Berry Walnut Muffin

I used frozen berries for this recipe.Bought the bag having raspberry,blueberry and marionberry mix.I have tried Anu's recipe to the T except I added a bowl of the berries and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.Check out her recipe here Raspberry and Blueberry Muffins
Bake at 400 deg F for 20 mins








Tried the cooking spray with flour.













The recipe surely works.The muffins are a hit and we can't stop eating them.

Morrocan Mint Tea

This recipe is one I just love.My friend V.M makes it often and it tastes so awesomely good.Great for summer days.

Boil water in a kettle .
Take some mint leaves(1/2 cup) in a jug.
Add 4 tea bags (I used Lipton but the flavor really pops with Earl Grey)
Add the boiled water to the mint and tea and let it steep for a few mins
Enjoy with a tsp or 2 of sugar.

Tortilla sandwich and Refreshing Buttermilk

Last night on a whim, I decided to make this dish.My husband made it when my parents were here and they loved it.So here is the recipe.Very simple and yummy.

Tortilla Sandwich


Tortillas (1 packet whole wheat,I use Rotis more often)
Cheese (I used cheddar and mozzarella)
Zucchini 2 small chopped
yellow squash 2 chopped
onion 1 chopped
capsicum (1 green and 1/2 red) chopped
salt
pepper
oil 2 tsp

In a pan, add oil add all the veggies,salt and pepper
Saute till done.Keep aside.

Heat tortilla on the pan.
Add cheese .
Add the veggies
Cover with another tortilla.
After a min, flip the tortilla .
Enjoy.

Buttermilk


This buttermilk goes really well with the tortilla dish.So very easy and refreshing.

In a glass, add store bought buttermilk and water.
Add a pinch each of asafoetida, cumin seeds, salt, pepper.
Add a curry leaf and a pinch of chopped cilantro.
mix well and enjoy.

This is my entry to AWED by DK's Culinary Bazaar.

Breakfast Out!

Today I got to eat breakfast out.So my hubby and I headed to a local cafe (we've always wanted to come here for breakfast but have only been here for dinner).I just love this place.It is always packed with people but never feels overcrowded you know what I mean.I also love the service and the cool cups and plates that they get you food in..:)

We had the Scrambled eggs with potatoes and carmelized onions, wheat toast (the butter was amazing) ,orange juice and a cappuccino.Everything was fabulous.Best of all, it was the first time D(my husband) and I got to go out to breakfast alone without R (my 2 yr old).It was so nice to relax and have a meal and not worry about R.Aah.Just for that ,we will do it again.

Tonight's dinner:Methi Sambar and Spicy Cauliflower Sabji

I am so glad to see fresh greens in the grocery aisle and this week I bought bunches of Methi(fenugreek) leaves .One of our(my hubby and mine)favourite sambhar is Methi leaves sambhar which trust me is the most flavourful sambar you will ever eat.:) Added to that I made Spicy Cauliflower with a new masala Thanks to my mom.

Methi Leaves Sambhar:


Toor daal (yellow lentils) 3/4 cup cooked
Potatoes diced 1 cup microwaved for 5 mins
Onion chopped 1 cup
Fenugreek leaves 1 cup
Green chillies 4 slit
Tamarind paste 1 tbsp
Ghee 2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Urad Daal (black gram beans) 1 tsp
Hing (Asafoetida) 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies 2
Sambar powder 2 1/2 tsp

Heat ghee in a vessel
Add mustard, red chilli, Urad daal and Hing.Wait till mustard splutters.

Add onion,fenugreek ,Potato and Green chilli.
Fry for a few mins till you get an aroma.
Remove and keep aside on a plate.

In the same vessel,add tamarind paste and 2 1/2 cups water.Add sambar powder and salt.Boil till water reduced to half its quantity.

Add the fried items and cooked daal.Boil till the sambar is thick.

Serve hot with Rice.

Cauliflower Sabji:


Cauliflower 1 head broken into florets steamed in the microwave for 8 mins
Oil 2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Red Chilli 1
Everest Sabji Masala 1 tsp

Heat Oil on a pan.Add cumin seeds, red chilli and everest masala.Fry for a minute.

Add the steamed cauliflower florets.Saute till the masala coats the florets and the water evaporates.

Enjoy hot.

Vermicelli with Mixed Veggies

My typical afternoon routine is to look at blogs ,tweak my blog(so very addicted to it) and try out recipes to put on my blog:).So as I was thinking of what to cook for my son (he naps, i blog), I came across Food For Plastic Challenge III Event hosted by What's cooking?


Tupperware is celebrating April as Children’s month and they are donating $1 from the sale of selected items to the Boys & Girls Clubs.

This is my entry towards the Challenge and also my son's evening snack.(He has been eating this since he was almost a year old.Very yummy and the Veggies go in too!)

Recipe

Melted Butter or Ghee.(Clarified Butter) 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
Pepper as per taste (I do 3-4 rounds on the pepper mill)
salt as per taste
Turmeric 1 pinch for colour
Asafoetida 3 pinches (optional)

Frozen mixed veggies 1 small bowl
Vermicelli 1/2 cup(I buy Bambino's Roasted Vermicelli from the Indian Grocery Store)
Water to cook

In a pan, heat butter and add Cumin seeds, pepper,turmeric and asafoetida


After a minute,add the mixed veggies,salt and water.Cover and cook till tenter.


Add the vermicelli to the boiling water .Lower the heat and cover it.Cook till the water evaporates.


Serve hot.

Yellow Daal

This was dinner lastnight along with rice.I love the simple flavours of the lentils.Everyone (read every indian friend) I know has been brought up on Daal and Rice.Add a little dab of ghee(clarified butter), mix in with hot rice and it is the most satisfying meal of all.

Recipe:

Lentils 1 cup pressure cooked till 3 whistles ( i used a mix of many lentils.)
Oil
Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Red chilli powder 1 tsp (use according to spice level)
Salt 1 tsp
Garlic 2 pods
Ginger 1 inch grated
Coriander leaves chopped

Pressure cook lentils in the cooker .

Heat oil in a big vessel.Add cumin seeds,turmeric powder,ginger and garlic.Fry for a min.

Add chilli powder,salt and add the cooked daal.

Add water and allow to cook on medium heat till it bubbles.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.