Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Vegan Ratatouille Tacos #Guest post from Eat,Move,Shine

17 | 07 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Today I have for you another Sunday Supper friend Diana from Eat,Move,Shine!!I love Diana’s fresh approach to making tasty foods and my favorite is her Swedish Blonde Burger that’s absolutely delicious!!Diana has some amazing recipes on her blog and apart from food she also offers Fitness Programs and Private Chef services!You can follow Diana on Facebook or You Tube!!

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I often have people ask me my secret for making food taste so good…

especially my vegan dishes.

Well, vegan or not, I take the same approach with all dishes.

1) Keep it fresh, with local, in-season ingredients.

2) Fresh herbs make everything more flavorful.

3) Don’t forget to layer your seasonings, before, during and after cooking.

Like many, I first fell in love with the thought of ratatouille thanks to the movie, but never got around to trying it… until now.

And what I now love the most about it, is that you can vary your vegetables and fresh herbs depending on what’s in season. And in my case, what was at my favorite farmers market over the weekend. But, instead of cooking it the traditional way, I opted to roast it. I think roasting brings out the flavor in all veggies, and fruits. Plus for those of you dabbling in vegan or vegetarian eating, roasting offers a meatier texture… which was a nice surprise, especially with the pattypan squash.

And the hummus? I bought some beautiful Swiss chard, but truth be told, I’m not a huge greens lover. But it’s so pretty, and I can never resist it. So, I decided to sauté it up with some shallots and fold it into the hummus, and it was fantastic! The perfect way to “hide” your veggies, with a nice textural addition to the creamy, smooth texture of the hummus. Blend them both with a corn tortilla, and you’ve got a healthy meal that’s both fun to eat, filling… and fast.

And don’t think that you have to just stick to tacos.

This recipe could easily work in a wrap. And if you want more crunch, how about taquitos? Simply roll up the corn tortillas with the ratatouille filling and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Then use the hummus as a fabulous dip.

Got leftovers?

This ratatouille would be perfect over rice or pasta. And the hummus, a great addition to nachos, a topping for bruschetta, or a dip for veggies or pita chips.

Enjoy! And a special thanks to Soni for asking me to be a guest on her blog. I’ve been so inspired by her recipes, and cooking philosophy. It’s an honor to share in the quest to create and enjoy healthy foods.

vegan ratatouille tacos

Vegan Ratatouille Tacos with Shallot & Swiss Chard Hummus

Ingredients

2 zucchini, chopped

1/2 sweet onion, cut in thin half moons

1/2 red pepper, chopped

1 carton golden cherry tomatoes

2 pattypan squash, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, removed from stems and rough chopped

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1 bunch Swiss chard, remove center vein and rough chop

1 large shallot, sliced thin

1/2 lemon, juiced

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Prepackaged hummus

Corn tortillas

Red onion, sliced (optional for garnish)

For the Ratatouille:

Place chopped vegetables and fresh herbs on a rimmed cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

For the Hummus:

While the ratatouille is cooking, in a medium sauce pan add in chopped shallot to olive oil. Cook until softened. Add in chopped Swiss chard and cook until soft. Check for seasonings and squeeze on the lemon juice. Set aside to fully cool. Once cooled, fold into your favorite hummus. If preparing ahead, refrigerate until needed.

To Assemble:

Warm, the corn tortillas and top with the ratatouille and hummus. Garnish with thin sliced red onions if desired for more crunch. Serve.

Wheatberry Salad #Guest Post from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

06 | 07 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Its Summer Holidays and I’m off for a vacation with my family!While I’m holidaying I’ve got some amazing blogger friends sharing their fabulous recipes with you all!I’m very pleased to have my Sunday Supper friend Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings today.I’ve always admired Cindy’s recipes whether its her savory Chicken Sausage, Peppers and Couscous or sweet Boston Cream Pie Trifle !She is a versatile cook/baker and her recipes are absolutely delicious!You can follow Cindy on Pinterest or Twitter!I’ll let Cindy take on from here!

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Hi I’m Cindy and I’m so excited to guest post today for Soni on her wonderful blog here at Soni’s Food.

I love her take on recipes and my favorite is her Chicken Burgers with Curried Cabbage Slaw. It is out of this world good! I’ve never had anything like it.

That says a lot because I’ve been in Food Services almost 40 years. I cook for a living and love to write and develop recipes for newspapers and magazines. Stop by sometime and say hi at Cindy’s Recipes and Writings.

This salad is great for picnics. No fuss. No mayo or dairy to worry about since it has an oil and vinegar base. I especially like it the next day after the flavors have had time to develop fully.

Wheatberries contain an impressive amount of fiber along with protein, phosphorous, potassium and iron.

Try this healthful, make-ahead timesaver at your next get-together. Remember to make a little extra for a snack for yourself. You’ll be glad you did!

wheatberry salad

Wheatberry Salad

Ingredients

2 cups hard winter wheatberries

6 cups vegetable broth

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup olive oil

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup roasted red peppers, finely diced

1/4 cup carrot, finely diced

salt and pepper to taste

Method

Place the wheatberries and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until wheatberries are softened but still chewy (about 45 minutes). Drain.

While wheatberries cook, mix together in a medium-sized bowl 2 tablespoons of the oil, vegetables and vinegar.

Add cooked drained wheat berries and as much of remaining oil as needed to coat and moisten berries.

Marinade salad for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving.

Fourth of July Menu Ideas!

03 | 07 | 2013
By Soni Sinha


This time of the year is all about socializing with friends and family!Foods on the grill are the favorites all around.If you’re looking for some exciting menu ideas that you can try for your 4th of July party,you won’t be disappointed because I’ve got for you some of my favorite recipes to try 🙂 Any recipe that is broiled in the oven can be grilled outside on a barbecue!I’ve got some Vegetarian and Non Vegetarian options for you to choose from.Take a look.

4th of July Party Ideas

Starting from the top left….

Appetizers

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks, Lemon Chicken Kebabs, Tandoori Cauliflower

Sides and Salads

Couscous Tabbouleh, Black Bean and Mango Salad, Quinoa Endive Boats

Entree

Fish Kebabs with Mint Chutney, Salmon Tikka Wraps with Cucumber Raita, Chicken Burger with Curried Cabbage Slaw

Dessert

Mini Strawberry Cheesecake, Mango and Strawberry Cream, Mango Lassi Frozen Yoghurt

 

Hope you enjoy them!!

 

Fish Kebabs with Mint Chutney #SundaySupper

30 | 06 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Its the first week of my kids’ summer holidays and I’ve been really enjoying my lazy mornings without the rush to wake them up or get their lunch boxes ready!Summer is my favorite time of the year!There’s fresh fruits and vegetables in abundance and let’s not forget the hot smoky barbecue that you can enjoy each day every day!!From fresh corn, to meats and seafood, grilled foods are probably the best thing about summer.They’re fun to eat, adaptable to every palate.And with the Fourth of July round the corner,we’re celebrating this season with a Summer BBQ party!

Fish Kebabs with Mint Chutney

My fish kebabs are super easy and have tons of flavor.You can also use Chicken,Lamb or Shrimp for this preparation.I’ve used a combination of Swordfish,Tuna and Salmon here.I let them marinade for about two hours and then grill them for about 6-8 minutes on each side.

You can choose any kind of firm fish for these kebabs.I just love the different textures in the fish and they came out great!The flavors of mint and coriander goes really well with the fish and the reserved chutney can be served alongside these kebabs.The chutney has a bit of tang from the lemon, and slight hint of heat from the Jalapeño, that I love.I served it on a bed of Couscous Tabbouleh with grilled corn for our dinner.Enjoy.

Fish Kebabs

Fish Kebabs with Mint Chutney

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 thick deboned fillet each of-Swordfish,Tuna and Salmon (6-8 oz each)

For the Mint Chutney

  • Fresh Mint-1 cup
  • Fresh Coriander-1 cup
  • Garlic clove-1
  • Green Chili or Jalapeño-1 seeded and chopped
  • Salt-to taste
  • Lemon Juice-1 tbsp
  • Olive Oil-2 tbsp
  • water-1/4 cup or more if required

Instructions
 

  • Wash the fish and pat dry.Slice though the middle and cube into apprx 2 inch pieces.
  • Chop up the coriander and mint.In a wet spice grinder or any food processor combine all the chutney ingredients except lemon juice and blend.Add a little more water if required.
  • In a ziplock bag take about 4-5 tbsp of the Chutney and the fish and give it a good mix.Save the remaining chutney.
  • Refrigerate the fish for two hours.Add the lemon juice a few minutes before grilling.
  • Preheat the grill.
  • Arrange the fish on skewers alternating each fish and grill on medium for about 6 minutes on each side.
  • Serve hot with the reserved chutney.

Fish Kebabs in Mint Chutney 1

The lovely Jenny from The Messy Baker Blog is hosting this special Sunday Supper and we’ve got some amazing summer dishes and drinks for you 🙂

SundaySupperBBQ

Hot Off the Grill:

On the Side:

Sweet Tooth:

In the Cooler:

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on Twitter on Sunday, June 30th to celebrate Summer. We’ll tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and food photos.

 

Peach Thyme Cake

22 | 06 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Some foods pair beautifully,

Its as if they’re meant to be

Like Cheese and Wine

like Fruit and Brie

Peach Thyme Cake

Like Berries and cream

That we so love to eat

I have to add another to the list

Peach with Thyme

as you’re about to see,

Peach Thyme Cake 1

I got some gorgeous Peaches from TraderJoes the other day

And was looking to use them in some way

Came across this recipe that used Peach with Thyme in a cake

I knew exactly what I was going to make 🙂

Peach Thyme Cake 2

Then began the measuring, the mixing and the baking

and Boy, was it outstanding!!

So moist and I’m sure it was the magic of the buttermilk

The earthy woodsy flavor of Thyme,

the sweet juicy peaches

In a perfect harmony of sweet and earthy

They pair beautifully

Peach Thyme Cake 4

Recipe source-Jelly Toast Blog

Peach Thyme Cake

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 2 ripe peaches thinly sliced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Grease a 8"x8" square baking dish or a cake pan with cooking spray.
  • In a bowl mix flour,baking powder,baking soda,thyme and salt.Keep aside.
  • In a separate bowl cream the butter and 3/4 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until all creamy.
  • Add the egg.Add the flour in three additions alternating with the buttermilk making sure to begin and end with flour mixture.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth with an offset spatula.
  • Arrange half of the peach slices on top and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of sugar all over.
  • Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Add the remaining peaches halfway through the baking.You might want to add a extra minute or two to the overall baking time due to this step.
  • Allow to cool before serving.