Indian Salad

India.  Both of my parents have been to India more than a couple of times.  It is my dream to serve and visit there.  I love everything about India.  One reason I do is because their cuisine is amazing.

I have grown up with this simple recipe.  It is much like raita, but has more vegetables than a yogurt base.  My Mother said she had a salad like this in India several times.

This salad flourishes with cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and yogurt.  It is such a great combination with a spicy chicken or curry dish.  The yogurt and the vegetables make this salad cool and refreshing especially while eating spicy dishes.

Indian Salad

8 persian cucumbers, diced
1/2 small red onion, minced
3 roma tomatoes, diced
plenty of cilantro, ripped into smaller pieces
yogurt
a dash of cumin
salt and pepper

Add together the cucumbers, onion, tomatoes, and cilantro in a bowl.  Next, add the yogurt a spoonful at a time.  You want the yogurt to really be there...coat the veggies really well.  Add a little cumin and salt and pepper to taste.    

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Roasted Carrots with Sage

 Carrots make a great snack and they sure are a favorite in our house.  Some of us enjoy them cooked, raw, or either way.  Here is an easy recipe to have as a side dish or even for a main course. 

Roasted Carrots with Sage

plenty of fresh sage
8-10 whole carrots
juice from 1 lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place washed carrots in a baking dish.  Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice.  Scatter the sage leaves all over.  Finish off with salt and pepper.

Bake carrots until desired softness.

Soon you will have melt in your mouth carrots.  Yum!

~Victoria

Chicken Lime Salad

My lunch.

Chicken Lime Salad
Serves 1

1/4 cup chopped chicken
2 peppercinis
green olives 2-3
a squeeze of lime
drizzle of olive oil
cracked pepper
spring greens such as spinach, arugula, radicchio, frisee
1/8 cup red bell pepper, chopped
cilantro to garnish
feta to top
broccoli

Combine and eat.


~Victoria

Carrot-Coconut-Quinoa Mini Muffins

Almost every time I find a recipe, I tweak it.  It is rare for me to keep the recipe completely the same as it was written.  That is one thing I enjoy about cooking.  You can make food with what you like to eat and incorporate it into a recipe.  For example, these muffins.  I made them gluten free and yummy.  NOTE:  The muffins are not super sweet.  I prefer them that way, but feel free to add more sweetener.  Also, I made them mini, but if you prefer to make larger ones, the cook time is 20-25 minutes.

Carrot-Coconut-Quinoa Mini Muffins

Adapted from here 
Makes about 2 dozen muffins

1 cup cooked quinoa

1 tablespoon of honey + more if you want them sweeter
1 1/2 cups almond meal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup coconut oil or butter, melted
1/4 cup applesauce or pumpkin puree
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup loosely packed grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a mini muffin tin and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together quinoa, honey, meal, baking soda and salt. In a small bowl, mix together coconut oil, applesauce, yogurt, vanilla and eggs. Stir into flour bowl, mixing well. Gently fold in carrots, until just mixed.

Divide batter evenly among the mini muffin tin, and transfer to the oven. Bake 15 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.   

Consume in the morning with some Irish Breakfast Tea or as a mid evening snack.  Enjoy!  

~Victoria