Please welcome this month's guest bloggers. They are one of our favorite group of Mommy Bloggers, the Chai Mommas! These 4 cool Mommas wanted to treat you all to a fabulous summer BBQ dinner with an Indian twist! Enjoy... and don't forget to connect with them on their blog.
The Chai Mommas are
all about healthy and easy meals.
And with the summer
season here, our minds are busy thinking about light, but satisfyingly fresh
recipes that we can enjoy outside. To
give this complete BBQ savory meal a bit more of a twist, we are spicing it up
with some Indian inspired fun, including a lil’ kick to the drink, (we’ll leave
it up to you to make it either a mocktail or a cocktail!). Hope you think our summer
recipes are as ‘hot’ as we do and enjoy!
Starters:
Spicy Yogurt Bread
Cubes of organic bread
lightly pan-fried in a spice infused yogurt mixture to crisp perfection. The
perfect starter to this meal.
Ingredients
Directions:
- ·
Cut bread into ½ inch cubes
- ·
In a small mixing bowl, mix the following
ingredients:
- ·
yogurt, chili pepper, garlic, dhana (coriander), jeera (cumin), cilantro and salt
- ·
In a large skillet or frying pan (on medium
high heat), add canola oil and cumin seeds
- ·
When the cumin seeds begin to turn slightly
brown, add mustard seeds
- ·
Once the mustard seeds stop popping, add
turmeric and then add the bread
- ·
Turn heat down to medium. Toss the bread
occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes or until slightly crispy
- ·
Pour the yogurt mixture evenly over the bread
and stir until all of the yogurt is absorbed into the bread
- ·
Reduce heat to low and allow bread to become
slightly crispy
- ·
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce - organic
tomato ketchup or a cool cilantro mint chutney
Garlic
Pepper Edamame with Lime
Boiled pods
of edamame quickly sautéed with minced garlic and green chili. Topped off with fresh cilantro, sea salt and
zesty lime. A delicious and light accompaniment to the meal, which can be
nibbled on while the grill is getting fired up.
Ingredients:
- ·
1 pound frozen edamame pods
- ·
1 tablespoon organic olive oil
- ·
1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ·
1 teaspoon minced Serrano pepper
- ·
1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- ·
1 lime – washed, cut into half
- ·
sea salt
Directions:
- ·
Cook frozen edamame in salted boiling water
until tender (approximately 5 minutes, drain)
- ·
Heat 1 tablespoon organic olive oil in
skillet over medium heat
- ·
Add pepper and cook 1 - 2 minutes
- ·
Add garlic and cook another minute (be careful not to let it brown)
- ·
Stir in the edamame and cook for another 2
minutes
- ·
Transfer to serving bowl
- ·
Squeeze ½ lime juice in and sea salt to
desired preference, toss gently
- ·
Sprinkle cilantro on top
Main Course:
Tandoori
Marinade
A delectable yogurt based marinade flavored with
fresh garlic, ginger, green chilies, cilantro amongst an array of aromatic
spices present in most Indian dishes, (which can be found in any Indian/Middle
Eastern food market). This marinade can
be used for poultry, seafood, vegetables and tofu. Serve with freshly cut lemon wedges to bring
out the flavors even more.
Ingredients:
Directions:
- ·
Mix all ingredients thoroughly
- ·
Add to marinade, cut pieces of chicken, fish,
vegetables or tofu
- ·
Cover and marinate for a 3-4 hours in the
refrigerator
- ·
When ready to eat, skewer and grill
Summer Mocktail/Cocktail:
Chai Mommas Coconut Quencher
This drink is not only delicious with its Indian inspired mint plus
spicy-sweet flavor, it’s also super hydrating and just perfect for children and
adults spending long hours in the sun on those fun BBQ days. The best part is
that the juicy pineapple in the drink can be eaten after your glass is empty
for an extra after dinner treat.
Ingredients:
- ·
enough coconut water to fill a large
pitcher (young coconut is best)
- ·
½ part fresh
lime juice
- ·
small spoon of raw organic brown sugar
- ·
handful of mint
leaves
- ·
3-4 slices of
fresh de-seeded jalapeño (optional)
- ·
medium sized
pineapple chunks (about 7-8)
- ·
rum blanco (for cocktails)
Directions:
- ·
Muddle the lime
juice, sugar and mint leaves in a tall glass
- ·
In a large pitcher,
combine the muddled mixture with the coconut water, pineapple chunks and
optional jalapeño slices
- ·
Let the pitcher
chill in the refrigerator for at least half an hour before serving (or even overnight for an extra boost of
flavor!)
- ·
Spike with 2 parts
rum blanco for adults, if desired
- ·
Serve with one
pineapple chunk in each glass
First things first. Let’s not get the kids run over when we stop to get something somewhere. To that end Parking Pal Magnet is a must-bring in every vehicle. It’s a handy, cute magnet to stick on your vehicle and get the kids to stand with their hand on it. Keeps the kids occupied for that nano-second you need to get yourself organized and ready to move.
