3 Salads You Can Make A Meal Of (Kid-Approved & Not Greens Only)

Time for some extra loving! Now if there was one day to tell Mom she’s special and deserves a little pampering, it’s Mother’s Day, right?

It was when my daughter turned 3 that Mother’s Day became a big part of our lives.

She had started going to playschool and one day she came home with a beautiful card made using her handprints wishing me Happy Mother’s Day.

It just made my day and my year. I still have the card tucked away in my memory box.

That said the ball rolling and now while it’s not that I want them to make a big deal about Mother’s Day but the fact that they take time to do something for me makes me happy- some years it’s a card. Other years it’s been a meal.

I would love to know your memories surrounding your kids. Write to me at [email protected].

This year I hear salads are on the menu.I have been saying I don’t have the appetite for much coz it’s just so hot. I overheard them telling my husband to order some stuff, so…..

We were never a big salad eating family. Thankfully that has changed a little.

Does your family consist of people who turn up their noses and close their mouths at the mention of the word “salad”? Well, mine does! For my husband and kids, salad meant an overload of veggies and green leaves and they just didn’t want any part of that.

Fast forward to now – they’ve actually started enjoying eating a salad with their meals. I have 3 recipes that have always worked with them. Check them out.

Here’s wishing everyone a Happy Mother’s Day!

Recipe Of The Week

I give you a salad with yum mango slushie. You’re going to love it

Easy Rice Salad

Image Source: https://foodal.com

Ingredients

1 Cup Rice (uncooked)
4 Green Onions finely chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, chopped finely
1 Yellow Bell Pepper finely chopped
1 ½ Cups Corn Kernels, steamed
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 Tbsp White Vinegar
1/4 Tsp Mustard Powder/ Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper as per taste
Lemon Juice to taste
1/2 Tbsp Lemon Zest
Chopped Coriander Leaves

Method

Cook the rice in salty water until tender. Drain and cool in the fridge.
Mix the dressing in a bottle – put the olive oil, white vinegar, mustard powder, salt and sugar. Shake to combine well.
Place the rice, bell peppers and corn in a large bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Mix well to combine.
Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh coriander.

Note: You can top this with hard boiled eggs, shredded chicken or tofu

Spicy Mango Slushie (Serves 1)

Ingredients

2 Ripe Mangoes, peeled, pitted and chopped
2 Tbsp Honey/Powdered Jaggery or any sweetener of your choice
1 1/4 Tsp Chilli Salt (add more if you like)
1/4 Tsp Citric Acid Crystals Or 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lime Juice
15-20 Ice Cubes

Chilli Salt Ingredients

1 Tbsp Crushed Red Chilli Flakes
1 Tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
3/4 Tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
3/4 Tsp Citric Acid Crystals

Method

For Chilli Salt

Blend all the ingredients together in a spice blender until finely powdered. Store the chilli salt in an airtight container.

For Slushie

Blend all the ingredients in a high-powered blender until smooth. Spoon the slushie into a glass and serve immediately.

Your Grocery List

Did You Know

Ragi, nachni, bhakri or finger millet is a grain that has been part of the Indian diet for centuries. It’s actually an excellent option to add to your family’s menu. This gluten-free grain contains high amounts of proteins, calcium, and iron. Ragi flour is prepared by either crushing dried grains or spouting, drying and then grinding them. The good thing is that Ragi is a rich source of good carbohydrates and since it is too tiny to be polished or processed it is mostly consumed in its purest form.

It is rich in

Calcium
Fibre
Treats anaemia
Is a great brain relaxant
Amazing for digestion

Adding ragi to your diet in the summer can help keep your digestion intact and cool. You can check out the ragi recipe we have shared o the website.

Hack Of Week

I found these quite cool, Your kitchen sponge can have more uses than just scrubbing your dishes clean. I particularly liked the frozen sponge in the tiffin box hack for days like now when the crazy heat can turn the food bad.

Meal Plan This Week

Recipes To Help You Through The Week

Pasta Salad

Ingredients

200 gms Whole Wheat Pasta cooked al dente and cooled
6 Baby Tomatoes halved
6 Olives 6 cut into rounds
5 Baby Corn boiled and sliced
1 Bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
1 Zucchini sliced
1 Cucumber sliced
1 Iceberg Lettuce shredded into bite-size pieces
2 Tbsp Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce
2 Tbsp Pesto Sauce
Black Pepper
Salt to taste

You can add whatever other vegetables you like munching on too.

Pesto Sauce:

15-20 Basil Leaves
Handful of Pine Nuts/ Walnuts
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 inch piece Ginger
2 Green Chillies
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
14 Tsp Black Pepper
1/2 Tsp Lemon Juice
Salt to taste

Instructions

Put all the pesto sauce ingredients into a mixer jar and grind it into a paste.
In a large bowl put all the veggies. Add the fresh pesto sauce and Thai sweet chilli sauce and give it a good mix.
Put pesto coated veggies in the refrigerator for half an hour.
Add boiled pasta to the veggies and combine it all. Make sure the veggies and pasta are coated well with the sauces.
Garnish with fresh basil and serve.

Chicken Barley Salad

Image Source: https://recipes.sainsburys.co.uk/

Ingredients

150g Pearl Barley rinsed well
1 Tsp Salt
125g Peas, cooked
2 Spring Onions, trimmed and sliced
60g/1 Cup Fresh Spinach Leaves
25 Fresh Mint Leaves
4 Tbsp Olive Oil
250g Cooked Chicken, roughly shredded
2 Tbsp Flaked Almonds, toasted
Salt as per taste
Ground Black Pepper

Method

Put the barley in a pan with 6 cups of boiling water. Add the salt and let it come up to a boil. Then simmer for 35-40 mins until the barley is tender.
Drain the barley and to this add the cooked peas, spring onions and spinach and stir. Let the spinach wilt with the warmth from the barley.
Put the mint leaves in a tall jug, or bowl, with the oil and blend to make a dressing.
Add the shredded chicken, the seasoning and mint dressing to the warm barley mixture and stir well.
Sprinkle with toasted almonds and serve warm.

Homemade Dhokla

Easy Pretzel Rolls

You can serve them with curry, pumpkin soup, chicken salad, or a simple quinoa salad bowl.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1.5 cups Wholewheat flour
1/4 cup Milk powder
2 tsp Dried active yeast
3/4 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Warm water You may need another 1/4 cup or so
2 tbsp Olive oil

Water Bath

2 litres Water
1/4 cup Baking Soda
1 tbsp Salt

Topping

Sea salt

Method

In a large bowl, combine the flours, milk powder, yeast, and salt.
Stir in the warm water and olive oil.
Mix well and knead the dough for 8-10 minutes. You can use a stand mixer too.
You should get a soft, and smooth dough that’s just a tad tacky.
You may need to add the extra water if your dough seems dryish.
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp tea towel. Let the dough rest for an hour or until it doubles in size.
Gently deflate the risen dough and divide it into 10 equal-sized balls.
Cover them and let the rest for 15 minutes, on a greased or parchment-lined tray. Please lightly grease the parchment too.

Water Bath

In the meanwhile, prepare the water bath and preheat your oven to 200C.
Bring the water, baking soda and salt to a rolling boil.
Gently drop 4-5 balls at a time in the boiling water.
Cook for 30 seconds, flip and cook for another 30 seconds.
Remove from the water using a slotted spoon.
Repeat this with all the remaining balls.
Make a cross on top of the balls using a sharp knife. Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 20 -25 minutes. Or until they are deep golden brown.
Mine got done in 20 minutes.
Place the pretzel rolls on a cooling rack to cool. Enjoy warm as is or with butter!

Coffee Banana Walnut Cake

Ingredients

1/2 cup (60 gms) Amaranth Flour
1 cup (140 gms) Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
1/2 cup (80 gms) Brown Sugar
4 medium-sized Bananas
1 tbsp Instant Coffee I mixed the Instant coffee with 2 tbsp hot water to create a liquid mixture.
1/2 cup (125 gms) Yoghurt
1/3 cup Coconut Oil you can use melted butter or any other neutral-tasting vegetable oil
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup (50 gms) Chopped Walnuts

Mascarpone Frosting

1/2 cup ( 100 gms) Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup ( 45 gms) Icing sugar
Chopped walnuts and chocolate-covered coffee beans Optional

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease an 8″ cake tin well.
Sift both the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.
Stir in the brown sugar.
In another bowl, mash the bananas using a fork.
Add in the oil, yoghurt, coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Fold in the mixed dry ingredients, until just combined. Don’t overmix.
Fold in the walnuts.
Pour the batter into your prepared tin.
Bake at 180C for 40 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
If the cake starts browning too much on the top, cover loosely with a piece of foil.

Frosting