Creamy harissa spiced bean puree topped with harissa roasted vegetables and a crunchy, baharat walnut crumble. Protein (24g) and Fiber (18g) rich easy meal that feels super fancy! Gluten free, Soy free, Option for nut free.
This harissa bean puree dish has an amazing texture and flavor! It’s creamy from the bean mixture, crispy from the veggies, with extra crunch from the walnuts and optional fresh vegetables.
It’s also full of protein and fiber. There are four sources of protein: white beans, chickpeas, nutritional yeast, and walnuts. And you get lots of fiber from the veggies, beans, and nuts.
If you’re not familiar with harissa, it’s a North African chili paste that a smoky-sweet-spicy flavor that’s delicious with beans and veggies. It can come in various heat levels, so choose based on your heat preference.
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend with flavors from allspice, cardamom, cloves, cumin, and more! We are using that to season some crunchy walnuts. It’s delicious paired with the harissa bean puree in this dish!
You can pair these components in various ways. For a gluten-free meal, spread some harissa bean puree on a plate, top it with roasted veggies, walnut crumble, and fresh crunchy veggies. Or, you can make a wrap.
This recipe works any way you want, so definitely try it. You can use whatever vegetables you like and adjust the flavor to be more or less spicy. Harissa comes in various spice levels, from mild to hot. Use mild if you prefer, or go hotter if you like. Adjust the amount based on your taste, as well.
While you are here, do check out this amazing video of 10 breakfast ideas with just 1 lentil batter on my YouTube.
Why You’ll Love Harissa Roasted Vegetable Bowls
high protein, high fiber
creamy, savory harissa bean puree
tender-crisp harissa roasted vegetables
crunchy baharat walnut topping that can be made nut-free
versatile! Serve as bowls or wraps or any which way you like!
This sun-dried tomato roast makes a stunning centerpiece for any holiday table. Packed with umami and filled with a hearty blend of mushrooms and potatoes, it delivers deep flavor and satisfying texture in every slice. Completely vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free with an easy nut-free option.
This is my version of a vegan holiday roast. We make this “meat” mixture with some white beans and almond flour, and process it until smooth. I also add some sun dried tomatoes for that rich, umami flavor.
The mixture becomes like a pâté in the food processor, then we spread that onto parchment paper.
Next, make the stuffing with cooked mushrooms, potatoes, and herbs. Place that on top of the bean mixture, roll it up using the parchment, and bake it.
It turns into this delicious, amazing-smelling roast that’s full of herbs and deep umami flavor from the sun dried tomatoes. It’s just perfect!
It’s completely gluten-free, but if you prefer, you can use all-purpose flour instead of tapioca starch. It’s also soy-free, since many of you asked for a soy-free option after I made that very popular tofu holiday roast a few years ago.
You can easily adjust the flavors to your taste! Use fewer sun-dried tomatoes or different herbs, if you like. I usually serve it with a side salad, my simple vegan gravy, and some roasted vegetables for a perfect holiday or dinner plate.
Why You’ll Love Sun Dried Tomato Roast
umami-packed vegan holiday roast
savory mushroom-potato stuffing
make-ahead friendly vegan holiday entree
naturally gluten-free and soy-free with nut-free option
Baked potatoes need no introduction! But if you wanna witness a gorgeous makeover of your everyday baked potatoes then these baked parmesan potato bites are gonna blow your mind instantly thanks to their insane flavor and addictive crispiness!
Thanksgiving just got over and I am sure you all are now geared up with the preparation for the upcoming holiday season!
Family meal planning is one crucial component of this preparation which is why I will try to help here as best as I can!
So today I have a fantastic recipe for you! The stunning baked parmesan potato bites! This not only works perfectly as a side with your meats but also is a crowd pleaser in almost every get together!
Have you ever met anyone who doesn’t like potatoes? That too crispy baked potatoes! I guess not! Hence it’s an absolute win-win!
What are Baked Parmesan Potato Bites?
Potatoes are loved by all around the globe with hardly any exception! This is such a versatile ingredient that you can never go wrong with it!
If you are in a foreign land and not familiar with their cuisine, all you need is a bag of potatoes, because I am sure every culture has its own unique recipe of potato as their comfort food!
My baked parmesan potato bites can be one of your comfort foods too as, simply put, these are crispy potatoes baked to perfection with melty as well as cheesy parmesan sticking to them!
When you plan to bake or roast some of this global vegetable, this recipe of baked parmesan potato bites will come in super-handy!
The baby potatoes used in this dish become incredibly addictive with all their crispiness and phenomenal flavors from the classic parmesan cheese that you will keep reaching out one after another even after you are full!
Trust me, I have been there even though I take extra care not to overeat in any meal!
Creamy, rich, and deeply savory, these mashed potatoes get a flavor upgrade with caramelized onions and a secret boost of plant-based protein from pureed white beans. The result is velvety, buttery comfort in every bite. A side that’s perfect for holidays or weeknights alike. (Gluten-free, nut-free, with a soy-free option.)
Everyone loves potatoes in every form, especially mashed potatoes around the holiday season. They’re a fixture at every meal, and we’re going to level them up times two.
This recipe levels up the flavor with caramelized onions, garlic, and herbs that add an amazing flavor to these mashed potatoes. And we’re going to add some pureed white beans for extra protein and heartiness.
You’ll get protein from the beans, nutritional yeast, and non-dairy milk. You can add even more protein by serving it with crispy lentils or tofu bacon bits.
No matter how you serve caramelized onion mashed potatoes they’re rich, hearty, and perfect for any holiday table or cozy dinner. Served here with my mushroom bourguignon.
Why You’ll Love Caramelized Onion Mashed Potatoes
creamy mashed potatoes
savory caramelized onion topping
sneaky protein
delicious holiday side dish
naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option
The hearty soulful soup that will soothe your soul this winter while also serving you as a one pot meal is this restaurant style creamy corn and shrimp chowder!
Soup season has officially started and I can't keep calm! I mean, I love soup and that too those ones that double up as a one pot meal with all the goodness packed in a single bowl!
Today's recipe of creamy corn and shrimp chowder is exactly that dreamy soup recipe which will not only fill your tummy but also calm your soul on a chilly wintery night!
There is already a nip in the air in my city especially from evening onwards and I get drawn towards the hearty soups for my dinner during this winter-round-the-corner-but-not-there-yet season!
This shrimp chowder has been on my bucket list since ages and I finally served it on our dinner table last week after perfecting the recipe for you all and us too!
I'm sure you guys will love it as much as we did as soon as you give it a try; so what are you waiting for? Hurry up!
Let’s get cooking!
What is shrimp chowder?
If you are not familiar with chowder, let me then first decode it for ya!
Chowder is a soup primarily made of seafood with lots of veggies, potatoes being one of the key components. The soup broth of chowder is of creamy consistency thanks to milk and cream.
Even though the chowder broth is creamy, it is still quite light on your tummy and that’s a fantastic reason to include this insanely flavorful soup in your weekly meals this season!
The creamy corn and shrimp chowder is a one pot wonder which will serve you as a fancy and delicious dinner on the wintery nights!
This hearty soulful soup is full of incredible flavors, thanks to shrimps, rewarding you with a fancy meal right at the comfort of your home!
Spice-Rubbed Braised Tofu with Vegetables in a Savory Umami Sauce. A unique delicious holiday entree that all cooks in one pan! (gluten-free and nut-free with soy-free options)
I wanted to make a vegan braised meat-style dish for the holidays, so I came up with this one-skillet meal that’s rich, hearty, and incredibly flavorful. It features an amazing, aromatic spice rub that smells so meaty you’ll be surprised it’s entirely plant-based. The spice rub coats tofu that’s been frozen, thawed, and pressed, giving it a dense, chewy texture perfect for braising.
The base for the braise starts with crisped-up potatoes and carrots. After searing the vegetables, we make a deeply flavorful sauce with caramelized onions, lots of aromatics, and fresh herbs, and flavor boosters.
The tofu and vegetables braise together in this sauce, allowing the tofu to absorb all that flavor while developing a slightly crispy top and a tender, chicken-like interior.
We use an oven-safe pan to start the dish on the stovetop and finish it in the oven, where the vegetables become perfectly tender and the tofu gets a gorgeous golden top.
It’s fantastic served with rice, couscous, mashed potatoes or other mashed vegetables, bean purée, some crusty bakery bread, or a side salad.
A simple herb sauce adds a bright, fresh contrast, but you can enjoy it on its own, too. It’s full of amazing flavors with or without. The herb sauce just bumps up the flavor even more.
Why You’ll Love Braised Tofu and Vegetables
1-pan entree that’s perfect for the holiday table
flavorful braised vegetables in caramelized onion sauce
big pieces of crisp, herb-rubbed tofu
naturally gluten-free and nut-free with easy soy-free option
A cozy, hands-off, no sauté mushroom potato casserole that needs just 1 pan. Layers of rich mushroom gravy with beans and veggies, layered with crisp garlic herb potatoes that take only minutes to put together as the oven does all the work. (gluten-free with soy-free and nut-free options)
It’s fall, and it’s time for some comfort food. And what’s more comforting than this casserole, which has a stewy mushroom gravy with beans and veggies, topped with potatoes smothered in garlic butter? There are lots of fall herbs, like fresh thyme and sage, and it all comes together really quickly.
This is a super easy one-pan casserole. No need to sauté or stand around the kitchen for long periods of time cooking the onions and mushrooms. Everything goes right into the baking dish, and the oven does all the work.
Once the mushroom and onions are cooked, add the beans, herbs and stew ingredients and top them with some sliced potato and bake, and thats it. You get all the fall flavors and a dish that reminds of mashed potatoes and mushroom bourguignon w/o all the work.
It’s comforting, stewy, and perfect for a fall dinner with your family, served with a side salad, garlicky dinner rolls, or some crusty bakery bread. Or serve it however else you like!
Why You’ll Love Mushroom Potato Casserole
cozy, hearty, stewy beans and veggies in a rich, mushroom gravy
1-pan oven recipe, no standing at the stove!
very little active cooking time
No cooking the aromatics and potato separately
naturally nut-free with easy gluten-free and soy-free options
Wanna take your potato wedges a notch up? Try these air fryer sliced potatoes and thank me for it later! These perfectly spiced, crispy yet melt-in-mouth air fryer sliced potatoes are a must try this month!
While scrolling through my social media feed one fine day, I simply got stuck to these air fryer sliced potatoes as they stared at me with their vibrant golden hue!
I instantly rushed to my kitchen, selected equal sized potatoes from the basket, washed, peeled and sliced them up! Then I left them in the refrigerator while I whipped up the spice mix!
Although I got inspired from this recipe of air fryer sliced potatoes, I took the liberty to completely customize the spice blend according to my liking.
And to be honest that’s the best part of this recipe! You can make it your own very easily!
What are air fryer sliced potatoes?
Making crispy wedges of potatoes in air fryer has become very common and I am sure you have already made them ample times if you own an air fryer.
I have made the air fryer potato wedges long back and have repeated it many times varying the spice mixes.
So it was time to switch things up a bit and that’s exactly where these air fryer sliced potatoes make their show-stopping appearance!
You slice your choice of potatoes, smear them in oil and your favorite spices and then just shove them into the air fryer!
What can be simpler than this!
Once done, you are rewarded with a plate of bright golden crispy potatoes fresh from your air fryer for all your hard work!
Because here the potatoes are sliced and not wedged, it adds a tad bit more attraction making it a tad bit more irresistible!
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India's very own street side vegetable burger! You cannot go to Mumbai and NOT have VADA PAV- its a mortal sin if you do that ...lol
VADA PAV
This snack is synonymous with the city of Mumbai, with almost every resident, from factory workers to college students to Bollywood stars, to Visitors are unabashed in declaring their love for it.This street side business has given life to hundreds and thousands of families. A Vada Pav cart owner may be a millionaire for all we know. It is a meal of a poor and snack of the rich. Fills every one's tummy with yumminess!
Vada Pav is a crispy, flavorful sandwich that is consumed in millions across India’s financial capital and largest metropolis every single day. It's made with potato as filling for the vada which is dipped in chickpea flour batter and deep fried. It is then kept in between pav[bread roll] and served with various spicy and tangy dry/wet chutney and fried green chillies. There was a time when I used to ask for extra dry chutney from the vendor. I then brought the leftover chutney home and ate with my roti... its super yummy!
I lived with my aunt in Mumbai for a couple of years when I started work. There used to be a cart by the gate outside the colony which was taken care by a lady who was a widow. She made such excellent Vadas- the taste still lingers on my tongue. To relish hot Vadas which is made in front of you has its own bliss.
Now when I think of it, during shopping breaks I preferred to have Pav Bhaji , Chatpata mumbai special sandwiches or Cheese loaded Sandwiches :) wonder why?
One will find a thela of Vada Pav outside every train station - I am sure thats the hottest spot that is there for a great business! Tired commuters who are always in a hurry to reach somewhere take a quick break indulging in a flavorful Vada Pav which will keep them full till next pang of hunger :)
Mumbai and Vada Pav are inseparable!
Thanks to my aunt who happens to be a great cook and my goto chef :) Its her recipe that I am sharing here.
So without any further delay lets check the recipe:
We will need following: please dont lose interest looking at the ingredients, :) it just has few steps but can be done in fairly good amount of time.
Ingredients:
Dipping Batter
1/2 cup besan / chickpea flour
1 tbsp rice flour [for crispness]
big pinch turmeric powder
1 tsp chili pwd
salt to taste
A pinch baking soda
water
In a mixing bowl, add all the above ingredients except water.
give it a toss - let everything mix.
Add water slowly taking breaks while you whisk the batter together. Let there be no lumps and get medium consistency batter. I dont like it too thick. Now let the batter rest for 15 plus minutes atleast while you get other things lined up.
For Dry Red Chutney
4-5 cloves garlic fried in oil
1 tbsp red chili powder [adjust as you like]
1/2 cup peanuts slow roasted
1/2 cup boondi [ either store bought or while you make vadas, try to do some boondi with besan batter and use that]
Salt to taste
Grind coarsely all the above ingredients and your red dry chutney is ready!! Can be made before and kept. Also this can be used as a condiment and can reside happily in your kitchen pantry for other purposes :)
Red Dry Chutney
Vada Stuffing and Frying
3 med size boiled and mashed potatoes
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
pinch asafoetida (hing)
10 curry leaves
1 tbsp of green paste [For me this is the USP of any Vada: 1/2 inch ginger, 3-4 garlic, 2-3 green chili , 1 cup cilantro ground to paste]
1 small onion finely chopped
1/4 th tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
oil for frying
Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat.
Add mustard seeds, as it splutters- add asafoetida, curry leaves
Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes till translucent. And turmeric pwd, green paste. Stir for a minute.
Add salt, then boiled potatoes. Mix every everything nicely.
Add lemon juice, coriander leaves and mix well. Try not to add water, if need be add very little so that potatoes gets nicely mixed with the seasoning. Stuffing is ready.
Let it cool a little.
Take small portion of stuffing and roll it in the shape of ball [makes around 8 balls] - as seen in the pic
For Frying
Heat the oil and always fry the Vadas on medium heat.
Stir the dipping batter that has been resting well.
Dip the potato ball (Vada) in the batter. Coat the batter from all sides hold it on top of the batter bowl till excess batter drops down then slowly slide it in the oil and fry it from all the sides until you see nice fried orange color on it probably couple of minutes on each sides.
Using a slotted spoon take out the Vadas and place on paper towel to drain out excess oil
Serving:
Take a Pav, slice it in the center, slather dry red chutney, place your Vada and couple fried chillies with it.
Getting back to blogging after a short break, feels so good to be back in my comfort zone :)
It was Monday, Presidents day a long weekend in USA. Had a busy rest of the weekend having too much fun! Thought of lazying around while cleaning up the house and at sharp 11:08am had a craving to eat pav bhaji after my eyes wandered on the potato bag in the pantry :) Got lucky as I had all the ingredients in the fridge except pav (Indian bread). After begging for 5 minutes to my Pati-dev who thinks weekends are his right to be a couch potato, sent him off to the store to get the pav while I geared myself to make some YUMM-O street food.
This dish is a big hit at my house and relished amongst my friends. I got this recipe from a Juhu beach vendor in Mumbai on Youtube some years back. Can't go wrong, right? I have customized the recipe just a little bit as per my convenience. I was actually surprised to see couple of ingredients that went into it like kasoori methi and hing. Well, it only adds more great flavors to say the least.
Another huge USP of this dish, can add as many variety of vegetables you want and kids will not even know :) because potatoes overpowers the rest of the clan :)- So yes, Moms can go YAY!!
Pav Bhaji was invented as a midnight dish by street food vendors, made with all the leftover vegetables from the day, mashed up together, with loads of added spice, and butter. Bhaji is the Marathi word for a vegetable dish, and pav probably comes from the Portuguese word for bread.
All I can say is try it and see if you like it.
Ingredients: For the Bhaji:
2 big potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed lightly
4-5 ripe tomatoes chopped ( if not sour enough, add extra tbsp of tomato paste)
1 capsicum chopped
10 flowerets of cauliflower (roughly chopped)
1 small carrot chopped (optional)
1/2 cup peas boiled
1 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp Kashmiri chili pwd (to give more color than spiciness)
2 tbsp butter
1/4th tsp turmeric pwd
1- 2 tbsp pav bhaji masala (everest or mtr)
handful chopped cilantro leaves
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves
pinch asafetida
2 tbsp of oil
food color orange 1 pinch ( if you want that gorgeous color :))
To Fry the Pav:
Butter
Cilantro leaves
Prepared Pav Bhaji
Garnish Ingredients:
Chopped onion
Sev
Lemon pieces
Dallop of butter on it
6 Pav (store bought for now) Minimum 2 Pav each person to relish all that goodness of buttery bhaji :)
Preparation:
In a non stick pan, heat oil, add capsicum, cauliflower, (carrots if using it) and quickly saute it for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add ginger garlic paste and let it cook for little bit more till the raw smell goes away. Add asafetida, kasoori methi and cook for a minute.
Now add chopped tomatoes and saute it for couple of minutes. You can add 1 tbsp butter now and let it cook till you see some oil coming out from the corners. Stir in between.
Add masalas - turmeric pwd, chilli pwd and pav bhaji masala, salt mix everything together quickly.
Add boiled potatoes and with a masher, start mashing everything together. Add water little by little till you get the consistency of thickness/thinness you want. It is always semi thick. Potatoes basically absorb water.
Taste it and see if it needs adjustment, if your tomatoes are not sour enough, add lemon juice.
Add food color if you want.
Let it cook on sim flame for about 7-8 minutes. Keep stirring in between and add water as you like. Add another tbsp of butter :)
Garnish it with Cilantro and switch off the gas.
How to fry the Pav just before serving:
Cut the Pav in the centre and semi open it.
On a frying pan, add butter, as it sizzles add bhaji, cilantro and place the pav face down and cook for few sec. Drizzle some butter or oil on top and serve hot.
How to Serve Pav Bhaji:
Serve good amount of bhaji in a compartmented plate, chopped onion, cilantro and lemon slices on one end, you can add onions, sev and butter on top of the hot bhaji, and masala fresh pav on the other side.
Trust me, eating is much easier than writing how to serve Pav Bhaji :):) (joke)
Due to the increased interest in foods that are low-carb or low-glycemic index, the potato has unjustly earned a bad reputation. Potatoes consumed in simple roasted, grilled, boiled, steamed manner with little or no oil/butter is very healthy and nutritious for health.
It is loaded with calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron that helps in having strong bones.
It has vitamin B6 which supports heart health.
Choline is a very important and versatile nutrient in potatoes that helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning and memory.
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