Olive Garden inspired Minestrone soup

 INGREDIENTS:

Shell pasta- 1/2 cup

Tomato sauce- 1 can 15 oz

Diced tomato with chilli- 1 can 

Veg broth- 1 box

Zucchini- 1 small cut into slices

Carrot-1 cut into chunks

Onion- 1/2 medium size, cut into small cubes

Garlic-5/6 minced

Cannelini beans-1 can

Kidney beans- 1 can

Celery- 2 stalk cut in to slices

Spinach of your choice- 2 handful

Parmesan cheese -Grated for garnish

Salt. pepper, Dried parsley and Italian seasoning powder to taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a stockpot with a spoon of olive oil, add onions, garlic and saute till transparent.

2. Add carrot, zucchini, canned beans, pasta and mix well. 

3. Add tomato sauce can, diced tomato can and Veg broth and mix well.

4. All other seasonings and top with spinach. 

5. Close the stock pot and boil for 20 mins or until veggies are tender.

6. Top with grated parmesan cheese and serve warm. Enjoy!

Veg Hakka Noodles

INGREDIENTS:

Colorful mini bell peppers-4 or 5 chopped
Cabbage- A small portion, chopped
Broccoli- A few florets
Spring onions- 1 bunch chopped
Ginger and garlic- equal portion, chopped finely
Carrot- 1 big sliced thin
Beans- A handful, chopped
Mushrooms- 4 or 5 sliced
Green chilli- 1 sliced(optional)
Cilantro- A handful, chopped for garnish
Chings- Hakka noodles packet-1
Chings- Green chili sauce- To taste
Chings Hakka noodles powder- 1 tbsp
White and black pepper- 1 tsp each
Soy Sauce- 1 tbsp
Rice vinegar-1 tsp (optional)

PROCEDURE:

• Chop all vegetables.
• Boil the noodles with a dash of oil and salt to aldente.
• In a wok, add oil, add white part of spring onions, ginger, garlic and saute. 
• Add all the vegetables and saute till well cooked.
• Drain the noodles and toss in cold water. Cut the noodles with scissors to smaller threads if needed. 
• Add the noodles to the vegetables.
• Add soy sauce, white pepper, black pepper, rice vinegar, Chings hakka noodles powder, salt and mix the noodles and vegetables.
• Garnish with green part of spring onions and cilantro. Enjoy hot!

Alfredo pasta

INGREDIENTS:

Butter- 1 tbsp
All purpose flour- 1 tbsp
Garlic powder- 1 tbsp
Vegetables optional- Bell peppers, mushrooms, onions,  spinach
Whipping cream or half and half- 1/4 cup
Whole milk-To bring a saucy consistency of your choice
Salt, pepper, Red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning powder- To taste

PROCEDURE:

• Boil pasta in a pot of water, a tsp of olive oil and a dash of salt and cook completely.
• In a pan, let it heat and then add room temperature butter. Let it melt.
• Now add flour, garlic powder and whisk together. Once raw smell goes, add vegetables of your choice and allow to cook , now add whipping cream and milk and whisk together to get a smooth sauce.
• Add salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, Italian seasoning powder to your taste. Add parmesan cheese and Italian cheese to the sauce.
• Add boiled pasta to the sauce. Allow to mi with the sauce for a minute before turning off stove.  Serve hot with more parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.
• If you want you can take this to next level by moving this pasta to a baking dish, garnishing with some bread crumbs and bake at 400 F for 10 mins or so until the bread crumbs have become golden brown.
• My kids love this pasta for school lunch and never waste any.

Veg Chili with quinoa- SLOW COOKER-INDIAN STYLE

INGREDIENTS:

Onion- 1 small, cubed
Can of diced tomatoes and chillies-1
Can of triblend beans (Kidney beans, Pinto beans and Garbanzo beans)-1
Tomato Puree- 2 tbsp
Zucchini- 1 no, cubed
Yellow Squash- 1no, cubed
Green bell pepper- 1/2 no, cubed
Red bell pepper- 1/2 no, cubed
Garlic- 6-8 nos, cubed
Veg broth- 1 box
Baby Carrots- 4-6 nos, cubed
Green chillies- 1 or more depending on spice level
Quinoa- 1 cup, soaked in water for 1-2 hours
Cilantro- handful, chopped

Spice Powders:
Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
Chilli powder- 1 tsp
Coriander  seed powder- 1 tsp
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Salt-to taste
Turmeric Powder-1/4 tsp

Garnish:
 Sour cream
Green onions- chopped
Corn bread

PROCEDURE:

1. Turn on the slow cooker to high. Add all the ingredients except spice powder. Add water if needed depending on how much veggies you have.Let it cook for 2-3 hours.
2. Change setting to low and allow to cook over night for about 8 hours.
3. Now add all the spices and salt and allow to slow cook for 1-2 hours or leave it in warm until you want to serve.
4. Serve with shredded cheese (optional), sour cream and cut green onions. You can eat with corn bread or as is. If you want soupy texture, add more broth.

Mexican Green Chili Enchilada Sauce

INGREDIENTS:

Green tomatillos- 12-14, cut into halves
Jalapeno chillies-2 nos with seeded
Onions-2 nos, one cut into small chunks for baking and one into small cubes
Whole Green chillies from can- 2 nos, chopped
Garlic-8 nos- 4nos with skin, 4 nos that are chopped
All Purpose Flour- 2 tbsp
Cumin powder- 1 tbsp
Taco Seasoning - 2 tbsp
Salt and Pepper- To taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a baking tray, arrange all the halved tomatillos cut side down and the garlic with the skin ,onion,jalapeno in slots where this is some space.
2. Broil in high for about 15-20 minutes until cooked.
3. Now allow the vegetables to cool. Remove the skin of garlic and grind everything to a smooth paste and keep aside.
4. Now in a big pot,add some olive oil, onions, garlic and allow to fry till brown. Add the green chilies from the can and saute well. 
5. Add the all purpose flour and mix with the onion mixture.
6. Add the spices and mix. Pour the paste that you have ground and mix and allow to boil.
7. Squeeze half a lime or lemon for taste.
8. Eat with enchiladas or as a chili with shredded chicken.

Nivi's Marinara Pasta

INGREDIENTS:

Penne/Rotini Pasta-1/2 pack

Garlic-1 or 2 cloves, smashed or minced finely

Basil leaves-Few or you can use dry basil leaves powder too

Italian Seasoning Powder-1/4 tsp

Marinara Sauce-2 cups

Olive oil or butter-1/4/tsp

Red chilli flakes- As per your taste

Shredded mexican cheese-1/4 cup

Vegetables of your choice- sliced.

PROCEDURE:

1.Boil pasta with olive oil and salt until done and drain. Save a little of the cooked pasta water for later.

2. In another pan, add olive oil or butter, garlic,vegetables of your choice and saute.

3.Now add the boiled pasta and cheese and the powders and mix well with the marinara sauce. 4.Add little of the pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

5. Serve hot in a bowl.

Panneer Smothered Burritos

INGREDIENTS:

Ready made Tortillas-6 nos uncooked or cooked

Green bell peppers-1/2

Panneer- cubed into very small pieces

Taco seasoning Mix

Onions-1/2 medium

Cilantro-For garnish

Salsa-1/2 a bottle

Enchilada Sauce-Green or Red of your choice

Lemon Juice-A splash for taste

Grated Cheese- For Garnish

Sour cream/Guacamole for side.

PROCEDURE:

1. Make the ready made tortillas.
2. In a pan, Add some oil, onions, green bell peppers and saute till done.
3. Add some Salt and Taco seasoning mix
4. Now add the panneer and saute till cooked.Garnish with cilantro and a splash of lemon juice.
5. Preheat oven to 350 F.
6. Take a baking pan and grease it with baking spray.
7. Now pack the tortillas with the cooked mixture
8. Cover with enchilada sauce.
9. Garnish with cheese.
10. Now bake in oven for 5 mins or until the cheese on top melts.
11. Serve hot with some Sour cream.

Bruschetta

INGREDIENTS

Olive Oil
Basil Leaves-cut fine
Tomatoes-cubed
Balsamic Vinegar
Mozzarella Slices
French bread or Baguette-sliced
Salt and pepper-Add to taste

PROCEDURE:

1. In a separate bowl,mix olive oil,balsamic vinegar,cubed tomatoes,salt and pepper.
2.Arrange the mozzarella slices on the sliced bread and put the above mixture and serve.

OPTIONAL:
You can add minced garlic and/or diced onions.
You can toast the bread but I prefer not toasting the bread,as it gets hard after a while.

Thai Pizza

This is an awesome pizza and is really quick and easy too.

INGREDIENTS:
Naan bread from Target- 1 packet
Peanut Sauce-Enough to smother the entire pizza
Tofu- Cut into tiny pieces
Spring Onions or Green Onions- 2 bulbs
Roasted Red Peppers-2 pieces from the can

PROCEDURE:

1,Take the Naan bread, smother the entire bread with peanut sauce.
2,Garnish the pizza with the tofu, roasted red peppers & spring onions.(Now the pizza is all colorful with white,red and green)
3,Bake in oven for 350 F for 8-10 minutes until done.

Note:

You can also substitute Panneer instead of tofu.

If you want you can garnish with cilantro but I think the green onions are good enough.