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Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach with Bechamel Sauce I love the creamed spinach served at steak houses. The leafy green goes perfectly well with red meat- especially cooked with lots of butter and cream. I guess anything cooked with lots of butter and cream is delicious.

My problem- the red meat already has lots of calories and when you pair a calorie laden dish like creamed spinach- it results in a very heavy meal- oh, and what about the potatoes and the wine… a lot of calories.

So, this is my take on creamed spinach. I usually make it simply by sauteing garlic with spinach. I add a bit of half and half- which has less calories than cream but still adds substantial creaminess to the dish.

I started this dish by making a white or bechamel sauce. I sauteed some flour and olive oil. I added onion and garlic and then some milk. This was a  start to a very aromatic, creamy sauce. I added frozen, chopped spinach and cooked it till the excess moisture is cooked away.

The dish was delicious- with not a lot of calories. It has one tablespoon of olive oil and a third of a cup of half and half. Not bad considering it served 5 people. The taste was not compromised at all- in fact it tasted really good with the lamb and the potatoes.

Try this creamed spinach next time you are looking for a healthy side dish…
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Cauliflower and Potatoes

Cauliflower and Potatoes Here we go again- this is yet another version of cauliflower. I should go back and look on this blog and count how many different cauliflower recipes I have. It is my husbands favorite thing to eat so I try to make it as much as I can- the problem is, coming up with different versions of the same vegetable- yes you are right- I am patting myself on the back for coming up with a new recipe.

Well, it is really not new. I remember eating this kind of a dish at wedding parties in India. It was not the most healthy way of cooking it.. they would fry the cauliflower florets and potatoes first and then cook it with lots of onions, ginger, garlic and tomatoes. It tasted really good but I certainly didn’t want to make it the same way. So- I decided to roast the vegetables in a large cookie sheet to attain similar results. I roasted them till they were soft and golden brown. I then started a saucepan with oil, cumin seeds, onion, ginger and garlic. I later added the crushed tomatoes and other spices.

Overall, it is a fairly simple dish with a few extra steps- but it is worth the work. The dish is delicious…
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Fried Rice with Green Beans

Fried Rice with Green Beans

This fried rice dish is perfect for the fish recipe I posted yesterday. I love making fried rice for meals- especially since I can incorporate lots of different vegetables and feed my family.

My daughter loves all versions I have made in the past- well, almost all of them.

For this one, I bought a bunch of green beans from the farmers market. They were lovely looking and I couldn’t help buying them. As I thought about what to make for dinner, I was flipping through a food magazine and came across a fried rice dish. That is when I decided to chop the green beans really small and make a delicious rice dish with them.

You can’t make fried rice without first making plain rice. How do you make your rice? I make mine with chicken broth. It imparts delicious flavor without much effort and I am always looking to add flavor into anything I can. The rice comes out yummy- lightly salted and nutty and it is perfect and ready to use for the fried rice.

I sauteed the plain rice with your usual suspects and in no time had a delicious fried rice dish. Try this recipe next time you are in the mood for some healthy Chinese food.
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Chicken Chettinad- South Indian Style Spiced Chicken

Chicken Chettinad1

This is one of my favorite dishes to eat. I usually order the chicken curry at restaurants and always thought it would be too complicated to make it at home.

I finally got super curious and decided to make this on my own. I did a lot of research online and finally came up with this recipe- plus I think I made it simple as well.

To start with I marinated chicken thighs in lime juice and salt. While the chicken sat, I roasted coriander, cumin and fennel seeds. Dried red chilies, cinnamon, cloves and dried coconut were added as well and ground into a coarse powder. The next step was to saute onions, ginger and garlic with tomato sauce. Of course before I added the aromatics, I added my favorite ingredient- curry leaves. I like everything with curry leaves..

This dish does have a few steps but the end result is definitely worth all the work. Everyone loved it- especially my husband who loves South Indian food. You should definitely make this one- it is a winner…
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Indian Style Sauteed Mushrooms and Peas

Mushrooms and Peas Indian Style I love mushrooms- I can eat them three times a day, seven days a week. My daughter is the same way- she especially loves mushrooms on her pizza. She is very particular about the kind of mushroom on the pizza, though- they can be canned ones. She wants the fresh ones- I don’t blame her.

Anyway, this is a great side dish to make with any entree with chicken, fish or pork.

It is very easy to make. I sauteed the mushrooms with onions, garlic and cumin seeds. Once the mushrooms are cooked down and all the water is evaporated, I added the peas. They add great color and a yummy sweetness to the dish.

We had it with some sauteed chicken sausages but this concoction will be delicious on top of pizza as well. Try this mushrooms and peas dish- you will love it…
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Fish Stew with Zucchini Bruschetta

Fish Stew1 Since I am always looking for ways to incorporate more fish into our diets, my brain is usually working overtime to come up with different recipes that are delicious and healthy at the same time.

I wanted to do a simple fish stew that is a bit French and Italian at the same time.  I sauteed the fish lightly and added the onions and garlic. For extra flavor, I used parsley and my favorite herb that goes so well with fish- dill. Tomato paste makes this fast stew taste like it has been on the stove for hours.

The most important ingredient in this dish (besides the fish) is the fish stock. I was able to find it at Whole Foods and I believe it is available in most grocery store. If you can’t find it, don’t worry- use chicken stock instead but I have to say, the fish stock provides a great flavor to this simple dish. I added potatoes to make this stew a bit more substantial. I was initially thinking of serving a salad with the dish but then decided to come up with a zucchini pesto and served it on top of some toasted bread- that is the Italian part of the meal.

My daughter loved the stew including the zucchini pesto bruschetta. My husband and I opened a Pinto Noir and enjoyed a lovely dinner.

Try this quick, delicious fish stew for dinner next time you feel like eating fish…
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Indian Style Spiced Omelet

Indian Style Omelet3 I make this for dinner, lunch or brunch whenever I run out of ideas. Most of the times I forget about this easy to make, spicy omelet. I grew up eating this at home for breakfast. It is flavorful and gorgeous to look at. Indian omelets unlike the french ones are cooked thoroughly and are cooked with all the flavorings and herbs instead of being stuffed with them.

It is also easy to make since most of the ingredients are always available. I have green chilies, green onions, tomatoes and of course cheese at home. I feel lost if there is no cilantro in the house. It is a pantry meal- pair it with a delicious green salad and it is a healthy, balanced meal.

You can make this omelet with almost anything in the fridge. My daughter was eating some leftovers and my husband was going out after work and so I was the only one without dinner plans. I made this delicious meal for myself and enjoyed it with a glass of white wine.

Make this spiced omelet when you run out of ideas…
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