Black Chick Peas, Pear & Cucumber Salad

For those of you who are worried about Chick Peas causing Gastric problems, try soaking Chick Peas for 12-15 hours and wash away the foam. After boiling Chickpeas, again rinse it to remove any foam. Alternatively, try sprouting Chick Peas to remove gas.

Ingredients

1. Boiled Bengal Gram/Black Chick Peas/Garbanzo Beans – 1/2 cup
2. Asian Pear (peeled and diced) – 1 big
3. Cucumber(peeled and diced) – 1 big
4. Pepper – to taste
5. Salt – to taste

Preparation Method

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.

For lunch, I decided to steam a few veggies along with garlic and chilly flakes. I used frozen broccoli florets, fresh carrots and beans.

This meal is healthy, low in carbohydrates and fat, and overall low in calories.

Spicy Steamed Vegetables

You can add a few pieces of roasted or grilled chicken breasts for added taste, or try it with a boiled and crumbled egg.

Ingredients

1. Diced Carrots – 2 medium ones
2. Broccoli Florets – 2 Cups
3. Chopped Beans – 8 No.s
4. Finley Minced Garlic – 1 tbsp
5. Red Chilly Flakes – 1 tbsp
6. Salt – to taste

Preparation Method

1. Microwave the carrots and beans along with little salt for 2 minutes.
2. Transfer the microwaved veggies and water if any to a non stick pan.
3. Add the broccoli florets, garlic and red chilly flakes. Sprinkle a few drops of water.
4. Cover and cook for 5 minutes on medium low heat.
5. Remove lid, sprinkle some more salt and stir for 2 more minutes so that all excess water evaporates.

Peanuts have no cholesterol. So that’s a really good point. Peanuts also help in lowering LDL Cholesterol and TriGlyceride Levels.

Peanuts belong to the Legume family, contrary to the popular belief that Peanuts belong to the Nut Family.

Peanuts (Kappalandi in Malayalam) is the favorite street snack of India. Whether you go to the beach or park or a hill station, you are sure to find roasted peanuts, steamed peanuts, spicy peanuts and so on.

Boiled Peanut Salad

Here is a yummy salad for all Peanut Lovers.

This is my entry for JFI – Peanuts, event hosted by Pavani of Cook’s Hideout and brain child of Indira of Mahanandi.

Ingredients

1. Raw Peanuts – 1 cup
2. Diced Cucumbers – 2 small
3. Onion (sliced into fine pieces) – 1 small
4. Diced Tomatoes – 1 medium
5. Lemon Juice – 1 tsp
6. Salt – as needed
7. Red Chilly Powder – 1 tsp
8. Pepper Powder – 1/4 tsp
9. Water – as requied

Preparation Method

1. Bring peanuts to a boil in a large saucepan.
2. Reduce heat to medium, add salt and red chilly powder.
3. Cook the peanuts for 30-40 minutes till it becomes soft yet doesn’t lose crunchiness.
4. Drain excess water if any. Add the sliced cucumbers, onion and tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle lemon juice and pepper powder.
6. Mix everything well using your hands.
7. Your nutritious peanut salad is ready.

Peanuts being boiled

Ever since, I have been inspired to try out a salad using strawberries and sun dried tomatoes. I love the red color of this salad.

Strawberry Sun Dried Tomato Salad

Ingredients

1. Strawberries – diced into small cubes
2. Sun Dried Tomatoes – Chopped into small pieces
3. Olives – diced into small pieces
4. Pickled Mushrooms – chopped into small pieces
5. Pickled Cucumbers – diced into small pieces
6. Broken Cashews – 8 to 10 pieces

Preparation Method

1. Mix everything together. The Olive Oil from Sun Dried Tomatoes will be enough to make this salad.

Nevertheless, this is the best salad which I have tasted and it goes well along with Fried Rice or Biriyani or Cutlets or Appam or any Kerala Dish. The beauty of this Onion Salad lies in its simplicity.

Ulli Sarlas - Onion Salad

Ingredients

1. Red Onions (cut into thin long slices) – 3 Medium
2. Green Chillies (cut into small pieces) – 5 Nos.
3. Juice of half a lemon
4. Salt – to taste
5. Pepper – A pinch
6. Vinegar – 2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Mix together all the above ingredients in a bowl.
2. Squeeze the onions well for around 2-3 minutes till it is soft and the onions give a deep pink color. The secret to this recipe is that you have to mix everything well with your hand. The more you squeeze the onions, the better.
3. Serve along with Fried Rice or Biriyani.