If you are following us on Twitter, chances are you would’ve known of our little road-trip past weekend to Atlanta. Road trip that included many rest room stops, Malaysian food encounters and taking in scenic Atlanta views.
Let’s face it – roadtrips can be expensive. Not only you end up eating unhealthy food and sipping copious amount of decaf Star$, if you know what I mean 😉 Obviously we didn’t skim on fast food. There’s something very nostalgic about drive-thru’s during road-trips.
Knowing Atlanta would be chilly cold, I packed a delicious vegetarian supper in order to save some mullah on 1 dinner. Better save on 1 meal, rather than nothing.
I peered into my refrigerator to use up some produce instead, fearing a tossing situation upon our return. Gotta save money where we can. And you should too!
Since we are on the topic of money-saving, I wanted to highlight the importance of using dried beans. It is so easy to prepare and darn cheap. I don’t like using the canned version. It somehow tastes very off and salty, even after rinsing. The after taste of sitting in a pool of liquid can, just isn’t appealing.
We are huge rice eaters. That doesn’t sound good, right? So I thought to change this recipe up by incorporating some healthier option instead – gotta love quinoa!
This salad turned out so delicious & definitely warmed our hearts and bellies. A perfect autumn comforting salad. Good eaten warm and a great to-go meal. The Husband definitely approved this recipe – I packed the same for his lunch box the other day.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked quinoa
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 3 tbsp coconut or any cooking oil
- 6 oz paneer, cubed
- 1 medium red onion, sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup haricot verts or french beans, chopped
- 1/2 tsp ginger paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cinammon powder
- 1/2 tsp red chili powder (skip this if you want to avoid spiciness)
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 mint sprigs (reserve a few leaves for garnish)
- salt & pepper to taste
- a nice handful of sliced toasted almonds for crunch
- Pressure cook dried chickpeas until tender. If you are using canned, I won’t judge 😉
- Bring a pot of water to boil. Water should be enough to cover quinoa. Throw in quinoa and cook on medium heat between 7-8 minutes. Remove access water (if any), fluff quinoa with a fork, put on a lid and turn off heat to cook off remaining moisture.
- Heat a non-stick skillet on medium, add cooking oil and lightly brown paneer cubes on each side. Drained on a paper towel.
- Using the same skillet, add red onions and fry till translucent.
- Throw in chopped carrots, green beans and stir fry till tender.
- Once the vegetables are tender, add ginger paste, turmeric, cinnamon, red chili and nutmeg powder.
- Stir to combine. Cook for a few more minutes before adding cooked quinoa, chickpeas & paneer.
- Sprinkle in some garam masala, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir to combine.
- Remove from heat. Sprinkle in some chopped fresh mint.
- Serve warm, garnished with sliced toasted almonds and a few mint leaves.
I bet this salad would be a great Thanksgiving side – switching up from the traditional green bean casserole 😉
Are you a money-saver while road-tripping? What is your favorite to-go meal?
Comments on this entry are closed.
I know what you mean exactly about road trips. Love all th epics but first one particularly grabbed me!! 🙂 Fabtastic Autumn salad.
Shulie,
You are way too kind, thank you so much 🙂
That is a delicious blend of Indian flavors with the quinoa!
Divya,
Thank you honey 🙂
oh I love how healthy and vibrant this salad is- beautiful!
Simply Life recently posted..The Half-Half Marathon: Whole Wheat Challah Bread
Gina,
Thanks a lot dear – you made my day 🙂
I’m just so in love with your photography, Kiran. You really captured the vibrant freshness and healthfulness of this dish.
sophia recently posted..A Little Tokyo Day Trip
Sophia,
Awww.. thanks a lot honey!! You just made my day!!! So sorry for the lateness in reply – the Husband has been under the weather for a few days now. Hopefully he feels better soon 🙂
Beautiful Kiran!!!!
You are really taking Indian food to new heights, seriously…
Fresh and healthy…..
Reem
Thanks a lot buddy! I hope you would try this recipe and let me know how it tastes. Cold or warm, this salad is just as delicious. I promise 🙂
What a gorgeous salad! That is a mouthwatering combination.
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa,
You are way too kind, honey 🙂
its a lovely autumn y salad and I bet a notch high on health quotient too
sukanya recently posted..Navratan korma from the court of mughals
Sukanya,
Indeed! Do try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
This salad looks delicious – nutritious and filling! I’m trying to save money as well, so I hear ya! I’m impressed you packed a dinner for your road trip. And I’m totally with you
Katherine Martinelli recently posted..Daring Cooks: Oolong Turkey Breast
Sorry hit submit too soon! Meant to say I’m totally with you on using dried chickpeas!
Katherine,
No problem honey — it happens with me as well 🙂
Katherine,
Thank you for those lovely comments – road trips can be very unhealthy especially when we don’t have enough time to scour the city for healthy food options. This salad was so easy to prep a day in advance and flavors were even more delicious 🙂
Yum….delicious and healthy – that’s my kind of dish. I so enamored by quinoa these days. I’ve stopped eating bread altogether because I love quinoa so much. I’m going to have to try this one out, especially since it has paneer :).
Divya recently posted..Smoky turkey chili
Divya,
Hats off to you – I could never give up my carbs (bread) all together 😀 I mostly use whole wheat instead. Do try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
Looks delicious. I have all the ingredients already so I’m definitely making this one soon 🙂
Gayatri recently posted..To Pop or Not
Gayatri,
Let me know how it tastes, dear 🙂
This Autumn salad looks great, like the idea of the spices and paneer all together with quinoa.
Beautiful pictures as always.
Hope you are having a wonderful week Kiran 🙂
Juliana,
Thanks honey 🙂 I love that you can prepare in salad in advance, allow all spices and flavors to mingle and serve at room temp, warm or cold. It’s delicious no matter what 🙂
Oh Kiran… what an absolutely gorgeous dish. Full of colour, aromatic ingredients and wholesome nutrients. You know, I was just thinking about paneer the other night (one of my favourite Indian dishes is Kumbh Mattar), anyhow, here it is in all of its glory surrounded by heavenly ingredients. Beautiful.
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles recently posted..Strawberry Tuesdays: La Margarita
Kelly,
Your beautiful comments always puts a smile on my face 🙂
I’ve got to post paneer making recipe soonish!
Oozing with flavors and taste Kiran. I too sometimes feel guilty on road trips, cannot resist the temptation of all the food out there but we can get back to healthy once we are back home with this salad you have made.
Nava,
Ditto! We were on a road trip for 4 days 3 nights, and this was the only homemade salad for 1 meal. Better something, than nothing at all 😀
Agreed about dried chickpeas over canned- so much more wholesome and flavorful! I keep a few tins in the pantry for emergency but I tend to prefer to make my own. I love packing lunch to eat on the go/during travel…even though I can’t control the rest of the trip, it’s nice to get things started on a healthy note!
Khushboo recently posted..You do you, I’ll do me
Khushboo,
I love your take on beginning road trips on a “healthy note”!
Kiran, this is a great fall recipe! The dish looks very vibrant and delicious! I like how you use paneer in the salad.
Biana | Simple and Tasty Recipes recently posted..Beef Stroganoff Recipe With Ground Beef
Biana,
Thank you so much honey – try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
Sounds unbelieveably delicious! What a great flavor combo. YUM!
The Elegant Eggplant recently posted..Mark’s Egg Drop Soup
Rebecca,
Thanks dear 🙂
What a delectable, tasty & alternative good for you salad!
yummie! 🙂 I love the spices you have used in here! Fabulously food!
Sophie recently posted..Rosemary scented celeriac & 2 beans soup
Sophie,
You are way to nice! The spices used are not “spicy” – it adds delicious flavors and aroma 🙂
Kiran, I love how you style the food and this salad itself is so gorgeous! Lots of great ingredients as well as flavors and I’d love to have some!
Nami | Just One Cookbook recently posted..Seared Tuna Sashimi (Aburi Toro)
Nami,
Thank you so much for the food styling compliment – I am still learning 🙂
A terrific seasonal salad, makes a nice weekday meal for sure!
Natasha,
Thanks a lot dear – best part about this salad is you can prep in advance and eat it the next day or so. And the flavors are delish after it had a chance to sit for a while 🙂
Is there a virus on your blog – i am unable to visit 🙁
Hi Kiran, that looks so yummy and healthy. I love chickpeas so much!
in my kitchen | in my studio recently posted..apple crumble cake with vanilla custard
Iva,
If you love chickpeas, please try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
Oh my lands! What a gorgeous that healthy dish. 🙂
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective recently posted..Roasted Game Hens and Alternative Thanksgiving Ideas
Sommer,
Welcome to Recipebox and thanks for the lovely comments 🙂
Ha.. “and” not “that”
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective recently posted..Roasted Game Hens and Alternative Thanksgiving Ideas
We need to switch to quinoa too. A much better option instead of rice.
This looks like a gorgeous salad!
Asmita,
I agree. Perhaps switching to quinoa every now and then with brown rice would be a great idea – completing cutting out rice might be difficult. Well, at least in our case 😉
love the recipe… you know i love chickpeas! ha!
have a nice weekend!
Punctuation Mark recently posted..Info, Links and Happy Friday
PM,
Thanks a lot dear!! I am happy you love chickpeas, so please try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂 Weekend was fine – the Husband wasn’t feeling well. He is a little better now 🙂
Elies,
Dear, I tried commenting on your blog but it takes me to an error page as soon as I hit publish. Thought to inform you of this 🙂
Hi kiran,
That’s my type of dish. Full of vegetarian Protein. Actually I am gluten free so quinoa is an important staple and when I go to my friends they always make something with quinoa. they know that I love it. But strange thing is that I have not yet posted anything with Quinoa. If you like you can check me at http://simpleglutenfreekitchen.blogspot.com/
Balvinder,
Hey, thanks a lot for the wonderful compliments – glad you loved this recipe. Do try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
This looks unbelievably tasty ! Have to do it myself, hopefully it will look the same haha and taste awesome !
Sonja Burres recently posted..Pacsun Printable Coupons
WOW!
The salad looks great,can’t wait to make one of my own.
My favorite’s salads are the one with chicken and this one seems great.
Bookmarke’d your site.
David Jones recently posted..Sephora Printable Coupons
Oh ! this sounds like such a wholesome fulfilling meal. Love the photograph of the falling quinoa and we LOVE quinoa!
Soma,
Thanks dear – indeed, paneer with the combination of quinoa and veggies- this meal was absolutely filling and nutritious 🙂
Wooooo! That salad looks so tasty and delicous! Chickpeas and quiona are two of my favorites. I’m gonna try it this week for lunch. 🙂
carly recently posted..My Beaverton dentist
Carly,
Thanks honey – do try this recipe and let me know how it tastes 🙂
Thanks for the recipe!!
It looks very delicious.Can’t wait to try it.
David Jones recently posted..Printable Coupons
Great Food shots and Recipes! Love this one!
Susan,
Welcome to Recipebox and appreciate your compliments 🙂
I have to tell you that I made this recipe for the family and everyone LOVED it ! The kids ate the salad like crazy, didn’t expected haha !
Dorothy Stuart recently posted..JCP Printable Coupons
{ 2 trackbacks }