Fried Spinach

:: Ingrediants ::

1. 1 bunch of spinach
1 Tbspn butter
2 Tbspn oil
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tspn of ginger
1 tspn cumin seeds
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tspn chili powder
salt to taste

:: Cooking ::

1. Wash spinach thoroughly with several changes of water. You want to make sure that there is no dirt left in the spinach.
2. In a medium pot, heat extra virgin olive oil.
3. Once oil is heated, put in the cumin seeds.
4. When cumin seed begins to crackle, put in the garlic and ginger.
5. Once garlic and ginger turns brown put in the onion.
6. While onion cooks, put in the chili powder, turmeric, and butter and salt.
7. After cooking for about 5-7 minutes, add in the spinach.
8. Cook for about 7-10 minutes. Add water if needed.
9. Enjoy your dish.

Chana Masala

:: Ingrediants::

1. 2 cups of chana masala
2. 2 tea bags
3. 1 large tomato
4. 2 Tbspn of extra virgin olive oil
5. 2 tspn cumin seed
6. 5-6 bay leaves
7. 1/4 tspn asafetida
8. 1/2 tspn mined ginger
9. 1/2 tspn minced garlic
10. 1/2 large onion
11. 1/2 cup coriander
12. 2 green chili
13. 1 tspn tumeric
14. 1 tspn chili powder

:: Preparing Puree::

1. cut tomato into an X shape just on the outer skin layer. Cut the stem off.
2. Heat water in a small pot.
3. Once water boils, put tomato in for about 2 minutes.
4. Take it out and rinse in cold water.
5. Peel off the outer skin.
6. Put the peeled tomato in a blender. Close the top and press the puree button for about 30 seconds. Tomato puree should be all ready.


::Preparing Chickpeas::

1. Put about 5 cups of water and boil in a medium pot.
2. Place 2 teabags in the water. Leave it until the teabag releases its color. This will give color to the chickpeas.
2. Once water boils, put in the chickpeas.
3. Cook for about 30 minutes until the chickpeas are tender. Most of the water should be absorbed by now.


::Cooking::

1. In a medium pan, put extra vigin olive oil.
2. Once oil is heated, place the cumin seeds.
3. Once the cumin seeds begin to cracckle, put in the garlic and giner.
4. The garlic and ginger should be slightly brown. Then add in the onions.
5. While onion cooks, put in the cloves, bay leaves, asafetida, chili, turmeric, and chili powder.
6. Add in the tomato puree.
7. Add about 1/2 cup of water. Cook for about 5 mintues.
8. Optional: For those who love tomatos, add half of a diced tomato. This will provide more tomato flavor the tomato with the chickpeas.
9. Add salt and garam masala. Add another 1/2 cup of water. Add chickpeas. Cook for about 10 minutes.
10. Enjoy you dish. It tastes delicious with paratha and salad.

:: Nutrition Information ::

Chickpeas: Chickpeas provide an excellent source of protein, folate, fiber, calcuim, and other minerals. Half a cup of chicpeas contain 140 calories. Chickpeas are a great choice for vegetarians and people with insulin sensitvity or diabletes.

Spaghetti with Veggies

::Ingrediants::

1. 1/2 spagetti box
2. 1 box of frozen veggies
3. salt to taste
4. 1 1/2 cup of tomato sauce


::Cooking Spaghetti::

1. In a medium size pot, heat 6 cups of water.
2. Once water begins to boil, pour in the spagetti.
3. Cook for about 20 minute, stirring occasionally.
4. Once the spagetti is cooked, rinse the water from spagetti with a colander.
5. Once it cools, lightly rub oil in the spagetti in order to prevent from stickiness.


::Cooking Veggies::

1. Place frozen veggie pack in a bowl with water for approximately 30 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, put the oil and onion. Cook until onion is golden brown.
3. Put in the veggies and about 3/4 cup of water. Cook for about 10 minutes in medium heat and stirr occasionaly.
4. When most of the water is absorbed, pour the salt into the skillet and stir. Leave the heat on for about another 5 minutes.


1. In a large pot, pour in the tomato sauce, veggies, and spagetti. Turn heat to high and stirr.
2. Once the dish is heated, turn off heat.
3. Enjoy your dish.

::Nutrition Information::

1. Spaghetti: Spaghetti is rich in carbohydrates; one cup contain about 220 calories per cup. For a healthier choie, choose whole wheat spaghetti which contains only 170 calories per cup.
2. Ragu spaghetti sauce: One cup of Ragu spaghetti sauce contain 160 calories.

Cauliflower Curry

::Ingrediants::

1. 1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2. 2 tbspn Extra virgin olive oil
3. 1/2 tspn cumin seeds
4. 2 medium tomatos
5. 2 cloves of garlic
6. 3 green chilis, finely chopped
7. 1 tspn paprika
8. 1/2 large chopped onion
9. 1/2 tspn turmeric
10. salt to taste
11. 1/4 cup cilantro
12. 1 tspn garam masala


::Directions::

1. In a medium pot, add extra virgin olive oil.
2. Once oil is heated, add cumin seeds and cook for about a minute.
3. Add the following: garlic, onion, paprika, green chilis, turmeric
4. Add 1/4 cup of water. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
5. Add cauliflower into the pot.
6. Let the cauliflower florets cook. Add one cup of water when needed. It's preferable to wait a few minutes before adding water so that the cauliflower florets will absob the spices.
7. Cool for about 15 minutes in medium heat, stir occasionally.
8. Add the tomatos and cook for about 5 minutes. Add more water if needed.
9. Add garam masala. Add cilantro. Cook for about a minute.
10. Enjoy your dish.


::Nutritional Information::

1. Cauliflower: The best cauliflowers have white or off white head with no space between the florets. In addition, the leaves should be fresh. Avoid cauliflower that has brown spots in the head.

Tomato & Cucumber Daal

::Ingrediants::

1. 3/4 cup daal
2. 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3. 1 medium onion
4. 1 tsp cumin seeds
5. 1 tsp turmuric
6. 4 cloves of garlic
7. 3 green chilis
8. 1 medium tomato
9. half of a small cucumber
10. half a cup of coriander leaves, finely chopped

::Boiling Daal::

1. Wash the daal 2x
2. Place daal and 4 1/2 cups of water into a pot
3. Turn heat to high until water boils.
4. Then bring to a simmer and cover the pot.
5. Cook for about 30 minutes. You should be able to easily press the lentils between your thumb and forefinger.

::Making the masala::

1. Add 2 tbsp of oil in a skillet with medium heat.
2. Add cumin seeds
3. Once cumin seeds begin to crackle, add the garlic and cook for about a minute until the garlic is golden brown.
4. Next add onion, turmeric, chilli powder, green chillis, and salt.
5. Cook until the onion is transparent. That should take about 3 minutes.
6. Add the tomato and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add cucumber and let it cook for 3 minutes.

::Finishing up::

1. Bring the boiled lentils to a boil.
2. Add the masala.
3. Add water if desired.
4. Enjoy your lentil soup, perfect with rice and curry.

::Nutrition Information::

1. Lentils: Lentils are a great food choice because it is cheap, cholestoral free, and lasts indefinitely. If stored in a tight concealed bag, lentils last up to a year. Lentils are rich in folic acid, iron, soluable fiber, protein, and Vitamin C. This is especially a very nutritious choice for vegetarians.
2. Garlic: garlic was historically used as a medicinal herb. Today, it is known to lower cholestoral and blood pressure.

Indian Style Okra

::Ingrediants::

1. 1 lb okra, cut into small slices
2. 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4. 1 medium onion diced
5. salt to taste
6. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
7. red chilli powder to taste
8. 1/4 tsp paprika
9. 1/4 tomatoo
10. 2 cloves of garlic

::Cooking::

1. Pour 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in medium skillet.
2. Pour in cumin seeds.
3. Once cumin seeds are heated, add garlic, onion, tumeric, paprika, chili powder, and salt.
4. After stirring, add okra.
5. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes to absorb the seasonings.
6. Now add 1/2 cup of water.
7. Cover the skillet and let it cook for 20 minutes; stir occasionally. Note: You can cook it a bit less if you like the crunchy taste of okra. I like the soft over done taste, so I leave it for 20 minutes. Also, add more water if needed.
8. Taste to make sure salt and pepper flavor is correct.
9. Turn off heat and enjoy your dish with brown rice and daal.

::Nutrition Facts::

1. Okra: rich in nutrients such as fiber, vitamin B6, and follic acid. Okra is most nutritious when steamed or boiled for a short period of time. Okra is also very low in calories; one cup of okra contains about 30 calories.
2. Extra virgin olive oil: In order to keep the nutrients, heat oil at low heat. Choose olive oil because it is highly concentrated in monosaturated fatty acids and antioxidative substances. Extra virgin olive oil is the best kind because its content is from the first pressing of the olives. Meanwhile, the other types of olive oil are derived from additional pressings. Although extra virgin olive oil is more expensive, it is more healthier and more beneficial in the long run.
3. cumin seeds: the supermarket carries both cumin seeds and cumin powder. Preferably, purchase cumin seeds because it is more fresh and has a rich flavor.
4. tomato: rich in vitamin C. Preferably, cook tomato before eating in order to abosob its red pigment. A cup of tomatos only has 35 calories, making it a great choice for weight watchers.

Korean Dish: Kimbab

::Ingredients::

1. Sticky rice
2. 1 can of tuna
a. Sesame oil
b. Sugar
c. Soy sauce
3. 1 Pickled radish
4. 1 long cucumber
5. 1 carrot
6. Baby spinach
7. Bamboo mat
8. Seaweed
*For a healthier choice, use brown sticky rice.

::Preparation::

1. Rice
a. i. Cook rice by following directions in the back of package
Or
ii. In a cooking pot, place 1cup of rice and 1 ½ cups of water.
b. Place the cooked rice on a plate or a pan. Leave the rice to cool down. For faster results, put a cover on the rice and leave it in the fridge for approximately 10 minutes.
c. Marinate rice with 2 Tbs of sesame oil and ¾ of salt. Mix well.

2. Tuna
a. Turn heat to medium and pour 1 ts of sesame oil into skillet.
b. Pour can of tuna into skillet
c. Add 1 ts of soy sauce, ½ ts of sugar, 1 clove of minced garlic, and 1 ts of group pepper.
d. Cook for 3 minutes.

3. Spinach
a. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot.
b. Pour spinach and cook for one minute.
c. Use colander to rinse water.
d. Marinate spinach with sesame oil and salt.

4. Veggies
a. Cucumber, carrot and pickled radish into think cube slices.
i. Sauté the carrots in sesame oil.

::Rolling seaweed::

1. Place seaweed on a roll.
2. Distribute rice evenly in seaweed, leave one inch of the top and bottom empty.
3. Line up all the prepared ingredients
4. Begin rolling the seaweed along with bamboo mat. After the initial turn, begin removing the bamboo mat bit by bit so that the bamboo mat is not rolled along with the seaweed.
5. Once you have rolled the seaweed, roll the bamboo mat around the seaweed and press around the roll. This combines the ingredients together along with the rice.
6. Remove the bamboo mat. Take a bit of sesame oil, rub it in hands, and run around the kimbab roll.
7. Cut the roll into pieces. If knife becomes sticky, place a bit of sesame oil on the edge of knife.
8. Enjoy the dish.

::Nutrition Facts::

Not only is kimbab delicious, it is also very healthy. Here are the nutrition information of the ingrediants used:

1. Seaweed: High scource of anti-oxidants, zinc, calcium, fiber, iodine, and sodium.
2. Brown sticky rice: Brown rice is white rice without the bran layer removed. It contains much more vitamins and minerals than white rice. Brown rice has more concentration of fiber, magnesium, manganese and zinc.
3. Spinach: Spinach is very high in nutrients. It has high source of anti-oxidants, calcium, vitamin A, C, E, K. It is best when eaten raw, steamed. It is a great vegetable for those trying to loose weight.
4. Cucumber: Although cucumber mostly contains water, it contains vitamin C and fiber. The skin contains is concentrated with fiber, so it is preferable to eat it without peeling. Cucumber is great for summer months to keep you dehydrated.
5. Carrot: High in vitamin A, C, K, fiber, minerals, and anti-oxidents. The anti-oxident content in carrot is great for the skin and its nutritional content slow down natural aging process.
6. Tuna: Containing low level of calories, tuna contains high source of proteins and Omega fatty acids. Do not eat tuna too often because excessive consumption has shown to cause health complications in children.