I do not usually bake as and when desire strikes fancy! Its usually planned out. I have this list of to-do bakes for every month with specific ones planned for each week. I have to do it to accommodate my time and schedule not to mention the availability of ingredients in my pantry! Another thing, I try to generally avoid blogging/blogging based activities like drafting, researching, photos, cooking etc. during weekends. For a good reason of course! The reason – ‘my better half’.

If I don’t like to cook when he is around, he doesn’t like me to do blogging while he is around! Works fantastic . Another thing I don’t do is to take photos at night! I like a healthy dose of light around esp. since I do not own those fancy photography lights/ studio. That so called white light in my kitchen makes all my food look yellow which I hate! With so many “no-no’s”, this chocolate bread is sure a first timer. Yesterday, while I was watering my plants, I heard this sudden wail from the other side of the fence. The kid was crying its heart out and after straining my ears to eavesdrop after few minutes, I heard the mother’s voice shouting at the kid “NO MORE NUTELLA! You finished half the bottle already”! I don’t know why, but after hearing that I had this sudden craving for chocolate and nuts. I do not have nutella at home (OK don’t look shocked! I don’t like chocolate that much remember?)(...)
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Post tags: almond extract, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, eggs, hazelnuts, semi sweet chocolate, vanilla extract, yogurt

Its getting to be too hard getting up early nowadays. (Ignoring the jibe on my side about “When have you ever been able to?” #$#$$). Anything before 8am, seems to look and feel like 4 am to me! Regular readers of this blog would know about my blah blah’s for wholesome breakfast. Sounds great – as long as there is someone else whipping it up that is . But since my mother has ditched me and given me away to a person who thinks just like me in this matter, its not helping.

So what’s one to do? Prepare it before hand obviously. Something that fills you up with wholesome ingredients and gives one the much needed boost in the morning. For me that means something with wholegrains, something with milk and fruits. Pancakes are great – but one needs something different, hence zeroed down to scones. I have been experimenting with triticale for a while now and have come to like few recipes with it.

Among the ones I tried, these triticale and currant scones was one. I have adapted this recipe from Oat scones by Chef and author Peter Berley to use my Triticale flakes and ingredients which I had on hand. No butter , No Sugar and No eggs are the special points. Dried fruits, wheat pastry flour, yogurt , honey and sun flower seeds give these scones the nutrition kick, making it delicious and hearty. I especially loved the addition of sunflower seeds since it gave these goodies some yummy crunch.

These were so hearty that, I did not have room for any toast and just about finished my Ginger Tea along with few slices of apple! It also made sure that I remained full until noon thus avoiding mid morning snack.

Like this? You might also like other breakfast recipes : Wholewheat Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes, Strawberry Pancakes, Buttermilk Pancakes, Blueberry Scones with Sour cream, Wholemeal Banana Walnut muffins, Indian Holy Basil tea(...)
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Post tags: cinnamon, currants, honey, pastry flour, sunflower seeds, triticale, vegetable oil, yogurt

I am always on the lookout for rice recipes – well can’t think of a meal without some rice. We may reduce the quantity but are yet to completely eliminate it from our diet what so ever!! Its sometimes hard to think that what we grew up with would be bad for us. Just because we don’t get enough exercise is not the fault of rice now is there? I hate working out but if I had to choose between cutting out rice and exercise, I would prefer even living inside the gym! Anyways, rice is such a handy item for lunches and in of those google searches I got to know of Middle Eastern Mujaddara. Its a lentil rice and it fit my need like a glove. Protein with rice – Perfect!.

It is also known moujadara, mejadra or mudardara. I checked out many versions of this recipe and have put together as per my needs and preferences. All of them predominantly make use of Brown/Green lentils. I always have green lentils for its firm texture. I like that it does not break down while cooking and retains its shape making the dish more hearty. Lots of caramelized onions as a topping completes this dish.

You might be interested in: Arroz Amarillo (Yellow rice), Chipotle style Cilantro Lime rice, African Jollof Rice, Mixed Rice Pilaf, Kashmiri Pulao, Zafrani Pulao
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Post tags: cinnamon, cumin, fennel seeds, green lentils, onions

This is the Best Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe EVER! From all the ones that I have tried (well its not as many would think, but anything more than 3 is many in my dictionary. I am lazy remember?). This recipe is from All Recipes where for once, at least for me, the term “best” has been used precisely. I know of so many of these “The best” recipes that turn out to be “oh hum” at the end. I scaled the recipe to yield about 24 cookies. I added a little cardamom powder and some more cinnamon for that aroma and taste

There are some do’s and don’t for this recipe which I read in the comment section of the original recipe. I am providing them here along with few of my own observations. I am sure they will help you to make some amazing cookies ever. Snickerdoodle is a cousin of Sugar Cookie. The addition of Cream of tartar to these cookies helps these cookies to rise well. Wikipedia says -
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Post tags: cardamom, cinnamon, cream of tartar, eggs, shortening

I thought I made lots of pumpkin puree and was wondering how I was going to finish all of it! I need not have worried. With the last of my puree, I made these utterly delicious spiced Pumpkin cupcakes. These cupcakes have gone places – from David Leite to Smitten kitchen to Honey and Jam. With such a fan following, I knew I had to make it.

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Post tags: baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, buttermilk, cake flour, cinnamon, cloves, cream cheese, eggs, ginger, ginger powder, lemon, nutmeg, pepper, peppercorns, powdered, powdered sugar, pumpkin, squash, sugar

This recipe is in my drafts for like ages. To be precise 8 months!. But after getting repeated recipe requests for Baklava, I had to do “open sesame” and post this now. Why the hesitation? This Baklava is the Best one I have ever tasted, it just was the photo. It simply does not do justice to the heavenly sensation that it creates in your mouth and down your throat. I was waiting for the moment, when I would make this sinful indulgence again, but well it just did not arise.

Anyways, I personally think that we should ban Baklava. yes, you heard right. Its worse than drugs – makes you a die hard addict. I mean see it this way – I, don’t love sweets. Period. I am among the 0 .00000001% of women who DON’T go gaga over chocolate. In fact I run the other way. Sugar syrup makes me hurl and even the smell of desserts in general does not give that velvety esthesis which it usually induces in average humans. Inspite of all this – I did a complete U-Turn and all but finished a huge plate of Baklava all by myself. I simply couldn’t stop myself from reaching the fridge like 10 times a day to fork a mouthful!
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Post tags: almonds, caster sugar, cinnamon, cloves, lemon, walnuts

I am such a wholegrain freak. I look for ways and means to add in whole grains in my diet – be it during breakfast, lunch, dinner and even desserts. Its the pumpkin season and its inevitable that our mind goes to the classic pumpkin pie whenever we think of pumpkins. What could be more better than eating the rich pie but getting nutrition along with it.
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Post tags: brown sugar, cinnamon, eggs, ginger powder, half and half, honey, milk, nutmeg, oat flour, pumpkin, squash, wheat flour

Its hard not to like Muffins. I especially dig the types which are healthy and low fat yet don’t feel like one. For some reason, low fat baked goods seem to have such a bland and earthy taste sometimes that it completely throws me off! I mean, wanting to make people eat healthy should be encouraged isn’t it? Why make it this way then? A friend of mine recently told me if it was not for “such” health foods how would the ‘market’ make us buy all those ‘diet pills’ and god knows what else! Valid point there With all this technology and the rapid advancement that Man seems to be making, one would assume that we are getting stronger – only that it does not seem to work that way!
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Post tags: baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, buttermilk, cinnamon, eggs, ginger powder, molasses, pumpkin, squash, wheat bran, wheat flour, yogurt

Regular readers of this blog would surely by now know my love for breads. Its amazing how breads can be made with almost anything and everything! With Pumpkins everywhere, it is inevitable that I would try a bread made with some. I had made some home-made Pumpkin Puree and the first thing I did was to use some for this bread.
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Post tags: all spice, baking soda, brown sugar, cinnamon, eggs, nutmeg, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, squash, vegetable oil, walnuts, wheat bran