Oats & Honey Porridge#Improv

Another quick and healthy breakfast. I make this for breakfast so often and sometime add fresh fruits too. 

Serves 2
Ingredients
1 Cup Oats
1½ Cup Water
1½ Cup Milk
2 Tablespoons Honey
Handful chopped nuts and fruits (Dates, Almonds,Cashew nuts, Walnuts and Raisins)
1 Teaspoon Chia Seeds

Method

In a saucepan , combine water and  milk,  bring to boil on  medium low flame

then add the oats and give it a quick stir,

Now add the honey and  chia seeds mix in well, keep stirring for 3 - 4 minutes  or till the porridge thickens a little.
Keep stirring in so that it is not burnt at the bottom.

When the oats is  cooked, turn off flame and transfer the contents to a serving bowl,

 Drizzle a little honey
The porridge will further thicken as it starts to cool , so adjust your water and milk quantities accordingly.

Here is the goodness of fruits

Sprinkle all the chopped nuts and fruits on top.  

Enjoy  this healthy breakfast!!
My Notes

Can use any type of oats.
Feel free to add or skip the nuts.
Vegans or lactose intolerant people can use  almond milk,  soy milk or coconut milk instead.

Sending this Improv Cooking Challenge, hosted by Nichole Little, theme for month is " Oats & Honey".
Labels : Oats, Honey, Breakfast, Healthy, Improv Cooking Challenge, Sugar Free, Diabetic Friendly, Vegan, Gluten Free

Honey & Nuts Fruit Salad#Improv

For October Improv Cooking Challenge, hosted by Nichole Little, theme for month is " Honey & Nuts". Made a healthy and delicious complete meal salad for this event.

We had this for our dinner and was light on the tummy yet filling and sugar free too.
Ingredients2  Apples - thinly sliced 

10 - 12 Black Grapes
10 - 15 Walnuts - lighlty toasted and  chopped

10 - 15 Almonds - lighlty toasted and  chopped  

1 Cup Pomegranate kernels
2 Scallions - chopped
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Crushed Black peppercorns 

1/2 Tablespoon Mustard paste
2 Teaspoons Vinegar 

2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil 

2 Tablespoon Honey
8 - 10 Iceberg lettuce leaves - torn
Feta cheese for garnish
Method

To make the dressing 

Combine scallions , salt, crushed peppercorns, mustard paste, vinegar, olive oil and honey in a bowl. Tear lettuce leaves and add to the dressing. Add apples, grapes  pomegranate kernels, and add to the salad. Add almonds, walnuts and toss to mix. Transfer salad into a serving bowl. Break the feta cheese and place on top. 

Serve immediately.

Labels : Honey, Salads, Apple, Walnuts, Healthy Dinners, Improv Cooking Challenge  

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Fruity Rice Paper Rolls#Foodieextravaganza

In Foodie Extravaganza group we celebrate food holidays wherein we cook and bake together with the same ingredient or theme each month. 

This month's theme is National Fruit & Vegetables , our host of the month is Ellen Folkman and my recipe is Fruity Rice Paper Rolls.

Ingredients
10 Rice Paper Wraps
For the filling
1 Apple - sliced
2 Kiwifruits - sliced
10 - 12 Black Grapes - cut into two
1/2 Cup Pomegranate
2 Oranges - sliced
Can use any fruits or sprouts to of your choice

For the Dipping Sauce

2 Tablespoons Lime juice
4 Tablespoons Honey

Method

In a bowl mix fruits,sugar and a tablespoon of lime juice and keep aside.

To make the wraps 

Fill a large deep plate  with water  and completely dip your rice paper for 5 seconds, until slightly soft, carefully take it out and dry with kitchen towel Remove it carefully and place on a dry surface (marble/mat).

Arrange the fruits as you desire. Drizzle with honey and lime dressing 

fold it like a spring roll (in pic)

 Sealing the sides tightly. When done rolling, I recommend letting it sit for a bit, so the rice paper dries. I find it tastes better. 

Serve with honey and lime dipping sauce. Enjoy!!!

Labels :  Foodie Extravaganza Party, Vegetarian, Fresh Fruits, Rice Paper Rolls, Healthy, Honey, Gluten free,Sweets & Desserts

Healthy Granola Cakes #FoodieExtravaganza

This month our Host Caroline Williams, for this month's Foodie Extravaganza, choose the theme "Nuts " . Made these Healthy Garnola Cakes for my daugther to snack whenever she does not have time to have a proper breakfast.

A granola taste and texture in a form of a healthy cake! These baked cakes are perfect for a diet plan or after a gym work, or, even perfect to have as a healthy snack. The granola cakes are made of oats, nuts and dried fruits.

Ingredients
60 Grams Almonds - sliced
60 Grams Golden Raisins
60 Grams Melon Seeds
60 Grams Apricots - chopped
60 Grams All Purpose Flour
60 Grams Oats
2 Tablespoons Heaped Honey
4 Tablespoons Apple Sauce
1.1/2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
Line and grease a baking tray.

Mix all of the ingredients together and form into thin small cakes. Arrange in the prepared tray and bake for 25 minutes.

Cool and store in an airtight container. Enjoy whenever hungry ... happy and healthy eating!

Labels : Granola Cakes, Baked, Oats, Melon seeds, Apple Sauce, Honey, Olive Oil, Apricots, Golden Raisins, Almond, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Healthy snacks

Foodie Extravaganza is a monthly food fest, where a group of bloggers all create and share a recipe around one of the monthly food 'holidays' as detailed in The Nibble. This month Sneha from Snehas Recipe is hosting, Peanut Butter is our theme. Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board! Looking for our previous parties? Check them out HERE.

See all the other nuts recipes for today's Foodie Extravaganza hosted by Caroline's Cooking:

Barberry Pistachio Saffron Rice by Food Lust People Love
Canadian Pecan Butter Tarts by Tara’s Multicultural Table
Healthy Granola Cakes by Sneha’s Recipes
Pecan Chicken by Family Around The Table
Pumpkin Nut Braid by Passion Kneaded
Pumpkin-Nut Crumble Cake by Hardly A Goddess
Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Walnut Sauce by Caroline’s Cooking

Makrout - Moroccan Date Cookie

This delicious moroccan pastry is made with semolina and date . 

Makrout in it's various forms is present on all celebration tables especially during Ramadan .  Makrout, also spelled Maqrout, Makroudh, Maqrut, Mqaret, Imqaret or Makroud. The word makrout in arabic means "diamond shaped" as these small delights are traditional diamond shaped.

This pastry has so much of ghee and oil that while making it I had a tough time.  The heat in Mumbai is so much that the pastry was melting.   Had to keep it in the fridge to set after every rolling.  But the end result was fantastic.  We enjoyed it, even my friends loved this cookie.  A healthy and tasty cookies.  Do try it.

Ingredients
For the dough
1 Cups  Fine Semolina

1 Tablespoon All purpose flour
2 Tablespoons Rose water
1. 1/2 Tablespoon Ghee

1. 1/2 Tablespoon Oil
1 Tablespoon Sugar
A pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling
1.1/2 Cups of Pitted Dates
1 Tablespoon Rose water
1 Tablespoon Butter
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
a pinch of ground nutmeg

Honey

Method
To make the dough

Melt ghee, when melted, add the oil.

Mix the semolina, flour, sugar and salt.  Slowly add the melted ghee mixing thoroughly. Add water just enough to wet the semolina.  Keep it aside covered overnight.  Next day grind the semolina  to paste without adding any water.

Knead this into a soft ball/ very smooth texture. Keep it in the refrigerator for an hour to set.  

To assemble

Transfer the dough on to a flat surface, divide the dough into two parts. 

Roll out one part into a small thick chappati and place the date paste over it. Cover it with the other part of the dough.

Roll this in a thick chappatti.  Cut with a square cookies cutter.

I used a small mould to decorate the makrouts.

I din't fry them in oil, but baked them in the oven. Place this on to lined  baking tray . 

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes till light golden on top.  

Dip it in honey immediately after you remove it from the oven.  Keep it to drain.  Serve, enjoy .... 

This recipe goes to Mena's Cooking Club.


Labels : Dates, Honey, Semolina, Moroccan, Biscuits & Cookies, Mena Cooking Club, Continental Cuisine

   

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