Spiced Mango Lassi

Spiced Mango Lassi

PREP TIME: 15 ACTIVE
SERVING SIZE: 1 PORTION

When I went to India for the first time, I fell in love with their cuisine. All the bright colours, wonderful aromas and unique spice mixes combine in such alluring ways. A true feast of the senses!

Lassi is a popular and traditional drink in India and Pakistan. It can be savory, spicy or sweet. Today This spiced mango lassi is both sweet & spicy.

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe mango (peeled and chopped)
  • 1 cup of low-fat plain yogurt
  • 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 strings of mint
  • 2 teaspoons of agave nectar (optional)

Directions

  1. Combine mango slices, yogurt, milk and all the spices into a blender.
  2. Separate mint leaves from the stems and add them to the rest of the ingredients, Process well until smooth and creamy.

Enjoy!

Summer Mango and Avocado Salad with Orange Ginger Dressing

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES
SERVING SIZE: 2 LARGE PORTIONS -or- 4 SMALLER ONES (AS A SIDE DISH)

As it's getting warmer outside, I am craving lighter meals with a "fruity" summer twist.

I came up with this salad of mango, avocado, arugula and spinach mix, fresh cilantro, feta cheese and pistachios, garnished with an orange ginger dressing.

This salad contains all the things I love in one bowl! I usually don't use mango in a salad (mostly in desserts and smoothies), but this salad with its sweet and savory combination is a real winner. The dressing lends just the right finish.

The Grocery List

Salad Ingredients

  • 1 mango (peeled and cut into squares)
  • 1 avocado (peeled and cut into squares)
  • 2 Tbsp of pistachios
  • 1 cup of arugula leaves
  • 1 cup of fresh baby spinach
  • 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1/2 cup of feta cheese (crumbled)

Orange Ginger Dressing Ingredients

  • 3-4 Tbsp of fresh orange juice
  • 1/8 or more of tsp of black pepper
  • 1/8 of tsp of cardamom
  • 1 inch slice of ginger (finally grated)
  • 2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil

Mixing the Salad

  1. In a salad bowl, combine spinach, arugula, mango, avocado and feta cubes, and set aside
  2. Add pistachios and cilantro in a salad bowl.
  3. In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, orange juice, ginger, black pepper and cardamom. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined. Taste the dressing for the flavor before serving.
  4. Pour the dressing over salad and gently toss together.
  5. Serve right away.
Enjoy!

Pear and Arugula Energizer Smoothie

Looking for a healthy breakfast or snack? How about a smoothie rich with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals?

Few smoothie recipes utilize arugula as compared to kale and spinach. They should. Arugula is a great source of nutrients that lends a unique "peppery" flavour to a good smoothy mix—and this certain combination an absolute winner!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup arugula tightly packed (about 30 gr)
  • 1/2 of freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1 ripe pear, cored (I used Williams pear, because it is sweater)
  • 2 tbs of pecan nuts
  • 1/4 of the cup of plain yoghurt (it is better to choose thinner variety)
  • 1 1/4- inch slice of fresh ginger
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 tbs of flax seeds

Preparation

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until they are all mixed well (about 1 full minute). Enjoy!

My inspiration for this post comes from The New York Times

Cottage Cheese Balls with Fruit Yogurt

Cottage Cheese Balls

PREP TIME: 15 - 20 MIN. ACTIVE, 20 BAKING
SERVING SIZE: 4 PORTIONS

Full of protein and calcium, cottage cheese balls are a great treat for breakfast or low calorie snack. They can also be served as dessert when garnished with fresh berries or jam, which makes them a perfect meal for kids as well.

Traditional cottage cheese balls are fried in oil. The healthier alternative is to bake them in the oven.

The aesthetic and taste depends on the quality of the main ingredient - cottage cheese. I like when cottage cheese balls are soft and "fluffy". To get a fluffy ball, look for cottage cheese that is not too moist --preferably a little on the dry side. Blending the ingredients in a mixer makes them super tender. They literally melt in your mouth.

Cottage Cheese Balls

Ingredients

  • cottage cheese (4-5% fat) - 250 gr
  • oat bran - 2 Tbsp
  • cream of wheat - 3 Tbsp
  • egg - 1 pcs
  • greek yogurt - 5 Tbsp
  • golden raisins - 7 Tbsp (soaked in a hot water over night)
  • baking powder - 1 tsp (or 4 if you prefer sweeter taste)
  • vanilla extract - 2 tsp
  • orange zest (to taste)
  • ground ginger and cinnamon to taste

Preparation

  1. Mix cottage cheese, egg, orange zest and spices in a blender. Process for about 40 seconds, so that spices and orange zest are distributed evenly.
  2. Move cottage cheese mix to a big bowl.
  3. Add raisins, oat bran and cream of wheat. Mix well and put aside for 30 minutes. It will allow the ingredients to blend together better. The dough should become a smooth paste and be "sticky"
  4. Start making balls. To make a ball you need about a scoop (1 Tbsp) of dough. Roll the dough in your hands till you make a ball.
  5. Put baking paper on the baking tray and place the ball on it. Allow some distance between the balls, preventing them from sticking to one another.
  6. Bake for 20 min at 180-200 C. You will understand that cottage cheese balls are ready when you smell the warm cottage cheese fragrance.

Berry Yogurt

Ingredients

  • raspberries - 100 gr
  • blueberries - 100 gr
  • whole milk - 4 cups
  • plain yogurt - 3 Tbsp
  • honey to taste (optional)

Preparation

I prefer to blend fresh berries into plain yogurts rather than purchasing flavoured yogurts.

Serving Suggestions and Alternatives

You can also serve cottage cheese balls with hot chocolate sauce, fresh berries sprinkled with confectioners sugar, honey or sour cream.

Caribbean Grilled Lobser

Grilled Lobser à la Restaurante El Timón

I ate lobster nearly every day during my recent vacation in Nicaragua. I had it steamed, pan-seared, poached and grilled (my favorite).

This recipe is inspired by the beautifully-prepared grilled Lobster that I enjoyed at Restaurante El Timón in San Juan del Sur. I diverge a bit from their preparation by pairing the lobster with a creamy cauliflower purée (as opposed to serving it witih blanced cauliflower, as shown in the picture above).

The Garnishes

I'll start with the garnishes because it's best to have these ready in advance, since cooking the lobster is quick and since timing is important.

  • Butter - Good lobster demands butter. Preparing some warmed table butter in advance is advisable. You can also use butter to prep and base the lobster.
  • Cauliflower - The photo shows the lobster served with semi-blanced cauliflower and some decorative parsley. The menue originally called for a creamed caulifower base. I would have also prefered if they served the cauliflower grilled as well.
  • Greens - The photo shows some decorative parsley. For the onion loverse, substititue parsel for chive sprigs.

The Lobster

To prepare the lobster, use a nice pair of kitchen shears to cut a slit down the full length of the tail. If you would like your tail to cook up flat and long, insert a skewer that runs from right underneath the tail fan, through the center of the meat, and out through the other end. To cook, place the tails on the grill with the cut side down. Keep the grill at a medium temperature (ca. 300 degree). Cook for 7-8 minutes and then flip.

After flipping, move the tails over to a cooler part of the grill‐away from direct exposure to the flame. Baste each tail generously with the garlic lemon butter, then close the grill and cook for another 3-5 minutes. When the meat is opaque, it is done.

Remove from the grill. Baste one more time with the butter and cover with aluminum foil. Let the meat rest for 3-5 minutes before serving. Once the meat has rested, you can easily wiggle it out of the shell or leave it in the shell for a nice presentation.

With resting time, the whole process took about 25 minutes.

Caribbean Shrimp Salad

Shrimp Salad a la El Timón

PREP TIME: 20 MIN, ACTIVE
SERVING SIZE: 2 PEOPLE

I stopped in for lunch at El Timón on my last day in Nicaragua. Overwhelmed by the heat and not wanting anything heavy, I ordered shrimp salad, which was paired on the menu they had paired with a sort of white sauce (like a tarter sauce).

When the dish arrived, however, the waiter explained that the chef switched out the sauce for an avocado cream dressing.

I was skeptical, but impressed on first bite. It's not a combination that I would have thought up at home, but this combination certainly hit the spot for my a tasty, light mid-day snack.

I re-created this salad at home, and feel that I've achieved a close representation of the original. Here's my recipe:

The Salad

Ingredients

  • iceberg lettuce
  • red bell pepper
  • optional red pepper
  • lemon
  • olive oil
  • black pepper

Preparation

Using a mandolin (or some careful knife work), finely slice the iceberg lettuce and red bell pepper. Mix till evenly distributed.

The Dressing

Ingredients

  • grapeseed or olive oil
  • tablespoon of honey
  • avocado
  • juice of one orange
  • garlic, lime juice, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

Combine the oil, honey, garlic, avocado, and orange juice. Puree until smooth. Mix in lime, salt and pepper

Salad with Garden Vegetables and Grilled Cheese

This summer salad can become a good breakfast, lunch or dinner option. It is easy, healthy and delicious, and great for weight watchers.

Salad Ingredients

  • 5 heirloom tomatoes
  • fresh garden leaves (can be anything from arugula, spinach, swiss chard, radiccio, lamb lettuce)
  • black sesame seeds
  • a good melting cheese
    • I used traditional Geargian Suluguni cheese (it is a mild semi-firm cheese similar to Mozzarella in its distinctive flavor). It tastes especially great when grilled. Halloumi cheese can be a great alternative if you can't find Suluguni.

Dressing Ingredients

  • homemade yoghurt
  • creamy balsamic vinegar
  • black pepper

A little bit about me

Hi! My name is Anna. Thanks for stopping by my blog here at vanilla dream!

This blog is about my continuing self-improvement efforts: leading a healthy lifestyle, practicing yoga and exercising regularly. I am inspired by clean taste and seasonal ingredients.

I love good food! For me eating is more than just a tool to survive. I enjoy cooking for my friends and family, and their praise is the best treat for me.

I also love eating out, and get my inspiration while travelling and collecting the best from different culture all over the globe.

Here you will find elements from Mediterranean, Eastern-European, Asian and Middle-Eastern cuisines.

Things I like:

  • veggies
  • smoothies
  • traveling
  • sports
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