The Healthy Elvis

Fried peanut butter, bacon and banana sandwiches, dubbed "The Elvis" after the famous singer’s penchant for the tasty concoctions, get a healthy remake in this easy recipe. Here I have ditched the bacon and replaced the PB with a more nutritious option like unsalted almond butter. Just be sure to choose one nut  spread of yours  without hydrogenated oils, added sugars, or salts.

Recipe source: Shape Magazine
Ingredients:
2 slices whole grain bread
2 tablespoons nut butter
1 banana, sliced
1 tablespoon agave nectar(Optional)
Method:
Toast bread, then spread nut butter on both slices. Layer sliced bananas in between the bread and drizzle with agave nectar.

Open Faced Masala Sandwich

If you're looking for a colorful and healthy breakfast or lunch box idea for your little one, look no further. My little girl loves this as an after school snack too. So why wait? Don your apron and make your little bunnies happy!!
Recipe source:Shreez Kitchen
Ingredients:
Onion /Green onion-1/4  cups chopped
Tomato - 1  finely chopped
Carrot - 1/2 cup grated
Green chillies - 1 cut into thin slices
Lemon Juice - 1/2 lemon squeezed
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tbsp
Rasam powder - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 4
Salt to taste
Oil
Cilantro/Coriander leaves to garnish
Bread-4 slices
Butter, as required
Method:
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds, when it starts to splutter, add curry leaves, green chilli and
onion. Saute till onion turns translucent.Add tomato, red chilli powder and rasam powder saute till tomatoes are almost cooked.Add carrot, salt and a little bit of water.
Cook on medium heat till carrots are cooked and there is no more water.
Now take the bread slices and lightly toast them. Butter the toast and spread a  spoonful of the carrot mixture on the toast. Cut  the sandwich  in half or serve as it is.

Black Bean Burger Patties

The hungry monster in my home loves burgers. But as we are vegetarians, the options are limited for us. Typically I make burgers at home using the vegetable cutlets that I make. But Aishwarya doesn't like it that much as they are loaded with veggies, though both Jai and I simply love those. So for those days that we make home made burgers, we use Morning Star's vegetarian burger patties to make the burgers for Aishwarya. These are also good and convenient and even in the fast food chains like Burger King's they use these same patties to make the veggie burgers.
Morning Star has Bean Burgers among their products, which Aishwarya likes, but when I saw this recipe, I liked it more since I know what goes into this and when we made it, it was tasting better than the bought  out ones. All of us like it so much that we often takes it by itself even without the burger buns. These tastes awesome with just sour cream and some sambal paste or salsa on top.

Adapted and modified from Show Me The Curry
Ingredients: (makes approx 6 large patties)
For the Patty:
Black Beans (or you may use kidney beans also) – 1, 15 oz can, drained and rinsed
Olive Oil – 1 tbsp
Onions – 1/2 cup, chopped
Garlic – 2-3 cloves, chopped
Beans-1/2 cup,chopped
Garam masala-1tsp
Chilli powder-1/2tsp
Coriender powder-1tsp
Pepper powder-1/2tsp
Taco Seasoning – 1 tbsp or to taste
"Better than Bullion" vegetable base or chicken base -1/2 tsp
Shredded Carrots – 1/2 cup
Whole Wheat or Whole Grain Bread – 1 slice
Cooked Brown Rice – 1 cup
Frozen Corn – 1/2 cup
Salt – to taste
Soy Granules – 1/2 cup
Instant Oats – 1 cup
Cilantro – 5 springs, finely chopped
Eggs – 1, lightly beaten
Bread crumbs for coating

For the Burger:
Toasted Buns
Sour Cream
Salsa

Method:

 In a pan, heat up 1 tbsp of Olive Oil. Once hot, add in the Onions and Garlic and allow them to caramelize a little.Add in the Soy Granules and  once dry add in the Bell Pepper and beans and cook for a little bit (1-2 min) Add in Taco Seasoning,vegetable base and other dry seasonnings, allow it to coat the vegetables and turn off the stove. Once the stove has been turned off, add in the finely shredded Carrots and mix well. Set the pan aside and allow it to cool down.
Pulse the Food processor about 3-4 times to make the bread slice into bread crumbles. In the Food Processor, add Cooked Brown Rice, Corn, Cooked Vegetables, Salt, Pulse about 6-7 times.Add in 3/4 of the can of Black Beans after draing them. Pulse for another 3-4 times till everything is mixed well.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Instant Oats, Cilantro & the balance of the Balck Beans. Mix gently but well. Now is a good time to do taste test before adding in Eggs.
Add in the eggs and mix well gently.If you have time put the mixture in the fridge and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.Divide up the mixture into equal portions,make a patty  Coat the them with bread crumbs. Heat a skillet up on medium heat with enough Oil.Once the skillet is hot, place gently, press the patty down if it is too thick and move it around so it gets coated in the Oil.Flip the patty once it browns on the bottom to cook the other side as well .
Once done, place on a toasted Bun.Garnish with Sour Cream and Salsa and serve.

Lazy Hubbie's Panini

My husband doesn't like cooking much.If he has to cook something for survival this is one dish he like to make. He has become such a fan of this that now-a-days he even volunteers to make this when I am not around. I am sure you would also enjoy this simple sandwich.
Ingredients:

Bread-2 slices

Cheese spread-1tbs

Onion-2tbs

Tomatoes-1tbs

Cilantro-1tsp

Butter-1tbs

Pepper- to taste

Salt-to taste

Method:

Spread cheese-spread  on one side of the first slice of bread. Layer with chopped onions (we prefer this as it is less messy to eat this way),de-seeded tomatoes (this prevents the bread turning mushy),cilantro,pepper and salt. To the other slice of the bread apply butter on one side and then put the buttered slice facing the fillings. Place it in the preheated panini press and cook till the sandwich turns golden brown.

Health Sandwich

Here is the recipe for a simple, delicious and healthy sandwich, that would be loved by both kids and adults alike.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Bread slices - 8 nos (or you can use 4 sandwich buns)
Thick,fresh curd - 1 cup ( or you can use cream cheese - 4tbs)
Sprouted green bean (mung bean) - 1/2 cup
Grated carrots - 1 tbs
Chopped onion - 1 tbs
Chopped Green chillies - 1/2 tbs
Chopped Cucumber - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Chilli sauce - 1/2 tsp
Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp
Cheese slices - 4 nos (I have used grated  cheddar cheese) - optional

Method:

1. Pour the curd into a sieve and keep aside for 1/2 an hour to drain all the water. 
2. Mix all the chopped ingredients, salt, pepper and sprouts together
3. Take a slice of bread, apply the curd /cream cheese on it and spread a tablespoon of the vegetable mixture over it
4. Mix the Chilli and tomato sauces together
5. Spread the sauce mix lightly over the second slice of bread. 
6. If you are using the cheese slice, you can put that over the vegetable mix or if using grated cheese, mix it with the vegetable mix in step 2
7. Put the two slices together and press lightly

Enjoy!
I am entering this to the "My Legume Love Affair Contest" by Mirch Masala
http://www.mirchmasala.me/2010/03/announcement-my-legume-love-affair-mlla.html
http://thewellseasonedcook.blogspot.com/2008/09/my-legume-love-affair-host-lineup.html

Grilled Cheese Sandwich

If asked what would I love on a cloudy, cold day to bring warmth to my body and mind, I would say a steaming bowl of soup and  a grilled cheese sandwich. But this grilled cheese sandwich is my daughter's favorite whether its rain or shine,with or without some soup to go with it. Here is the recipe to her favorite spicy grilled cheese sandwich.

Ingredients
2 slices white bread
2 tsp butter
1 slice Cheddar cheese (valveeta)
1/8tsp chilli powder(or to your taste)

Method
Preheat skillet over medium heat. Generously butter one side of a slice of bread. Place bread butter-side-down onto skillet bottom and add cheese, on the top of the cheese  sprinkle the chilli powder . Butter the second slice of bread on one side and place butter-side-up on top of sandwich. Grill until lightly browned and flip over; continue grilling until cheese is melted.