Healthy Oat and Date Laddu | Oat and Date balls | No Added Sugar

Oat and Date Laddu

Healthy Oat and Date balls( Vegan, No added Sugar)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 5 minutes
Maked: 15 to 18 laddus
Ingredients:

1. Olive oil /coconut oil- 2 tsp
2. Oats- 1 cup
3. Pistachios - 1/4 cup
4. Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
5. Flax seeds - 2 to 3 tsp
6. Soft Dates - 20 to 24( or according to taste)

Instructions:

Heat  oil in  a pan,add oats,pistachios and cashew nuts.Fry for about 5 minutes over medium low flame.Allow it to cool slightly  and grind to form a coarse powder.

Add the oats and nuts powder to a mixing bowl.Add the pitted dates and flax seeds.

Mix well using your fingertips ,until combined.( use a food processor ,if desired.)Roll it into 1.5" balls.Store in an airtight container.

NOTES

• You can also use almonds ,walnuts or any other nuts of your choice.
•  Adjust the quantity of dates according to your taste.
• I halved the recipe as you can see in the pics.

Carrot Halwa | Gajar Halwa | Indian Sweet Recipes

Carrot Halwa

Popular Indian sweet/pudding made using grated carrots and milk.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes
Serves: 5 to 6
Ingredients:

1. Ghee - 3 to 4 tbsp
2. Grated carrots - 4 cups( 4 to 5 large carrots)
3. Milk- 4 cups
4. Sugar - 3/4 cup( or to taste)
5. Cardamom powder- 1/4 tsp
6. Cashew nuts- 15 to 18
7. Ghee- to fry cashew nuts

Instructions:

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan .

Add grated carrots and saute for 5 to 7 minutes.Next add milk and bring it to a boil.

Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes over low flame ,stirring well in between.Cook until the carrots are soft and the milk is evaporated.

Now add sugar and mix well.Cook until it turns thick for about 3 to 4 minutes,stirring well in between.Fry cashew nuts in ghee until it turns golden brown and add it to the halwa.Mix well and serve warm or chilled. and serve.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.
• You can also add one pinch saffron along with the milk for better flavor.
• I actually scaled down the recipe to 1/2,as you can see in the pics.
  

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies | Gluten Free Cookies | Three Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Easy and delicious ,Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Recipe Source:Foodnetwork,You can find the original recipe here.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Makes: 18 to 20 cookies
Ingredients:

1. Peanut butter- 1 cup( see notes)
2. Sugar - 3/4 to 1 cup( i used 1 cup brown sugar)
3. Egg - 1

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 deg C.Line a baking tray with parchment paper.In a mixing bowl,mix together peanut butter,sugar  and egg until combined.

Roll it into 1 or 1.5" balls.Place on the prepared baking sheet 1" apart.Gently press with a fork to flatten.Bake until golden around the edges for about 10 minutes.Let it cool for 5 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack,as it may crumble easily while warm. 

.NOTES

• I used homemade peanut butter.If you are using store bought peanut butter(with added sugar),adjust the quantity of sugar,according to your taste. 
• You can also add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ,if desired.
• If you like chewy cookies,do not flatten the dough too much and bake for exactly 10 minutes.
• If you prefer crunchy cookies,flatten the dough a bit more and bake for about 11 to 12 minutes.
  

Dragon Chicken

Dragon Chicken

Spicy Chinese style Dragon chicken
Prep Time: 20
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken,cut into 2" long strips - 250 to 300 gms
2. Cashew nuts- 10 to 12 nos
3. Dry red chilies- 2 ( cut into 2 )
4. Celery,chopped - 1 tbsp
5. Ginger,finely chopped- 1 tsp
6. Garlic,finely chopped- 1 tsp
7. Red chili flakes - 1/2 to 1 tsp
8. Onion ,chopped- 1 medium
9. Carrot,sliced- 1  tbsp
10. Bell pepper,sliced - 1/2 cup
11. Red chili paste - 1/2 tsp
12. Tomato sauce- 1.5 tbsp
13. Soya sauce- 1.5 tsp
14. Water - 1/4 cup
15. Salt- to taste
16. Oil- as required
17. Spring onion,chopped - 1 to 2 tbsp

For Marination:

1. Soya sauce-1/2 tsp
2. Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp( or to taste)
3. Red chili paste - 1 tsp( see notes)
4. Egg white-1
5. Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
6. Cornflour - 2 tbsp
7. Salt - to taste

Instructions:

In a bowl,combine together all the ingredients listed under' For Marination'.Rub this onto the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.Deep fry the chicken pieces until golden and tender .Drain and keep aside.( you can also bake the chicken pieces as i did.For baking preheat oven to 180 deg C,place the chicken pieces onto a greased baking tray ,without overlapping and bake for about 15 to 18 minutes,turning once in between.)

To prepare the sauce,heat oil in a pan,add cashew nuts and saute until it turns slightly golden.Next add,dry red chilies,celery,ginger ,garlic and red chili flakes.Saute until raw smell leaves.

Now add onion and carrot and saute until onion turns golden brown.

Next add bell pepper  and saute for a minute or two.

Add red chili paste,tomato sauce , soya sauce and salt to taste.Mix well until combined.Next add 1/4 cup water and cook for about few minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Next add the fried chicken and mix well until combined.Add chopped spring onion and serve with rice /noodles.

NOTES

• To prepare red chili paste,soak Kashmiri chilies /Bigdi chilies in warm water for about 10 minutes and grind to form a smooth paste.Remove the seeds from the chilies ,if you like it less spicy.
  

Homemade Peanut Butter

Homemade Peanut Butter

Quick,healthy and easy- Homemade Peanut Butter
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1.5 cups
Ingredients:

1. Roasted peanuts- 2 cups( method given below)
2. Salt- to taste
3. Peanut oil /vegetable oil - 2 tsp( optional)

Instructions:

Place the peanuts ,salt and oil into the bowl of a food processor /mixie.Process /blend for 1 or 2 minutes.Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.

Process/blend for 2 to 4 minutes or until it turns smooth .(Process for few more minutes ,if you want it really smooth and creamy.)Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for upto 2 months.

FOR ROASTED PEANUTS-Preheat oven to 180 Deg C .Place peanuts on a baking tray,spread it evenly and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes.Stir it well ,half way through.Let it cool completely.

Place the roasted peanuts on a wire strainer and rub it using a spoon or your fingers,allowing the skins to fall into a bowl placed below the strainer.

NOTES

• For chunky peanut butter,add 3 to 4 tbsp of crushed peanuts into the finished peanut butter,and mix well using a spoon.
• For chocolate peanut butter add 1.5 to 2 tbsp cocoa powder and powdered sugar to taste into the finished peanut butter and blend well until combined.
• You can also add 2 tsp of honey ,if desired.
  

Banana Oat Smoothie | Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

Banana oatmeal smoothie.

Healthy oatmeal,banana and almond ,breakfast smoothie recipe.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:

1. Over ripe Bananas- 2 medium 
2. Cooked oatmeal - 1/2 cup ( at room temperature)
3. Almonds- 8 to 10
4. Low fat yogurt- 1/3 cup
5. Honey- to taste

Instructions:

Add all the ingredients into a blender.Blend until smooth.Serve immediately.

NOTES

• Soak almonds in water for about 2 to 3 hours,if desired.
• For best results use frozen bananas.  

Semiya Payasam | Vermicelli Kheer | Kerala Sadhya Recipe

Semiya Payasam /Vermicelli Kheer

Quick and easy vermicelli payasam / kheer using condensed milk.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves: 8 to 10
Ingredients:

1. Cashew nuts/almonds and raisins- 2 tbsp each ( or as required)
2. Vermicelli/semiya - 1 cup ,heaped
3. Milk-8 to 9 cups( about 2 ltr)
4. Sweetened condensed milk- 1 Tin( 400 gm)
5. Sugar- 3 to 4 tbsp( or according to taste)
6. Cardamom powder,freshly ground- 1/2  tsp
7. Ghee- 1 to 2 tbsp

Instructions:

Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan,add cashew nuts/almonds and when it turns golden ,add raisins and fry till it turns plump.Drain on to a kitchen towel.Keep aside.

Add vermicelli to the same pan and fry,stirring continuously  until it turns golden brown over medium flame .Keep aside.

Heat milk in a heavy bottomed pan over  medium flame.Bring it a boil , add the fried vermicelli and mix well.Cook over low heat ,stirring well in between until vermicelli turns soft and is done.

Now add condensed milk and sugar to taste.Mix well and cook until it turns slightly thick.

Switch off the stove,add cardamom powder and mix well.Garnish with fried cashew nuts and raisins.If it turns really thick add more milk to adjust the consistency.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.
• Semiya payasam tends to get thick when it cools down,to adjust the consistency add more milk and heat for few minutes.

Best Ever Banana Bread Recipe

Best Ever Banana Bread Recipe

Recipe adapted from : Taste of home,you can find the original recipe here.
Moist and delicious Banana bread,packed with banana flavor.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 70 minutes
Yields: 1 loaf
Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour- 1 and 3/4 cups
2. Sugar-1 to 1.5 cup( see notes)
3. Baking soda- 1 tsp
4. Cinnamon powder- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp( optional)
5. Nutmeg powder- 1 pinch( optional)
6. Salt-1/4 tsp
7. Ripe bananas ,mashed- 2 medium( 1 cup)
8. Eggs-2 
9. Canola oil-1/2 cup
10. Butter milk-1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp
11. Vanilla extract-1 tsp
12. Walnuts,chopped-1 cup(optional)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 180 deg c.Line a 9" x 5" loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl mix together,all purpose flour,sugar,baking soda,cinnamon powder,nutmeg powder and salt,using a fork/whisk.keep aside.

In another bowl,add mashed bananas,eggs,canola oil,buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Add this to the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.( Do not over mix).Fold in the chopped walnuts,if using.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the cake comes out clean.( I halved the recipe and it was done in 40 minutes.)

Cool on wire rack.

NOTES

• Adjust the quantity of sugar according to your taste.If you like it less sweet ,use just 1 cup sugar.You can use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar,if desired.
• I halved the recipe  and used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/8 cup regular sugar and it was just perfect.
• Cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder gives a nice flavor to the bread.
• I used just 2 tbsp chopped walnuts,adjust the quantity according to your taste.

Eggless Vanilla Cake |Pressure Cooker Vanilla Cake

Pressure cooker  cake

Eggless vanilla cake baked in a pressure cooker.
Recipe source: Sanjeev Kapoor
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour- 1 cup
2. Baking Powder-1/2 tsp
3. Baking Soda-1/4 tsp
4. Salt-1 pinch
5. Powdered sugar-1/4 cup
6. Condensed milk-1/2 cup
7. Butter-1/4 cup
8. Milk-1/2 cup
9. Vanilla extract- 1.5 to 2 tsp
10. Orange zest-1 tsp (optional)
11. Cashew nuts,chopped- 2 to 3 tbsp(optional)
12. Raisins- 1 to 2 tbsp(optional)

Instructions:

• Grease a 6" cake tin,keep aside.Preheat the pressure cooker ( procedure given below)

In another bowl,combine together powdered sugar,condensed milk and butter using a whisk.Mix well until combined.

In a bowl,combine together all purpose flour,baking powder,baking soda and salt using a whisk.Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in 2 batches alternating with the milk.

Add vanilla extract,orange zest ,cashew nuts and raisins.Mix until combined.Do not over mix.

Spoon the batter into the greased cake pan.Top with raisins and cashew nuts ,if desired.

Place the cake tin over the grid,in a preheated pressure cooker.Bake on low flame for about 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Carefully remove the cake tin.Allow it to cool slightly and invert the cake tin to remove the cake.

To bake using a pressure cooker

Firstly add 1 to 1.5 cups salt to the pressure cooker.(You can also use sand instead of salt.)This is done to maintain the heat while baking.

Remove the gasket and the vent weight.

Place the grid above the salt layer and close the pressure cooker.Preheat the cooker for 5 minutes on high flame.

Carefully open the cooker and place the cake tin  on the grid , cover the cooker.(Make sure that the cake tin does not touch the sides of the pressure cooker).Reduce the flame to low.Cook for about 25 minutes.

After about 25 minutes,check if the cake is done by inserting a wooden skewer into the center of the cake.If the skewer comes out clean,the cake is done, otherwise cook for another 5 or 10 minutes.( mine took almost 1 hour over the lowest flame of the stove).The baking time actually depends on the type of pressure cooker that you use and also the temperature settings of the stove.Be careful not to overbake the cake or else it will become too dry.

NOTES.

• Do not use the rubber gasket and weight valve while cooking.
• Do not add water inside the cooker,as we are trying to create an oven like environment and not steaming the cake.( You can find the recipe for steamed chocolate cake here)
• Do not use your pressure cooker to bake on a regular basis,as it can decrease the strength of the metal .