Tag: Quick-Fix Meals

If you do not want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, OneWholesomeMeal has got your back. These quick-fix meals require minimal prep. Also, we make sure that quick means healthy. So you do not compromise on nutrition.

These quick-fix meals are from different cuisines. Plus, we have vegetarian and vegan options. Have a look and try these recipes today.

Kimchi
Kimchi Flavoured Brown Rice
Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Breakfast | 8am Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Banana Coconut Smoothie

Banana Coconut Smoothie recipe by OneWholesomeMeal
Banana Coconut Smoothie

Who doesn’t like starting their day with a refreshing glass of smoothie?

This Banana Coconut Smoothie is super simple to put together. Power-packed with healthy micro and macronutrients and with a hint of mint, it could almost be your summertime panacea. Works perfectly for those afternoon hunger pangs too.

While I know there are smoothies that use coconut water for the coconut flavor, in my recipe, I went with freshly shredded coconut. It is high on the fat content, so please keep it to just 2-3 tablespoons. It adds a whole lot of natural flavor to the smoothie. Here are all the ingredients that you will need:

  1.  2 Bananas which are preferably very ripe
  2. A little less than one cup of milk. Plus some extra to adjust the thickness later. You may use almond milk, soy milk, or cow’s milk.
  3. About 2 tablespoons of freshly shredded coconut. You can add a bit more if you really like coconut flavor.
  4. 4 to 5 crushed mint leaves. This is optional.
  5. 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom powder
  6. For sweetness, you may rely on the bananas or add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or jaggery.

For another banana smoothie variation, go here. Scroll down for the detailed recipe of the banana coconut version.

 

Homemade Banana Coconut Smoothie

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Banana Coconut Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 120

Ingredients

  • Bananas-2 preferably well ripe
  • Milk (Almond/Soy/Cow's)- A little less than one cup plus some extra to adjust thickness later
  • Freshly shredded coconut - 2 tablespoons or a bit more of you really like coconut flavor
  • Mint leaves crushed - 4-5 (optional)
  • Cardamom powder- 1/2 teaspoon
  • Sugar (optional) or jaggery -1/2 teaspoon or to taste

Instructions

  1. In a high speed blender blend all ingredients till smooth , adjust thickness if desired by adding some more milk and blend again for a few seconds
  2. Top with fresh mint leaves, ice and serve chilled
https://onewholesomemeal.com/banana-coconut-smoothie/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal Mid-Day Snack | 10 am Meal

Calamansi Sherbet | A New Summer Cooler

Calamansi Sherbet recipe
Calamansi Sherbet

Let’s add a calamansi zing to the common lemonade!

Schools are off for summer. This means taking it a tad easy. No rushed mornings for a while. Basically, a few things less on the to-do list and lots more time to bond with the kids. I took this opportunity to get my 4-year-old involved in the “boring chores” around the house (and the kitchen). This may or may not include squeezing tangy calamansis to make a refreshing sherbet for sultry summer afternoons.

What Do You Need?

The “recipe” is literally water, sugar, and calamansi juice. I used about 3-4 calamansis. Make sure to discard the seeds. For sweetening, you can add sugar or honey. You could also add a pinch of salt to cut the sweet. Make sure you serve it chill or add a few ice cubes to the pitcher. For more flavor, feel free to add mint leaves to the calamansi sherbet. Like I said it is a very easy recipe. A great way to get the little ones involved in the kitchen.

 Here is an indicative recipe that you can adjust as per your desired taste. Enjoy! Oh! By the way, did you know that even though their name sounds Indian, calamansi is native to the Philippines?

Calamansi photography by OneWholesomeMeal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Kalamansi Sherbet

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Serving Size: 2

Calories per serving: 73

Ingredients

  • Juice of 3-4 Kalamansis, seeds discarded- 2 tablespoons
  • Drinking Water- 2.5 cups
  • Sugar- 2 tablespoons (or Honey 2.5 tablespoons)

Instructions

  1. Squeeze the juice out and pass it through a strainer to remove any pulp or seeds
  2. Add the juice to water
  3. Add sugar and stir until dissolved
  4. Add ice and serve chilled

Notes

Enjoyed best as a cooler on a hot summer afternoon

https://onewholesomemeal.com/calamansi-sherbet/

 

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Kimchi Flavoured Brown Rice

Kimchi
Kimchi Flavoured Brown Rice

Thank you, Kimchi for making brown rice flavorful in this one-pot meal.

The KISS rule is totally wasted on me! Now, that I have your attention, I meant the Keep It Simple Stupid rule silly J There are days I go into the kitchen thinking, “Just plain rice boiled with veggies today. A one-pot meal in the rice cooker. That’s it!”.

But then I see the chicken stock peeking from the refrigerator door. Oh and the paneer sitting in the chiller feeling neglected. There is also some rosemary about to breathe it’s last. And kimchi which is fermenting away for the last few months. Suddenly, the simple boiled rice with veggies is not so simple anymore. Well! Though there are a lot of ingredients, it is still really simple to put together. The flavors are just so amazing that one wonders, “Did I just throw everything together into the rice cooker?”.

Also, I am not a big fan of brown rice and hence the need to “complicate” things. Also, the lack of time to make a complete Indian meal points me in the direction of a one-pot meal. You can of course create the same dish with white rice; sticky jasmine rice would taste best. But it is okay to eat healthy-ish once in a while, isn’t it?

Kimchi Rice

Kimchi Rice

 

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Kimchi Flavoured Brown Rice

Ingredients

  • Brown rice (preferably pre-soaked for 30-45 mts)-1 cup (I used brown basmati rice, you could use any or even regular basmati or sticky jasmine rice; remember to adjust the water/stock accordingly based on the kind of rice used)
  • Chicken or vegetable stock-2.5 cups (if you do not have stock at hand, you could use plain water)
  • Chopped kimchi- ¼ cup
  • Kimchi juice- ½ cup (If your kimchi is not fermented enough, you could add some rice vinegar to it to increase volume)
  • Paneer (cottage cheese) cut into cubes and sautéed until light brown-1 cup
  • Green peas- ¼ cup
  • A few sprigs of rosemary
  • Star anise- 1
  • Garlic, chopped fine- 1 teaspoon
  • Oil for cooking kimchi- 1 tablespoon
  • Sesame oil- 1 teaspoon (optional)
  • Salt- 1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Spring onions, chopped fine and baby tomatoes for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add brown rice, stock, paneer, green peas, salt, rosemary and star anise to the rice cooker and cook as usual. You could add as many vegetables as you like- carrots, green beans or even mushrooms (mushrooms would need to be cooked with kimchi separately in the next step and not added to the rice while it is cooking with other vegetables)
  2. In the meantime, heat oil in a deep heavy bottomed pan, add garlic and sauté for about 30 secs on medium high flame and then add chopped kimchi and stir until almost done. This should take not more than 2 minutes. You do not want the kimchi to cook completely as it would cook some more with the steamed hot rice
  3. Add the cooked rice with vegetables and kimchi juice to the semi cooked kimchi and give it a nice stir. At this point you could add 1-teaspoon sesame oil for flavor but this is completely optional based on your palette. Cover and let it sit on a low flame for 2 minutes, adjust salt and serve hot topped with spring onions, baby tomatoes and a side of fried egg. I love to drizzle mine with some garlic chili oil for added flavor

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 175 Nutrition- Manganese/Selenium/ Naturally occurring oils/Fiber/Antioxidants It did wonders for your-Cholesterol/Heart diseases/ Gut/ Obesity/ Arthritis This is “My 8 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/kimchi-flavoured-brown-rice/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Brussels Sprouts – Grilled and Spicy!

Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts - Grilled and Spicy

These grilled and spicy brussels sprouts are the perfect balance between yummy and healthy for this festive season. I promise you it does not get better than this.

For us Indians, the festive season started way back in October this year. There’s been no looking back since. Now, apart from loads of fun and laughter, we all know festivities also bring loads of delicious food. More often than not this festive diet is not very forgiving to the waistline. But I strongly believe, festivals are no fun without delicious food. I mean, “khaana toh banta hai!”, right?

Now, thinking a little long-term, I want to enjoy good food in my life as long as I can. Therefore, I continuously look to balance all the sweet treats with healthy meals. And remember, as I always say – healthy doesn’t need to be boring! These spicy, tangy brussels sprouts are proof of that. Ready in minutes, they are a perfect accompaniment to a simple meal of mixed daal or as sides to some grilled fish. You can even top off your salad with it. Try it now and you can thank me later 😉

Also, do check out my festive season party planning guide and let me know if you find it helpful.

 

Brussels Sprouts

 

Brussels Sprouts

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Grilled Spicy Brussels Sprouts

Ingredients

  • Brussels sprouts, washed and halved- 200gm
  • Onion, small, chopped fine- 1
  • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed- 2 tablespoons (you could add more if you want it tangier)
  • Cayenne pepper (you could just skip it if you do not have some at hand)- ½ teaspoon
  • Sambhar Masala-2 teaspoons
  • Salt- ½ teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil-1 tablespoon + ½ teaspoon

Instructions

  1. Mix well lemon juice, cayenne pepper, salt and sambhar masala in a deep bowl and add the halved Brussels sprouts to this marinade. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes
  2. Heat ½ teaspoon oil in a heavy bottomed pan, add chopped onion and stir until it is translucent, then add the marinated sprouts making sure save the marinade for later
  3. Mix well and cook for 2-3 minutes then transfer to a foil lined baking tray, pour the saved marinade all over the sprouts uniformly followed by 1 tablespoon oil and grill at 180 degrees for 20 minutes or until nice and crispy. Serve hot

Notes

Calories (per serving/per drumstick)- 150 Nutrition- Vitamins B1/B6/C/K, Manganese, Folate, Dietary fiber, Potassium, Phosphorous, Omega-3 fatty acids It did wonders for your-Cholesterol/ Antioxidant/Inflammation/Heart diseases/ Gut/ Obesity This is “My 8 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/grilled-spicy-brussels-sprouts/

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Lunch | 1pm Meal

Chicken in Creamy Sauce | Indian Style

Chicken in Creamy Sauce
Chicken in Creamy Coconut-Tomato Sauce

Remember the vegan take on Methi Malai Matar? Well, today I bring to you the chicken version with this Chicken in Creamy Sauce.

The thing is I loved the methi malai matar and just couldn’t have enough of it. I know, I know I am tooting my own horn, but once in a while isn’t that okay?  Coming back to the dish I loved ;-), I decided to try to “put some meat in it” this time. While the veg version continues to remain my favorite, the rest of the clan preferred and very quickly took to this version with chicken in creamy sauce. This is an indian style recipe and the dish goes great with phulkas or hot rice.

Try this simple chicken recipe. With just a few spices, it gives your usual chicken curry an uplift. I am sure your family will enjoy this variation and you will too!

Chicken

Things To Keep In Mind

For the chicken, I recommend you use the drumsticks or thigh with the skin removed. Make sure to cut the meat into desired size pieces if using the thigh portion. For the creamy texture, you may use coconut milk or cream. Even whipping cream will do the trick.

 

 

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Chicken in Creamy Coconut-Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

  • Chicken drumsticks or thigh, skin removed- 400 gms (if using thigh portion, cut the meat into desired size pieces)
  • Garlic, minced- 6 pods
  • Tomato, chopped fine-2
  • Coconut milk/cream or whipping cream-200 ml
  • Fresh or Dried Basil – 6-8 leaves or ½ teaspoon
  • Oregano- 1 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves- 6-8 pieces
  • Butter-1/2 tablespoon to shallow fry the chicken
  • Salt-1 teaspoon or to taste+ ½ teaspoon
  • Pepper-1/2 teaspoon
  • Oil-1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. In a heavy bottomed pan heat butter. Once the butter is hot reduce heat to medium-high and add the chicken pieces. Add ½ teaspoon salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes until the meat is light golden brown and 80% cooked. Turn off the heat and place the pieces on a paper towel to absorb excess butter
  2. In the same pan add 1-tablespoon oil and add curry leaves and minced garlic when the oil is hot. Stir on medium-high heat for around 2 minutes until the curry leaves and garlic are fragrant, then reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes
  3. Cook, stirring intermittently until the tomatoes are soft, then add oregano and basil. Mix well and stir in the coconut cream
  4. Give it one final mix, bring to boil on high flame, then reduce heat, cover and simmer till the chicken pieces are cooked through. If the mixture starts to get thick, you could add some hot water

Notes

Calories (per serving/per drumstick)- 150 Nutrition- Good fat/ Protein punch/Vitamin C It did wonders for your-Heart, Skin, Hair, Bowels, Immunity This is “My 1pm Meal

https://onewholesomemeal.com/chicken-in-creamy-sauce-indian-style/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Corn and Spinach in Coconut, Tomato Herb Sauce

Corn
Corn and Spinach in Coconut, Tomato Herb Sauce

I had no idea that it is #worldveganday today. However, like so so many weird coincidences happen in my life, I decided to make this vegan corn and spinach mix vegetable on the same day!

My inspiration for this spinach and corn dish was from the traditional Methi Malai Matar. This curry is basically fresh fenugreek leaves cooked with green peas in a creamy white sauce. So here is what I did. I swapped fenugreek with baby spinach, added fresh sweet corn and peas. I cooked it in a tomato and coconut milk sauce – the coconut milk was the perfect substitute for creamy white sauce. Next to this gravy, I added a generous dose of garlic and garnished it with basil, and oregano.

And guess what we paired it with for lunch? Hot wholewheat parathas stuffed with sattu or toasted gram flour. This is a perfect comfort meal for nippy afternoons. The kids devoured it and I have the perfect recipe for world vegan day too. Doesn’t it feel good when things just fall into place sometimes, making all the hard work worthwhile?

Here is a quick 15-minute recipe once again for you from yours truly. Scroll down for the full recipe.

Corn

 

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Spinach-Corn in Coconut-Tomato Herb Sauce

Ingredients

  • Baby spinach or normal spinach- 250 gm
  • Fresh sweet corn-1/2 cup
  • Frozen or fresh green peas-1/2 cup
  • Garlic, minced- 4 pods
  • Tomato, chopped fine-1
  • Coconut milk/cream or whipping cream-100 ml
  • Dried Basil - ¼ teaspoon (or you could use a few leaves of freshly chopped fresh basil)
  • Oregano- ¼ teaspoon
  • Salt-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil-1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. In a heavy bottomed pan heat oil and once hot, add garlic and herbs and stir for half a minute until the herbs start to release their fragrance
  2. Add tomatoes and on medium-high heat stir until they are soft and mushy
  3. Stir in the spinach, corn and peas and mix well. If using normal spinach you would need to blanch it until soft, drain and then add the blanched leaves into the mixture. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook until all the veggies are soft.
  4. Uncover and stir in the cream, salt and give it a final mix before letting it simmer for another 5 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of hot water if the mixture seems too thick and adjust the salt
  5. Turn off the heat and serve hot with a side of rice, roti or parathas

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 150 Nutrition- Fiber/Vitamin A, C, E, B1, B3, B5, B6, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorous, Iron, Protein It does wonders for your-Muscles/Hair/Quality of sleep/Immunity/Anemia/Bones/Gut This is “My 1pm/8pm Meal

https://onewholesomemeal.com/spinach-corn-in-coconut-tomato-herb-sauce/

[kkstarratings]