Summer, Week 3
Summer, Week 3 MENU MONDAY 1 Black Lentils with Yogurt TUESDAY 2 Chicken Tikka and Saffron Rice WEDNESDAY 3 Almond Crusted Tilapia with Asparagus Pasta THURSDAY 4 Spinach Soup and Summer Salad FRIDAY 5 Nori Rolls and Butter Pecan Pasta PREP MONDAY Pre-rinse lentils, pre-cook rice TUESDAY Make saffron rice, marinade chicken WEDNESDAY Prepare fish ahead of time and marinade THURSDAY Toast seeds, chop veggies, prepare dressing FRIDAY Make up 1 cup plain basmati rice, chop veggies, prepare dipping sauce
SHOPPING LIST MEAT & SEAFOOD Chicken Breasts 1-1/2 pounds Tilapia filets 4 VEGETABLES & FRUIT Garlic 1 bulbs Lemons 3 Fresh Ginger Root 1 Fresh Mint 1 tablespoon Asparagus 4 cups Spinach 2 bunches Shallots 1 Romaine 1 bunch Endive 1 bunch Cucumber 3 Dill 1 bunch Carrots 4 cups Red Bell Pepper 1 Limes 1 Coriander 1 Radicchio 1 bunch Watercress 1 bunch Alfalfa Sprouts 1 bunch Avocado 2 Onion 1 Celery 1 bunch Arugula 1 bunch Zuchini 1 DAIRY Plain Yogurt 1 cup Milk 1 tablespoon LEGUMES AND SEEDS Lentils, Black 1 pound Almonds 1 pound Whole Wheat Pasta 1 box Sesame Seeds 1/2 cup Pecans 1/3 cup PANTRY STAPLES Hing powder Himalayan sea salt Cumin powder Brown rice syrup Ghee Paprika powder Turmeric powder Coconut milk Saffron powder Basmati rice Soy Sauce Olive Oil Black pepper Cloves Fennel seeds Mustard seeds Nutmeg Vegetable stock Maple Syrup Seasame oil Braggs Liquid Amino Acid Sage Rosemary Rolled Oats Fenugreek Seeds Mixed Herbs Sunflower oil Whole Wheat Flour Naan bread BAKERY & MISCELLANEOUS Sushi Nori Sheets 7 sheets Whole Wheat Bread 2 slices
BLACK LENTILS WITH YOGURT FOR MONDAY Pre-rinse lentils Pre-cook rice Pre-steam summer veggies ½ cup dry black lentils 3 cups water ½ teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/8 teaspoon hing 1 clove garlic, finely minced 1 tablespoon barley malt or brown rice syrup. Garnish: Yogurt to taste. NOTE This goes well with bread and vegetables or rice. Excellent dish for vata as it is very strengthening. Serve with Yogurt. DIRECTIONS Wash lentils. Cook covered in water with hing until soft, 25 to 30 minutes over medium heat. Add salt, cumin, garlic, and barley malt. Cook for 20 more minutes. Add to cooked rice and summer veggies Black lentils are especially useful as a restorative for vata. From The Ayurevda Cookbook by Amadea Morningstar
CHICKEN TIKKA & SAFFRON RICE FOR TUESDAY Make saffron rice Marinade chicken 4 skinless chicken breasts halves 3/4 cup organic plain yogurt 2 tablespoons ghee 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons curry powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons paprika 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint 1/4 cup coconut milk 1/4 teaspoon saffron powder Saffron Rice Make the rice according to the package directions. To make saffron rice, add 5 strands of saffron to the rice and water before cooking Note One of the most popular dishes in Indian restaurants, these chicken breasts get their lively flavor and extra tender texture from a marinade of yogurt and spices. DIRECTIONS With a sharp knife, make several deep slits all over the meatty side of each chicken breast. Put the chicken in a baking dish, bone down. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sunflower oil, lemon juice, curry powder, salt, paprika, ginger, turmeric, mint leaves, saffron powder and coconut milk. Spread the yogurt mixture evenly over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Preheat the oven to to 475 degrees F. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a baking pan and cook until tender, about 25 minutes. Serve with saffron rice and Naan bread
ALMOND CRUSTED TILAPIA FOR WEDNESDAY Prepare fish ahead of time and marinade 4 (5-6 oz) tilapia filets 2 teaspoons soy sauce ¾ cup almonds, ground ¼ teaspoon himalayan salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil ASPARAGUS PASTA 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 bunch asparagus, cut in 2 inch pieces (about 4 cups) ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper 4 cups cooked whole wheat pasta Directions Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and add olive oil and garlic; sauté for about 1 minute. Add asparagus and cook about 3-5 minutes. Add salt, pepper, and pasta; cook until heated through DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 400 F. Brush the fish fillets with soy sauce. Combine almonds, salt and pepper; coat fish with almond mixture. Put fish on a baking sheet, drizzle olive oil on top, and put in the oven for about 15 minutes. Serve over asparagus pasta NOTE Also really good grilled on the backyard grill
SPINACH SOUP & SUMMER SALAD FOR THURSDAY Toast seeds, chop veggies, prepare dressing 2 lbs. washed, chopped spinach 2 tsp ground, fresh ginger 1/4 teaspoon cloves 1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds 1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg Juice of 1 Lemon 8 cups vegetable stock 2 tsp olive oil SUMMER SALAD 1 cup, rinsed, dried and torn romaine leaves 1 cup rinsed, dried endive leaves 1 cup rinsed, dried arugula leaves 1 cup rinsed, dried radicchio leaves 1/2 bunch watercress, stems removed, 1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts 12 thin slices cucumber 1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled 2 slices organic whole wheat bread Sunflower oil or ghee 1 tablspoon mixed, dried herbs Dressing 3 tablespoons sunflower oil 2 tablespoons plain yogurt 2 tablespoons filtered water 1 tlespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill 1 teaspoon maple syrup DIRECTIONS SOUP Toast the mustard and cumin seeds in the oil, and add to boiling stock. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 3-5 minutes. DIRECTIONS SALAD Put all the leaves in a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber and avocado. To make the croutons, cut a few slices organic whole wheat bread into small cubes. Heat up a little sunflower oil or gee into a frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the bread cubes and 1 tablespoon mixd herbs. Stir until th cubes begin to turn golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add to the other salad ingredients. Put all the dressing ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. In a serving bowl combine salad ingredients, add dressing, and toss well.
NORI ROLLS AND PECAN PASTA FOR FRIDAY Make up 1 cup plain basmati rice Chop veggies Prepare dipping sauce 1 cup plain basmati rice 1 1/2 tbsps fresh lemon juice 2 tbsps brown rice syrup 2 carrots, 1 cucumber, 2 celery sticks, 1 avocado and a 2 inch piece of fresh ginger root (peeled) ½ cup raw sesame seeds 1 package sushi nori, 7 sheets DIPPING SAUCE 2 Tbsps Bragg s Liquid Aminos 1 tsp brown rice syrup 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root 2 tbsps water BUTTER PECAN PASTA 3 tbsps ghee 1 tbsp onion finely chopped 1/3 c. raw pecans, finely chopped 1 tsp crumbled dried sage ½ tsp, fresh rosemary, chopped. 1 tbsp. whole wheat flour. 1 c. fresh milk 1 small clove garlic, minced 1 small zucchini, in julienne strips (1 cup) ½ small red bell pepper, finely diced. ¼ c. grated carrot ½ c. watercress, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste. DIRECTIONS Mix the cooked rice with lemon juice and brown rice syrup. Let cool. Wash and cut veggies and ginger into julienne strips. Steam carrot and ginger pieces for five minutes. Toast the sesame seeds and set aside to cool. Open sushi nori, If they are not pre-toasted, toast them for a minute. On a wooden cutting board, place a small bowl of cold salted water. This is to wet your hands, to keep the rice from sticking. Place 2 large tablespoonfuls rice onto nori. Moisten hands, pat rice evenly into place, covering all nori (¼ inch thick). Arrange vegetable fillings in 2 or 3 rows and sprinkle with sesame seeds.tuck edge closest to you and keep rolling. With a sharp knife, cut the roll into 5 or 6 pieces. Repeat. Arrange the sushi on a plate and serve with Dipping Sauce and Butter Pecan Pasta.