De-stress with these easy-to-cook comfort food recipes, this quarantine

During these tough times of quarantine due to coronavirus pandemic, food provides some relief to get through the day. Whether you are preparing it or eating it, either way, food is known to be a stress reliever.

With limited supplies and essentials, it has become important to check the way we consume food items at hand. In the absence of fresh produce of vegetables and fruits, lentils, nuts, frozen foods, beans, and fermented foods are proving to be a lifesaver.

So for those of you, who have never ventured into cooking before, we have put together some DIY recipes that you can try without worrying about anything going wrong.

Those who know how to cook can also try these handy recipes for their taste and health benefits.

So cook your worries away:

1. Savoury Oats à la Poha style

This dish gives a tangy twist to the humble Poha and is made using oats. Best of breakfast or brunch also provides a good dose of fiber to the body. 

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 cup oats
• 3 tablespoon raw peanuts or any nuts
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds or cumin
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, red chili powder or to taste
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice for garnish (optional)

How to make:

• Wash the oats and soak in 2 cups of water for 4 minutes, then drain
• Heat a pan and add the peanuts and dry roast
• Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds
• After mustard seeds start to pop add spices, then stir in the onions and cook until translucent for 5 to 6 minutes. After the onions are done, you can add other veggies (optional)
• Add the salt
• Drain the oats well and add to the pan, then stir in the roasted nuts.
• Mix well
• Cover and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the oats are tender, but not mushy
• Serve warm, garnished with a drizzle of lemon juice

2. Fruit and nut salad

Salads don’t have to be boring and elaborate all the time. Tossing-in some fruits and nuts together can just as well do the trick to boost your energy levels.

Ingredients

• Fruits
• Nuts
• Lemon

How to make:

Just dice up the fruits like pomegranate, apple, green apple, etc. along with rich nuts like cashew, almonds in your salad. Top with a few drops of lemon and eat it.

3. Spiced chickpea mash

With this simple recipe, the chickpea or Kabuli chana gets a modern twist good enough to replace the mashed potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 1 big bowl of Chickpeas
• Nuts
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil
• Garlic
• Sesame seed or flax seeds

How to make:

• Soak chickpeas overnight or pressure cook them until soft
• Drain them, add salt and pepper
• Add a pinch of sesame seeds, four cloves of garlic, and a half glug of olive oil
• Mash and heat to medium for 4 minutes
• Serve as a salad or eat with bread as a spread

4. Veggie mayo sandwich

Loaded with mayonnaise and lots of vegetables, this veggie mayo sandwich can be a perfect breakfast or a snack.

Ingredients:

• Bread
• Mayonnaise of your choice
• Lettuce
• Cucumbers
• Tomato
• 1 spoon of chopped vegetables like carrot, capsicum and baby corn (Add anything you like)

How to make:

• On two slices of bread, spread mayonnaise generously
• Put lettuce leaf
• Add tomato and cucumbers slices
• Add chopped vegetables
• Serve like this or toast in a pan if you like

5. Pasta with cheese and roasted veggies

Who doesn’t like cheesy pasta, and to make things better, who doesn’t like them with vegetables. Perfect comfort food in times like these.

Ingredients:

• Pasta (Take your pick)
• Cheddar cheese (preferably, if not available anything would work)
• Milk
• Broccolli (Optional)
• Mushroom
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

How to make:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta and broccoli until tender
• In a pot heat 1 and 1/2 cups milk to simmer
• In another bowl whisk the remaining 1/4 cup milk, flour, salt and pepper
• Combine the flour mixture to the simmering milk while whisking constantly, until the mixture is thickened for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in Cheddar cheese until melted
• Add thinly chopped mushrooms
• Drain the pasta and broccoli and add to the cheese sauce
• Cook for about 1 minute while gently stirring
• Serve warm

6. Banana oats smoothie

The next best thing to eating a banana is to have it as a smoothie. Replete with oats and milk, it is an ideal drink for kids and adults alike.

Ingredients:

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Banana
• Oats
• Chia Seeds (Optional)
• Cinnamon (Optional)

How to make:

Add all the ingredients in the big jar and blend until smooth