[Coffee with Friends] Corn and Spinach Toasties

Hey Everyone,
Today let me share another recipe by a good friend Smruthi Miraj.

About the Guest Blogger in her own Words

A passionate Bombayite by heart and a complete foodie by 'tummy' (pun intended), I enjoy cooking as much as eating! I started off as a creative writer for Hallmark cards and after having dabbled with copy for advertising and content writing, I am quite settled now with Technical writing!
We moved to Singapore five years back. The city state has given me a lot, most importantly, my two bachchas Shanaya and Samar.
When I am not stressing about document deadlines, you can find me engrossed in a Bollywood flick or stirring a ladel in my kitchen trying to come up with something interesting. Hoping to continue enjoying this wonderful state of mind for a long time to come!

I have known Smruthi for few months now, we met on a Playdate and I just love the way she is so easy going and bubbly despite managing a carrier and two kids. So here is a great recipe that she would like to share with all of us...

Corn and Spinach Toasties

Serves-2
Ingredients
1/2 bundle chopped spinach
3/4 tea-cup corn niblets
1 teaspoon butter
1 pod of garlic pressed
1 medium-sized onion finely chopped
1/2 tin cream cheese/ cooking cream
salt as per taste
freshly crushed pepper
4 bread slices 
2 cheese slices or 1/2 cup of grated cheese

Method
1. Chop the spinach and keep aside.
If you are using corn from the 'bhutta' then boil and keep aside. if you are using tinned corn, then just warm the required quantity in the microwave and keep aside.
2. Press the garlic and chop the onion.
3. In a pan, melt butter. Add the garlic and saute a bit.
4. Next add the onion and saute till pink.
5. Add the chopped spinach... stir fry.
6. Add the corn and cook further.
7. After about 3-4 minutes of cooking the above, add the cream cheese/ cooking cream. Mix well.
8. Cook on simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring the mixture.
9. Add the salt and pepper. Mix well, turn off the gas and keep the mixture aside.
10. Cut the sides off the bread slices.
11. Place in oven toaster for two minutes.
12. Take out the bread slice and add the spinach-corn topping to each bread slice.
13. Sprinkle some grated cheese OR pieces of broken cheese slice over that.
Again, place in oven toaster and toast till cheese melts and browns slightly.
Eat warm:-).

Thanks Smruthi for sharing this yummy recipe.

Enjoy the recipe with your family and leave a comment sharing your views...

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[Recipe] Chakali

This Diwali, along with Besan Ladoo (check the recipe here), we made a savoury snack known as 'Chakali' (or Murrukku, as it is known in Southern India). It is a popular snack for Diwali in almost whole of India.

Recipe to get around 20 Chakalis around 7-8cm in diameter

Ingredients
1 1/2 Cup Chakali or Murrukku flour (Available at most of the Indian Stores)
1/2 tsp. Asafoetida or Hing
1 tsp. Salt
1tsp. Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp. Carom Seeds
1 tsp. Ginger Paste
1 tsp. Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp. Turmeric Powder
Water to kneed the dough
Oil for deep frying

Method
1. Kneed the dough with all the ingredients and add 1Tbsp. oil. The dough should be soft and easy to mould
2. Leave it for 5-10 minutes.
3. Grease the chakali making press equipment or use a piping bag.
4. There are two ways of doing it from here- one is to make the chakalis directly into hot oil by moving the equipment or piping bag in circular motion or the second way is to cut few pieces of aluminium foil and make the chakalis on it and transfer to hot oil.
5. Fry till golden brown and take out and drain the excess oil by placing them on paper towel.
6. Let it cool and store in airtight container.

A variation for kids could be to make the dough with only flour, salt and carom seeds.

Hope you enjoy this snack with your family and do share with us...

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[Recipe] Besan Ladoos with Nuts

Hi Everyone,
Hope those who celebrate Diwali had a wonderful one. After all the excitement, celebrations and festivities; here I come back with a traditional recipe for Diwali time- Besan (Bengal Gram Flour) Ladoo.

This recipe is for making approx. 20 ladoos.

Ingredients
Ghee (Clarified Butter)- 150g
Besan (Bengal Gram Flour)- 225g
Suji (Semolina)- 35g
Mix nuts (Cashewnuts, Almonds, Pistachios)- 40g (Powdered or crushed)
Turmeric- 1/2 tsp.
Castor Sugar- 100g
Cardamom Powder- 1 tsp.

Method
1. In a ghee in a pan.
2. Add besan, suji and nuts, and fry on low heat while stirring. Fry till the mixture becomes slightly brown.
3. Add turmeric, turn of the heat, mix it well  and let it cool down a bit.
4. Add sugar and cardamom powder, mix well and form into ladoos or balls by rolling them between palms.

Since I have added powdered nuts, it is convenient for our li'l ones to eat as well, while if you have older kids, you may consider adding crushed nuts.

Enjoy the ladoos with your family and friends and do let me know how it turns out!

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[Recipe] Veggie Sesame Toast

Hey Everyone,
This recipe that I am going to share today is a variation of Open Sandwich with Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves' Flavour (Read the Recipe here). Wanted to share it earlier but could not come up with a name for it... so now when something suitable struck me, here I go with the recipe...

Serves- 2 (2 Slices each)

Ingredients
2 Bread Slices 
1 Medium Sized Potato
3 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Onion
3 Tbsp. Carrots cut in small cubes 
4 Tbsp. Mix of Red, Yellow and Green Pepper (cut in small cubes)
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper (or to taste)
Oregano to sprinkle
White Sesame seeds to sprinkle

Method
1. Boil, peel and Mash potato.
2. Add chopped onion, carrots and peppers and mix well. Add salt and black pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
4. Remove the crusts from the bread slices, apply a layer of potato mixture on one side of bread and sprinkle some oregano and sesame seeds on top.
5. Bake at 180 degrees for 12 minutes.
6. Take the slices out from the oven and cut into two.
Serve as is or with Tomato chilli ketchup 

For Kids, adjust salt and pepper.

Do try out the recipe and let me know how it turns out!

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[Coffee with Friends] Eggless Chocolate Chips Muffins

Hey Everyone, 
Today is the first post under 'Coffee with Friends' (Read here for more on Coffee with Friends. This is a recipe by a dear friend Payal Khajanchi Jain. 

About the Guest Blogger

Payal Khajanchi Jain, a  textile designer by profession is married to a finance professional and mother to a 20 month old daughter lovely daughter- Viha, who is naughty and loves to socialise. Apart from cooking and baking Payal likes to travel, paint and listening to music. I have known Payal for over an year now and have been great friends since. 

About the Recipe
"We are a family of a foodie, I am passionate about cooking and love to experiment different types of cuisines. Baking is what I enjoy the most and my daughter loves chocolate chips muffins which I make quite often for her so thought of sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope your toddler likes it too."- Payal 

Recipe

Ingredients
Plain flour                1 and 1/2 Cup ( minus 3 tablespoon)
Corn flour                3 Tbsp 
or
Cake Flour              1 and 1/2 Cup
Sugar                       1/4 Cup
Choco chips             1/4 Cup
Baking powder         1 Tsp
Baking soda             1/2 Tsp
Salt                          1/3 Tsp
Milk                         1 Cup
Oil                            1/2 Cup
Vanilla essence          1 Tbsp.

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degrees and grease and muffins cups.
2. Sift the Flour, Baking powder and Baking soda.
3. Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately then combine them together and stir the mixture slowly 
4. Keep some chips aside for topping and fill the batter to 3/4 muffin cup, top with choco chips and bake for 20mins.

Thanks Payal for sharing this yummy recipe.

Enjoy the recipe with your family and leave a comment sharing your views...

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[Recipe] Open Sandwich with Mustard Seeds and Curry Leaves' Flavour

Hi Everyone,
Let me share another recipe with you all- this one I picked up from my mum and don't remember from where she got this but believe me it turns out to be yummm.
This is an Open Sandwich with a mild flavour obtained from Mustard seeds and Curry Leaves, two common ingredients used extensively in South Indian Cooking.

Serves- 2 (2 Slices each)

Ingredients
2 Bread Slices 
1 Medium Sized Potato
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/2 Cup Tomatoes (deseeded and chopped)
1 Tbsp. Grated Ginger
2 Tbsp. Chopped Curry Leaves
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Tsp. Black Pepper (or to taste)
1 Tbsp. Mustard Seeds

Method
1. Boil, peel and Mash potato.
2. Add chopped onion, tomato, ginger and curry leaves and mix well. Add salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 180 degrees.
4. Remove the crusts from the bread slices, apply a layer of potato mixture on one side of bread and sprinkle some mustard seeds on top.
5. Bake at 180 degrees for 12 minutes.
6. Take the slices out from the oven and cut into two.
Serve as is or with Mint and coriander dip (For recipe, read here)

For Kids, you may avoid mustard seeds and adjust salt and pepper.

Do try out the recipe and let me know how it turns out!

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[Recipe] Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Hi Everyone,
Today, I am going to share one of my favorite salad recipe with you all- Tomato Mozzarella Salad. It is a fairly filling salad and is great as an appetizer or a side. Here is my version of Tomato Mozzarella Salad

Serves- 2 
Ingredients
1 Cup Cherry Tomato cut into halves
1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese Pearls or cut into cubes
1/2 Cup Green Bell Pepper
1/2 Cup Basil Leaves (chopped)
1 Tbsp. Oregano

For French Dressing
1 Tbsp Vinegar
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 Tsp. Salt
1/4 C Olive Oil
1/4 Tsp. Black Pepper Powder
1/2 Tsp. Sugar

Method
1. Toss all the ingredients for salad except Oregano together
2. For French Dressing, Put all the ingredients in a bottle and shake vigorously to blend and pour on the salad.
3. Toss again and sprinkle some oregano on top.

Mozzarella Cheese or Cottage cheese sprinkled with little salt and black pepper is a great snack for kids. I prefer to use Honey Tomato instead of cherry tomatoes as they are not too sour and slightly on the sweeter side and can be tossed with cheese for kids. 
Enjoy this healthy salad with your family and let me know how it turns out.

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[Recipe] Apple, Cinnamon and Cranberry Muffins

Hey Everyone, 
Hope you had a great weekend! Continuing with my Sunday 'Bake-day' Afternoon baking, I made these super healthy muffins- low in sugar, low in fats, high in fiber and amazingly yummm. I was a bit sceptic when I came across a recipe of Apple Cinnamon Muffins and was not quite happy with the way it was so tried a couple of variations of the same and here comes the Recipe we all loved and will be trying on with more flavours.

High 5- Toddler Bag Essentials

So, we graduated from Diaper Bag/ Mother's Bag to Toddler Bag. As our kids reach this stage, they want to be independent and my Champ loves to carry his own bag as well. We go out more often; most of the time for play-dates, usually for a couple of hours. So in this bag of his, I tend to pack a few things making sure that he has something to eat and drink and most important, something to keep him occupied while travelling. So let me share with you all a list of essentials for a Toddler's bag.

First of all select a light weight bag which your child also likes. My Champ's favorite is this soft bag with a stuffed teddy.

THE BAG

THE CONTENTS

1. Water Bottle

2. Tissues, Wet Tissues and Cloth Towel

3. Cars and Book to keep him busy while travelling. You may like to keep any of his/her favorite toys. And yes Mumma's or Papa's phone is also a part of this category.

4. A tetra pack or your kid's favorite drink

5. A snack box with some finger food or snacks

Apart from these, you may like to pack a couple of diapers and baby wipes if your child is not yet toilet-trained. This small bag is enough if you are out for about 2-3 hours. 

What are the essentials that go into your toddler's bag? Do leave a comment and share...

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High 5- Snack Ideas for Kids

So it's snack time again... What to give your child? Here are High5 snack ideas for Kids (Recommended after 1 year)

1. Cheese sticks- Individually packaged sticks with different combination of cheese. Healthy and convenient finger food.
2. Fruits- Thin sliced, peeled apples, banana, grapes (deseeded), strawberries or any other fruit you can think of.
3. Gerber Graduate puffs- made from wholegrain.
4. Yogurt mixed with fruits
5. Steamed corn

^Image Credits: http://www.sheknows.com; http://www.diapers.com

Check for food allergy. 

DISCLAIMER: Follow the suggestions at your discretion. The author holds no responsibility for any damage  whatsoever.

What's your child's favorite snack? Do leave a comment...

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^Image Credits: http://vi.sualize.us

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