Bread Upma with Vegetables | Easy Tiffin Recipe

Bread Upma, a delicious and easy to make tiffin item with the leftover bread slices. It's one of my favorite ways to use the leftover bread. I usually make this as an evening tiffin along with some tea. Trust me, this combo is awesome and tastes heavenly. You can make this as breakfast or as dinner too.

Though i call this recipe as Bread Upma, it tastes more like Veg Kothu Parotta. So if you like kothu parotta and want an easy fix or Indian flavored bread recipes then i'm sure that this recipe is for you! Do give it a try and let me know how you like it.

Bread 

You can use any type of savoury bread for this upma. I have used the good old white sandwich bread for today's recipe. But in the past i used whole wheat and other types of breads also and it tasted equally good. 

Vegetables

Personally i like to use capsicum/bell pepper for this upma. Bread and capsicum really go together well. The capsicum flavor truly elevates the taste of this upma. So i highly recommend to use the capsicum.

In addition to the capsicum, i usually add the some carrots and peas. Here in the recipe, i have used frozen peas. If you're using dried peas, make sure to soak and cook till it's soft before adding into this upma.

Ok, Now let's check out how to make this delicious bread upma. 

Bread Upma with Vegetables

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 15 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Tiffin | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Bread Upma, Bread Upma with vegetables, Kothu Bread Bread Upma, a delicious and easy to make tiffin item with the leftover bread slices.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Bread Slices - 4

Onion(small) - 1

Tomato(small) - 1

Carrot (small) - 1

Capsicum - 1/2 cup(chopped)

Frozen Peas - 1/4 cup

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp

Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Oil - 2 tsp

Coriander leaves - a few

Procedure

First cut the onion into thin slices, carrot, capsicum and tomato into small pieces. Heat the pan with oil, and add the sliced onions.

Once the onions are translucent, add the ginger garlic paste and saute till it's aromatic then add the carrot, capsicum, peas and  tomatoes. 

Saute the veggies in the oil for about a min and then add the spices(turmeric, red chili and garam masala powder) and salt. Give a quick mix and then cover the pan with the lid and cook the veggies. No need to add any water, the water from the tomatoes is enough to cook the veggies.

In the mean time, cut the bread into small pieces. Once the veggies are cooked, open the lid, add the bread pieces, mix it well so that the masala coats the bread pieces well. Finally add the chopped coriander leaves and then switch off the flame. 

Delicious Bread upma is ready. Serve it with onion raita and some lemon wedges. 

Related: How to make Semiya Upma

Notes:

• Tastes good as it is but serving with onion raita elevates the taste to another level.

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Korean Vegetable Pancake | Vegetable Pancake

Korean Vegetable Pancake, a delicious and easy to make pancake with lots of veggies. It's one of our family favorites so i used to make this often and we love to have it as breakfast or as snacks in the evenings. 

Toddler in our house is a huge fan of this pancake.That's main reason for frequent making of this pancakes. 

These pancakes are so good on their own and don't need any side dish. However, for adults, any  spicy sauces(like sriracha ) would be a great dip for these pancakes.

Vegetables 

For this pancake, i highly recommend to use cabbage, mushrooms,capsicum, sweet potatoes and spring onions without fail. 

Cabbage is the key for this pancakes. For the total 3 cups of vegetables, i use 1 to 1 & 1/4 cups of cabbage alone. It gives a nice texture to the pancakes.

Sweet potato gives mild sweetness that makes these pancakes so delicious.

Capsicum and spring onions are mainly for the flavor. Without these, the pancakes would be less flavorful and taste so different.

Mushrooms are for umami flavor . My favorite is brown mushrooms compared to white mushrooms because of its intense flavor.

Flour 

For this recipe, you can use mix of all purpose and atta flour and it tastes equally good as made with the all purpose flour alone. However, don't increase the amount of flour. The whole purpose of using flour in this recipe is to hold the vegetables together. So add as needed only.

Ok, now let's check out how to make these delicious Korean style vegetable pancakes.

Korean Vegetable Pancake

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Pancakes | Recipe Cuisine: Korean
Korean Vegetable Pancakes, Veg Pancakes, Korean Veg Pancakes Korean Vegetable Pancake, a delicious and easy to make pancake with lots of veggies.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

**Vegetables( thinly sliced) - 3 cups

All purpose flour - 3/4 cup

Salt - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Water - 3/4 cup or as needed

Oil - 2 to 3 tbsp

** I have used cabbage, mushrooms, spring onions, capsicum, sweet potatoes. 

Procedure

Cut all the vegetables into thin slices. Cabbage, mushrooms, spring onions, capsicum, sweet potatoes are the commonly used vegetables in this pancakes. Put all vegetables in a bowl and then add salt and pepper.

With your hand, mix all the vegetables well and then add the flour and water.

Mix it all well until the mixture holds together when you form a ball. Heat the oil in a thick bottomed pan.

Take a portion of mixture and place it in the pan, then gently spread it like a patty. 

Cook it on a medium flame until both sides are golden brown.

Delicious Vegetable pancakes are ready.

Related : How to make Baozi / Chinese Steamed Bun

Sometimes, i like to sprinkle a tsp of white sesame seed on top of the pancakes. It really enhances the flavor. If you like the sesame flavor, you can do that!

Notes:

• Be a little generous with oil for crispy pancakes.
• You can make this as small pancakes or as one big pancakes like pizza and then cut into desired shape before serving.

It tastes good even when it cools down completely. So i always make some extra when i make it for breakfast and have it as snacks for that evening. 

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White Sauce Vegetable Pasta | Easy Pasta Recipe

White Sauce Vegetable Pasta, an easy to make delicious pasta with a lot of vegetables. White sauce is also known as  bechamel sauce made from butter, flour and milk. It's one of the five mother sauces in western cuisines and the word bechamel is from French which means thick white sauce. 

In our home, both me and ST like coriander pesto pasta and tomato sauce pasta, white sauce pasta is not our favourite but occasionally it's OK. But now, since the kid likes the white sauce pasta and having a little bit without any fuss compared to other foods. So change of scenery in my kitchen, that's why now i'm making white sauce pasta at home ! 

While travelling from India to here, my LO ate only the white sauce pasta that the airline provided out of all the food that i had packed. Ever since, i have been making this white sauce pasta  for him and after eating all the leftovers, i have to admit that indeed it's delicious and i too started to like it. 

Related: More Pasta, Pizza and Sauce Recipes

In today's recipe, i haven't prepared the sauce ahead. Just sprinkled the flour on the cooked veggies and sauteed. By this method, the chances of forming lumps in the sauce is so minimal, so the sauce would be lump free and absolutely smooth. Additionally, the recipe just needs one vessel to cook and clean later :-) 

However this method is not the traditional way of making white sauce pasta but i can assure you that it's super easy to make and finger licking delicious.

Now let's check out on how to make this creamy white sauce pasta. 

White Sauce Vegetable Pasta

Preparation Time : 5 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
White sauce pasta, White sauce vegetable pasts, Bechamel sauce pasta White Sauce Vegetable Pasta, an easy to make delicious pasta with a lot of vegetables.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients

Fusilli Pasta - 1 cup

Onion -1/2

Carrot - 1 

Capsicum - 1 (small)

Mushroom - 1/2 cup(chopped)

Frozen Peas - 1/4 cup

Milk - 2 cups

Olive oil / Butter - 3 tbsp

All purpose flour - 3 tbsp

Cheddar cheese - 1/4 cup

Garlic - 2 cloves

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Procedure

First cook the pasta as per the package instructions and keep it aside. Cut all the vegetables and keep it ready. Heat a large pan with olive oil.

Next add the crushed garlic. Give a quick stir and when it's aromatic, add the vegetables along with salt(enough for the vegetables) and pepper powder. 

Cook the veggies till they are soft and then add the flour, give a good mix with the vegetables and roast the flour for a min or two in a low flame.

Next add the milk & salt and mix it well. Now increase the heat & stir it continuously, the sauce would be thicken in a couple of mins.

The sauce should coat the back of the ladle well and if you should be able to draw a line with your fingers. That's the perfect consistency of the sauce. Now add the cheese and the cooked pasta.

Give a good mix and let it in the flame for a couple of mins. 

That's it, Delicious veggie loaded white sauce pasta is ready.

Related : How to make Coriander Pesto Sauce

Notes: 

• Serve hot for gooey and creamy pasta. Once it cooled, the sauce thickens. 
• You can use any varieties of pasta for this recipe.
• Red chili flakes can be added for more spiciness.

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Peanut Butter Vegetable Noodles | Noodles recipe

Peanut Butter Vegetable Noodles, a quick to make delicious noodle recipe under 20 mins. Looking for scrumptious meal but don't have much time, then these peanut butter noodle is just for you !! The flavors are robust and the sauce is smooth and rich because of the peanut butter in it. 

I had never thought that peanut butter make such a flavorful noodles until i tried on my own. Seriously i'm not exaggerating here, it's such a simple and flavored packed noodle with handful of ingredients that you probably had it in your pantry already. If you love peanut butter or peanut flavor in general, then you must try this recipe.

When i had tried this noodles first time, the base sauce used in this recipe had slightly remembered the peanut sauce served in Thai restaurant . If you're familiar with those flavor and like it, then you're gonna love this noodle recipe. I have a love-hate relationship with Thai cuisine. Love all the coconut flavors in their cooking but the fish sauce in every thing and very strong umami flavor is very offsetting for me. 

The base sauce in this recipe is similar to "Thai Peanut sauce"  therefore i named this noodles as "Thai Noodles" in our home :-) Ok, now let's check out how to make this creamy delicious peanut butter noodles recipe.

Peanut Butter Vegetable Noodles

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 2 
Recipe Category: Noodles | Recipe Cuisine: Thai
Peanut Butter Noodles,Vegetable Noodles,Thai Sytle Noodles, Peanut Butter Vegetable Noodles, a quick to make delicious noodle recipe under 20 mins. Looking for scrumptious meal but don't have much time, then these peanut butter noodle is just for you !!.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Noodles - 2 pack/cake
Mix veg(cabbage,carrot,mushroom and capsicum) - 2 cup(thinly sliced)
Garlic - 1 clove
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Green onion - 3
Crushed peanuts - 2 tbsp
Sesame oil - 2 tsp
For Sauce
Peanut Butter - 3 tbsp
Soy Sauce(low sodium) - 2 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
*Siracha sauce - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Hot water - 1/4 cup
* see notes

Procedure

In bowl ,add all the ingredients listed under "For Sauce" except water and mix it well and then add water and make a thin sauce.

Keep the sauce aside until use. Cut all the vegetables, garlic, ginger and green onion into thin slices. Cook the noodles as per the packet instructions and keep it ready.

Heat a pan with oil, add the garlic & ginger and saute till they are fragrant and then add the white part of green onions and saute for 30 secs. Then add carrot  and saute for 2 mins.

Next add all the other vegetables with pinch of salt and saute till they are soft.

Add the noodles and the sauce mixture and mix it well.

Finally top it with green onions and crushed peanuts.

Tasty Peanut Butter Noodles is ready to serve.

Related : How to make Peanut Butter Cups

Notes:

• Don't over the veggies, it should be soft and retain its shape.
• We like our noodles as little spicy, but if you can't tolerate more heat reduce the amount of siracha sauce or use any hot sauce that you like
• Hot water helps to loosen the peanut butter.
• Depends on your liking you can always add more or less of any ingredients for the sauce.
• Adding ginger gives great flavor to the noodles, so highly recommend not to reduce the quantity.
• Instead of veggies, you can add chicken or any other protein you like or even without any veggies also,you can make this, it would be awesome.
  

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Veg Palak for Roti & Chapati | Spinach Curry with Vegetables

Vegetable Palak, a delicious and healthy curry made from the spinach puree and vegetables. This curry is so similar to Palak Paneer, instead of paneer, here vegetables are used and it tastes great with roti, chapathi and pulao. 

In today's recipe, i have used mixed vegetables, but you can make this with one/two vegetables too. Potato and/or peas combination tastes well with this curry. Often i make these curry with those combinations. If you haven't tried this curry before, do give it a try, it's absolutely delicious and way more healthier than the other curries. Now let's check out on how i have prepared this yummy curry.    

Related : How to make Soft Chapati 

Veg Palak for Roti & Chapati

Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time : 20 mins | Serves : 3 to 4 
Recipe Category: Curry | Recipe Cuisine: Indian
Veg Palak, Palak Curry, Spinach Curry, Vegetable Curry,Side dish for roti & Chapati Veg Palak, a delicious and healthy curry made from the spinach puree and vegetables. This curry is so similar to Palak Paneer, instead of paneer, here vegetables are used and it tastes great with roti, chapathi and pulao.

Sandhiya https://www.facebook.com/SandhiyasCookbook https://www.instagram.com/sandhiyascookbook/

Ingredients
Spinach - 2 cup
Onion(small) -1
Tomato(small) - 1 
Mix veg* - 1 cup
Garlic - 2 +2 cloves
Ginger  - 1/2 inch piece
Oil - 1 tbsp
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cloves - 4 
Cardamon -1 
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red chili powder - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Dried kasthuri methi - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - few
Cream - 1 tbsp
* I have used potato,carrot,mushroom,peas,capsicum & cauliflower

Procedure

First let's blanch the spinach, bring the water to boil in a sauce pan, add 1/2 tsp of salt & sugar.Add the spinach, let it in boiling water 30 -40 secs, remove from the heat immediately.And run it under cold water for few mins to stop further cooking instantly & keep it aside. Cut all the veggies into small pieces. Heat the oil in a sauce pan, add cinnamon, cloves and cardamon into it and fry for 30 secs.Then add the onions and garlic(2 finely chopped), saute till it became translucent, then add the veggies. Next add the spices(turmeric,red chili,coriander and garam masala powder ) and salt(just enough for veggies) in to the veggies. Mix it together well and then add 1/2 cup of water.Cover the pan with lid and let the veggies cook. In the mean , put the spinach, tomato, ginger and the remaining garlic into the mixie/blender jar and grind into smooth paste.Once the veggies are cooked, add the spinach puree. Give a good mix.

Related: How to make Palak Roti

Then add a tsp of sugar and salt to taste. Let it simmer for few mins.Finally add the crushed kasthuri methi & cream, (I have used dried peas, so precooked them in pressure cooker already and add them now). mix it well and switch off the flame.Tasty and creamy Veg Palak is ready. 

Related : How to make Palak Paneer  

Notes:

• Adding sugar into spinach while blanching helps to retain the color.
• Cream gives richness to the curry
• Even without cream also, it tastes good.
• Add more or less of veggie as per your liking.
• Instead of oil, butter can also be used for more richness.
  

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