Vegetarian Zest

We get Butternut round the year and so I buy it regularly. There are so many ways you can cook it…pasta, muffins, soups, pies etc. I like to roast it with herbs and olive oil. No matter what herb you use, it comes out tasty. The firmness and nutty - sweet taste of it makes it perfect vegetable for roasting. Making roasted butternut squash with herbs, olive oil and paprika is pretty simple and quick. It’s one of those dishes that manage to taste both good and visually appealing at the same time. I leave the skin on and cook it that way. The skin becomes tender once roasted. This makes it even healthier. So all you need is to cut the squash with a good sharp knife into small cubes, add seasoning, give a rest and roast it. You can eat it as finger food while watching movie or can have it with some risotto….or with plain yogurt like hubby prefers. Ingredients Butternut medium sized (1 kg) Dried oregano 1 teaspoon Finely chopped garlic 1 teaspoon Paprika/ red chilli flakes

Who doesn’t love some junk food? Atleast I do and I have no problems in admitting that. But I make sure that I burn those calories by being regular to the gym. Touchwood my sugar levels are excellent now…as if I have reversed my diabetes type 2. So my point is…eat what you like in small quantities and never deprive yourself but be wise because if you won’t respect your body, your body won’t respect you. There are healthy ways where you can satiate your urge of having junk food. We love burgers and I make these bean and chickpea patty burgers that are spicy, filling, healthy, and easy to make. I usually plan things and prep things up so I don’t have to spend too much time while cooking. I soaked handful of chickpeas, kidney beans, and some black eyed beans in cold water overnight. And added a teaspoon of baking powder as well. Adding baking powder makes the beans softer and tender while cooking. You can vary the combination; there are no exact measurements for this. I like the

Holidays are all about spending quality time with friends and family. It’s also about food…cooking and eating comfort food. For me it’s a good time to experiment in my kitchen and try some new recipes. I love serving starters. It gives me some time to chit chat with friends and to reheat the food as well. Most of the times starters are store bought… you just can’t beat the convenience of store bought starters. But when time permits then I do make my own starters. Cabbage and spinach rolls are perfect for starters. These are easy to make, no exact measurements are required and you can fill anything that you wish to. I usually make the cabbage and spinach rolls night before and just the time before my guests arrive, I pan fry them. Ingredients Cabbage and wild spinach leaves (Washed and wiped) Cottage cheese (crumbled) 1 cup Onion (finely chopped) 1 medium sized Spring onion shoots (chopped) 2-3 shoots Garlic (finely chopped) 2-3 cloves Red chili powder 2 teaspoons