Who does not like a hot home cooked meal ?
Growing up , I had a book full of recipes I collected from the net, some I cut out from magazines and newspapers. I’d pin them all in the book. Truth be told, I wanted to grow up and be a mommy. Cook for family, spread tables scapes, bake with my kids and cook some more! Monica much? Well , the dust wears off one day is all I can say about the other things. But cooking always stuck with me. Too close to my heart to not spend a ton of time in the kitchen. I somehow love the idea of meals made from scratch. Although store brought condiment are my second favorite 😉.
And with Raaga , 16 months old now, I kind of want to spend more quality time with her during the day (when she is the most active). So nowadays I cut my cooking time to a minimum. As simple as that. I still am a stay at home mom and as long as I am , I intend on soaking in these moments I have with her.
So I kept my lunches pretty short and simple the past few months. Most of them take less than 15 min to make and the prep is really very easy.
Two of those lunch favorites that I want to share with you can be made for dinner as well. They are warm and satisfying. Most of all, they get me some extra time with my baby Raaga.🤩
Teriyaki Vegetable Friedrice
What you need :
- Cooked rice (brown/white)
- Beans
- Carrots
- Peas
- Green onion
- Ginger garlic paste
- Asian Teriyaki sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- Red chilli flakes
- Salt to taste
Since my husband doesn’t eat egg, I added hardboiled eggs to the side for me.
How to make :
First, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a pan or a wok. When it heats up , add the ginger garlic paste and the chilli flakes. As the raw smell begins to go away, add the chopped carrots, beans, peas and green onion. The veggies don’t need to be cooked fully, its better keep them crunchy as in any friedrice.
After 2 minutes of stirring the veggies, pour in the sauces , and add salt
Stir for a a minute on high flame and add in the cooked rice. Mix it all together. Now add some chopped green onion on top for extra flavor. Its that simple! You can make this with leftover rice from the previous nights dinner as well. I love how easy yet flavorful this recipe is. I boiled 2 eggs to have on the side and added some salt and pepper to them. You could even break an egg into the pan before you add the sauces if you’d like.
So this is one of my favorites and makes lunch easy. This way I avoid being tempted to order or pick up!
Next is,
Tomato-Basil Soup And Avocado Toast :
This is by far the most easiest lunches/ dinners I’ve ever made. There are multiple variations I add into this recipe every time I make it. Its filling and light too!
There are so many versions of this dish!
And don’t forget the croutons , they make all the difference. If you like a nice crunchy salad on the side, a crabberry lettuce cucumber salad tastes absolutely delicious.
What you need :
- 7 to 8 Fresh chopped tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- 3 garlic pods finely chopped
- 1 tablesspoon ghee or butter
- Whole wheat bread
- 1 large avocado mashed
- Dried basil leaves/Italian seasoning
- Salt
- Sugar
Hard boiled eggs on the side for me.
How to make :
Add 1 tablespoon butter or ghee. I love ghee in mostly anything. Once the ghee heats up, add in the garlic and fry until its golden brown on medium heat. Then add in the tomatoes and the salt and sugar(1 teaspoon) and let them with the cook until they’re soft and mushy.
After a 3 to 4 minutes close the lid and cook again for 5 more minutes. Once the tomatoes turn soft, add a tablespoon of tomato paste (I use the one by Kirkland from Costco and I’m a fan!)
Stir in with a cup of water and let it simmer for a good 15 minutes. It will reduce to atleast 1cm less in the pan. At this stage you can add more butter if you’d like.
Once the raw smell goes away and the soup reduces a little bit, you can taste and adjust the salt.
Pour into a bowl and add some milk cream if you like.
Now I’l tell you why I said 10 minutes and less about this recipe. I make a huge batch and keep it in the refrigerator. It stays good for 4 days. We love it so much we even have it as a snack on a wintery evening around the chai time.
Toast 2 slices of bread a d spread the mashed avocado, sprinkle some salt, pepper and red chilli flakes if you’d like , squeeze some lemon juice and you’re good to go. If you love egg like I do, you can slice 1 hardboiled egg on the top of the mashed avacado. I added some chopped tomatoes too just for a lovely dash of color. 😍 Now plate this like I did and you’re good to go.
If you’re really, really short of time, then you can use the store brought Ragu or Prego tomato garlic sauce to make this soup too… you’ll find great recipes on pinterest for the same.
Thats all for today folks. I’d love to know what you’re favorite lunches are. Please like if you like my blog posts and I’l be back with another one soon. CIAO! ❤
DIARIES BY RAMYA 