Blueberry Frozen Treats

Blueberry Frozen Treats

What if I tell you that these lovely frozen treats take just 5 minutes to be ready. I mean, I take longer to wear a lipstick! Yes, presenting another quick dessert using Blueberries. These tiny, round blue-purple berries produce amazing result when used in any recipe. Studies have also proved that having blueberries helps improve memory. So it is highly recommended for children as well. They have the highest antioxidant capacity among all fruits as well.

Quick fix Vegan Pasta made in Almond sauce!

Quick fix Vegan Pasta made in Almond sauce!

White sauce pasta is yummy but unhealthy and I am not a big fan of red sauce pasta. So yes, that leaves me in a soup! So I have made peace with myself and only succumb to making vegetable pasta salad with no sauce. Here is the proof - Wholewheat Spaghetti with Veggies, Edamame and Mushroom Pasta salad and Pink Spaghetti with veggies.

Edamame and Carrot Burgers served with Almond Butter

Edamame and Carrot Burgers 

served with Almond Butter

I love burgers! Well, who doesn't. I love cooking up innovative burgers to give them an edge overs others. Of course, they are healthy and nutritious so I am very particular as to what goes in them. I like using never heard combinations while making the patties. Like the time I made Eggplant and Chickpea Burger. I quizzed my friends over what was in it and they were pleasantly surprised to know that it had eggplant!

Homemade Turmeric Powder

Homemade Turmeric Powder

Turmeric is native to India. It has lot of medicinal properties besides being used extensively in our cooking. It is also used during religious functions in India. It's considered very Pius in Hindu tradition. I have seen my mom use in nearly all her recipes.

Roasted Almond Butter - It's Vegan!

Roasted Almond Butter - It's Vegan!

Also known as Nut butter, is made from grinding almonds.So of course this is vegan. It is a fairly simple process to make this butter and is ready within 5 minutes using just 2 steps. Roast and grind!
I love working with Almonds. They are so versatile. I have made Almond Milk, Hummus made from Almond Pulp and also made an Indian chutney - Tomato Almond Chutney.

Coffee flavored Figs and Dates Popsicle

Coffee flavored Figs and Dates Popsicle

I am so happy with myself. This is my creation and I am totally in love with it. I am not a big fan of regular coffee but I love cold coffee instead. I have been wanting to use cold coffee in some form in my recipe. This weekend while grocery shopping, we stumbled upon some fresh figs. I have never used or even had figs before so I decided to buy them just to challenge myself. Since today morning I have been thinking of a way to use these figs. Browsed many recipes for some ideas however I wanted to try something new.

Multigrain Crepe (contains Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Oats, Brown rice and lentils)

Multigrain Crepe (contains Chia seeds, Flax seeds, Oats, Brown rice and Lentils)

I am reinventing Adai as Multigrain Crepes. Adai is traditionally a fermented crepe using lentils and rice. Originating from the south of India, this crepe is different from dosa as it has more lentils in it and is thicker. Conventionally it is enjoyed with some jaggery however I prefer to eat it with the Idli Chutney powder/Gunpowder and sesame oil. This makes for a great breakfast or lunch/dinner option.

Homemade Garam Masala

Homemade Garam Masala

Yea, I finally made it!!! All the spices being roasted emitted an aroma in my kitchen which was so worth the effort. I have never been content with store bought ground masala. I feel they are not genuinely made, they have added preservatives, artificial color and flavors. So it was just about time that I made it in my own kitchen.

Oriental Egg Fried Rice served with a Fried Egg

Oriental Egg Fried Rice 

served with a Fried Egg

It was my husband's birthday and he declared that we celebrate it for the whole week. By celebrate, he meant, I cook all his favorite dishes through the week! :)
So in the list was - Chinese fried rice and Egg Biryani. Since I had already made Egg Biryani recently, I chose to mix up his wish and make an Oriental Egg Fried Rice instead! Win Win situation for both of us. Since this was something new for my blog as well. ;)
It is a running joke in my home these days that I only cook for my blog. Since I do not like to repeat my dishes as it doesn't offer anything new for my blog.

Broccoli Paratha

Broccoli Paratha

There are generic parathas and then there is this paratha - Broccoli Paratha! This is totally a fusion dish. I mean, in India, people have just begun using broccoli since the last few years..at-least the people I know, including me. In fact I first time used broccoli when I moved to US two years ago. I like the taste of it. So far I had only used it in pastas, soups and salads. You can check them here - Pink Spaghetti, Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup and Sesame flavored grilled tofu & veggies.

Fusion Gravy

Fusion Gravy

This is really a fusion dish. I mean, it has something from every cuisine. The black beans which are widely used in American foods, the hummus which is Mediterranean, pasta sauce from Italy and Indian spices! This is one of my creations and I am very satisfied with the result.

Paruppu Usili Curry

Paruppu Usili Curry

This curry is made in just 1 tbsp of oil! There are a couple of processes involved in making this curry. This can be eaten along with sambhar or rasam rice. It is a combination of green vegetables and lentils making it rich in protein and carbs. This is also a popular dish from South India. It is also served in weddings due to its popularity. It is a very simple dish but very tasty.
I made this curry today along with Paruppu Rasam. It is a good combination. Try it and let me know.

Paruppu Rasam

Paruppu Rasam

Rasam and South Indians go hand in hand, well we literally have our hands in them! ;)
For those who do not know what Rasam is, it's made with lentils and spices. It is thinner than soup and is had with rice and any curry. It is tangy to taste. For us it is our "Chicken Soup for the soul". We have it when we are sick too, because its nutritious, rich in protein and easy to digest. It tastes best when hot and is very easy to make.

Carrot and Beetroot Hummus

Carrot and Beetroot Hummus

The more I have it, the more I love hummus. This Mediterranean dish is an absolute favorite in our house. Over time, I realized that I can play around with its flavors by mixing it up with different ingredients. Just the other day I made Hummus from Almond Pulp and it was yum. I had Almond pulp as leftover from making Organic Almond Milk, Since then I have been wanting to try other flavors in hummus.

Personalized Wedding Invite

Personalized Wedding Invite

Weddings are fun! The hard-work that goes into making it a success is even more fun. There is lot of hustle bustle behind the scenes. The couple is busy planning many things. It is very easy to get flustered or overwhelmed. Today, times have changed.

Gift a Painting

Gift a Painting

Paintings are a very important aspect in home decor. They talk about the owners personality, add a new dimension to your house and make it even more beautiful. Paintings also make a great housewarming gift or a perfect way to take it along when visiting someone's house for the first time.

Valentines Day Gift for your Spouse

Valentines Day Gift for your Spouse

We all love this day don't we! There are many gifts available in the market but nothing beats gifting something homemade for your loved ones. Since its made with love it makes the gift more personal and special. I made this gift box for my husband. I didn't want to fill it up with stuff, but keep it selective. There are just 3 items in the box. The box is covered in red paper. The lid is personalized. I have also made a moving heart greeting card along with it. On the inner side of the lid, I wrote him a poem.
The box is compact, oozes love and is a feel good gift!

52 Reasons why I Love You - A new year gift for your Spouse

52 Reasons why I Love You - A new year gift for your Spouse

It was new year's eve. I wanted to gift my husband something special to mark the beginning of the new year. Since we have 52 weeks in a year, I wanted to make something correlating to that. So I came up with an idea to make a customized and personalized jar letting him know why I love him. I have 52 reasons to back it up with.

Toddler Birthday Gift

Toddler Birthday Gift

Anaya is a bright, fun loving and cute little toddler. She is my friend's daughter and it was her 3rd Birthday. I wanted to gift her something fun. I made this goody bag for her. Got her a reusable goody basket. She stores her toys in them today!

House Warming Gift

House Warming Gift

One of my friend's sister recently moved from India to They are a family of three with a young toddler. While talking to my friend, she told me that she wanted to do something special for her but couldn't come up with anything. That is when an idea struck me, I offered to make her a house warming gift.

Gift for a New Born

Gift for a New Born

Our friends recently had a baby boy - Ayaan. He is adorable. He looked so small and serene. I am sure his parents see the other side of him ;) 

Actually his birth marked the occasion of me starting Laksh Creations. I intend to make personalized gifts for all occasions. I cater to orders across USA with a small shipping fee. This was the first gift I made under this start up. So it is extremely special to me. 

Cheese Corn Toast

Cheese Corn Toast

It was the end of the week, my groceries were well used this week and by end of it I only had some potatoes and frozen corn in my fridge. So I knew had to make something using these 2 as my core ingredients. I have made Supremely spicy Mushroom Toast and Hummus flavored Chickpea Toast before.

Oats and Flax Seed Idli

Oats and Flax Seed Idli

I am a South Indian, I have lost count on how many Idlis I would have had in my life. However I still crave for more and more. Guess it's now in my blood! Idlis are like staple food for us. We have it for breakfast, meals, when we sick, in weddings, when travelling long distance or just as a snack. We can have them anytime. They are mainly made of rice and dal. However over the years there have been many variations to this. We have added vegetable paste to make it colorful, tried to make it using brown rice instead of white and even used different flours to get similar results. Have you checked my Pink Idli recipe yet - Beetroot stained Idlis? However the cooking process remains the same. They are still steamed and enjoyed hot on the plate. They digest easily and they are just yum.

Carrots and Peanuts Chutney

Carrots and Peanuts Chutney

My MIL came to my rescue today. I planned to make Oats and Flax Seed Idli today. However just my luck, I ran out of cilantro and coconut to make the chutney to go with it. While talking to my MIL, I shared my dilemma with her. She asked me what I had in my fridge to which I replied, "Oh, just some carrots left!" Her response was, "That is it then, why don't you make carrot chutney instead." Really, carrot chutney! I had never heard of them before. It sounded strange but then she got me thinking.

Tofu cooked with Sesame Seeds and Peanuts

Tofu cooked with Sesame Seeds and Peanuts

If you need to cook up a meal within fifteen minutes than this can be your go to recipe. Its super quick and super easy to make. Just toss them all together and your happy meal is ready. The peanuts and sesame seeds add the right amount of flavor to this dish and make it aromatic. This is also a no onion no garlic recipe. For those who don't prefer tofu can substitute it with paneer or potatoes. I have made stir fry before using tofu. You can check them here - Eggplant and Tofu Stir Fry in Hoisin Sauce and Sesame flavored grilled tofu and veggies .
This  tofu was lying in my freezer for sometime now. It's strips of marinated tofu. I had planned to add it in salads but never landed up using it.

Green Peas and Sweet Corn Soup

Green Peas and Sweet Corn Soup

Continuing with my of soup saga, I made one more! You must have read my other soup recipes here - Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup , Edamame and Spinach Soup and Tomato and Red Pepper Soup. This time I tried another green soup. I always like to combine two or more veggies together to get more flavors and nutrition out of the soups. Adding garlic and herbs also help enhance the taste.

Instant Jalebi

Instant Jalebi

Yippee!! This is my 100th POST on my blog and I am excited. I have to take this moment to thank my family and friends who have stood by me, supported me and encouraged me to do more. The common question I hear from anyone is, "So what did you cook today?" My family and close friends get to see the picture of my latest dish even before it gets on the blog or social media, thanks to Whats app. My MIL tells me that she loves to browse through the pictures I send on the family group. It really feels very overwhelming to get so much love from all. THANK YOU!

Chick Pea Shundal

Chick Pea Shundal

This is a South Indian treat from my kitchen. It is specially made during the Navratri festive season in our households. Shundal as its popularly known, can be made using different legumes and lentils. It is served as an offering to the goddess and then distributed amongst the devotees.

Poricha Kootu (Vegetable and Lentils gravy)

Poricha Kootu (Vegetable and Lentils Gravy)

Everyone has a go to comfort food. I personally believe that we associate it with a childhood memory, something your mom or grand mom made, the specific aroma it generated or the flavor of their hands. It may not necessarily be an exotic dish, but just a regular meal. The memory associated with that particular dish makes it your comfort food.
Kootu is a very traditional South Indian dish. It is made with veggies and lentils and has a semi solid consistency. If you have ever had a friend from south or been to any wedding of theirs, you would have surely tasted this dish. Yes it is the same one! It is healthy as its made with veggies, its boiled and oil is only used for tempering. Only drawback is that it is to be enjoyed with regular steamed rice.

Vegetable Frankie

Vegetable Frankie

If you have ever lived in or even been to Bombay, India you will food stalls selling Frankies at every corner. However the best ones are mainly found around colleges or in Ghatkopar Khau galli. Having lived away from home for a couple of years now, I have realized how much we take these things for granted. I would just step out of my house and there would be food vendors selling all kinds of dishes on the go. Outside railway stations, offices, schools and colleges, it was all on your face. Here, sadly you miss street food so much that now I feel we took them for granted back home. After all we are known for our super tasty street food! I have attempted few of them in my blog. You can find them here - Ragda Pattice Vada Pav Potato Capsicum Grill Sandwich Mysore Masala Dosa Sukha Bhel and Pav Bhaji

Gulab Jamun Pops

Gulab Jamun Pops

Gulab Jamuns have a deep connection with me. Not just they taste good, it brings back very fond memories of my childhood. My mom will make this dish on nearly every happy occasion. Me and my brother would eagerly wait for them to be ready so that we could gorge on them. My brother would not even wait for the gulab jamuns to be soaked well in the sugar syrup.. :)

Spiked Plums & StrawberriesJuice - The Ultimate Refresher Drink!

Spiked Plums & Strawberries Juice - The Ultimate Refresher Drink!

OK, do not judge me, This is the first time I ever tasted Plums! Yes, It is true. Since childhood I have not been naturally attracted to eating any fruits despite being coaxed, forced and threatened to eat it. Sigh, I pity my parents sometimes. How much they tried to feed me fruits with no success!

However today times have changed. Finally I have realized the importance of fruits and now I try and incorporate them in my daily intake in some form or the other. I am still little..OK..very picky about the fruits I eat, but still there is some progress that I made here. I somehow prefer to make fresh juice at home or enjoy an occasional fruity Popsicle. Thankfully they are yummy and turn out in bright colors which keeps me tempted. Check out these recipes here  Sunrise to Sunset drink , Rose flavored Blueberry Popsicle , Watermelon Margarita Slush , Watermelon Popsicle

Healthy Pink Spaghetti loaded with Veggies

Healthy Pink Noodles with Veggies

Don't we all just love the color Pink!!! It's a gorgeous color after all. As a child too, I couldn't resist this color. I wanted everything to be pink. In fact I even dreamt of having Pink noodles someday. Finally I fulfilled my childhood wish and made these super healthy pink Spaghetti loaded with veggies.

Sprouts Cutlet/Tikki

Sprouts Cutlet/Tikki

Just the other day I made Indian Quesadilla where I used moong sprouts as the filling. I had some sprouts leftover which gave rise to my today's recipe. I was in mood to eat something spicy and crispy. So I decided to give my sprouts a makeover!
These are shallow fried so you need not feel guilty eating them. Its packed with proteins, high in fiber and low in calories. Thus making it a must have in a vegetarian's meal. Not to forget they are good to taste as well. They can even be eaten raw in a salad.

Hummus made from Almond Pulp

Hummus made from Almond Pulp

I am still gorging on this delicious Homemade Organic Almond Milk that I made yesterday. I mean really, look at this..who can resist this? It's mildly flavored and nutritious. It is a very good alternative for those who have an allergy for dairy or soy products.

Indian Quesadilla

Indian Quesadilla 

Since the time I came to US, apart from enjoying occasional Chinese food takeouts, I have really loved Mexican food. I feel these two cuisines come close to Indian style because of the spices and flavors used in the recipes. I love Italian food as well, however only if its loaded with pepper flakes! I am a sucker for spicy food you see. :)
Anyways coming back to Mexican cuisine, Obviously the ones you get in the restaurants are loaded with calories and unhealthy. I have made whole wheat Quesadilla in the past and they have turned out good. It is always an achievement when you can replicate a restaurant dish at home minus all the fats and calories.

Mildly flavored Homemade Organic Almond Milk

Mildly flavored Homemade Organic 

Almond Milk

Recently while talking to a friend in Sydney, she mentioned that they have given up diary products completely. She told me that they now only consume store bought Almond milk. She has done some research on this and told me to only buy Carrageenan free brands, which also has fewer additives and sugar. Intrigued, we began doing our own research on Almond Milk. There were some brands here in the US which met the purpose, but still it was not completely free of sugar, additives and preservatives. Lot of articles that I read online had only one thing to say by the end - If you not happy with the ones you get in the stores, make them at home yourself.
Making it at home is the easiest and simplest way to obtain nutritious and delicious milk!

Sunrise to Sunset Drink

Sunrise to Sunset - Strawberry Orange Juice

Quick and easy to make juice which can be served any season. Have surprise guests over or need some mid meal snacking option? Whatever is your excuse, you will enjoy this drink anytime of the day!
I have used freshly squeezed orange juice with fresh strawberries. Just having one glass of this juice refreshes me and I feel energetic.

Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

Roasted Cauliflower & Broccoli Soup

There is something about grilled vegetables! They taste so good. So this time in continuation with my new found soup obsession, I decided to grill the veggies first before cooking them for my soup. I picked similar looking vegetables - Cauliflower and Broccoli. They both are extremely nutritious loaded with vitamins and minerals and are highly recommended in a diet. The grilled effect just enhances the flavor even more. It is a rich and creamy soup.

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

Tomato and Red Pepper Soup

As part of my Soup week, yesterday I had made Edamame and Spinach Soup  . Today I wanted to make something in red. Hence I chose to use tomatoes as my main ingredient. However there are many regular tomato soup recipes available, so I wanted to give it my touch and try something different. While grocery shopping last week, I had picked up some Red Peppers/Capsicum to make noodles. So I thought of tossing them along with some tomatoes to make my red themed soup.

Rose flavored Blueberry Popsicle

Rose flavored Blueberry Popsicle

Yes, I have been bitten by the Popsicle bug. From the time, my friend sent me these moulds from India, I have been addicted to them. I have tried Kaju Katli Kulfi and Watermelon Popsicle so far. I now wanted to try another using a different fruit.
With just 4 ingredients one can create these bright colored Popsicle! It definitely doesn't get any more exciting and easier than this. It is a perfect summer treat for your kids, suitable for sleepovers, pool parties or just after a lazy Sunday brunch.

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Confessions of a Foodie

Edamame and Spinach Soup

Edamame and Spinach Soup

I have always been intrigued by those who can cook up some amazing soups which are not just nutritious but tasty as well. So I decided to give it a try myself. Very bravely I decided to have a Soup week on my blog. Honestly, I was not very confident when I began. I had never even tasted this soup before, so I had no reference point either. When I shared my doubt with KR, he assured me that it will be all good and that I need not worry. He sounded more confident in me than I was. This boosted me up. :)
I love colors, so I wanted to play with them in my food as well. Today was green theme so I chose to make Edamame and Spinach Soup.
Edamame are rich in carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, omega - 3 fatty acids and micro-nutrients, particularly folic acid, manganese and vitamin K. When mixed with baby spinach, they surely make a healthy combo.

Naan Pizza made with Italian Red Sauce

Naan Pizza made with Italian Red Sauce

All my life I have had naan only with regular sabzi. Never had it occurred to me that we could do this with naan. Now why didn't I think of this earlier? This makes pizza making so much simpler and gives it a very desi touch to it. This is why I loved this pizza even more. In order to stay honest with my diet, I chose to use wheat naan instead of the regular one and of course used fat free mozzarella cheese :)
Pizzas in general are very calorie dense because of the base, toppings, sauce and cheese. It has become a popular dish across the world. So it is interesting to see if we can come up with healthier options to make it. Specially if you have a pizza loving husband or child at home like me!
So go ahead and try this out. After all, cooking is all about innovation.. :)

Mug Cake - A Power Breakfast made with Whole Wheat & Bournvita

Mug Cake - A Power Breakfast made with Whole Wheat & Bournvita

Want an alternate breakfast idea? Bored of the regular cornflakes, omelette or a smoothie? Why don't you try having a mug cake instead! It is not just healthy because of the ingredients in it but also yummy for the tummy. :) Also it is very easy to make and takes just few minutes to be ready. It is surely a welcome change to the breakfast routine for us.
I cam across this recipe on one of the food pages I follow on Facebook. That lady had made it with coffee powder. I  wanted to tweak it a bit by adding a chocolate flavored drink powder instead thus reducing the quantity of sugar in the bargain. It worked! KR ( I fondly refer to my husband as KR) and me were pleasantly surprised with the outcome. This is surely going to stay in my weekly menu from now on. Try it to believe it! ;)

Beetroot chilla stuffed with cottage cheese smeared in lettuce sauce

Beetroot chilla stuffed with cottage cheese smeared in lettuce sauce

I guess, most of us have had moong dal chillas at some point in our lives. It is one of the recipes for healthy yet tasty breakfast. However I wanted to experiment with the traditional recipe. Since beetroots blend in everywhere, I chose to add its puree to the chilla batter. Thus increasing the nutritional value of this recipe.

Since this was to be my lunch, I wanted to make it more filling. So I decided to stuff the chillas with some veggies available at home. Cottage cheese/Paneer make an excellent stuffing and contain good amount of protein in them. Since I had some paneer, green peas and corn, it formed my stuffing. I purposely avoided using potatoes as I wanted to keep this healthy and nutritious. :) This was even more special because I used our home grown green chillies

Lettuce Sauce/Chutney

Lettuce Sauce/Chutney

I was making Beetroot Chillas and I wanted to smear some green chutney/sauce over it when I do the filling. However just to my luck I had ran out of cilantro. As I was rummaging my fridge, I found a box of left over lettuce which I had got for my Eggplant burger recipe. ( The link to that is here by the way - http://priyalaksh.blogspot.com/2015/07/veggie-burger-with-chickpea-and.html ) The cilantro lime hummus I had along with the burger was over as well, else I would have used it instead. However looking at the lettuce, an idea struck me. Why not make a chutney put of lettuce this time!
It feels nice to try different chutneys/sauces so that we are not always limited to using cilantro. Since lettuce has no distinct flavor, I thought of giving it a desi chutney twist to it. :)
Hope you try this out sometime and let me know how it was!

Veggie Burger with Chickpea and Eggplant patties and Cilantro-Lime-Hummus sauce

Veggie Burger with Chickpea and Eggplant patties and Cilantro-Lime-Hummus sauce

Disclaimer - This may seem to be a long post, but it is totally worth it by the end!

I had purchased some eggplants to make Baingan Bharta the other day. However I landed up using all but one. So that one eggplant in my fridge was bothering me. I wanted to make something using it but it would not do justice quantity wise. I had initially thought of making an eggplant dip out of it but then I happened to see a picture of a burger on one of the food pages I follow on Facebook. That is when like a lightning an idea occurred to me! Yes, you got it too :) I thought why not make burger patties with eggplant in it. I know it doesn't sound very appealing but I wanted to give it a shot. But me not being a fan of eggplant, I decided to combine it with some other core ingredient to keep the balance in taste. Chickpeas came to my rescue!
This recipe is my creation where I am challenging my limits (not being an eggplant fan), using my creativity to come up with a new recipe which is vegetarian and healthy.

Moong Dal snack - Microwave recipe

Moong Dal snack - Microwave recipe

One of my favorite snack to munch on while watching TV or on a picnic is Haldiram's Fried Moong Dal. I just love the taste of it. One can easily say that I am addicted o them and it is one of my comfort food. :)
Whenever we go on a trip, KR (my better half) makes it a point to add this to our snack list. He knows me too well. They act as my 'between meal fillers'. I am not very particular about the brand though. It never really occurred to me that I could actually make this at home until I saw a lady (Sandhya Ramakrishnan)post this recipe on her blog - My Cooking journey. I immediately bookmarked it to try for later. So today on the occasion of crossing 200 likes on my Facebook page, I decided to treat myself with some fried moong dal! It is a fairly simple and easy to follow recipe with very few ingredients. This is made in the microwave. After having this home made snack, I am never going to pick up this Haldiram snack from the store ever!!

Chutney wale Cauliflower

Chutney wale Cauliflower

I love experimenting with leftovers. I feel they always bring out the true chef in you. It is in such scenarios where new dishes are invented. This is one easy recipe using leftover chutneys. After making Mysore Masala Dosa the other day, I had these two chutneys left over. I was thinking of a way to use them in my cooking. That is when I stumbled upon my idol - Tarla Dalal's recipe where she had made cauliflower sabzi using mint chutney. I loved the idea and decided to experiment as well. The sabzi gets a very strong flavor because of the green chutney. It is also very refreshing as it has mint and coriander leaves. The red chutney brings out the curry flavor in the dish. So thankfully this combo turned out good. I am positive that you can substitute cauliflower with any other vegetable. Do try this minty vegetable and not worry about leftovers anymore!