AVOCADO & JALAPENO SANDWICH - A GUEST POST BY GAURI - BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

I am delighted to see that the series  Blogger of the Month has so many prolific bloggers adorning my humble space with their charm & verve. This month is no different. Gauri Trivedi graces my blog with her sassy presence. Her warmth and passion rubs on you and I am a big fan of her style of writing. An avid reader and a hobbyist writer, her zest for life is reflected in the heart-felt blog A day in the life of a MOM . Besides, her heart and hearth adventures are chronicled in Pasta and Paratha; the blog has recipes that are not only healthy but kids friendly too and is totally packed with flavor. 

Presenting Gauri 

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Ok, so I finally make it to the roll of honor on Priya’s Blog !! Month after month as Priya introduced her guest bloggers, I patiently waited my turn and I must say it came soon enough...

I remember growing up in a household where lunch was always a full meal, meaning roti, sabzi, dal and rice were the minimum items on the platter. Add some salad, an occasional raita, a pickle and a papad – that was what completed the meal. And in those hot summer days which lasted for half the year, a frothy glass of aromatic buttermilk awaited us after lunch. 

Fast forward to present day. The full platter lunch is now a weekend extravaganza. Two or three nights a week, dinner happens to be an elaborate affair, but lunch is always “fix it as fast as you can”. Quick lunches are the need of this day! As I browse through more and more recipes for quick lunch ideas, I realize that a one pot meal or a quick lunch does not have to be lacking in nutrition, in fact it may as well be healthier than your four course meal, depending on the ingredients used. 

So here’s presenting my lunch for today – An Avocado & Jalapeno Sandwich. 
It uses simple ingredients, is healthy enough and takes no time to cook. I devoured it with gulps of fresh lemonade in between since the temperatures have hit a scorching 97 F at noon but feel free to nibble it with anything from your pantry like potato chips, ketchup or both!

Ingredients

• Ripe Avocado – 1 medium
• Jalapeno – 1 medium
• Pepper Jack cheese – 1/2 slice
• Cream cheese – 2 tsp
• Lemon juice – 1/2 tsp
• Olive oil – 1/2 tsp
• Butter – as needed
• Salt and Pepper
• Bun or Bread of your choice. 

Here's How :-

Slice the avocado and jalapeno. You may de-seed the jalapeno if you want the heat out of your sandwich. Heat a flat skillet and grill the sliced avocado and jalapeno using olive oil, salt, pepper and flipping sides as needed. Make sure they have a nice char on them so that they give out a smoky flavor. Put the slices on a plate, sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice. 

Next, apply butter on both sides of the bun and toast it on that same skillet. I decided to use white bun since I had those, but wheat or a multigrain bread substitute would also work great. Once done, spread the cream cheese evenly on the inner portion of each part of the bun. 

Lay one part flat and layer it with avocado, jalapeno and half a slice of pepper jack cheese. Close it with the remaining part of the bun which also had cream cheese on it.  The sandwich is all ready to eat, so dig in!

p.s. – This one’s also a great take along lunch for picnics if you are bored of the peanut butter or grilled cheese routine!

E.N.J.O.Y

Ven Pongal -The South Indian Khichdi (A wholesome breakfast)

I once read that "All happiness depends on a leisurely breakfast" - and can't agree with it more !

Breakfast is a very important meal as it kick starts the day, pepping us with all the energy. It helps us sustain the rigmaroles of day-to-day living. Making kids gulp their morning food is very vital as it ensures that they stay brisk, smart and alert. Why kids, I find that  a hearty breakfast enables me to bounce in a happy mood the whole day while no breakfast or little breakfast makes me grumpy, slouchy and irritable. Besides, eating breakfast ensures maintaining a healthy weight. Eating a healthy breakfast is as important as making sure you eat breakfast . Say not to high sugar food or meat and dig in to a breakfast that is loaded with carbohydrates/ protein packed/ fibrous.

In the midst of the chaos and mayhem that is a typical morning having good options help and that is where South Indian Breakfasts kicks in. Idlis and dosas in its myriad avatars, pongal, puttu, pesarattu- the list is power packed with nutrients as well as immensely satisfying.

Ven Pongal is one such super breakfast. It is my favourite comfort dish too ! The dish can also be the perfect dinner or the god sent bowl to the occasional hungry pangs that hits you at 4 PM ! It is our very own answer to the Khichdi of North India, our very own kedgeree.Loaded with rice and lentils, the dish is not only healthy but also tasty and pleasantly satiating.

The recipe varies in each house hold in terms of the proportions of the lentils to the rice.To each their own !  

And like any other south Indian dish, this dish gets it's zing from the curry leaves.

What's in it :-

• Rice - 1 cup
• Mung Dal (Split & husked green gram) /பாசி பருப்பு  - 1 cup
• Cumin Seeds - 1 tbsp
• Black Pepper corns - 1 tsp - to taste
• Green Chillis - 2 - chopped
• Ginger - a small piece - grated
• Curry Leaves - a few - rough chopped
• Asafoetida - a small pinch
• Butter/ Ghee - 2 tbsp + 2 spoons extra to finish 
• Cashewnuts - as required
•  Salt - to taste

Here's How :-

Cook the rice and lentils separately with enough water. I pressure cooked them in separate bowls till 3 whistles. For a better mix cook the lentil for 2 whistles.

In a kadai, add butter/ghee and as it starts warming up, add the Cashewnuts and fry till golden. Next tip in the cumin seeds and pepper corns. As they start crackling , add the curry leaves, ginger and asafoetida along with chopped chillis. 

Stir in the cooked rice and lentils. Season it with salt. If you find the mix to be too thick add 1/2 cup of water. Add 2-3 spoons of ghee to finish.

Serve hot with sambhar/chutney/gotsu or any other accompanimenmt of your choice.

You must have heard the saying breakfast like a king, and if it is power packed, the day gets a real kick. So what are waiting for ? Fuel your soul and stomach with this wonderful dish and start the day buzzing with tonnes of energy.This loaded breakfast is off to Avant Garde Cookies - Week 2 :Month 1 (Breakfast)

E.N.J.O.Y

Linking it to Gayathri's WTML-August guest hosted by Archana

Beating Hunger Pangs with Wheat Berry, Corn & Cottage Cheese Salad

How do you beat hunger pangs while/after watching Masterchef Australia ?  I am hooked to the episodes of culinary adventures Down-under and like the previous seasons this one is turning out to be a cracker. Not sure about you, but I also have this hungry urge to cook eat hog right during the show or sometimes after the episode finishes. Seeing Audra,Beau & ilk dish out something funky one after the another, the rumbling in the tummy gets hard to ignore.This when the  show is inundated with a whole lot of animals and birds on the negative side of the spotlight. But when the trio of Gary, George and Matt blaze the screen it is electric. The ultra-modern kitchen stocked with a pantry to die for has the kitchen buzz with abundant energy and bagful of flavours.Also laced with humour, warmth and camaraderie, the show is  not over the top and at the same time tugs the heart. So when you are addicted to such a show it is natural that the hollering tummy seeks your attention more than once and sneaking in to the kitchen to take a lick (ok make that a few spoons) from that jar of Nutella or peanut butter does not satiate the tummy. Neither does it look good on the bulging curve :P

Why not toss a salad that is supremely blissful,filling and very healthy to dig in ?  Hubby dearest had picked up a few items on his recent trip to Hyderabad and one of them was the Honey and Mustard Dressing. When the nutty & chewy wheat berry along with the sweet and crisp corn kernels blended with the rich goodness of the dressing, the salad tasted a different high. The salad is also dotted with black olives, onion and diced pepper.

Wheat Berries are  the whole wheat kernels and is the seed from which the wheat plant grows. These whole grains contain high fibre and have a very earthy and nutty flavor when cooked. To reduce the cooking time it is advisable to soak it for a few hours. You can use any ingredients in the pantry - carrots, shallots,feta or goat cheese, snow peas or dates, nuts like walnuts and dried fruits like raisins and apricots to give it a different twist; literally anything as the cooked berries can absorb the flavor of the other ingredients well

What's in it :-

• Wheat Berry - 200 grams (soaked & cooked)
• Cottage Cheese - 100 grams (cut in to mini cubes)
• Sweet Corn - a big fistful (boiled)
• Onion - 1 small - thinly diced
• Bell Pepper - 1 small - thinly diced
• Black Olives - 10 to 12 - halved
• Honey & Mustard Dressing - 1 to 2 tbsp (I used store bought)
• Apple Cider Vinegar - 1 to 2 tsp
• Black pepper Powder - 2 tsp - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Mint Leaves - a fistful - washed and roughly chopped

Here's How :-

The recipe is no rocket science. Wash the wheat berries well in running water and soak it with adequate water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Cook it in a pressure cooker up to 5 or 6 whistles. The berries would be done well and chewy to the bite. Alternately you can bring it to a boil in a sauce pan with enough water and cook on a medium flame for a good 40-45 minutes.

Drain the water from the cooked grains in a colander. Tip it in a mixing bowl. Add cottage cheese, sweet corn,diced onion and pepper. Tip in the black olives and toss. 

Add the honey and mustard dressing along with apple cider vinegar. Season it with salt and pepper. Finally add the mint leaves. Fluff it up.

Let the salad stand at room temperature undisturbed for a good 45 minutes to 1 hour so that the flavours are infused thoroughly.

Verdict :-

Every bite is guilt-free indulgence guaranteed. The refreshing flavours of mint combined with the acidic touch of apple cider vinegar adds the much needed pep. Also the honey & the mustard dressing gives the zing.Lazy Sundays or a leisurely brunch the salad is ideal.And yes Masterchef viewing is more satisfying now.

E.N.J.O.Y

Spaghetti with Dried Basil and Grilled Cheesy Tomatoes

There are days when I don't want to potter around the kitchen ; neither does the tingling warmth from the burner pep me nor does the clanging of the pans and the buzz of the sizzling spices excite me. While a few of those days covet for my undivided attention towards the must-watch flicks, a few others lure me with the promise of engaging reads; to put it simply I don't want to cook. But, the tummy doesn't understand this - the slowly growling belly starts rumbling steadily and as the time ticks on it starts sending you howlers indicating that it needs to be fed and nourished. There is of-course the simpler option of ringing up a near-by restaurant to deliver something piping hot. However, if you just prefer to not loosen the purse-string then this bowl of hearty chomping is a life saver. Without much time in the hearth, the dish is a perfect sunday afternoon lunch. Grab the to-read fiction or prop yourself dainty before the idiot box along with a cool glass of Lemon & Ginger and you are all set to indulge yourself

Inspired from a recipe from the lady behind the Noble Pig , the pasta was a delight. What's not to like - cheese,tomatoes, pasta and some more cheese :P

Grilling the chunky slices of the tomatoes with the cheese warms up the heart.Cook the pasta as per instruction on the pack and toss it with garlic infused olive oil and you are all set for the magical afternoon.

The spaghetti I used was Wholemeal and that promised to kick in the health buzz.

What's in it (Serves :3)

How to :-


 Cook the pasta according to the package directions; drain and set aside. 


Preheat the oven on the grill mode. Meanwhile, arrange the tomato slices on a lightly greased baking pan. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the slices liberally with the cheese gratings. Grill until the cheese is bubbly and golden for a few minutes.


In a small pan, warm the oil with the garlic and the chilli flakes over medium heat until fragrant for a minute or two. Tip in the dried basil and give it a good swirl. Season it with salt and pepper and add the pasta. Toss to combine.  Serve topped with the grilled cheesy tomatoes, dried basil, olives and more cheese.

E.N.J.O.Y

Flaxseeds & Coconut Granola (0n a Stove Top)

A whole lot of things on my plate right now and hence the blog's complaint of me MIA is totally justified. Make no mistake, my hearth is on fire and we are cooking and eating delicious food, however the zest for clicking and blogging about it has taken a back seat. Hoping to inundate the blog with fine recipes in the near future. 
On a healthier note, I was delighted to receive a big packet of flaxseeds from my mom & sis. Rummaging the bookmarked recipes, Sangeeta's Flaxseeds Granola caught my eye; the best part of it is that is is pan cooked and can be made in a jiffy. Her suggestions and pointers for the recipe had me nodding my head vigorously and hence has been duly noted in this post.

Coming to flaxseeds, this nutritional powerhouse is rich in antioxidants and can effortlessly blend in to the day-to-day cooking adding a pleasant nutty flavor to the dish.The granolas with it is a keeper recipe as it is sure to keep your appetite satiated.

What's in it :-

• Flaxseeds meal - 250 grams (Whole flax seeds ground into a coarse powder)
• Coconut meal - 150 grams (Dry Kopra, sliced and ground to a coarse powder)
• Oats - 50 grams (I used quick-cooking ; toasted lightly for a couple of minutes)
• Jaggery - 250 grams
• water - 1/2 cup

Also Keep a plate/tin adequately greased

How to :-

Keep the ingredients ready. Tip in the water and jaggery in a wide pan and turn on the heat in high flame so the jaggery melts and starts bubbling.This syrup needs to cook till it gets frothy and starts rising up the pan. 

As soon as you see the jaggery syrup getting frothy and rising up the pan, lower the flame and tip in the coconut meal . Mix it well to ensure the coconut meal fuses into the syrupy jaggery. Let the mix bubble once again. Tip in the flax seeds meal and mix thoroughly. Take it off flame. The mixture becomes almost crumbly and hard to mix, use some muscle so that everything blends well. Lastly add the toasted oats and mix once again.

Dump the contents in to the greased plate. Flatten with the help of greased knife. Wait for a few minutes before slicing them into required size. 

Tips & Pointers :-

1.	Breakfast gets a cool make-over with these granolas. A cup of milk and a big slice of this bar and the morning's never been any better :)
2.	This granola is a healthy & tasty travel-chum. Wrap it up in butter paper and you are all set.
3.	It is a cool recess snack for kids. Also your mid-night cravings need not be sinful any longer
4.	You can add some dry fruits or nuts to the recipe.
5.	Keep it stored in an airtight container and it stays good for a fortnight.

The bar sets after some time and you should be able to slide the knife gently and lift them up. 

E.N.J.O.Y

Sticky Date & Nut Squares (No Bake Delectable Delight)

When life gives you dates, you make these delectable date fudges. Had a few friends visiting us the last weekend and my pantry ended up with a good stock of extremely tasty Dates. These dates were Lion's Dessert-King Dates and they were luscious and juicy.While they were truly good for munching as such, I ended up making these Energy Squares. 

What is not to like about Dates - the naturally sweet and chewy high calorie fruits are an abundant source of energy ! Do you know that the dates pack in more cell-protecting anti-oxidants than most of the fruits & vegetables ?

Of course my kids don't share the same exuberance when it comes to devouring the dates as such and this is when I chanced upon these energy bars @ Veg Bowl.

I instinctively knew that these squares would be a hit. I added some Cocoa Powder to the original recipe and the result was fabulous. 

Did I already tell you how addictive they are - as a breakfast power booster or for that something to munch noon time they are perfect. Or if you are like me and have those midnight cravings - the squares are god-sent !

DIRECTIONS

Combine chopped dates, cashews & almonds in a food processor. Use moist dates for this recipe. Dried ones will not give the fudges the same zing.

Pulse and process all the ingredients together until the texture is coarse. Add little fruit juice at a time until it reaches a dry but moist dough consistency.

Scrape the mixture into a tin lined with aluminium foil. Press evenly with a spatula. Chill for about an hour or till it sets. Remove from refrigerator and cut into desired sizes.

E.N.J.O.Y

This goes to Kalyani's Go Nuts, Guest hosted by Archana

Serradura (Macau Sawdust Pudding)

The months of Jan & Feb sees a whole lot of celebrations- my bundles of joy as well as hubby dearest celebrate their birthdays and the days from 23 Jan to 23 Feb is dotted with sinful indulgences. What aggravates those guilty tuck-ins are not the extra serves of the final outcome but the ingredients itself. For instance this dessert requires condensed milk and guess who had (many) a hearty lick from the tin :p
The need for restraint goes for a toss when I see the milkmaid tin and can you blame me ? Every drop is a trip to heaven & back. The weighing scales are not taking it kindly and are repaying me back heavily (pun intended:) 


This month's Blog Hop Wednesday sees me paired with Neetz Kitchen. Her space is full of finger-licking good recipes and I had my eye on a few of them; finally zeroed down to the Serradura or the saw-dust pudding, that I had been meaning to try for quite some time. The moment I saw the clicks of the pudding, the sweet fairy in me clicked and the dessert beckoned.

Nope, I was not put off by the absence of whipped cream - instead used Amul's Fresh Cream and the result was equally appreciated  devoured. The cream did not give the same stiff peaks after beating it, and hence could not create the multi-layered effect; nevertheless it was delightful in every sense of the word.


Serradura - an exotic name to a very simple & easy to assemble multi-layered dessert. 

This delight has its origins in Macau and is called so because, the powdered biscuits give an earthy saw-dust feel to it. The original recipes see addition of gelatin or egg-whites and makes it quite a complicated indulgence. You can create a sure party-winner by assembling this dessert in catchy glasses and WOW everybody! 


I freezed a portion of the contents in a covered plastic box and served it as ice-cream to my daughter. You can enjoy this multi-layered dessert like an Ice-cream Cake too !

Succumbing to the diktats of my sweet tooth, I increased the quantity of condensed milk (more than 70 ml specified in the recipe) up to 100ml. You can taste the mix and decide the quantity !

Preparation:
In a bowl whip the cream and when it reaches just before the peak stage add in the condensed milk & vanilla essence and whip till peaks are formed. In case, you are using fresh cream like I did, whip till all the ingredients bubble up & are frothy. 


Powder the biscuits and nuts coarsely in a processor or by using the ziplock rolling pin method (where in the biscuits and nuts are put into a ziplock bag and after closing it are given resounding thumps till they are powdered) 

How to arrange them:

In a glass, spoon in the whipped cream.(you can use a piping bag if needed). Then carefully add in a spoonful of biscuits-nuts mixture making sure the corners are covered. Then again add in the whipped cream and then the biscuit mix. Repeat this process till you reach the top of the glass. Decorate with chocolate shavings/cocoa/nuts. Refrigerate till set and dig in.

Linking it Radhika's Blog Hop Wednesdays; also to Anzz's Valentine Special and to Kalyani's Valentine Fest - Served with Love

Enjoy !

Ice-cream made easy( Strawberry/Banana & Roasted Almonds)

When you have 3 icecream fanatics at home and yours truly is the only one who is not crazy about the creamy delights, then you get all the what's wrong with you stares ! At any point of time there is always a box of Baskin Robbins in the freezer ready to be devoured and while my hubby constantly sneaks in to the kitchen to scoop out a generous spoon or two, he wonders how I refrain from succumbing to the frozen wonders :-O
Now, how do I put it gently  & succinctly ?? 
 ----- I am more licking down the nutella, peanut butter & condensed milk straight from the jars/tins type of gal and for me the pleasure of these sinful indulgences weigh more than the scoop of icecream. Nevertheless, I do enjoy the frozen dessert and occasionally indulge in it big time !


Oops! There I go letting cat out of the bag and you all know the secret (??) of my healthy (!?) figure :P ;))
It's been a while, my refrigerator saw some ice-cream action what with kids falling sick and when hubby dearest was itching to tickle his taste-buds,the strawberries & bananas beckoned me and I went ahead and made 2 separate batches of ice-creams ; While bananas made a happy pair with roasted almonds, strawberries gelled well with the creamy mix for another batch.

I don't have an ice-cream churner at home ,nor do I get double-cream/heavy whipping cream easily in the stores, but fresh cream,cream cheese & condensed milk are a few ingredients that graces my refrigerator most of the times, and all these things go in to making a wonderfully creamy treat

Strawberries, the wonderfully luscious berries is something that goes kaput, the moment I get a bunch. The fact that are fat-free,low in calories as well as are a good source of folic acid & fiber ensures that we wolf them straight away !

Verdict :-


The rush of the strawberry hit and the nutty ripe bananas got a whopping thumbs-up. As the weather swings from pleasantly cool to mildly chilly , the tingly ice-creams was a happy devouring experience.

For the Strawberry ice-cream :-

• Strawberries  - 250 grams
• Condensed Milk - 400 grams (I used Nestle Milkmaid)
• Amul Fresh Cream - 300 ml  (or use double cream/heavy whipping cream)
• Cream Cheese - 2 generous spoons (I used Brittania) ,optional - gives a richer creamier taste
• Little Less than a pinch of salt
• Half a lemon

For the Banana & Roasted Almonds ice-cream

• Bananas - 6 to 7 small sized ripe bananas
• Almonds - a fisful (Roasted till smoky & charred and roughly chopped)
• Condensed Milk - 400 grams (I used Nestle Milkmaid)
• Amul Fresh Cream - 300 ml  (or use double cream/heavy whipping cream)
• Cream Cheese - 2 generous spoons (I used Brittania) , optional - gives a richer creamier taste
• Little Less than a pinch of salt
• Half a lemon

For Garnish :-

• Chocolate Syrup /Butter Scotch Topping
• Roasted & coarsely chopped/grated Nuts
• Fresh cut fruits
• Cherries or Glazed Cherries
• Any choice Toppings

Useful Pointers while making ice-cream

1.	The mix will expand when freezed, so put it in a plastic tub the right size with enough space in the top.
2.	Cover it with a cling film and the lid of the box/tub has to be shut air-tight
3.	You can add choco-chips or marshmallows too before scraping it to the tub.
4.	It is OK if the mix is tad sharper/sweeter than you wished for; as freezing tones down the flavor over time, the mix will adjust to the right taste

How :- (Same procedure for both the ice-creams)

Puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender and squeeze in the half lemon. Set it aside.


For the banana ice-cream, roast the almonds till a smoky hue and roughly chop the nuts , puree the bananas with a dash of lemon juice and mix with the nuts.


In a large bowl, mix the condensed milk, fresh cream, cream cheese and whisk it on a medium speed with an electric beater till they are frothy , swirly & gushy


Gently fold in the strawberry puree/banana puree & nuts and salt in to the cream mix and scrape them into a plastic box.


Freeze it for  4-6 hours and enjoyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy !

Linking it to Nancy's YBR - Year end edition and Julie's Christmas Delicacy

It's off to Kalyani's Global Food Festival & Vardhini's Sinful Delights and to pranati's Yummy Dessert

Eggless Choco Rolls

My son has started school and am one proud mom; 2 1/2 years has just vanished in a jiffy and my lil prince is ready for the long haul and all the adventures/struggles/accomplishments that come with it. I expected him to be a little teary-eyed and sniffy on the first day but was delighted when he cheerfully waved me off and sent sprightly air kisses ! All the stress & strains that accompanied his birth has disappeared in to thin air and it all seems worth it ! Time & Tide waits for none indeed !! Yup that also means I have a good 2-3 hours with me and for me --- guess who's sporting a biggggg :D

This week of Blog Hop Wednesday sees me paired with Vatsala  @ Show and Tell . I loved the versatile display of recipes and the well explained posts in her blog. She has an artistic streak in her, and the Crafts Corner page in her blog goes to showcase that. I had a few recipes in mind before deciding on this.

The choco rolls is a very easy breezy preparation and tastes yum. The kids loved it and am glad I tried this recipe

What's in it :-


For the Outer layer:-

• Marie Biscuits (or any Tea Biscuits) - 1/2 packet
• Cocoa Powder - 1 1/2 tsp
• Sugar - 1 tbsp
• Milk - as required to blend the dough

For the Inner layer:-

• Dessicated Coconut (Dry Coconut) - 1/2 cup - as required
• Cardamom Powder- a generous pinch
• Sugar -1/2 cup - to taste
• Butter - 1 to 2 tbsp

How :-

Powder the biscuits in a blender and add cocoa powder and sugar to it. Mix well and add milk little at a time to knead in to a fine dough. Set aside.

Combine all the ingredients for the inner layer to a sticky mix and set aside.

Now pinch a medium sized ball from the biscuit-cocoa dough and roll across thickly like you do for a flat bread/chapati. Spread the dry coconut mix all over evenly. Roll it to form a cylinderical shape and repeat the procedure for the rest of the dough. Wrap the cylinders separately in a cling wrap and refrigerate them for an hour.

Cut them it to half-inch wide pieces and serve chilled. Enjoy


Also Linking them to Kalyani's GFF -100