Falafel

Falafel !!  i have had a love-hate relationship with it for a loooooong time.

A perfectionist that i become when it comes to food  flavors and textures, i totally loathed this meditteranian dish each and every time i had it at the restaurants or tried those boxed mixes from the store -- found they made them taste bitter hard and crumbly dry. I would have totally given up on trying this dish again, if not for a close friend who made the same from scratch at home and i thought wow ya why not.. why not make it at home from the very base ingredients. Like they say, sometimes you  appreciate and understand things more when done in reverse. And believe me from the day i reverse engineered the recipe myself, there's been no looking back. This home made falafel version is a keeper in my recipe book forever . I have made it several times  and each time it comes out- ever so moistened , soft and super flavorful inside .

Penne puttanesca

This spicy, tangy and somewhat salty pasta has its racy origins in Naples. Great on taste and quick to make.

Orzo with feta and olives

We are variety seekers when it comes to food.  Orzo was a pleasant discovery two years back surfing the aisles in a superstore. Its is a rice shaped pasta with varied uses. 

This particular recipe is a warm salad and a light meal in one.

Spaghetti with Vodka Sauce

Its was just one of those weeks, the start of the week and my hubby felt exhausted and his voice seemed out of sheen already. I thought what better way to lighten him up than with some comforting food. Italian being his all time favorite,  here's what i cooked to score a perfect 10 :)

  

No Sauce- No Cheese Pasta

Do you have evenings when your stomach grouches to eat something exotic, a meaty mouthful, umm with a bite ??and midst a mouth running wild with flavors-- do have stark realizations simultaneously, that u ran miles in the mornings or just came off your yoga class....and don't really want to load up "the" calories u just lost ??   Then, hey!!   this recipe is just for you-- a quick, easy and a delicious fix.

Serves: 2 
Star power:
Garlic and Olive oil


Ingredients:
3 handfuls of bow-tie and shell pasta, boiled and strained
3-4 tsp olive oil
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 
1 red bell pepper, cut in squares
11/4 cup of sliced button mushrooms
1 red onion,cut in bite size squares
Salt to taste


Optional:
Capers 
Red pepper flakes


To begin, heat the oil at medium in a big flat pan. Add sliced garlic and sauté. Once slightly golden , add mushrooms and bring the stove to its highest heat. Stir and let the mushrooms brown .. oh your kitchen will be infused with the sweet smell of grilled mushrooms and garlic, yum!!   Now add the diced onions and saute ( the stove is on high throughout). See how the onions go from being translucent to brown .. cook them a bit beyond their comfort zone, exactly like the extra push or a mile u just did.. and as u see some of the onions caramelizing , add the red bell peppers. Saute for another minute or two. Switch off the stove , add the boiled and strained pasta.. add salt to your taste when the veges and the pasta are still hot . Mix. Awwh the smoky aromas are out of the world !!


Plate in a serving dish and sprinkle a handful of capers if you like a salty bite. And vala a sumptuous dinner is ready.  Couple it with half a glass of wine and u transported to tuscany :)
This perfect marriage of juicy bright peppers, smoked meaty mushrooms and sweet caramelized onions-- all enveloped in garlic oil  , quenches your heart and satisfies every body cell you worked with when exercising... you'll see a happy glistened look on your face


So here's to some guilt-free dining!! Cheers 


Tip: You can maneuver your mind into thinking u ate more carbs even when you add more vegetables and less pasta to this dinner. Yup, this mind game works !!