Brown Chickpeas (Kala Chana) Chaat

I made this for lunch the other day because I got canned 'kala chana' for the first time and wanted to try them out. Since chickpeas are a good source of protein and fiber and are low in fat, they are perfect for a healthy lunch or snack. You can make your own variations and add vegetables like boiled potatoes or top it up with some yogurt raita.

Calories: About 180-200 per serving

Makes: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

2 cans (200 grams each) Brown Chickpeas in water, drained (or boiled Brown Chickpeas)

1 tbsp oil

6 curry leaves

1/2 tsp cumin (zeera)

2 green chilies, thinly sliced

1-2 handsful cilantro

4 tbsp thick tamarind paste (soak tamarind in water and squeeze out seeds, etc when soft)

Salt, to taste

Red chili powder, to taste

2 tbsp cooked tomato salsa (from the "Pan-seared Fish with Cooked Tomato Salsa" recipe)

Heat oil and add the curry leaves and cumin. When they crackle, add the brown chickpeas, salt and red chilies. Add the tamarind paste, half the cilantro and green chilies. Cook for about 4-5 minutes (adding a few teaspoons of water if too dry). Taste and adjust to your taste preferences. Add the tomato salsa. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and cover on very low heat for 5 minutes. Serve.

Note: If you do not have prepared cooked salsa, you can add a tomato and half a sliced onion initially to the oil after the curry leaves and cumin and cook on medium heat for a few minutes before adding the chickpeas.

You can also make this with the lighter colored variety of chickpeas.

Eggplant Burgers

I had a huge eggplant sitting in my refrigerator for a few days and wanted to make something different. The following recipe is what I ended up doing and it turned out quite good. Its quite healthy and low on calories. You can serve it with oven baked fries or potato wedges. If you want to make it healthier, replace the regular fries with sweet potato fries. I'm still trying to calculate the final calorie count. Will add that in when I do.

Makes: 4 servings

Patties:

4 large round eggplant slices, each about 1/2 inch thick

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt, to taste

2 tsp balsamic vinegar (optional)

4 hamburger buns

Tomato Salsa:

1 large ripe tomato, finely diced

1/2 small red onion, finely diced

1 green chili, finely chopped

2 tsp lemon juice (or 1 tsp balsamic vinegar)

1 tbsp grated fresh parmesan cheese

Salt, to taste

Black pepper, to taste

Toppings: (all optional)

Lettuce (I did a combination of lettuce and bok choy)

Mayonnaise

Ketchup

Cabbage (thinly sliced)

Parmesan cheese, grated

Take the eggplant slices and sprinkle them with salt on both sides. Place in a colander and set aside for 30 mins.

In the meantime, combine all the ingredients for the salsa and keep aside.

Take the eggplant and squeeze each slice lightly. Heat a grill pan on medium heat and brush with a little oil. Place the eggplant flat on the pan. Grill on both sides till eggplant is soft and moist (but not breaking), switching sides every 2 minutes and brushing with a little more oil each time. When the eggplant is ready (in about 6-10 minutes), drizzle each slice with 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar and remove from heat.

Assemble the burgers by putting a slice of eggplant on the bottom on a bun. Add the salsa and then the lettuce and parmesan cheese. Serve hot.

Chicken Pot Roast

This is a super easy and healthy meal to make. Often, I make it in a larger quantity and use the leftover chicken to make sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (1100-1200 grams), cut into 8-12 pieces

3/4 cup yogurt

1 tsp garlic paste

1/8-1/4 cup white vinegar

Salt, to taste

Coarsely crushed black pepper, to taste

Red chili powder, to taste (optional)

4-5 tbsp oil (more if you prefer)

In a big bowl, mix together the yogurt, garlic paste, vinegar, salt, pepper and chili powder. Add marinade to the chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 5-6 hours (for best results, let it marinate for 1 day). Heat oil in a pot and add the chicken. Cook on medium-low heat till chicken is done and no longer pink in the center. If the chicken seems too dry, add a little hot water into the pot and cook. If it seems like it has too much gravy, increase the flame. Serve hot with steamed vegetables.

Note: You can also add peas and potatoes to the pot along with the chicken to add color to the dish.

Oven 'Fried' Zucchini

These turned out delicious! They are crispy from the outside and soft and gooey from the inside. A perfect, low-cal side or a snack!

Makes: 2 servings (about 6 pieces each)

Calories: Approximately 39 calories per serving.

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (250 grams) zucchini, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp low fat yogurt

1/4 cup yellow corn meal

1/4 cup oats

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp crushed black pepper

1/8 tsp red chili powder

1/8 tsp cumin powder

1-2 tsp parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Put the sliced zucchini in salted boiling water and let it cook for about 3 minutes (till half cooked). Drain and let it dry on a paper towel.

Preheat oven to 200 C (400 F).

In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup water with the yogurt. In a sealable plastic bag, mix the cornmeal, oats, salt, black pepper, chili powder, cumin and parmesan cheese. Dip the zucchini pieces into the water-yogurt mix and drop it in the oat-cornmeal mix. Then place the pieces on a baking grill, lightly sprayed with oil. Once all the pieces are laid out, spray oil on top of them and place in the oven for about 15-18 minutes (or until golden brown). Serve hot.

Oats 'n Honey Granola Bars

A healthy and low calorie snack, yet so delicious and fun, that my 2 and a half year old son and I enjoyed it equally! :)

Makes: 18-20 bars

Calories: About 125 per bar

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

1 cup flour

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/8 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup raisins, chocolate chips or any kind of nuts you prefer (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 F (190 C). In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients and then add the oil and honey. Mix well, preferably with your hands (otherwise it may crumble), until it is blended well and sticky. Add the raisins, chocolate chips or nuts. Firmly press evenly into a shallow baking dish. Bake for 10-15 minutes till it seems a bit puffy and still soft. Do not wait for it to get too brown or they will be too hard. Take out of the oven and cut into bars while still soft. Wait for it to cool and harden completely before serving.