Our family loves Greek yogurt with berries and granola. It’s our go-to breakfast and many times we even have it as an afternoon snack too. With fall upon us and crunchy fruits like apples and persimmons in abundance let me share another variation of Greek yogurt parfait. This version perks up Greek yogurt with fresh herbs from the garden. Sweet herbs like mint and basil add a fresh unexpected surprise to the Greek yogurt when combined with crunchy fall fruits like apples, Asian pears, and persimmons. Then add a few raisins and fresh grated ginger, all topped with a dirzzle of honey. This will make a delicious fall-inspired crunchy Greek yogurt parfait. Continue reading Herbed Greek Yogurt with Crunchy Fruit & Granola
Tag Archives: herbs
Oreccheitti Pasta with Dried Herbs & Vegetables
Pasta with fragrant dried herbs and a variety of vegetables is perfect comfort food on a cool fall-afternoon. Fresh herbs from my garden are what I reach for when making pasta but on this Sunday afternoon it was my daughter Sri who was making lunch and rather than take the few extra steps into the garden for fresh herbs she just reached into my pantry for my homegrown dried herbs. I have to say I was surprised how different dried herbs taste from fresh herbs. I would even say that dried herbs have a stronger flavor profile giving pasta a real kick of herb fragrance. In this oreccheitti pasta Sri used veggies that I had at hand which happened to be asparagus, mushrooms, and tomatoes. With a pinch of chili flakes and lots of garlic, this pasta tastes amazing with fragrant dried herbs and fresh vegetables 😋. Continue reading Oreccheitti Pasta with Dried Herbs & Vegetables
Chanterelle Wild Mushroom Risotto
Last week I went shopping for produce at Costco and came across these gorgeous looking wild mushrooms called chanterelles. Usually I find wild mushrooms to be pricey at the grocery stores and even at the Famer’s Market, but at Costco for a large carton of about 4-5 cups of chanterelle mushrooms it was just more affordable and they looked so fresh too. I picked up a carton and decided to make wild mushroom risotto that same night. Gorgeous golden colored chanterelles look and taste amazing in a creamy risotto. Continue reading Chanterelle Wild Mushroom Risotto
Royal Rice. A fusion of Mexican and Indian flavors.
An issue of Food and Wine magazine arrived in the mail and I was pleasantly surprised to see that it was completely dedicated to the cuisine of Mexico. In this issue the two recipes that got me intrigued were vegetarian dishes that combined Mexican and Indian flavors. One of the recipes was for a dish called royal rice and the other one was for Indian pakoras made with chickpea flour, Mexican herbs, and Mexican lager beer. The rice dish is really interesting because it is a blend of Indian and Mexican flavors all mashed up into one main dish that can be had with yogurt raita or as a side with fish or chicken. Continue reading Royal Rice. A fusion of Mexican and Indian flavors.
Homegrown Dried Herbs 🌿
When I visited my sister Banu in Philadelphia a while back I saw her use this amazing selection of dried herbs for a vegetarian chili she was making. The herb bottles were beautifully labeled and the herbs dried to perfection. My other sister Shobha and I looked at these beautiful herbs in awe; they looked like Banu had bought them from a specialty food shop, only to find out that Banu dried them all herself at home. Continue reading Homegrown Dried Herbs 🌿
Rigatoni with Asparagus Leeks Zucchini and Kale
This light and delicious pasta is packed with good for you veggies like asparagus, kale, zucchini and leeks and is the perfect healthy weeknight dinner. With a touch of garlic and black pepper and topped with Parmesan cheese, this simple pasta tastes outstanding, and even takes care of the veggie quota for the evening. Continue reading Rigatoni with Asparagus Leeks Zucchini and Kale
Panzanella. Fresh Tomato and Bread Salad
Every August and September we are swimming in garden fresh tomatoes from the garden, from multiple tomato deliveries from my neighbor, and abundance of tomatoes at the Farmer’s Markets. All this tomato bounty really forces me to get creative with tomato recipes especially ones that use fresh off the vine garden tomatoes. This Italian salad called panzanella is one of those recipes that is made with lots of fresh tomatoes and crusty bread. Add a bit of garlic, some onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and toss in some good sourdough bread and you have a delicious tomato salad with the added feel goodness of bread. The bread soaks up all the juices from the tomatoes and flavors the bread so beautifully that one can eat multiple bowls of this delicious salad. Continue reading Panzanella. Fresh Tomato and Bread Salad
Broccolini Salad with Mint and Chive Greek Yogurt Dressing
Broccolini Salad with Mint and Chive Greek Yogurt Dressing
serves 6-8
Ingredients:
- 8 cups salad greens or baby spinach
- 8 cups broccolini
- 1/4 of a small onion cut into thin slices
- 2-4 tbsp Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2-4 cloves garlic
- Ingredients for Dressing:
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 2 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves – about 8 mint leaves
- 4 tbsp white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
- 6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- Salt and pepper
Continue reading Broccolini Salad with Mint and Chive Greek Yogurt Dressing
Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing with Mint and Chives.
If you like ranch dressing, try this Greek yogurt salad dressing with mint and chives. Mint adds a nice refreshing flavor while the chives and fresh garlic give this dressing a sharp edgy bite. If you don’t have chives growing in the garden, substitute with green onions or finely chopped shallot. Continue reading Greek Yogurt Salad Dressing with Mint and Chives.
Rose Geranium Spritzer
Looking for an alluring avant-garde drink that is cool and refreshing? Then this rose geranium spritzer is the one. Mrs. Iyengar who is my dear friend Rahika’s Mom came over for tea one Sunday afternoon some time back and Aunty who loves flowers and gardening noticed my rose geranium plant as she was leaving and casually gave me a quick recipe for rose geranium syrup. I thought why not try and make her rose geranium syrup? I must admit I was pleasantly surprised how wonderful it turned out. The syrup has the enticing flavor of rose essence similar to what you find in Middle Eastern desserts with an edgy herb flavor. Try this rose geranium syrup in a spritzer for a refreshingly unique and artsy drink that is perfect on a warm summer evening. Continue reading Rose Geranium Spritzer
