Gluten Free Nankhatai

Nankhatai is a crispy delicate cookie with cardamon flavor, its one of my favorite during my childhood

3/4 cup almond meal ( I made it by grinding raw almonds)
1/2 cup besan
1/4 cup green cardamon powder
1/8 tsp salt
10 tbsp sugar (powdered)
1/2 cup vegan butter ( I use earth balance)
Few almonds for garnishing

In a bowl mix besan and almond mean after sieving . Add salt and mix thoroughly.
In a separate bowl take softened butter and sugar and mix until gets creamy.
Then mix sugar mixture with besan mixture knead well and keep in refrigerator for 15 min.

After 15 min take out kneaded dough and knead few more min. Than take out small pieces (around 16) and make small balls , removing any cracks with finger.

Place on a greased baking tray or tray with parchment paper. Put 1 almond on each ball and press lightly.
Keep tray in refrigerator for another 15 min.

In mean time preheat oven at 300F. Then after 15 min take tray with cookie balls out and bake for 16-18 min , keep watching cute cookie rising and not turning brown

Then take out oven and keep out for 5-10 min to let it cool. Keep watching your family mementos not trying to take a piece or 2 now itself .

After cooling down enjoy the cookies! Caution: it goes fast so make double batch!

Grilled Sandwich

Gluten Free Grilled Sandwich

Brussels sprout

Gluten Free Fruit and nut bread

I was in mood to make some yummy nutty desert bread, I was going through the book 500 gluten free and found this recipe interesting, I gave my own to make it Vegan and some other changes .

Ingredients :
1 cup dried tropical fruits, I had one from Walgreens, I removed coconut from it.
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup chopped figs
1/4 cup golden raisins , I will try cranberry for a twist next time
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp applesauce
Litchi juice (1/4 cup)

1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup potato starch
1 tsp xantham gum
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup butter, I used earth balance to make it Vegan, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp GF egg substitute (mix with water per instructions on package)
1/2 cup applesauce

Recipe:

In a bowl add all dried fruits and 1 tsp applesauce.
Heat litchi juice , heat until heated, no need to boil.
Pour heated juice in bowl containing dry fruits and applesauce . Mix well , cover and keep for 3 hours.
Preheat over at 350 degree farenhite.
In a large bowl add almond meal, potato starch, xantham gum, baking powder, cinnamon, cornstarch and mix well.
In separate bowl, take melted butter , add sugar , mixture of egg substitute in water slowly and mix well, then add flour mixture, applesauce, dry fruit mixture . Stir until just combined. Grease 2 loaf pans. I made 1 in muffin tray and 1 in loaf pan.

Bake for about and hour, about 35-45 minutes if making in muffin tray.

Check if toothpick when inserted cones out clean.

Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out and cook completely on a wire rack.

Enjoy ! It finished fast in my house :)

Gluten Free Fruit and Nut Bread

Fruity sauce

It's a really yummy sauce I came across of my favorite blog, I must say its awesome

I used kiwi, orange. Almonds , mint and coriander leaves and salt, cumin powder, green chills with lime juice. It turned out awesome

Chinese quinoa stir fry with baby corn

Today I got up with craving of eating something very spicy. I wanted to make something healthy and fast. I had some already cooked quinoa saved from yesterday's lemon quinoa . So I thought of making stir fried quinoa with baby corn. I hope you will give it a try and you can really custom make per your taste :).

Ingredients :
2 cupped cooked quinoa
1 medium sized onion, chopped lengthwise
2 green onions, separately chop green and white portions
1 zucchini , chop diagonally
Celery , 1 cup finely chopped
Brocllie florets,1 cup
Green beans , finely chopped , 1 cup
Carrots , 1 cup shredded
Baby corn, 1 cup
Ginger , 2 tsp finely chopped
Garlic , 2 tsp finely chopped
Green chilies per taste
Soy sauce, 1 tsp
Vinegar, 1 tsp
Salt per taste
Black pepper , 1 tsp
Oil, 2 tsp
Chili hot sauce (optional)


Recipe:
Prepare all vegetables. Keep aside
Heat oil in a pan , add onion and stir fry
Once turned brown add ginger, garlic, green chili, white portion of green onions.
Stir fry for 3-4 minutes , add celery and sauté , after 2 minutes add rest of all vegetables except onion green.
Stir fry until vegetables get cooked. Then add soy sauce, black pepper , vinegar, chili sauce If adding, mix thoroughly with vegetables.

Then add cooked quinoa , salt. Remember sauces has salt already so be cautious with salt.

Cook for 3-4 min, stirring occasionally. Then add spring onion green, serve hot with hot sauce!

Tips:
I add roasted peanuts once sauces are added it really taste great and gives a Kung fu style taste :).

Lemon Rice using quinoa

Lemon rice is one of my favorite quick fix dish. I make it whenever I have leftover white cooked rice. Now a days I make it with quinoa . It's a health , quick , high protein recipe. Definitely give it a try.

Ingredients:

Quinoa - 1 cup
Onion -1 medium sized , finely chopped
Red dry chillies -2/3
Curry leaves - 7-8
Peanuts -10
Split pea lentil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cashews - 10 (optional)
Oil -2 tsp
Salt per taste
Turmeric powder -1/2 tsp
Lemon juice - 3 tsp

Recipe:
1. Cook quinoa in 2 cup of water and keep aside.Heat oil in a pan, when heated, add mustard seeds once spluttered, add split pea lentil and curry leaves and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add red chilies,
2. Add chopped onion and sauté until little caramelized.
3. Now add turmeric powder and sauté for a few seconds.
4. Add peanuts and sauté for few seconds , add cashews as well if using.
5. Add cooked quinoa and mix well.
6. Mix salt per taste in a bowl with lemon juice.
7. Now add this salted lemon juice in pan with quinoa and mix well. Cover and let cook for 3-4 minutes.
8. Garnish with finely chopped fresh cilantro.

Tips:
1. You can replace quinoa with cooked white rice/ brown rice .
2. Use per roasted peanuts / cashews to save time, if salted adjust salt accordingly.
3. You can use lemon juice in bottle available in super markets.

Quinoa Appam

Ingredients:

• Quinoa [1 cup] (I usually buy organic one from Costco)

• Brown Rice [1 cup] or white rice [1 cup]

• Split Pigeon peas  (Toor Daal)  [1 cup]

• Ginger [around 1 inch piece]

• Green Chillies [approx 3-4] according to taste

• Salt according to taste

• Cumin Seeds [1/2 tsp]

• Garam Masala [1 tsp]

• Shredded Carrots [1/2 cup]

• Shredded Cabbage [1/2 cup]

• Turmeric powder [1/4 tsp]

• Shredded coconut [1/2 cup ] [optional]

• some oil for making appam

Recipe:

1.     Soak Rice, Quinoa , Lentil (Toor daal) for around 3 hours in water.

2.    after 3 hours remove excess water and grind into a paste (use some water if needed for grinding), but avoid excess of water.

3.    Mix ginger and green chili and grind again.

4.    Once grounded properly mix salt, cumin seeds, garam masala , shredded cabbage and carrots , turmeric powder, coconut.

5.    When ready Heat appam pan on gas on medium or low medium heat. pour few drops of oil in each mold.

Quinoa Appam

6.    Then pour spoonful of batter in each mold, cover with a lid and cook until the lower side turns golden brown. Keep the heat on low to medium low the entire time, otherwise the outside of the appam will get dark while the inside remains uncooked. 

Flip over and cook the other side until it is cooked . Remove and serve hot with some ketchup or chutney.

Guilt Free Almond Cookies........

I was looking for a cookie recipe which is tasty as well healthy, I came across this recipe on SensibleVeg

Ingredients:

• Almond Meal 1 cup
• Chick pea flour (Besan) 1/2 cup
• Agave Nectar (1/2 cup)
• Vegan butter (1/4 tsp)
• Vanilla Essence (1/4 tsp)
• Baking Soda 1 pinch
• Salt 1 Pinch
• Sliced Almonds (for garnishing)

Recipe:

• Mix Almond meal, Chick pea flour, Vanilla Essence, Salt. 
• then mix melted butter, agave nectar in mixture and make smooth dough.
• Make 12 Small Balls
• Preheat oven at 350 degree Fahrehiet.
• Place the cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake for 10 minutes and let it cool for 5 minutes.
• take out and store in airtight box for a week.

Kale , Mango, Chickpea Salad

Kale with Mango, Avocado & Chickpeas Salad

I love kale in salad, I was too tired to post recipe yesterday. It's a real refreshing salad.

Ingredient :

• Kale leaves, remove from stem, chop finely- 2 cups
• 1 mango , chopped 
• Black chick pea, soaked,boiled - 1 cup
• Avocado, chopped
• Corrionder chutney-2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper , to taste
• Lemon juice - 2 tsp
• Sunflower seeds - 2 tsp (optional)

Recipe:

Mix all top 4 ingredient in a bowl. Add salt, lemon juice, black paper and top with sunflower or pumpkin seeds. Someone not following gluten free diet can enjoy as we'll.