Oats Banana Muffin--Glutten free

Hello Sweeties!!! How are you doing today? Did you have a good and healthy breakfast or ran to work with coffee and nothing. These muffins are an ideal to-go breakfast, as they are made with breakfast staples of heart healthy oats, mineral rich bananas and  added bonus they are gluten free.

Luckily, we don't have any added issues with allergies or diet restrictions, but eating healthy is something no doctor should prescribe for you. Growing up we were hammered with breakfast like a king, lunch like  a prince and dinner like a pauper saying by our elders. That was the time we kind of ignored this and now when we are facing weight and cholesterol issues as such young ages, we have come back to the same circle of life.

So from today, resolve to have a decent breakfast without gulping down tea or coffee. Sit peacefully and eat; five minutes does not turn the world, only your eating habits upside down.

Source
* I have tweaked the recipe to suit my needs

You will need; Makes 24 muffins
1 .5 cup old fashioned oats

1 .5 cup gluten free baking flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tbspn honey

1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Eno-Fruit Salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large ripe bananas
3 tbspn chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f.
Mash bananas (overripe make the best muffins).  Add oil, sugar, honey, egg and milk. Mix well. Mix the flour, oats, salt and eno together and add to banana mixture. 

Mix until flour is blended (do not beat). Gently fold the mixture so no lumps are remaining.  Add the walnuts and stir gently.

Put into muffin pans and bake at 400 degrees F for 15-20 mins or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Kaju ladu-- Cashew Fudge balls

Hello sweeties!!! The new year has been kind in making my life fall in some kind of routine. I was finally able to shed my laziness and get back to blogging one recipe at a time.

The last year has been a roller coaster ride on the home front and made me count my blessings in whichever way I was blessed. It has made me more accepting of the pain and sadness that life constantly throws at us and at times in our face. Having been at a crossroad more often than I really wished, I have learnt to let go, and go with the flow.

To overcome the sourness, I have also been making sweets and desserts more often now. Having kids in the preteen ages also helps in finishing all food around. So its working out to be pretty good. I also discovered the strength these kids have without them realizing that motivates us to keep going and staying positive. 

You will need; 

1 cup whole cashews

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)

1 tbspn rose syrup

Grind the cashews to a fine powder. Do not add water or milk. Cashews if refrigerated(at least for a day) grinds well to form powder.

In the frying pan bring the water to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium add the cardamom, rose syrup and sugar. Mix well with a wooden spatula. When sugar dissolves add the cashew powder and mix well to avoid lumps. 

Keep stirring the mixture till it starts leaving the sides of the pan and begins to thicken. At this stage switch off the flame, remove the content in a greased plate and let it cool for 4-5 mins.

When this mixture turn warm enough to be handled, with grease your hand and knead it well till it forms a smooth shinny ball. Roll out into small balls and store in a airtight container after they cool down.

Paneer Paratha-- Cottage Cheese Stuffed Flat bread-- Kids School Lunch

Hello Sweeties!! The first post for the year 2015 is a hot favorite with my kids. My kids love paneer and anything with paneer makes the food interesting. 

Lately they have been asking for school lunch that is easy to eat and do not take much time to eat. Parathas and sandwiches are a staple and life saver for moms in my shoes. The kids are enjoying such lunches and seeing empty boxes are a relief for me.

For the stuffing;
1 cup paneer mashed
1 tspn crushed garlic
1 tspn red Chili/Cayenne powder 
1 tspn Cilantro chopped

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp chat masala
1tspn Garam masala

Salt to taste

Mix the paneer, garlic, cilantro, garam masala, red chili/cayenne powder, chat masala, turmeric and salt,  to make it into a soft pliable dough. Keep aside.

 For cover;

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tspn salt

1 tbspn oil

water as needed to knead into a soft dough

In a bowl, mix the oil and salt and water and knead into a soft pliable dough. 

Making the parathas,
1. Make equal size balls of the cover and stuffing
2. Roll a small round of the cover and put the stuffing in it and fold from all sides and roll that in some flour, dust the rolling surface with some flour and
3. Roll into a small round roti or paratha.

Heat a pan/skillet/tawa and roast it on both sides applying little oil or ghee on it . When it gets cooked, serve with yogurt/pickle/ketchup or sour cream., salad or just enjoy these with hot chai.