Cream cheese Tomato Spinach Sandwich

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Cream cheese is not just for bagels!

Cream cheese, tomato and spinach come together in this simple yet delicious sandwich. They are light and refreshing — the perfect sandwich for summer, no matter how little time you have to make them!

My colleague, Bob, brought these to our office party. They were so yummy and I couldn't stop with just one!

In my opinion, cream cheese pulls it off very well. It adds a very slight tang, body, and flavor, it also adds creaminess and moisture. Fresh tomatoes and spinach give these sandwiches a colorful appeal. Refrigerating the sandwich helps the juice from the tomatoes to sink into the cream cheese giving it a mild flavor profile.

They're perfect for brunch, lunch or to cut up and serve as appetizers.  Slather and layer it all on a perfect slice of bread and you have yourself a deliciously decadent sandwich. It’s quick, easy and tasty.

Cream cheese Sandwich

Makes - 4-5 Servings

Choice of bread - 1
Cream Cheese - 1 block
Tomato - 2 - 3 sliced
Spinach - handful

Spread generous amount of cream cheese on both sides of the bread

Artisan/Italian/ciabatta Bread or Baguette work great for this sandwich

Layer tomato slices on one side

Then top it with a layer of spinach.

You can substitute spinach with fresh basil

Press together, wrap it in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for couple of hours.

Remove from refrigerator and cut it up before serving.


Quinoa Stir Fry Bowl

Friday, May 31, 2013

Fuel your day with this healthy quinoa breakfast. It is a quick and flavorful way to get in a serving of nutrients you need.It will totally keep you full ’til lunch!


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I believe in the phrase 'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. I really do. A well-rounded breakfast can kick-start your energy level.




Small, round, and a good source of protein, iron, and fiber, quinoa is a quick and flavorful way to get in a serving of nutrients you need. Quinoa is considered a complete, whole food and the super grain! So why not have it for breakfast?




Quinoa Stir Fry bowl is a delicious and flavorful dish. This easy, toss together quinoa is fabulous hot from the pan. But it's also delicious when reheated! Make more than you think you'll need and you've got breakfast for the next day.



Vegetable-packed quinoa is hearty and healthy. Crunchy roasted lentil, fragrant curry leaves and spicy green chilies give a flavorful face-lift to the usual quinoa. Coriander powder adds to the dimension of flavor. Add extra protein to this dish by throwing in some black beans and scrambled egg.

Fuel your day with this healthy quinoa breakfast. It will totally keep you full ’til lunch!

Quinoa Stir Fry Bowl

Makes - 2 Servings

Quinoa - 1 cup uncooked
Onion - 1/2 chopped
Vegetables - 1/2 cup (chopped carrots and peas)
Green Chilies - 2 split lengthwise
Channa Dal - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 6-7
Cilantro - handful (optional)
Salt - to taste
Oil - 2 tbsps

Cook quinoa as per the directions on the pack and keep aside

Heat oil in a pan; add mustard seeds, channa dal and green chilies. Fry for a minute, then add the curry leaves

Fry until it splutters and the dal starts to brown

Add onions and vegetables and fry till they are cooked and tender, about 7- 10 minutes

Add salt and coriander powder and mix together

Add quinoa to the pan and stir fry for few minutes. If using cilantro add it to the quinoa and give it a stir

Do a taste-check and add salt as required

Remove from heat and serve

Vegetable Cutlet

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Perfect combination of a light, crispy outside with a tasty, soft centre - a sublime combination of texture and flavor! This delicious, family-favorite has enough flavors to be the star of any plate.So go on, unearth the goodness of these cutlets!


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The absolute most perfect use of potatoes is to turn them into French Fries. I think, the next best use is in cutlets!



Vegetable Cutlet is the perfect combination of a light, crispy outside with a tasty, soft centre. Mildly seasoned mashed potato and vegetables are formed into bite-size shape, dipped in batter, coated with breadcrumbs and shallow fried to crispy perfection. The cutlets sizzle in the pan just long enough to form a golden crust, keeping the potato on the inside tender. So, you'll have a luxuriously tender interior to encase in a delicately crisp shell – a sublime combination of texture and flavor!



These crisp-tender patties are accented with caramelized onions, parmesan cheese and seasoning. Potatoes take a walk on the mild side in this subtle but flavorful dish.This delicious, family-favorite has enough flavors to be the star of any plate and will have your crowd clamoring for more.

If you weren't hungry before you read this, I bet you are now! So go on, unearth the goodness of these cutlets!



Vegetable Cutlet

Makes - 8- 10 Servings

Potatoes - 2 mediumParmesan Cheese - 1/2 cup
Vegetables - 1 cup (carrots,green beans,peas)All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 medium finely choppedWater - 1/2 cup
Chili powder - 1 tspSalt - to taste
Coriander Powder - 1 tspBreadcrumbs - 1 cup
Cilantro - a handfulOil - to fry

Boil the potatoes until they are cooked and tender. Drain the water and let it cool

Boil the vegetables until just cooked. Drain the water and cool

Peel the potato skin off and place them in a bowl

Squeeze out the excess water from the vegetables and add it to the potatoes and mash them together

Excess water from the vegetables will make the potato mixture very loose and difficult to shape it

Heat little oil in a skillet, about a tbsp, and sautee the onions until soft and translucent

You can also make these cutlets with chicken or meat. Just fry the meat with the onion until its cooked

Add it to the potato mixture and stir

Add cilantro, chili powder, coriander powder, parmesan cheese, salt and mix. Taste and add more if needed

Batter

Take all purpose flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add water and mix to make a thick batter

Breading

Take breadcrumbs in plate

Divide the potato mixture into 8 - 10 equal portions. Now shape each portion into flat round pattie about half inch thick.

Dip each pattie in the batter and roll it in breadcrumbs to coat it on all sides

Frying

Heat enough oil, about 1/2 inch, in a pan for shallow frying

In batches, fry the cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on each side until they are golden brown

Serve hot with tomato ketchup

Deviled Eggs

Saturday, April 6, 2013

A great way to dress up and style your plain boiled eggs. Deviled eggs with creamy Queso and Mayo filling make it a wonderful appetizer at any party.


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Take the plain hard boiled eggs a notch up and turn them into a wonderful appetizer!

Deviled Eggs are a great way of spicing and styling up your eggs. Hard-boiled eggs, shelled, cut in half and filled with the hard-boiled egg yolk’s mashed and mixed with a variety of other ingredients. There are so many wonderful variations you can make.

My version of this two-bite hors d'oeuvre needs just-firm yolks that are combined with mayonnaise and Salsa Con Queso, to yield the creamiest filling. Sometimes, I switch up the flavors by adding guacamole or jalapenos. Deviled Eggs make a fun appetizer at any party.

After trying these out there is one change you might want to make—double the recipe, because one batch is never enough!


Deviled Eggs

Makes - 6 Servings

Boiled Eggs - 6
Mayonnaise - 2 tbsps
Salsa Con Queso - 4 tbsps
Paprika/Cayenne - for garnish (optional)

Cut eggs into halves lengthwise

Scoop the yolks out from the eggs into a bowl and mash until smooth.

Stir in the mayonnaise and con queso. Mix thoroughly.

Try other combination using guacamole, mustard, Jalapenos, cheese, etc

Scoop into halved eggs. If you want it stylish, pipe mixture using piping bag/zip loc with a star tip.

Sprinkle paprika and/or cayenne, and serve.