Vegetable Medley and Tandoori Tofu Pita Boats

It's been 4 months since I started the Noom diet and it's been an eye opener. I debated for months and researched various diet plans before I chose Noom. Noom helps you make better food choices as well as your health goals through a combination of psychology, technology, and human coaching. It's been a struggle for the last 4 months, but I lost 21 pounds so far. I have 9 more pounds to lose to reach my weight goal.  

Here's what I learned and why I've been able to stay on track. I'm eating more vegetables, checking calories and buying foods that have little or no added sugars. I'm also doing meal prep on the weekends for the week ahead. A good example of one of the dishes I make a lot is Vegetable Medley and Tandoori Tofu boats. This dish full of flavor and it keeps me satisfied. I have been eating these boats for lunch and dinner. Aren't you dying to find out how to make them? 

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Ingredients

• 4 whole wheat pitas
• 8 - 10oz Extra firm Tofu, dab water with towel and cut into 1" cubes
• 2 Tbsp Tandoori paste (we used Deep brand)
• 1/2 lb. or 3 cups Broccoli florets, cut to 1" size and stems peeled and chopped
• 1 medium Carrot, peeled and sliced into thin slices
• 1/3 lb. Snow peas, stringed and chopped into 1/2 pieces
• 1 large Red Bell Pepper, remove seeds and cut into 1 cm pieces
• 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, sliced into half
• 7-8 stems of Thyme, leaves pulled
• 1/2 to 1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Olive oil
• 2 grinder rounds of Black Pepper 
• 2 pinches of Salt

Procedure

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a non-stick pan on low medium heat, add Tofu pieces and Tandoori paste and gently stir around for the paste to coat the pieces. Pan fry the tofu on low flame by mixing intermittently turning the tofu pieces to fry on all sides. It take 5-7 min. Transfer tofu into a bowl.
2. In a large microwavable container add Broccoli, Carrots and Snow peas, sprinkle a pinch of salt and microwave the veggies with a lid for 2-3 min based on your appliance wattage. 
3. Add chopped tomatoes, thyme, red bell pepper, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, black pepper powder and another pinch of salt to the veggies from above. Mix gently to coat the veggie salad well.
4. Carefully cut the pita into half and open the pocket. Place 5-6 pieces of Tandoori tofu and then fill it up with the veggie salad. Then top up the pita pocket/boat with some yogurt dip and enjoy the fresh and flavorful taste. 

I started making these boats at home and my husband loves it. It's filling and healthy. Quick tip: I use about 1-1.25 cups of the vegetable salad per pita. It's up to you how much you want to stuff your pita. You can also spread some hummus in the pita for more flavor. Overall, I really like this combination because it's hearty and has all good ingredients. 

Below is a bonus recipe for the Garlic Yogurt Sauce that complements the veggie boats. Enjoy!  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (Whole or low fat), whisked to smooth with 1 Tbsp. water 
• 1 clove garlic, mince finely
• 1 tsp lemon juice 
• 1/2 tsp dry mint crushed                       
• 2 or 3 grinder rounds of Black pepper                                          
• Salt, as needed

Mix all items together until well blended. Adjust the salt and lemon per your taste. 

Have questions?? Post a comment or send us a DM on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. We love hearing from our readers. 

Air Fried Tandoori Tofu Chops

Do you remember our posts on 'Evolution of the Kitchen Gadgets'? Just like humans, even kitchen gadgets go through evolution. They get better with time and easier to use. 

We recently acquired an Air Fryer to reduce the amount of oil used to 'fry' or make our favorite dishes. Who wouldn't want to make restaurant-quality food at home? Below is one of our favorite Tandoori Tofu appetizers with our new kitchen toy. 

We hope you like it as much as we do. This appetizer is easy to make and requires few ingredients. 

Ingredients

• 6 oz Extra Firm Tofu
• 2 Tbsp Tandoori paste
• 3 Tbsp thick yogurt
• 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
• Few sprigs of fresh coriander, finely chopped (optional)

Procedure

1) Drain the water from the yogurt tub and dab the tofu block gently patting it down on a towel. Place the block on a small towel or paper towel and microwave it for 45 seconds to 1 minute (based on your microwave wattage) and dab the oozed water again. Cut the tofu into 1" cubes. 

2) In a bowl, add tandoori paste, yogurt, and oil. Mix well. Add the cubes into the bowl and gently toss the cubes to be coated with the paste. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours. 

3) Line the Air Fryer tray with parchment paper and transfer the marinated tofu cubes onto the parchment paper and align them in a single row, not touching each other. 

4) Set the Air Fryer temperature to 325°F and timer for 20 minutes. Insert the tray and air-fry for the set time. When done, transfer them into a serving tray and sprinkle some chopped coriander. 

Quick Tips

1. We made it in an air fryer that is a combo (toaster and air fryer). If using a standalone air fryer, adjust the temperature and time accordingly.

Tofu Bhurji with Coriander Naan

I'm reminded of our trip to Jaipur whenever my mom makes this dish. We ate at this local dhaba popular with tourists (and recommended by lonelyplanet) called Ganesh Restaurant. The best dishes were paneer bhurji (pictured below) and garlic & coriander naan. 

We loved eating this dish with freshly made naan 😀. As heavenly as this dish was, it's not the healthiest, considering all the butter that went into making it and floating on top. 

BUTTER MAKES EVERYTHING BETTER, RIGHT? 

It does but you shouldn't eat it everyday. And it's not like we can just swing by this dhaba on our way home. So we decided to make this dish at home.  

Our local Indian grocer, started stocking spice mixes for various dishes. While browsing through the aisle, we found the spice mix for paneer bhurji by Rasoi Magic. My mouth started watering just thinking about it. Since we're cautious of what eat now, we decided to buy firm tofu instead of paneer (Indian cottage cheese).  

I know you're dying to know how we made it...so let's get to it. Here's what you need:

Servings: 4 to 5 

Ingredients

- 1 packet of Rasoi Magic Paneer Bhurji spice mix

- 250g firm tofu, chopped 

- 1 medium onion, finely chopped 

- 1 medium plum tomato, finely chopped

- 1 medium green bell pepper, finely chopped

- 1 to 2 green chilies, diced

- 3 Tbsp vegetable oil

- 1/2 cup of milk

- a small bunch of fresh coriander or cilantro, finely chopped

Procedure (on the back of the Rasoi Magic packet)

Mix the entire pack of spice mix with the milk to make a paste and put aside. Heat the oil in a pan on low to medium flame. Then add green chili, onion and fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Next add green bell pepper (also known as capsicum), tomato, and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the spice mix paste, and fry till the oil separates. Add two tablespoons of water and cook for one minute. Then add the tofu and mix well. Finally add coriander and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve hot with roti or naan. 

The tofu bhurji tastes just as yummy as paneer bhurji with less calories.  

Rasoi Magic Paneer Bhurji Spice Mix Review: This dish came out really well and it was quite tasty even with the tofu substitute. We found this spice mix very convenient and easy to use and would definitely recommend everyone to give it a try. 

Deep Foods Frozen Chili Coriander Naan: We wrapped the naan in foil and toasted them in the toaster oven. They tasted like they were fresh out of the "clay oven". The naan were fluffy and flavorful. We would definitely recommend all to try. 

I am looking forward to trying more recipes with Rasoi Magic's spice mix now. Have you used this spice mix before? How do you like it? Please share your thoughts. 

Quinoa Medley on Eggplant Boats

We all need a break from the usual every once in a while. Today is one of those days. We spotted this beautiful Sicilian eggplant at our local grocer and couldn't go home without it. So purple and succulent! 

My mother picked it up and knew just what to do with it. Instead of chopping it up and making our usual curries, she decided to use it as a vessel or boat and stuff it with quinoa and vegetables. 

Don't you just love how her mind works? 

Check out this huge Sicilian Eggplant!

Ingredients

• 1 Sicilian eggplant, cut into quarters
• 1/2 cup Quinoa cooked 
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup frozen cut spinach
• 3 to 4 oz firm tofu (optional), cut into 1cm cubes
• 1 tsp ginger/garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp crushed chilies
• 1 tsp dhanjeera powder (cumin and coriander powder)
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella (we used Cabot pepper jack cheese for lil kick)
•  salt for taste
• 1 Tbsp veg oil for seasoning
• 1 tsp cumin seeds

Procedure
Preheat oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and start your prep work for the Sicilian Eggplant boats:

1) Cut the top flesh off each quarter of eggplant, leaving behind a 3/4" of it at the bottom. 

Sprinkle salt and rub into each eggplant quarter. Also brush it with oil, inside and outside. Cut the top flesh into small cubes and set aside.

2) Heat oil in a skillet and add cumin seeds. When it sizzles, add dhanjeera powder and a pinch of turmeric. Stir and add onions, ginger/garlic paste, and crushed chilies.

Stir fry until the onions are transparent. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Allow them to cook under closed lid. After tomatoes are cooked, add eggplant and continue to cook under closed lid.

3) After the eggplant is soft, add frozen spinach and stir for a one to two minute and add salt and cooked quinoa. Mix well and continue to cook for two to three minutes until all are mixed well.

4) Spoon the cooked mixture into the eggplant quarters evenly. Then sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of all the stuffed quarters. Place the stuffed quarters in a small aluminum tray and add half a cup of water.

Cover the aluminum tray with foil, Then take a knife and pierce a couple of holes in the foil for the steam to escape. When it is ready, place the tray in the oven for 30 minutes. Add more water if needed.

5) Make sure the eggplant is soft and cooked, remove the foil and broil until the cheese turns golden brown. Remove from tray and serve hot.

This dish had everything a foodie like me would enjoy; eggplant, cheese and lots of flavor. The fact that it was healthy didn't even cross my mind. :)

I hope someday, I can hold a vegetable in my hand and know it's future...all the endless possibilities of dishes I can make with it.  OH, THE JOY!! 

Until then, I will learn all that I can from my foodie mentor and guru, my mother, and share with you all. 

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If you liked this eggplant dish, then you are sure to love our Eggplant Raita (yogurt dip), Gourmet Grilled Cheese with Eggplant Bharta and/or Stuffed Eggplant dishes.