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

Roasted Crispy Cauliflower

Crispy Cauliflower
Roasted Crispy Cauliflower

How about some crispy cauliflower on a rainy day?

My crispy cauliflower is a grilled version but draws inspiration from a childhood favorite of mine. As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, cauliflower is a universal favorite in the household. As a child, we used to eat vegetable fritters coated with spiced besan (roasted whole gram flour) batter and deep-fried. Boy! Did they taste heavenly? They would almost always be a part of the grand vegetarian spread or even served as an afternoon snack with some masala chai.

To make this dish, I decided to remove the deep frying. This means you will need an oven for this preparation. Also, I swapped besan for rice flour and included some fine sooji (semolina) for the added crunch. I served it as a snack alongside some oven roasted amaranth crisps. Try this next time for your very quick rainy day fix! Scroll down for the recipe.

Crispy Cauliflower

 

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Roasted Crispy Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • Cauliflower florets (cut into small bite sized portions): 250gm
  • Rice flour: ½ cup
  • Semolina(sooji): ½ cup
  • Red chili sauce (I used a combination of Maggi Hot and Sweet and Sriracha sauce)-2 tablespoons
  • Salt and pepper- ½ teaspoon or to taste
  • Vegetable oil-1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Blanch the cauliflower florets in salted hot boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Do not overcook
  2. Make your rice flour batter by adding ¼ cup warm water to the rice flour and whisking well. Make sure there are no lumps and the batter is thick enough to coat the cauliflower, somewhat thinner than a pancake batter
  3. Add salt, pepper and red chili sauce to the rice batter and mix well
  4. Line a baking tray with foil. Dip the florets in spiced rice flour batter one by one followed by rolling them into a shallow bowl with semolina. Make sure the semolina evenly coats the florets making a uniform layer for consistent cooking. Drizzle some oil on the prepared florets
  5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius and roast until the florets are cooked and crispy, about 20-25 minutes. Halfway through the process, I took them out and doused some more chili sauce for a spicier version
  6. Serve hot as is or with a yogurt/mayo dip on the side. If you are not serving the dish right away, warm it in a preheated oven for 5-7 minutes just before serving

Notes

Calories (per portion)- 88
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/Vitamins C, K, B6/Folate/Potassium/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/Immunity/Heart/Eyes
This is “My 3pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/roasted-crispy-cauliflower/

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Grilled Peppers With Paneer

Grilled Peppers
Grilled Peppers With Paneer

I love stuffed vegetables! And hence the grilled peppers.

If you see my (relatively new) Instagram feed you would notice these grilled peppers are my third version and I have a dozen more up my sleeves. Stuffed vegetables are just so versatile, bursting with flavors and almost a complete meal in itself. When I saw the freshest, juiciest baby peppers in the wet market my mind started cooking instantly. In this recipe, the peppers are stuffed with paneer. It is a quick fix meal with a slight summery, minty twist. Give it a shot and do not forget to share reviews.

 

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Grilled Peppers With Paneer

Ingredients

  • Baby bell peppers (you could use larger ones too; baking time is more than baby peppers)-10-12
  • Paneer (cottage cheese) mashed- 1 cup (more if you are using bigger peppers)
  • Fresh mint leaves chopped fine-½ cup + 1 teaspoon
  • Onion (medium sized) chopped fine-1
  • Carrot (medium sized) grated- ½
  • Tomato (small) chopped fine- 1
  • Green chili (optional) chopped fine- 1
  • Amchoor (dry mango) powder-1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder- ½ teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon
  • Salt (preferably rock salt)- 1.5 teaspoons or to taste
  • Oil (for best results avoid using coconut oil as it doesn’t go well with paneer and mint flavours)-1 tablespoon+ 1 teaspoon

Instructions

  1. Heat 1-tablespoon oil in a flat-bottomed non-stick pan. If you are using a regular pan you would need to double up on the amount of oil
  2. Add cumin seeds when the oil is hot and when the seeds start to splutter, reduce the heat to medium and add onions and cook until translucent
  3. Add chopped mint leaves and chili and stir for 2-3 minutes, then add tomatoes, amchoor and coriander powder and mix for another 2-3 minutes
  4. Add mashed paneer and grated carrots to the spice mixture and cook on low heat for 5 minutes until all the herb and spice flavors are well incorporated. Add salt, mix well and set aside
  5. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray with foil. With a brush lightly brush the foil with some oil
  6. Cut off the tops of peppers and discard seeds and membranes. Blanch in boiling hot water for 3 minutes and drain well making sure no water remains inside. Invert and keep aside for a few minutes to ensure all water has drained
  7. Brush oil on the outside of all the dried peppers and stuff the prepared paneer mixture into them. Grill in the preheated oven at 180 degrees for 15-20 minutes checking intermittently. When a sweet smell of sweet papers starts to fill your kitchen you know they are done
  8. Garnish with chopped mint leaves and serve.

Notes

Calories (for four grilled peppers)- 65
Nutrition- Vitamins C, B6,K/ Potassium/Magnesium/Copper/Folate/Manganese/Iron
It does wonders for your- Immunity, Bone health, Nerves, Muscles, Eyes, Digestion, Blood and Hemoglobin
This is “My 8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/grilled-peppers-with-paneer/

[kkstarratings]

 

Categories
Afternoon Snack | 3pm Meal

Rooh Afza Popsicles With Coconut Water

Rooh Afza Popsicles
Rooh Afza Popsicles With Strawberry and Coconut Water

Hey! It is summer and the world is making popsicles and I am following suit!

A few weeks back I saw the very talented Mallika Basu post an extremely alluring picture of a Rooh Afza popsicles on her Instagram feed. What a genius idea to make a popsicle out of this extremely refreshing summer cooler! For the uninitiated, let me bring you into my corner. Rooh Afza is a brightly pink coloured concentrated fruit squash a lot of us grew up either loving or despising in India. Usually used to make a cooling drink to beat the Indian summer heat, over time Rooh Afza has been used to make milkshakes, desserts, cookies, and cocktails. So, Rooh Afza popsicles are just another example of the versatility of this squash.

And well I just had to try it out. However, because I have a certain militant in the house who isn’t as big a fan of Rooh Afza as I am, I made this two-layered democratic popsicle for universal acceptance at home.

Honestly, there is really no right or wrong way to make this. Just play around with the ingredients based on your taste and fancies. Pour it all into a popsicle mold, and forget about it for a few hours! A refreshing mood lifter would be ready and waiting for you to beat the afternoon heat and slump.

If you have any favorite Rooh Afza recipes, do share them in the comments below. Or even better maybe recommend what I should make next!

 

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Roohafza-Strawberry-Coconut Water Popsicle

Ingredients

  • Fresh strawberries (washed and chopped)- 1 cup and 1 tablespoon sliced
  • Coconut water- ½ cup
  • Greek yogurt or thick regular yogurt- ½ cup
  • Roohafza (see here for description- https://www.amazon.com/Hamdard-Rooh-Sharbat-Syrup-fl-oz/dp/B00D7D1FHY) - 2 tablespoons or more if you like the popsicle to be sweeter
  • Chopped pistachios and/or other nuts of your choice- 3 tablespoons ( I mixed the nuts with other ingredients before pouring into the mould but if you like you could just sprinkle on the periphery to have a crunchy base
  • Dried rose petals (optional)- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Blend the chopped strawberries in a high-speed blender (I used my nutribullet) along with coconut water and set aside. You could add some sugar or honey if the strawberries are not very sweet
  2. Blend the yogurt and roohafza with a wire whisk and set aside. You could also blend all the ingredients together and pour into the mould. I preferred to make two layers, one light with strawberry flavoured coconut water and another slightly denser one with yogurt and roohafza
  3. Pour the mixture from step one halfway into the mould. Place thinly sliced strawberries followed by chopped nuts and the mixture from step two
  4. Finish off with a topping of chopped pisatchios and dried rose petals
  5. Freeze in the freezer overnight and serve as an afternoon snack

Notes

Calories (per popsicle)- 25
Nutrition- Vitamin C/ Folate/Magnesium/Manganese/Calcium
It does wonders for your- Immunity/Skin/Heart/Stress/Muscle tension/Detox
This is “My 3pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/rooh-afza-popsicles-coconut-water/

[kkstarratings]

 

 

 

 

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Soba Noodles in Hot Peanut Sauce

Soba Noodles
Soba Noodles With Peanut Sauce

Some days you have all the time to linger over a meal and serve it piping hot, right off the stove. And for the other not so leisurely ones, you have soba noodles!

Traditionally served cold, these are so easy to put together and perfect pick me up for dinner on a sultry summer evening. Though today these noodles are popular in Japan, I read that they actually originated in China. Let me know if you have heard anything different. It always interests me to find a little bit more about the food we eat. What about you?

Coming back to the recipe, I have also shared a detailed recipe for the peanut sauce that adds the extra zing to this dish. One thing to keep in mind is to not overcook the noodles. I recommend checking intermittently to avoid this. Saving the best tip for last, team it up with a glass of sake and these are totally unbeatable. I got you at sake, didn’t I? Well! What else could one ask for when the temperatures are soaring! Try this recipe and you can thank me later.

If you want a colder version of the soba noodles, try the soba noodles salad recipe.

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Soba Noodles in Hot Peanut Sauce

Ingredients

  • Soba noodles (green or black. I prefer green but either is great)- 150gm
  • Carrot (peeled and cut into thin strips)-1
  • Purple cabbage (cut into thin strips)-1 cup or you could add regular cabbage or lettuce for the crunch
  • Peanut butter (normal or reduced fat)-2 tablespoons
  • Low sodium light soy sauce- 1 tablespoon
  • Honey- 2 tablespoons
  • Rice wine vinegar (not to be confused with rice wine or mirin)-1.5 tablespoons
  • Sesame oil- 2 tablespoons
  • Chili-garlic sauce (or Sriracha sauce)- 1 tablespoon or to taste (make sure not to add too much of it as it is quite salty and combined with soy sauce might make the dish quite high on salt
  • Garlic (minced)- 1 clove
  • Ginger (chopped)- 1 tablespoon
  • Spring Onions (chopped fine)- ½ cup
  • Toasted sesame seeds- 3 tablespoons
  • Hard boiled egg (optional)-1

Instructions

  1. Boil the soba noodles as per packet instructions, drain and place under running tap water to stop the cooking process. The noodles do not take very long (5 -7 minutes at most) to cook so check intermittently making sure not to overcook
  2. Mix all the ingredients for sauce (number 4 -11) in a small bowl and keep aside
  3. Once the noodles have cooled down add the chopped vegetables (except spring onions) and mix with the prepared sauce
  4. Garnish with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve with a side of hard-boiled eggs. You could also add roasted peanuts for an added crunch
  5. This is a complete meal in itself but you could also add cooked and diced tandoori-chicken to the noodles or even pan-fried tofu (see here for an easy tofu recipe-https://onewholesomemeal.com/2017/07/08/tangy-spiced-tofu-bites/) for an added protein punch

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 120
Nutrition- Protein/Fiber/ Vitamin B-1/Magnesium/Zinc/Potassium/Iron
It does wonders for your- Muscles/Gut/ Heart/Bone health/Metabolism
This is “My 8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/soba-noodles-in-hot-peanut-sauce/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal Lunch | 1pm Meal

Vegetable Stew With Sprouts and Bottle Gourd

Vegetable Stew
Vegetable Stew with Sprouts and Bottle Gourd

In this age of globalization and greenhouse farming we often forget the importance of eating local and eating seasonally. A vegetable stew is however a versatile dish you can make with vegetables that are in season.

Let’s accept it, it is kind of tempting to be able to eat our favorite produce all year round, isn’t it? For example, each time I find myself picking up a cauliflower these days, I have to remind myself that growing up the only time I would get to eat them were winters. That said, I do ignore my “inner voice” sometimes and go ahead and pick broccoli’s fairer cousin (yes, I belong to the country obsessed with light skin, even in the 21st century India, being fair is still considered lovely 🙁 ; but that is a discussion for another day and another forum).

Coming back to eating seasonally, there are days when the heat is killing you so badly that all you want is a liquid diet (the virgin variety ;)). But liquids are not filling enough and with two hyperactive monkeys to keep up with, one does need a fair share of carbs and proteins. On one such day, this vegetable stew with sprouts and bottle gourd happened. Bottle gourd is such an underrated vegetable it makes me sad. It is packed with nutritional goodness just right for summer and so easy to whip up. Quite a light vegetable in itself, with some added lentils it makes for a more filling meal. Do give this recipe a chance for hot summer days and you are sure to return for a second helping. I paired it with a small portion of mint-mushroom pilau (another super easy recipe) and chilled buttermilk.

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Sprouts-Bottle Gourd Stew

Ingredients

  • Bottle gourd(chopped) – 250 gm (or 2 cups)
  • Medium sized tomato- 1 (increase it to 2 if you would like a tangier flavor)
  • Green chili- 1
  • Whole fenugreek seeds- ½ teaspoon
  • Sprouted whole black gram and whole moong beans- ½ cup
  • Turmeric-1/2 teaspoon
  • Curry leaves- 8-10
  • Garlic (minced)- 4
  • Salt-1 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker (or a deep skillet) and add whole fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Make sure you reduce the flame as soon as the fenugreek seeds start to splutter as overheating imparts a bitter flavor to the seeds which impacts the overall taste of your dish
  2. Add minced garlic and stir for 2 minutes and add the bottle gourd, green chili, turmeric, sprouted lentils and salt. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes or until the bitter gourd is soft and starts to leave water. If using a skillet, cover and cook for 20 minutes
  3. Turn off the heat and wait for the pressure cooker to release all the steam before opening. At this stage the stew appears very watery
  4. Turn on the heat and add chopped tomatoes and cook on medium-high for another 10 minutes till a relatively drier consistency is achieved
  5. Serve hot with steamed rice or mushroom-mint pilau

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 65
Nutrition- Water/Folates/Vitamin C/B3/B6/Calcium/Iron/Zinc/Manganese/Magnesium
It does wonders for your- Nerves/Gut/Skin/Sleep/Bones
This is “My 1pm/8pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/vegetable-stew-sprouts-bottle-gourd-stew/

[kkstarratings]

Categories
Dinner | 8pm Meal

Spiced Grilled Stuffed Eggplant

Bharwa Baingan or stuffed eggplant is a traditional Indian dish typically served as a starter and at times even in the main course.

As with most Indian foods, there are more than a couple of ways to prepare the filling which is then stuffed into the cored (generally baby) eggplant and pan-fried or curried. Although it sounds delicious, it tends to load up on the calories making it an occasional indulgence. But not anymore! Inspired by the healthier Greek and Italian versions of this dish, I decided to give the traditional Indian version a twist. I must say the results were absolutely delightful. You could serve it as an appetizer or eat it as a light main course too. Enjoy!

For more eggplant recipes, why don’t you try Dahi Baigan or Litti Chokha?

 

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Spiced Grilled Eggplant

Ingredients

  • Medium sized eggplants (long variety)- 2
  • Medium sized potato (boiled)- 1
  • Medium sized onion (chopped fine)-1
  • Medium sized tomato (chopped fine)-1
  • Green chilies (chopped fine)-2
  • Garlic pods (chopped fine)- 6-8
  • Fresh coriander (chopped fine)-1/2 cup
  • Roasted peanuts (pounded to grits)-1 cup
  • Garam masala- ½ teaspoon
  • Red chili powder (optional)- ½ teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder- ½ teaspoon
  • Amchoor (dried mango powder) or freshly squeezed lime juice- 1 teaspoon
  • Salt-1.5 teaspoon or to taste
  • Oil- 1 tablespoon

Instructions

  1. Cut the eggplants lengthwise and scoop out the centre leaving ¼ inch thick shells to hold the stuffing while grilling. Chop the scooped eggplant
  2. Heat oil in a skillet and add chopped garlic followed by red chili and turmeric powder. Stir on medium heat for a minute and add chopped onion. Saute until onions are translucent and add boiled and mashed potato. Mix well and add the tomatoes and garam masala. Cook on low heat stirring intermittently making sure the mixture does not stick to the sides. The entire step should take 7-10 minutes
  3. Add peanut grits, green chilies, fresh coriander, amchoor powder and salt and mix well. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes on low heat
  4. In the meantime preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking tray with an aluminum foil
  5. Rub the eggplant shells both inside and outside with some oil and a pinch of salt. This will impart a smoky flavor to the shells as it grills. Stuff the prepared mixture into the shells and grill for 20 minutes or until the shells are soft and brown
  6. Serve hot as is or with a side of steamed rice

Notes

Calories (per serving)- 134
Nutrition- Fiber/Vitamin C/B6/Phytonutrients
It does wonders for your- Gut/Immunity/Heart/Blood Cholesterol
This is “My 8 pm Meal”

https://onewholesomemeal.com/stuffed-eggplant-spiced-grilled/

[kkstarratings]