[VeganMoFo 2016] Spinach and Green Onion Mashed Potatoes Recipe

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I am still in a state of shock after what happened yesterday. How did it happen? How could it happen? I am not an American to understand the nuances of the Electoral Collage system in detail but I do know that Hate Cannot Win! Sadly it did. Way back in July, Michael Moore predicted Trump's win and gave 5 reasons in plain simple english . I happen to read it today and yes, it made perfect sense, though it is too late now. Here's hoping the next 4 years will be remembered for growth, progress and spreading positivity instead of spewing hatred on each other.

Coming to today's recipe, the title says it all - Green Mashed Potatoes! I saw Mark Bittman make this dish with dandelion greens which I conveniently with some spinach and spring onions. Any kind of greens will work and do make this for upcoming Thanksgiving to surprise your family & friends. Bon Appetit. 

..after 9 years, it is time to slow down + Basic Curried Corn Chowder recipe

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Today's post: celebrating 9 years of food blogging; why it is time to slow down and be your best; a basic curried corn chowder recipe by Mark Bittman to cure those 5pm hunger pangs.

“If you’re having difficulty coming up with new ideas, then slow down. For me, slowing down has been a tremendous source of creativity. It has allowed me to open up — to know that there’s life under the earth and that I have to let it come through me in a new way. Creativity exists in the present moment. You can’t find it anywhere else.”  - Natalie Goldberg (Source)

Simple Indian Beetroot Salad Recipe

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Learn how to make a simple Indian beetroot salad, a vegan recipe with steamed beets and lightly spiced with cumin powder and lemon juice dressing. Another easy variation is this roasted beet salad in yogurt dressing. These two salad recipes can be served as side dishes, main course-salads or just as healthy snacks.

Noodle (Pasta) Salad with Ginger Peanut Dressing Recipe

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Lots of raw, fresh vegetables along with a smooth, creamy dressing and of course noodles is what makes this salad sumptuous and a meal in itself. This is one of the recipes I bookmarked when I was subscribed to Vegetarian Times magazine while in US. I love those stash of old magazines so much that I got them along with me back to India. Every now and then, I flip through them for inspiration on what to try out and today's recipe is a result of one such browsings!

Enjoy..

{Healthy Recipes} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

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To make home-made burger patties was on my to-do-list for a really long time. Basically I wanted to have a healthy alternative for my "junk food" cravings when I tend to pick up a Mc Aloo burger from Mc Donalds near by, though its a known fact that those patties were frozen for atleast 3 months before they are microwaved and served up - as fresh to the hungry customers!

I truly believe, a burger can be healthy and tasty and a meal by itself. Its beauty lies in the fact that how fresh are the "ingredients", not just loaded with easy carbs from boiled potatoes and extra calories from melted cheese. Intentionally I avoided both those ingredients in today's recipe. Yes, there is no potato and no cheese or diary. How would have these tasted, you ask? Let me tell you that the proof is my mother who in general avoids all kinds junk food (unlike me) devoured on the burger I made for her, fresh out of the pan. :-). That for me, is an ultimate testament that these were tasty will be made again..and again..

Usage of rice bran oil is not new in our household. Since we moved to India from US, I have started to incorporate more of rice bran oil (+ olive oil) and stopped cooking with any other refined oils. I tasted it for the first when a good friend of mine made some bhajjias at home, using rice bran oil. There was not even a hint of after taste and I couldn't even spot any difference. Its high smoking point 490°F (255°C) makes it well suited for any kind of frying, roasting etc. An added advantage is also that compared to other vegetable oils, foods fried in rice bran oil tend to absorb up to 20% less fat during the cooking process. I like that!. :-)

..spill the beans...

Now, without any further ado, lets jump into today's recipe - Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries. Shall we? Below are few action shots and then comes the recipe.. Enjoy!

.....beans mashed, veggies cut.. 

..this is a cool trick to make perfect, round patties.Oil lightly insides of a cap, press the bean mixture and unmold. 

...shallow fry them on low heat until both sides are crisped up...

Sending this as an entry to Healthy Vegan Fridays and The Wellness Weekend.

{Recipe} Vegan Red Bean and Oats Burger with Sweet Potato Fries

Makes 8 to 9 medium sized patties

Ingredients:

2 cups of boiled/canned red beans (rajma beans) - Any kind of legumes work for this recipe. If using canned, thoroughly wash and rinse the beans.
1 medium green bell pepper
1/2 onion
1 tomato
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 green onions
2 small carrots
1 bunch of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves
1/2 cup of instant oats
1 tsp cumin powder
1/2 (or more) tsp chilli powder (or 1-2 tsp sriracha/hot sauce)
salt - to taste
few tbsp of rice bran oil - for shallow frying

Preparation:

1. To cook any dry beans, soak them overnight in filtered water. Then pressure cook them on HIGH heat for 10-12 minutes (or) until cooked. Let the pressure be released and drain the water. they must be fork tender.

2. In a bowl, mash the beans.

3. Cut the veggies - bell pepper, tomatoes, onion and green onions (both white and green parts) into very fine pieces. If you have a food processor, dice them all in 1 or 2 turns. Peel and shred carrots. Chop cilantro leaves.

4. Add these cut veggies to the beans and oats. Mix well and season with chilli powder (or hot sauce), cumin powder and salt. Refrigerate for atleast 30 mins for the flavors to blend. A cool trick to make perfect, round patties is to - lightly oil the insides of a bottle cap, press the bean mixture and shake a little to unmold. Since we are not adding any binding agent such as eggs or flax seed water, freeze the bean patties for atleast an hour or until ready to use. these can be easily frozen in plastic containers for many months, if you wish to make a big batch.

5. Once ready, heat few teaspoons of oil in a pan and cook each patty on low heat for 5-6 mins on each side. Carefully flip them on each side once or twice for even cooking. Drain them paper towels.

6. How to assemble the burger: Spread some eggless mayo on the bottom of a burger bun, then place the bean patty, some mayo again, spinach or lettuce leaves, onion, tomato and top with other half of bun! Tadaa!.. the ultimate red bean and oats burger is ready to be be devoured.

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...a burger is never complete without some (sweet potato) fries on the side..Isn't it?

Here is a simple recipe for Golden Sweet Potato Fries to go along with the burgers -

Ingredients:

6-7 sweet potatoes
rice brain oil - for frying
salt and red chilli flakes to sprinkle on top

{Optional sprinklers} - garlic powder, onion powder, dried/fresh herbs such as rosemary, basil, thyme, sage etc.

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Cut them lengthwise into thin strips. Place them in water. If you want to use them after a few hours (like I had to), cover and refrigerate the entire contents along with water.

2. Heat oil in a kadai. Once its hot, reduce the flame to LOWand add the sweet potato strips. Fry them in small batches for 5-6 minutes. Once they are light golden in color, drain onto paper towels to remove excess oil and immediately sprinkle some salt & red chilli flakes on the top. Serve.

This post is a part of Healthy & Tasty Recipe Contest with Fortune Rice Bran Health Oil & BlogAdda.com

This is Recipe 17 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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until next recipe,

{Healthy Salads} Black-Eyed Pea and Stewed Tomato Salad Recipe

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"According to the Spanish proverb, four persons are wanted to make a good salad: a spendthrift for oil, a miser for vinegar, a counsellor for salt and a madman to stir it all up." John Gerard

Salads are great meals. They are quick, easy to assemble with almost anything that's readily available in the refrigerator and magical as well, especially when fresh vegetables are at their peak during the season.

But, unfortunately - "A lot of people get into what you'd call a salad rut, making the same salad over and over, or using one type of dressing for every type of leaf" says Chris Mayhew, director of marketing at Dole. (Source). I think that's partially true when we attempt to make a salad in its true definition - a green, veggies, protein and a dressing. Its fun to think out of the box and mix & match sometimes.

Today's recipe - Black-Eyed Pea and Stewed Tomato Salad is a little unconventional when it comes to how its made. You don't need always a heavy blue cheese or ranch dressing to bind everything together. Some tomato juice from the stewed tomatoes is heated up with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper which makes up the dressing. Its just d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s. Black eyed peas (or any type of beans) are used for that protein kick. Best of all, its completely vegan and kid friendly. :-)

Enjoy and make some today!

peeled, stewed  canned cherry tomatoes.

boiled black eyed peas

the dressing - olive oil, tomato juice, salt and paprika

{Recipe}  Black-Eyed Pea and Stewed Tomato Salad 

Adapted from Vegetarian Times
Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup dried black-eyed peas (or use drained and rinsed canned peas)
1 small onion, finely diced
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
1 small bell pepper, finely diced
1 green onion, both white and green parts thinly sliced
4-5 stewed tomatoes along with their juice. (I used cherry tomatoes)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika (or chilli powder)
salt & black pepper - to taste
chopped cilantro/coriander leaves - for garnishing

Preparation:

How to prepare dried beans: Soak 1 cup of dried black peas for 6 to 8 hours in filtered water. Pressure cook with enough water on HIGH heat for 9-12 minutes. Let the pressure be released naturally and there you have peas ready for use. I normally cook atleast 5-6 cups and freeze them. When required, all you have to do is thaw them a bit.

In a bowl, combine black-eyed peas, onion, carrots, bell pepper, and green onions and keep aside.

Drain the can of stewed tomatoes. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to black-eyed-pea mixture. 

In a small saucepan, warm olive oil, few tbsp of tomato juice and paprika. Bring it to a boil, turn off and pour over black-eyed-pea mixture. Stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve immediately or refrigerate. It tastes good as a cold salad too. 

Note: My canned tomatoes were quite acidic so I skipped adding any vinegar (as per original recipe) or lemon juice. Optionally you can add one of them as well.

Sending this as an entry to Lisa's My Legume Love Affair # 56 who has taken the hosting baton from Susan from this month onwards. Also to The Wellness Weekend and Healthy Vegan Fridays.

..salad is ready..who wants to eat some!...

This is Recipe 13 added to my 2013 Recipe Archive. Check out the rest of the recipes too!

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Kolhapuri Teekha Aloo (Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste) #FoodieExchange

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Potatoes cooked with Kolhapuri Thecha [chilli-garlic spice paste]

I love surprises, especially when it involves 'food'.

Last month, a "FoodieExchange" was organised by Charis of Culinary Storm where each of the participating bloggers from different parts of India are paired together and send each other a goodie bag filled with little surprises.

...and here what I received from "the moody foodie" (jeetendra), a blogger from Maharashtra.

[L-R] - Kolhapuri Thecha, Sindhi papad, Kutti (a maharashtrian sweet made with wheat flour, ghee, sugar & nuts)

I quite liked the taste of "kolhapuri thecha" and today's recipe is the simplest way to make use of it - with potatoes and spring onions added for a herby feel. This paste so versatile that am sure it can be used in every and anything. - even in these, to add a spicy, indianized note. I can't wait to try. :-)

"the thecha".

..devoured on it - one bite at a time!..

 Below are the bloggers who participated in this round of "Foodie Exchange" -

Deeps of Naughty Curry
Madhuri of Cook Curry Nook
Sarita of The Clean Toothpick
Pratiksha of Honeyed Pandemonium
Jeetendra of Moody Foodie
Apeksha of Veggie Wiz
Poorna of Presented by P
Ameya of Kitty in the Kitchen
Sid of Chef at Large
Ruchira of The Great Cookaroo
Geetha of Fragrant Kitchen
Renuka of Pinch of Salt
Marsha of The Harried Cook
Sangeeta of Health Food Desi Videshi
Rekha of My Tasty Curry
Nikhil of Nonchalant Gourmand

It was so good that me and my laws polished it off and had to make again for Mr.Husband's dinner.

{Recipe} Spicy Potatoes With Kolhapuri Spice paste

Ingredients:

4 medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled and cubed.
3 bunches of spring onion, trimmed to remove roots (if any) and finely chopped leaves & white bulb as well.
(1 tbsp of kolhapuri thecha masala + 2 tbsp of olive oil) --> Mix well. Note: Reduce or increase the amount based on the spice level you can handle. I would recommend add little by little.
1 tsp olive oil
salt - to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a flat, shallow pan and add potato cubes. Cover and cook until half done.

2. Add chopped spring onion leaves and bulb (the white part). Mix and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium-low heat.

3. Now, add the (thecha + oil) mixture and season with salt. Gently toss until potatoes are coated. Cook until done.

4. Serve with rice or roti. Tastes best when eaten hot.

until next time,