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Star Cookies (Viennese Cookies)

These are simple eggless butter cookies which can be made in 30 min or so. May not be healthy but are very good for sudden treats. Mom used to make this quite often as a lot of the time you did not have access to all kinds of ingredients posted in remote areas. These were made in most of our birthday parties

Ingredients

  • Butter – 250g (1 cup)
  • Icing sugar – 75g (¾ cup)
  • Maida – 225g ( 2 cup ) 
  • Cornflour – 75g or alternatively u can replace 50% of  cornflour with Custard powder or any orange flavor  concentrate powder like tang or rasna
  • Chocolate melted – for garnishing optional

Method

  • Cream butter till fluffy 
  • Add icing sugar and beat for 1 minute
  • Add in the maida and cornflour. Mix to a batter 
  • Put this mixture in piping bag fitted with big star nozzle or any shape
  • Put in fridge for sometime before baking 
  • Bake a 160c for 15 minutes 
  • After cooling drizzle or dip in melted chocolate and let it set

The variations also sound very yummy. Do try and share . 

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Cold Cake (Biscuit with Chocolate Buttercream Icing)

This cake brought back some old memories as I made this simple cold cake for my mother when I was twelve years old. It is fireless cooking and young kids can make it. 

 My daughter chanced upon this recipe in old diaries that I have where I scribble recipes. She decided to make the same cake for me on Mother’s Day ..I guess what they say is true ‘the legacy continues…

Pl note the ingredients are approximate and will depend on size and your taste. You can keep tasting it along the way 

Ingredients

  •  Hundred to two hundred grams Softened butter (Amul)
  • Two  to three tablespoons of  Drinking chocolate
  •  Twenty Glucose biscuits
  • Five to seven tablespoons Icing sugar/castor sugar(or grind regular sugar into a powder and use it then)
  • Cold milk to dip biscuits
  • Drop a vanilla essence 

Method

  • Mix the butter,sugar,chocolate till fluffy with beater
  • Diphe glucose biscuits in cold milk and put them in the bottom of a tray/dish, Pl put some icing on the tray before you place the biscuits 
  • Add some of the cream on top of the biscuits
  • Keep layering till you run out of cream
  • At last decorate the top however you liked
  • Keep in the fridge till set
  • And enjoy it cold!!

If you have leftover icing,you can use it to decorate some cupcakes. It is like butter cream icing. It may not hold too long outside the fridge so keep putting it back . This is a very good way to bond with your kids and do this together as a mother day activity. You can experiment with flavors by skipping chocolate, adding jam or different essences or colors.

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Pomegranate Lemonade

The summer season is here and we all want to drink a refreshing,sweet and cooling drink…well look no further we’ve got just the drink for you.This refreshing pomegranate drink will surely quench your thirst and beat the summer heat.Try this variation of a mojito that will ought to make you feel refreshed in a matter of seconds.

Ingredients

  • One pomegranate
  • A few mint leaves
  • Lemon juice(of half a lemon)
  • A pinch of black salt
  • water/soda
  • Ice

Method

  • Muddle up the pomegranate,mint leaves,lemon juice and black salt till it looks like you have a slurry type mixture
  • Add the ice into a cup/glass
  • Pour water/soda
  • And enjoy it chilled!!

Slurp on this tasty lemonade that is made in a matter of minutes and is totally instagram-worthy.

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Palak Khichdi

It is a great healthy recipe esp. when one wants to do a quick thing without too much of hassles. God for gut health also

Ingredients

  • One cup rice
  • Four five tablespoons chana dal
  • One bowl of Boiled and Pureed palak (spinach)
  • Half a cup of onion slices
  • Two green chilies  slit
  • One teaspoon Grated ginger
  • Three cups Water
  • Salt to taste
  • Pinch of Asafetida
  • Half a teaspoon of turmeric
  • Two teaspoon Ghee
  • One teaspoon cumin seeds

Method

1)  Wash and soak Rice and Dal for 30min

2)  Pressure cook Dal and Rice with salt, turmeric and asafetida with 3 cups water.

3)  In a separate pan add ghee, cumin seeds, ginger, and onion. Sauté for some time

4)  Add Pureed spinach to the pan and sauté for another 2min

5)  Add the cooked Dal and Rice mix it well and roast for some time till you get a smooth consistency

6)  One can adjust salt and consistency of water

7)  Serve hot with Butter or curd

The other one-pot method is put the seasoning in the pressure cooker and palak puree and then add the soaked dal and rice. You can pressure cook everything together. It tastes equally good but drizzle some ghee over it before you have the same

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Easy Breakfast Toast

Easy breakfast toast recipe

There can be two versions of the same thing and you can add any vegetables of your choice or even make it as a sandwich.

Garlic toast

Ingredients

  • Amul garlic and herb butter
  • Any seasoning of your choice(oregano,chili)
  • Salt to taste
  • Any type of bread you prefer

Method

  • Add your favorite seasonings in the butter 
  • Spread it over the bread
  • Before popping it in the oven you can add your favorite veggies(corn,capsicum,cucumber)(optional)
  • And bake in the oven till golden brown and crispy
  • Serve hot!

Chili cheese toast

Ingredients

  • Amul garlic and herb butter
  • Any seasoning of your choice(oregano,chili)
  • Salt to taste
  • 2-3 green chilies chopped finely
  • Any type of your favorite cheese
  • Any type of bread you prefer

Method

  • Add your favorite seasonings in the butter 
  • Spread it over the bread
  • Add the cheese
  • Add the chili
  • Before popping it in the oven you can add your favorite veggies(corn,capsicum,cucumber)(optional)
  • And bake in the oven till golden brown and crispy
  • Serve hot!!

Let our creativity go wild with crazy variations … .there can be endless possibilities to it…let your brain do your thing!!

Note:- We did not add any veggies to show the simpler version of garlic toast

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Paneer and Cauliflower Tikka

This is a simple tikka recipe and you can add vegetables, paneer or nonveg of your choice. In the below recipes I have used cauliflower and paneer to make sure  the kids eat the vegetables

Ingredients

  • 100  grams Paneer cut in cubes
  • One Onion cut into thick wedges
  • One capsicum cut into one-inch pieces
  • One cup of cauliflower florets
  • One Tomato with pulp removed and cut into pieces
  • One and a half tablespoons hung curd
  • One teaspoon besan
  • Half teaspoon ginger paste
  • Half a teaspoon of garlic paste
  • One teaspoon of lemon juice
  • Half a teaspoon of jeera powder
  • Half a teaspoon of Dhania powder
  • One tablespoon oil
  • Salt to taste
  • One teaspoon of tandoori powder
  • Half teaspoon halide powder
  • One teaspoon of chili powder
  • One or two green chili chopped
  • Half teaspoon kasoori methi

Method

Mix all the ingredients of marinade and grind them into a paste

Marinate paneer, onion, tomato, capsicum with the marinade paste

Keep aside for at least half an hour

Grill in an oven (180 degrees)for 8-10 minutes or cook in a non-stick pan with a teaspoon of oil. cook on all sides till light brown (4-5 minutes)

Note:- You can even add broccoli or bell peppers

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Sathu parantha with tomato chutney

Sattu is recommended by Dieticians esp. for vegetarians as it helps to give u good protein. Usually, it is taken as a drink in the summers and Bihar ( state of India ) it is eaten in Litti and Parathas. It is very yummy if had with tomato chutney

Ingredients

For chutney

  • Two whole tomatoes – grilled till charred on gas or oven
  • Two cloves of garlic – chopped
  • One small onion Diced
  • Half cup chopped coriander leaves
  • Two green chilies – chopped
  • One Teaspoon Heated and cooled Mustard oil
  • Salt to taste

For paratha filling

  • One small onion Diced
  • Half cup chopped coriander leaves
  • One chilly – chopped
  • Half a lemon juice
  • Two inches of ginger – grated
  • One cup of Sathu
  • One Tablespoon Mango pickle

For dough

  • Two cups wheat flour
  • One teaspoon desi ghee
  • Oil for making the paranthas

Method

For chutney

  • Remove the skin of charred Tomatoes and mash the same in a bowl
  • Mix the remaining ingredients with tomatoes

For Paratha Filling

  • Mix everything and if it is too dry then u can sprinkle some water. So that it can bind like a ball

For Paratha

  • Knead the dough with water and ghee till it makes a soft dough
  • Rollout a small ball put the filling and roll it again
  • Fry it on a griddle with oil on both sides
  • Cook on medium heat until golden brown
  • Serve it hot with tomato chutney

There are a lot of Sattu Brands available in the market but for mine I have used the Sathu Maavu of Home Kouzina brand.

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Peanut Butter Oat Cup

Try this simple recipe created for my husband and daughter who love eating oats and granola bars. Anything from the market is processed so we came up with the idea of marrying the healthy with taste. It is also a good replacement for a quick breakfast with a twist and can be had on the go.

 This recipe would typically make 6 to 7 cupcakes

Ingredients

  1. One cup of rolled oats
  2. Four tablespoons of peanut butter(melted)
  3. Three tablespoons dried cranberries
  4. Two tablespoon honey
  5. One tablespoon of shredded coconut
  6. You can add almonds if you like
  7. 200gm melted dark chocolate

Method

  1. Combine all ingredients excluding the shredded coconut in a bowl till nicely incorporated
  2. Line a cupcake tin with cupcake liners and put the mixture in it. (you can do any other shape but I find it easier to pour chocolate)
  3. Drizzle your melted chocolate on top and garnish it with the shredded coconut
  4. Pop it in the fridge for 10-15 mins

Enjoy!!

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Black Chana Kabab

These are best for vegetarians and have a good protein content and gives a change to boring salads.

Ingredients

  • Two cups boiled Black Channa
  • One medium size Onion finely chopped
  • Two Carrot grated
  • One teaspoon Grated ginger
  • Three green chilies
  • One tablespoon cornstarch/oats flour or roasted besan
  • One Teaspoon garam masala
  • One teaspoon amchur powder/Dry Mango Powder
  • Salt to taste
  • Oil for grilling or shallow frying
  • Onion rings, lemon juice and chaat masala for garnishing

Method

1)  Soak black Channa overnight and boil with salt and basic spices

2)  Once cooled, grind them in coarse paste

3)  Mix all the ingredient and form a dough

4)  Make small bowls and grill them till golden brown

This is a healthy snack and a complete meal itself.

Tips– while boiling Channa’s you can add bay leaf, clove and black cardamom and garlic

You can also add beans, beetroot or vegetables of your choice by blanching them and grinding with Channa’s

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Chocolate Banana smoothie

This recipe is for all the monkeys in your house and for people who are on diet. It is healthy and delicious and very easy to make with just Four to Five ingredients. The glass is going to finish before you even blink.

This recipe makes Two medium glasses

Ingredients

1)  Two ripe bananas – sliced

2)  One tablespoon honey or u can add sugar also. Honey helps the diet conscious people

3)  One tablespoon bornvita(or anything your kids like) or one Teaspoon Coffee

4)  300ml milk

5)  Chocolate Syrup for garnishing (optional)

Method

–          Blend all of the ingredients in a blender till a smooth consistency

–          Put the delicious concoction in a glass and serve with ice

Tip – If you freeze bananas for two hours or so then it gives better taste. You can avoid ice in this method. Feel free to change things and make your version.

Another variation is instead of Coffee or bournvita one could add even peanut butter for the health-conscious people