The gorgeous sun, gently shining upon my face, reminded me we have officially stepped into summer. How exciting!! Our summers here in Vancouver are absolutely beautiful and my favourite. The days are long, the sun is bright, birds are chirping, trees are joyful, flowers are colourful and the soft breeze adds the perfect touch. My heart fills with excitement and joy for all the summer activities.
How I would love to sit and soak in the sunshine; go for long walks; ride a bike; swim in the pool; watch the stars; share some laughter and read every single book on my list. The challenge though is how to fit it all in while keeping up with every day routine and responsibilities.
Well, I have two choices. Either I could day dream about being cloned or I could simply make some changes to my lifestyle. I think the latter is more realistic and practical. Wouldn’t you agree? One major change for summer that works well is spending less time in the kitchen. This certainly frees up time for fun activities but one has to ensure the nutritional value of the meals and our well being does not get compromised.
And as you all know, I love to learn while I cook. My reading list for the summer is ambitious and I am a slow reader. So I wanted to learn some quick tips on how to read more efficiently. For this knowledge, I am inviting the CEO and Founder of Kwik Learning, Jim Kwik, as the guest in my kitchen this month.
He is a world expert in speed-reading, memory improvement and optimal brain performance. His last name being, Kwik, is a wonderful coincidence. He has so many quick brain tricks to share with the world. Here I share with you all his Youtube video on Three Hacks for Rapid Reading.
I am trying to apply his tricks as I am definitely not a fast reader. Let see how this goes.
Now for the recipe. I am sharing with you one of my favourite summer recipes made with basmati rice. (Basmati rice, in case you are not familiar, is long grain, aromatic rice from Indian subcontinent. Most grocery stores carry it). This dish has been part of the Indian kitchens for centuries but everyone gives it their own twist. It is usually served as a side dish. Here is my version to make it a complete meal in itself. It can be served for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup each of finely chopped mushrooms (your favourite); onion (red or white); red/orange pepper; kale
- 1 cup of basmati rice (available at most super markets)
- 2 cups of water
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
- 1-2 tea spoon of salt as per your taste
- 1 tea spoon of black pepper (as per taste)
- 1/2 tea spoon of red chillies (optional)
- 1 tea spoon turmeric powder (Turmeric is a spice used in Indian cooking for centuries. Besides adding the beautiful yellow colour to the dish it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties and works as a preservative in foods.)
Directions:
Throughly wash the rice in a container. Add water and let it soak. In the meantime:
In a medium pan melt the 1/4 cup of butter over medium heat.
Add the onions and stir for a couple of minutes until they are soft. Add the carrots, mushrooms and peppers and stir for another few minutes. (You can also substitute any other vegetable such as cauliflower, broccoli and peas).
Take the rice out of the water and add to the vegetables.
Stir and mix the rice throughly with the vegetable. Add salt, pepper, and turmeric. Mix and cook for another couple of minutes.
Add water. If using kale add it at this point and close the lid. Let the rice come to a boil and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 12-14 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff, plate and enjoy!!
Limitless Possibilities:
Now if you would like to add some protein to this meal its simple. Add left over chicken, fish or drained and rinsed kidney beans about 10 minutes into cooking. You can also scramble some eggs on the side and add those to the cooked rice.
This dish is simply delicious as is but you can also give it a twist by adding any of your favourite sauces. Enjoy!!
May we nurture our bodies with healthy meals, our souls with good books and our lives with beautiful moments!!
Wishing you all a fabulous 2019 summer!!
With love,
Devinder 💖
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