mayurisjikoni

  a cool treat!  Watermelons are in season at the moment in India. I have made this salad umpteen times as its  very refreshing, cool and different from the conventional salads. Usually, I keep the watermelon cubes in the fridge till required. Use up your not so sweet watermelon as a salad. Rich in potassium and Vitamin A, low in calories so go on and have this for lunch till the season lasts.  WATERMELON FETA SPINACH SALAD 2 generous servings 2 cups of watermelon cubes or balls 12 -15  baby spinach leaves, washed 10 -12 black olives cut into halves 1/2 cup feta cheese cubes 1/4 cup mint leaves Dressing: 2 tbsps olive oil 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt or according to your taste 1/2 tsp coarse pepper powder Cut the watermelon and keep in the fridge till required. Chop the mint leaves. Pat dry the spinach leaves on a kitchen paper towel. In a bowl mix the feta cheese, olives, spinach leaves and mint. In another bowl mix the dressing. To serve add the watermelon and

A quick tangy starter Bruschetta(pronounced as brusketta) is an easy and popular italian starter. It has acquired local flavours like addition of chillis, soya sauce and a variety of herbs. Some serve bruschetta on semi soft toasted bread, soft bread or crispy bread. Personally, I prefer crispy crunchy bread. Add the chopped vegetables onto the bread slices just before serving or keep it in a separate bowl and let your guests help themselves. Use ciabatta, french loaf or any bread (not sweet bread) with medium slices. BRUSCHETTA 10 - 12 pieces 10 - 12 slices of bread 2 large tomatoes 1 small onion 10 olives black or green or mixed 1tsp dried herbs or 2tbsps fresh herbs chopped 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 3tbsps olive oil extra olive oil for drizzling on the slices 1 clove of garlic, peeled Drizzle the bread slices with olive oil. Spread it out with a pastry brush. Toast the bread slices for 7-10 minutes or so under a hot grill or broiler. Chop the tomatoes finely. Make sure you remove

a baked delight   Baked cauliflower is a popular dish, but have you tried baked broccoli? Broccoli contains twice the  amount of Vitamin C compared to an orange. It is a rich source of folic acid, calcium, potassium. Rich in selenium, a mineral that has found to have anti cancer and anti viral properties. A good source of fiber, broccoli belongs to the cruciferous family i.e. in the same family as cauliflower, cabbage, mustard leaves, kale. I prefer using broccoli for this dish as opposed to cauliflower as it gives extra flavour and a bite. I usually use a mixture of olive oil and butter to make the sauce.  updated 27/01/2016 BAKED BROCCOLI 2 Servings 2-21/2 cups of fairly big florets of fresh broccoli 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp garlic paste ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper powder For the white sauce: 11/2 cups of fresh milk 2 tbsp butter or oil 2 level tbsp plain flour 1/2 tsp of pepper  1/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder 1 tsp of any dried herbs or ¼ cup of fresh herbs e.g. basil, dill, oregano