Tiramisu - eggless version of the classic Italian dessert

Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert and has always been our family favorite. Coffee dipped Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) sandwiched between creamy mascarpone/cream takes you to dessert heaven.  It is a super simple to make but creates a much desired 'wow' effect! As mentioned in my previous post, we recently hosted some friends for dinner and I made the eggless version of this classic dessert and it was an instant hit with our guests as well.

Many friends have been requesting this recipe for a while now so finally I am posting it at long last. So here goes:

Ingredients:

Dry Ladyfingers (savoiardi in Italian) - 24-28 pieces, instant coffee - any kind - 1 cup brewed in hot water + 1/4th tsp, heavy whipping cream - 1 quart, mascarpone cheese - 8 oz, vanilla essence - 1 tsp, powdered sugar - 1/4th cup (please adjust to taste - I don't like to make it very sweet), unsweetened cocoa powder - for dusting on top.

Please note: The recipe I am sharing will fit into a 9 inch round cake pan (spring foam). 

Method:
Boil 1 cup water/microwave for 1 min and add 2 tsp instant coffee and keep aside (no sugar or milk). Take a mixing bowl and whip the heavy whipping cream till it is stiff. Add mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla essence, 1/4th tsp instant coffee and mix on low till everything is smooth and creamy. Keep aside. Take your spring foam cake pan. Dip each ladyfinger into the brewed coffee and arrange in the cake pan in a layer. (take care not to dip it too long - it can get mushy and fall apart pretty quickly). 

Once a layer is complete, layer the whipped mascarpone/cream mixture and add in second ladyfinger layer similar to first one and once again cove with whipped mascarpone/cream mixture, Finally dust with unsweetened cocoa powder using a sieve/strainer. Chill in refrigerator for 5-6 hours or overnight. 

Remove just before serving and dust with unsweetened cocoa again of needed. Serve and enjoy this amazing dessert!

Till my next post, take care everyone!

Spicy Tofu, Chickpea and Vegetable Stew

This stew is my go to meal on the days I am lazy to cook but still want to eat a health and hearty meal. It is full of proteins and vitamins and is ready in minutes. Some of my friend's had asked for this recipe and I had promised to put it on the blog this weekend.

So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

Frozen mixed vegetables - 1 cup, Tofu extra firm (preferable) - 1 cup cubed, onion - 1 sliced, ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp, oil - 3-4 tsp, coconut milk - 2 cans, chickpeas - 1 can, pepper powder, cinnamon sticks - 1 or 2 1 inch, cumin powder - 1 tsp, turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp, paprika - 1/2 tsp, curry powder (not garam masala) - 3 tsp, salt to taste, Serrano chillies - 1 sliced, cilantro - chopped for garnish

Method:

Boil/cook in frozen mixed vegetables. Boil/microwave chickpeas till soft with little salt. Cube the Tofu and shallow fry till light golden brown in a pan (optional but enhances taste of tofu). After this, take a pan and add oil to it. Once hot add cinnamon sticks and sliced onions and fry till soft. Add ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, turmeric powder, pepper powder, paprika powder and curry powder to it. Add half sliced Serrano peppers and saute for 2-3 mins. Add cooked frozen mixed vegetable and chickpeas and saute for 2-3 mins, then add the fried tofu and keep sauteing for 2-3 mins. Then add coconut milk and salt to taste. Let everything boil for 4-5 mins. Add the rest of the sliced Serrano peppers and cilantro to garnish and serve hot with brown or white rice.

Enjoy this hearty meal!! Believe me once you try this it is going to be your go to meal too :)

Till my next post, take care everyone!! #staysafe.

Rose Gulab jamun Rava Cake (Semolina cake with Rose and Gulab jamun flavor)

Hello friends, I am back with another successful kitchen experiment (yay). Rose Gulab Jamun Rava Cake or Semolina cake with Rose and Gulab jamun flavor!!! This cake is egg-less, flour-less and 100% vegetarian.We had a potluck where it was decided to get some cake for kids and other adults who do not usually go for Indian desserts. After browsing through many recipes of Gulab Jamun cake, I wanted to try something novel, so decided to add rose flavor along with Gulab jamun flavor and semolina instead of the traditional cake flour.

Friends, the aroma wafting through the whole house while baking the cake bought both my kids to the kitchen and they could not wait to try it. I can assure you that it is really easy peasy to make. If you are new to baking, this will be a good cake to try.

So here is the recipe. 

Ingredients: For cake: Very fine semolina (unroasted) - 2.5 cups , whole milk - 2.5 cups, yogurt whisked and at room temp - 3/4th cup, salt - 1/8th tsp, oil (unflavored)- 1/3rd cup, powdered sugar - 2.5 cups (Adjust per taste) plus some for cake decor, gulab jamun mix - 1.5 cup, rose essence - 3 tsp, cardamon powder - 3 tsp, baking powder - 1.5 tsp, baking soda - 3/4th tsp. For Syrup: 1/3 cup water, 1/3 cup sugar, cardamon powder - 1 tsp, rose essence - 1/2 tsp.

Method: For Cake: Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Meanwhile, sieve the semolina along with gulab jamun mix and powdered sugar. Warm the milk and add room temp whisked yogurt to it and whisk together. Slowly add to the sieved semolina mix and stir. Check the consistency. If too thick, add more warm milk to thin it. Add the cardamom powder, rose essence, oil, baking powder and baking soda and mix. Pour it in a baking pan (I used a 9 x 16 inch rectangular tray to bake.) and put in 350 degree F oven to bake for 35-40 minutes. Take it out and check if done by inserting a knife into the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. 
For Syrup: Take a pan and add sugar and water and boil for 8-10 minutes till the syrup turns into 1 string consistency. Add cardamom powder and rose essence and mix. Drizzle on top of the warm cake. Drizzle powdered sugar on top of the cake. Cut into pieces and enjoy!!! Needless to say that my whole family fell in love with this novel cake and I am sure yours' will too :)

Here is a picture of my cake right out of the oven and the other one is sliced and ready to eat:

Till my next post everyone, take care.

Notes: 
1. Check for sweetness when you mix the batter (adjust sugar per your taste). Remember that you are drizzling sugar syrup on the cake too.
2. You can grind and add almond or cashew powder and also some saffron to the cake. I forgot to add this time but would surely do it the next time.

Banana Walnut Bread

It was almost the end of the week and 2 ripe bananas were staring at me. If I didn't do something, they would definitely end up in trash by Monday. Thanks to this recipe, after a couple of hours, they wound up in a delicious Banana Walnut bread :))

Actually, I got this recipe from a recipe book borrowed from our local library. Unfortunately, I forgot to copy down the title/author :(       

Anyhow here is the recipe:

Ingredients needed: 2 cups All purpose/Wheat flour ( I used wheat flour), 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 2 small bananas - mashed, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp - baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/4th tsp - salt, handful of chopped Walnuts.

Method: Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Butter/spray with non stick spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan.

Mix together butter and sugar with hand mixer, add eggs and mashed banana.and vanilla extract. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and mix. Fold in the chopped Walnuts at the end.

Pour the batter in the greased pan and bake for 50-55 mins (time will vary depending on your oven and type of baking dish). Bake for additional 15-20 mins at 325 deg F if not done.

Cool for 15-20 mins, cut into slices and enjoy this nutty and delicious bread for breakfast, snack, teatime or just anytime :)))

Holiday season is here........ Wishing everyone Happy holidays, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2018!!! 🎅🎄🎆

Till my next post, take care everyone!! 

Spinach Tortilla Pinwheels

Today I am sharing a recipe I had whipped up for our office St. Patrick's day potluck lunch. This recipes feeds a lot of people with little effort. To fit in with the green theme, spinach tortilla was the natural choice. I love the southwestern veggie mix that you get in the frozen section of local grocery store. Used that for the filling along with other flavors I love and was ready with a yummy dish for the potluck. Here is the recipe. 

Ingredients: Spinach Tortilla - 3-4 large size, Southwestern veggie blend - (Black beans and chopped - red pepper, green bell pepper, corn, Anaheim peppers) - you can use your own veggies in case you don't have this blend - 2 cups, green lettuce leaves chopped - 1/2 cup,  Cream cheese - 1 16 oz tub, Ranch dressing - 1/2 cup, Sriracha sauce - 1 tsp, Chives fresh or dried- 2-3 tsp, Garlic powder - 1 tsp, black pepper - 1/2 tsp, taco seasoning - 2 tsp, salt as needed. Plastic wrap - to wrap the tortillas.

Method: Cook the southwestern blend as per instructions on the packet. If using your own beans and veggies, cook till everything is soft but not mushy. Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Blend with ranch dressing with a whisk or hand mixer. The mixture should not be too runny. It should only be soft (pliable). Add Sriracha sauce, chives, black pepper, garlic powder, taco seasoning and salt (if needed) and whisk. Add the southwestern veggie blend and chopped lettuce to that mixture and blend everything together. Apply that mixture to the tortillas. Roll them up and wrap them in plastic wrap. Chill overnight (or for 3-4 hrs of short on time). In the morning, cut them up in desired size pieces and serve cold.

This recipe is really versatile and could be made with any other type of tortilla. It is great for picnics or other potlucks too.

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all my readers. May your lives be touched by a little Irish luck :)

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Healthy Vegetarian Italian Salad - Valentine's Day special!

The day of love otherwise known as Valentine's Day is upon us. Instead of going to overcrowded, noisy restaurants, sometimes it is better to spend quality time with your significant other at home and enjoy a hearty and healthy salad along with chocolates and wine :)

Ingredients: Mixed baby greens - 2 handfuls,  Baby spinach - handful, Mixed peppers (orange, yellow and red) - cubed 15-20 pcs total, green bell pepper - 1 cubed, Cucumbers - 3-4 cubed, Grape tomatoes - 15-20 halved, Olives - 1 can, onion (optional) - 1/2 sliced, Italian cheese mix - 3-4 oz (about 3/4 the packet), Ranch dressing - 1 bottle - 16 oz - any brand of your choice (I used yogurt based ranch), balsamic vinegar - few drops, crushed red pepper - 1/4 tsp, black pepper to taste, Croutons - to garnish.

Procedure: Wash and chop all the vegetables according to instructions above. Mix Ranch dressing, balsamic vinegar, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a separate bowl. Take a big bowl and assemble everything together. Garnish with croutons. Healthy and delicious salad is ready. Chill and serve.

I made a tomato heart decor specially for Valentine's day :) 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Till my next post, take care.

Simple and Healthy greens - Kale and Tofu Bhaji

This bhaji or vegetable is the simplest and healthiest one that you can ever make. It can be prepared in less than 20 mins start to finish and is totally delicious and good for you. Kale can be substituted with any other green like Swiss Chard, or purple kale, it tastes just as good. It has all the healthy nutrients and vitamins and plant based soy protein that you body needs.

Ingredients: Kale - 1 bunch, Garlic- 5-6 pods, Tofu - 12 oz extra firm, Oil - 3-4 tsp, black pepper - 1/2 tsp, salt to taste and few drops of lemon juice.

Method: Clean, wash and chop the Kale or any green that you are using. Crush the garlic pods. Heat oil in a pan and and add 1/2 tsp crushed pepper and crushed garlic. Immediately add the chopped greens and cover and cook for 3-4 mins on medium heat. Cube the tofu and add that to the greens. Cover and cook for 3-4 mins. Add salt to taste and lemon juice. Delicious bhaji is ready. Eat with Chapati or fill it in Pita pocket or roll it in Lavaash bread or eat as a side dish with rice. It is really versatile, simple and tasty.

Till my next post, take care everyone!

Curried Apple Soup

What do you do with too many apples???..........

This recipe was born out of the necessity to use the apples lying in my fridge for weeks. No one was ready to eat them; so I decided to make them into a soup :)

Ingredients: Apples - any variety - (chopped)- about 6-8 - small, Oil - 2 tsp + Butter - 1 tbsp, Garlic (chopped) - 4-5cloves, Black pepper - 1/2 tsp, Curry Powder - 1-2 tsp (I used the one we get in American stores/or use madras curry powder from Indian store - do not use Garam Masala), Chicken/Veg stock - 1 can (I used chicken stock as it gives a rich flaor), salt to taste.

Method: Heat a pan, add the oil and butter. Then add the chopped garlic, saute for 1 min and add 1/2 tsp black pepper powder and 1 tsp curry powder. Then add the chopped apples. Saute for 5 mins till apples are soft. Add the chicken/veg stock (adjust according to qty of apples - add some water if you are low on stock). Add salt to taste and the remaining 1 tsp curry powder. Cover and cook for 8-10 mins on med heat. Cool and grind/puree in a jar mixer. Garnish with cilantro.

The soup is ready in a jiffy!! Enjoy on a cold fall day to perk your spirits up!!

Till my next post, take care everyone!!

TIP: Adding a Granny Smith apple with other sweet apples gives a better flavor

Barley and Mixed Vegetable Soup

Hello everyone, I have been inactive on this blog for a long time now. Work and kids have kept me really busy. Still not sure when I can post regularly....... 

Anyhoo, last weekend I made this soup for a potluck. Everyone loved it and wanted the recipe, so I am posting this recipe especially for all my friends who wanted it that day……. 

This soup is my comfort food. It is really hearty and healthy – a real one pot meal :)

To make this soup you need:

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 onion - chopped, 4-5 cloves of chopped garlic, 3-4 cups water or Vegetable/Chicken broth, ½ cup barley (uncooked), 2 Cups Mixed veg (carrots, beans, peas, corn),  1 zucchini cubed/sliced, 1 small can diced or crushed tomatoes/puree 4-5 fresh tomatoes, 3 tsp Italian seasoning, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 2 tbsp sherry/red wine vinegar/lemon juice, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp paprika (optional), Fresh basil 8-10 leaves chopped and parsley leaves chopped to garnish, salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation Method:  Pressure cook barley and mixed veg with veg/chicken stock (2-3 whistles) – till barley is fully cooked. Meanwhile, in a pot, add olive oil. When hot, add garlic and onions, cook till it is soft. Add zucchini and cook till it is soft. Add Italian seasoning, pepper, garlic powder, paprika (optional) and 2 tbsp sherry wine vinegar/red wine vinegar/lemon juice and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and cook for 2-3 mins. After that add the crushed /pureed tomatoes. Cook for 3-4 mins.  After that add the pressure cooked mixed veg and barley. Adjust seasonings and add salt to taste. Simmer for 8-10 mins. Add chopped basil/parsley leaves. Serve hot. Enjoy :))

Till my next post, take care everyone!!

Nutella Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce

My kids love pancakes and they also love nutella so I decided to surprise them and combined their two favorites to make a great breakfast treat for them :) Needless to say that I had two happy campers that day.......

Ingredients for Nutella Pancakes: 1 cup 100% Whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon sugar (adjust according to taste), 1 &1/2 cups milk approx (adjust according to need), 1 tsp Vanilla essence, 2 tsp oil, 1 egg, 1 tbsp butter, 4 tbsps Nutella (soften for abt 5-8 secs in a microwave).

Procedure: Take a bowl and mix together the wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the egg, oil, vanilla essence, Nutella, milk and butter. Mix till smooth preferably with a hand mixer. Take care that the batter is not too runny. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and grease it lightly. Pour the batter onto the pan, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. 

Cook on both sides and serve hot with blueberry syrup (see recipe below) or any other syrup of your choice. I had some blueberry's left over from the previous week so I used them to make the syrup.

Blueberry Syrup: Combine 1 cup blueberry's, 1/2 cup sugar (adjust according to taste) and 1 cup water in a saucepan and cook till the berry's are soft and the mixture is thick (about 5-10 mins). Add1/4 tsp vanilla essence, 1/4th tsp nutmeg powder, 1/4th tsp cinnamon powder and stir. Serve with pancakes!

Tip: For people who do not eat eggs, you can omit them and add 3 tsp baking powder and 2 tsp baking soda instead.

Sending this off to:

Spotlight - Healthy Breakfast Ideas and Healthy Diet - Breakfast - guest hosted by Roshni's Kitchen started by Priya's Versatile Recipes.

Mango Pie - No Bake!

Recently we had some friends over for dinner and I made this really easy breezy no bake mango pie for dessert! Everyone loved it. I am posting this recipe for one of my friends R :) who wants to try it out. The pie was over very quickly so did not get a chance to get great clicks :( ............but anyhoo this click will do for now.......

I was introduced to this recipe a long time ago. My good friend A got it from another friend :)

Here is the recipe........

Ingredients: 16 oz can of mango pulp, 8 ounces cream cheese, 8 ounces Cool Whip, 2 ready-made graham cracker pie crusts, 3 small packs unflavored gelatin - (prepare according to gelatin package instructions), sugar - according to taste (if needed)

Preparation:
Prepare gelatin according to directions on the package. Mix mango pulp, cream cheese and sugar (according to taste - if needed to balance pulp sourness) in a mixer/by hand blender till everything is thoroughly blended, mix in cool whip. Add the gelatin and mix again. Pour this mixture in to the 2 pie crusts. Keep it in the refrigerator to set for at least about 3-4 hours. Overnight works best for me. Enjoy!!!

Till my next post, take care everyone.

Classic Home Made Guacamole

Hello everyone, in case you are wondering, why I have not been posting new recipes, visiting and commenting on your blogs..... i am extremely busy with an assignment and not able to devote time for blogging. Hopefully things should be back to normal sometime next month....

Today I am sharing a very easy way to make guacamole. The advantage of making it homemade is that you get to control the ingredients and taste according to your family needs.

Ingredients: 3 Haas Avocados, 1/2 onion - chopped, 1 tomato seeded and chopped (optional), 3 jalapenos seeded, 1 garlic clove, 1 Lime juiced, salt to taste.

Procedure: Cut the avocados and remove the seed. scoop the flesh out with a spoon. Pour lime juice over it to prevent it from oxidizing. Mash it finely with a fork (alternately you could puree it in a food processor along with garlic and jalapeno). Keep aside. Grind together the jalapeno and garlic. Add this to the avocado along with chopped onion and tomato (i have not added tomato today). Add salt and mix thoroughly.

Serve with tortilla chips of your choice. Here, I served them with multi-grain tortilla chips.

Quick and Easy Vegetarian Enchiladas

I am sharing this very simple and easy Vegetarian Enchilada recipe today. It is my favorite go to recipe whenever I need to put something on the table really quick. I have taken the help of a lot of ready made pantry items to cut down on the prep time. 

Ingredients: Multi-grain Tortillas - 6 nos, Bush's Black bean fiesta - one 21 oz can, vegetarian re-fried black beans - 1 can, shredded cheese - Kraft Mexican style four cheese 1 8 oz pack, chopped garlic 1 tsp, chopped jalapeno - 3, chopped green onions - 2 tsp.

Enchilada sauce: I simply pureed the leftover chunky tomato salsa - mild (24 oz) I had along with 2 seeded jalapenos. This recipe need about 2 cups of sauce so adjust accordingly.

Filling: Heat a saucepan and add 1 tsp crushed garlic and 3 tsp chopped jalapeno (adjust according to taste). Saute for 2 mins and then and add Bush's black bean fiesta and refried black beans and cook for 8-10 mins. At the end of the process the filling should be thick and not watery.

Assembly: Put some sauce at the bottom of a glass or any baking pan. Then take a tortilla and spread some sauce on it and then spoon about 3 tbsp filling in it and roll. Put it in the baking pan. Continue the process with all the other tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. 

Baking: Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 18-20 mins. Then put shredded cheese and chopped green onion (optional) on the tortillas and bake for 2-3 mins. Serve with guacamole or sour cream and as side of Mexican rice! Enjoy........

Tip: This recipe is really versatile and you could add shredded chicken or any other meat if you want in the filling and make it non-vegetarian.

Queso Sauce with Nutritional Yeast - for Maitri Friendship Chain

I was paired with Shubha of Chutki Bhar Pyar in the Maitri Friendship Chain. She sent me a pretty interesting ingredient. I had no idea what so ever, as to what it was so I asked her for a clue. She said it was used in vegan cooking. Armed with that information and with lots of help from Google, I correctly guessed it was Nutritional Yeast!!! [Phew :))]

Now the second part was to find recipes :)) I got the Queso Sauce Recipe here. As usual I added my own touch to customize it.

Recipe: In a saucepan mix together 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1/4 cup all purpose flour, 2 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 cup water, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cups Habanero salsa and salt to taste. Whisk on medium heat till the mixture is thick - takes about 3-5 mins. Serve with tortilla chips!!

I also want to share the picture of the beautiful Maitri package Shubha sent me. The cookies we really yummy and everyone loved them. Thank you so much Shubha, I am so glad we got to know each other courtesy of Maitri chain!!!

Penne with Broccoli

I came across this recipe on Food network. Almost every show has a version of this versatile pasta dish. I have customized it to suit the needs of my family and it has become a staple on weekends or busy weeknights. Luckily everyone in our family in general loves broccoli. Taking advantage of this fact, I make this pasta with Broccoli. It is really simple to make and can be made in a jiffy.

Boil water and cook a pound of penne pasta according to directions on the box. (I used mini penne pasta). While the pasta is cooking, we make the garlic sauce for the pasta. You could use store bought too but this is how I like to make it. 

Take 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and melt it over low heat. Add 2 tbsp of minced garlic and 2 tbsp of chopped shallots/onion. Cover and cook till everything is soft.

Then add 2 tablespoons of all purpose flour into it alongwith a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes till the flour cooks and loses its raw smell. Then add 1 cup of half and half and 1 cup of milk, stirring constantly.

Keep stirring till the mixture is smooth and thickened. Adjust the sauce consistency by adding milk/half and half as required. It should not be too thick or thin. Add 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes (customize according to taste), 1 tsp basil and 2 tsp of italian seasoning and mix. To this add chopped and steamed broccoli florets, about 2 cups. Stir and cook for 3-4 mins.

To this add the cooked pasta along with a generous handful of Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly and serve hot with garlic bread!!   This recipe is going to:

Mharo Rajasthan Recipes': Bookmarked Recipes - Every Tuesday Event - 23rd November 2010 (Volume 17) 

 and  Treat your Tongue's: Healing Foods Event - Broccoli started by Siri.

Till the next post, take care everyone!!

Whole Wheat Flour Pancakes with Bananas

My kids are absolute fans of pancakes, so its needless to say that I make them very often. Now, how do you make something like pancakes very healthy? - its a great challenge! The traditional pancake recipe calls for all purpose flour which is not very healthy, so use whole wheat flour instead. Add whatever fruits you have on hand and cut down on sugar. Mostly I add bananas or blueberries, but you can add whatever fruit you want. Its a great way to get picky kids to eat fruits. Last but not the least, I serve them with sugar free syrup :))

Ingredients: 1 cup 100% Whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoon sugar (adjust according to taste), 1 & 1/2 cups milk approx (adjust according to need), 2 tsp Vanilla essence, 2 tsp oil, 1 egg, 1 tbsp butter, 1 sliced banana.

Procedure: Take a bowl and mix together the wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Add the egg, oil, vanilla essence, milk and butter. Mix till smooth preferably with a hand mixer. Now add the chopped bananas. Take care that the batter is not too runny. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat and grease it lightly. Pour the batter onto the pan, using about 1/4 cup for each pancake. Cook on both sides and serve hot with maple syrup or the sugar free syrup - your choice :)  BTW, Please don't ask me how the sugar free syrup tastes, because personally I never eat pancakes, but my kids don't seem to mind the sugar free version of syrup.

Tip: For people who do not eat eggs, you can omit them and add 3 tsp baking powder and 2 tsp baking soda instead.

I am sending this as an entry for Priya's (Mharo Rajasthan) : CFK - WWF Event originally started by Sharmi. Being busy with the move n'other stuff, I was on break and not posting any recipes, but could never dream of missing my dear friend's event, so here's my entry Priya :))

Edamame and Cannellini Bean Salad

My younger one's naptime is the only 'Me time' I get these days! After a particularly challenging day, I was totally exhausted and aimlessly changing channels when an edamame salad recipe on food network caught my eye. This is my version of the recipe.

It is a very nutritious and tasty salad. Our family happens to love edamame (baby soybeans in pods). I always buy the shelled edamame as they are easier to use.  

To make this salad, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a pan. Add 1 tbsp chopped garlic and cook until the garlic is soft (not brown). Remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tsp chopped rosemary. Keep it aside. 

In a bowl, mix together cooked edamame beans (boil them as per direction on the packet with a little salt they should be firm but soft to chew), cannellini beans (i used 1 16 oz can), approximately, 6 tbsp parmesan cheese, (freshly grated is the best - be liberal as it lends good taste), 1 tbsp chopped parsley, salt and black pepper to taste, 1 tsp red cilli flakes (feel free to add more if you like it spicy) and a 1 tsp of italian seasoning. Add the garlic mixture and parmesan cheese and mix till all the beans are coated. Garnish with chopped parsley and parmesan cheese and serve at room temperature.

I am sending this recipe for MMLA edition #22 hosted by Ruchikacooks, originally started by Susan of The Well Seasoned Cook.

Announcing a short break....
We are in the process of moving so I will start posting new recipes once we settle down. Meanwhile, I will visit blogs and reply to comments as and when I find time and internet connectivity :)

Chocolate, Almond and Walnut Biscotti

Nupur of Onehotstove has announced an event called Blogbites #2 - Copycat Edition. So as per the event rules, this recipe is inspired by another blog and is something that we often buy from the store and I have never tried to make at home.

Today I am going to make Chocolate, Almond and Walnut Biscotti. This recipe is inspired by Nupur's Chocolate Walnut Biscotti. Biscotti means twice baked cookie. Nonni's Biscotti is our all time favorite!! Its a dry and hard cookie and tastes divine when dunked in coffee. You can find out more about biscotti here. Nupur also has a really good write up about biscotti on her blog with a nice and simple recipe and an equally lovely picture. Reading her post made me realize for the first time that this was something I could manage to make at home :)

So here goes....... I used Nupur's basic recipe and added ingredients that we like in a biscotti. For the dough, I mixed together - with a hand mixer (if you have the electric mixer, that's great) 3 tbsp butter (room temp) with 1/3 cup sugar and 1 egg. Then I added 1/4 tsp vanilla, (it enhances the flavor of chocolate). After that I added 1 cup all purpose flour, 1 pinch salt, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tbsp cocoa powder (used Hershey's as I had it on hand), 1 tsp coffee. Since I did not have chocolate chips on hand, used 1/2 big size milk chocolate bar (shredded) - the other half was gobbled up by my kids! and 4 tbsp toasted and coarsely ground nuts - I used walnut and almonds. 

Then I shaped the dough into a log and baked it in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 25 mins like the recipe says. I cooled it for 30 mins (was distracted talking to a friend on the phone). Then cut with a serrated knife, (yes, it was crumbly as Nupur said so be careful while cutting) then baked it again for 10 mins in the oven.

The result - Simply divine biscotti!!! The verdict: Kids - were absolutely thrilled, Husband - loved it too [after all the couch is not so comfortable at night now, is it ? ;)]

Jokes apart, it really came close to Nonni's biscotti that we all love so much and my family couldn't have enough. Will be baking more now instead of buying, so thanks Nupur for inspiring me to try it out :))

This entry goes to Nupur's Blogbites #2 - Copycat Edition.

Brown Rice and Spinach Pilaf

This is a very simple and healthy recipe. It has a lot of fiber, proteins, vitamins and all the other good stuff. This pilaf can be eaten with any raita or curry instead of normal rice/pulav. 

Heat a pan and add 1 tsp olive oil. Add 2 tsp chopped garlic and saute for a minute. Add 1 cup frozen spinach to it and keep stirring. When it is soft, add crushed black pepper and 1 cup of brown rice. 

Add 2 cups of water/chicken/veg stock and stir. Add salt to taste. Cover and cook for 25 -30 mins (or as per instructions on the brown rice packet - brown rice takes longer to cook than normal rice). Open the lid 5 mins after you turn off the gas. Fluff it with a fork. Garnish it with dried cranberries and boiled egg (optional - but tastes yummy if you add it).

I am sending this as an entry to Divya of Dil Se': Healing Foods - Spinach Event  originally started by Siri of Siri's Corner

Strawberry and Peach Crumble

 These days, we are all trying to eat healthy, so I was inspired to try out this dessert recipe I saw on food network. Somehow I cannot follow recipes to the tee, so made a few changes :)

Cut 3-4 peaches (peel them as well) and 8-10 large strawberries. Mix in 1/2 cup light brown sugar and 1 tbsp cornstarch dissloved in juice of 1/2 large lemon (abt 1.5 tbsp) and keep it aside. For the crust, mix 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 cup light brown sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon powder, 1/4 tsp nutmeg powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sliced almonds or any other nut you like and grind it in a food processor till the mixture is coarse. Add 8 tbsp cold butter cut up into bits and grind till butter is incorporated in the mixture. The overall quality of crust should be coarse. Grease a baking dish. Pour the fruit mixture into baking dish (I used 9x13 inch) and put the crust mixture over it. Preheat oven at 350°F and bake for 35-40 mins. Let it cool. Serve with a dollop of ice-cream. We had it with Vanilla once and another time with Tutti Fruti flavor ice cream that my good friend T brought along. Tasted divine with both!!

This dessert is really light and calorie conscious people can skip the ice-cream scoop. You can also reduce the amount of sugar as per your taste.

I am sending this as an entry to Stories from an Indian Kitchen's Bake Off Event.