Eggless sugar cookies (Christmas cookies)

• Ingredients: 
  
  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  1 cup white sugar
  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
  3 cups all-purpose flour
  1/2 teaspoon salt
  1 tablespoon plus 
  1teaspoon baking powder
  Optional: cookie decorations such as frosting, sprinkles and sanding sugar 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Preparation:
  
  
  1. Heat oven to 350 F. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and milk and beat until well mixed.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix this into the wet ingredients until combined.
  3. At first, the dough will appear crumbly but will come together and stick if squeezed with hands. It should be somewhat dry. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for least 1 hour before rolling.
  4. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, gently lift shapes onto a baking sheet. (Alternatively, so as not to distort the shape of the cookies, you can place parchment paper on the baking sheet, roll out dough and cut directly on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Just remove the dough scraps and bake.)
  5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool slightly on baking sheet, then use a spatula to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Frost or decorate cooled cookies as desired.
  
  

Cajun cauliflower

CAJUN CAULIFLOWER

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

30 mins

TOTAL TIME

45 mins

Ingredients

Cajun cauliflower:

• 1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets 3 heaping cups
• 2 teaspoons oil

Cajun Blend:

• 2 tsp paprika (I use 1 tsp sweet mild paprika and 1 tsp smoked hot paprika)
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) or more cayenne
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) red pepper flakes or use more smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) onion powder
• 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) salt ( 1/4 to 1/2 tsp to preference)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Add the Cauliflower florets to a large bowl. Drizzle oil and mix using a spatula or rub it in using hands.
• 
  In a small bowl, mix the ingredients under cajun spice blend. Add a bit more paprika if using mild. Sprinkle all over the cauliflower florets and toss to coat. (use 1.5 tbsp or more of premade cajun blend).
• Bake for 25 to 30 mins.

Idli

You will need:

1 cup - Split white Urad dal
2 cup - Idli rava
1 cup - Poha (flattened rice)/Churmure (puffed rice)
1 tsp - Methi (fenugreek) seeds
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak urad dal in a vessel
2. Add thick poha to it and cover it
3. In another vessel, soak idli rava and cover it
4. Soak both for atleast 4-5 hours
5. After 4-5 hours, grind fine. If possible with very little water
6. Cover and keep it for atleast 8 hours
7. After 8+ hours, the batter will be fermented and ready to use
8. Add salt and mix well
9. Coat the idli stand with thin layer of oil
10. Pour a small paddle of idli batter in each space. Do not fill full, else the idli's become very hard
11. Steam the idli's in cooker without whistle or in the idli steamer
12. Serve hot with coconut chutney and sambar

NOTES:

1. In winter, keep the ground batter in the oven with the oven light on
2. Do not make the batter too watery, else idli will turn loose
3. Grind the idli rava too even if it is fine

Almond flour cookies

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

35 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup (112 g) blanched almond flour (not almond meal)
• 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (see notes for keto option)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk the almond flour, coconut sugar, baking powder and salt (breaking up all lumps in the flour). Add the water and stir until blended.
3. Drop by tablespoons (I used a small cookie scoop) on the prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 13 to 16 minutes until golden brown and set at the centers.
5. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Notes

Storage: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days (in a cool room; if it is hot, store in the refrigerator), the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to months.

Potato patties with coconut filling (aloo coconut tikki)

Potato patties with coconut filling (aloo coconut tikki)

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

35 mins

Servings: 3

Ingredients:
For the cover:

Boiled and mashed medium sized potatoes - 3

White bread powdered or bread crumbs - 3 slices

Salt to taste

For the coconut filling:

Grated coconut - 2 cups

Green chillies - 4

Cilantro

Asafetida - 1 tsp

Jaggery - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Procedure:

1. Take the mashed potatoes in a bowl
2. Add the bread crumbs and salt and mix well to make a soft dough
3. Dry roast the chillies and curry leaves until roasted and crisp
4. For the coconut filling, Grind all the filling ingredients. Grind them dry
5. Make small balls with the cover dough.
6. Make them into a shape of a deep small bowl 
7. Fill in a tsp of filling into the bowl shaped dough
8. Cover up the filling with the dough
9. Heat up a pan, add oil and shallow fry the patties both sides until nice golden brown color
10. Serve hot

Channa masala

Ingredients: 

• 3 Tbsp oil 
• 1 red onion, finely diced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 Tbsp jeera
• 1 Tbsp onion seeds
• 2 Tsp ajjwain seeds
• 1Tbsp ground coriander
• Sea salt to taste 
• 6 cloves garlic, minced (6 cloves yield ~3 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp everest channa masala powder (any brand works)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 4 medium sized finely diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chickpeas, soaked and drained
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp kauri methi

Instructions:

1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, cumin, onion seeds, ajjwain, onion and one-third of the salt 
2. Add chopped/crushed garlic, ginger, cilantro to the pan with the onions.
3. Next add ground coriander, chili powder, and turmeric and stir to coat. Add a little more oil at this point if the pan is looking dry.
4. Next add pureed tomatoes and chickpeas and remaining salt. Add the channa masala powder and stir well, until oil separates out.

   If the mixture looks a little too thick, add water. You’re looking for a semi-thick soup consistency at this point, as it will cook down into more of a stew.
5. Increase heat to medium high until it reaches a rolling simmer, then reduce heat to low or medium-low and maintain a simmer
6. When the chana masala is thickened and bubbly, taste and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt for saltiness, chili powder for heat, or a bit of coconut sugar for sweetness and to offset the heat of the chilies.
7. Remove from heat and cook in a pressure cooker or instant pot for 20min. 
   Stir to mix, then let cool slightly before serving. Fresh cilantro for excellent garnish. 

Capsicum Rice

PREP TIME

15 mins

COOK TIME

20 mins

TOTAL TIME

35 mins

Ingredients:

Basmati rice - 1 cup
Water - 2 cup

Oil - 1.5 tb sp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tb sp

Chopped onion - 1 large

Chopped Capsicum - 1 large

Jeera - 2 tsp

Urad dal - 2 tsp

Channa dal - 2 tsp
Cilantro - 1/2 cups

Turmeric/Haldi - 1/2 tsp

Hing

MTR vangi bhat masala - 2 tsp
Dry red chillies - 2

Raisins - few
Curry leaves - few

Salt as per taste

Cashew - 8 - 10

Ghee - 2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Making the masala for rice:
• In a Kadhai, heat oil 
• Add Kadipatta
• Add ginger-garlic paste and roast 
• Now add Jeera, mustard seeds, urad daal, channa daal, Haldi and hing
• Add red chilly and fry
• Add chopped onion and fry till golden brown
• Add chopped capsicum and fry till oil leaves from the sides in the kadhai
• Add vangi bhat masala
• Add Cashew nuts and raisins
• Fry for 5 min
2. Making the rice
• Wash rice and cook the rice 
• Add above masala and mix well
• Add salt
• Add chopped cilantro 
• Once ready add 2tsp ghee and mix well
• Serve hot garnished with some fresh coconut and cilantro with raita

Rainbow Salad

Ingredients:
Sprouted green gram
Red bell pepper
Orange bell pepper
Yellow bell pepper
Red or green grapes
Brussels
Cucumber
Broccoli
Corn
Strawberry
Pineapple
Oranges
Walnuts
Olives few
Few leaves of crisp lettuce broken with hand and toss in the salad at the end
Avocado
Ground black pepper

Dressing:
Lemon juice ( 1 or 2. Depending on quantity )
Salt
Sugar
Pepper
Olive oil

How to make the dressing:

• Add all the dressing ingredients in a bottle
• Shake well and add keep this aside

Making the salad:

• Chop red, yellow and orange bell pepper finely chopped into tiny bites
• Cut grapes into halves or four pieces 
• Cut the brussels and broccoli into half and shallow fry in a pan with some salt
• Cut cucumber in small cubes
• Cut Strawberry, pineapple, orange into small pieces 
• Cut Avocado into cubes to add at the end
• In a large bowl, mix all the above ingredients. 
• Add the dressing prepared 
• Sprinkle lot of ground pepper, toss well 
• Add avocado and serve fresh

Black Bean Burrito bowl

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

45 mins

Black Bean Burrito Bowl. Spicy black beans, roasted peppers and veggies, zesty guacamole, pico de gallo, fresh lettuce. Use other beans, or use tofu to make sofritas bowl. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Recipe. Serve in a bowl or as a burrito or lettuce wraps.

Course: Bowl

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 2

Ingredients

For the Spicy Black Beans

• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp chipotle pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or a tbsp fresh oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
• a very generous dash of black pepper and cayenne
• 15 oz can of black beans drained or 1.5 cups freshly soaked and cooked black beans
• salt to taste depends on if the beans are salted or not

For the roasted veggies

• 1 red bell pepper thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini sliced
• 1 yellow squash sliced
• 1/2 cup corn kernels
• 1 cup brocolli florets
• 1/2 red onion sliced

For the guacamole

• 3 ripe avocado
• 5 tbsp finely chopped red onion
• 1 small tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 jalapeno or hot chili finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• a generous dash of cayenne or chipotle pepper, garlic, black pepper and salt
• 2 tsp or more lime juice or lemon juice

For the pico de gallo

• 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red or white onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/2 jalapeno or hot chili finely chopped
• 1 tsp or more fresh lime juice or lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Other:

• Cooked rice of choice or cooked grains
• chopped lettuce or greens of choice
• a dash of lime juice salt and cayenne

Instructions

Make the black beans

1. Add all the ingredients to a pan over medium heat. Mix well. Add a tbsp or so water and mix in. Cover and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the beans are hot. Stir once in between. Taste and adjust salt and spice.

Roast the veggies

1. Heat a grill pan over medium high heat. Spray oil on the pan (optional). Place the veggies on the pan and cook both sides until most have brown edges or marks. You can also cook the veggies in a regular pan. Heat a tsp of oil over medium high heat, add veggies and cook until golden brown on most edges.

Make the guacamole.

1. Mash the avocado well, add the rest of the ingredient mix well. Taste and adjust salt and tang.

Pico de gallo

1. Mix everything, taste and adjust and keep asie, or use other salsa of choice like spicy salsa or tomatillo salsa.

Assemble

1. Assemble the bowl as you like with cooked grains, lettuce and helpings of the black beans, guacamole or just mashed avocado, roasted veggies and pico de gallo. Add a dash of salt, cayenne and lemon juice. I like to serve the bowl with warm beans and roasted veggies as the rest of the ingredients are cold Or assemble all the fillings into a large tortilla and roll into a burrito.