Mac & Cheese , Seasoned Green beans and Fresh Salad with fresh Guacamole dip

The above title was today's lunch!. It is very healthy and delicious meal. I wanted to make Vighnesh and Arushi eat avocado somehow so I tried this guacamole and finally I am successful!.

Below are the recipes of the complete lunch plate. Enjoy and stay healthy.

1) Guacamole Dip :

Ingredients: Serving size 2 adults

Avocado - 1

Tomato - 1/2 finely chopped

Onion - 1 Tbs, finely chopped

Lime Juice of 1/2 lime

Tabasco sauce - 1/4 tbs or less ( optional)

Method:

•  Cut the avocado in to half; lengthwise.
•  Run the spoon close to the skin of avocado to remove the flesh of avocado.
• Remove the pit.
• Mash the avocado until your desired smoothness. Add the tomato and onion.
• Add the lime juice, salt and pepper and stir well.
•  Keep it aside.

Fresh Salad :

Chop all your favorite veggies to get your daily serving of vegetables.
I used : Thinly sliced carrots, couple of lettuce leaves, Thinly sliced red radishes, tomato and zucchini and some sprouted mung beans.

 

Seasoned Green Beans:

Recipe is here

And Finally Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:
Macaroni elbows pasta - 1 cup
Butter - 2 Tbs
Flour - 2 Tbs
Milk - 1 cup
Sharp cheddar cheese; shredded
Salt and pepper to taste
Yellow Mustard  - 1 tbs
Grated Zucchini - 1/2 cup
Breadcrumbs - 1/2 cup
Method :
• Cook pasta according to the package instruction.
• Meantime, heat butter in a pan, add the flour whisking continuously.
• Add milk and keep stirring to avoid lumps.
• Add the mustard, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of cheese, Mix it properly.
• Add the cooked pasta, zucchini.
• Pour this mixture into baking pan.
• Heat the oven to 350F
• Melt 1 tbs of butter and add the crumbs. mix it well until all get wet.
• Spread this over the pasta in the baking pan.
• Keep it in the lower rack and bake it for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let it cook for 5 minutes before serving.
• You can serve this pasta with pasta sauce.

All put it together :

Our  healthy lunch plate Looked like this 

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Mac & Cheese , Seasoned Green beans and Fresh Salad with fresh Guacamole dip

Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa

Ingredients: Serves 2 adults

Cannallini beans - 1 cup; rinsed and drained ( from can)
Red Kidney beans - 1 cup; rinsed and drained ( from can)
Black beans - 1 cup ; rinsed and drained ( from can)
1 can  15 oz diced tomato
Vegetable broth - 3 cups
Frozen baby Lima beans - 1 cup
Green bell pepper - 1/2 cup chopped
Onion - 1/2 cup chopped
Chilly powder - 1 tbs or to taste
Minced Pickled jalapeno - 2 tbs
Garlic - 2 cloves minced
Cumin powder - 1 Tbs
Coriander  powder - 1 Tbs
Oregano - 2 Tbs
Quinoa - 1/3 cup
Cheese - 1/2 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot sauce - 1 Tbs
Cilantro - Hand full

Lot of ingredients ? ah! .. don't you worry, it is very easy to make and you will love the taste!

Easy steps :

1. Combine all the ingredients except quinoa, cheese, salt and pepper
2. bring it to boil on medium heat for 45 minutes stirring occasionally.
3. Add quinoa; cover and cook for 10 more minutes
4. Add salt and pepper according to your taste
5. Just before serving, add cheese and garnish with cilantro.

Serving options :

• You can serve with rice
• You can serve with bread
• I made bread sandwich with lettuce and cucumber . Stuffed with this delicious chili inside .It was yum!
• OR you can eat just the chili.

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Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa

Vegetable Couscous quesadilla and Tomatillo salsa

Ingredients for Vegetable Couscous quesadilla :

Whole grain tortilla or Chapathi
Couscous - 3/4 cup
Vegetables of your choice - I used : Beans, carrot, peas, corn and green bell pepper,
Cheese - of your choice - I used: Sharp Cheddar cheese, Grated
Salt - to taste
Pepper - to taste
Olive oil - 1 Tbs
Cumin - 1 tbs

Ingredients for Tomatillo Salsa:

Tomatillos - 4,  husked and rinsed
Jalapeno Chile - 1
Pepper - 1 tbs, freshly ground
Garlic -  2 cloves
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbs of Salt
Basil or cilantro - 1/2 cup roughly chopped

Easy Steps: 

Salsa:

1. Preheat the broiler, place tomatillos on cooking sheet.
2. Turn tomatillos when they start to blister and blacken.
3. Remove from broiler once the other side blisters, and let cool
4. Remove the blackened spots. 
5. Grind the tomatillos , jalapeno, lime juice, salt and garlic to make chunky puree.
6. Place a puree in a bowl, add chopped cilantro or basil and stir to mix.
7. Cover and let stand until ready to serve.

Quesadilla:

1. Cook the couscous according to the package instruction. OR check my other recipe for cooking instruction. and set aside
2. Chop the vegetables.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add  cumin.
4. Add all other vegetables and cook on a  low flame until tender.
5. add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Now add the cooked couscous and mix well.
7. Place tortilla or chapathi on the pancake pan. Turn the heat to low.
8. Spread desired amount of cheese on and couscous mixture and freshly prepared tomatillo salsa.
9. Spread another round of cheese if you like.
10. Place another tortilla carefully over the stuffing's.
11. Once the below tortilla turns brown, carefully flip to cook another side.
12. Once the other side of the quesadilla turns brown, take it out from the heat.
13. Run the pizza cutter in the middle of the quesadilla to divide.
14. Serve warm with tomatillo salsa, sour cream and freshly shredded lettuce.
15. Enjoy

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Vegetable Couscous quesadilla and Tomatillo salsa

Garlic Hummus - Mediterranean Spread

We loved this hummus taste so much, started preparing this spread over and over. It goes very well with any sandwich or wrap or even Dosa and Idli. I love to call it as Chickpea chutney.

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Garlic Hummus - Mediterranean Spread