Veg Minestrone Soup #soupswappers

Wendy has started a new group, Soup Saturday Swappers, on every third Saturday of each month, our group will be posting soup recipes based on a theme. This month's theme is "healthy".

Since many of us make resolutions in the new year to start living a more healthy lifestyle.  I too took this theme seriously and made a healthy and nutritious  soup.  This is a comforting and delicious soup full of veggies and takes just few minutes for prepare. Try this healthy soup you will absolutely love it.

Ingredients

1.1/2 Cup Homemade Pasta Sauce - recipe follows
1/4 Cup Coloured Bell pepper - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Carrot - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Celery - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Cauliflower - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon French Beans - finely chopped
5 Cups Water
1 Cup Boiled Chick Peas - Lightly mash a few of them
2 Teaspoons  Basil Pesto Sauce
Salt and Pepper powder to taste
1 Cube  Veg Soup Cube

Method

In a pot add the water, soup cube , pasta sauce, all the veggies,  chickpeas, basil pesto sauce,  salt and  pepper to taste.  Bring the ingredients in the pot to a rolling boil. Reduce the flame and let it simmer for a 4 to 5 minutes. Your soup is ready, taste for seasonings, add accordingly.   Enjoy this healthy and delicious soup in this cold weather.

Labels: Soup, Vegetarian, Pasta sauce, Basil, Pesto Sauce, Soup Swappers, Healthy, Vegetables, Minestrone Soup

Check out the link up, for more nutritious soups.

An InLinkz Link-up

Mackerel And Dill Mini Tartlets #FishFridayFoodie

The theme for this month Fish Friday Foodies is Seafood Pie or Tart and our Host is Stacy, thank you dear for hosting this event.

These mini tarts are perfect  as a starter or appetizer . They can be made ahead and warmed through in a hot oven for 5 to 7 minutes. In these tartlets I, have not used cheese, but, if you wish, can grate cheese on top and then bake. These are yum without cheese too.

Ingredients

For the Tartlets
1 Cup All Purpose flour
50 Grams Butter
Pinch salt

For the Filling
100 Grams Flaked Mackerel Fish
1 Small Onion
1/4 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
1 Teaspoon Butter
Salt to taste

Other Ingredients
A Few Sprigs of Fresh Dill
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Bechamel sauce
1/4 Teaspoon Steakpeper seasoning

Method 
Preheat the oven to 180ºC
Prepare the pastry 

Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl, rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs, add a teaspoon of cold water if necessary and bring together to form a dough.
Roll out on a floured board and using a mini cutter, cut out  rounds.
Use the pastry rounds to line the patty tins.  Blind bake them in the preheated oven or 10 - 12 minutes or  till done.  

For the filling

Heat the pan add the butter and onions, saute till translucent, add the flaked fish, salt to taste and chilly powder, saute for a minute.  Take off flame and cool.

For the topping

Beat the egg and bechamel sauce together, season with steakpepper and keep aside.  To assemble

Divide the fish filling between the pastry cases 

Top each with a few sprigs of dill  

Carefully pour the prepared sauce into each case, taking care not to overfill.  

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.  

Serve warm or cold. 

My Notes: 

I have used fresh Mackerel, cleaned and removed the inside of the Mackerel, then just steamed it in a pan without water.  Then flaked it when cooled.  This fish is very thorny, take care to remove  the smallest of thorns. 

Labels :  Mackerel, Dill, Tart/Pie/Quiche, Fish Friday, Bechamel Sauce, Seafood/Fish 

An InLinkz Link-up

Milk Chocolate Mug Cake - Microwave

Have a craving for  cake, then this is for you.  This is a quick and easy microwave recipe.  Try this and you will love this moist and chocolaty cake.  

Ingredients

30 Grams Butter or 1.1/2 Tablespoons heaped - see notes

40 Grams Milk Chocolate(any brand) -  break into pieces

1 Egg
2 Tablespoons Level Sugar powdered
1/4 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
5 Level Tablespoons All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Level Baking powder

Method

In a mug melt the butter and chocolate together, microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Use a hand whisk and whisk it till smooth. Keep it aside to cool.
In the meantime gather rest of the ingredients
Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder well.

In a another mug or bowl, whisk an egg along with the essence well. Add all the dry ingredients and whisk till well combined. Now add the melted chocolate mixture and mix well. Pour this batter into a large mug.

Place it in the microwave on high power for a minute and twenty to twenty five  second's, after a minute and 20 seconds pause the microwave and check  if done by inserting a skewer,  if comes out clean then it's done or else microwave again for 5 seconds more.

Let it cool for a minute or two.  Pipe a little whipping cream and sprinkle grated chocolate.  Enjoy with a tea or coffee. 

This is a delicious, quick  and moist cake for you and your little ones whenever they crave for cakes.

My Notes
Reserved  a small piece to grate for the topping. You can add all the chocolate and make it more chocolaty and gooey ..mmm yum. 

Make this in a large mug or two medium size mug. Since it will rise and then overflow.

The timing will change accordingly so keep a check

The butter should be softened .. the consistency like when you  spread it on a slice of bread.

You can also unmold this cake and cut into slices.  Just run a knife around the sides of the mug and mold.

Labels : Cakes, Microwave, Mug Treats, Chocolate, Kids delight

Makaronah Bil Beshemel - Baked Bechamel Pasta - Egypt

Makaronah Bil Beshemel is  easy to prepare, baked pasta dish.  This is a one dish meal, we enjoyed it with a bowl of soup or  you can have it with  salad.  This is an healthy and delicious dish which has no cheese, yet taste divine.  

Quick and easy to make, have all the ingredients ready and  this dish is ready in minutes.  Here, I, have used Bezar spice, which is an arabic spice and goes very well with this dish, this spice mix has an awesome taste and flavor.

Serves 2 
Ingredients
1 Cup Heaped Macaroni  Pasta
1 Tablespoon Oil
1 Teaspoon Bezar Spice Mix  - see recipe
1  Onion - chopped
200 Grams  Boneless Chicken - finely cubed 
Salt to taste
1.1/2 Cups Thick Bechamel sauce - see recipe 

Method

Cook pasta in 5 cups or waters as per the packet instruction or till al dente.  Drain and add a teaspoon of warm oil and toss it, keep aside.

While pasta cooks, we prepare the chicken layer.

Heat oil in a frying pan, add onions and saute till onions are translucent.  Then add the chicken and saute till it turn pink to white then add the bezar spice and saute  for 2 to 3 minutes, cover and cook  till the chicken is done.  Open the lid and evaporate all the moisture or till the mixture is dry. Keep aside to cool.

In the meantime preheat the oven  at 200 degrees.

Butter a casserole dish well,

Spread 2 tablespoons of bechamel sauce  

Now spread half of pasta 

Spread layer of  chicken mixture

Top with remaining pasta

Pour the  bechamel sauce evenly on to dish. Sprinkle a little   bezar spice and place it in oven till it browns on top .

See the layers.. looks too tempting.. na.

Cool it a little and cut slices of this  rich dish,  enjoy with soup or salad of your choice. 

My Notes 

You can use any pasta of your choice.
Can use lamb or beef mince for the filling too.

Bezar spice is an Arabic spice and has a flavorful taste, try this spice you will love it.

Labels : Bechamel Sauce, Bezar,  Spice Mix , Chicken, Mena cooking club, Pasta & Noodles, Healthy, Egypt

Bhogichi Bhaji - Makar Sankrati Special - Maharashtra

Bhogichi Bhaji is actually  mix vegetable sabzi prepared on the occasion of Makar Sankrati in Maharashtra.  This is typical Maharashtrian style of making  winter special veggies which are available during this time.. i.e. its  made on Bhogi ( which is a day before Makar Sankranti ). This Bhaji is best eaten with Bajri Tilachi Bhakri... a classic combo.

If some veggie is not available that does not mean you should not try this.. one can add or minus any of these veggies, like I, did not add hurda.

Ingredients

2 Medium Size Potatoes - cut into big cubes
2 Medium Size Green Brinjal/ Eggplants - cut into 4 pieces
1/4 Cup Green Peas
1/4 Cup Pavate / Fresh Vaal / Green Lima Beans
1/4 Cup Harbhara / Fresh Green Grams
1/4 Cup  Fresh Groundnuts - soaked in water
1 Carrot - cut into cubes
1/4 Cup Hurda / Fresh Tender Jowar
1/4 Cup Fresh Tur
2 Drumsticks - cleaned and cut into big pieces
2 Green Chilles - whole
2 Medium size Onions - Finely chopped
1 Big Tomato - cut into fours
2 Teaspoons Red chili powder or to taste
1 Teaspoon Jaggery or Sugar
2 Tablespoon Fresh Grated Coconut
1/3 Cup Oil
1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspon Sesame Seeds
1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon Salt to taste

Method

In pan add oil, cumin,  sesame seeds and asafoetida immediately,   add onion and saute till onions are translucent. Add the chilly powder and the pavate, tur, hurda, green grams, peas,  groundnuts and give it a stir , cover and cook for 3 minutes. 

Then open add the potaotes, salt and sugar or jaggery add 1/2 cup water and bring it to boil then cover and cook on slow flame till potates are 3/4th cook then add the brinjal, carrot, drumstick, green chillies and mix well add 1 cup water cover and cook till done.

Now add the & tomato, coconut, corinader leaves, cover and cook till tomatoes are half done (do not over cook the tomatoes). 

Serve granish with coconut and  sesame seeds. 

Serve hot with Bajri  Tilachi Bhakri.

My Notes

It is slightly wet bhaji so keep in mind water requirement to avoid overcooking.  The veggies should be firm but cooked, do not make them mushy.

If  fresh groundnuts are not available then you can use dried groundnuts soak them in water and cook them till done, then use it to make the vegetable.

Labels : Pavate, Harbhara, Groundnut, Tur, Hurda, Drumstick, Potato, Green Peas, Green Brinjal, Maharashtra, Makar Sankrati, Vegetables