Pineapple Smoothie

It has been quite hot lately and a good smoothie might help to stay cool:) Here is a quick one.

• 2 scoops of Frozen Yogurt (Vanilla or Vanilla Bean)
• 1/2 can of Pineapple Rings
• 1 tbsp of Orange Juice

Blend them all with a few ice cubes in a blender

Stay Cool:)
Shri

Roasted Tomato Soup

Cream of Tomato Soup is very popular in India.Every restaurant that you go to has this on its menu.My favorite has to be the one in Palace Heights in Abids, Hyd.It is hard to replicate the Cream of Tomato Soup.Tomato Soup in any shape or from is really tasty and here is an oven roasted tomato soup and you can always top it off with cream.

1 lb Tomatoes ( like Grape/cherry or I am thinking even plum might work well), vertically slit
1 small potatoes,peeled,cut and boiled
1 medium Onion, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 Bay leaves
1./4 tsp Curry Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin-Coriander Powder
2 cups Water/Stock
1 tsp chopped coriander

• Preheat the oven to 350F
• Cut the tomatoes and onions lengthwise and spread them on a baking sheet
• Drizzle olive oil and season with salt and pepper
• Roast them until they look wilted and take them out
• Cool the potatoes and tomatoes
• Blend them with boiled potato,garlic and enough stock with out making it too runny(You could pass this through a strainer if you don't like the tomato skins)
  
• In a pan, heat a table spoon of Olive oil and add the Bay leaves
• Transfer the blended tomato-onion-potato mixture into the pan
• Stir in the curry powder and cumin-coriander powder
• Simmer it for 15 min
• Add the chopped coriander and salt and heat it for 5 more min
• Serve hot!
  

Hugs,
Shri

Orecchiette Pasta with Spinach, Chickpeas & Ricotta Salata

This pasta is very unique in shape, almost like small cups.The Ricotta salata (Not ricotta cheese) is the Italian version of Feta Cheese.

Recipe:Giada

1 pound Orecchiette (You can usually find this in specialty stores)

1/2 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

6 cups of Spinach or greens of your choice

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups (12 ounces) small cherry or grape tomatoes

2 cups (8 ounces) crumbled ricotta salata cheese

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1-2 lemons)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Procedure:

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil

Add the pasta and let it cook until it is tender/al dente about 10 min.I cooked it a little bit more for my daughter, about 8 more min.

Heat oil in a pan and add the garlic and cook until the garlic turns light brown.To this add spinach or greens and cook until they wilt.

Add the tomatoes and cook for a couple of min and add the garbanzo beans

Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of the pasta water.

Transfer the pasta in to the pan and add half of the cheese and lemon zest.If it is thick, thin with the reserved pasta water.Season with Salt

Add the remaining cheese and serve it hot!

Love,
Shri