Quinoa Upma

Growing up Upma was not my favorite by any means. But I have grown to like it because I am the "boss of the house" now and I cook things the way I like it 😎😎

And Quinoa is something which I make and eat but not in the top 10 of my favs. But this dish definitely pushed Quinoa into the top 10 spot. Its super delicious and healthier than a regular upma.

So certainly give it a try.

Quinoa Upma (Quinoa stir fried Indian style)

Potato Quinoa Upma

Ingredients

1. 1 cup quinoa washed well and cooked according to package direction
2. 1-2 tablespoons peanuts
3. 1 tablespoon oil, fresh lemon juice
4. 1 teaspoon each of chana dal, ural dal
5. 1/2 teaspoon each of mustard seeds, cumin, salt, turmeric
6. 1/2 cup sliced onions
7. couple of dried red chillies
8. cilantro for garnishing
9. 1 medium small potato cubed small (optional)

Cook the Quinoa according to package directions with 1/2 teaspoon salt

If using potatoes, peel it and cube it to 1 cm cubes and microwave covered for 2 minutes (just to cook it faster)

In a pan heat the oil and add the peanuts and fry for a minute. Add the mustard seeds and cover the pan and let them splutter. Add cumin, urad dal, chana dal and the dried red chillies broken into 2-4 pieces and fry for a minute. Add potatoes if using and fry all of them for 5 minutes. Add onions and mix well and fry for 3-4 minutes. Add cooked quinoa along with salt and turmeric and mix well. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and cilantro and stir to combine and enjoy

Salmon with Gnocchi foil packet

 This is one of the fancy looking foil packets dinners which comes together super fast and taste great and clean is minimal if any.

Salmon with Gnocchi foil packet (salmon and gnocchi baked in a foil with other vegetables)

Salmon and gnocchi foil packet dinner

Ingredients 

1. Shelf stable gnocchi packet
2. 4 salmon fillets (I had salmon with skin on, you can use the skinless salmon fillets also)
3. Cherry tomatoes cut in half breadthwise divided
4. Asparagus7-8 per packet, trimmed
5. 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice divided 
6. 1-1.5 teaspoons salt, lemon pepper divided

Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.

Dab the salmon dry and sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Lay this side down in the middle of a silver foil.  Add gnocchi, tomatoes and asparagus to the sides of the salmon. Sprinkle with the rest of the oil, salt and pepper. Close the foils tightly like a packet. No air vents.

Put all the packets on a baking tray and bake for 25

Minutes. Carefully open the packets ( be careful of the steam). Fold the foil down wards. Broil the salmon and gnocchi for 5 minutes.

Serve with a wedge of lemon or lime

Note: make the packets directly on a baking sheet so that the chance of them getting ripped is nil