Recently i noticed that we rarely buy Salmon. Once there was a time when Salmon was the only fish we used to buy, as if it was the only one fish which we were known to.  And i always kept it a point to keep  trying out different recipes so that we don't get DONE with that particular fish.
Now we buy fresh catfish from the market and make a regular Kerala Style Fish Fry , it is way little Adya loves to have her fish, and yea also to mention she is a HUGE fan of Shrimp / Prawns.



Before Adya was born or may be until she started on her asking food on her taste , it was either Chicken or Mutton at home on weekends. Now we mostly have a request by the little lady.
Knowing about the healthy reasons of Salmon , i wasn't so keen on leaving it behind. So , this time it was Salmon again.



                 

I had been keeping hold of a recipe that i happened to read in a popular malayalam magazine. I have been eyeing on that for so long , and  had to give it a try. Its pretty simple preparing this , frying and then tossing it in the masala. I served it with a Simple Dal Fry , and Green Chutney

Salmon Fish - TADKA

Ingredients:

Marinate
1 lbs Salmon ( cut in cubes )
2 tsp Red chili powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste
1 tsp Lemon juice
salt

For the Masala
9 - 10 Shallots ( sliced )
1 inch Ginger ( chopped )
5 -6 Garlic ( chopped )
2 Green Chilies ( chopped )
2 Dry Red chili
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
Curry leaves
Oil

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder ( adjust accordingly )
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
Salt

Cooked Basmati Rice

Method:

Cut and clean the fish pieces and drain.
Marinate the fish pieces with Chili pwdr + Coriander pwdr + Turmeric + G&G paste + lemon juice + salt to taste for about 1- 2 hrs and deep fry it in oil until brown , and drain it in a paper towel / tissue paper.

Heat oil in a Kadai , and pop Mustard seed + dry red chili + curry leaves.
Add in Shallots + Ginger + Garlic + Green chilies and saute until soft and tender.
Add in the masala powder and saute again for about 2- 3 mins , add in the fried fish pieces and mix well.
Squeeze in a lemon and mix again, serve it with cooked basmati rice , daal , and green chutney

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                          It was only once or twice that i got to taste a pesto, and from then on i was totally fond of pesto!! But never did i give it a try nor even order it while we dined out. I was just browsing over when i found this Spinach Pesto recipe and was all set to make it for our dinner. I was pretty familiar with the Basil Pesto taste , but never with Spinach.

          I wasn't so sure while making pesto with spinach and had a second option all ready for our dinner that night. While grinding away the pesto , i gave a first taste test and from then on i was just licking away the spoon. I loved the taste , and it smelled just wonderful.
My little Adya finished the whole bowl of the paste served to her , with some extra Parmesan Cheese sprinkled on top , and she loved it.

I love making pasta for our dinner for a fuss free cooking .Some home - made pesto made me love it more , i usually make the Roasted Red Bell Pepper - Walnut Pesto Pasta , which is loaded with extra veggies.
You should give this a try , and your options of using this pesto is so much as a dip , sandwich spread pretty much anything , i am going to explore more ways to enjoy this !!

Toasted Walnut - Spinach Pesto Pasta


Ingredients:
2 cups Penne Pasta
few Cherry Tomatoes  ( cut in half )
Parmesan Cheese

For the Pesto :
3 cups packed Baby Spinach Leaves
2 Garlic cloves
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup Walnut
1/2 a Lemon squeezed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Toast the Nuts:
Arrange the nuts in a cookie sheet and bake it at 350F for 10 mins, until fragrant and lightly brown.

Pesto:
Grind away all the ingredients until paste. Store in a tightly sealed container with some plastic wrap over the top to prevent from browning.

Pasta:
Cook pasta as per the package instructions and drain away the water.
When still hot, mix pasta with the pesto + tomatoes , drizzle in some olive and toss well.
Transfer on to a serving plate and sprinkle some Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: here

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               We aren't much of a snack eaters family , but we loveeee snacks, yes you can rarely find something to crack on in my cupboard. For me snacks refers to something crunchy and savory , and we like it that way to be accompanied with our evening tea. But we are early dinner people, yes we skip out evening snacks and  directly have our dinner by 7.00 pm, people say its kind of healthy , but i guess back in India, we all dine late , right ?

My little Adya, making me remember that she is growing faster, insists me on giving her  "some other thing to eat ". What ever i serve her with she isn't happy , she will still ask me the same; " i want some other thing Amma ". Well, i truly do not know what she means by this " some other thing ". And now trying to outsmart her i make everything possible to be ready if she asks me that " some other thing ".
A few days ago , i was ready with Oranges , Chicken Sausage , and same freshly baked Whole Wheat Cookies , and happy me she went with the cookies and simply enjoyed it. I have always made these at home and we all enjoyed the Whole Wheat goodness , but in between i missed baking these for a few months, and again back on track.

Egg-less Whole Wheat Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup Whole wheat Flour / Atta
1/2 cup Sugar
/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Almonds ( chopped )
1/2 tsp Cardamom powder
1/2 cup Butter ( 8 tbsp or 4 oz )
2 tbsp Milk (or as needed )

Method:
Soften the butter at room temperature.
Pre - heat the oven to 360 F.
In a bowl mix together Flour + Salt + Sugar + Almonds + Cardamom powder.
Knead the flour to a dough adding soften Butter and milk; the dough has to be smooth and soft.
Divide the dough into 24 equal balls , and press lightly.
Place the cookies on a ungreased cookie sheet leaving an inch gap in between.
Bake for 18 mins , take out from oven  let it cool for few mins and remove.
Serve with a cuppa Tea  !!


Recipe Source : manjula's kitchen

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               Summer is getting hotter day by day , and we are just gulping down every drop of liquid possible. I feel the summer gets hottest during the weekends, and weekdays are kind of adjustable.
Nowadays we have started our new way of drinking up our fruits , yes , we are enjoying are frozen fruit smoothies most of the time possible.

Yes fruits are getting over in no time now a days. Even our little lady who is not so found of fruits, is extremely happy in enjoying her Frozen Drink. She loves Jamba Juice , and finishes of her drink happily , i wished she had the same happiness in finishing her evening cup of Milk. I have such a hard time to make her drink it all. But when it comes to this special Home -made Frozen Fruit Smoothie , its all happiness !!!

This is a Pinterest inspired drink that i got to try recently and we enjoyed the whole jug within minutes. This drink also seems to work perfect for Summer Birthday Parties at Parks. The Mint - Sugar Syrup recipe was from here.



Mango - Mint Cooler

Ingredients:

2 cups of Mango Pulp ( chilled ) ( naked brand Mango Smoothie drink works fine )
3 - 4 cups of Sparkling Water / Unflavored Soda ( chilled )
1/2 of a Lemon ( squeezed  & strained )
2 tbsp Sugar
Mint Leaves ( use more as needed )

Method:

In a sauce pan boil together 3/4 cup of Water +  7- 8 mint leaves torn + 2 tbsp Sugar , boil until the sugar dissolves , let it boil for a few more mins, strain it and let it cool , refrigerate until used.

In a jug, mix together Mango Pulp + Lemon + Mint Syrup and pour in the chilled sparkling water , and serve cold.

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               I mostly try my best to stock up my freezer with a dessert nowadays. We all love to taste on something sweet after our meals most of the time. Making use of the summer season to the maximum i am trying out Homemade Ice - Creams and relishing it. I prefer making Ice - Creams at home rather than buying it from the store. Its not that i don't eat store bought ones, but i feel those to be so sweet , on the other hand i can make my very own Ice Cream and at the same time balance on the amount of sugar going in.

We ; particularly little darling and mommy are huge dessert fans, but for me my desserts or anything for that matter must have sugar level a bit lower than what is actually needed , that way i control our sugar level to an extent. Its not purposefully but, i do not like anything to be literally on the SWEETER side.

Coming back to the recipe, this is something i have been waiting to post ; the simplest way to make your very own Ice Cream without using an Machine Ice - Cream maker. And this is surely the best method to entertain your friends at a potluck too, which in no way would go wrong even if made in a large quantity. The recipe calls in for a 1/2 a can of Sweetened Condensed milk , but again , i just added in about 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp, and it was just sweet as the way we love it.

Strawberry Ice Cream - No Machine

Ingredients: 

10 - 12 Strawberry
one 8 oz tub Cool Whip ( refer notes )
1/2 can Condensed Milk

Method:

Wash and hull strawberries; puree the strawberries.
In a bowl add together the pureed strawberries + condensed milk + Cool Whip and mix until well combined.
Transfer into a freezer safe bowl with a lid and freeze until  6 -7 hrs or well set.
Serve chilled or just dig in.

Notes:    If you do not want to use Cool Whip , whip about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of Whipping cream until soft peaks and use it instead of Cool whip.

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         I guess the sleepy fairy has touched me again ,i went into a small sleep mode for a couple of days and i'm trying to be back with the same amount of energy i had a few days ago or even a bit extra.I have been trying to post this recipe since long, well not so much LONGGG but just Long!!Hubby have already fallen into the track of having Quinoa for a proper lunch, but its been only a few weeks that i have at least started trying out Quinoa for a meal.

I mostly pack lunch for him , so he insists on having Quinoa mostly , and i try being creative making changes and the end result would be Quinoa Pulao with variations.
This time even i wanted to try Quinoa for lunch but surely not in a Pulao way, so i opted and went ahead with the " Fried Rice Style ".It came out so good , and the taste was great, even my picky little eater was happy to taste some spoons of " Quinoa Fried Rice ".

My hubby dear is very keen on making me remind the Health benefits of Quinoa, so i try my best to include it to our meals at times. Earlier i have posted a Quinoa - Mushroom Cutlet . Now adays i include it in our diet my making a Mutli - Grain Dosa Batter , will share the recipe soon.

Quinoa Fried ' Rice '

Ingredients:

1 cup Quinoa

1/2 Carrot ( chopped )
4 -5 Green Beans ( chopped )
1/2 Celery stalk ( chopped )
1/4 cup frozen Green Peas
3 tbsp chopped Onion
1 tsp Ginger - Garlic paste OR 1 inch Ginger piece ( chopped ) +3 cloves Garlic ( chopped )
2 Eggs ( well beaten adding salt to taste )

2 tsp Soya Sauce ( adjust to taste )
1/2 tsp Sriracha Sauce or any Chili sauce ( adjust to taste )
1/2 tsp Pepper
Salt

Method:

Cook Quinoa following the package instructions OR
Thoroughly wash Quinoa with water and drain. Measure 1 1/2 cups of water + 1/4 tsp Salt in a saucepan and add in the cleaned Quinoa and stir it. Cook on high until it bubbles up and foams for about 3 mins or so.
Lower the heat to medium to low and cook covered , until all the water absorbed and Quinoa cooked. Do not stir it with a spoon , just fluff it up with a fork and let to cool completely.

Heat oil in a Kadai , and scramble the eggs and set aside.
In the same Kadai, heat oil and add in Ginger- Garlic paste OR chopped Ginger and Garlic and saute for a min. Add in Onions and saute + Carrots + Green Beans + Celery; saute for 2 -3 mins.
Now add the cooked and cooled Quinoa + the sauces + pepper and mix thoroughly.
Check for salt and add in chopped spring onions + scrambled eggs and mix well.
Serve hot.

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            We are early bird diners , i meant we are done with our dinner almost by 7 o'clock in the evening. So, we rarely get a chance to munch on evening snacks , but when we do its a full fledged ones. On our routine grocery purchase days i usually tend to avoid munchies for us , but just grabs on the little ones share. Adya loves to have something something or the other , but its CAKE first on the demand list.
As its been a while we all three had a evening snack , i was all in for some sweet - spicy taste.
Soft and sweet - Sweet Potatoes served with Spiced up Shallots .

 This has been the best Combo ever known to me , it was the best evening snack to fill your tummy with some hot Tea.
It can be a bit filling at times , but i am sure no one can just stop by tasting just one.
We had big spoons of shallots on the potatoes and loved the burst of flavours, even adya was happily dipping in her spiced shallot and enjoyed her piece !!
These are some of my Grand Ma's special serves , and i adore it the most when made by her.


Spiced up Shallots

Ingredients:
10 - 15 Shallots sliced
1 tsp Red chili powder ( adjust accordingly )
2 -3 tbsp Coconut oil
Salt

Method:
Clean , wash and slice the shallots very thin and put it in a bowl.
Add in chili powder , salt and oil, and mix it well with the back of a spoon or a motar & pestle or just use your clean HANDS , it works best.
Serve with Cooked Sweet Potatoes.

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