Archives : January 2009

January 29Daring Bakers Challenge :Strawberry Tuiles Hearts with Strawberry Cream Cheese

January 28Sweet Potatoes Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

January 26Sweet Potatoes Blueberry Pancakes,a probe in to another Super Food

January 22Chickpeas Corn Vada - to fry or bake? Olive oil to the rescue

January 19Vegan Banana Walnut Quick Bread

January 16Stuffed Tomatoes - Juicy Red!

January 14Crunchy Oats Dates Bars and Oat's Beauty Secret

January 12Hot Chocolate Vs Hot Cocoa

January 9Lavash and Baba Ganoush :Another Healthy Chip-n-Dip

January 7Curried Black Lentil Soup(Kaali Mash Ki Dal)

January 5Whole Wheat Ginger Spice Cookies

January 4Vegetable Stuffed Mushrooms

Daring Bakers Challenge January- Tuiles Hearts with Strawberry Cream Cheese

After a very Challenging French Yule Log,this month's Crisp french cookies called Tuiles sounded like a snap to make.Not so soon daring baker, the quick molding as soon as baked was the tricky part for me ,without the tuile mold.As feared, tuiles didn't seem malleable enough to shape,I did manage to roll a few.The heart shape tuiles were simple enough without any molding required. Topped\stuffed with fresh whipped low fat strawberry cream cheese ,the tuiles made a fine dessert.

This month's challenge is brought to us by Karen of Bake My Day and Zorra of 1x umruehren bitte aka Kochtopf. They chose Tuiles from The Chocolate Book by Angélique Schmeink and Nougatine and Chocolate Tuiles from Michel Rou
Following is a recipe taken from a book called “The Chocolate Book”, written by female Dutch Master chef Angélique Schmeinck.

(For shaping I made the circle and heart stencils using a card board,I topped the circular shaped tuiles with some chopped pistachios)

Recipe:
Yields: 20 small Heart\Circles.
Preparation time batter 10 minutes, waiting time 30 minutes, baking time: 5-10 minutes per batch

65 grams / ¼ cup / 2.3 ounces softened butter (not melted but soft)
60 grams / ½ cup / 2.1 ounces sifted confectioner’s sugar
2 large Organic egg whites (slightly whisked with a fork)
65 grams / 1/2 cup / 2.3 ounces sifted all purpose flour
1 table spoon cocoa powder/or food coloring of choice
Butter/spray to grease baking sheet

Oven: 180C / 350F

Using a hand whisk or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (low speed) and cream butter, sugar and vanilla to a paste. Keep stirring while you gradually add the egg whites. Continue to add the flour in small batches and stir to achieve a homogeneous and smooth batter/paste. Be careful to not overmix.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to firm up. (This batter will keep in the fridge for up to a week, take it out 30 minutes before you plan to use it).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with either butter/spray and chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes. This will help spread the batter more easily if using a stencil/cardboard template such as the butterfly\Heart\Circle. Press the stencil on the bakingsheet and use an off sided spatula to spread batter. Leave some room in between your shapes. Mix a small part of the batter with the cocoa and a few drops of warm water until evenly colored. Use this colored batter in a paper piping bag and proceed to pipe decorations on the wings and body of the butterfly.

Bake in a preheated oven (180C/350F) for about 5-10 minutes or until the edges turn golden brown. Immediately release from bakingsheet and proceed to shape/bend the cookies in the desired shape. These cookies have to be shaped when still warm, you might want to bake a small amount at a time or maybe put them in the oven to warm them up again. (Haven’t tried that). Or: place a bakingsheet toward the front of the warm oven, leaving the door half open. The warmth will keep the cookies malleable.

If you don’t want to do stencil shapes, you might want to transfer the batter into a piping bag fitted with a small plain tip. Pipe the desired shapes and bake. Shape immediately after baking using for instance a rolling pin, a broom handle, cups, cones….




Thank you Karen and Zorra for the simple sweet challenge.Check out almost a thousand other creative Tuiles.

Sweet Potatoes Peanut Butter Cup cakes with Peanut butter Cream cheese frosting.

With the goodness of both sweet potatoes and peanut butter combined,these are not your average cupcakes.Though I could eat the super healthy
warm roasted sweet potatoes as it is ,using them in a cupcake makes its incredibly moist delightful treat.Peanut butter adds the extra nutrition.And also one can go generous with the frosting,cause the creamy Mono saturated Peanut butter is healthy replacement for the Saturated fat butter.For more on nutrition of sweet potatoes see my previous post here and Peanuts to fight diabetes here.

Ingredients
2 cups sweet potatoes,mashed or pureed(about 1 medium size sweet potato),See how to cook sweet potatoes?
2 heaping tablespoon Peanut Butter,chunky or creamy,see how to make home made peanut butter?.
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder(aluminum free)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large Organic Eggs(or replace with Ener-G egg replacer powder or 1/2 cup flax seed meal)
1 cup reduced fat Organic milk or Soy milk.
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil or Vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry fruits like cherries,cranberries,raisins or blueberries
1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup of natural sweeteners like Honey,maple syrup or Agave nectar

For frosting
1/4 cup Low fat cream cheese
2 tablespoon Pure Honey or Maple syrup or Date Syrup
2 tablespoon of Peanut butter,creamy
Some roasted pistachios for garnish.

Makes about 10-12 cup cakes.

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Line the muffin tray baking cups.
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.In another bowl whisk eggs,mix in sugar and oil,add the sweet potatoes and peanut butter ,combine. .Now combine this wet mixture slowly in the dry mixture until completely incorporated.
Fill the baking cups 3/4 th full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Cool completely.

Prepare the frosting by whipping the frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable.Slather over the cooled cupcakes using a spatula ,sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios.

These peanut rich Cupcakes along with the other peanut rich recipes Mirchi Ka salan,Nutty Chutney and Peanut bites are my entry for Let Go Nuts : Peanuts event,hosted by Aquadaze of Served With Love.
Mildly sweet and simple enough to bake for beginners,I'm also sending these to One page cookbooks ,Simple dessert event,hosted by Varsha of Will-o-wisp.And to Vandana's Baking for beginners.


Peanut rich recipes Posted:

Sweet Potatoes Blueberry pancakes,a probe into another Super food.

Don't assume this crooked vegetable is just another ordinary cousin of potato family and its sweetness is no good for diabetic diet.Quite the contrary the anti-oxidant rich sweet potatoes have been listed as one of the top healthy foods. A deeper study in to its nutrients reveals that unlike potatoes,these sweeter potatoes have low glycemic index ,release glucose slowly into the bloodstream helping avoid sudden rise in blood sugar levels ,which is important in managing diabetes.
Not just for diabetics,sweet potatoes should also become a more frequent part of our regular diet to prevent against cancers and heart disease.Also the good source of dietary fiber will help you stay regular and will keep you fuller longer.And for those of you on diet resolutions,the sweet potatoes with complex carbohydrates are a wise choice for the carb intake.
For someone like me who spends hours gazing at the computer ,its gotta be the richness in Vitamin A(beta-carotene) that made me fall for it.Vitamin A is essential for overall eye health,sweet potatoes even beat carrots in its concentration of vitamins.
I'm working on preparing a set of recipes with this wonder vegetable.Sweet potato pancakes is easy and delicious to begin with.Using baked and mashed sweet potatoes these pancakes were snap to prepare,topped with tart blueberries these were instant hit for breakfast.

How to cook the Sweet potatoes?

The roasting\baking method seemed effortless,line your baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier clean up.
To Bake
Preheat oven to 375F.Lay on a baking sheet and bake for about 40-50 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes.To check if done,use a fork and if it feels soft all the way to the center,then its time to get them out.cool for few minutes,peel and mash.
To boil
Depending on the size boil for about 30-35 minutes.
To Microwave
Wrap the sweet potato in a good quality plastic wrap,set the microwave on Bake potato setting,about 5-6 minutes for 1 medium sweet potato.

Recipe

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup Whole wheat flour
1 cup Reduced fat milk
1 cup sweet potatoes ,mashed
3/4 cup Blueberries,fresh or frozen
1 large Organic egg(or 1 1/2 teaspoon of egg replacer powder)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon of baking powder(optional,I didn't add in mine)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Makes about 15 pancakes.
Method

Baked or boil sweet potatoes just like above.Peel,mash or process in a blender until pureed.Let cool completely before making the pancake batter.
sift together the flour, baking powder,baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.In another bowl,whisk egg along with milk and pureed potatoes . Mix both wet and dry mixtures.
Heat non stick pan on medium flame. Grease it lightly with oil . Pour one ladle of batter and ,I you like the pancakes thinner like me,spread a little by lifting and slightly tilting your pan around. drop about 4-6 blueberries around the pancake,drizzle about a teaspoon of oil all over and wait for a minute before flipping and let it cook for another minute.Repeat the same for the rest of the batter.


Serve warm with drizzle of Honey ,Date Syrup or Maple Syrup.


Sweet potato blueberry pancakes are my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging started by Kalyn,now managed by Haalo of Cooking (Almost) Everything At Least Once and hosted this week by Marija of Palachinka

Chickpeas Corn Vada .Discover the liquid gold,Olive oil

Lets enlighten ourselves with a short lesson in the healthy fat we have been blessed with.

The Fat Choices
What kind of cooking oil do you commonly use? Lemme guess if you are from the Mediterranean or Middle east, most probably you'd be using the healthiest oil of all, the one and only ,the Olive oil.As for the majority of others, the vegetable oils like peanut or sunflower or corn or canola ,occasionally coconut or sesame or soy bean or Palm oil are known as the only good cooking oil or rather easily available and affordable.In my quest for the best kind of cooking oil in terms of health benefits and flavor ,the Olive oil emerges as the ultimate winner.

The Divine oil
The Olive oil has been around for thousands of years.Olive oil was sacred to Prophets Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad(peace be upon them).Its sacredness and good health benefits is mentioned several times in the Holy books.

Get the facts

A look at the nutrition facts of olive oil verses the common cooking oil,its clear what separates the Olive oil from the rest is the high content Mono saturated and Poly saturated fats,an absolute essential for heart and skin health,reducing risk of cancers ,controlling inflammatory conditions like arthritis and asthma .Other good sources of these good fats are rapeseed oil , hazelnuts and almonds.

How did I discover the liquid gold?
Born and brought in a place where Olive oil was a luxury ,used only for massaging or beautifying ,a far cry from regular cooking oil,I was blissfully naive about the wonder oil . The timely move to US and my son's diagnosis with asthma and the hunt for nature's best foods finally lead me to the marvel. And thankfully for those us living in US, even though pricier than vegetable oil ,the Olive oil is available in abundance.

Which Kind Of Olive oil to chose?
Olive oil is sold in different varieties,Extra Virgin,Virgin or light, depending how is processed.The best kind is the extra virgin olive oil aka EVOO,which is processed without any chemicals and also in higher in Vitamin E(the anti-oxidant vitamin).And beware of the cheaper brands,they could be adulterated with vegetable oil.

Make the Change
Do not alienate this nature's best food if its readily available in your stores.For starters ,who are used to cooking with mildly flavored oils,mix it with your usual vegetable oil and slowly make the transition for insuring your family's good health,more importantly for those with(or under the risk) heart disease or common inflammatory conditions like arthritis,diabetes,cancer,allergies,asthma to name a few.I personally buy both vegetable and olive oil ,use half and half in most of the recipes except for deep frying.

How much is sufficient?
If its super healthy,doesn't imply one can drink it cup-a-day to get the extra benefits.Nope even olive oil in excess in not good,consumption of about 2 tablespoon of extra virgin oil a day is sufficient for adults.

Cooking with Olive oil.
Olive oil has lower smoking point and also loses its nutrients when heated to high temperature.Hence its ideal in salads,stir fries and shallow frying.

Olive oil,the Skin nourisher
The ancient oil with richness of vitamin E is not uncommon in beauty products.
A head to toe body massage with olive oil before bath is best way to pamper your skin and hair, linked with reducing hair loss and wrinkles.

Also read this interesting post about how olives are harvested,in the own words of the Mediterranean blogger(Organically Cooked) living in the Olive haven,Crete(Greece),which happens to be the world's largest exporter of Extra Virgin Olive oil.

Recipe Chickpeas Corn Vada
OK,I'm starving ! lets get to the spicy snack of the day with wholesome chickpeas and corn.

Ingredients
1 cup corn kernels,fresh or frozen,if using frozen ,thaw
and squeeze out excess water.
1 cup cooked or canned chickpeas,drain all water
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh ginger,grated
2 tablespoon coriander leaves, chopped
2 tablespoons chick pea flour(besan)
3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive oil,little more if shallow frying

Method
Process the corn in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped.Now add in rest of the ingredient except oil and flour and process some more until ingredients are well combined. Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix in the chick pea flour.
To Bake
Preheat Oven to 350F.
Line the baking sheet with an aluminum foil,drizzle 2 tablespoon of oil all over.The mixture is going to be sticky to work with,so lightly grease your hands with oil and take spoonful of the mixture and gently press on your palm to form a patty.Lay them in the lined baking sheet,placing them in rows about an inch apart.Bake for 15-18 minutes until golden brown,for a crisp topping,now turn the oven mode to broil and let cook for another minute or two for crispier vadas.
To Shallow fry
Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in large non stick pan on medium heat.Shape the patties just like above and gently lay in the heated oil,let cook for 4-5 minutes before flipping and cooking for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown .Fry in 2-3 batches.Serve warm with your favorite beverage.

Also check out Anudivya's HealthyBaked Masala vadai ,she uses the uncooked Channa dal(Split bengal gram/lentil) instead of cooked chickpeas and corn, I'll try those crispy fritters for next time I'm in mood to bake my vadai.

The Chickpea corn vadas are in for the JFI :Chickpeas and FIC: Yellow. events.


The refreshing Lemonade award
Lovely bloggers Navita,Arundati,Varsha,Ann and Hema have presented me the Refreshing Lemonade award.Thanks dearies,I'm delighted:)

I pass this to all the zesty food bloggers who take time to visit my blog and leave the nice comments ,please accept this token of appreciation,you really refresh my day with your presence:)

Vegan Banana Walnut Quick bread

With flax meal as the replacement for eggs and the sweetness and moist texture from the ripe bananas,the Banana Walnut quick bread tops my list of Hearty banana-licious recipes.The riper the bananas the more rich its in potassium ,make sure you use nicely or overly ripen bananas.
Bananas are regular in our house,me and Mr.Health Nut usually have it for breakfast.But unfortunately just as much I can enjoy bananas my son Nabeel cannot because of his asthma.Bananas are listed among food to avoid for asthmatics because it can produce excess mucus.I especially avoid these for him during peak asthma seasons of Spring and autumn.Rest of the season he does eat them occasionally,baking them in breads or muffins instead of eating whole is less likely to cause as much mucus.

Recipe
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups of whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup flax seed meal(replacement for 2 eggs)
3/4 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 ripe bananas,mashed
1/2 cup dried fruits like cherries,cranberries,raisins or apricots
1/4 cup Pure Maple syrup or date syrup or agave nectar[1/2 a cup of brown or white sugar]
3/4 cup soy milk or fruit juice
1/4 cup of vegetable oil or Olive oil

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven.Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan with butter; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl sift the flours and mix in the flax seed meal along with the other ingredients until well combined.
Bake in the middle rack of the oven until the crush is lightly brown about 40-45 minutes.
Cool about 30 minutes;loosen the sides using a table knife,flip the pan on to the cutting board. Slice and serve with fresh slices of banana. Store in an airtight container in fridge for a week.

The Vegan Banana Walnut Quick bread is my entry for the Food In Colors :Yellow ,a vibrant food event, hosted by Sunshinemom.And also Sindura's Bread Mania and Baking for Beginners

Beauty tip
Another good use of ripe bananas is the soothing banana mask.Mix 1/4 of ripe mashed banana with a teaspoon of honey ,slather all over face and also keep a slice each over the eyes(helps in lightening dark circles under eyes) and lay back , relax for 10 minutes before rinsing clean.

Stuffed Tomatoes- Juicy Red !

Ever wonder,the similarity in structure of heart and the tomatoes,both have four chambers and comprise of red fluid.In fact studies have shown tomatoes are good for heart health.

The tomatoes are rich in antioxidants called lycopene,which helps in fighting cancers and another antioxidant called beta-carotene which is good for healthy skin.Read details health benefit of this super food here.

Ravishing red ,tangy and juicy tomatoes stuffed with flavorful rice are perfect start of any meal.Couscous and bulgur wheat also work just as good.
Ingredients
6-8 medium size Red Tomatoes(I used the Campari tomatoes)
2 cups cooked rice or Bulgur wheat or couscous
1/2 teaspoon ginger and garlic paste or freshly minced
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin or coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-4 tablespoon of Olive oil
3-4 tablespoon of Partly skimmed Mozzarella cheese, grated

Method
Hallow the tomatoes by slicing off the tops with sharp knife,keep aside the tops.Using a knife cut the insides of the pulp and with a small spoon scoop out the pulp and juice ,reserve it all for the stuffing.

To make the stuffing,heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan,add the ginger garlic paste and saute on low heat for a minute then add the spices ,reserved tomato juice and pulp ,cook until reduced to a thick gravy,stir in the cooked rice or couscous or bulgur wheat.Cook for a minute or 2 until flavors infuse.Cool the mixture slightly before stuffing.

Bake Method
Preheat oven to 350F.Spread 2 tablespoon of Oil on baking dish. Place the hollowed tomatoes on the dish and stuff the rice mixture in to the tomatoes until filled up.Sprinkle with grated cheese and place the reserved tomato tops back on .Drizzle little more oil all over and bake about 15-20 minutes until tender ,serve warm.

Stove top Method
Stuff the tomatoes with the rice mixture just as above.Heat a non-stick pan on medium flame and add 2 tablespoon of oil,carefully place the tomatoes along the sides of the pan to prevent from falling.Let cook 10 minutes uncovered then partially cover and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.Serve warm.


Beauty Tip
After the much appreciated Oats beauty secret,I decided to include a beauty tip related with the food.Tomatoes help in maintaining skin health,also acts as a good skin cleanser and rejuvenating the skin.Mix about 2 tablespoon of fresh mashed tomatoes(puree) with a teaspoon of honey,apply all over face and neck.Rinse it off after 15 minutes.


Click - Red!
Food photography is my new found passion,thanks to the inspirational bloggers like Jai and Bee,I started to be more acquisitive about clicking for eye-catching images.
I usually take the pictures during the day in the natural light,sometimes use a white curtains around to adjust the brightness.I also keep in mind the freshness factor in my images,especially for the veggies which look best when fresh.

This shot of stuffed tomatoes is my entry for this month's Click-Red ,a monthly photography event hosted by Jai and Bee of Jugalbandi.For this particular image I used no tool to adjust the brightness,its natural light, was nice and bright by the window with snow on the ground.I used a thin red curtain on the side for the light tint of redness(also for the first picture in the post).Here is the same picture without the red curtain around.


I still have a lot to learn about techniques of clicking the perfect food images,but I think I'm making some progress here,what say folks?

Crunchy Oats Dates Bars and Oats beauty Secret.

Did you know besides being a super healthy for heart,oatmeal is also a brilliant skin nourishing food?.During the frigid cold season,when the thermostats are running full time and air outside is dry,the skin suffers the most due to lack of moisture in the air.The best affordable remedy for dry skin is the oatmeal mask,it gently exfoliates ,nourishes and tones the skin for a smooth and supple skin.You gotta try it to believe it.Before the beauty treatment lemme share the crunchy oatmeal bar recipe with the sweet potassium rich dates,which nourishes from within the body.Its a perfect morning breakfast or snack on the go.




Ingredients
2 cups whole Oats
1/2 cup flax seed meal(its the binder ,or use 1 organic egg ,make sure the honey mixture is completely cooled if using egg)
1/4 cup Pure Honey
2/3 cup dates,chopped
1/4 cup of sunflower seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon Butter
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Orange zest
2 tablespoon Orange juice or apple juice or any fruit juice

Method
Spread the oats on a baking sheet and toasting a preheated oven at 300F,for about 10 minutes.Let cool.
Place butter,oil,honey,oil,orange juice and orange zest in a small saucepan.Heat gently ,stirring until butter has melted.Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped dates,flax seed meal and toasted oats.
Spoon the mixture in to the baking pan(8X8 inches).Sprinkle the sunflower seeds on top and press down so they are lightly embedded in the surface.
Bake for 20 minutes in a 350F heated oven , until deep golden around the edges.Remove from the oven;leave in the pan to cool slightly.Using a sharp knife score the top in to rectangular or square pieces. Leave to cool completely,then cut along the marked lines.Bar can be stored in an air tight container for up to a week.

Simple enough to bake these bars are my entry for Baking for Beginners
Also try Fruit Dark Chocolate and Almonds Granola Bar


For the Oatmeal Spa Treatment at Home.

Oatmeal Morning scrub

Take about 1 cup of whole oats or porridge oats,process in a grinder,only until coarse ,do not grind smooth to a flours consistency.Store in air tight container
Every morning,take about tablespoon of the coarse oatmeal,splash water on face ,neck and lightly scrub and massage in the circular motion for a minute or two,before rinsing it all clean.Feel the change in the skin instantly.Do this regularly everyday for smoother complexion.



Oatmeal beauty mask

1 heaping tablespoon of coarsely ground oats
1 tablespoon Olive oil or almond oil
1 teapoon honey
2 tablespoon or little more of luke warm water.

Nicely combine all of the ingredients and apply all over face and neck.Lay back and relax with some soothing music playing.After about 20 minutes wash clean with lukewarm water first then with cold water.Do this at least once a week for renewing a tired and winter damaged dry skin.You could even use this as a body scrub,leave it on for 10 minutes before washing.

All you beauties out there do you have any winter skin care tip to share?

6 beauties shared their Skin care secrets:
Varsha Vipins Says "Masks made with Banana+honey is also good for winter skin"

Aquadaze says "Ever heard of oatmeal bath..where you grind the oats into a powder and sprinkle it in the bathtub? thats great for dry skin too.."

Sharmila says "For me milk cream with a little maida(all-purpose flour) works very well."

Bharti Says "If you mix in a teaspoon of sugar with the oatmeal mask, it makes a great scrub for hands/body."

Navita Hakim says "applying 1 tbsp of honey with 1/2 tsp of lemon juice on the face and keeping for 10 mins.Wash face for a fairer, smoother and visibly supple
complexion... "

Rajani Says "I actually grind oats & almonds together - makes a superb scrub"
Thank you:)

Hot Chocolate Vs Hot Cocoa

Which is healthier, Hot Chocolate or Hot Cocoa ? Intriguing ,I assumed both were same.Investigating in to the ingredients,apparently the Hot cocoa made with cocoa powder is certainly more concentrated in antioxidants(called Flavonoids) than the Hot Chocolate made with melted chocolate.Although a hot chocolate can also be healthier if Dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa is used instead of sweet Milk chocolate.

The Mayans who discovered the cocoa ,consumed it with spices and no sugar,so next time you see cocoa or chocolate in a savory dish,you know its the original Mayan style to relish cocoa.The sweetened form of cocoa called the milk chocolate was later introduced by the Europeans which quickly became popular and addictive.
How important are the antioxidants for good health?,simply put ,antioxidants helps stay younger,heart healthy and protect against cancers.

So whether hot chocolate or hot cocoa try to incorporate more of the cocoa instead of the sweetness to get the most health benefits.
For Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
2 tablespoon Cocoa powder
2 cups of reduced fat Organic Milk
2 tablespoon sugar or 2 teaspoon honey or date syrup
1 cinnamon stick
2 tablespoon water.

Method
Mix the cocoa powder with water and keep aside.Bring milk to a slow boil along with the cinnamon stick and add the cocoa mixture and sugar in to the milk,stir well until nicely incorporated.Remove the cinnamon stick.Pour in the serving mugs.

For Hot Chocolate with Dark Chocolate
Ingredients
2 cups reduced fat Organic Milk
1/2 cup(about 4oz) good quality dark chocolate ,coarsely chopped

Method
Heat the milk with the chopped chocolate and stir occasionally until melted and smooth about 10 minutes on medium heat.Serve in latte cups and serve hot.

An Interesting Read
Antioxidant activity of Flavonoids affected by addition of milk to cocoa.

Snowed Under!
That's my Camry snowed under.Average snowfall a year is between 60-100 inches in the snow belt of North East Ohio,Cool!


Snow cones any one?

Icicles,feels like Arctic Wonderland.


Blessed to be sipping the mug of Hot cocoa to beat the nip in the air.

Lavash n Baba ganoush :another healthy chip-n-dip

Crispy Lavash crackers with creamy Baba ganoush in another exquisite all vegetarian chip-n-dip of Mediterranean flavors ,besides the popularPita chips with Hummus.Its perfect as appetizer or for snacking.

Lavash
The crispy flat breadLavash is originally from Armenia ,also popular among its neighbors Turkey,Iran and Azerbaijan.The lavash crackers are simple to make and crisp in texture.I added a tablespoon of the super healthy flax seed meal for added nutrition.Traditionally rolled very thin,I kept them thicker,although you could roll them as thin as you can.

Ingredients
2 cups all purpose flour (or use 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of all purpose flour)
1 pack active dry yeast,about 1 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon Extra virgin Olive oil
1 tablespoon flax seed meal(For added nutrition)
For topping
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1 teaspoon Onion seeds or caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon poppy seeds or mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon coriander or cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika or chilli powder.

Method
Dissolve the yeast in warm water, allow the yeast to get frothy, about 10 minutes.In a large bowl combine the flour, Flax seed meal and salt. Add the yeast mixture and olive oil and knead until well combined.Apply some more oil on the sides of the bowl cover and allow to rise until double it size about 3-4 hours.
Preheat Oven to 400F.
Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets or baking trays,or bake in 2 batches in one cookie sheet.Roll out the dough as thin as possible on a lightly floured surface.Brush with some oil ,evenly sprinkle the toppings all over the dough.Using a pizza cutter or a knife cut the dough in to square or rectangle or diamond shape,do not separate the pieces, as they will snap apart after baking.cuts.Bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.Remove from tray and cool briefly and separate the pieces along the cut lines.


Baba Ganoush
An exotic name for a Hummus like spread made with egg plants(aubergines\brinjals),call it the middle eastern Baingan bartha.In Palestine its also known as mutabbal(Eggplant salad).Usually made with no added hotness from chillies,I added 2 dry red chillies to add to a spicy kick to the dip.Its traditionally charred on a charcoal grill for the distinctive smoky flavor and the skin is completely peeled.Since i roasted it in an oven ,the skin was not quite charred and I blended in some of the skin too, ,couldn't let go of the nutrients in the skin.

Ingredients
1 large American eggplant,about 1 pound
1/2 cup tahini paste(check the link for how to make tahini paste)
1/2 a fresh lemon,about 3 table spoon.
2 cloves garlic
2 dry red chillies(for heat,optional though)
1 teaspoon salt
few sprigs of fresh herbs,cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoon extra virgin Olive oil

Method
Wash the eggplant,leave its stem on.Pierce each side of the eggplants with a fork or knife.Halve or place it whole e on a baking sheet.Roast in the oven or grill or char on a stove top until cooked through.About 45 minutes in the oven until skin is blackened and is soft to touch.
Let sit for few minutes until its cool enough to handle.Scoop out the pulp with a spoon in to bowl.Blend the pulp to a smooth paste along with the tahini paste,fresh squeezed lemon juice,garlic ,chillies,herbs and salt. Transfer in the serving dish and drizzle with Olive oil.Serve with chips ,Steamed veggies, pita or in sandwiches or wraps .Store in refrigerator for up to a week or two.

This chip-n-dip is my entry for Srilekha's EFM:Savories along with the following savouries Methi Onion Pakodas,Bhendi Pakodas,Cauliflower Lollipops,Methi Khakhras With Achaari dip and Pita chips with hummus


Other Chip-n-dip Recipes Posted: