No Croutons Required - January 2015 Roundup of Vegetarian Soups and Salads

Welcome to the first edition of No Croutons Required for 2015. As always, I am in awe of the lovely creations that Jac and I receive each month. Soups and salads are staples on our vegetarian tables, and as far as I am concerned you can never have enough recipes. I think that my groaning bookshelves and bookmarked recipes will back up my statement. Without further ado, settle in and start planning your menus for the next while. Special thanks to everyone who shared their warming recipes this time around. We received 20 inspiring entries this month, so settle down with a warming cup of tea and see what has been cooking this past month.

Recipe: Festive Kale and Quinoa Salad With Cranberry Orange Dressing

Chef: Erica
Blog: Healthy Life Lessons
Location: Ontario, Canada

Kale is always festive, especially when combined with quinoa, berries and pumpkin seeds and dressed with cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, vinegar and oil. Certainly this would be a fine potluck dish to take along to nourish and please. It would also be a fine meal any day of the week.

Recipe: Spicy Butternut Squash Soup

Chef: Gingey
Blog: Gingey Bites
Location: UK

I enjoy squash year round, but there is something particularly satisfying about it during the winter months, especially when included in a warming soup. Here squash combines with potatoes, onion, tomatoes, garlic and some spice. I'm especially fond of soups that employ staples on hand, particularly when it's too cold to want to go out.

Recipe: Cozy Red Lentil and Kale Soup

Chef: Janet
Blog: The Taste Space
Location: Canada

Cozy and comforting for sure is this lovely soup featuring red lentils, carrots, spices, tomatoes and kale combined in a flavourful broth made with smoked paprika, Old Bay seasoning and Worcestershire sauce. I am certain I could eat this weekly, if not daily.

Recipe: Post Holidays Salad

Chef: Marina
Blog: My Perfect Kitchen
Location: UK

This new year's creation is something to be enjoyed any time of year. A delicious use of leftovers, succulent mushrooms shine along with beets, pear, red pepper, blue cheese and nuts. This creative combination has me craving salad, even though it is cold outside.

Recipe: Beetroot Salad with Freekeh

Chef: Sarah
Blog: Maison Cupcake
Location: UK

I've yet to try freekeh, but I would be sure to enjoy it, especially when combined as it is here with beets, quinoa, kidney beans, red cabbage, pumpkin seeds, haloumi and a bit of balsamic vinegar. This a power house of a salad that would grace any table.

Recipe: Orange, Carrot and Goats Cheese Salad with Pumpkin Seeds

Chef: Jacqueline
Blog: Tinned Tomatoes
Location: Scotland, UK

Our next tempting submission is from my dear friend and co-host of this event. How lovely is this citrusy and zesty salad featuring oranges, carrots, radish, pumpkin seeds and orange juice all served over lettuce leaves with a bit of sweetness from honey? Gorgeous indeed.

Recipe: Vegetable, Quinoa and Chili Soup

Chef: Cate
Blog: A Travelling Cook
Location: Germany

Quinoa is always a fine addition to soups, especially when spiced up with adobo chilli flakes combined with potatoes, leek, onion, garlic, carrots, peas, corn and parsley. Surely a wonderful tasty soup with lots of veggie goodness. Serve along with some crusty bread and your meal is complete.

Recipe: Rainbow Salad

Chef: Hayley
Blog: Chef Be Here
Location: UK

Colorful plates always stimulate the appetite, and this rainbow salad is sure to cheer us all up during the winter months as we dream of summer. Mixed greens, cucumber, radish, spring onion, cherry tomatoes and pepper shine here, topped with some crumbled feta. The possibilities are endless. Salads are always a good way to use up veggies from the fridge and why not enjoy them year round?

Recipe: Sweet Corn Soup with Vegetables and Tofu

Chef: Linsy
Blog: Home Cook Food
Location: USA

Next up is Linsy with this satisfying soup with sweet corn, broccoli, tofu, spring beans, carrot, chili, ginger, soya sauce and sriracha sauce. Lots of flavor going on here. If served with quesadillas or wraps, your meal is more than complete.

Recipe: Beetroot and Lentil Salad

Chef: Johanna
Blog: Green Gourmet Giraffe
Location: Melbourne, Australia

Up next we have a gorgeous salad from a long time participant of NCR. Feast your eyes on this salad with beets, lentils, baby spinach leaves, capers, all dressed up with yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, mustard and seasoning. I do envy Johanna's hot weather. It's quite cold here in Canada.

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower & (leftover) Cheese Soup

Chef: Jen
Blog: Chardonnay and Samphire
Location: UK

Jen had lots of leftover cheese from Christmas and she certainly put it to good use in this roasted cauliflower soup with onion, garlic, lemon juice, nutmeg, and of course cheese. Nourishing and warming, this is a soup to enjoy anytime of year with your favorite cheeses.

Recipe: Skinny Creamy Celeriac & Apple Soup

Chef: Elizabeth
Blog: Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
Location: UK

This lovely soup may be low on calories but it's still hearty and filling. Wanting to use up a celeriac from the fridge, it was incorporated into a creamy soup with onion, garlic, apple, soy milk and some cornflour to thicken it up a bit. All whizzed up and you certainly have a fine lunch.

Recipe: Jerusalem Artichoke Chestnut & Mushroom Soup

Chef: Laura
Blog: How To Cook Good Food
Location: UK

Indeed a perfect soup for the winter months, here we have Jerusalem artichokes, onion, chestnuts, mushrooms sautéed with a generous amount of rosemary and Marsala wine. This earthy and "woodsy" soup would make for a fine lunch of dinner. What's not to love here?

Recipe: Vitamix Pea Soup with Cheese and Chives

Chef: Sarah
Blog: Maison Cupcake
Location: UK

If you are lacking ingredients, here is a lovely garlicky soup that comes together in hardly anytime at all. Frozen peas and garlic are quickly blended together and then garnished with cheese and chives. Easy and delicious.

Recipe: Spicy Roots Soup

Chef: Linzi
Blog: Lancashire Food
Location: UK

This is surely a classic winter warmer and there is nothing like homemade soup. Gently spiced, onion, parsnip, potato, swede are combined here, nicely blended and finished off with a dollop of yogurt.

Recipe: Tropical Red Lentil and Raw Green Mango Soup

Chef: Flynthings
Blog: Fly 'n Cook
Location: Unknown

Yes, wouldn't the Bahamas be just lovely right now. Instead though, we can enjoy this tropically inspired soup as we dream of warmer weather that includes red lentils, raw green mango, coconut milk, carrot, celery, onion all nicely spiced up. Nourishing and just right.

Recipe: Uplifting Spinach, Mint and Lemon Soup

Chef: Katie
Blog: Feeding Boys and a Firefighter
Location: UK

This cleansing, soothing and warming soup is easy to prepare but certainly not lacking in flavor. Delightfully green and zesty, spinach is featured here with garlic, mint, lemon and a mix of seeds. All whizzed up and ready to eat in hardly any time at all.

Recipe: Spiced Lentil, Carrot and Roasted Tomato Soup

Chef: Choclette
Blog: Chocolate Log Blog
Location: UK

Soups are surely just the thing for winter months and here we have a beauty with lentils, carrots, roasted onion, garlic and tomato with spices and herbs, some tamari, lemon and just a wee bit of chocolate. This soup has a lovely smoky flavor, especially when paired with bread made with oat smoked flour.

Recipe: Creamy Kale and Potato Soup with Salt N Sauce Kale Crisps

Chef: Kellie
Blog: Food to Glow
Location: UK

To celebrate Burns Day in Scotland, Kellie made this gorgeous soup with kale, potatoes and leeks hinted with nutmeg. If that doesn't sound good enough, try serving it up with some homemade kale crisps.

Recipe: Cucumber and Noodle Salad with Peanut Butter Dressing

Chef: Corina
Blog: Searching for Spice
Location: UK

We finish up this month's challenge with a mouthwatering salad with rice noodles, cucumber, carrot, spring onion and chili flakes all dressed up a creamy peanut butter and lime dressing. I'm craving spring just like I am craving this salad.

My dear friend Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes and co-host of this event will be hosting the February 2015 edition of NCR. Make sure to check her blog at the beginning of the month for the announcement.

Paneer Cutlet Recipe-Paneer Snacks Recipes

Here is my second entry for Mother’s Recipe Innovative Cooking Challenge Contest.I used their Instant Poha Mix/Aval upma mix for making this cutlet recipe & it turned out awesome.Actually speaking,i wanted to try Paneer cutlet Recipe without Aloo/Potato for a long time.I am so happy i was able to achieve it with the help of this poha mix.Like potato,poha is also one of the best binding agents for cutlet.As i have followed this in my Mc Donald’s burger recipe,i tried this cutlet recipe using Instant Poha mix very confidently.As i expected,the result was great!My daughter & My better half loved it to the core.With crispy exterior & soft interior,it was just perfect.As the poha mix had all the seasoning ingredients,it made my job simple.I just cooked the mix adding spice powders,mashed paneer and made these cutlets quickly & easily.Its an yummy evening snack recipe for kids and that too without potatoes.Thanks to Mother’s Recipe for giving this opportunity to Indian Food Bloggers and make us think different & innovative through this Challenge.Here i have deep fried the cutlets.You can go for shallow frying & make it as a low calorie snack.You can also opt for baking and make it even more healthy with zero oil.I have discussed baking method too.For variations,u can add boiled corn kernels and mixed vegetables too.Ok, lets see how to make this paneer cutlet recipe using Instant Poha Mix.
Check out my first entry for this contest : Eggless Milk Powder Cake recipe using Instant Payasam Mix.
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http://mothersrecipe.com/

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Paneer Cutlet Recipe

Paneer Cutlet Recipe without using Potato

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Snack

Serves: 10 nos

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 20 Minutes

Total time: 30 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

Mother's Recipe Instant Poha Mix - 200 gms( 1 packet - Poha- rice flakes ) Water - 400 ml Grated paneer – 3/4 cup( Cottage cheese, around 100gms) Big onion - 1 no Ginger-Garlic Paste-1 tsp Red chilli powder - 1 tsp Dhania powder - 1/2 tsp Garam masala powder -1/2 tsp Aamchoor powder –1/4 tsp Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp Maida-1 tbsp Salt - as needed Mint & coriander leaves - 2 tbsp ( each,finely chopped) Cooking oil - to fry To coat the cutlets Corn flour - 1/4 cup Water - as needed to make thick batter Bread crumbs & Powdered corn flakes( only for baking ) - 1 cup or as needed

METHOD

Take the paneer & grate it using a fine grater or mash/crumble it well using your hands.Set aside. Heat oil in a kadai and saute the finely chopped onions.Add the g&g paste and saute till its raw smell leaves completely. Now add 2 cups( 400 ml) of water with little salt( the mix had salt in it.So use less) and allow it to boil.When it comes to boil,add the poha mix ( Rice flakes mix).Mix well & cover cook it for 8-10 minutes in medium flame.Mix it once in the middle.Poha will be cooked well & becomes mushy.All the water will be absorbed. Now add the grated paneer & mix well.Add turmeric powder,red chilli pwd,dhania pwd,garam masala powder & amchoor powder.Mix well,add maida,mix well.Let the mixture become a whole mass like dough.Switch off the flame.Lastly add the finely chopped coriander and mint leaves.Mix well.Check for salt.Squeeze in little lemon juice and allow the cutlet mixture to cool down. In the mean time,take the corn flour,add water and make a slightly thin like dosa batter.Take the bread crumbs in a plate.( For homemade bread crumbs,just powder the brown part of bread and use as such.I did this way) Take a medium orange sized ball from the cutlet mixture and pat it.Dip it in corn flour batter & then in bread crumbs.Do this twice to get a super crispy exterior. Heat oil to deep fry or shallow fry and drop the cutlets.Fry them till golden brown by flipping it whenever needed.Remove & drain it in a tissue.Serve with ketchup/tomato sauce. For baking,make the cutlet mixture as mentioned above.Dip it in corn flour batter,then in powdered corn flakes & finally in bread crumbs.Repeat it twice.Now preheat the oven in 200c and bake the cutlets in 200c,convection mode for 10-15 minutes in one side.Flip it and again bake them for another 10-15 minutes.Remove & serve hot. Enjoy ! To use plain poha/Aval/Rice flakes, take 1 cup of poha ( thick rice flakes),wash & soak it for 20 minutes till it turns soft.Add cumin seeds while sauting onions & proceed as mentioned above.

Enjoy this yummy paneer cutlets with Tea !

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Eggless Milk Powder Cake Recipe Using Vermicelli Payasam Mix-Mother’s Recipe Contest

Mother’s Recipe products are well known to you all.They have a wide range of Instant mixes,Pickles,Papads & ready to use paste varieties.But i am a big fan of their pickles & payasam mix.Recently they had announced an “Innovative Recipes”cooking contest for Indian Food Bloggers and sent me a gift hamper containing their assorted products.Please see the picture below for the products i received from them.As soon as i got the products,even before clicking,i opened the pickle & tasted it.So you can find that pack open in the picture .As per the contest rules,i should try n share a recipe that has to be something different and innovative using their products.So i used their Vermicelli payasam mix & made this eggless cake today.As the mix had powdered sugar,Milk powder & cardamom,making this cake was easier to me.It came out very well,soft n spongy too.I have not used egg,condensed milk,butter or even curd.Just milk and oil does the magic here.Its a low cal version too.Now i realized,by just using a payasam mix,we can make super soft cakes too.Thanks to Mother’s Recipe for giving me this opportunity & to make me think innovatively.Friends, don’t forget to try this cake if u have Mother’s Recipe Semiya Payasam Mix in hand.Its a great tea time snack for your kids & you as well !!
Check out these links to get a fair idea about Mother’s Recipes Products if you are new to it !
http://mothersrecipe.com/

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Lets see how to make this yummy eggless milk powder cake recipe

Eggless Milk Powder Cake Recipe

Eggless milk powder cake recipe using Mother's Recipe Vermicelli Payasam Mix

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Cakes

Serves: Serves 4

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 25 Minutes

Total time: 35 Minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 cup = 200 ml

Mother's Recipe Vermicelli Payasam Mix - 1/2 cup All purpose flour/Maida - 1 cup Milk powder -1/4 cup Sugar - 4 tbsp ( Powder it) Baking powder - 1/2 tsp Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp Boiled milk - 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp ( at room temp) Cooking oil - 1/2 cup ( I used refined oil) Vanilla essence - 1 tsp ( add more if u wish) Cashewnuts - 2 tbsp ( for crunchy taste)

METHOD

Powder the sugar & keep aside.Take 1/2 cup of vermicelli payasam mix and remove the raisins if u find any.No need to remove cashews.Grind the vermicelli mix to a fine powder & set aside. As a general rule in cake making,first take all the dry ingredients( maida,milk powder,powdered mix,powdered sugar,baking powder & soda)in a wide bowl.Sieve them well. To this,add the oil.Mix well and make like crumbs. Now add the milk & vanilla essence and mix them well using a whisk in one direction.Make sure there are no lumps.Do not beat the mixture.Fold it gently.Add the chopped cashew nuts.Check the consistency of batter.If it is very thick,add 2 tbsp milk.The batter should fall like a ribbon.That’s the correct consistency. Now take a baking pan and line it with a butter paper or grease the pan with oil & sprinkle maida all over the pan to coat it. I used a non-stick pan for baking.So i din’t grease it.I used the pan as such.Fill the pan with batter and pat it well to break the air bubbles. Preheat the oven in convection mode at 180c and bake the cake at 180c for 25-30 minutes.First keep the time for 20 minutes & brush the top of cake with milk.Again bake it for 3 minutes.Check the cake by inserting a tooth pick.If the tooth pick comes out with uncooked batter,u have to bake for another 2 minutes.Again remove & check with the tooth pick.If the cake is not done,bake for 2 minutes more.Mine took exactly 28 minutes.Once the cake is done,the tooth pick will come out clean little crumbs.Hope u can see the crumb in the picture below. Allow the cake to cool down for 20 minutes.Now run a knife all through the sides of cake and invert the pan over a plate.It will come off easily.Cut them into slices & enjoy with your coffee/tea !

Note

Add more milk(few tbsp) to adjust the consistency of cake batter.But make sure u bake for more time because cake takes more time to bake based on the consistency of batter. You should bake it until the tooth pick comes out clean or with little crumbs.Over baking makes the cake hard & chewy sometimes burnt too. Under baking gives you a sticky tasting cake.So please adjust the baking time as per your oven.

Enjoy this yummy cake with coffee or tea ! It tastes yum!

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Mexican Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa

For the most part, I make all of my own sauces, salsas and chutneys. Preservative laden store-bought varieties usually pale in comparison to the ones made in our own kitchens with fresh ingredients. Most of the ones I make are relatively easy to prepare too, requiring little time or fuss. This fiery salsa is a fine example and can be made as spicy or as mild as you please, simply by adding more or fewer jalapeños and some spices.

Very easy to make up, this salsa can also be made ahead of time as it keeps well in the refrigerator for a couple of days … or just in time for Super Bowl Sunday where it will make a great dip for nachos or many other football snacks. It's thick and chunky, with fresh heat from jalapeños and tanginess from the tomato and lime juice, and also makes a great condiment for your favorite baked or fried savories, bean cakes or vegetable burgers.

Mexican Tomato and Jalapeño Salsa

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Mexican Published on January 29, 2015 Simple thick and chunky tomato and lime salsa with a fresh jalapeño kick Print this recipe Ingredients: 2 teaspoons olive oil or sesame oil 2 shallots, diced 2 to 3 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 2 ripe medium tomatoes, diced 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar juice from 1 lime (2 tablespoons) sea salt to taste 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped Instructions: Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan. When hot, add the shallots and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the jalapeños and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato and vinegar. Simmer, stirring often, for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened to desired consistency. Stir the lime juice in near the end of the cooking time. Season with salt and stir in the fresh cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Other salsa recipes to try:
Basic Fresh Salsa
Black-Eyed Pea Salsa
Feta and Olive Salsa

On the top of the reading stack: The newspaper

Audio accompaniment: John Lee Hooker