Always heard from health gurus that Fiber is a must for a healthy lifestyle. So why not include the healthy Fiber ( here we are using  carrots) in our snack item. Yes, this is a recipe for carrot muffin . I would love to call it easy carrot muffin but it is not a sweet one but a mildly savory kind. So lets see how to make carrot muffins...the easy way to healthy eating.
   Do check this link for the recipe.I have done little modification to the original recipe of carrot muffins by using whole wheat flour (atta) in place of all purpose flour and then substituting cinnamon and nutmeg powder in place of pumpkin all spice powder and made it eggless by using flaxseed powder.

Ingredients:

--------------

Whole wheat flour (atta) --> 1/2 cup plus 6 tbsp
Sugar --> 1/4 cup 

cinnamon powder -->1/2 tsp

nutmeg powder -->1/2 tsp

baking powder --> 1 tsp
baking soda --> 3/8 tsp   ( just under 1/2 but above 1/4 tsp - 2 pinches app)
salt --> 1/4tsp 

yogurt -->6 tbsp

Butter -->2 Tbsp

flaxseed powder -->1/2 tbsp ( dissolved in 1 and 1/2 tbsp of lukewarm water - 10 mins)
shredded carrots -->1 cup  ( 2 1/2 medium carrots)

Method:

----------

 1)  Preheat oven to 375 F degrees (180 degree C) Line 6 cups (each 2 1/2 inches wide) of a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cinnamon powder and nutmeg powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.


2)   In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, butter, and flaxseed mixture. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add yogurt mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in carrots.


3)  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.    Bake for 20 - 30  mins @ 375 F(180 C) and check whether it is done  by  inserting a toothpick  in center .It   should come  out clean. Transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Verdict:
-----------
      For my palate it was not that savory could have added more spice. So with more modification i need to try again to say it is a keeper. Any ways good to have it with tea as snack.

Click here to read more....

        

                             I am very much  alive...yeah i know i might sound frightful. I meant to say i am very much alive in the blogosphere.

      Just lazy to open my blog and post what I have been cooking these days .But today this creation of mine not  exactly  mine but  is a borrowed recipe with little minor changes of one fellow blogger ,who is an amazing cook and a blogger.

The link http://usmasala.blogspot.com/2011/05/orange-dark-chocolate-chip-muffin.html

I have not followed the recipe exactly but made few minor changes as per my liking and the result was amazing!

Ingredients:

Atta (whole wheat flour)--> 1 cup

Corn flour -->1/4 cup

Butter --> 3 Tbsp

Olive Oil --> 5 Tbsp

Sugar --> 1/2 cup

Milk --> 1/2 cup

Lemonade -->1/2 cup

Vanilla essence --> 1/2 tsp

Colour --> few drops

Baking Soda --> 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp

Salt --> little (optional)

Chocolate Chips --> handful

Method:

1)Preheat the oven @ 180 degree C or 375 degree F.

2)Take a large bowl add the melted butter, oil , sugar and combine the sugar till it is completely melted. Then add the lemonade and milk and mix well.

3)In another  bowl shift atta ,corn flour, baking soda and little salt.

4)Fold the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients slowly .Add food colour ,vanilla essence and the chocolate chips and mix gently for a few seconds.

5)Bake for 35-40 mins at 180 degree C or 375 degree F till done.

Note:

               For every  1 cup of atta  use 1/4 tsp of  baking soda. The original recipe called for baking powder but since i was short of  it, i substituted it for 1/4 tsp  of Baking soda for every one cup. So ended up adding 1/4 tsp and little pinch along with the original recipe's requirement of  1/2 tsp of baking soda.

Verdict:

    The cake came out quite spongy  even though i used atta and smelt yummy and was delicious.

    This recipe is surely a keeper.

Click here to read more....

      Wishing you all a happy auspicious Maha Shivaratri.
  i prepared both moong dal payasam and whole wheat (atta) laddoo for Maha Shivaratri. Shiva ji is workshipped on this day .The dishes can be  prepared in a jiffy and comes out very delicious.Now heading to the recipe...

Ingredients for Moong Dal Payasam

------------------------------------------

Moong Dal -->1/2 cup
Water --> 2  cups 
Whole Milk --> 1 cup
Jaggery --> 1/4 cup
Sugar --> 1 Tbsp
Turmeric --> a pinch
Salt --> little to taste
Cashew nuts --> few nos.
Raisins --> few nos.
Ghee(clarified butter) --> 2 Tbsp
Cardamom powder(elaichi) --> 1tsp

Method:

----------

1. Roast the moong dal in a kadia/wok with 1 Tbsp of ghee on medium heat until it releases a nice aroma & the dal color changes to slightly pinkish but take care not burn it. It may take around 3 mins.
2. Cook the roasted moong dal in 2 cups water in a big mouthed open vessel until they reach the fall apart stage & become soft but not mushy.
3. Once cooked add jaggery & sugar and allow it to boil till the jaggery melts completely and then add the milk and boil for some time say about 5 mins.
4. In the mean time take another small pan & toast the  raisins first until they puff and then fry the cashews  in  1 tbsp of ghee and keep aside.
5. Add the fried cashews and raisins into the payasam.Lastly add the cardamom powder and simmer for few seconds.
6. Serve warm or chilled any way it tastes great.

Ingredients for Atta Laddoos

-----------------------------------
Whole wheat flour ( atta ) --> 1/2 cup 
Ghee (Clarified butter ) --> 3 Tbsp
Powdered Jaggery --> 5 Tbsp ( or as per taste)
Milk --> 4 Tbsp
Cashew & raisins --> few no.

Method:

----------

1. Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pan & add the atta(wheat flour) to it. Fry this mixture for about 10 mins on a low flame. Stir this continuously till you get a nice aroma.
2. Now add the powdered jaggery  and milk and fry it for another 1- 2 mins.
3. Remove from heat and allow it to cool for sometime .
4. Now when the mixture is still warm  roll them into small balls along with fried cashews or raisins.
5. Once cooled completely store them in air tight containers.

Note:

------

• can add more ghee if you are not able to make balls out of the mixture.

   

Click here to read more....

Ingredients:

---------------
Prawns --> 1cup ( i used small shrimps)
Onion --> 1 medium sized
Coconut grated --> 3 Tbsp
Cashew paste --> 2 Tbsp
Green chillies --> 3 nos.
Garlic paste --> 1 tsp
Ginger paste --> 1/2 tsp
Corainder powder --> 1 tsp
Fennel powder --> 1 tsp
Corainder leaves --> to garnish
Salt --> as per taste
Oi l --> 2 tsp

Method :

------------

1. Clean the prawns/shrimps and keep it aside.Don't forget to de-vein them.
2. Grind the grated coconut , cashew paste and green chillies to a fine paste with required quantity of water.
3. Take a pan /kadai pour oil , add the finely chopped onion and fry them till translucent .Then add the ginger and garlic paste and stir fry till the raw smell is gone.
4. Add the ground coconut paste,corainder powder and fennel powder  and fry well.
5. Now add the cleaned and washed prawns or shrimps and salt and fry them for a few minutes. and allow the curry to simmer on medium heat till the prawns are well cooked for about 10 mins.Don't overcook the  prawns,they tend to get rubbbery if they are over cooked.
6. Once done serve this korma garnished with chopped coriander leaves on top and enjoy it as a side dish along with hot rice palate.

Click here to read more....

Ingredients:
--------------

Outer covering

Whole wheat chapati flour(atta) --> 1 & 1/2 cup
Warm water plus squeezed water--> 1/2 cup
salt --> to taste
few drops of ghee

Stuffing:

Cabbage ( grated)--> 1 & 1/2 Cup
Grated paneer ( cottage cheese) --> 1 Cup
Red Chilli powder --> 1/2 Tsp
Black pepper powder --> 1/2 Tsp
Corainder powder > 1 Tsp
Cumin powder --> 1Tsp
Kasuri methi --> 2 Tsp
Amchur powder --> 1/2 Tsp
Ajwain seeds--> 2 Tsp
Ginger paste --> 1 Tsp
Corainder leaves ( chopped) --> handful
Green chillies ( finely chopped) --> 3 Nos.
Salt --> to taste

Method:
----------

• Grate cabbage add salt to the grated cabbage and keep aside for 30 mins. Once the cabbage becomes watery, squeeze out the excess water from the grated cabbage.Keep the water aside don't throw it away, we will use it for kneading the dough. 
• Prepare the outer covering of the paratha  by mixing   squeezed out warm water  plus  extra warm water into the flour along with salt and few drops of ghee. Keep this dough aside for 30 mins to 1 hr covered.Keep a check on the saltiness of the dough as the squeezed out water has salt in it also.

 

• Prepare the stuffing and divide it into 6 equal portions and shape them into balls.

 

• Now divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll these dough balls into a small circle and place the stuffing in the center .Bring the dough ball together around the stuffing and seal it properly.

• Flatten the prepared ball with your finger tips,then roll them into big circle.The parathas should be rolled thicker than the usual chapati.

• Shift the rolled parathas onto a hot griddle/tava and roast them  on medium-high heat until you see brown spots brushing little ghee on either sides .

•  Serve the hot yummy parathas with raitha and pickles of your choice.

Notes:

•         The amount of water depends on the quality of  flour used.

Click here to read more....

Ingredients:

----------------

Whole wheat flour( atta) --> 3/4 Cup plus 2 Tbsp

Cornflour --> 2 Tbsp

Cocoa powder(sifted) --> 1/2 Cup

Sugar -->3/4 Cup

Baking soda --> 1 tsp

Salt --> 1/2 tsp

Olive oil --> 5 Tbsp

Vanilla extract --> 1 tsp

Buttermilk --> 1 cup  (I substituted with 1 tablespoon of white vinegar + milk to make up 1 cup)

Warm water --> 1 Tbsp

Method:

-----------

1. Preheat the oven @ 180 degree C ( 350 degree F)  & grease 8" baking pan with oil and keep it ready.
2. Take a bowl and add in all the dry ingredients : Whole wheat flour,Corn flour,Cocoa powder(sifted to remove lumps),Baking soda,salt and mix them thoroughly with a whisk or fork.
3. In another bowl add in the wet ingredients : Olive oil ,Vanilla extract,White vinegar plus milk,Warm water and combine.
4. Now fold in the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until the dry ingredients are moistened.Don't over mix.
5. Now pour the Batter into the 8" greased pan and Bake for 25 to 30 mins @ 180 degree C( 350 degree F). 
6. To check whether the brownie is done insert a toothpick at the centre ,the toothpick should come out clean.
7. Cool this completely on a rack and cut into pieces and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Adapted from : Chowtimes.com

Notes:

--------

• the original recipe calls for all purpose flour but i have used whole wheat flour and cornflour for a healthy treat.
• used white vinegar & milk instead of buttermilk.
• used extra virgin olive oil.
• i did not use coffee as written in the original recipe.
• the baked brownie is hard to remove from the pan unless totally cooled. So cool it completely.

Verdict:

---------

        the brownies were moist,dense and delectable.

Click here to read more....

Ingredients:

--------------

Whole moong (whole green gram)-->  1 Cup

Rice flour --> 1/2 Cup

Cumin powder --> 2 tsp

Dry ginger powder --> 1 tsp

Green chillies --> as per taste

Salt --> to taste

Method:

---------- 

1.  Soak whole green moong overnight with enough water. 
2.  Grind it into a fine paste adding little water.
3. Add to the ground moong rice flour,cumin seeds powder(roasted jeera powder),dry ginger powder,green chillies and pulse it again in the
4. blender or mixer till well mixed.
5. Add salt as per taste and allow it to ferment for 4 to 6hrs.
6. Now heat a non stick tava or griddle and smear few drops of oil with the help of a cut onion.
7. Pour in the required amount of batter and spread it into a thin dosa in a circular manner.Then drizzle oil along the edges of  the dosa.
8. After the dosa is cooked on one side for 2-3 mins flip it over and cook on the other side for few seconds.
9. Serve this healthy delicious dosa with any chutney of your choice.

Click here to read more....

Source: Tarla dalal

Ingredients:

----------------------------

Bottle gourd/Lauki(grated) --> 1 cup

Skim Milk --> 3/4 cup

Bottle gourd juice -->1/4 cup

Sugar --> 4 to 5 Tbsp (as per taste)

Milk powder --> 10 Tbsp

Ghee(clarified butter) --> 1 Tbsp

Cardamom powder -->1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder --> a pinch

Poppy seeds --> 1 tsp

Almonds(slivered) --> to garnish

Method:

----------

1. Squeeze out the excess water from the grated bottle gourd and keep aside.
2. Take another bowl and add sugar,milk powder,milk,juice of the grated bottle gourd,cinnamon powder,poppy seeds and cardamom powder.
3. Take another microwave oven safe bowl and add ghee and the grated bottle gourd and mix well.Now microwave this mixture on high for 3 mins stirring once after 2 mins.
4. Now add the milk mixture to the grated bottle gourd mix and microwave it on high for 5 mins stirring once every 2 and 1/2 mins.
5. Your pipping hot bottle gourd kheer is ready,garnish with slivered almonds and serve cold or rather chilled.

Notes:

--------

• Fill the microwave safe bowl only with 1/4 of its height to avoid spilling over.
• Can use full fat milk for a creamier kheer.
• The original recipe calls for 1 cup milk but i reduced it to 3/4 cup to accomodate the squeezed out juice to make it more healthy.

Click here to read more....

Ingredients:

---------------

Wheat flour (atta) --> 3/4 cup
Cornflour  --> 3/4cup
Baking powder --> 1 tsp
Baking Soda -->1/2 tsp
Unsweetened Cocoa powder --> 2 Tbsp
Condensed milk --> 1/2 tin (200gms)
Instant Coffee --> 1 Tbsp
Vanilla extract --> 1 tsp
Lemonade --> 1/4 cup
Butter --> 3 Tbsp
Oil --> 3 Tbsp

Method:

----------

1. First pre-heat the oven @ 180 degree C. 
2. In a bowl mix together the dry ingredients - wheat flour,cornflour,baking powder ,baking soda, unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

     3.In another bowl mix in the wet ingredients - condensed milk,instant coffee (water plus instant coffee powder) ,Vanilla extract , melted  butter and oil.

        4.Now slowly fold in the dry mix into the wet mixture slowly.

        5.Add the lemonade into the prepared mix and mix gently.Don't over mix at this stage.

        6.Pour the ready mix into the greased cake tin or greased loaf pan

               

             7.Bake this @ 180 degree C for 35 mins.

Notes:
-------

• Can use milk or water in lieu of lemonade.
• Can change the proportion of  1cup wheat flour and 1/4cup corn flour .
• i used low fat condensed milk. 

Vedict:
-------
      Taste wise the cake was good not overly sweet. I felt it was little dry so next time may be i will add 1 or 2 tbsp of more fat.

Click here to read more....

Wishing all a Happy and Prosperous 2011.

         i want to start my first post of 2011 with the crunchy chocolate melting cookie.i had seen this here  &  had bookmarked it long back. Today i got to bake them and i must tell you that they were so good.Just re-producing the ingredients and method with slight changes according to my requirements.i want to say thanks to sunita for such a wonderful recipe

Ingredients:
-----------------

Whole wheat flour( atta) --> 3/4 cup

Rolled oats --> 3 Tbsp

Dessicated Coconut --> 4 Tbsp

Cinnamon powder --> 1/2 tsp

Soda --> 1/3 tsp

Chocolate Chips --> 75 gms

Sunflower Oil --> 5 Tbsp

Soft dark brown sugar --> 5 Tbsp

Water --> 2 Tbsp

Flaxseed Powder --> 1 Tbsp

Warm Water --> 3 Tbsp

Method:

-----------

1. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, soda, dessicated coconut, cinnamon powder and chocolate chips.
2. In another bowl, add the oil, sugar, water and break in the egg. Mix everything lightly with a spoon till the sugar is free of lumps.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and tip in the flaxseed mixture(mix 1tbsp of flaxseed powder and 3 tbsp of warm water). Fold in , preferable with a rubber spatula or mix lightly with your fingertips, till everything is just moistened. Do not over mix.
4. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.
5. Pre heat the oven at 180 deg C and line a baking tray with foil.
6. With damp hands, make 18 equal sized balls of the mixture and place them on the prepared tray apart from each other ( if you are baking in batches, return the unused cookie dough back to the fridge). Lightly flatten the balls with your fingertips.
7. Place the tray in the centre of the pre heated oven and bake for about 20 - 25 minutes or till the top is firm and the edges begin to darken slightly.
8. Cool on the tray for a few seconds. Gently peel them from the foil and transfer to a rack to cool completely before storing in air tight containers.

Note:

• My Oven Wattage is 1000 so the required time is 25 mins. So the baking time differs from oven to oven
• Can use 1 egg as per the original recipe instead of flaxseed powder mixture

Click here to read more....