At any rate, this is my last "Catching Up" post, and my goal is to keep this updated on a weekly basis so I don't get so far behind again! I am running a 10k on Saturday and will likely be cooking up some healthy fare while getting ready, so stay tuned...
A shout out to my friend, Harpreet, for these two recipes. She made the sandwiches for a group of us one night, and I turned right around and made it again for some other friends the very next night. They were THAT GOOD. And the punjabi rice with Indian lentils, well, it goes without saying how good they were.
I am the worst blogger, though. I did not take a picture of the assembled sandwich! If you go make this on your own, you will see for yourself what it looks like anyway :)
Ingredients:
1 eggplant
2 zucchini
2 bell peppers
1 red onion
garlic
olive oil spray
mushrooms
artichoke hearts
hummus, any flavor
balsamic vinegar
whole wheat bread or wraps
cumin, salt, and pepper
1. Thinly slice peeled eggplant and zucchini, and lay out on baking trays.
2. Slice bell pepper and red onion into strips and add to tray.
3. Spray both sides of the veggie slices to prevent them from burning or drying out. (My first round of the eggplant was not successful because I tried it without any oil...they burned and shriveled up so I had to make a second batch!)
Pre-baked eggplant:
Pre-baked zucchini, onions, and peppers (the sweet potato cubes are for a side dish, see note below):
4. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, but check on the eggplant and flip after 20 minutes. When finished, they should look like this (or even a little less brown):
The zucchini slices came out perfectly.
5. With a few minutes left before the veggies come out of the oven, saute the garlic, sliced mushrooms, and artichoke hearts in a skillet.
(Don't worry if the mixture turns a little weird color; mine is a very unappealing grey from both the seasoning on my wok and because I used baby portobello mushrooms which give off a dark color when cooked.)
6. Assemble your sandwich by spreading hummus on your bread, then layer the eggplant and zucchini, topped with the sauteed veggie mixture. Drizzle a small amount of balsamic vinegar on top. Eat! I am telling you, you will not be disappointed with these. They please meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters alike!
(7. These go well with roasted sweet potato cubes or fries, too! Just peel and cube a sweet potato or two, and roast it in the oven along with the other veggies. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, cumin, whatever. Great side dish!)
I'll keep this next recipe short for you--I know it can be annoying to read long blog posts, and I am worried I am often to blame for that!
Punjabi rice
So simple, yet adds such an amazing flavor to your rice. Serve this with any type of Indian lentils of your choice. (Note: I did not make the lentils below, all I know is that they are vegan, made in the traditional punjabi style with authentic spices, etc. It pays to have an Indian friend who happens to be a fellow cook!)
Ingredients:
1-2 T cumin seeds
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup brown basmati rice
Salt to taste
This may win the award for simplest recipe I have posted yet.
1. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan (or add a splash of olive oil) until aromatic (1-2 min).
2. Add the frozen peas and stir until they begin to defrost.
3. Add your cup of dry rice and toast in the pan until aromatic (2-3 min).
4. Dump it all in a rice cooker, fill with water according to cooker's directions (adding slightly more water due to the added volume of the peas), add a pinch of salt, then cook.
5. Serve with Indian lentils or other deliciousness--Indian chickpeas and potatoes, cauliflower and spinach, etc.
Until next time....
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