Saturday, February 5, 2011

Blueberry, Vanilla, and Bread Pudding

I had my first taste of blueberries today. We don't get blueberries around here - like ever, not because its winter. So, I'd bought a can of blueberries a couple of weeks back. Having heard about a friend gorging on wild berries in another part of the world, I just decided to bust open the can and have some. I was quite disappointed - the berries looked purple rather than blue, for one; and they were swimming in a sugar syrup and I just tasted sweetness rather than any real flavor from the berries. That's Rs 270 gone down the drain. I was so looking forward to making a spinach and blueberry salad later this week. So, the only sensible thing to do with these sugary babies is to make dessert and put the syrup to good use.

My blueberry and bread pudding turned out quite nice. Would be so much better had I had some fresh berries. But then again, if I had fresh berries, I wouldn't dream of cooking them.
Blueberry, Vanilla, and Bread Pudding - Eggless, Flourless and Vegan

Friday, February 4, 2011

Apple, Strawberry, Lettuce, and Cashew Salad

Tart apples, sweet strawberries on a bed of lettuce, with cashews for crunch, all dressed in red wine vinegar and olive oil.
Apple, Strawberry, Lettuce, and Cashew Salad

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad

A quick salad with fresh, organic spinach, mushrooms suateed in garlic, and tomato, dressed in red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil and more garlic. Garnished with my new favorite ingredient - chives! My aversion to eating tomatoes raw is slowly and surely fading away!
Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad

Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:
  • 4-5 cups of chopped spinach
  • 1 large tomato
  • 12-15 button mushrooms
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Dash of dry chives
To make:
  • Chop your spinach and tomato into bite sized pieces, and slice your mushrooms into half.
  • Heat a teaspoon pf olive oil in a pain, and add the mushrooms and thinly sliced garlic cloves.
  • Sautee for 5 minutes or until brown.
  • Add to the spinach and tomatoes.
  • Make a dressing combining the remaining olive oil, red wine vinegar, and the garlic powder.
  • Pour over the salad.
  • Finish off with a flurry of finely chopped chive.
Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad
Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad
Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad
Spinach, Mushroom, and Tomato Salad

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Papaya and Lettuce Salad

A simple salad with red/lolo lettuce, papaya and olives - dressed with red wine vinegar and chives. I think the olives ruined it for me...the next time I make this, I'd leave out my salty olives. Can't wait for mango season in April - This would taste so much better with mango!
Papaya and Lettuce Salad
Check out the little tentacles on my organic papaya - Scary looking. Never seen anything like this on another papaya.
Papaya and Lettuce Salad - Organic papaya
Papaya and Lettuce Salad

Ingredients:
  • 1/2 a papaya
  • 5-6 cups of red/lolo lettuce
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • Handful of olives
  • 1 teaspoon chives
To make:
  • Peel, deseed, and dice your papaya.
  • Dress your lettuce in red wine vinegar.
  • Add the papaya and olives.
  • Sprinkle with finely chopped chive.
Papaya and Lettuce Salad
Papaya and Lettuce Salad
Papaya and Lettuce Salad
Papaya and Lettuce Salad

5-Minute Veggie Stir Fry

An absolutely yummy and lightning quick stiry fry using hoisin sauce as the base, and an assortment of vegetables. Adding a few slices of pine apple just pushed the dish into one of my all-time favorites I have ever had.
5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce
5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage

Ingredients:
  • 4 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • Approx 10-12 button mushrooms
  • 1 green pepper
  • 1/2 tomato
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 cup cabbage
  • 1/2 cup pineapple
  • 1 teaspoon oil
To make:
  • Chop your vegetables into fairly even chunks.
  • In a pan, heat the oil and saute the onions for a minute.
  • Add the hoisin sauce and ginger garlic paste and let it come to a boil (2 minutes).
  • Add the remaining ingredients and coat them in the sauce.
  • Turn off the gas after a minute and serve immediately.

    5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce
    5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce
    5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce
    5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce
    5-Minute Stir Fry with Mushrooms, Peppers, Pineapple, Tomatoes, and Cabbage in a Hoisin Sauce

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich

I love Scandinavia - I'm currently reading Stieg Larson (the second book); have always had a very soft spot for hunky Scandinavian men - they've got a wicked sense of humor and their blue-eyed/blonde hair look, preferably with a golden tan acquired sunbathing (Cough: naked) in Goa, really does it for me. Indian men are like goats - and not in a good way. And the daily recipe emails from My Danish Kitchen had me yearning for magically being in Sweden or Denmark this morning.

If I can't be magically teleported there, at least I can take my first jab at their cuisine. An open sandwich - what's more Danish than that?! Well, the Danish Pastry is, but I ain't got the time or requisite skill to attempt something so complicated. I had a nice loaf of organic multigrain bread from the farmer's market that was unused. And I had a boiled potato (the advantages of living with your family) and chives (I love chives - they seem so buttery). So, made an open sandwich for breakfast. But Indian that I am, I did make it a bit spicy with some green chutney. Good thing I only made one slice, coz the bread was really hearty and filling.
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich

Ingredients:
  • 1 slice bread/baguette
  • 1/2 boiled potato
  • 2-3 white button mushrooms
  • 2 teaspoons coconut milk/cream
  • Handul of finely chopped green pepper
  • 1 tablespoon green chutney
  • 1 teaspoon chopped chives
  • 5-8 black pepper corns
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
To make:
  • Mash your potato along with some coconut milk to make a thick gooey paste. Ideally, do this while the potato is still hot.
  • In a pan, heat the olive oil.
  • Chop your mushrooms and add to the pan, along with freshly ground black pepper.
  • Saute the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes until brown.
  • Slice your bread (fairly thick). You may want to toast/grill your bread if its too flimsy.
  • Spread the green chutney over the bread.
  • Next spread the mashed potato over the bread.
  • Layer the sauted mushrooms next.
  • Next come some finely chopped green pepper.
  • Finish off with a sprinkling of finely chopped chives and a dash of olive oil.
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich
Mushroom, Potato and Pepper Open Sandwich
hearthandsoulgirlichef

Apple and Cabbage Salad

A delightfully tart apple and cabbage salad dressed with red wine vinegar and chives, and a sprinkling of black grapes with some leftover peppers.
Apple and Cabbage Salad

Apple and Cabbage Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 tart apple (I used Granny Smith)
  • 2 cups of shredded cabbage
  • 1 cup black grapes
  • 1/2 red and green peppers
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon chives
To make:
  • Chop your apple and cabbage. I soaked my apples in lime juice so that it doesn't go brown.
  • Dress the cabbage with the red wine vinegar.
  • Add to the apple, grapes and peppers.
  • Finish off with a dash of finely chopped chives.
Apple and Cabbage Salad
Apple and Cabbage Salad
Apple and Cabbage Salad

Monday, January 31, 2011

Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One

//The good part - I got myself some egg replacer, blueberries, red wine vinegar, kalamata olives, granny smith apples, white mushrooms, lettuce, and chives. The bad part is I have no idea how to use red wine vinegar or egg replacer or chives. An afternoon of indulgence cost me Rs. 1500 at  Nature's Basket.
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
The biggest disappointment were these Seriously Sours candy. I was expecting like a dozen lemons being squeezed inside my mouth, going by the box cover. Instead the sweets were very much edible and pleasant. What a ripoff for Rs. 150!
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One

On my way back - a dinner for one. I find ordering in much safer than just sitting there all alone in a restaurant. Eating out alone - and actually enjoying your meal rather than just hurriedly scarfing it down - was one of my to-do items - I need to do it more often. I just sat there for a couple of hours eating (salad), drinking (celery orange apple juice), smoking indoors (one of the big draws of eating at this place!), and enjoying my meal (a chocolate dessert).
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
The big bowl of salad at Mocha Mojo is a real bargain. Its Rs 90 for a BIG bowl (I couldnt eat it all, I had half of it parcelled and had the remains for dinner) with your choice of dressing. I chose the honey mustard and light mayo. The salad's got lettuce, cabbage, mushrooms, corn, carrots, tomatoes, peppers, onion, and peas. I'm going to make a version of this salad myself for later.
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
And for dessert, I usually go for Vertigo - a stacked six layer brick of a chocolate cake, but I usually need a strappy lad with me to polish off my remains (there always are!). So this time, I chose a smaller chocolate dessert named That Chocolate Thing. Its a flourless, eggless chocolate cake, dusted with chocolate ganache, and accompanied by a scoop of chocolate icecream. I know, its got milk and is not vegan. But I'm not even sorry! An occasional treat is alright.
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One
Shopping at Nature's Basket and Lunch for One

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Wordless Sunday: This Week at the Farmer's Market

Gandhi said one should speak only if one can improve on the silence. Hence, a wordless Sunday series. But to help you along, roll your mouse over each image for a brief description.
The Produce Section
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Green Beans
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Green Beans
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Peppers
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Beet roots
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Tomatoes and Aubergines
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Radishes and curry leaves
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Coriander and mint
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Ginger and Garlic
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Bottle Gourd
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Spinach and other greens

The Organic Cafe
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sahi Tiffin - Pickles, Thepla, Dhoklas
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sahi Tiffin - Pickles, Thepla, Dhoklas
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sahi Tiffin - Pickles, Thepla, Dhoklas
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sahi Tiffin - Lemon and Carrot Pickles
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sahi Tiffin - Lemon and Carrot Pickles
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Organic Sugar and Palm Jaggery
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Whole wheat bread and Palm Jaggery
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Whole wheat bread
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Oatmeal cookies from Umami
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Kid's favorite Candy Floss
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sesame balls with chocolate coating
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Sesame balls with chocolate coating
This Week at the Farmer's Market - I2Cook Menu
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Salads
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Spinach, Fig, Ricotta Cheese Salad with a Cinnamon Dressing
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Organic dry fruits
Miscellaneous Items
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Jute plant holders
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Terracotta lamps
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Decorative danglers
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Photo frames etc
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Danglers, decorative pieces
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Organic water
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Quilling
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Quilling Workshop
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Quilling workshop
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Organic cosmetics
This Week at the Farmer's Market - Gems and stones

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