Banana nut loaf

Ripe bananas, cinnamon, walnuts and cranberries with a hint of vanilla. This vegan banana fruit and nut loaf, is perfect for a delicious and lazy weekend breakfast. Full of flavor and crunch, its a great addition to your festive baking.

Ingredients:
3 over ripe bananas (mashed well)
1/3 cup oil
2 tsp pure vanilla essence
2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, cranberries or raisins) 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F 
2. Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl. 
3. Mix all the moist ingredients in another bowl. 
4. Fold in the dry ingredients into the wet. The batter should be thick. You can add 1-2 tsp of apple juice if it is too hard. 
5. Fold in the fruit and nuts. 
6. Pour batter into a parchment lined loaf pan. Smooth out the top.
7. Bake for 50-70 minutes till toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Time will depend on your oven settings. Mine took a little over an hour. 
8. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing. Enjoy

Thandai

Festivals and food in India are very intrinsically linked. We are in a perpetual state of celebration. A harvest festival here, a special God's birthday there, an auspicious date from the Hindu calendar, the festival of lights in fall or the festival of color in spring. There is always something to celebrate with family and friends. And each of these festivals has its own unique food.

Thandai is one such drink that is associated with Mahashivratri and Holi. This cold and refreshing milk-based drink is prepared with an array of nuts, aromatic spices, and flavorings. Served virgin or spiked, enjoyed by all big or small.

'Thandai' literally means 'something cooling'. This energizing and cooling drink is wonderful for those scorching summer months in India. Every ingredient in Thandai has great health benefits. Almonds are a great source of healthy fats and Vitamin E with anti-oxidant properties. Fennel seeds have good digestive properties, pumpkin seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids.

The recipe below makes about 4-5 cups of Thandai mix. Store in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks. For long term storage, freeze in an airtight container. For a party, you can blend the thandai mix with milk and refrigerate in a large container until serving time. Serve virgin shots or spiked glassfuls as required.

Ingredients:
1 cup poppy seeds (khus khus)
1 cup almonds, unsalted (badam)
¾ cup fennel seeds (saunf)
½ cup cashews, unsalted  (kaju)
½ cup pistachios, unsalted  (pista)
½ cup pumpkin seeds (magaz)
⅓ cup green cardamom (elaichi)
⅓ cup whole black peppercorns (kali mirch)
1 tsp nutmeg powder
For garnish
Few strands of saffron
¼ cup Rose petals (optional)
Crushed pistachios
To Spike it
Vodka/Scotch

1. Grind the first eight ingredients to form a powder. 
2. Add nutmeg powder and mix well. 
3. Store the thandai powder in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Or freeze for longer shelf life. 
4. To make Thandai: In a blender add a cup of cold milk, a heaped tablespoon of thandai powder and sugar to taste. Blend till well mixed. Let sit for a few minutes to let the flavors blend. 
5. Strain and serve chilled sprinkled with crushed pistachios, a few strands of saffron and some rose petals.
6. Sometimes I like to serve it as is without straining. 
7. Spiked Thandai: Make thandai as above and add a shot of vodka or scotch. 

6 delicious ways to fancy up your Avocado toast

Smashed avocado on a perfectly toasted Multigrain Rye, sprinkled with salt and freshly cracked black pepper - pure bliss, our favorite Sunday Breakfast. Quick to prepare and rich in heart-healthy fats this classic avocado on toast makes for a healthy start to your day. If you love avocado toast then here are six delicious ways to make it even fancier. All these recipes are perfect for lunch/brunch, and taste just awesome.

Tips for a perfect Avocado toast

1. Choose perfectly ripe avocados - Gently squeeze into the avocado and feel it give a little. This level of ripeness will mash and spread easily. For slicing, you can choose slightly less ripe ones.  
2. Toast your bread to perfection - Toasting your bread properly is super important to a perfect avocado on toast. The contrasting texture of a crisply toasted slice to the silky rich avocado spread is a match made in heaven. Most wholegrain varieties take longer to reach the perfect crispness while the fruit and nut bread will toast rather quickly. Another technique that works really well is brushing a dense multigrain slice with a little oil and toasting it on a hot griddle until crisp. 
3. Try selecting a bread that complements the toppings - A good dense bread will work best for all avocado toast recipes but there are some combinations that enhance the flavor quotient. Sourdough or rye work really well with avocado and tomato. If you’re topping it with smoked salmon, try seeded bread or bagels. A fruit and nut bread is super delish if you are topping with pear slices and feta. Multigrain works well for almost any topping.

Avocado on toast with sunny side up fried eggs and wilted spinach. An egg is essential to this lineup. 

1. In a moderately hot skillet add a teaspoon of olive oil and a large handful of spinach leaves. Saute for a minute till spinach wilts a little. Keep aside.
2. Fry a couple of eggs sunny side up, season with some spiced salt. 
3. Spread mashed avocado on toast and top with the fried egg and a large spoonful of warm spinach. 

Avocado on toast with poached eggs and fresh seed sprouts. Unique onion flavor and texture with onion sprouts.

1. Toasted bread spread with mashed avocado. Seeded bread/bagel works well here.
2. A thin layer of onion sprouts.
3. Topped with a poached egg and sprinkled with seasoned salt.
4. Cherry tomatoes on the side.

Avocado on toast topped with herbaceous scrambled eggs and pico de gallo. A hint of Mexican flavor. 

1. Scramble an egg and mix chopped fresh coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Keep aside.
2. Mix finely chopped red onion, tomato, and fresh coriander. Season with some salt and pepper and some lime juice. Keep aside. 
3. Toast bread until crisp and spread with mashed avocado. I recommend multigrain bread. 
4. Top it with scrambled egg and a heaped tablespoon on Pico de gallo. 

Grilled cheese-n-tomatoes on toast topped with avocado slices & freshly cracked black pepper. When tomatoes are in season, this is a must make combo. A great vegetarian option.

1. Rye or sourdough bread pairs well with grilled tomatoes. 
2. Top toast with cheese of your choice and sliced tomato, grill till crisp and cheese had melted. 
3. Top with avocado slices and season with freshly cracked black pepper. 
4. I would recommend some red chili flakes on top as well. An evergreen combination perfect for brunch. A fave with my daughters. 

Avocado on toast with smoked salmon and fresh greens on the side. A feel-good combo.

1. Mash avocado and season with salt and pepper. Add some finely chopped red onion and mix well.
2.  Seeded bread or bagels pair well with smoked salmon. 
3. Spread on a toasted slice of bread. Top with a couple shavings of smoked salmon.
4. Serve with baby spinach and lemon slices. 

Avocado on toast topped with pear slices, walnut bits, and feta cheese. A dose of healthy fats!

1. Choose firm but ripe pears. Slice thinly.
2. In our family, we prefer feta cheese in this setup as the salty taste contrasts well with the slightly sweet pear slices. Choose your preferred cheese.
3. I recommend choosing a fruit and seed bread such as raisin or cranberry and pumpkin seed variety. 
4. Spread mashed avocado on a toasted slice of bread and top with a few thinly sliced pears and sprinkle with some chopped walnut pieces and crumbled feta cheese. 

Mawa gujiya

खिल उठे कचनार टेसू
फाग का हो राग घर -घर
हवा में हो रंग उड़ते
क्षितिज भीगे; हंसे अम्बर
रंग में त्यौहार भीगे
और मन भीगे सभी का प्रेम से;
सदभावना से-दूरियाँ मन की मिटाए
होली के पर्व की अनगिनत शुभकामनाये

A happy Holi to everyone celebrating the festival of colors. Holi is celebrated all across India in the month of March to bid winter adieu and to welcome spring with its vast array of colors. Fresh leaves and buds bloom, animals awaken and the earth seems to come to life again. Just like Spring, Holi signifies new beginnings. 

Mawa gujiya is a must make recipe for Holi. These are traditional Indian fried crisp pastry filled with sweet coconut and khoya (milk solids) filling. I have fond memories of my mom making gujiyas, samosas and crisp Sev for Holi. 

Gujiyas are made all over India with a variety of fillings. In UP, Bihar, Rajasthan (the northern states) we call it gujiya and filling is almost always khoya and coconut. Sometimes khoya is substituted by roasted semolina. Semolina filling makes for a lighter less calorie dense gujiya, more economical gujiya, and a vegan version of gujiya. In Maharashtra (to the south) we call it karanji and the filling is freshly grated coconut infused with cardamom, jaggery, and raisins (no khoya). In Bengal (to the east) they make lavang latika. Dough and filling are the same as gujiya, but these are folded like a parcel and secured by a clove (lavang) on top. After frying these dumplings are coated in sugar syrup to get a crusty crisp exterior.

If you are a novice to this dish then you will need a mould to shape the gujiya. Using a mould makes it really easy. Hand folding the edges is an art and with practice comes quite easily. Another hack to shaping them is to seal the edges using a dab of water or milk and press lightly with your finger. Using a fork, press the edges to crimp and seal well.

Ingredients: (Makes 25)
For the filling
Khoya/mawa/milk solids, buy from the store or make your own (recipe below)
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
10 green cardamoms, crushed fine
Powdered sugar to taste
Handful each almond and cashews, chopped fine
Palmful raisins
Mix everything in a bowl and keep aside, covered, ready for filling the gujiyas.

For homemade khoya/mawa
1½ cups of milk powder
⅓ cup cream

1. Mix the two ingredients together. Microwave for a minute. 
2. Remove from heat and knead well with hand. 
3. Microwave can vary, and you may need another 30 seconds. Do not overcook
4. Knead again and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
5. Grate and it is ready to use.

For the pastry dough
2½ cups all-purpose flour
4 tbsp ghee (use oil for a vegan option)
Pinch salt
½ - ¾ cup of water
Oil for frying

1. Sift the flour in a bowl. Add ghee and mix with your fingertips till fully incorporated. Mix in the water, a little at a time to form a soft dough.
2. Adding ghee to the flour helps to get a crispy gujiya. Use oil instead, for a vegan option.
3. Dust with little flour and knead for a minute. Cover and leave to rest for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. 

Prepare the gujiyas - traditional method

1. Divide the dough into 25 equal portions. Keep them covered while you work on one.
2. Flatten the dough ball and roll out on a lightly oiled surface to form a 4-inch circle. 
3. Shape the gujiyas using a mould if using one. Otherwise, follow the steps below. 
4. Place the circle on the pastry board, add a generous amount of the stuffing (about a tablespoonful) on one side. 
5. Fold over to form a semi-circle, sealing the edges using a dab of water or milk. Press edges lightly with your finger. Using a fork, press the edges to crimp and seal well. Make sure the gujiyas are sealed well. If they open while frying, the sweet filling can leak out into the hot oil and spoil the entire batch. 
6. Place the prepared gujiya on a plate and cover with a damp cloth while you make the rest of them.
7. Heat oil in a deep pan to medium-low heat. Deep fry a few gujiyas at a time, turning a few times until they turn golden. Frying at medium-low ensures even cooking inside and out and also helps to get a crispy shell.  
8. Fry in small batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. This is a slow process especially if you are making a large quantity, so be patient. 
9. If the filling does leak out of one of the gujiyas, strain the oil to prevent it from sticking to other gujiyas. 
10. As an alternative, you can also bake the gujiyas. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Place all the prepared gujiyas over a lined baking tray. Brush with oil or ghee. Bake in the oven until crisp and lightly brown all over for around 15-20 minutes, turning it halfway. Let stand for 10 minutes before digging in.

Alternate - light shell baked gujiyas
To save time and make the Gujiyas a little less calorie dense here is an alternate light shell baked gujiyas. Use either phyllo pastry or spring roll wrappers for the crust and bake them instead of fry. Here is the light version of the recipe. The edges don't look as pretty but it tastes just as good.

Ingredients: (makes 8)

8 Spring roll wrappers
Filling
½ cup khoya (milk food) grated
¼ cup shredded coconut
1 tbsp each chopped almonds and cashew nuts
1 tbsp raisins
3-5 green cardamoms powdered
⅓ - ½ cup powdered or fine sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 
2. In a bowl mix all the ingredients for filling. divide into 8 portions. 
3. Take several wrappers and trim them at the corners using a large round cookie cutter. 
4. Take the trimmed spring roll wrapper, place one portion of filling on one side of the wrapper, fold it in half to form a semi-circle, sealing the edges using a dab of water. Brush with butter or ghee.
5. Place on a greased or lined baking tray and bake for 15-20 minutes, turning it halfway, till crisp and light brown. 
6. Let stand for 10 minutes before digging in.

Sprouted methi seeds

Seeds, grains, beans and nuts are all filled with beneficial nutrients. Soaking and sprouting these seeds and beans replicates the germination process. This helps activate and multiply its micro-nutrients (particularly Vitamins A, B, and C), and makes them more bio-available by promoting the growth of vital digestive enzymes. Sprouting at home is an easy and inexpensive process, and requires minimal equipment. The process to sprout seeds, nuts, grains and beans is the same. Only the time required for germination changes. Here are some of the things you can sprout.

Pulses and beans - Moong beans, green lentils, adzuki beans, black eye beans, whole Bengal gram

Seeds - Alfalfa seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds, chia, arugula, flaxseeds
Nuts - Almonds, Brazil nuts, Cashews, sunflower seeds

Here is the procedure I use for sprouting methi seeds. A little intro to these tiny golden seeds.
Fenugreek or methi (as its called in India) is the seed of the Trigonella foenum-graecum plant species, commonly used as a dried spice in East Indian cuisine. These golden seeds of the fenugreek plant are known for their fragrant aroma and a slightly bitter taste. Used in small quantity as a spice in stir fries and curries, methi seeds enhance the flavor of the food. In its fresh form methi leaves are consumed as stir fried leafy greens.

Fenugreek seeds

Sprouting Methi Seeds (Fenugreek seeds)
1/2 cup methi seeds
Strainer/Colander with a large diameter
Paper towel
Cheese cloth

1. Soak methi seeds in water overnight.
2. Rinse and wash the slime off the seeds. 
3. Line the colander with some paper towel and spread the seeds on it. Place the colander on a mixing bowl and cover with a breathable mesh or cheese cloth.
4. This arrangement is necessary so that air can circulate, and the water can drain off. Allow to sit in a well lit warm area.
5. Repeat the rinsing process and spread fresh paper towel twice a day.
6. The seeds will sprout and be ready to consume within 2-4 days depending on the temperature. In 5-6 days tiny leave will appear as well. 
7. At any stage you can rinse well and store in a jar in the refrigerator. Consume within 2-3 days. 
8. These beautiful sprouts make for a nutrient rich addition to salads, wraps and sandwiches. 
9. The picture above is methi sprouts, red onion, cucumber and fresh coriander all tossed together with fresh lime juice and a hint of salt and pepper.

Red Quinoa Salad

Red Quinoa Salad

According to the whole grains council, Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal. This potent little seed gets an A+ for protein quality and so holds an important position in Vegetarian cooking. The protein profile of quinoa is impressive because it is a complete protein, which means it contains all the essential amino acids (The best source though is soy). This fact is specially important for vegetarians and vegans since most other complete protein foods are meat or dairy-based. Being a whole-grain seed, it is also naturally a good source of iron, magnesium, vitamin E and potassium. You can find quinoa at any grocery stores or specialty food stores.

Quinoa can be mixed with any combination of veggies, beans, nuts and cheese to give a unique dish every time. Makes for an excellent lunch or side dish for BBQ. 

Ingredients:

1 cup red Quinoa

1/2 English cucumber

1/2 each red, orange, yellow pepper

2 stalks celery

1/2 small red onion

1 large carrot

Handful fresh coriander

Handful fresh mint

Palm full dried sweetened cranberries

Palm full pecan pieces

Palm full sunflower seeds

Dressing (combine)

2 tbsp Olive oil

2 tbsp Lemon juice

1 tbsp Hot sauce

2 tbsp Kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) OR honey

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

1. Wash quinoa in cold running water, drain.
2. Place it in a pan with 2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt.
3. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 15-18 minutes till translucent and all liquid is absorbed.
4. Fluff with a fork and keep aside to cool.
5. While quinoa is cooking prepare other ingredients. Chop cucumber, peppers, celery and onion, grate carrot and finely chop the fresh herbs.
6. When quinoa is cool to touch add all the veggies and stir to combine. 
7.  Add the dressing and season to taste. Check the taste and adjust sweet and sour flavor by adding either lemon juice or sweet soy sauce. 
8. Cover and refrigerate for a minimum 30 minutes to let flavors blend together before serving.
9. Just before serving stir in cranberries, pecans and sunflower seeds.

Chocolate Fudge

Simple chocolate fudge

Here's a decadent treat for the holidays. Rich creamy simple chocolate fudge involves very less work without compromising the texture and flavor. I like to add walnuts, pecans, pistachios and almonds to mine to give it that extra crunch. You can add any combination of nuts you like. If you find the traditional way of making fudge a difficult task then this recipe is for you. It involves using condensed milk as a ready made sugar syrup base. Use the best quality chocolate you can find, because the final taste will depend on it. I used unsweetened chocolate, but you can choose between semi sweet and bitter sweet.

Ingredients:
1 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pistachios)
1 can (300 ml) condensed milk
225 gm chocolate (bitter sweet, semi sweet or unsweetened)
1 tbsp butter(unsalted)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Toast the nuts in a pan or oven till lightly brown and fragrant. Cool and chop coarsely. Keep aside. 
2. Line a square baking pan with foil or parchment paper. 
3. Combine the condensed milk, chopped chocolate, and butter in a heatproof bowl and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt the chocolate mixture, stirring frequently. Make sure the mixture doesn't get too hot or the fudge may be grainy. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and chopped nuts. 
5. Spread the mixture in the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Cool at room temperature for about 4-5 hours. 
6. Remove the fudge from the pan and cut into small pieces. Store in the refrigerator.

Quinoa, zucchini, walnut quick bread

This recipe comes from Mairlyn Smith's "The vegetarians complete quinoa cookbook". I have altered the recipe a bit to suit our taste. This delicious quick bread makes for a healthy breakfast or a hearty accompaniment with soup. Recipe calls for several ingredients, but is super easy to make. Give it a try.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 egg

1/4 cup buttermilk (see note below)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup zucchini, peel on, coarsely grated

3/4 cup cooked quinoa (see note below)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan and keep aside.
• In a large bowl combine the first 6 dry ingredients.
• In another bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, applesauce and sugar. Fold in zucchini, cooked quinoa and walnuts.
• Pour the zucchini mixture into the dry mixture and stir well until combined.
• Put this batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan. Cool it completely before slicing.

NOTE:

• If you don't have buttermilk use 1/4 cup milk mixed with 1 tsp vinegar.
• To get 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, combine 1/4 cup quinoa in 1/2 cup water.  Bring to boil, simmer and cover for 15 minutes till grains are translucent and all liquid has been absorbed.

Date and nut rolls (खजूर की बर्फी)

Date and nut rolls

Dates are a great way to lower the fat content in any dessert. Along with being a good source of iron, they provide a buttery texture when cooked.

This vegan recipe is oh so simple and quite healthy. You really don't miss anything in this. Make sure to add all four types of nuts as they all contribute greatly to the flavor. Sesame seeds give it that hmmm.. touch. Some people make this recipe by putting all the ingredients in a food processor and making a smooth textured mixture. I like the chunky texture of dates and nuts and so I avoid using the processor. Chopping and cooking the dates in a small amount of water makes it easier to shape the log and incorporate the nuts. Try either way and find your favorite method to make them.
These rolls look fabulous and taste even better. A must try.

Mixed dates and nuts into a log

Ingredients:about 18-20 slices
1 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates
1/4 cup Walnuts
1/4 cup Almonds
1/4 cup Pistachios
1/4 cup Cashew Nuts
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1-2 tsp water

1. Chop nuts into small pieces and dry roast them for 1-2 minutes on medium heat. 
2. Dry roast the sesame seeds for half a minute and keep them aside. 
3. Heat a nonstick pan and add water and chopped dates. Stir fry the dates crushing them with a wooden spoon on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Do this till they become soft and pulpy. 
4. Take away from heat and add the nuts and mix them well. 
5. Remove this into a plate and allow the mixture to cool a bit (so you can manipulate it with your hands). Rub a little water in your palms and make a cylindrical shape out of the mix. 
6. Spread the sesame seeds on a flat surface and roll it in this. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. Cut into round slices. 
7. Keeps well for several days in the fridge.