10-minute Tuna Veggie Toss

Hope you are enjoying making these recipes. I have had a lot of fun creating them and for today's dish we have a low-carb, low-fat but rich in protein and nutients recipe. The kids ate Indian stuffed naans for dinner last night and I was in no mood for a carb-rich dinner. So once I had the kids in bed for the night I rummaged  through my fridge to look for what I could make for my own meal. I had been craving meat and veggies after all the vegetarian food I had been eating lately :). I also wanted to keep it low-carb since it was late in the day and I absolutely did NOT want another Salad...

Anyhow, I got Tuna steak from my freezer and found kale and green beans that were almost wilting so they needed to be cooked soon. Let me tell you that some of my best creations have been through these random cravings. Lets get this cooking. I was not planning to document this but I got a few pictures so you will get the picture of what I am talking about.

RECIPE: 10-minute Tuna Veggie Toss
Ingredients
Olive Oil Spray
4-5 Oz Tuna Steak, fresh or frozen cut into cubes chunks
1/2 Onion, chopped into big
1 Cup Kale, chopped
1 Cup Green beans, chopeed into 2" long segments
5-7 Garlic cloves, peeled 
1/4 Cup Marsala wine
Salt to taste
Red peper flakes (optional)
2 tsp Garam Masala, Roasted and ground (how I like it, from scratch)

Method

1. Spray the non stick pan with some Olive oil and throw in the whole garlic cloves. Keep it on hight heat and let them sizzle to a light brown. Add the Onion chunks and cook till caramalized, still on hight heat. Don't let it burn. This should take 3 minutes.
2. Add the marsala wine to get them all glazed and juicy. Reduce heat to medium and add the kale and greenbean. Saute for a couple of minutes till the kale wilts and the green beans are a little soft. I like to keep my veggies crunchy and bright colored. Overcooking not only loses the vibrant color but also depletes the flavor and nutrients.
3. Add the tuna and cook for a couple of minutes. Tuna does not take very long to cook. Overcooking will make it tough and chewy.
4.  Add salt, pepper flakes and garam masala. give it a good toss and there you have a perfect meal that is not a salad.

Onion and Garlic

Garam Masala, roasted and ground

This has been the best meal in a long time and totally hit the spot. Enjoy!!

Exquisite Cappuccino Fudge

By Exquisite in the title I mean fine and delicate. I have tried several fudge recipes and the Chocolate Walnut Fudge has been an all time favorite of mine.  I ate a piece of this Cappuccino Fudge at my local Coffee shop and the sweet woman making my coffee told me about this recipe so here I am making this dark chocolaty indulgence and it is magical (or pure evil I should say because you can't stop at just one piece).


It got some rave reviews too when I served it to some friends over a cup of tea. I love the simplicity of this recipe and the fact that it has so few ingredients and that too very easily available everywhere.

RECIPE: Exquisite Cappucinno Fudge
(Adapted from BruCru)
Ingredients
1 10 Oz bag dark chocolate chips

1 container dark chocolate canned frosting

1 10-11 Oz bag white chocolate chips

1 container white canned frosting

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

2 Tbsp. instant coffee

chocolate covered Espresso beans (I got mine at Whole foods but Starbucks has them too)

Method

1. In a small bowl microwave the heavy cream for just a few seconds and then add the instant coffee. Set aside to dissolve.
2. Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with oil for easy removal later .
3. In a double boiler melt the dark chocolate chips and make sure you stir it often.Place the container of chocolate frosting in the microwave for 1 minute. The frosting should be all melty and liquid in consistency. Once it is able to be poured out, quickly stir into the melted chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate.
4. Heat the white frosting for 1 minute and it should be pourable consistency. Stir in the heavy cream-coffee mixture. Melt the white chips again in a double boiler being careful not to scorch the chips. Stir the coffee frosting into the melted white chips. Pour on top of the chocolate layer.
5. Place coffee beans every inch. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Step-by-step process,

Heat up your heavy cream for just a few seconds and then add it to the instant coffee. Set aside to dissolve.

Line an 8x8 pan with foil and spray with oil for easy removal later .

In a double boiler melt the dark chocolate chips and make sure you stir it often.Place the container of chocolate frosting in the microwave for 1 minute. The frosting should be all melty and liquid in consistency. Once it is able to be poured out, quickly stir into the melted chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate.

Heat the white frosting for 1 minute and it should be pourable consistency. Stir in the heavy cream-coffee mixture. Melt the white chips again in a double boiler being careful not to scorch the chips. Stir the coffee frosting into the melted white chips. Pour on top of the chocolate layer.

Place coffee beans every inch. Let set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting.

Now its time to indulge with a steaming cup of green tea...umm..umm.um.

Saag Paneer (Spinach with Paneer)

This Saag Paneer is unlike any that you have had in restaurants. The one that you eat in restaurants is laden with heavy cream and butter but this is super healthy with an aromatic and undiluted taste of fresh spinach. It is not only low-fat but rich in Iron and Protein. I have nothing against using cream for curries occasionally but for a home cooked, everyday meal I don't add cream or butter, like to keep it as natural as possible.

So to get that richness, I like to add Channa dal to it to get the creamy texture and additional protein to this dish. So its low in fat and tastes even better this way. This is how an authentic North Indian home cooked saag Paneer looks like.

Saag Paneer

RECIPE: Saag Paneer
Ingredients
20 Oz Baby Spinach
1 Cup Channa Dal
2 Large Tomatoes, chopped
1 Green Chilli (optional)
5-6 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1" piece of Ginger, chopped
salt to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 Cups Water
12 Oz Paneer, low-fat (preferred)

To make Tarka (seasoning):
1 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter or just plain butter)
1/2 Large Onion, chopped
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Cumin seeds, roasted and powdered
1 tsp Coriander seeds, roasted and powdered
1/2 tsp paprika powder, for garnish

Method

1. Wash the Channa dal with plenty of running water and drain.
2. Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and garlic coarsely. Does not have to be perfect since you will blend it all later.
3. In a pressure cook add dal, baby spinach, tomato, green chilli, garlic, ginger, salt to tatse and turmeric powder with 2 cups of water.
4. Pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles and then lower the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the steam escape.
5. While that is cooking, lets chop up the ingredients for the tarka (seasoning) and have them all ready.
6. For Tarka: Roast the cumin and coriander, let cool and grind them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.
7. Chop the onions and garlic. Set aside
8. Heat a Tbsp of ghee in a big skillet or pan and add the onions and garlic to it. Let brown for about 10 minutes on medium heat.
9. Add all the spices and saute for about a minute.
10. Now to assemble it all together, open the pressure cooker and make sure the dal is cooked through. If not cook some more.
11. Now take a hand grinder and coarsely grind the spinach-dal mixture.
12. Now add the minced spinach-dal puree to the tarka and let it heat through. Check for seasoning.
13. Add paneer and let simmer for a few minutes till the mixture bubbles and the paneer is heated through. Garnish with a dollop of butter and paprika powder. Serve with Rice, roti or naan.

Step-by-step process,

Channa Dal

Wash the Channa dal with plenty of running water and drain.

Chop the onions, tomatoes, green chilli, ginger and garlic coarsely. Does not have to be perfect since you will blend it all later. In a pressure cook add dal, baby spinach, tomato, green chilli, garlic, ginger, salt to tatse and turmeric powder with 2 cups of water.

Pressure cook on high heat for 2 whistles and then lower the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the steam escape.

While that is cooking, lets chop up the ingredients for the tarka (seasoning) and have them all ready.

For Tarka: Roast the cumin and coriander, let cool and grind them in a coffee grinder. Set aside.

Tarka Ingredients

Chop the onions and garlic. Set aside. Heat a Tbsp of ghee in a big skillet or pan and add the onions and garlic to it. Let brown for about 10 minutes on medium heat.

Ghee or Clarified butter

Add all the spices and saute for about a minute. The aroma from the spices alone is worth the effort. This smells so awesome already. 

Now to assemble it all together, open the pressure cooker and make sure the dal is cooked through. If not cook some more. Take a hand grinder and coarsely grind the spinach-dal mixture.

Now add the minced spinach-dal puree to the tarka and let it heat through. Check for seasoning.

Add paneer and let simmer for a few minutes till the mixture bubbles and the paneer is heated through. Garnish with a dollop of butter and paprika powder. Serve with Rice, roti or naan.

I had forgotten how good it tastes and to my surprise my kids have been asking me to make it again after they polished it off the first time around (I wish I could show you their dinner plates from that night :). So please give it a try and hope you enjoy it as much as we did.