HEALTHY CHICKPEA SALAD

My hubby dear & I are both in love with salads. Every day I wish to try some new salad combinations and chickpea is my favourite ingredient.
Chickpea Salad is such a delicious and nutritious way to enjoy fresh summer veggies and is perfect to make ahead and enjoy for lunch!

I love fresh summery salads filled with a huge variety of products and this recipe contains so many wonderful, fresh ingredients! Refreshing cucumbers, juicy diced tomatoes, black olives and Lemon dressing are the perfect complement to chickpeas! Not only is the combination of colours and textures beautiful, but it is also loaded with flavour for a totally irresistible meal ready in just minutes.

What I love most about this chickpea salad is that you can customize it to your own preferences.  If you don’t like olives, leave them out….want something a little spicy, throw in a little bit of chopped jalapeno. It’s your salad your way.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup  Chickpeas soaked  and boiled  well
1  Cucumber Chopped
2 cups  chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint optional

FOR THE DRESSING:
2 tsp  olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tbsp lemon zest
2 cloves garlic minced
kosher salt and fresh black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, toss together the chickpeas, cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, basil and mint until well combined. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine.
4. Cover the salad and transfer to the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
5. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

   NOTES:

   This Chickpea Salad can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container

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HOMEMADE DRYFRUIT COCONUT BARK

Coconut dry fruit Chocolate (The After – Dinner Bark)

This recipe is adapted from Nandita Iyer’s book: The everyday healthy vegetarian.
I made these chocolates for my Indore cookbook club meet.
*Fun fact-I used coconut for the first time in my chocolates.*
Nut & coconut & cranberries are a good combination. Eating a piece of bark as a post-dinner treat ensures you get a serving of healthy fats. Do try it.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 Cup almonds
1/4 Cup cashews
1Cup dark Chocolate
1/4 Cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Coconut chips
1tsp white sesame seeds
5,6 drops vanilla essence

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Slightly Roast almonds and cashew and coconut in a pan or microwave.
2. 
3. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler or in a microwave. Add vanilla essence and combine well.
4. Add the nuts, cranberries and coconut chips and stir to combine.
5. Line a small baking tray with parchment paper. Transfer the chocolate mixture over the paper.
6. 
7. Sprinkle sesame seeds all over and press down with the spatula.
8. Place this tray in the fridge for 10 minutes.
9. Once it has set, break into pieces of desired sizes. Save in an airtight box in the refrigerator.

NOTES:

• you may any nuts of your choice.

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MANGO ICE BOX NO BAKE CAKE

This mango icebox cake is a summer family classic! The layers of juicy fresh mango are sure to keep you refreshed!

Have you heard of Icebox cake? Its a saviour for those who don’t like to spend too much time in the kitchen and yet want to give a homemade dessert to family or guests. Not only is it easy to bake but can be served in the most attractive way.

I made this cake for our Indore cookbook club event whose theme was mango.

I saved this recipe from  ‘tastemaker’ a few months back and had wanted to make it since. With the sun melting us down and a cook meet to look forward to, I found the perfect opportunity to try out this cake.

If you like mangoes and wanted to try different recipes using it then have to look at my collection of mango recipes.

INGREDIENTS:

4 ripe mangoes (I’ve used Alphonsos)
2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 can  condensed milk (or 1 cup icing sugar)
30 tea biscuits (like Rich tea, Marie)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Whip the cream till soft peaks form and add the condensed milk. Mix well and whisk again for a minute.
2. Later add 1/2 cup of fresh mango pulp and mix well. Peel and cut mangoes in slices and set aside.
   Assembling:
3. Line a square tin with greaseproof paper at the bottom and on sides.
4. First layering: Lay a layer of biscuits at the bottom of the tin. Make sure there are no gaps left. For any gaps left, cut biscuits and lay in between.
5. Next goes the whipped cream mixture. Spread 1/3 of mixture evenly. Last goes layer of mango slices.
6. Second layering: starting from biscuits– cream–mangoes…follow the same procedure as above to form the second batch. Third layering: start with biscuits—cream—mangoes….
7. Here the mangoes slices layer will be the face of dessert so we need to arrange it in a decorative manner.
8. finishing with a rose of mango at the top.
9. Cover the tin with wrapping paper and refrigerate whole night. Remember to refrigerate (chill) and NOT FREEZE.
10. When ready to serve cut in desired size and shape slices and serve. The mango slices itself act as a garnish but one can still use golden leaf/sprinkles/ mangoes roses etc.

NOTES

• Instead of biscuits, one can use graham crackers, wafers, Italian style ladyfingers, Oreo cookies, etc
• Instead of whipped cream, one can use a combination of custard / ready pudding and whipped cream.
• The condensed milk can be substituted with icing sugar and still it works fine.
• Mangoes can be substituted with chocolate spread, other fruits like peaches strawberries, persimmons, kiwis etc.

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WATERMELON CANAPES

Looking for a fresh start for parties. Juicy Watermelon slices with black salt, cumin and pepper with the chillness of yoghurt are perfect to kick start any event.

This combo worked so well that the dish became an absolute favourite for both kids and adults.

Do try out this summer treat and let me know.

INGREDIENTS:

Watermelon slices 10

Black salt 2 pinch

Thick Curd/yoghurt 1/8 cup

Pepper ground 1 pinch

Cumin ground 1 pinch

Cilantro/mint for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Take yoghurt/curd in a bowl and add freshly ground pepper and cumin…
2. Take little black salt in a small bowl…
3. Sprinkle/rub little black salt on watermelon slices(cut in your desired shapes, I cut it as Heart shape using a cookie cutter)…
4. Place a spoon of yoghurt in top carefully in the centre…Garnish with little cilantro or mint to add to the freshness…

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CHOCOLATE DRY FRUIT GULKAND BALLS

Chocolate Dry Fruit Gulkand balls are delicious festival dessert recipe that you can make to serve after your everyday meals. Filled with the goodness of dry fruits, everyone in your family will love it.
This recipe has a slight twist to it with the addition of Gulkand. Gulkand is a flavoured jam made from rose petals and when added to sweets like this Dry fruit balls, brings out great flavours and taste.

Recipe courtesy ..Archana’s kitchen and Chef Ranveer barar (meethe bahane )
Its Time for Raksha Bandhan so I thought of making this healthy sweet for this festival.

Prep Time: 20 Minute 

Cooking Time: 50 Minute

INGREDIENTS :

1 cup Dates, chopped
1/3 cup Badam (Almond)
1/3 cup Cashew nuts
1/3 cup Walnuts
1/3 cup Raisins
2 tablespoons Gulkand
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/4 cup oats
1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon Ghee
1cup white chocolate
red colour
colourful sprinkles
1tbsp Hershey’s chocolate syrup

INGREDIENTS :

1. To begin making the chocolate  Dry Fruit Gulkand balls With Gulkand Recipe, chopped the dates and then make a smooth paste without water. keep it aside.
2. Meanwhile finely chop almonds, cashew nuts and walnuts. You can also use a food processor or a mini chopper to fasten the process.
3. Roast some oats and desiccated coconut also.
4. Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan, add dates paste mix well and saute for a minute.
5. Next nut mixture, nutmeg powder, gulkand mixture and stir to combine well.
6. Cook for a couple of minutes until you notice the mixture coming away from the sides of the pan. Once you notice the mixture comes away from the sides of the pan turn off the heat.
7. Put some ghee on your palm and make dry fruit balls.
8. Take some white chocolate and melt in the microwave. Add some chocolate colour.
9. Dip dry fruits ball in melted chocolate and put in a butter paper .decorate with some colourful sprinkles.

   tadaaaaa…

   Your chocolate dry fruit Gulkand balls are ready to rock the festival.

   Serve Chocolate Dry Fruit Balls  With Gulkand as a festival dessert or gifting .

NOTES:

• You may use nuts of your choice .
• you may coat this balls with desiccated coconut

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CREAMY LAYERED JELLY DELIGHT

An easy and quick dessert that you can surprise your kids and family.

I prepared this simple dessert regularly because whenever I bake a cake always some leftover with me.

So the ingredients of this recipe are mostly is available with me. you can prepare this exotic dish in an easy manner at home. You will find this not only simple but also tasty and be bringing a lot of rejoicing on the face of your family members.

You can make for a small get together or party too. You may do your choice of variation in this recipes.

Easy, yummy and attractive recipe for any occasion. You may make this in a jar also for gifting.

Preparation Time: 40 Min

Cooking Time: 10 Min

INGREDIENTS  : 

Chocolate cake 4 Slices (readymade or home cooked)

1 Packet Jelly, (easily available in market) I used Orange flavour

1 Cup fresh mixed fruit (you may use canned too)

11/2 Cup whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. I used simple vanilla  cake for recipe click the link for recipeEggless Malai Vanilla Cake
2. Prepare jelly according to the instructions given and keep it aside
3. Take a short glass, fill it 1/4th with crushed vanilla cake
4. With the help of piping bag fill a layer of whipped cream.
5. Now place a layer of jelly. Again fill the glass with whipped cream.
6. And top-up the glass with mixed fruits and jelly.
7. Enjoy your day with family, friends and Dessert Cup…

NOTES:

• You may use brownie and the crushed biscuit instead of vanilla cake.
• you may use Indian sweets like boondi ke laddu or kajukatli for fusion dessert.

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