Banana Almond Muffins

Morning blues are the worst! I don't know about you guys, but for me trying to get myself out of my bed every morning seems like the most toughest job of the day. The action of physically lifting my lazy bum of my super comfy and warm bed requires a lot of energy! And I know most of you guys will agree with me on this. So to replenish the lost energy, I present to you a super nutritious, energy packed breakfast option- Banana Almond Muffins!

These muffins are packed with all the goodness of bananas and the 'super nut' almond. Almonds are high in dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals along with being the complete source of energy.
They say that one should have at least a handful almonds a day. So why not include it in your diet  in the form of a delicious muffin.

If you are like me who needs something sweet in the morning than these are perfect for you!. These muffins have the right amount of sweetness from the bananas and a little bit of added sugar. They are an excellent pair with coffee or tea and even just plain cold milk for the kids.

So while I go and snack on these, I encourage you all to step out of your routine breakfast and try these muffins.

Banana Almonds Muffins
Makes 24 small muffins or 12 big muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 Ripe Bananas (Mashed)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 flaxmeal egg (1 Tbsp of Ground flax seeds mixed with 3 Tbsp of water)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp strong coffee
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup All purpose flour/ Maida
• 1 cup chopped almonds ( or any of your favorite nuts)

Directions:

• Preheat oven at 180C
• Mix the melted butter into mashed bananas.
• MIx in sugar, flaxmeal egg, coffee and vanilla.
• Sprinkle the baking soda along with flour and almonds
• Gently fold with a spoon or a spatula until all the flour has been incorporated. Do not overmix.
• Spoon the mixture into cupcake molds lined with wrapper and bake for 20-22 mins.

These muffins store well at room temperature for about 3 days or in the fridge for about a week. 

Eggless Nutella Dark Chocolate Cake

This past week has been a birthday week in my house. The week beginning with my mom's birthday, followed by two of the most dearest friends on Tuesday, one of cousin's b-day on wednesday and finally ending the week with a pre-bday dinner party for my sis-in-law. So a cake was definitely in order! And not just any cake. A too die for, super chocolatey, super moist, ooey gooey cake which sends you in chocolate heaven as soon as you take one bite of it.

This Nutella Dark Chocolate Cake defines that! A moist and soft cake iced with Dark chocolate truffle icing and topped with Nutella Ganache and rocher ferrero. Yummmm!

In my family, we like are cakes to be thin and light on icing. Hence, this cake was no different. But don't let that fool you! This cake was just as decadent as any piece of chocolate cake you would eat at a restaurant or from a bakery.

I served this cake at the pre-birthday dinner party and all her friends loved it! And the happiness I derived from seeing everybody devouring into it was as big as eating a big slice of cake.

So for your next celebration serve this gorgeous cake to your guests as its a guaranteed hit!


Eggless Nutella Dark Chocolate Cake

Ingredients: 

Chocolate Sponge

• 200gm or 1/2 can of Condensed Milk
• 50gms of Butter
• 1 cups All purpose Flour/ Maida
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 2 Tbsp of Cocoa Powder
• 1/2 can (same as the condensed milk can) of water or milk

Dark Chocolate Truffle Icing

• 250gms of dark chocolate chopped
• 1/4 cup Amul Cream/ Heavy whipping cream

Nutella Ganache

• 2 tbsp of Nutella
• 2 tbsp of cream
• 2 tbsp dark chocolate

Directions:

Chocolate Sponge

Pre-heat the oven at 180C

• Empty the condensed milk and butter in a bowl and beat well till light and creamy
• Sieve the flour, baking powder and soda
• Add the vanilla essence to the water
• Now alternately sprinkle the flour and water folding gently with a wooden spoon. Note: Do not beat it with the beater, as this will result in a tough cake.
• Pour the batter into a greased 6" cake tin
• Bake for 20- 30 mins

Dark Chocolate Truffle icing

• Heat the cream in a pan until it almost bubbles.
• Pour the hot cream on top of the chopped dark chocolate pieces and set aside for 10 mins until all the chocolate has melted.
• Leave at room temperature

Nutella Ganache

• Heat the cream and Nutella until nutella has been incorporated.
• Remove from the heat and add the chocolate pieces.

Assembly of the cake:

• Once the cake has completely cooled, frost the cake with the Dark chocolate icing.
• Put in the fridge for a while to let the icing set. Meanwhile make the Nutella Ganache. 
• Remove after 10 mins, and pour the Nutella ganache on top of the cake and let it drip from the sides of the cake.
• Top it with few Rocher Ferrero.
• 
  

Roasted Vegetables with Basil Hummus Tart

Today's post features something light and refreshing. Filled with lots of summer vegetables and freshness of spring. Something which not only tastes good but is also good for you. Its a vegetable tart- an all out Mediterranean Tart- Super light and flaky olive oil crust paired with fresh basil hummus and tons of grilled veggies. Its like spring in your mouth!

The basil hummus lends a perfect touch of spring. The creaminess from the chickpeas pairs excellently with the freshness and the lightness of the basil. But any combination of flavor can be used.

I prefer a lighter crust compared to the heavy flavor of butter when it comes to a recipe like this. So I found this perfect recipe for an olive oil based crust which not only gives you that flavor and flakiness but is also guilt free! And who wouldn't mind using less butter when possible.

With a tart like this, the combination of veggies to be used is endless. Any and every vegetable would taste great.  And every time you use different vegetables, you create a tart with new flavors and taste. 

As summer heat increases with passing days, the craving of eating something light and refreshing increases also. And this holds true especially for lunch!. In a typical Indian household, the menu for lunch generally consists of an elaborate meal consisting of a vegetable, lentil, rice, roti/chappati and salad. Ours is no different.  Everyday eating in this same pattern gets really boring. So I encourage you all to step out of the routine and try this light, colorful and super flavorful vegetable tart.

Grilled Vegetable Tart

Recipe adapted from ecurry.com

Ingredients:

For the Olive oil Crust

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 40ml of olive oil
• 30ml of very cold club soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground pepper
• Herbs (optional)

For the Basil Hummus

• 3/4 cup of cooked chickpeas/ garbanzo beans (kabuli channa)
• Handful of Basil leaves (according to the taste)
• 1 big clove of garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp tahini
• Extra virgin olive oil (according to the taste and consistency)
• Salt

For Roasted Vegetables

• 1/2 eggplant
• 1 onion
• 1 tomato
• 1 medium zucchini
• Olive oil
• 1 crushed garlic
• Salt
• Crushed Red peppers

Method:

For the Crust:

• In a bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and herbs. 
• Whisk together club soda and oil until creamy for 2 mins
• Pour the oil and soda mixture into the flour and mix together with a fork until everything has been incorporated.
• Knead the dough gently on a floured surface until soft (Add more soda if needed to make the dough soft but not sticky)
• Avoid working with the dough too much.
• Roll in a single direction and shape the dough according to the preferred shape and size.
• Prick the rolled dough with a fork 
• Bake it at 200C for 8-10 mins or until the crust is golden brown.

For the Hummus:

• Soak the chickpeas overnight and cook it the next morning in water. If you have a pressure cooker than cook the beans until 2-3 whistle. You can also use ready canned beans if available.
• Add the cooked beans along with the rest of the ingredients and mix it in food processor or mixer until it gets thick and creamy. 
• You can adjust the consistency of the hummus by adding more or less olive oil.

For the Roasted veggies:

• Cut the veggies into a 1/4 inch pieces.
• Coat it with salt, crushed red pepper, olive oil and crushed garlic.
• Roast it in the oven at 200C until the veggies are tender.

Assembly of the tart:

Cool the crust. Spread the desired amount of hummus on the crust. Arrange the vegetables and sprinkle with some salt, crushed red pepper and olive oil. Bake it in the oven till warm.

Cranberry and Orange Biscotti

Last week, as I was wondering when to try this amazing biscotti recipe I had found, I decided holi would be the perfect time to bake them and share it with my friends. After all this was my first holi in India after 11 years, so something sweet was definitely in order!

Holi is the festival of colors. According to the Hindu calendar, it celebrates the beginning of spring and end of winter. Friends and Family gather on this day as they color each other and forget about any resentment or rivalries there might have been in the past.

Any festival in India is incomplete without delicious food and holi is no different. Different communities in India prepare their special food. The most famous and traditional being Thandai (Milk based drink with different nuts such as almonds, cashews, cardamoms and saffron) mixed with a little bhaang.

This year I decided to give an Italian twist to the festival of colors by making these classic twice-baked cookie. The tartness from the cranberry pairs excellently with the freshness from the orange. Biscotti's had a lovely crispy edge and a porous texture which makes it a great for dipping in coffee or tea. All my friends loved it till the last crumb. It was love at first bite for them!

Loads of laughs, tons of pictures, great friends and these biscotti's! A perfect combination to celebrate any festival!


Cranberry and Orange Biscotti
Adapted from www.bettycrocker.com 

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp grated orange peel
• 1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 cup Maida (All purpose flour)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries ( you can also substitute it with Slivered Almonds)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-3 tbsp of fresh orange juice

Directions:

• Heat oven to 150C. Mix 2 tbsp of flaxseed with 6 tbsp of water and set it aside for 10mins
• In a large bowl, stir together sugar, oil, orange peel, orange juice,vanilla and the flaxseed mixture. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Place dough on lightly floured surface. knead until smooth. On ungreased cookie sheet, shape half of dough at a time into 10x3-inch rectangle.
• Bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 15 mins. Cut rectangle crosswise into 1/2-inch slices.
• Bake for another 15 mins, turning once, until crisp and light brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container. 

Ginger and Mint Lemonade

A few weeks ago as I opened my windows to let the cool breeze of spring wake me up on a lazy sunday morning, I was welcomed by a gust of hot and dry wind. So it was true after all. Summer had officially started! 

As a kid staying in Mumbai, summer was my favorite time of the year. It was the beginning of a looooong vacation from school, endless hours of having fun with my friends- playing badminton, riding our bicycles , going to water parks- and not to mention devouring into tons of juicy and delicious mangoes..Yummm!

As times have changed and us as an individual gotten pre-occupied with other priorities, summer time in Mumbai seems like a daunting time of the year which brings with it nothing but the scorching heat and humidity accompanied by sweat and exhaustion. 

Enjoying a summer day relaxing and maximizing the pleasures it brings has become a luxury which we don't treat our selves nearly enough.

A cool glass of Ginger and Mint Lemonade seems just right to enjoy the lovely, long days of summer and bring back that summer loving child within you. The cooling affect of mint with lemons along with that 'zing' from the ginger is the perfect pick me and a refresher.

Ginger and Mint Lemonade

Ingredients

For the ginger and mint syrup:

• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar (or according to the sweetness preferred)
• 2 oz of ginger, peeled and finely grated
• A sprig of mint

For the lemonade:

• Juice of two lemons
• 1 1/2 cups of cold water
• A pinch of salt
• Ice for serving
• Lemon slice and Mint for garnish

Directions

For the Syrup:

• Mix water and sugar and simmer until the sugar dissolves.
• Turn off the heat and add the grated ginger and mint leaves.
• Let it steep until the syrup has cooled down (~ 30mins)
• Strain the syrup using a sieve and press down on the grated ginger and mint leaves to extract all the flavors.

For the Lemonade:

• Add freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt and the prepared syrup into a jug.
• Add 1 1/2 cups of water (more or less depending on how strong you want the lemonade). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Pour lemonade over ice filled glass, garnish it with few slices of lemon and mint.

Enjoy on a hot summer day!

Garlic and Red Pepper Quinoa Foccacia Bread

 Whether its Whole Wheat, Multigrain, French, Italian, Bagels, English Muffins, or just plain and simple Indian Pav (Hamburger buns), I love bread in all forms and flavors. After moving to India, I have realized that the availability of different types of bread is very rare. You would have to go to some fancy Italian restaurant or some upscale bakery to enjoy what seemed to be normally available in any grocery story in the US. Tragic! I know. And especially for a bread lover like me, it was one of the hardest things to accept. But, I wasn't ready to give up yet. I decided to bake my own breads which will not only satisfy my craving but at the same time be healthy.

After days of research, I came across this  Basil and Rosemary Focaccia Bread recipe by Anushruti of the Divine Taste. The simplicity of the recipe is what caught my eye and I had to try it!. I have tweaked the recipe a little bit and given it a healthy twist.  Instead of using only Maida or All purpose flour, I have also used quinoa flour.

 Quinoa, as shown above, is a high-protein seed which has a delicious nutty flavor and wonderful texture. It is highly versatile, and it can be used the same way we would use rice, or rava (semolina). In the past, I have used it to make delicious and healthy salads, used it instead of rice in khichdi, and recently I made Quinoa flatbreads paired with falafel. I absolutely love it!

The golden brown crust, infused with aromatic flavors of sweet toasted garlic and red chilli flakes and a perfect bread texture!.  I am so much in love with this recipe, that while writing this I have managed to finish half of the loaf already. 

Go on, give it a try. I am sure you all will love it just as much as I do.

Garlic and Red Pepper Quinoa Focaccia Bread

Adapted from The Divine Taste

• 157ml of Milk
• 1 tsp of Active Dry Yeast*
• 1/2 tsp Sugar
• 1/2 cup Quinoa flour ( Grind up whole quinoa in food processor)
• 1 cup Maida or All purpose flour + more for kneading
• 1tsp salt
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil

Fo the topping

• 30ml Olive oil
• 1 tbsp of Red chilli flakes
• 3 cloves of chopped garlic

Method:

1. Heat the milk till lukewarm (between 90F- 110F). Stir in the sugar and the yeast and leave aside covered for 10 mins or until the yeast as become bubbly/ frothy.
2. Combine both flours, salt and olive oil. Add in the yeast mixture once activated and knead the dough with the palm of your hand for 4-5 mins on a lightly floured surface until the dough is smooth and soft. 
3. Shape dough into a ball and place it in a oiled bowl- cover bowl and set in a warm place to rest until double in volume (took almost an hour for me, but depending on the weather the time may vary).
4.  Punch the dough, shape and place it into a 9" by 12" baking tray. Alternatively, if you don't have a baking tray you can shape it in a circle as well.  
   Allow the dough to rest in a warm place for 1-2 hrs or until it doubles in volume. 
5. While the dough is resting, prepare the topping by heating the olive oil and mixing in the red pepper and chopped garlic. Allow this to steep for an hour or even longer so the flavors of garlic and red pepper can infused the olive oil.
6. Once the dough has raised, make equal indentations with your finger and spread the topping mixture evenly on the top. 
7. Bake at 150C for 20 mins. Every oven is different so watch carefully and make sure the bread is not burnt. 

Enjoy!

* If you are using instant yeast, you can eliminate step 3 and directly proceed to step 4.

My favorite Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes!

I have a confession!

As much as I love experimenting with everyday ingredients and coming up with healthy recipes to include in my diet, I enjoy indulging into desserts with the same amount of passion. My family and friends can definitely vouch for me when I say that I am a huge sucker for desserts and love to experiment with flavors! Anything from traditional indian sweets like Halwa or Gulab Jamun to international favorites like tiramisu and pies. But lately I have been craving cupcakes. Nothing to heavy with lots of icing ( don't get me wrong, I love those too) just plain and simple vanilla cupcakes.

I came across this recipe on a three day workshop I attended on eggless baking. And ever since than, this has become one of my favorites. The flavor, moistness and texture of the cupcake makes it hard to believe that there are no eggs. Its a very versatile cupcake recipe. You could serve it plain, sprinkle it with little powdered or icing sugar, mix in cocoa powder to make delicious chocolate cupcakes or even spike with your favorite alcohol to make a drunken version. With a little imagination, the possibilities are endless. 


Eggless Vanilla Cupcakes

Ingredients:

• 200gm Condensed milk
• 150gm  Salted Butter ( you can substitute it with unsalted butter, just add 1/4 tsp of salt)
• 1 cup All purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• ~ 3/4 cup of Milk*

Procedure:

Preheat the oven at 180-200 degree celsius ( varies from oven to oven)

Line the Cupcake moulds with cupcake liners.

1. Sieve flour, Baking powder, Baking soda and keep it aside
2. Cream the sugar and butter till light and fluffy
3. Once creamed, add the flour spoon by spoon alternating with the milk and fold it into the batter. (folding rather than mixing with a beater will ensures light and fluffy cupcakes).
4. Spoon the batter into the liners about 3/4 way full.
5. Bake the cupcakes in the preheated oven for 20 mins or till the edges start to brown.

Notes:

* I used approximately that much amount of milk to get the desired consistency. However depending on the weather you may require more or less.