Chickpea & Pumpkin Soup with Corn & Green Peas

          A bowl of piping hot soup is always welcome on a cold winter night and is just what you need to keep you warm from inside. So come lets enjoy this yummy and hearty soup with the goodness of some veggies like pumpkin, corn, green peas and boiled chickpeas. This one-pot wonder is both nutritious and healthy, loaded with fiber and proteins. 

• 1 cup chickpea (kabuli chana), boiled
• 1 cup pumpkin, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn 
• 1/2 cup green peas
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 2 cups stock 
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and sauté the pumpkin till it is tender. Drain and keep aside. Heat remaining oil and temper with cinnamon and bay leaves.

          Add the garlic and onion and stir fry till it turns translucent. Now add the stock and bring it to a boil.

          Now add the boiled chickpeas, cooked pumpkin, corn peas, salt and pepper powder. Simmer on a low flame and coarsely crush the contents with the ladle. 

          When done, switch off the lame and transfer to individual serving bowls. Serve, garnished with oregano and coriander leaves. 
          



Note - I have used frozen corn and green peas. If using fresh ones, you can parboil them before adding them to the boiling stock.

Mexican Bean Salad with Brown Rice & Bell Peppers

            This is a very colorful and a nutritious salad - the Mexican way.  Spicy and tangy, this salad can also be served over grilled meats and chicken to suit your palate. The awesome dressing will definitely tickle your taste buds. It is very wholesome and an excellent light dinner meal.

• 1/2 cup rajma  (kidney beans), boiled
• 1/2 cup kabuli chana (white chickpeas), boiled
• 1/2 cup brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup black chana (chickpeas), boiled
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup capsicum, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves, chopped

Dressing-

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tbsp. vinegar
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 2 cloves, garlic, grated
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. honey / sugar

            In a serving bowl, combine together all the ingredients from kidney beans to coriander leaves.

           For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients from olive oil to sugar in a small bowl and keep aside.

          Just before serving, drizzle the dressing over the salad and serve.