetables lightly.

Transfer the quinoa salad on a bed of a romaine lettuce leaf  with pan fried salmon on the top and jalapeno and squash on the sides.Enjoy !!

Vegetarians can have a healthy yummy Quinoa salad and non-vegetarians can have both like Honey P and seafood-itarian like me can have ,just ,the pan fried salmon :D.As always,win-win !!

Eat,love,live DELICIOUSLY,

P.S.Incase you missed it  Quinoa with baked spicy chicken,Quinoa with raw papaya & red potato ,  Quinoa with mixed vegetables,broccoli ,red bell pepper & scrambled egg ,  

Easy Hummus without Tahini

  I love chickpeas a.k.a Garbanzo beans /Bengal gram/Kabuli chana.So,does my better 1/2.It is one of our favorite legume so far that we can eat it even raw (post-soak) or sprouted and when cooked ,it is a party :D .

For us, it is the most tastiest legume and equally quite healthy as well and I don't think anyone can get bored of this legume unlike it's other relatives with its nutty, creamy, buttery texture.No wonder ,chickpeas are widely used in multi-cuisines around the world right from Middle eastern to India to Mediterranean,Spanish and more.

It's health benefits can impress and compel one to make it a part of their staple home made food. Especially for vegetarians,it can provide good amount of protein and when combined with other whole grain items ,it will be equivalent to the protein derived from meat sources as well.

Chickpeas are also loaded with high fiber so aids in weight loss,has low Glycemic Index so it stabilizes the sugar,with manganese, increases energy production and especially helps women with it's antioxidants that keeps breasts cancer,osteoporosis,PMS symptoms at bay,enhances iron and also provides other vital vitamins and minerals at par.So,there is no question that they are such a healthy addition to any diet.

I usually have loose packets of chickpeas at home and I am not a fan of canned food items but I do keep (at times) a can of garbanzo in my pantry as a backup in case I get my amnesia-tic attack and forget to soak the chickpeas overnight for any recipes next day and my pressure cooker will be pleading,"Please ,please don't torture me." (as it'll take time to cook well, comparatively ) or face the consequence-I'll keep on whistling at you which may certainly not go well with your spouse and well,it'll be too chaotic ...

So,the warning and a few chaotic experience in the past did force me to save a can of garbanzo for sure,as the last resort.Likewise,I had one sitting in my pantry asking me,"Mera no. kab aayega/when is my turn "?

So,as kind as I am :P,I said,"Now ,within ten minutes I'll transform this chick into an exquisite dip everyone loves -Hummus". 

If you don't now,Hummus is a popular food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini (ground sesame paste), olive oil, lemon juice, salt , garlic and other herbs.Today, it is popular throughout the Middle East , North Africa , and in Mediterranean cuisine around the globe.There are varieties of Hummus made but the one I am making is the easiest yet yummy and a recipe that doesn't necessarily require any Tahini -as it is not something that is readily available at my home and in other cases ,anyone with sesame allergy or don't want to spend extra dime on the costly readymade tahini at stores or lazy like me to make a home made tahini, in such cases,it doesn't mean one can't make a yummy hummus at all.Yes you can !

So,here is how I make Easy hummus without Tahini,

Easy Hummus without Tahini

Ingredients

Garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved - 1 can

Garlic cloves, crushed - 2 nos.

Cumin powder - 3/4 teaspoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

Red Chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Black pepper powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Peanut butter - 1 tablespoon (Optional)

Salt- 1/2 teaspoon

Sesame oil - 2 tablespoon

Method:

• Combine garbanzo beans, garlic, cumin,peanut butter, lemon juice,chilli powder,pepper,salt and sesame oil in a mixer-grinder/food processor. Blend on medium speed, scraping the jar,adding the reserved chickpea liquid in between, until smooth and creamy consistency is reached.
• Taste a bit and adjust the seasoning accordingly -salt,pepper ,spice or lemon juice as needed.
• Place it in a bowl and drizzle some sesame oil on top. 
• Serve immediately with any flat breads like pita bread,crackers, any chips, or veggies.

Note:

1. To compensate the Tahini-less flavor, I used sesame oil otherwise any oil will be good enough especially olive oil.Peanut butter is used for the same reason.
2. Instead of chilli powder even hot sauce or any chilli flavor -cayenne,paprika,chilli oil etc can be used.Adjust it as per your desired spicy level.
3. To make the hummus extra smoothy,before grinding them in the food processor,remove the skins of chick peas and then blend.
4. If the hummus is quite thick,add more oil or lemon juice to make it more creamier.
5. This can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

Eat,love,live DELICIOUSLY,

WOW- Share a story that ghosts would tell to scare each other

A freaky cold dark night,on the eve of the ghost festival,Halloween,Ghost X was busy in renovating their home with the latest model of skulls,human skin wallpapers,precisely imported,"Made in China" and antique collection of bones ordered from "eBay" while Ghost Y,was busy arranging the dinner -Human Pasta,Bone marrow sauce, and of course, pumpkin pie with a bloody frosting decorated with fresh human nails or SO, thought Ghost X.

However,Ghost X didn't find Ghost Y in the kill-tchen.Suddenly,Ghost X heard a loud thumping on the upper floor.Ghost X rushed on his girlfriend's (Witch A 's gift last Halloween )broom and found ghost Y lying unconscious and a glass of "Bloody Many" shattered all over the floor .

Ghost X sprinkled some fresh blood on ghost Y's face and ghost Y,drearily opened his white eyes.Ghost Y hug ghost X tightly and a stream of black tears started rolling down on his cold cheeks.

Ghost X ,whispered eerily ,"What happened to you,the freakiest undertaker X?" You passed out ? YOU ????

Ghost Y's face still pale ,chilled,wrinkled , shrank ,replied coarsely,"Don't you watch the TV, X." "Don't you"!

"Whaat...why Y??" ,asked Ghost X wide-eyed with dilated red pupils.

"Unbelievable...unimaginable...unthinkable!" ,said Ghost Y.

"What..where...OK let me guess,in the TV ,you mean Y???",asked Ghost Y.

"Yes",replied Ghost Y in a spine chilling tone,motionless,utterly speechless...

Ghost X took his broom and put on the TV.

After an hour ..Ghost X also fainted ,breaking all his sharp Tooth with blood stains, on the floor...

Ghost Y saw it coming!.....He took a huge pumpkin and smashed the bonny TV into ashes... and said ,in a blood curdling voice,"It was the movie aired in the SyFy channel ,inspired by the real human incidences of the unforgettable serial killer "Ed Gein" ,"The Texas Chain Saw Massacre" ."

"If a HUMAN can do such horrendous brutal acts,merciless (human) killing spree,just for pleasure or revenge or for no apparent reason,then what the hell, is the point of our EVIL existence ?"

Happy Halloween,

P.S.:This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda.