Tag: Healthy

Chocolate Walnut Granola & a Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart

Chocolate Walnut Granola & a Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart … yes it’s two recipes in one post today because one thing led to another. The chocolate walnut granola I made is minimally adapted from the recipe at Minimalist Baker was fabulous and needed to be celebrated. I thought it might fit straight into a tart, yet I didn’t want to do a breakfast tart. The chocolate walnut granola needed some hard core coffee something and that’s just what the tart turned out to be.

It was just one of those days where I began sorting out the larder, and bits and bobs of leftovers were strewn across the counter. Some popped amaranth, a bag of flax seeds, a 1/4 tin of cocoa powder, some coconut sugar. Just looking at ingredients like this reminds me of granola, possibly cookies, and before I knew it I hit Google search! Easiest way to find a delicious end to small portions of leftover ingredients. In so many more ways than one, Google is still God! Always has an answer.

One of the first results was the granola from Dana who has one of the most fun pages on Instagram, a place where you can literally bookmark every recipe to try! Thought her feed is vegan and gluten free, I adapted her recipe to use things I had on hand. I just had to bake the granola a little longer as it took forever to crispen up. Of course, that was quite expected since I had lowered the baking temperature since I’m quite wary of chocolate burning in the oven. Also, as with any altered recipe, ingredients tend to behave differently, so it’s best to keep an eye out!

Both the Chocolate Walnut Granola & a Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart are relatively healthier and you get good plant fibre and a hearty dose of protein. The coffee cream is as simple as it gets. Whipping cream, mascarpone, instant coffee, sugar & Kahlua which nestles luxuriously in the baked chocolate granola walnut tart base. It’s eggless, it’s vegetarian and it’s gluten free. It can be easily turned vegan too if you follow the basic sea salt dark chocolate granola recipe. Also, for the filling, maybe use coconut cream? You could also make a vegan lemon curd if you like, and top the tart with berries! All yours!

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Chocolate Walnut Granola & a Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart

This Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart is a relatively healthier tart since you get good plant fibre and a hearty dose of protein. The coffee cream is as simple as it gets. Whipping cream, mascarpone, instant coffee, sugar & Kahlua which nestles luxuriously in the baked chocolate granola walnut tart base. It's eggless, it's vegetarian and it's gluten free. It can be easily turned vegan too.
Course Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, dessert, eggless, gluten free, glutenfree, homemade, sweet
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Chocolate Walnut Granola

  • 3 cups whole oats
  • 1 cup toasted walnuts chopped
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp flax seeds
  • 1 cup popped amaranth
  • 3 tbsp coconut sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup clarified butter {ghee}

Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart

  • 2 cups granola {recipe above}
  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp ghee

Coffee Kahlua Cream

  • 250 g whipping cream chilled
  • 100 g raw sugar
  • 1-2 tbsp coffee {to taste}
  • 150 g mascarpone
  • 2 tbsp Kahlua {optional}

Instructions

Chocolate Walnut Granola

  • Preheat oven to 150C
  • Place the clarified butter/ghee and honey in a pan, and simmer until just warm. Stir to mix.
  • Place all the dry ingredients in bowl of stand mixer with paddle attachment. Mix on lowest speed.
  • Pour in the warm honey mixture. Stir on lowest speed until the wet mix coats the dry mix, 1-2 minutes.
  • Turn onto baking sheet.
  • Bake for 30-45 minutes at 150C, stirring once in a while.
  • Cool completely, break into clumps and store in an airtight container.
  • Note: Mix in chocolate chips or dried berries if desired.

Coffee Chocolate Granola Tart

  • Preheat oven to 180C.
  • Run in processor until blended and comes together between the fingertips.
  • Grease lightly a loose bottomed 8" tart tin.
  • Press aboue into tart tin, building up sides first , then firmly patting the bottom.
  • Bake for 15 minutes, then cool completely on rack.
  • Top with coffee cream.

Coffee Cream

  • Whip the whipping cream with sugar, coffee powder and Kahlua until it holds stiff peaks.
  • Gently whisk in mascarpone. Don't overmix or the filling will lose volume and not hold. {Filling should be quite firm.}
  • Taste and adjust sweetness as required. Ladle into cooled tart shell, and spread.
  • Top with crumbled chocolate walnut granola and dark chocolate shards.
  • Chill for about 2-3 hours to set. Slice and serve.

Pistachio & Rose Dark Chocolates – simple sweet bites #glutenfree #vegan

Pistachio & Rose Dark Chocolates  … sweet bites made simple for times when you need a tiny guilt free indulgent nibble anytime of the day. These came about when someone asked me to make them a vegan recipe using chocolate and nuts. The request was a simple one – vegan, no added sugar, chocolate, healthy, easy to make, easy to carry, easy to gift, easy to share, make ahead!These simple Pistachio & Rose Dark Chocolates  tick off all the boxes. Make ahead, simple, healthy, vegan, chocolate of course! Add to this gluten free and in so many ways these just might be the guilt free sweet snack you crave. Infinite possibilities on this very basic no fail recipe too. Pretty too, but then again, rose petals makes everything look pretty, don’t you think?Use roasted nuts of your choice. If you’re OK without them being vegan, maybe use honey instead of maple syrup. Also, clarified butter/ghee works just as well as extra virgin olive oil. More options – halve the nuts and add some granola. Else skip the nuts altogether and use only a nice crisp granola instead. You could flavour the truffles with your favourite essence too. Or maybe, some orange zest? I’ve tried them in a so many ways and they always come out great. Pistachio & Rose Dark Chocolates also a great way to begin kids off with the basics of simple no bake desserts. Tiny little hands whisking the chocolate, making their own truffles is so much fun. Can see their eyes open in amazement and wonder as the set truffles pop out of the molds. It makes me feel so pleased, so you can well imagine their joy!One key point before I sign off here. As with all recipes, please try and use only good quality ingredients. That way the end product really shines specially since this recipe has just a handful on simple ingredients.

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Dark Chocolate Pistachio Truffles

Pistachio & Rose Dark Chocolates  ... sweet bites made simple for times when you need a tiny guilt free indulgent nibble anytime of the day. These are simple - vegan, no added sugar, chocolate, healthy, easy to make, easy to carry, easy to gift, easy to share, make ahead! Did I forget delicious?
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes
Servings 15 truffles

Ingredients

  • 150 g 52% couverture chocolate pellets {or chopped}
  • 15 g pure maple syrup
  • 5 g extra virgin olive oil
  • 50 g pistachios roasted, chopped
  • To garnish pistachio slivers rose petal

Instructions

  • Place the chocolate pellets or chopped chocolate in a large heat proof bowl.
  • Microwave for 30 seconds on high power. Stir, then repeat.
  • Whisk with a balloon whisk until the chocolate melts. Stir in extra virgin olive oil, then the remaining ingredients.
  • Put a few pistachio slivers and rose petals into each cavity of a 15 hole silicon mold. Then divide mix between the cavities.
  • Set in fridge for a couple of hours. Demold and store in a cool place.

Roasted Cauliflower Salad – making the most of vegetables! #glutenfree #plantfood

Roasted Cauliflower Salad … not sure why it took me so long to discover this. There was a time that I disliked everything cauliflower other than a cauliflower based lamb curry or Gobhi Gosht that my mother made every winter. Cauliflower was the most boring vegetable at our place, and we looked in wonder as the literal truckloads that the farms around our place produced.Then I began gently trying a few things. First the raw nibble,then a quick stir fry, a vinegar based raw ferment. Then soup. Hmmm, now so bad. The big breakthrough came when I began making stuffed parathas {flatbreads} and everyone at home began enjoying them. Next a quick Indian stir fry that became one kids favourite. Yes, there was hope!Then one day I thought the oven is on, let me toss a quick lot of sliced cauliflower in olive oil and grill it. Turned out quite delicious and I couldn’t stop eating them off the tray. Be warned that this is addictive as it comes out of the oven, especially the bits that are crispy brown on the edges. Also be warned that the cauliflower shrinks quite a bit while baking, so a medium head of cauliflower might yield enough for 2 servings only.This Roasted Cauliflower Salad a great salad for winter, and also for spring. I have served this warm from the oven, as well as chilled overnight. It’s addictive good both ways. I have to say I love it because the garlic just shines. I usually up the garlic quite a bit. If you love garlic, you might consider doing that too!

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Grilled Cauliflower Salad

Grilled Cauliflower Salad is a great salad for winter, and also for spring. I have served this warm from the oven, as well as chilled overnight. It's addictive good both ways. I have to say I love it because the garlic just shines. You can play around with the dressing as you like.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 2

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower

Dressing

  • 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 tsp red chili flakes
  • Sea salt
  • Juice of 1/2-1 lime

Garnish

  • 1/2 cup pomegranate pearls
  • fresh rocket beet greens etc.

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180C.
  • Slice the cauliflower vertically to get a cross section of florets.

Dressing

  • In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic, red chili flakes, sea salt and lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  • Place cauliflower in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over and toss gently to coat.
  • Lay the florets out on a baking tray in one flat lot. Do not overlap else the baking will be uneven.
  • Bake for approximately 30 minutes, until the edges begin to brown.
  • Serve warm or chilled pomegrabate pearls, rocket, beet greens etc.

Mushroom Cashew Rosemary Soup … truly a winter warmer!

Mushroom Cashew Rosemary Soup, yet another favourite soup I created with available pantry ingredients a few days ago. Simple to make, beautifully flavoured and quite creamy because of the cashews within, I’m going to make this often. Like an earlier soup I recently made, this one too is thickened with oats {and cashews this time} making it healthy, delicious and gluten free too. I’m sure you’re going to love this one as it is a great winter warmer, just right for the current cold spell we are experiencing.
I’m not a huge soup person and don’t have great expertise in making them. I stick to a few basics, and really make soups in a hurry, often throwing in whatever I can salvage in ten minutes. Yet with these brrrrr freezing cold days and the mercury dipping day after day, sometimes soup is all that warms the soul. I like subtle flavour in my soup. I also prefer them creamy to clear possibly because I don’t know how to make a good clear soup.
Maybe it’s time to sharpen my skills as I had a really good miso soup a few days ago, and that was amazing. Until I get there, sharpen my skills a little, here’s one of my favourite soups for now. With cauliflowers literally falling off carts this winter, it’s a great way to use the humble vegetable.I did make a finger licking good roasted cauliflower salad the other day. So garlicky, so good! I loved how well the cauliflower roasted in the dressing, how beautifully the  fresh beet greens and rocket from the garden complimented it. And oh, the pom pearls that add fresh flavour and a burst of colour. Would you like the recipe?
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Mushroom Cashew Rosemary Soup ... truly a winter warmer!

Simple to make, beautifully flavoured and quite creamy because of the cashews within, Mushroom Cashew Rosemary Soup is a winter favourite. Thickened with oats and cashews makes it healthy, delicious and gluten free too.A great winter warmer!
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 2 people

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 larger onion chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic chopped
  • 1/4 cup cashews
  • 200 g button mushrooms sliced
  • 1 TSP dried rosemary
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 cup Water
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tbsp quick cooking oats
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • balsamic vinegar

Instructions

  • Heat butter. Saute onions and garlic, then add cashews, saute.
  • Stir in mushrooms and saute on high for minutes.
  • Add rosemary, saute for 10 seconds, then add water andilk.
  • Bring to simmer, add oats, bring to a boil, them simmer 5 minutes.
  • Blend slightly for chunky finish (or smooth if you like), then return to pan
  • Season with salt and pepper, add balsamic vinegar, and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • If you'd like thicker soup, simmer a little longer.
  • Serve hot

Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum … winter favourite comfort food

Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum … a one wok / kadhai dish which is certain to tantalise the taste-buds, keep you warm this winter, basically comfort food at its best. The dish has origins in India & Pakistan, a recipe that’s changed hands several times over. It’s quite different from how I used to cook a similar recipe earlier, and this one tastes loads better. It’s quite fuss free, a recipe I from an old aunt.Very often, you’ll find curries and lamb dishes that originate from the Indian subcontinent to have loads of ghee / clarified butter, fried onions, lots of ‘bhunoing‘ or roasting over low flame etc. Often too, the list of spices and ingredients are not everyday pantry ingredients. This Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum is different by way of process and also by way of ingredients. It uses simple everyday spices, the only exception being dried mint. That in any case is a great addition to any kitchen pantry and adds great oomph to food!I love that this is flavoured simply by 3-4 spice powders, coriander {dhania}, turmeric {haldi}, roasted cumin {bhuna zeera}and Kashmiri red chili {degi mirch}. Also, just two herbs here, the more fascinating of them being dried mint. Dried mint adds a certain earthiness and depth to the recipe, one that I haven’t experienced before. I usually use fresh mint since I have loads growing in my patch the year round. Dried mint was refreshing this time around!The rest of the ingredients are very common to Indian curries and stir fries … onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilies, yogurt {Greek yogurt as that’s what I had in the fridge}, and an optional dash of lime juice. And the process is a no brainer too. Take a read!Just cook the mince over low heat for a while, add the spices and chopped ingredients, cover and cook, throw in vegetables if you like. I added capsicum since that’s all I  had. Alternatively, you could use flat beans {sem as we call them here}, peas, potatoes, green chilies or even bitter gourd if you like. Towards the end, Greek yogurt, more fresh coriander {I like to add LOADS}, a dash of lime if you like tangy.Then just give it a squeeze of lime {optional}, slit green chilies {very optional} and a nice drizzle of clarified butter/ghee {MUST}… and enjoy!

I served the Lamb Mince Capsicum / Keema Capsicum with parathas one time, some toasted sheermal {sweetish Indian flatbread} another time. You could even give this a fusion and scoop them up with nachos for a snack with tea or drinks! More ideas … filling for lamb mince samosas!

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Lamb Mince with Capsicum / Keema Capsicum

Lamb Mince with Capsicum / Keema Capsicum ... a one wok / kadhai dish which is certain to tantalise the taste-buds, keep you warm this winter, basically it's comfort food at it's best. The dish has origins in India & Pakistan, a recipe that's changed hands several times over. The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, is fuss free and gluten free as well!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 500 g lamb mince
  • 1 tbsp clarified butter {ghee}
  • 2 large onions finely chopped
  • 2 tomatoes finely chopped
  • 5-6 cloves garlic finely chopped
  • 1 piece ginger finely chopped
  • 2-3 green chilies finely chopped
  • 1 small bunch fresh coriander, finely chopped
  • 2 tsp dhania powder/ coriander powder
  • tsp ½Kashmiri red chili powder / degi mirch
  • tsp ½haldi powder/ turmeric
  • 2 tsp bhuna zeera powder/ roasted cumin powder
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 capsicums deseeded, chopped
  • cup ½Greek yogurt whisked
  • Juice of ½ lime
  • Fresh coriander to garnish
  • 1 tbsp ghee to finish off

Instructions

  • Heat the glee in a heavy bottom wok. Add the lamb mince, stir well to break up any clumps. Allow to cook uncovered over low heat for 30-45 minutes until it cooks through and begins to change colour.
  • Add the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, green chilies, dhania powder, haldi, degi mirch and bhuna zeera powder. Mix well, season with salt, ten cover and leave to cook over low heat for about 30 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped capsicum, then the whisked Greek yogurt. Cook again covered over low heat until the liquid has evaporated 15-20 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust seasoning, add the lime juice if desired, more fresh coriander if you like. Drizzle over a tbsp of ghee.
  • Serve hot with naan, parathas, sheermal or tandoori roti.

Dark Chocolate Walnut Gateau {GF} … and exploring the Canon 6D Mark II #photography #canon

Dark Chocolate Walnut Gateau … baking up for when the world’s lightest full frame DSLR comes over for a review. Well it’s a Canon, more specifically a Canon 6D Mark II, and you just know it’s time to add to the wishlist. Light, at a mere 685 grams, wifi enabled, a touch screen technology, good in low light, not sure what more you can ask for? Did they say adequate weather sealing too? YES!!Yes indeed, it’s a model that won me over even though I already use the Canon 5D Mark III. It seems a matter of luxury to have touch screen auto focus and even a shooting option with the touch screen. For a fleeting moment you might feel redundant since it’s a camera that appears to frame, focus and even shoot on auto! Yet once you get past that initial awe and excitement, this is a good feel, full frame snappy camera with a powerful processor.I speak from quite the non tech point of view but because I have always used Canon as a brand, I am a huge fan of the brand and quality products. I set off with a Canon PS40 when I began shooting, graduated to a G9, then an EOS 50D, and now use a 5D Mark III. Ever since I cut over to the DSLR beginning with a 50D, I used a Canon f/2.8 100mm lens for food photography. I’ve now graduated to an L series lens of the same specs and for me that’s the best lens to shoot food.The Canon 6D Mark II on review came with a kit lens, the 24-105mm f/4 which is pretty decent for a kit lens and the full frame camera. It has the image stabilisation feature that I find so useful, especially in low light conditions. Since I am used to shooting with the 100mm f/2.8 lens and used to the results that gets, it was only a matter of time before I snapped that onto the 6D body.

The images above are all with the kit lens and the ones that follow with the 100mm f/2.8. Such an absolute pleasure to shoot with the 6D. It’s snappy, it’s quick and has a great new processor and a large sensor. These relate to less noise in your images. The live view focus is also really fast and enviable, and the colours are great. The wifi function also means that you can instantly share images to different devices without the hassle of downloading to another device tethered, or via a card reader etc.For the modern day digital lifestyle, this is an amazing feature. It takes the ease of what the cellphone camera can do, and places it in a camera. You might argue that carrying a camera is cumbersome, and these days cellphones produce amazing images too. Then again, If you are like me and are used to a DSLR to take pictures, then there’s nothing else that can offer you the same satisfaction.For you then, the 6D is a good choice if it’s in your budget range. It begins at INR 1,32,000 and if you are a serious photography enthusiast, then it’s a great investment. Though it is always the eye that frames the shot, the person that visualises the frame, you need great equipment to deliver the result. With a full HD capability and an LCD that shoots upto 4 frames a second with less shake in a video, this just might be the camera to consider.I have this Canon 6D in my view even though I love my 5D Mark III to bits. I love the innovative approach Canon has. The latest features are a sign of responding to the ever changing dynamic times, making life simpler while improving on quality, and largely responding to user feedback. How else would you find built in smart device pairings, remote control functions via a smart phone and instant transfers to devices?

If you have questions do let me know. I’ll try and answer them. Canon is my brand of choice as I’ve used no other, and find it meets my requirements and more.

And for the record, I barely do any post processing as most folk who know me are aware. So with minimal fixes {if any}, these are basically just images straight from the camera. I’d love to play around with it more, figure out white balance better etc, but for now I’ll say adieu!

… oh, and before I forget, the Dark Chocolate Walnut Gateau is a delicious healthy alternative for dessert. It’s flourless, it’s wholesome, and chocolate of course! You could actually serve it without the topping, yet who wouldn’t mind added indulgence?

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Dark Chocolate Walnut Gateau

Chocolate and walnuts are a marriage made in heaven. Giving a favourite an even healthier twist, this cake comes with a serving of oats too. It’s flourless, gluten free, moist and delicious. Make it ahead as a tea cake or dessert.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 35 minutes
Servings 8 people

Ingredients

Walnut Oat Base

  • 30 g clarified butter {ghee}
  • 150 g walnuts
  • 40 g quick cooking oats
  • 15 g brown sugar

Dark Chocolate Filling

  • 4 egg yolks
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean scraped {or 1vanilla extract}
  • 15 g coffee powder
  • 100 g dark chocolate melted
  • 2 tbsp Water
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 pinch cream of tartar
  • 50 g brown sugar
  • 30 g oatmeal
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 10 g powdered sugar for sifting

Mascarpone Caramel Cream

  • 200 g mascarpone chilled
  • 2-3 tbsp salted caramel sauce
  • Salted caramel sauce to drizzle

Instructions

Flourless Gateau

  • Preheat oven to 180 C. Butter an 8" springform tin. Line the base with parchment paper

Walnut Oat Base

  • Run walnuts, oats and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in food processor till ground. Add the clarified butter/ghee and pulse till it all comes together.
  • Gently press this into the bottom and up the sides of the baking tin to form a base.

Dark Chocolate Filling

  • Place the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer. Add 50g brown sugar, pinch of cream of tartar and beat on high speed to stiff peaks. Reserve in a separate bowl.
  • Place the egg yolks in the same bowl of the stand mixer. Beat on high speed for 5-7 minutes until thick and mousse like. Add the remaining 50g brown sugar, coffee powder and scraped vanilla bean, and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Gently stir in the oats flour and baking powder.
  • Fold in the melted chocolate and water.
  • Gently fold in the beaten egg whites, beginning with a quarter at a time.
  • Turn the filling over the walnut base and spread uniformly. Sprinkle over with 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • Bake for approximately 30 minutes, cool in the pan for another 15-20 minutes
  • Loosen sides, and leave to cool completely for about 2 hours. The centre will drop/sink
  • Chill, then top with the mascarpone cream.

Topping

  • Whisk the mascarpone until smooth.
  • Take 2-3 tbsp and whisk in the salted caramel sauce to loosen, the gently fold this through the remaining mascarpone. Taste and add more sauce if desired.
  • Top the chilled cake with this, add some salted caramel popcorn if you like.
  • Slightly warm a little more salted caramel sauce and drizzle over to finish.
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