Crumbly Crunchy Cinnamon Sugar Topping Blueberry Oatmeal Muffin

I made few regular sized muffin for us and few mini muffin for my kiddo. Mini muffin is perfect in size for his tiny finger. As this muffin is made of oat and blueberries quite a healthy choice. I used Olive oil instead of butter to make it more nutritious. 

Thick Creamy Mushroom Corn Soup

Here is recipe of thick creamy mushroom corn soup. This is the basic recipe. You can modify by adding your choice of herb to give it another unique flavor and taste. For vegan recipes replace milk with almond,soy or coconut milk.

Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder

Both baking soda and baking powder are leavening agents, which means they are added to baked goods before cooking to produce carbon dioxide and cause them to 'rise'. Baking powder contains baking soda, but the two substances are used under different conditions.  Both are white powders, odorless and nearly indistinguishable. Yet both help your baked goods to rise.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate. 

When baking soda is combined with moisture and an acidic ingredient (e.g., yogurt, chocolate, buttermilk, honey), the resulting chemical reaction produces bubbles of carbon dioxide that expand under oven temperatures, causing baked goods to rise. 

When heated, It leaves an unpleasant, alkaline flavor behind to avoid that always mix with acidic food (like lemon juice or another citric acid carrier), it neutralizes and leaves no bitter taste. This acid also helps the carbon dioxide gas release more quickly.

The reaction begins immediately upon mixing the ingredients, so you need to bake recipes which call for baking soda immediately, or else they will fall flat!

Baking Powder

Baking powder contains sodium bicarbonate, but it includes the acidifying agent (cream of tartar), and also a drying agent (usually starch). 

Baking powders some gas is released at room temperature when the powder is added to dough, but the majority of the gas is released after the temperature of the dough increases in the oven. Addition of starch helps to absorb moisture, and thus prolong shelf life by keeping mixture alkaline and keeping acidic components from reacting prematurely.

In Recipes:
"Some recipes call for baing soda, while others call for baking powder. Which ingredient is used depends on the other ingredients in the recipe."

    'Commonly Used In':

• Baking soda used recipes like cookie, pancakes, quick breads, and other baked and fried foods.
• Baking powder is a common ingredient in cakes, biscuits, muffins, scones and American-style biscuits .

Always add baking soda with another acidic ingredients like buttermilk, orange juice, cream of tartar, lemon juice, yogurt, cocoa, vinegar etc. If wanted to use milk in recipe then add tbsp of vinegar each cup of milk to form buttermilk.

Baking powder contains both an acid and a base and has an overall neutral effect in terms of taste. Always use baking powder with neutral tasting ingredients like milk. If wanted to add some acidic ingredient like lemon or orange juice then smply add 1/4 tsp baking soda for each tsp of baking powder in the original recipe. 

Substituting:

You can substitute baking powder in place of baking soda (Baking soda is 4 time stronger than baking powder)

You can not use baking soda when a recipe calls for baking powder. 

*Note: This post will change as get more information Source:about.com, wiki.

Quinoa - Magic edible seed(Pseudocereal)

Quinoa!!! What is that..? Yeah.!! I also got the same question in mind when I saw a quinoa recipe on food network and wanted to give it a try. Although not a common item in most kitchens today, quinoa is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked.

"Not only is quinoa high in protein, but the protein it supplies is complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids. Not only is quinoa's amino acid profile well balanced, making it a good choice for vegans concerned about adequate protein intake, but quinoa is especially well-endowed with the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair"
* Recipes using Quinoa at the end of post.

Quinoa, a species of goosefoot, is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is a pseudocereal( e.g of pseudocereals are amaranth, Love-lies-bleeding, Prince-of-Wales-feather, quinoa, and buckwheat ) rather than a true cereal, or grain. Quinoa is closely related to species such as beets, spinach, and tumbleweeds.

Quinoa has become highly appreciated for its nutritional value, as its protein content is very high (18%). Like oats, quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids for humans, making it a complete protein source. It is a good source of dietary fiber and phosphorus and is high in magnesium and iron. Quinoa is gluten-free and considered easy to digest. Because of all these characteristics, quinoa is being considered a possible crop in NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support System for long-duration human occupied spaceflights.

Quinoa has a light, fluffy texture when cooked, and its mild, slightly nutty flavor makes it an alternative to white rice or couscous. Quinoa can serve as a high-protein breakfast food mixed with honey, almonds, or berries; it is also sold as a dry product, much like corn flakes. Quinoa flour can be used in wheat-free and gluten-free baking.

Cleaning:

Most boxed/pre-packaged quinoa has already been pre-rinsed for convenience, and cooking instructions therefore suggest only a brief rinse before cooking, if at all. If quinoa has not been pre-rinsed, the first step is to remove the saponins, a process that requires thoroughly wash the seeds to remove any remaining saponin residue. An effective method is to run cold water over quinoa that has been placed in a fine-meshed strainer, gently rubbing the seeds together with your hands. To ensure that the saponins have been completely removed, taste a few seeds. If they still have a bitter taste, continue the rinsing process.

Cooking Quinoa:

1. One cooking method is to treat quinoa much like rice, bringing two cups (or less) of water to a boil with one cup of grain, covering at a low simmer and cooking for 10–15 minutes or until the germ separates from the seed. The cooked germ looks like a tiny curl and should have a slight bite to it (like al dente pasta).

2. As an alternative, one can use a rice cooker to prepare quinoa, treating it just like white rice (for both cooking cycle and water amounts).

3.Vegetables and seasonings can also be added to make a wide range of dishes. Chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted for water during cooking, adding flavor. It is also suited to vegetable pilafs.

4. Quinoa may be germinated/sprouted in its raw form to boost its nutritional value. Germination/sprouting activates its natural enzymes and multiplies its vitamin content. In fact, Quinoa has a notably short germination period: Only 2–4 hours resting in a glass of clean water is enough to make it sprout and release gases, as opposed to, e.g., 12 hours with wheat. This process, besides its nutritional enhancements, softens the grains, making them suitable to be added to salads and other cold foods.



Health Benefits:

1. Help for Migraine Headaches
2. Cardiovascular Health
3. Prevent Heart Failure with a Whole Grains Breakfast
4. Significant Cardiovascular Benefits for Postmenopausal Women
5. Antioxidant Protection
6. Tissue growth and repair
7. Less sugar spikes good for diabetic diet
8. Gluten free so easy to digest

Recipes Using Quinoa:

1. Quinoa Dosa - Quinoa Brown Rice and Lentil Crepes
2. Veggie Quinoa Pilaf
3. Quinoa Paratha


*Note: This post with change as I get new information related to Quinoa and as I make recipes using Qunioa.

Quinoa Dosa - Quinoa Brown Rice and Lentil Crepes

Quinoa is a edible seeds or pseudocereal which is protien rich and has many other good nutritional value for more information check out my post about Quinoa. Quinoa has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. For Information on Quinoa click here.

Minty minced Chicken Kababs

Chicken kababs!!! hmmm.. garlicky, minty yummy chicken kababs...slurp!!

Yeah you too can cook it at home; no excuse like don't have oven, don't know how to mince chicken etc etc. Here is quick super easy recipe. You can replace chicken with any other meat, cooking time may vary accordingly. 

Chatpatit Bhel Puri

I still remember, in school recess we used to eat bhel puri, pani puri, chat, samosa and lot more.  Bhel Puri is one of my favorite street food. Thought street food not hygienic these days but its quick and easy to make at home.  Bhel puri can be made suki(dry) by skipping addition of chutneys and adding spiced puffed rice(bhadang) instead of plain. Or made wet by adding flavorful chutneys. 

Peanut Butter & White and dark Chocolate Bark with Pecan

For all chocolate lovers, here is quick and easy recipe no cooking or baking require. Choose your favorite chocolate dry fruit and make variations to this recipe.

Rava(Semolina/Suji) cha Sheera (or Halwa)

'Navin Varshachya Hardik Subhechha!' 'Happy Gudi Padwa'. 

Instant Oats Upma

Babies or kids makes us happy just by looking at them, even looking at their snaps. They so cute, pure, full of energy, joy and innocence, its shows in their activities, answers, talks. Truly blessing. I learn so much from my baby 'Avanish' from his activites, way of thinking, don't give up attitude, love, kindness, appreciation, and caring. He is the best thing ever happened to me.

Palak Paneer - II (Quick version)

Its 74F, feeling like summer. So warm, sunny and wonderful day. Early morning soon after a long dull days if we see bright sunny day our eyes twinkles and mind freshen up. Not only humans love the cheerful sunny days, birds also twits with joy, trees swings with delight. 

Instant Mango Pickle

Pickles are often made in summer season as fresh mangoes, fruits are in market and sun light is strong enough to cook welly seasoned pickles. As pickles are slowly matured in sun light, easily preserved year a long. Every summer my mom makes different delicious pickles using mango lime, ginger, chilies, carrots and many more.

Here is recipe of instant mango pickle, it can be used as a condiment, mix into yogurt for a dip, use in sandwiches, mix with yogurt and rice. Also can be mixed in bhel puri.

Time: 5 mintues

Serve: 2 cups of pickle

Ingredient:

1 sour or unripe mango(finely diced with skin)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
1/2 tsp red chili powder 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/8 tsp asafetida

1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan on medium high heat, add a fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Saute for few seconds, allow them to splutter.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add chili powder, turmeric powder and asafetida. Allow the spices to cook for a few seconds stirring continuously.

3. Turn off the heat. Add cooked spices to mango pieces and season with salt and sugar. Mix well.

4. Serve right away or afterwards. Mango pickle is ready. 

Tomato Chutney

This tomato chutney goes well dosa, idli. Use as a spread with some cheese to make spicy tomato cheese sandwich. Even can be added to curries to enhance taste and just spread on chapati/roti and roll to make out instant snack, many more.

Eggless Fat-free Date Cake(Pressure Cooker Cake)

My maternal aunt makes a wonderful delicious pressure cooker cakes specially tutti frutti cake(with eggs - recipe coming soon). She is lives in a small but upscale village in India. We used to visit aunt's place in almost all of our school vacations, relish amazing foods prepared by aunt and fresh organic cows milk and eggs (as she owns about 3-4 cows, 2-3 goats and few chickens). There is different joy to live in such a sound village. Fresh farms, nice and clean air, just like heaven.

Dry Indian Chili Chicken

Shevyachi Kheer with Nuts and Saffron - Happy Colorful Holi !!

Rose plant by my house has just began to sprout, in dispute the sign of spring in march! While I do feel that we are completely cheated by winter this year. Unlike last year, snow showed his face only once or twice. Flaky white soft snow can now be enjoyed only in next winter. Swiftly within no time, beautiful spring will be here at our door step .

Fenugreek leaves with chickpeas flour(Methi Besan)

Semolina( Rava/Suji )Upma

When you feel like famish or extremely hungry or just having craving to eat then this is what you need. Quick and easy yet delicious homemade food. 

Oatmeal Patty Veggie Sandwich

I am always looking for healthy delicious option to indulge. Oat is one of it. Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber it lowers bad cholesterol, as it digest slowly feels full for longer time enhancing fitness, also it stabilize blood sugar so very good for diabetic people.