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Quinoa pronounced as ‘keen-wah’ is one of the most popular Health foods in recent days. Gluten free, rich in protein and incredibly nutritious are the reasons which makes this cereal grain the most wanted. White, Red and Black are the three main types of Quinoa and I have tried various recipes using this. However the Indo-Chinese version of Quinoa is our personal favorite. I was initially confused as what to name this dish 😉 Veg quinoa somehow sounded incomplete. Hence going by this name “Veg Quinoa Fried Rice” for the dish. The classic Chinese dish gets a makeover with quinoa….

Sambar Rice is like the ‘kichdi’ of SouthIndia. Perfect comfort food to have during elaborate weekend lunch or sometimes during dinner too. This recipe is based on Tamil Nadu style of cooking. It is prepared generally from Rice and Toor Dal. In recent days due to various health reasons people are trying to switch from White Rice to millets for day to day cooking. This sambar sadham recipe is made using Barnyard Millet(Kuthiraivali in Tamil) & Masoor Dal. Also this is the best way to sneak in the vegetables and even fuzzy eaters will love this dish.The millet version tastes…

I always have Dosai batter in stock and it comes handy while trying to make quick breakfast or dinner. But at times I do forget the bowl of batter lying in fridge and it does become a bit sour after two days. Instead of wasting the sour batter you can try making this ragi rava roast[Finger Millet flour + Semolina crepes] and am sure your family will enjoy this breakfast.I served coconut chutney and tomato chutney as side dishes. However you could serve it sambar or molagapodi [GunPowder] too The following measurement approximately yields 12 medium sized dosas. Unlike dosa batter, this ragi rava batter has to be watery like our regular rava roast. Also you need to pour batter on a hot Dosa Tawa. If the temperature is not correct then it will difficult for you to remove dosa from the pan

These eggless peanut butter cookies are perfect little treats for your kids’ school snackbox. Or you can also serve them in evenings, along with a plain glass of milk. You can make this vegan-friendly, by substituting plain milk with dairy free nut milk, soy milk or coconut milk. The texture of these cookies are a bit crunchy yet melt in mouth. However if you prefer a chewy texture then reduce the baking time by 3 or 4 minutes lesser than the time mentioned below in recipe.

Sandwiches are our go-to Breakfast. Its easy, less complicated and there is no chance of messing it up. I use different types of fillings for my sandwich. Avocados,leftover paneer or mushroom masala, sometimes I even use tomato gojju (southindian style onion+tomato based side dish) as a base for the sandwich. However this green chutney sandwich is our personal favorite. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare and then 5 minutes on the griller. Within 15 minutes you can make a filling breakfast. The sandwiches can be paired with a glass of fresh orange juice,smoothies or Tea to make it a wholesome meal. Sandwiches are perfect for kids lunch box and during travels too.

Coconut Oil is a must have ingredient in a South Indian kitchen. We use it widely in our day to day cooking. Also it acts a great moisturizer to your skin and has a lot of healing capabilities. Coconut Oil & Shredded Coconut has become a new fad in recent days and it is used from breakfast smoothies to breads and various other recipes. Glad people all over the world are realizing the nutritional values of this oil. When I saw the #SwearbyIt challenge by Vita Coco hosted at Foodies 100 website, the first thing that came to mind was…

Nothing can beat steaming cup of Coffee and stack of Pancakes on a Sunday morning brunch. These pancakes are eggless and perfect for those days when you crave for an indulgent breakfast. The ingredients are very simple and you could prepare the chocolate sauce,whipped cream a day in advance. Adding whipped cream and chocolate sauce is totally optional. You could serve the pancakes with just a drizzle of Maple Syrup and fresh berries too. I have divided the recipe into 4 sections for easier understanding.

Lassi is one of the most popular Punjabi drinks that can be prepared in two ways. Either salt or sweet. Papaya lassi is a sweet version and a great alternative to the usual Mango Lassi. This tropical fruit is loaded with antioxidants, rich in Vitamin C and fiber. It has various health benefits like lowering cholesterol, boosting immunity and is good for maintaining blood sugar levels too.

Happy Holi dear readers.

Dhoodh Peda (Milk Peda) is an Indian fudge sweet that is prepared during festivals and celebrations. During my first family trip to Shirdi, I tasted these dhoodh pedas for the first time and was totally mindblown. So flavorful, melt in mouth texture and I couldn’t stop myself from eating it. My aunt who has lived in Pune, told me that Peda/Pedha was so popular there and her neighbours used to distribute it on all important occasions and during joyous moments in their family. This is the reason why I love our Indian Food so much. Each and every recipe has a story behind it. Each and every region has unique food culture and it is always exciting to know more about them. I so wanted to try the traditional elaborate peda recipe sometime. Let see 🙂

On this occasion of Holi, sharing the instant version using Milk Powder (instead of Khoya) and condensed milk. The addition of dark cocoa powder gives a beautiful brown color, chocolate flavor to the pedas. The following measurement serves 25 small sized peda. Adjust the measurements according to your need. If you try this version do let me know your feedback.

 Appam is a thin pancake that is prepared from Rice batter mixed with coconut milk. It is a staple breakfast in Kerala and in Srilanka. What makes it so special is the lacy, thin outer layer and its central layer which is soft and pillowy. The consistency of the batter is really important to achieve this right texture. Normally Raw Rice (pacharisi) is used as main ingredient. I have used Brown Basmati Rice and the story behind is explained below 😉