Jan
2016

Mince/ Corn Stuffed Vol au Vent

Categories: Baked, Recipes, Starter, Weekend
Corn and cheese filled puff pastry
Corn and cheese filled puff pastry

2016 has brought with it a whole lot of guests and entertainment. I’ve literally thrown a party every other day of the year so far! But it’s been a fun fortnight with my refrigerator always full of desserts and pastries and quick bites and materials to put together a quick snack.

Yes, it is a good idea to keep some pastry dough handy at all times. Now I come from a family that doesn’t use a microwave so yes it does get difficult to defrost the dough before it can be rolled into these french delicacies, but it’s all part of the game. But if you aren’t as crazy as I am, you can buy these and regular ready to use tart bases at any grocery store, In Mumbai ‘Camy’ or ‘Nature’s Basket’ is a good place to shop for them.

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Jan
2016

Oil Free Instant Oats and Green Peas Healthy Dhokla

Categories: Diabetic-friendly, Indian, Low Calorie, Meals, One-pot dish, Starter, Steamed, Vegetarian
The fluffy and delicious instant oats, semolina and green peas dhokla
The fluffy and delicious instant oats, semolina and green peas dhokla

It’s not often that i read a veggie recipe and get inspired to try it out immediately. But last evening a friend posted a recipe of oats and semolina dhokla–(steamed cake), and that kind of tickled my senses. Plus I have been accused of step-motherly treatment towards Indian food by a very dear doctor friend! I love to cook healthy and i find it really tough to make oil free Indian food, but yes I will try get back into R&D and split the oil away from the masalas and work on it Ash.

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Jan
2016

Nachos with 7 Toppings

Categories: Baked, Low Calorie, One-pot dish, Recipes, Starter, Weekend
Sour Cream adds to the pleasure of digging into this 7 layered nachos
Sour cream adds to the pleasure of digging into this 7 layered nachos

I’ve always loved the Nachos that are served at Hard Rock Cafe. It’s a meal in itself with close to 7 to 8 different toppings. This recipe comes very close to it and is perfect entree for a party of 10 to 12 hungry friends, where snacks and spirits take precedence over the main course.

I’ve experimented a whole lot with the textures of the corn chips and the cheese to be used. Nothing comes close to pepper jack cheese but when you can’t get your hand on it try Gruyère cheese or even cheddar and if even those are impossible then go with just mozzarella. Nothing better than the stringy texture.

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Jan
2016

Chocolate Cake Pop Turtles

Categories: Dessert, Recipes, Weekend
I've added a cranberry cookie to provide with that buttery biscuity texture
I’ve added a cranberry cookie to provide with that buttery-biscuity texture

The New Year started with a bang! I’ve had 3 parties in as many days…the kitchen was in over drive and my fridge was bursting at the seams…it was time to innovate and turn things around to make new and innovative out of old and boring…that’s when the cake pops happened.

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Dec
2015

Barbecued Pineapple With Coconut Ice Cream

Categories: Dessert, Diabetic-friendly, Grilled, Low Calorie, Recipes
Barbecued Pineapple served with coconut ice cream
Barbecued pineapple served with coconut ice cream

If it’s the New Year, it has to be barbecues. How else do you beat the cold, eat all those amazing meats in one meal and drink yourself silly? 🙂 This recipe has been pulled out of my recipe book for Skie Grille, my first restaurant. It was always a hit with the crowd. The warm sweet fruit blending in with the cold creamy ice cream…Delicious.

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Dec
2015

Chicken with Lentils served with Organic Brown Rice

Categories: Diabetic-friendly, Indian, Meals, Recipes
Chicken cooked with lentils served with organic brown rice, spicy crispy potatoes and kachumber
Chicken cooked with lentils served with organic brown rice, spicy crispy potatoes and kachumber

The idea for this recipe was inspired from Masterchef Australia. They often cook their meats (or proteins as they are called) with whole masoor (lentils) and I’ve wondered what kind of a combination that was. My mom does use a mix of three dals, which include masoor dal, when she’s cooking mutton on the bones, but just masoor? Umm, it needed to be tried out.

Since I wasn’t too sure of the marriage of flavours, I went back to my bible, the Food Thesaurus. The combination didn’t exist. Should I or shouldn’t it. I have never been one to shy away from experimentations. So out came the dal and the chicken. What followed thereafter were pure instincts. And am I glad I did try this one out.

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Dec
2015

Cheddar Cheese, Rosemary and Buttermilk Scones

Categories: Baked, Brunch, Christmas, Meals, Recipes
These cheese and rosemary scones are perfect for a Christmas meal
These cheese and rosemary scones are perfect for a Christmas meal

It’s been a crazy week.. came down with the flu and all my planned uploads went for a toss! Lesson to learn never plan 🙂 Just do it…So today was a marathon session in the kitchen. It is after all Christmas Eve and there’s so much to do…It started with baking these super delicious buttery cheese, rosemary and buttermilk scones. Would go perfect with the bacon and cranberry jam I planned to make later in the evening.

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Dec
2015

Mulled Wine

Categories: Christmas, Wine
Mulled Wine with all its orange and cinnamony flavours
Mulled Wine with all its orange and cinnamony flavours

It’s been a year since I had my first mulled wine in Europe and I so miss not spending Christmas there. We travelled through Paris and parts of Germany and I must say it was the best holiday I’ve ever had. Nostalgia pushed me into the kitchen and there i was looking up recipes to create a mulled wine that would go well with the Potato Salad, Bratwurst and Sauerkraut I had decided to make for dinner.

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Dec
2015

Christmas Special: Sugar-free Oats, Almonds, Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

Categories: Christmas, Dessert, Diabetic-friendly, Low Calorie, Recipes
Sugar-free oats, cranberry, almond cookies: perfect for Xmas
Sugar-free oats, cranberry, almond, chocolate cookies: perfect for Xmas

All this week I have been pulling out trays after trays of gorgeous rich cookies that have been distributed all over town. Sadly apart from tasting them, my husband hasn’t really had his share of the goodies. Ours is an insulin-dependent household and this cookie recipe has been created specially for him.

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