Today I will share a very simple Egg and Lettuce Salad recipe that takes less than 15 minutes to prepare. Egg Lettuce Salads is one of the easiest salads to make, whenever you have some extra eggs in your fridge (like around Easter or Christmas).

Ingredients:

4 eggs

50 gms of lettuce leaves

1 tomato seeded and chopped

1 onion cut into cubes (green onion is awesome)

3 tablespoon of vinegar

2 tablespoon mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon of crushed black peppercorn

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/4 teaspoon white pepper powder (optional)

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

Recipe (Serves 2):

Boil eggs in water for 8-10 minutes. While the egg’s boiling, wash the lettuce leaves in running water and keep the leaves in a bowl of ice-cold water. After about 5 minutes, cut the lettuce leaves and keep them aside. Chop the onion into cubes. Remove tomato seeds and chop it into small pieces.

Now after the eggs have boiled, cool them, peel off the shell and place in cold water for about 2 minutes. Cut the eggs into pieces (do not make it too small) and gently mix the eggs with the lettuce leaves, onion and tomato. Make a dressing by mixing salt, crushed black peppercorns, white pepper powder, vinegar, mustard powder and olive oil.

You can now enjoy your salad with your partner!

Check out some easy salad recipes here

Cheese and Spinach cutlet is a delectable snack that is baked and not fried. Ricotta, cheddar combined with spinach seasoned with mustard and garlic, coated with bread crumbs make these cutlets irresistibly delicious.

Ingredients:

A small bunch (around 200-250 grams) of Spinach leaves or use same half quantity of frozen spinach,

100 grams Ricotta cheese; crumbled,

100 grams Cheddar cheese; shredded,

4-5 garlic cloves; minced,

1 tsp Dijon mustard,

Salt and pepper to taste,

Bread crumbs to coat,

Olive oil.

For the covering -

4-5 potatoes; boiled, peeled and grated,

1-2 tbsp plain flour,

Salt to taste.

Method:

In a pan, heat some olive oil. Add minced garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Add spinach and cook until leaves become tender. If using frozen spinach cook for 2 minutes. Then add mustard, season with salt and pepper and stir. Add Ricotta cheese, mix well and remove from flame. Then add cheddar and cover. Cheese will melt due to the heat.

Meanwhile mix together potatoes, flour and salt. and lightly knead into a dough.

Divide the stuffing and dough into equal numbers. Grease your fingers and palms with oil. Take a portion of potato mixture, flatten it in the shape of a round  (See picture below) and place a portion of stuffing in the center.

Cover the open sides to seal it. Lightly press and make sure it is sealed.

Prepare all the balls similarly.

Spread bread crumbs into a shallow plate. Season the crumbs if you like. Dip each ball into the bread crumbs to coat all over. Prepare rest of the balls. Line up in a baking dish and bake in a preheated oven at  for 200° C (400° F) until the crust begins to brown.

I had got these frozen chicken meat balls some time back. Usually I fry them and we have it as a snack. This time I thought of preparing a sauce for meatballs and serve it over rice. The sauce is sweet and sour tomato sauce with a distinct flavor of rosemary and parsley. A very simple recipe ready in 10-12 minutes.

Ingredients:

250grams (9 ounces) frozen meatballs (could be chicken or meat), (Or make your own by following this recipe of Meat Balls)

1 small red onion, finely chopped,

300ml tomato puree or 10 ounces of tomato paste,

1/2 tsp dry rosemary,

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley,

1/2 tsp paprika or chilli flakes (adjust as per taste),

Salt and pepper to taste,

1/2 tsp sugar,

Chicken stock or water as required,

Olive oil.

For the rice -

1 cup uncooked long grain rice,

2 cups water,

Salt to taste.

Method:

Thaw the meat balls. In a wok heat some olive oil. Add onion and sauté until soft.

Then add tomato puree/paste and cook stirring occasionally for few minutes.

Then add rosemary and parsley and give it a nice stir.

Cook until the sauce starts leaving oil from the sides of the wok. Then add enough chicken stock/water for a gravy like consistency and bring to boil. Season with salt, pepper, paprika, sugar and mix well. Now add thawed meatballs, cover and cook for a few minutes.

For the rice -

Wash rice and set it aside. In a deep pot, boil 2 cups of water with salt. Then add rice to it. Stir nicely and let it cook for about 7-8 minutes. Time of cooking may vary according to the rice.

Serve meatballs over rice.

This is a lovely recipe of Spinach and Mushroom quiche topped with potato and cheddar. Usually eggs are used in a quiche, but my version is a pure vegetarian recipe and hence uses potatoes. I am sure you will love this one.

Ingredients:

1 9” deep Shortcrust pastry, (you can also buy a pie crust),

4-5 large potatoes (any variety); boiled, peeled and grated,

1/2 cup shredded medium Cheddar,

200 grams mushrooms, sliced,

A handful of fresh Spinach leaves; chopped,

2 green peppers; diced,

1 red onion; finely diced,

3-4 cloves of garlic; finely sliced,

1/2 tsp ground mustard or paste,

1 tsp oregano,

Salt and pepper to taste,

2 tbsp butter.

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180° C (360° F). Line up the shortcrust pastry into a deep baking dish or a pie dish. Prick a fork into the crust in few places at a distance. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

In a pan, melt butter and add garlic. Sauté until garlic is just fragrant. Then add onion and sauté for a while until soft. Then add peppers and cook for a minute. Now add mushrooms, stir and cook until they are almost tender.

Then add chopped spinach and cook until all the vegetables are tender.

Now add salt, pepper, mustard and oregano, stir and remove from flame. Our stuffing is now ready.

Once the crust is ready, pull it out of the oven. Spread the stuffing evenly. Top it with grated potatoes to cover all over the quiche.

Top with cheddar cheese and place it back into the oven. Bake at 200° C (400° F) for around 12-15 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant; sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices,

1/2 tsp paprika or finely ground red chilli, (adjust as per taste)

Salt to taste,

Fine Bread crumbs to coat,

Oil for frying.

For the herbed tomato sauce -

20 ounces or around 500-600 grams fresh ripe tomatoes; diced,

1 small onion; finely chopped,

4-5 cloves of garlic; minced,

5-6 white button mushrooms; finely chopped,

A pinch of paprika,

1 tsp of mixed dried or fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, oregano and basil,

Few leaves of parsley; chopped,

Salt to taste,

Olive oil.

Method:

Rub some salt over the eggplant slices, on both the sides and keep them aside for few minutes. Season bread crumbs with paprika and salt. Heat oil for shallow frying in a large pan. By now the eggplant slices will be moist. Dip each slice into the seasoned bread crumbs, coat all over and drop them into hot oil. Fry on medium flame until crisp on both the sides. Drain on paper towels. And transfer to the serving dish.

On the other hand, to prepare the sauce, heat olive oil in a saucepan. Add minced garlic and onions and sauté on low-medium flame until soft. Add mushrooms, and cook until they begin to brown. Then add diced tomatoes and cook until they become soft and mushy. Add all the herbs, salt and cook for 5-7 minutes. Add chopped parsley, stir and remove from flame. Serve over crisp fried eggplant.