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!!

Creamy Carrots and Red Bell Pepper Curry

Carrots and Bell peppers!!! Really!

That might sound a little off but believe me this combination of red bell peppers and carrots rocks. This curry does require a little cream but is worth every extra calorie. I tried it for the first time several years ago not knowing what to expect but since then have loved making it for friends and family. It is super quick and looks and tatses amazing. Lets get right to it.

RECIPE: Creamy Carrots and Bell Pepper Curry
(adapted from Ammas Kitchen)
Ingredients
16 Oz Carrots, peeled, washed and cut diagonally
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp brown sugar
salt to taste
1 tsp white pepper powder
1 tsp Paprika powder
2  Red Bell peppers
1 Tbsp Olive oil
3/4 Cup Cream or half and half
Coriander leaves for Garnish

Method

1. Peel, wash and cut the carrots into thick diagonal piece. Set aside.
2. Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the seeds and veins. Spray oil on the skin side and roast/bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes till they are soft but not browning on the top. Let them cool a little.
3. In a skillet, heat Olive oil and add the garlic paste. Saute it for a minute.
4. Add the carrots, sugar and salt. Cook on hight heat and let the carrots brown and caramalize on the edges. The sugar we added helps hasten the process. Keep flipping it over every few minutes so they don't burn. This should take 7-10 minutes.
5. While the carrots are cooking, blend the cream with the cooked red bell peppers to a fine puree.
6. Add paprika powder and white pepper powder. Now add the Bell pepper, cream puree and let simmer for about 5 minutes. The curry will automatically thincken a little.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and swirl a tsp of cream on top. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Step-by-step process,

Peel, wash and cut the carrots into thick diagonal piece. Set aside.

Cut the bell peppers in half and remove the seeds and veins. Spray oil on the skin side and roast/bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes till they are soft but not browning on the top. Let them cool a little.

In a skillet, heat Olive oil and add the garlic paste. Saute it for a minute.
Add the carrots, sugarand salt. Cook on hight heat and let the carrots brown and caramalize on the edges. The sugar we added helps hasten the process. Keep flipping it over every few minutes so they don't burn. This should take 7-10 minutes.

While the carrots are cooking, blend the cream with the cooked red bell peppers to a little chunky puree.

Add paprika powder and white pepper powder. Now add the Bell pepper, cream puree and let simmer for about 5 minutes. The curry will automatically thincken a little.

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and swirl a tsp of cream on top. Serve hot with rice or roti.

Hope you enjoy it :)

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.