No Croutons Required - The Winner for June and the Theme for July

The challenge for June was to come up with a soup-like smoothie that included at least one salad green or vegetable. There are lots of lovely entries to browse to quench your thirst and nourish your body. Not everyone was up to adding greens, so there was a bit of cheating going on, but no matter, because it's really a delicious spread. And, a winner we have. Congratulations to Elizabeth from Elizabeth's Kitchen who contributed this tempting and gorgeous Fresh Fruity Surprise Juice. Packed full of fruity and vegetable goodness indeed, what a way to kick start your morning.

I am hosting the July 2013 edition of No Croutons Required. The summer is heating up so salads are in order. This month the challenge is to come up with a stunning legume salad. I was mulling over a theme and as I adore legumes of any kind, and considering how well they are suited for salads, that is what we are going with for the challenge this time around. As always, this is a vegetarian challenge, so no meat, fowl or seafood.

All you need to do to participate is come up with your bean salad, post about it on your blog, mentioning I am the host this month with a link to this announcement, and submit your recipe via the linky tool at the end of this post by the 20th of the month. Please note that only one entry per blogger will be accepted. We look forward to your delicious creations to enjoy on the patio or cozy kitchen.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Flatbreads

These simple sweet potato delights occupy a spot on the quickbread spectrum somewhere between a cracker and a rather dense flatbread, but with a wonderful flaky interior. Ideal for dipping into spreads or curries too, they were on the menu with some spicy hummus. Roasted sweet potato and a hint of Indian spices elevate these to one of my new favorite savory flatbreads. They are baked too, so no need to hover over a hot skillet cooking up each round individually. Especially if you roast the sweet potato beforehand, these are easy to make and take very little time to come together. A cross between a roti and a paratha? You decide. Toss in your favorite spices or seeds or keep it simple with minimal seasoning — either way enjoy as a side for any meal or just snack on them. They are that good.

Whole Wheat Sweet Potato Flatbreads

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Yogi Kitchen Published on June 29, 2013 Simple, sturdy and flaky baked flatbreads made with roasted sweet potato and a hint of Indian spicing — great for serving with hummus or chutneys Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato, roasted in a 425° oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until fork tender 1 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cup spelt flour 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne Instructions: Preheat an oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When the roasted sweet potato is cool enough to handle, remove the skin, transfer to a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Sift the flours, salt and spices into the bowl and stir. Gently knead the dough until it comes together, adding more flour or a few drops of water as necessary — the dough should be moist but workable to pat into small rounds. Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and form each portion into a small ball. Lightly dust a large cutting board with flour and dust your hands too. Press down each ball of dough into a circle and shape into a roughly 1/2-inch thick round about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Alternately, roll out each round with a lightly floured rolling pin. Arrange on the baking sheet with space between each round. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature, or store in a sealed container for up to several days. Makes 5 six-inch flatbreads

Other flatbreads you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Kitchen:
Paratha Stuffed with Sweet Potato and Potato
Sweet Potato Roti
Fenugreek Chapatis
Off and On the Trail Bannock

On the top of the reading stack: Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Audio Accompaniment: the ceiling fan

GARLIC PICKLE | PICKLE RECIPES

I love garlic pickle & onion pickle a lot. Yesterday I told my MIL to prepare this garlic pickle ( Poondu oorugai in Tamil) for me. She made it instantly. Its very easy to do. I stood nearby and noted down all the ingredients with measurements. Hope i’ll try this on my own very soon. We made in very less quantity (1/2 cup) and i finished all the pickle in one go...Now u know how much i loved this pickle & how tasty it was . It was tasting great for curd rice & roti..Thank u Aunty ( this is how i call my MIL) ..  As my MIL says , next to red chilli powder ,3 ingredients are most important for any pickle .They are fenugreek seeds , turmeric powder & hing (ie . vendhayam , manjal , perungayam in tamil).. These 3 ingredients are responsible for taste & flavour of the pickle.Other than these , some pickles may need tamarind paste too..So beginners , making pickle is really an easy job. Storage has also become easier because of refrigerator..So don’t panic and go ahead trying this easy pickle recipe.U’ll succeed

INGREDIENTS
1 cup - 250ml

Garlic cloves – 1/2 cup ( 2-3 bulbs) Red chilli powder – 1.5 tsp Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp Hing – 1/4 tsp Grated jaggery – 3/4 tbsp Tamarind – Big gooseberry size Roasted & ground methi seeds – 1/4 tsp Cooking oil – 1 tbsp Salt & water – as needed To temper Sesame oil / gingely oil – 2 tsp Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp Urad dal – 1/2 tsp

METHOD

Peel the skin of garlic , dry roast & grind the methi seeds & powder them. set aside. In a kadai , heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil and saute garlic cloves till golden brown. Then add 1 cup of tamarind extract and allow it to boil till the garlic is cooked well.Now add salt , red chilli powder, turmeric powder , hing and mix well. Finally add the grated jaggery and methi seeds powder. Mix well till jaggery melts.Allow it to boil for few minutes. U’ll get a thick paste. Switch off the flame and temper the above said ingredients..Mix well and serve with curd rice !!

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Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Fresh Herbs

It's not often that I use store-bought sauces, preferring instead to make my own at home to ensure freshness and control over the seasonings used. In this case, I wanted a sauce to go along with quinoa goat cheese and Parmesan cakes and so I cooked up a succulent mushroom marinara sauce that included some fresh herbs from my garden. It also makes for a delicious chunky pasta sauce or pizza sauce. The possibilities are endless. An added bonus is that it's easy to make too. The sauce will keep in the fridge in a well sealed jar for roughly 4 days or freeze it in airtight containers for up to 6 months.

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Fresh Herbs

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Italian Published on June 27, 2013 Easy-to-make zesty and robust chunky homemade marinara sauce filled with pieces of tender portobello mushroom and seasoned with fresh herbs Print this recipe Ingredients: 3 sun-dried tomatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 1 carrot, grated 14 oz (400 g) portobello mushrooms, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed 2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup red or white wine 10 large plum tomatoes, finely chopped (about 6 cups) 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/2 teaspoon cayenne 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped 2 tablespoon fresh basil or lemon basil, chopped 1 teaspoon coconut sugar or brown sugar 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh ground black pepper to taste Instructions: Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and chop. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion and stir for 3 to 4 minutes to soften. Add the carrots and continue to stir for another 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat slightly and add the mushrooms, garlic and jalapeños, and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and wine and simmer to reduce, stirring frequently — about 5 minutes. Now add the sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne, oregano, basil, sugar and salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened — about 45 minutes. Serve right away or refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 6 months. Makes 5 to 6 cups

More irresistible sauces from Lisa's Kitchen:
Gingered Tomato Sauce
Devil's Nightmare Pasta Sauce
Tomato Sauce with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

On the top of the reading stack: Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Audio Accompaniment: silence

I'm sharing this with Ricki's Wellness Weekend.

PUDINA THUVAIYAL |MINT THOGAYAL- THOGAYAL VARIETIES

 

Mint thogayal /Pudina thogayal recipe is one of the yummiest thogayal varieties we make for rice.I usually pack this for my husband’s lunch box.My mil makes this thogayal adding roasted urad dal just like coriander leaves thogayal. But addition of urad dal is completely optional.Add only if u want to increase the quantity of thogayal.This thogayal tastes great when mixed with plain rice adding sesame oil.

Mint thogayal/Pudina thogayal

 Delicious mint thogayal recipe for rice,idli,dosa,upma

Cuisine: Indian

Category: Thogayals

Serves: Serves 2

Prep time: 10 Minutes

Cook time: 10 Minutes

Total time: 20 Minutes

INGREDIENTS
1cup = 250ml

To roast n grind Mint leaves/pudina leaves – 1 cup (tightly packed) Red chillies - 5 nos Urad dal - 1 tbsp Jaggery – 1/4 tsp Tamarind - Big gooseberry size Salt - as needed

METHOD

Wash mint leaves. Heat a  kadai with a tbsp of oil and fry the red chillies & urad dal.Remove & in the same oil fry the mint leaves for a minute so that it will be shrinked and get reduced in quantity. This gives a special flavour to the thogayal . Soak tamarind in little water. Now grind the red chillies,urad dal,soaked tamarind with salt to a coarse mixture.Then add the mint leaves and grind to a smooth paste adding the required water. Remove and serve with plain rice topped with gingely oil . If u want to grind in large quantities and store , u have to follow the next step. Else stop with this step & enjoy. Heat a kadai with little gingely oil ( 1 tbsp )and put the thogayal into it. The water content in it will be absorbed and becomes thick , heat it for a while. It can be refrigerated and kept for 10 days. But this step is purely optional. U can enjoy this thogayal without sauting in oil. But shelf life will be reduced.. For variations u can skip urad dal and add a tbsp of  grated coconut  while grinding.

YUMMY MINT THOGAYAL is ready to be served with hot rice & tiffin. Enjoy adding sesame oil..

 

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Spicy Hummus

Originally I was going to come up with a spicy hummus sandwich, but at the last minute decided instead to serve it as a dip with raw vegetables and homemade Sweet Potato Flatbreads. You may wish to lightly toast some pita triangles to go along with this thick, creamy and fresh-tasting spicy hummus. I was most pleased with the result, as were my dining companions. It makes for a perfect late spring / early summer meal to enjoy on the patio and, not withstanding the cleanup of the wretched food processor that is really a puzzle to put back together after cleaning it (at least mine is), hummus is one of the easiest spreads to make and just plain good for you too.

Notes: This recipe calls for red chili and vinegar paste or "balchao masala". This is an easy Indian spice paste to make at home, and it will keep refrigerated for several months. It does come with a bit of a warning though — it's very hot, so start with just a teaspoon and taste the hummus before adding more. I adore this paste and it works well in any number of curries and even Indian crêpes. This fantastic paste has been a staple in my kitchen for a long time now and it should be in yours too if you enjoy Indian cooking. Do play around with the flavors here.

Spicy Hummus

Recipe by Lisa Turner Cuisine: Indian Published on June 25, 2013 Thick, creamy and spicy hummus made with Indian seasonings and a vibrant red chili and vinegar paste Print this recipe Ingredients: 1 cup dried chickpeas (3 cups cooked or 2 14 oz cans_) 1 to 2 teaspoons red chili and vinegar paste, to taste 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch piece fresh ginger, chopped (1 tablespoon) 1 green chili, seeded and chopped 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/2 teaspoon turmeric 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground coriander 1/2 teaspoon amchoor powder (optional) pinch of asafetida (optional) 1/4 cup tahini juice from 1 lemon (3 tablespoons) 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or as needed 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste Instructions: Rinse the chickpeas and soak for 8 hours or overnight in several inches of water. Drain and rinse, then transfer to a medium saucepan and cover with several inches of fresh water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chickpeas are soft. Drain and set aside to cool. Toss the chickpeas, 1 teaspoon of the red chili and vinegar paste, and remaining ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth. Season with additional red chili and vinegar paste and salt as desired, and add more olive oil as needed to achieve your desired consistency. Makes 3 cups

Other hummus recipes from Lisa's Kitchen you may wish to try:
Avocado Chickpea Hummus
Spicy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Marinated Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus with Olives
Hummus with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Goat Cheese and Olives

On the top of the reading stack: Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Audio Accompaniment: Tim Hecker

Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes

An ideal way to use up any leftover quinoa, you might end up finding yourself making up pots of quinoa just to make more of these delicious little bites after you try them. They make for a fantastic appetizer or light side along with some tomato chutney or marinara sauce, a legume curry and a lightly dressed leafy green salad to fill out the meal.

I do enjoy vegan meals, but I just can't imagine life without my favorite cheeses. In this case, dill and parsley and a light spicing complement the quinoa to perfection, but when you slice into these cakes that are crispy on the outside but melting with cheesy goodness inside, the experience really couldn't get much better.

My only regret is not doubling this recipe, as I was sharing with friends, but I won't be making that mistake again. I don't have a huge appetite at any given time, but I bet I could have gobbled up all of these in one sitting. They really are a special treat to the palate and, as an added bonus, plenty good for you too.

Quinoa Goat Cheese and Parmesan Cakes

Recipe by Lisa Turner Published on June 23, 2013 Easy and delicious savory quinoa cakes with goat cheese, Parmesan, spices and herbs — crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth creamy on the inside, these flavorful cakes will disappear in no time Print this recipe Ingredients: 1/2 cup soft unripened goat cheese 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (1/2 cup dried) 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese 2 to 3 tablespoons spelt flour or unbleached white flour 2 green or red chilies, seeded and finely chopped 2 shallots, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste 1 teaspoon dried dill 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste fresh cracked black pepper to taste 1 large egg, lightly beaten 3 tablespoons olive oil Instructions: Mash the goat cheese with a potato masher or fork. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, cheeses, 2 tablespoons of the flour, chilies, shallots, spices, herbs, salt and pepper, egg and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir until well combined, adding more flour or oil as needed to achieve a fairly moist mixture that can be shaped into roughly 6 small patties. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. When hot, fry a few patties at a time until golden brown — about 5 minutes each side. Remove and let drain on paper towels. Serve warm with your favorite chutney or tomato sauce. Makes 6 3-inch cakes

More little bites you are sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Brown Rice and Quinoa Cakes with Parmesan
Curried Quinoa and Wild Rice Savory Cakes
Chickpea Patties Smothered in Vegetable Gravy
Spicy Baked Chickpea Koftas

On the top of the reading stack: Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky

Audio Accompaniment: Carl Craig