Appetizer

Potato Paneer Stuffed Jalapeno Curry

July 29, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Paneer stuffed jalapeno Curry. The mild mellow, slightly sweetish tomato and cashew curry offsets the heat from the stuffed peppers. It’s dish to entertain with, a great vegetarian entree for those fancy days with a bodacious personality.

I run down the stairs to the door bell. The grocery guy has just pulled over the driveway. I wait till he leaves the produce and take all precautions to bring it in. A quick scan: milk, butter, 7 cucumbers(hmm I didn’t order that much, but I was ok), greek yogurt- check, a huge relief! I go to the next bag with my clear gloves on and stand confused. Four tomatoes and 3 pounds of jalapenos?!! What!!

After a few moments of annoyance and a close call for a massive tantrum, then the realization for the many possible things to come up with the three pound jalapeno bag were emotions all in a minute as I stared at the bag staring back at me….

Baked Chicken Chimichanga

July 26, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

This baked chicken chimichanga recipe is a healthier & lighter version of the deep-fried one. They come together so quickly: just put it in a casserole dish, bake, and serve. My boys love it and can’t get enough when I cook these.

Authentic Mexican food is vibrant, delicious, fresh, and fun. It is also colorful and spicy, using an amazing array of chillies, both fresh and dried. Many important ingredients are readily available everywhere, such as tomatoes, limes, coriander, red onion, avocado, and corn.

There’s a common perception that Mexican food is both spicy and heavy but, in fact, true Mexican food has both a depth of flavor – with its combination of savory and earthy flavors – and a lightness from its generous use of fresh herbs, vegetables and citrus. In most of Mexico it would be very unusual to put cheese in tacos, enchiladas, or tostadas, for example, and if it were used it would be a Mexican panela cheese (a smooth, fresh, white cheese). One of the dishes that’s considered heavy is the deep fried chimicanga….

Spicy Thai Basil Chicken

July 23, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Stir fries are fast, easy, and delicious. This Thai Basil Chicken will wow you! An incredibly flavorful recipe that truly tastes just like your favorite Thai restaurant take out, or even better. Serve over some rice and a quick impressive meal is ready in no time.

We’ve eaten our share of bad Thai and great Thai food too. One of our favorites, if not the best is Khin Khao, a Michelin star Thai restaurant in San Francisco. Their flavors are subtle and not a single ingredient is overpowering. I definitely love their approach to recipes, and I was definitely inspired when I made the sauce for this Spicy Thai Basil Chicken.

There is so much nuance to Thai food, it’s not just food that’s as hot as it can be. Anyway, the Thai food that we have here is not Thai enough. It is, in fact, in complete adherence to the spirit of approachable Thai food. No doubt, the food is called Thai cuisine, and is cooked widely, especially if you take the common majority’s favorite ‘yellow or green Thai curry.’ But, is that authentic? No, but it’s relatable and palatable for all….

Buffalo Cauliflower

February 17, 2020 By Asha Shivakumar

Oven Baked or Air Fryed Buffalo Cauliflower Bites are a fun and easy appetizer or snack made with just a few simple ingredients. Fully loaded with all the awesome flavor of chicken wings, these low carb and vegetarian Buffalo Cauliflower Bites have a soft and tender inside and crispy outside.

Buffalo Cauliflower

All the delicious, tangy flavor of buffalo wings without the mess and calories. I’ve never been a huge fan of chicken wings, so this substitution was an easy one. But even all you wing fans out there will love these spicy little buffalo-sauce-covered cauliflower nuggets.

Tossed in your favorite homemade or store-bought buffalo sauce and dipped in creamy Blue Cheese or Ranch Dressing, this healthy buffalo cauliflower is a crowd favorite and is always gone in minutes!…

Leeks and Spinach Phyllo Triangles with Feta Sauce

December 26, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

Spanakopita Triangles filled with spinach and three cheeses take your cocktail party from semi-homemade to gourmet. Spinach and feta cheese belong together! These Leeks and Spinach Phyllo Triangles with Feta Sauce taste delicious in this healthy, hearty, and wholesome breakfast wrap!

Friends, you have been very, very good to me. For the past few years, you’ve been stopping by to see me on a regular basis, cooked from the blog and you’ve said some pretty nice things about the contents of my kitchen and my dinner plate.

I can hardly believe it’s the end of December. It’s the time of year we begin planning and looking back on this year, large and small achievements. We start planning our small gatherings. Before we know it, we’ll be gathering in our circles, engaging in every kind of conversation under the sun. We’ll awkwardly small talk with co-worker’s families. We’ll ring in the new year with joyful anticipation.

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10 BEST recipes with Beets

December 3, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

“THE BEET IS THE MOST INTENSE OF VEGETABLES. BEETS ARE DEADLY SERIOUS.”- TOM ROBBINS.

Beets have a inherently woodsy taste to them. I’ve had them in desserts as well as really spicy dishes, it can be very adaptive. I happen to love this vegetable. Didn’t know I love it this much. Here are my top 10 BEST recipes with Beets.

BEET BIRYANI

This easy and delicious beetroot vegetable biryani is my go-to on days when I feel like having a healthy biryani. A one-pot meal of rice, vegetables, and aromatic spices, it’s rich in flavor and elaborate enough to take center stage at parties or just for the family. Each bite is suffused with spice, veggies, or caramelized onions—deep and layered in flavor….

Sweet Potato stuffed Cheese Patties

July 25, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

These Sweet Potato Cheese Patties- Potato Paneer recipe is the best way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. This cheese stuffed potato patties pancakes recipe is well loved and very versatile. Serve it as an appetizer, a light lunch over greens or stuffed in a bun for a delicious burger, it’s a hit all ways. I am thrilled to announce that I am a 2019 Reynolds Kitchen Ambassador.

There’s just something about these beautiful potato patties with cheese that makes these completely irresistible. These sweet potato cheese patties are quick and easy to make and have the simplest ingredients.

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest and YES, it’s totally worth it to make mashed potatoes just to have these potato patties!…

Game Day Jalapeno Cheese Chips Crisps

January 24, 2019 By Asha Shivakumar

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of popchips. This is the perfect game day snack – a great-tasting, crunchy, better-for-you option and tasty. Top it cheese and some jalapenos for the extra oomph.

Football season is here! Do you entertain? Go out weekly for games? It is such a tempting time to sit around with friends, drinking and eating all sorts of delicious, yet unhealthy foods. This clean eating game day recipe will be a hit with everyone. while we can always use a solid recipe for wings and probably a few, the snack spread on its own is highly anticipated. Right now, we’re particularly obsessed with the chips and dip portion of the event.

As far as game day dips and chips go, some stand by the more classic tortilla + guac combo, while some go carrot + hummus. With so many options out there—for both chips and dips— I wanted to show a healthy alternative. Popchips….

Spicy Tandoori Potatoes/Aloo

October 2, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

These crispy spicy and delicious tandoori potatoes makes for a great starter for the vegetarians or it’s a great side with naan and some sour cream-yogurt dip.

If you’ve never tried tandoori potatoes before, then you’ve got to try them! It’s a guarantee they’ll be making a regular appearance at house. Especially THESE, they are spicy and full of flavor. Smash them them and you have great smashed tandoori potatoes….

Broccoli Cauliflower Goat Cheese Quinoa Patties with Avocada Cream

August 6, 2018 By Asha Shivakumar

These crispy, healthy, gluten-free broccoli cauliflower goat cheese quinoa patties are simple and nutritious. If you want, skip the cheese and use vegan cheese to make it fully vegan. These patties are very versatile. You can make them with different vegetables and your choice of cheese. Your meat lover will love it too.

Happy New Week you guys!!

I find it a little challenging to eat healthily while having all the good flavors, with portion control. When summer hits, it’s especially a little hard to maintain a decent lifestyle in terms of food. With the boys home, there’s a little bit of indulgent food, a lot of comfort food, and in between, I try to squeeze in some healthy food too….