Granola Bowl.

A bowl of goodness to start your day with loads of positive energy.. a simple breakfast with loads of #freshfruits , #yogurt, #nuts and #granola this is all we need guys to get through this difficult times.. it’s very simple yet healthy and nutritious... I’m relishing this for my breakfast in this cloudy morning. What’s yours???X

Ingredients.

Granola 

Banana 🍌 

Strawberries 🍓 

Mix nuts 

Yogurt 

Some flax seeds 

Some honey 🍯to drizzle on top.. x

Method:

In small serving bowl add granola as a base. 

Then top up with yogurt as a second layer. 

Then add some chopped banana and strawberries.

Now add some mix nuts from top , then sprinkle some flax seeds. 

Drizzle some honey from top. That’s it. You have breakfast ready in no time..x

Overnight Oatmeal.

Overnight Oatmeal this has become favourite meal in my family and I make this atleast twice a week. It makes a morning job easy and gives a quick meal of the day, which keep the whole day energetic and healthy.

Ingredient's for Soaking.

1 cup oats

1 cup curd

1cup milk

2tbsp honey.

Ingredient's for Garnishing.

Hand full of chopped dry fruits

1 slice banana

1tsp flax seeds

2tbsp dried cranberry.

Making Method.

In a large bowl, add the oats,curd,milk and honey. Mix it well and refrigerate overnight.

Next day, In a large serving bowl, add the soaked oats and garnish with dry fruits, banana, flax seeds and cranberry. 

Serve cold.

Khajoor Ka Halwa.. Dates Halwa.

Khajoor Ka Halwa is an a very yummy sweet dish, which can be made easily at home and relish with vanilla ice cream. The combination of dates and dry fruits are to die for and can be stored in the fridge for a week or 2. All you need is just a handful of ingredients to make this delicious halwa. Do try and let me know.

Ingredient's.

1/2kg dates (dry one's)

1+1/2 cup of sugar

1 cup dry fruits (almond,cashew,raisin)

1/2 ghee.

Cooking Method.

Soak the dates over night. Then de seed them and grind to a course paste.

In a deep frying pan add the ghee, when the ghee is hot, fry all the dry fruits to golden brown and set it aside.

Now in the same deep frying pan add the ground dates paste and fry till it becomes dry, then add sugar and dry fruits, again fry the halwa till it becomes completely dry and ghee starts floating on top..

Serve with vanilla ice cream.

Oats Cheese Cake With Britannia Nutrichoice Oats Cookies. Diabetic Friendly.

Healthy version of Oats Cheese Cake made with Britannia Nutrichoice Oats Cookies and honey, which I learnt at Diabetic Food Trail Masterclass. It was so yummy yet healthy and that stole my heart and never wanted to wait for trying this recipe at home with my own twist. Here comes the recipe of oats cheese cake with my own twist and it taste as good as the original recipe and I must say this is an a awesome dessert or breakfast for the health conscious people who might be bored of eating that plain and tasteless food.. Seriously I can't believe that diabetic food also can be made so tasty until I attended this event. A big thanks to Ms.Seema Pinto and Mr.Manoj Pinto for coming up with this diabetic food trail and making those people happy who are banned to eat something sweet.. There are many more recipes coming up which I have learnt in the event.. People do try this healthy cheese cake you'll definitely fall in love as I have.

Ingredient's.

1 cup quicker oats

1/2 cup cream cheese

3/4 cup yogurt

1/2 cup milk

10 Britannia nutrichoice oats cookies

5 tbsp honey (add more if needed)

1/ 2 cup chopped dry fruits (almonds, cashew and pistachio)

1 tbsp strawberry compound.

Method.

In a mixing bowl, add oats, cream cheese, milk, yogurt and 2tbsp honey and give nice mix. Then cover the lid and refrigerate over night or atleast 4 to 5 hours.

Then finely grind the oats cookies and take it out to another mixing bowl, add the 3tbsp honey and make a crumble, (add more honey if needed, for me this much of honey was enough since we don't like much sweet)

Now take serving glass/bowl, add the cookies crumble down and make a base, then take out the overnight cream cheese mixture and add half of the dry fruits and give a quick mix. then pour the mix on top of the cookies base and garnish with strawberry compound and leftover dry fruits. Then put the glasses back to refrigerator for atleast 25 to 30 minutes to set.

Serve chill.

Dry Fruits And Coconut Kulfi.

Dry Fruits And Coconut Kulfi. Today I'm here with another delicious yet easy kulfi recipe which will leave you speechless after eating this kulfi.. As I have mentioned in my last post that its getting hot in Bangalore and to beat the heat, I just feel like eating kulfi everytime, be it a lunch or dinner. So I'm stocking up my refrigerator with lots and lots of kulfi for upcoming days too.. Since this recipe takes less time and even less ingredients, so why not make and stock up.. Do try and let me know!!

Ingredient's.

1/2 Litre milk

2 pods cardamom

2 tbsp finely chopped almonds, cashews, pista

2 tbsp desicated coconut

2 tbsp fresh cream/malai

1/4 cup sugar.

Cooking Method.

Heat a milk in pan, allow it to boil. Add the cream to the boiling milk. Boil the milk on a medium flame until it reduce to half. keep stirring in between. Once the milk is reduce to half. Now add the chopped dry fruits, sugar and cardamom and allow it to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes.

Then switch off the flame and let the kulfi mixture comes to a room temperature.

Now pour the kulfi mixture into kulfi moulds and cover the top and freeze them for at least 6 to 7 hours or overnight is the best.

Take the kulfi out and by dipping into the water demould the kulfi.

Serve and enjoy.

Plum Cake.. Merry Christmas 2013.

Plum Cake - I had got all the ingredient's well before 1 week and had kept on kitchen slab last night to make sure that I don't forget to bake it today morning. It was a long pending ToDo in my list during X'mas and due to one or the other reason it was always missed... Whole night I was dreaming about the cake only and could not sleep for a very long time.As soon as I woke up, ran to kitchen and started baking the cake so that I can take the picture when the sun is still bright(Sun light always brings best pictures). If I would have got late then I would have not got so good pictures.. Here the sun is so unpredictable and I don't get enough time to relax and do the work. That is the main reason I have to finish my blog work before noon. Any ways all this part of life I am learning to go with flow.. Merry Christmas to everyone enjoy your day to the fullest...

Ingredient's.

3/4 cup all purpose flour

2+1/2tbsp cocoa powder

1tsp baking powder

1/2tbsp instant coffee

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1tsp vanilla essence

1/2 cup milk

1 cup mix berry's, nuts and tutti frutti.

Baking Method.

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Butter the square baking pan and keep it aside.

Stir together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder in a large bowl, set it aside.

Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and blend for another 1minute. Add the milk, coffee and vanilla essence in a small bowl and mix it well, then add it to the egg mixture and blend for another 30 to 40sec.

Add the dry ingredients and with the speed on low mix together slowly by making sure not to over mix. Then add the berry's, nuts and tutti frutti and mix everything with a spatula from the bottom to incorporate any bit that wasn't mixed.

Pour the batter into buttered pan and bake for 30 to 31minutes. Allow it cool before taking out from the pan, then cut and sprinkle some icing sugar on top.

Serve as you like..

Kesar Shrikhand. (Low Calorie Yogurt Dessert)

Kesar Shrikhand is healthy Indian dessert made from strained curd. This is a low calorie, rich and creamy yogurt. Shrikhand is generally flavoured with saffron, cardamom and dry fruits even it is served with fresh fruits or as a standalone dessert... I was not knowing what is shrikhand and how it taste, I had heard about it but never tasted before I meet my H, I still remember that day when he had got a pack of Haldiram's shrikhand and I told him that why did you get such a expensive curd, you should have just bought a pack of curd which will not cost more then 10rs. He look at me and said you don't know what is this? and I told him yes ofcourse I know this some weird color curd. He started laughing and said this is shrikhand my dear and I can't belive you have still not tasted this and my reaction was ohhh this is shrikhand from then I know what is shrikhand and how it taste like..

I made this dessert last week and it tasted better then the store bought and I did not get the perfect color of saffron while I was taking pictures and I did take the pictures soon just because I knew that it will be over and I was not sure when I will make this dessert again.. After 2 hours I had got the perfect saffron color and it was looking beautiful... Do try this wonderful low fat dessert and serve as you like...

Ingredient's.

2 cups yogurt

1/2 cup powdered sugar (add more if you like)

10 to 15 saffron strands

3tbsp finely chopped dry fruits (pistachio, almond, raisin and cashew)

2tsp milk

Pinch of cardamom powder.

Method.

Spread clean muslin cloth on a big plate. Place yogurt in the center. Wrap and tightly tie muslin cloth.

Hang yogurt for 2 to 3 hours or until all water is drained off from yogurt. It should become very thick.

After that untie muslin cloth and transfer thick strained yogurt to bowl.

Add sugar and cardamom powder and mix well until smooth.

Dissolve saffron in milk and add it to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Then refrigerate for at least 1 to 2 hour before serving.

Garnish it with dry fruits nuts and serve chilled.

Choba Ki Poori..(Diwali Snacks)

Choba Ki Poori.. You can call them as a (Big Gujia). choba ki poori method is same as gujia but without khova and they are big in size. This is muslim family recipe, they cook this on special occasions like marriage. From a bride side they have to cook this and send it to the grooms house before the day of marriage.. There are many other occasions we cook this if I start then I don't think one post will be enough to tell every thing.

This is my Husband's first Diwali away from home and I don't want him to miss anything because of that only I'm trying my best to make him not to miss anything. I cook gujia very often as he loves to eat them , but this time I wanted to try out something new for him so I thought of this recipe and it turn out to be tasty and he loved it. This is not the only thing, I have lots of plans and many dishes to cook. Hoping for the best :-)

Happy Diwali to my all blog readers and to my friends. May god bless you all with lots of happiness and many more years like this with your family and friends :-)

Ingredient's For Filling.

100gm dry coconut

1+1/2 sugar

1/4cup dry fruits (almonds, raisin, pistachio and cashew)

Ingredient's For Poori.

2 cups of maida

2tbsp ghee/oil

Water (to make a dough)

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method For Filling.

Grate the dry coconut.

Chop the almonds, cashew and pistachio into vertical small pieces.

In a vessel, add sugar, grated coconut and all the dry fruits. Give them a nice mix and set it aside. 

Filling is ready.

Cooking Method For Poori's.

Mix maida and ghee. 

Now add water and make dough.

Take small amount of dough and make a small chapatti, put the filling, apply water to the corners of chapatti and fold it giving a semi- circular shape. Press the corners of the puri with your nails.

In a deep frying pan heat oil, and deep fry the pooris to golden brown. Take out on to a paper towel.

Choba Poori is ready to serve.

Store them into Airtight container for more then a week..

Banana & Dry Fruits Bread...

Banana & Dry Fruits Bread... Banana is a fruit which I can never say no and can eat as many as I can in a day. Most of the time I add banana in my baking and it always gives me best results. First I was thinking will just bake banana bread, then I ended up adding dry fruits because it is very healthy. I think adding banana to cake, bread or muffins is one of the best choice and it gives a very soft and fluffy texture. This bread can be served in Breakfast and in Tea time also. One of the best bread I have bake till now...

Prep time: 10 minutes

Baking time: 50 to 55 minutes

Yield: One loaf.

Ingredient's.

3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed

1/3 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup mix dry fruits

Pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour.

Baking Method.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk in the butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking powder and salt over the mixture and mix.

Now add the flour, dry fruits and mix it nicely. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle some chopped almond from top and Bake for 55 minutes (mine was done in 50 minutes). Cool on a rack.

Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Aval Payasam.. (Jaggery And Poha Kheer)

Aval Payasam. Last week I saw many blogger's cooking this sweet for the Ganesh Chaturthi, even I thought why not try this Aval Payasam for the Ganesh festival.. I had cooked this on Ganesh festival but din't get the time to post it on the same day... I usually cook this payasam using sugar or just add poha and sugar in warm milk and eat. Actually for me eating sweet is bite difficult but this sweet was so tasty with jaggery I really enjoyed eating it :)

Ingredient's.

1cup poha (beaten rice)

1/2cup jaggery

3tsp ghee

2cup milk

1cup water

A pinch of cardamom powder

1/4cup mix dry fruits.

Cooking Method.

Heat ghee in a pan and add dry fruits, fry till golden brown. Keep aside. Fry poha in the remaining ghee by keep stirring regularly for 2-3 minutes. Once they turn light brown turn off the flame. In a other vessel fill 1 cup of water along with jaggery, cook on low flame for few minutes.

Strain the jaggery syrup to remove any dirt or waste particles. In the same syrup add roasted poha and put it on low flame. Add milk into it and keep stirring in between to avoid getting it burnt from the bottom.

After 8 to 10 minutes add cardamom powder, fried dry fruits and mix well. Turn off the heat when you get right consistency.

Serve warm or cold.

Qubani Ka Meetha (Stewed Apricot Dessert) SNC Challenge For The Month Of May2013

Qubani Ka Meetha. Though I'm from south india but never heard of this sweet before. One more thing just want to add I don't like apricot at all. When i saw my email this was the challenge for this month, for some time i thought i will skip this month challenge. But my hubby told me without trying how can you give up and it was a real challenge for me to cook this sweet. I asked my hubby will you eat this if i cook and he replied "You are asking me will i eat sweet". Then suddenly i realize OMG, he can eat sweet in any form and i should not be worrying so much to cook this... Belive me my whole flat was smelling of this sweet only while cooking and i did not like the smell, but my hubby was really enjoying. I serve with vanilla ice cream and it turn out to be the hit in my family. It was tasting so good even i was tempted to have one bite.... All thanks to Roha from Hyderabadi Cuisine for hosting this month challenge and give me opportunity to try out some thing new and yummy..

 

 

This is the wonderful thing in SNC group, where you get to try every month new new varieties. Thank you Divya Pramil for stating this group and making every one proud to be a part of this group.

 

 

 

Ingredients
½ Cup Dried Apricots
3 tbsp Sugar- As per taste
2 Crushed Green Cardamom( Elaichi)
1 tsp Lemon juice.

 

 

For Garnishing
Apricot kernels
Slice of roasted and blanched Almonds and Pistachios
½ Cup vanilla ice Cream.

 

 

Cooking Method
In a deep bowl wash and add dried Apricots cover with water and soak overnight.
Once the apricots is moist and swollen, remove apricots with a slotted spoon and then drain the apricots from the soaking liquid water aside.(The soaking syrup is used for preparing the meetha)
Then de-seed and keep aside.
Do not throw away the Apricot seed/pit crack the seed remove the (Apricot Kernels) for garnishing
In a non-stick saucepan at a medium heat, Add soaking liquid and plump apricots.
Allow to boil for 10- 15 minutes.

Add sugar and stir until it has completely dissolves. At a low heat add few drops of lemon juice to prevent caramelisation , add the crush cardamom.
Stir often to prevent burning, if required, sprinkle little water or milk to prevent from burning.
Meanwhile crack the seed with a nutcracker to extract the nuts and blanch nuts in boiling water for 1 minute and remove the skin and keep aside.
Then mash apricots with spoon occasionally, Do not cook on a high heat, stir occasionally until apricots are soft and pulpy and mushy if needed add water or milk. Remove from the heat when it reaches the desired thick consistency or into thick Compote.
Allow Qubani to cool.
Garnish with apricot kernels, Almonds and Pistachios and with ice cream.
Serve warm or cool and Enjoy..