There’s too much beauty out there

…. in the blogosphere and one of my main reasons to start this blog came running back to me – to document all the lovely things I see.

Yes, I’ve been away for a very long time but there have been many instances in the past few days where I have wanted to come back….

Like today, to share this awesome find, this delicious vegan Italian cooking blog, Kitchen Bloody Kitchen. Imagine my delight! Eggless baking, eggless recipes that look so gorgeous :-)

The language shouldn’t be an obstacle if you open the website on Google Chrome browser and take advantage of its instant translate feature :-) 

  Eggless Triple Chocolate and Cherries Loaf Cake

 Eggless Apple & Almond Cake

Eggless Chocolate Cake with Cherries & Almond Cream

 

Happy browsing and craving :-)

Get Inspired: Sweet Valentine Day Creations [Eggless]

Are you planning to make or bake something special for your loved one(s) this 14th Feb? Here are a few eggless treat ideas to get those creative juices flowing... :)

 

 

 
Super cute Valentine Brownie Pops by Squirrel Bakes
(P.S. You can make eggless brownies using a recipe I tried here)

 Nutella Buckeyes from Dessert by Candy

 
Strawberry Nutella Thumbprint Cookies via Sinfully Spicy

Chocolate crackles by Bakerella

 
And finally, the simplest of ‘em all Choco dipped and drizzled strawberries via My Kitchen Addiction

Ice Cream Oreo Cake – You Want?

As you can see from my recent posts, I’m going crazy with my DSLR ;) I love the way it captures light and how much control you have and how gorgeous everything appears.

But wait a second, weren’t we supposed to talk about some yummy dessert here.. :)

So made some ice cream oreo cake recently and wanted to share the results and recipe with you.. I love how it takes just five-minutes to put together and the taste is oooh la la.. awesome..how can you go wrong with cake, ice cream and oreos anyway right! :)

Ingredients:
1 liter vanilla ice cream, melted
18 vanilla oreo cookies, crushed
18 chocolate oreo cookies, crushed
1 small tin of Nestle cream
Sponge or marble cake thinly sliced

Directions:

• Line a square/ rectangle serving dish with sliced cake
• Mix melted vanilla ice cream and cream in a separate bowl and add crushed oreo cookies. Reserve some to sprinkle on top
• Cover and freeze. Remove a few minutes before serving
• Yes, it’s done.. so simple isn’t it..told ya!

P.S. A big thank you going out to Monika for sharing this recipe with me.

Mom’s Superhit Gajar Ka Halwa Recipe: A Must In Winters

It’s been a while I’ve been living away from mom and at regular intervals she ensures I receive my share of her bestest and my favouritest delights. Every winter her gajar ka halwa is a must. This winter though, she’s been on a long holiday and I haven’t had my share of mom’s halwa. No wonder then, whilst vegetable shopping at a nearby store, I spotted red carrots, the ones you need to make this heavenly Indian dessert, and the cravings appeared.

A quick phone call was all that was needed – God bless ‘em moms – excited she explained with careful step by step directions. How on earth could I ever ever go wrong after that :)

The result was not exactly like mom’s, it can’t be, the love she makes it with was missing ;).. but must say it was very very close.

Ingredients:
1kg red carrots 
1/3 cup ghee (feel free to add more, it only enhances the taste ;D)
1 + 1/2 cups of milk 
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons milk powder 
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
Handful or more of mixed nuts
Directions:

• Peel, wash and grate carrots
• Heat ghee in a pan, add cardamom powder followed by grated carrots. Stir on high heat until water is absorbed
• On medium flame, add milk, in 4-5 portions. Each time you add one portion of milk, let it get absorbed and then add the next one. Cook until most of the milk dries up
• Add sugar and milk powder and continue to stir until it mixes well for about 3-4 minutes
• Add dry fruits and that’s it!
• Now devour – hot hot! :D

Eggless Vanilla & Chocolate Cake Recipe

It’s funny what can go into a cake when you’re trying to bake an eggless one ;D

I would have never dared to try a cake recipe with yoghurt as one of its ingredients if it wasn’t for the flying praise it won from one of my most trusted food bloggers, Deeba. I was overjoyed at the results she posted and tried it asap.

Must say the recipe does not fail. The cake’s super moist, light and yummmy. A recipe for keeps.

Here’s the link for Deeba’s version of the recipe and here’s the link to the original posted on Sailu’s blog.

Happy Baking :)

Second Anniversary Special: Guest Post 1 by Deeba Rajpal of Passionate About Baking (Potato Mushroom Croquettes Recipe)

I got a mail from Komal the other day asking if I was OK to doing a guest post for her sweet blog Lifealicious which turns 2 on the 1st Of December. I said yes of course, but had to settle for a simple post since Komal has a vegetarian blog, and eggs don't fit in. Most of my baking has eggs, and I was too short on time to do an eggless bake today. My next best bet are these Potato Mushroom Croquettes that are a BIG HIT in my home, and I make them as a side, or even an after school snack for the kids at least once a week. Each time I make them, I think I'd better post them soon as Komal will love them as she always asks when I'm posting my next vegetarian dish!

When I see a tweet, message or comment from Komal { her call-sign for me is Dee}, I am reminded of a bubbly brook, enthusiastic and fun. She is always full of joy, tweets her emotions from time to time, and is forever asking me for veggie options when she has entertaining to do. This is a recipe I developed for an olive oil brand here, keeping in mind my fussy daughters abject dislike for mushrooms. I had to find a way to get this source of protein into her, in a way that she would enjoy! Needless to say, she loves them, laps them up, and constantly asks for more. Can't get better than this!! Small joy otherwise, but for me huge satisfaction.

A croquette is a small fried food roll containing usually as main ingredients mashed potatoes, and/or minced meat, vegetables, and soaked white bread, egg, onion, spices and herbs, wine, milk, or any of the combination thereof, sometimes with a filling, often encased in breadcrumbs. The croquette is usually shaped into a cylinder or disk, and then deep-fried. The croquette (from the French croquer, "to crunch") was a French invention that gained worldwide popularity, both as a delicacy and as a fast food.

I shallow fry my croquettes on low flame to give them a crisp outer crumb. I made my own breadcrumbs with whole wheat bread toasted on low till dry, and pulverised in the processor with dried herbs, garlic granules and a few chili flakes. I think this is a great healthy option for a side dish, a snack, a tiffin box filler ... and if you roll them into small balls and fry them - a great party appetizer served on cocktail sticks.

Happy 2nd blogiversary Komal ... it's wonderful to know you, virtually for now,
but I'm sure we'll meet next time you are in Delhi!

Potato & Mushroom Croquettes
Recipe by Deeba Rajpal
A fusion recipe I created packed with nutrition, the humble potato is taken to greater heights with the addition of mushrooms sautéed in olive oil. Flavoured delicately with fresh coriander and rosemary, the surprise element of lime juice adds a delicious zing.
Makes 15 cutlets
Ingredients
200gms button mushrooms, chopped very fine
4 cloves garlic, chopped very fine
1 tsp red chili flakes
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, chopped very fine
2 tbsp Borges Pure Olive Oil
5-6 medium potatoes, freshly boiled and warm {Use waxy new potatoes for good texture}
Juice of 1 lime
25-50gms mature or regular cheddar
1 slice of brown bread
Salt to taste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 tbsp Borges Light Olive Oilto shallow fry

Method:
Place olive oil with garlic, chili flakes and fresh coriander in a pan, and simmer gently till garlic begins to sizzle.
Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté on medium-high heat till they give up all their moisture and are nice and dry.
Turn off heat and leave in pan.
Grate the potatoes in a large bowl. Grate the cheese in, and add with the cheese spread. Hold the slice of bread under running water for a few seconds, squeeze dry and add to the bowl. Add the mushrooms, lime juice and salt and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning if required.
Divide into 15-16 portions and shape as desired. {You can make ahead and store them in the fridge at this stage for 1-2 days}
Dip each into breadcrumbs to coat all sides, and shallow fry on simmer in light olive oil or vegetable oil until crisp on both sides.
Serve with soup, freshly baked bread, tossed beans etc.
Suggestion – Make fun shapes for children like squares, diamonds, hearts etc. {You can even use a simple cookie cutter}

The Magic of Baking

Who knew baking could be a source of such joy and excitement…. I am absolutely loving the whole experience of experimenting with different recipes and going like ‘Wooww’ to ‘Nahhhh’ and ‘Hmmm..it’s alrite’ :)

Here’s a few (or two) results that have come out of my oven lately.

Eggless Brownie with Condensed Milk 

 Eggless Carrot Cake with Condensed Milk

Eggless Marble Cake with Nutella

This one’s a deliciously moist cake, the melts-in-your-mouth moist kinds :) and super light. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.

The recipe can be found here, just omit the carrots and cinnamon. I halved the batter and added Nutella to one half. To get this pattern, pour the two batters one after the other (no need to spread – it’ll happen by itself)  in such a way that you get about 4-5 turns of each.

Mighty Excited about an Egg Replacer

That I picked up recently. Just the thought of me no longer having to look at some delicious recipes and going ‘Oh no, can’t try this recipe coz it has egg!!!’ is exhilarating :)

You have to be like a super enthusiastic novice vegetarian baker to know how that feels ;D

(Image Via)

Must contain my excitement though, until I’ve actually tried something with it and it turns out as awesome as with eggs. This Pioneer Woman recipe from Bakerella is first on the cards.

( Image Via)

Organ No Egg is available at the Organic Foods & Cafe at Dubai Mall for AED 31.50.

Simplest No Bake Eggless Cheesecake Recipe Ever

"Julia taught me what it takes to find your way in the world. It's not what I thought it was. I thought it was all about-I don't know, confidence or will or luck. Those are all some good things to have, no question. But there's something else, something that these things grow out of. It's joy."

- Julia Powell
Author of Julie & Julia

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you the easiest, yummiest, egg free and no bake cheesecake recipe I have ever come across, a recipe that was passed on to me by our lovely cousin Dipti, who I (and now you too) should thank and remember every time you make this gorgeous delight ;)

It takes minutes to understand, minutes to assemble but seconds to be wiped out :)

 

Ingredients:

1 250grams pack of Digestive biscuit
Approx 150grams margarine, melted (I used unsalted butter this time around but do not recommend as I think it hardens the biscuit base a bit too much or perhaps I needed to use more butter)
1 300grams pack of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 36grams Dream Whip sachet 
1 pineapple jelly sachet mixed in 1 medium glass of warm water
1 170grams Nestle cream tin 
1 can of strawberry filling/ topping

Yes, it’s all about 1s, all about using up the entire sachet, tin or pack, so there’s no measuring and no left-over ingredients :) You just have to pay a little attention to the measurements when picking up the products.

Directions:

1. Starting with the biscuit base, grind digestive biscuits and mix with margarine. Set this first layer flat in a serving dish or  individual bowls or wine glasses.
2. For the second cheesilicious layer, grind together Philadelphia cream cheese, Nestle cream, Dream Whip and jelly mixture. Pour above the biscuit base.
3. Let this set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and then spread the strawberry filling over the second layer. Chill again and serve.

It’s Uncomplicated – This Vegan Mango Pudding

I like recipes that have a handful of ingredients and start at Step1 and finish at Step2 :) This one’s like that. The effort involved is inversely proportional to the taste ;)

Since it is the season of fresh mangoes, I’m sure most of you will find the essential ingredient of this recipe either at home or a few steps away at supermarkets. The other thing needed is…. well, I’ll let that be a surprise for a bit ;)

This simplest of mango pudding recipe comes courtesy of Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking, a website to be bookmarked for those looking for egg free recipes. The outcome is heavenly deliciousness :)

Yes, I do realize, I have done all the talk but haven’t shared the recipe yet :) You can find it here, on Madhuram’s online cook book. 

Simple & Easy Eggless Brownie Recipe

Brownnniiiie – my love affair with this devilish treat started back in college (yeah, rather late or shall I say thankfully late ;D) and ever since I have been faithfully in love with it.

When I said goodbye to hidden eggs in desserts last year, I had somehow managed to get the brownie and most desserts off my mind. Have to admit, the food blogs I keep discovering day after day have made it very very very difficult for me to stay away from all things sweet and in many ways is responsible for me baking, since eggless desserts aren’t readily available.

Back to today’s topic and the eggless brownie recipe came from browsing through Asha Khatau’s Delectable Desserts of the World book and I just had to give it a try. It needed simple ingredients readily available in the kitchen.

The result - :D nah I don’t want to rave anymore, looking back at my recipes and I have already used a lot of yums and deliciouses .. though I should add that this recipe is a MUST try. What you get is a heavenly delight.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Powdered sugar
1/4 cup Brown sugar (I had left over condensed milk from an earlier recipe so substituted this with 1/4 cup condensed milk)
1 cup Plain flour, sieved
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Vanilla essence
1/2 tsp Soda bi-carbonate (I did not have so skipped)
1/4 tsp Salt
3 tbspns Cocoa powder
6 tbspns Melted butter
1/3 cup Chopped walnuts
1 tbspn Vinegar
1 cup Ice cold water

Directions

1. Sieve together flour, sugar, baking powder, cocoa powder, soda bi-carbonate and salt
2. Combine the wet ingredients together, except water
3. Mix the dry with the wet ingredients, adding water little at a time
4. Grease tin and pour the mixture. Bake in a pre-heated over at 180C for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean
5. Remove and cool in the pan for 5-7 minutes (very important, I was quite impatient at this step & don’t want to tell you what happened, so just follow :D)
6. Cut into equal squares and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream on the side

What shall I say…

Except that this eggless banana walnut cake was….you guessed it… yummmmmm :)

I’m Experimenting

with baking :)

God, like I’m the sort of a person who likes to follow recipes to the T, so playing around with ingredients, a dash of this – aaah why not that - is just not me.

And so my surprise at not just exercising my imagination but also the following success of my yummy eggless nutella walnut mini muffin recipe :)

Sinful Nutella Cake – The Eggless Way

Nutella – OMG yummy yummy :) I was introduced to this lip smacking spread from my friend N’s lunch box in school. Her mom would pack these nutella sandwiches for her, only to be relished by us.. er.. only me I think :)

I was reminded of nutella once again a couple of weeks ago when I came across this Swirl Cake with Nutella recipe by Sandra Avital. You have to check her blog out to see just how tempting those pictures are. One look at them and I was dying to get my hands on to an eggless one.

So taking my mum’s earlier cake recipe and a bottle of nutella, I set out to make this treat.

Recipe:

1. Follow the cake recipe from here, omitting the carrots and cinnamon and using 3/4 tin condensed milk
2. Grease the tin with butter and pour half the batter and even it out with a spatula. Spread a layer of nutella over this and finish off with the remaining batter on top
3. Take a toothpick or the back of a spoon and swirl around so as to give a marble cake effect.
   Tip: Do this gently and do not let the toothpick sink to the bottom else the nuttela sticks to the tin

The result: Indescribable.  Has to be tasted to know exactly what I mean :)  

Spiced Eggless Sponge Cake with Carrots

The endless yum yum food blogs have always tempted me to post some of my mum’s cannot describe out-of-this-world recipes (:D)on the blogosphere, but despite good recipes never had good pictures to justify the yummy recipes.

This time was different though.

This time it was a Saturday - the time, the inclination, the ingredients, the urge to have a cake were all there and so I set out to make this recipe adapted from my mum’s eggless date and walnut cake recipe.

This one’s super easy and the cake is so soft you could never tell it’s an eggless cake. The ingredients are also ones that can be easily found in every kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 cup Fine Wheat Flour (maida)
100 grams salted butter, melted 
1 tin condensed milk (I held just a bit back)
1/2 cup grated carrot
3/4 tspn baking powder
3/4 tspn cinnamon powder
3-4 cloves crushed
1/2 cup milk 
chopped almonds to spread on batter

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven at 180c for about 10 minutes
2. Grate carrot and keep aside
3. Melt butter and mix well with 1 tin condensed milk
4. Add 3/4 teaspoon baking powder and mix again
5. Add 1 cup flour – little at a time to avoid lumps and milk simultaneously
6. Mix batter well and add the cinnamon powder and crushed cloves
7. Mix grated carrots and pour into a greased baking tin, spread chopped almonds on top
8. Bake for about 30 minutes at 180C depending on your oven

Tip: If you’re note sure the cake is done, follow the toothpick test - insert a toothpick in the centre and if it comes out clean, the cake is done :)

And now relish this delicious piece :)

P.S. This recipe is  my first entry to food events in the blogosphere. It’s going to Show Me Your Cake over at Dil Se and Cakes & Cookies event at Indian Vegetarian Kitchen