Strawberry-Lime Juice

Category: Juice  
Preparation Time: 10 mins     
Servings: For 3-5 persons
 

Strawberry-Lime Juice

Ingredients:

• Strawberries, washed and hulled - 5 - 7 nos (I used 5 Big sized)
• Lime / Lemon - 1 no (Big sized)
• Sugar - 4-5 tbsp (adjust as per taste)
• Salt - a pinch
• Water - 5 cups

Method:

1. Take the strawberries, sugar and little water in a blender and blend to  a smooth puree
   
2. If you want to strain, you can strain it now (I used without straining)
3. Squeeze the lime juice into the puree and add water
   
4. Mix well and adjust the taste as per liking
5. Chill and serve
   

Whole Wheat Jam Cookies

Category: Baking  
Preparation Time: 10 mins   
Cooking Time: 15-20 mins  
Servings: Around 30 cookies

Whole Wheat Jam Cookies

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour / Atta - 1 cup
• Sugar (fine) - 1/4 - 1/2 cup (adjust as per taste)
• Butter (Unsalted)- 1/2 cup
• Salt - a pinch
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Jam - as required (I used home made strawberry & blueberry jam)

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree F
2. In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt well
   
3. Add soft butter to the flour mixture and mix well to form a crumble mixture
   
4. Gather it to form a smooth dough 
   
5. Using a spoon (I used 1/2 tbsp measuring spoon) scoop out equal sized balls and place the dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet about inch a part and using thumb make impressions or we can use 1/2 tsp measuring spoon to make uniform sized impressions
   
6. Bake the cookies for about 15 minutes or until the bottom edges turn lightly gold brown
7. After they become lightly golden brown remove the cookie sheet from the oven
   
8. When the cookies become warm, fill the impressions with jam and allow to cool
   
9. I also tried placing the jam before baking and that too came out well; but in this case we need to add only little amount of jam since it will ooze out while baking
   
   
   
   
10. Since I used home made jam, its of right consistency to fill the cookies; if you are using store bought jams, you might need to melt a little using double boiling method

Kale Greens Chips - Baked

Category: Snacks / Side dish
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 10 -15 mins
Servings: For 1-2 persons

Kale chips is a healthy and tasty snack and you can use any spices which you like or just salt and pepper. This is not only quick but very delicious:).

Baked Kale Chips

 Ingredients:

• Kale greens - 1 bunch
• Olive oil - 1 tbsp
• Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin powders - 1/2 tsp
• Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp to taste (optional)
• Garam Masala -a generous pinch
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Wash Kale greens thoroughly and allow to dry for few mins
3. With knife carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and cut into bite size pieces
   
4. Mix the masala powders and salt with olive oil and coat the leaves 
   
5. Arrange the leaves in a single layer in a baking tray
   
    
6. Bake until the edges turn brown but are not burnt, for about 10 to 15 minutes
   
7. Take out and allow to cool for few mins and serve
   

Beetroot Chutney

Category: Breakfast / Tiffin
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 10 mins
Servings: For 3-4 persons

Beetroot Chutney

Ingredients:

• Beetroot, chopped - 1 no
  
• Channa Dhal - 1 tbsp
• Urad Dhal (Split) - 1 tbsp
• Red Chilly - 1 -2 nos (adjust per taste)
• Curry Leaves - few
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Pepper - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - 1 tsp

For Tempering:

• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dhal (Split) -  1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan, add Channa & Urad Dhals fry till they turn golden brown. Then add the red chilly and curry leaves followed by cumin seeds and pepper; fry for 30 secs
   
2. Add the chopped beetroot along with required salt and saute till it turns soft
   
3. Once it gets cooked, switch off and allow to cool
4. Grind the mixture with required water to a chutney like consistency and transfer to serving bowl
   
5. Do the tempering and add to the chutney
   
6. Serve with hot Idly / Dosa

Bell Pepper - Tomato Chutney

Category: Breakfast / Tiffin
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Servings: For 2-3 persons

Capsicum/ Bell peppers are rich sources of antioxidants and vitamin C. Compared to green peppers, red peppers have more vitamins and nutrients. The level of carotene is nine times higher in red peppers. Red peppers have twice the vitamin C content of green peppers.

This Chutney can be made with Red or Orange or Yellow peppers and I haven't tried with green ones yet.

Bell Pepper-Tomato Chutney

 Ingredients:

• Bell Pepper (Red /Orange / Yellow), chopped - 1 no (Big sized)
  
• Tomato, chopped - 1 no
• Onion, chopped - 1 no
• Garlic cloves - 3- 5 nos
• Red Chillies - 1-2 (adjust to taste)
• Coriander / Mint leaves - handful
• Salt - to taste 
• Oil - 1 tsp
• Channa Dhal - 2 tsp
• Urad Dhal (Split) - 2 tsp

For Tempering: (Optional)

• Oil - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Urad Dhal (Split) - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan and fry Channa & Urad Dhals for a min till it becomes golden brown and add red chillies and fry for 30 secs
2. Add chopped onions and garlic cloves, saute till it becomes soft
3. Then add the chopped bell pepper, saute well for a min and then add the tomato pieces
   
4. Add required salt and cook till it becomes soft
5. Add the coriander / mint leaves; mix well and switch off
   
6. Once its cooled, grind to a smooth chutney like consistency
   
   
   
   
7. If you like to temper, add the tempering to the chutney 
   
8. Serve with hot Idlies / Dosa
   

Blueberry Jam

Category: Home made Jam
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 40 -50 mins

Home made Blueberry Jam

Ingredients:

• Blueberries – 3 cups, washed
• Sugar – 3/4 cup (adjust as per sweetness of the sugar)
• Fresh Lime Juice – 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Blend the blueberries into smooth puree (If you want chunkier, you can use whole berries)
   
2. In a pan, add blueberry puree / whole blueberries, sugar and lime juice; mix well
   
3. Bring the mixture to a boil by stirring frequently
   
4. Reduce the flame and continue cooking for 30-45 minutes until the bubbles disappear and it reaches jam consistency 
   
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes
   
6. Once it becomes warm, transfer jam to a clean and dry glass bottle
   
7. Allow the jam to cool completely and then cover and refrigerate     

   

   Jam on Bread!

Strawberry Jam

Category: Home made Jam
Preparation Time: 5 mins 
Cooking Time: 40 -50 mins

Home made Strawberry Jam

Ingredients:

• Strawberries – 16 oz (454 g), washed and hulled
• Sugar – 1 cup (adjust as per sweetness of the sugar)
• Fresh Lime Juice – 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Blend the strawberries into smooth puree (If you want chunkier, you can blend coarsely)
   
   
   
   
2. In a pan, add strawberry puree, sugar and lime juice; mix well
   
3. Bring the mixture to a boil by stirring frequently
   
4. Reduce the flame and continue cooking for 30-45 minutes until the bubbles disappear and it reaches jam consistency
   
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes
   
6. Once it becomes warm, transfer jam to a clean and dry glass bottle
   
7. Allow the jam to cool completely and then cover and refrigerate

   

   Jam on Bread!