Showing posts with label Appetizers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Appetizers. Show all posts

Monday, June 16, 2014

Baked Beets with Lemon Butter Sauce


Growing up, my home took the modern/western approach to cooking. Effortless cooking was the norm and that meant less prep work. As a result vegetables like beetroot that required peeling and were hard to chop were rarely on the weekday menu.

After spending several years in hostel, away from home and with my health freak hub S - the variety of veggies I take in has sky rocketed. Now, managing a full time job with a 2 hour commute each way - I can hardly get time to exercise. So the only thing I do is eat healthy and eat right. That means having home cooked meals most of the times, cooking fresh vegetables, going colorful and finding time to do all this!

There are days, when I stick to the simple melagu rasam to wash down the stomach and breathe easy, and other days that are one pot meals and subjis with a truck load of vegetables. On days with bad commutes or days when I just need to do something mindlessly to unwind - I pick up vegetables like beets.



Here's my quick hack at delicious beets - 

Listen to never-before-heard songs and peel and chop beets into discs. Toss them in a bowl with melted butter, salt and pepper and place in a baking pan/tray over aluminum foil. Bake at 350F for 20 mins or until tender, remove promptly and serve hot. These can be had as appetizers or snacks, and taste yummier with a side of lemon butter sauce (nothing fancy, just whisk salted butter and few drops of lemon juice together)

The beets simply crumble & melt in your mouth, leaving you wanting more!

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Spinach Cucumber Soup

Eating significantly smaller portions than what I am used to gives me a nagging headache. I usually last 4 meals before I give up and remind myself I should start eating normally n just exercise regularly.

Who am I kidding, Right? We all know how that one ends... And it's not even New Years yet.

Anyway, green has a calming effect on me. And it also makes for a pretty colorful bowl of soup.

So, Monday night I served Spinach Cucumber Soup !

Monday, December 3, 2012

Chayote Corn Soup (Pretty Spicy)

Soup week resurfaces every time our bathroom scale hits a never seen before high. Yes, it happened again this Sunday!



We started our Saturday with a cup of green tea with lemon n honey. (Don't laugh! There is no harm in believing that all those years of bad eating & lack of exercise can be nullified with a glass of tea!)

And, to intensify the regime - we slept through most of Sunday as someone once told us that lack of sleep makes you bloat.

Lastly, while doing our weekly groceries - we stayed clear of the chips, cheese and cake aisles.

Good so far? :)

We still ended up with a fairly fat bill buying just fruits & vegetables. A lot of first time buys this time - including Chayote (Chow Chow), Butternut Squash & Asparagus.

Sunday menu was Chayote Corn Soup. Don't judge me for thinking that the Chayote would be perfect to play the part of a grumpy mean vegetable villain in a children's cartoon. Doesn't it look like it would eat you up, if you don't bite into it first? :P


Saturday, October 13, 2012

Beetroot Soup

Having made soups for a while, I noticed how some vegetables always fight the rest and take over the flavor n color of the resulting bowl. From pictures in my previous posts you'd have seen carrot and zucchini soup look almost the same. That got quite boring, honestly.

Being a vegetarian, I pride myself in making a colorful meal. Color is almost synonymous with deliciousness (in my mind atleast!). So I set out to make this brilliant purplish-deep-maroon-beetroot soup.

While making it, I couldn't help but think how AWESOME a saree in Beetroot color with a white n gold zari would look. Pair it with some awesome Kemp Temple Jewelry and you have a stunning outfit! I dressed my soup in all the colors I'd love to see in a saree :)
Now, off to the recipe....



Thursday, August 30, 2012

Spicy Zucchini Soup

This happens to be Soup week, atleast in my home. My friend's blog Cinnamons & Clove, I am beginning to experiment with vegetables in the kitchen. However, I still hunt for recipes online that I modify and spice up the way I like.

I chanced upon this recipe on NY Times and modified it to suit the Indian tongue. It tasted like Maggi Masala noodles, and we loved it!


Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Carrot, Ginger & Cilantro Soup

I dream about food. A lot! On some days - the only thing that helps me get through the day is browsing and slow cooking recipes while deciding what to make for dinner. It's funny how therapeutic cooking is for me. :)

Yesterday, I saw on FB that a friend had posted that they had Corn on the Cob and Carrot Soup for dinner. I read that very briefly while switching subway lines, but swear I couldn't stop thinking about it since. Thanks to a Saturday well spent (at the local Farmers market and Wegmans) - the fridge was well stocked and I had all the ingredients I thought I needed to make that much wanted Soup!


Sunday, August 5, 2012

Cheesy Spinach Dip

Here's one more from the Party Menu - an easy & quick Spinach Dip. I like serving baked appetizers as it's convenient. It's easy to store in the oven until your guests arrive, and the dish will stay warm even when prepared hours in advance. Turn the temperature up for a few minutes before serving, and its as good as it gets!



You may also like to try

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...