If you are looking for a unique one-stop meal then you can try the teriyaki salmon bowl. This meal is packed with good nutrients which are good for your physical and mental health. It contains protein, vitamins, minerals, omega-3 fats, and fiber. Salmon can help reduce the risk of Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease. It can also boost your mood. The dish is easy to make and you have the flexibility to substitute many ingredients.

Ingredients

• Salmon filets - 4
• Cooked rice – 3 cups
• Cucumber – 2 cups, chopped
• Shelled edamame – 1 cup, cooked and cooled
• Carrots – 1 cup, shredded and julienned
• Avocado – 1, sliced
• Coconut aminos – ½ cup
• Green onions -2, sliced
• Rice vinegar – 1 tablespoon
• Honey – ¼ cup
• Toasted sesame oil – 1 tablespoon
• Sesame seeds
• Garlic cloves – 3, minced
• Ginger – 1 teaspoon
• Cornstarch – 1.5 tablespoon
• This recipe is for 4 servings.

Ingredients explained

• Buy salmon fillets with skin on. Try to get center-cut Atlantic salmon as it's of high quality.
• You can choose white rice, brown rice, or quinoa.
• Edamame are green soybeans. They are packed with protein.

Cooking method

1. Wash the salmon filets and pat them dry. Place them on a dish and sprinkle salt and black pepper over it.
2. Make the teriyaki sauce. You can do so by mixing honey, rice vinegar, coconut aminos, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Whisk everything.
3. Pour some sauce over the salmon fillet. Then turn the filets over with the skin-side upwards.
4. Cut the vegetables, that is, cucumbers, edamame, avocado, and carrots.
5. Take out your broiler and preheat it. Place the salmon fillet on an aluminum foil with the skin side facing downwards. Broil the fish. Alternatively, you can bake the salmon. In such a case, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 8 minutes. Before putting the marinated salmon in the broiler or oven, refrigerate it overnight or for 30 minutes for the marinade to seep inside the salmon fillets. It will make the fillets juicy and tasty.
6. Put the rest of the teriyaki sauce in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Simmer it for some time.
7. Add cornstarch to some warm water and whisk it till dissolved. Pour the cornstarch into the teriyaki sauce and stir occasionally.
8. Continue heating the sauce until it thickens.
9. Place rice in a bowl and top it with salmon fillets. They place the vegetables in strategic positions. Pour teriyaki sauce on top and sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions.

How to store

You can store the cooked rice and salmon in separate airtight containers. Put them in the fridge. You can also cut the vegetables and keep them in the fridge. You can store the teriyaki sauce the same way. When you are ready to eat just take out the ingredients from the fridge, warm them, and serve them in your preferred bowl.

Tips

• You can cut the salmon filets into small pieces rather than using the whole filet.
• You can serve the dish hot, cold, or at room temperature.
• You can add more vegetables, like peas, asparagus, and baby corn.
• You can try this same recipe with chicken, beef, or tofu instead of salmon.
• You can double the sauce for enhanced taste.

Salmon options

• Atlantic – It is farmed and has a mild flavor.
• King (chinook) – It is expensive but tastes awesome. It has a rich buttery taste.
• Coho (silver) – It is widely available and you can freeze it easily for several days.
• Chum: It has a low fat content.
• Pink: It has low fat and mild flavor. It doesn't freeze well; however, you can find it canned.
• Sockeye (red) – It is oilier and has a rich flavor.

When buying the salmon make sure it doesn't have a fishy smell. The color should be bright and the texture must be moist. Also, check that there is no brown spot on the filets.

If you love seafood then this delicious dish will make your day. Use varieties of vegetables and toppings to make the dish more interesting. It is a great meal to serve your guests.

If you are looking for a different summer recipe then you can try this one. It's a healthy snack with an avalanche of different flavors. It's tangy, it's creamy, yet it's healthy! The Socca flatbread is special. It's made with chickpea flour, so it has a nutty smell. Its crispiness is what appeals to most food lovers. It is a traditional flatbread originating in France; though some people think it's from Italy. So, you will find it being used in various French dishes. It used to be a common midday snack for the laborers. In France, Socca is often cooked in fiery grills by the roadside.

Feta cheese originated in Greece and it is made from goat milk. While other types of cheese contain fat, feta cheese doesn't have any fat. So, it's a healthy cheese. If you are a cheese lover, you can add as much feta cheese as you want in this salad.

Ingredients

• Chickpea flour – 1 cup
• Olive oil – 2 tablespoons
• Water – 1.25 cups
• Salt – to taste
• Cumin – a pinch

Tomato salad

• Cherry or grape tomatoes – 2 to 3 cups, halved
• Cucumber slices – 1 cup
• Olive oil – ¼ cup
• Lemon juice or white vinegar – a few tablespoons
• Garlic clove – 1, grated finely
• Herbs – a handful, freshly chopped
• Salt and pepper

Whipped feta

• Feta cheese – 4 ounces
• Cream cheese – 2 ounces
• Herbs – a handful

Cooking instructions

Step 1

Mix the tomato salad and let it stand for some time.

Step 2

To make the Socca flatbread, whisk all the dry ingredients in a bowl, that is, chickpeas flour, cumin, and salt. Then add water and oil to make a smooth batter. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a cast iron skillet. Preheat the oven for 5 minutes and put the skillet there. Pour half the batter into the pan and bake for about 18 minutes. You will notice golden color around the edges and this is when you must take it out from the oven. Then you repeat this process with the rest of the batter.

Step 3

Prepare the creamy feta by putting all the ingredients in a food processor. Add some herbs, pepper, and olive oil.

To serve tear off some chunks of crispy Socca. Dip it in the whipped feta and enjoy the fresh tomato salad. Another way to serve it is by spreading some whipped feta on top of the Socca. Then place some tomato salad over it. You will love it both ways.

Variations

This dish has lots of variations. You can use mascarpone or yogurt instead of cream cheese to make whipped feta. You can try adding different herbs like parsley, rosemary, thyme, and others.

Tips

You should know that the size of your cast iron will affect the thickness or thinness of the flatbread. In Socca, the edges need to be thin and crispy. A 10-inch cast iron skillet is perfect. Try to get the highest quality cherry tomatoes from the market. Your fresh garden tomatoes will also work. Cut the cucumber into thin slices. Add some olive oil and herbs to your salad and mix them well so that the flavor spreads throughout the salad. You can prepare the chickpea flour batter beforehand and refrigerate. It will lower your cooking time.

Health benefits

Chickpeas are very healthy. If you are on a weight management venture, then a Socca made of chickpea flour will help you to maintain or reduce your weight. It is loaded with energy and fiber. It reduces digestion problems. Though Socca flatbreads look, it will fill your stomach due to the presence of chickpeas.

You need a little bit of practice to make Socca perfectly. The crispiness of this flatbread is everything. So, you need to know the right batter consistency. The combination of feta cheese with cream cheese or mascarpone is awesome. The flavor of various herbs revitalizes your senses. Socca with whipped feta and tomato salad can be an excellent afternoon snack. You can also serve it to your friends when they suddenly come over to your place. It doesn't take much time to prepare and your friends will really appreciate the crispiness and creaminess of this wonderful dish.

Detox Rainbow Roll-Ups with Peanut Sauce

If you haven't tried out these roll-ups then it's high time you should. It's an ideal dumpling or bread roll replacement for those who are health-conscious and want to avoid carbs and oil. The base of the detox rainbow roll-ups is made of collard leaf. When you take a big leaf and boil it, the leaf becomes soft and bends easily for you to roll up. You don't need to use any flour to make a dough for the roll. The name 'rainbow' indicates that this roll-up will be colorful. So, if your kids don't like eating veggies, you can make these colorful roll-ups to motivate them to try on veggies.

Ingredients

Rainbow roll-ups

• Carrots, thinly sliced
• Cucumbers, thinly sliced
• Purple cabbage shredded
• Red bell pepper, julienne cut
• Yellow bell pepper, julienne cut
• Collard greens
• Cooked rice or quinoa
• Curry hummus
• Peanuts
• Cilantro

Peanut sauce

• Peanut butter – ¾ cup
• Soy sauce – ¼ cup
• Water – ¼ cup
• Rice vinegar – ¼ cup
• Garlic – 1 clove
• Honey – 2 tablespoons
• Ginger – 1 teaspoon, grated
• Lime juice – 1 teaspoon

Cooking instructions

These roll-ups are delicious and detox-friendly, disproving the common notion that healthy food doesn't taste well. You must make the meal in three steps. First, prepare the vegetables; then make the sauce, and finally roll it up.

Preparing vegetables

You should wash the vegetables properly. Then cut the vegetables into thin slices. As the vegetables are not cooked, you will not like them if the slices are not thin. Put these vegetables separately on a large platter.

Making the sauce

Add peanut butter, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, lime juice, and maple syrup in a bowl and mix everything. You can add some warm water to get the needed consistency of the sauce.

Make the roll-ups

You need to prepare the collard leaves first. Pick the big and untorn collard leaves and boil them for a few seconds. You will notice that they have become pliable. Put the fillings on the leaves in your desired order. Make sure you add a small amount of veggie as more won't fit inside the collard paper. Now roll the leaves lightly so that they don't break.

When serving the roll-ups put a small pot of peanut sauce for dipping the roll-ups. When you arrange 5-6 roll-ups on a large platter, they will look like a bouquet of flowers. For your convenience, you can prepare the leaves and the vegetables before so that you can just take them from the fridge and roll them up for a quick healthy meal.

Health benefits

This food allows the process of detoxification; so all the toxins are removed from the body. This would lead to improved digestion and your digestive tract will be clear. You will notice an increase in your energy levels. So, you won't experience fatigue anymore. You will have healthier skin and you can maintain your healthy body weight.

When you include various types of vegetables in your diet, you will get loads of useful nutrients. For example, red vegetables have antioxidants, the yellow ones have vitamins A and C. Green vegetables are also packed with useful vitamins and minerals.

Peanut sauce is very healthy as it contains proteins and healthy fats. It also adds a little sweetness to the roll-ups, making them more interesting.

Variations

You can use rice sheets or cabbage leaves instead of collard leaves. If you use rice sheets, damp them before using them. Lay the sheet on your work surfaces and place the veggies there. After putting all your toppings, wrap tightly from either side. Instead of peanut sauce, you can use any other sauce here. If you are preparing this for your kids, you can add bits of meat or egg too. You can mix and match the vegetables to include seasonal ones. Make sure to add vegetables of different colors. For a change, you can add some small cubes of apple or other fruits too.

You can have this healthy dish for your lunch or dinner. It will go with your breakfast menu as well. A delicious dish without oil is rare to find. You can have fun making them along with your kids. The kids will love the vibrant colors of the vegetables and it can be an opportunity for them to learn about the health benefits of different vegetables.

Healthy Winter Grain Bowl with Balsamic Dressing

Getting into a low-carb or carb-less diet can be challenging. Carbohydrate is your main source of energy. So, you must be wondering if a lack of it can cause you to become lethargic. The good news is that you will find different kinds of grains in the market that are a good substitute for traditional rice. These low-carb grains can give you energy and at the same time cut your weight. You can prepare a healthy winter grain bowl for lunch to maintain a healthy diet. Though the name is 'grain bowl', you must add some vegetables too.

Ingredients

• Red beets – 3 large, cubed
• Sweet potatoes – 3 medium
• Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
• Wild rice – 1 cup uncooked
• Dried cherries – ½ cup
• Goat cheese – ¾ cup
• Kale – 8 cups, shredded
• Pistachios – ¾ cup

For the balsamic dressing:

• Balsamic vinegar – 1 cup
• Mayonnaise – 2 tablespoons
• Dijon mustard – 2 teaspoons
• Thyme - 1 tsp finely chopped, fresh
• Rosemary – 1 tsp finely chopped, fresh
• Salt – to taste

Ingredients Explained

Wild rice, quinoa, and farro are all healthier substitutes for the traditional white rice. However, farro gives more vitamins; whereas, quinoa is gluten-free. You have a lot of ingredient options to make this bowl. Here is the basic formula you can follow. Your base must be a grain or leafy greens. Then add some starch and then protein. You need to add colors and crunchiness. Open up your imagination when it comes to toppings. You can have dried fruits, nuts, sauces, balsamic dressing, and others. You can include herbs and pickles as well.

You need to understand what balsamic dressing is. The word 'balsamic' means aromatic odor. It's something that heals. Balsamic vinegar has antioxidant properties that prevent heart-related problems. Balsamic dressing has sweet and sour contents that give it a unique taste and flavor.

Cooking instructions

You first need to cook the wild rice and vegetables. You will bake the vegetables at 425 degrees in the oven. Cut the beets and sweet potatoes into small cubes and place them on the baking tray lined with parchment paper. Roast the veggies for about 30 minutes. For cooking the wild rice, follow the package instructions.

To make the balsamic dressing, put all the dressing ingredients in a blender and make s smooth paste. You can store this dressing in the freezer for many days by putting it in an air-tight container.

Now it's time to mix everything in the bowl. So, put the sweet potatoes, beets, dried cherries, and wild rice together. Add some dressing and toss everything. To assemble everything and serve, place the wild rice mixture on top of a pile of kale. Then sprinkle some cheese and pistachios. At this point, you can add extra dressing if you want to.

Tips

You must remember that the portions of different grains you put on your grain bowl are important. You must also mix the ingredients well and put enough dressing to cover everything. Before you choose the grains and veggies, learn about the amount of calorie intake and benefits of these grains and veggies. This will help you pick the right ones for yourself.

Nutrients

This bowl is full of essential nutrients. The grains, such as brown rice, farro, or quinoa have fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Whereas, vegetables provide vitamins, iron, and calcium. Dried fruits, cheese, and balsamic dressing are healthy too.

The best thing about this winter grain bowl is that you can go creative with it. You can add anything extra to the bowl apart from grains, veggies, dry fruits, and cheese. For example, you can include fried eggs and grilled chicken breast slices. You can also do the dressing with different sauces along with the balsamic dressing.

Variations

The number of variations you can do with this dish is unbelievable. You can add quinoa, ground cumin, coriander, and paprika for a spicy version. You can top it up with honey or maple syrup for a sweeter experience.

Making this winter grain bowl is fun. After you have mixed everything and topped your dish with your favorite toppings, don't forget to take a picture for your Instagram. The colorful bowl will look very attractive indeed. Enjoy this fulfilling dish with your family members. It's very easy to make this dish. So, it's a great dinner option if you work full-time and come home late.

If you love Italian pasta then you should be familiar with all kinds of pasta that exists there. Risoni is one of them that you may not be familiar with. It looks like large rice grains. You can cook a delicious one-pot dish with it. It's ideal for a busy. It's full of nutrition to keep you energetic all day long.

Before we get into the ingredients and cooking procedure, you must know that this type of one-pot dish requires heavy-based cookware, like a cast-iron casserole dish or deep frying pan. This type of cookware is heated evenly to cook the pasta thoroughly. If you have such cookware at home then you will find it very convenient to cook this super yummy one-pot chicken risoni with crispy salami.

Ingredients Explained

Chicken breasts: You need to season the chicken breasts with paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, and sage. These spices will add a unique savory flavor to the chicken.

Salami: You need to fry them crispy and golden. You can choose your preferred salami, beef, bacon, or chicken.

Risoni: it is also called orzo. As the size of pasta is small, it cooks fast.

Chickpeas: it is used to add extra texture and nutty flavor.

Chicken stock/broth: It is needed to boost the taste of risoni. You can also use vegetable stock instead.

Cream: It gives a creamy touch to the pasta. It's also thickens the sauce.

Parmesan: Gives a savory flavor.

Baby spinach: Adding healthy vegetables.

Garlic and onion: Provides aromatic flavor.

Ingredients

• Chicken breasts, 2 (250 gm each)
• Salami stick, 100 gm, chopped
• Olive oil, ½ tablespoon
• Chicken spice

Chicken spice mix

• Garlic powder – ½ teaspoon
• Paprika – ¾ teaspoon
• Sage powder – ¼ teaspoon
• Salt and pepper – to taste

Creamy tomato parmesan risoni

• Garlic cloves – 2, finely minced
• Onion – ½, chopped
• Tomato paste – ¼ cup
• Risoni – 1.25 cups
• Canned chickpeas – 400 gm
• Chicken stock – 3 cups
• Black pepper – ¼ teaspoon
• Heavy cream – ¾ cup
• Parmesan cheese – 1/3 cup, grated
• Baby spinach – 150 gm
• Basil – 2 tablespoons

Cooking procedure

1. Take two chicken breasts and cut them horizontally to get 4 thinner pieces. These pieces will cook evenly. Season the chicken with seasoning spices.
2. Cook the salami till it turns golden and crispy. You may have to stir salmi for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
3. Take a large pan to cook the risoni.
4. In another pan cook chicken for 3 minutes on every side. You will notice a golden color when the chicken is cooked. You can also use a thermometer to check if it's 67 degrees C. At this temperature, the chicken is fully cooked.
5. Saute garlic and onion in the same pan.
6. Cook tomato paste for 1 minute.
7. Then add the chickpeas, pepper, and salt.
8. Cook everything for 8 minutes stirring occasionally.
9. Add spinach, cream, parmesan and stir.
10. Slice the chicken into thick pieces.
11. Take individual bowls to serve. First, put the risoni and then place the chicken pieces and salami on top. You can then sprinkle some basil and parmesan.

Tips:

• You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts.
• You can add sun-dried tomatoes for extra taste.
• You may use bell peppers, olives, or other vegetables.
• You can pre-cook the chicken and salami the night before and refrigerate it to save time.
• You can store it in the refrigerator for 3 days.
• If you have kept leftovers in the fridge, bring them to room temperature before serving.

This pasta is a very heavy meal due to ingredients like meat, veggies, and chickpeas. If you serve this to guests on any occasion, they will love it. It takes a bit of time to prepare all the ingredients. However, if you plan ahead, you can manage to cook it within a short time.

If you have kids then you must learn how to make the best pancake. It's not only a nice treat for the little ones, but for you as well because it's super easy and quick to make. It is one of the rare dishes that need only a few ingredients. The toughest part is to ensure that it's soft and fluffy. If you follow this recipe then you won't have to worry about it. Every time you are guaranteed to make pancakes that are super soft.

Tips for making fluffy pancakes

You have to work on the batter carefully. Getting the right consistency is the key. If the batter is too thick it may be undercooked inside. If the batter is runny, the shape of the pancake will be distorted. One way to test whether your batter consistency is right or not is to take a spoon and lift it above the bowl slowly. It will be thick but run slowly from the spoon. Here are some tips to make the pancakes fluffy.

• Make sure that there are no lumps. So, use a whisk to smoothen it.
• Don't overmix the batter. That way you will lose the fluffiness of the pancakes.
• Don't use baking powder that is too old.
• You can use buttermilk instead of milk. You can make buttermilk at home by putting 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon into milk and resting for 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – 2 cups
• Egg – 1
• Granulated sugar -1/4 cup
• Baking powder – 4 teaspoons
• Baking soda – ½ teaspoons
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Butter – ¼ cup
• Milk – 1.75 cups
• Add-ins like chopped berries, chocolate chips, or nuts (optional) – ½ cup
• Toppings (optional)

Method

1. Take a large bowl and mix all the dry ingredients together which includes flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
2. Create a well in the center to add the milk, melted butter, egg, and vanilla. Before pouring the butter make sure it's not hot.
3. Mix the wet ingredients using a wire whisk.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ones and fold them with a spatula. Keep folding in a clockwise direction till almost no lump exists. Include the add-ins.
5. Your butter must be creamy and thick. If the batter is too thick, add extra milk with a tablespoon to get the right consistency.
6. You need a non-stick pan to make the pancakes. Put it on medium heat, and once it's hot lower the heat. Let the pan be there for 2 minutes. Then grease it with butter.
7. Pour the batter using a ¼ cup-sized measuring cup. Pour it from the middle in a circular motion to get the perfect shape.
8. Let the pancakes cook properly. One way to know whether it's time to flip it is that you will notice bubbles forming on the top. This indicates that the pancake has browned underneath.
9. Flip the pancake with a spatula by slowly putting it underneath the pancake. Use your wrist to flip rather than your whole arm. Repeat the procedure with the remaining batter.
10. Serve the hot pancakes with your desired toppings like honey, maple syrup, frozen yogurt, caramel sauce, ice cream, or fruit.

Serving tips

You can serve something savory with pancakes. Fruit salad or sausage will also go well. As many people like to have pancakes for breakfast, you can have scrambled or poached eggs with them too.

Storing

You can store pancakes in the fridge by putting them in an airtight container. You can keep them in the best condition for up to 2 months. If you stack them there is a chance they might stick together. So, first, place the pancakes on a baking sheet and freeze them for half an hour. Then put them inside freezer-safe bags. When stacking ensure you put a parchment paper in between them so that they don't stick to one another. Before eating, reheat the pancakes for 30 minutes in the microwave. Alternatively, you can bake them for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. In such a case, cover the pancakes with aluminum foil so that they don't get brown.

If you want you can make the batter the night before and keep it in the refrigerator covered. However, you might not get the fluffiness you expected. It is better to put the batter on the pan right away after preparing it. Enjoy making this pancake on weekend mornings.