BAKED ASPARAGUS

Baked Asparagus

Edited: - My this post was featured as one of the best posts at-

1. Hearth and soul blog hop on 26th may 2015,

2  My Two favourite things at cooking and craft weekly party on May 28th, 2015.

3.Also featured at Bake of the week on 5th June 2015

4. This recipe was published in the local Newspaper "Here's the Scoop " of  Airdrie on 23rd of July 2015.

I have hardly seen asparagus in my long stay in Africa. Only in South Africa, they were available for a very short time and very small in size, as compared to what we got in North America. Even in my youth, when I was in India, I had not seen asparagus available in vegetable shops or with vegetable vendors.

Now here in Canada, I am amazed to see this vegetable is available in plenty and in all seasons. I think everybody knows the enormous health benefits of eating asparagus.

In the Hindi language it is called “shatavari”, In Ayurveda (Traditional Healing system of India) it is considered as the queen of herbs and used as a divine medicine. The list of benefits of eating this vegetable in Ayurveda is very long, and it is considered very good for women because shatavari supports reproductive health by toning and nourishing the female reproductive organ and maintains healthy hormonal balance.(Source).

This vegetable can be used in many recipes and in many ways. This is a very simple and nice recipe because asparagus is not over cooked. As we know, in a case of all vegetables, overcooking can destroy the nutrients of the vegetables.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 500 grams asparagus
• Himalayan pink salt to taste *OR kala namak
• black pepper powder to taste
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 2 tbs orange juice
• 2 tbs orange zest
• 2 tbs olive oil
  * Himalayan pink salt is available in Indian grocery shops or any specialized food shop.

METHOD

• Rinse asparagus and remove the hard end/stem of all the sticks.
• Sprinkle salt, black pepper powder, coriander powder and mix well.
• Mix orange juice and olive oil.
• Sprinkle orange zest and mixture of orange juice and olive all.
• Spread asparagus in a single line on a baking tray.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees C
• Bake for 10-15 minutes till they are soft.
• Serve hot as a side dish.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post for first blog anniversary of Delectable flavours and with Funtastic Friday,, and with Fiesta Friday, and with Meatless Monday, and with what'd you do this weekend, and for Vegetable palette for the month of May., and with Hearth and soul, and with Tasty Tuesday C.kids and with Cook Blog Share.,with my two favourite things and with Full plate Thursday, and with Food and Fitness Friday., and with Fabulous Friday Party, and with Meat Free Monday, and with Bake of the week, and with Extra Veg June 2015 with Michelle, and with Real food Friday 93., and with Waywow link up party, and with From the Archives Friday, and with Happy, healthy and green party.

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR COOKIES

WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR COOKIES

Aatte ke Biscuit

Happy Mothers day to all mothers.

This post is dedicated to all mothers. We, women, feel really special this day when we not only get gifts and surprises but also a lot of love from our children. The best gift, God has given to women, are her children.

Two days ago when my grandson came from school, he was very excited and told me that he is the only one in his class who is making two cards on mothers day. I asked “why are you making two cards?”, he replied “one for my mom and one for you, because you are also my mom's mom”, I was really touched by the answer. I was actually emotional, then he gave me a big hug, what a great feeling I had at that time.

I love cookies, and I always try new types of cookies available in the shops here. Though I prefer healthy ones like whole wheat, but if I see nice ingredients on the packet, I buy them to test and try. My grandchildren also like chocolate cookies or chocolate chip cookies. These two are the main reasons, you will always find a variety of cookies in my pantry.

My love towards cookies has one more reason- I can not drink tea or coffee alone, I need something with it. Either cookies or some savoury snack is a must for me with tea or coffee, I do not know whether this is good or a bad, but it is just a habit.

Whenever I get time I make cookies because when they are homemade they are even better. The only thing I have to consider is that they should have chocolate chips or chocolate powder so that my grandchildren can also enjoy.

This is the recipe of healthy cookies because it is made with whole wheat flour with little butter and I have also added flax seeds.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup whole wheat flour/brown bread flour
• 1 cup cooking oats (if possible, grind this to a flour)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter at room temperature.
• 3 tbs flax seeds powder
• 3 tbs Nesquick choc powder/1tbs cocoa powder
• 3 tbs choc chips/buttons
• 1tsp Vanilla essence
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)
• 4 tbs milk
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder

METHOD

• In a big bowl, take whole wheat flour and mix oats, then baking powder, soda-bi-crab, cocoa and cinnamon powder.
• Now add sugar and mix well.
• Add butter, milk, vanilla essence and flax seeds and mix well.
• Now add chocolate buttons and make small balls and slightly flatten them.
• Heat the oven to 175 degrees C/360 F
• Spread the cookies on parchment paper on an oven tray, they should be 2-3 cm apart.
• Bake in a heated oven 10-15 minutes. 10 minutes for soft and 15 minutes for crunchy.
• When cold put it in a jar. They can stay on the shelf for one month.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post for Full plate Thursday, and for My Two favourite things, with Cook blog share and with Friday Free for all, and with Food Year Linkup, and with Fiesta Friday and with Funtastic Friday, and with weekend creations, and with Meatless Monday, and with Hearth and Soul, and with Tasty Tuesday and with cocoa link party, and with What"d do you do this weekend and with Cooking for all Seasons., and with Food and Fitness Friday, and with Way Wow link party.

POPPY SEEDS HALWA

KHASKHAS KA HALWA

Poppy seeds add colour and crunch to baking foods and these seeds are used to decorate bread, cakes, rolls and cookies. Poppy seeds are also used for making a thick paste for vegetable and meat curries, and for some Indian food for seasoning or tadka. Poppy seeds are considered to be rich in minerals and it is a good source of carbohydrate which gives a lot of energy to the body.

This halwa is a very nutritious, rich and tasty traditional Indian sweet. Hindus on many festival days like shivratri, navratri, ekadashi etc, fast from grain, this is a popular dish for those fasting days, because this is a good source of energy for those days. When I was young we use to wait for these fasting days when will get the chance to eat the Halwa. My mother was making this halwa on Shivatri. This is my mother's recipe, in which I have added mava (Khoya) later.

Poppy seeds have a unique, nutty and aromatic flavour, and pleasant taste, and has a lot of health benefits like sesame seeds. It can be replaced for sesame seeds in cooking for making a paste in curries etc. Though sesame seeds smaller in size compared to poppy seeds, but both sesame seeds and poppy seeds are good and are used a lot in Indian cooking.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 200 grams poppy seeds
• 100 grams ghee (Purified butter)
•  200 grams sugar
• 200 grams mava (khoya)
• ¼ cup water
• 100 grams sliced almonds or pistachios
• ½ teaspoon Nutmeg powder

METHOD

• Wash carefully in a sieve and soak poppy seeds for 24 hours, make the paste in the blender with the same water used for soaking.
• On a medium flame heat the ghee in a thick bottomed sauce pan.
• Roast the paste of poppy seeds till they are golden brown when you will start roasting, soon the water will start evaporating and the batter will start joining together.
• When its colour is golden brown, add water then sugar and nutmeg powder, mix well and stir for 5 more minutes, till water evaporates.
• Add grated mava or khoya
• Decorate with nuts and serve.

This can be served to 4-5 people as a sweet dish after the meal.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post entry for Full plate Thursday, and for Cook blog share, and with Cooking and craft, and with Fiesta Friday and With Funtastic Friday, and with tickle my taste bud, and with Delicious dish Tuesday, and with City of Creative dreams,and with Meatless Monday and What'd do you do this weekend,and with Tasty Tuesday C kids and with Hearth and soul Hop.