Eggless Apple - Banana Muffins

Hello Everybody ! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Last week we were feeling like summer has started as it was burning with 95 deg temp already. Weekend was cloudy and cool, today we had thunderstorm warning. The weather is crazy, can't predict or plan anything. We did not send our daughter to school today as it was raining very heavily, she enjoyed her long weekend and by evening, she wanted to go to school :-).
Last weekend, one of our friends planned a picnic to a park so that everybody can meet and kids also can have fun together. We were not sure about the weather, as it was raining in the morning and by afternoon it was hot and very humid. We decided by afternoon to meet around 4:00 pm. So, we all decided to make something light and healthy snacks/dinner. I made this egg less muffins as a dessert. Kids enjoyed playing, all men enjoyed talking about their usual stuff and also looking after the kids, we (ladies) walked a small trail talking when the trail will end :-). Totally, everybody had a great time with nice dinner.
So, coming to the muffin, it is quick and easy to make in short amount of time. I made two batches, one with chocolate chips for the kids and the other without them for adults.

Ingredients:

Apple finely chopped - 1

Big ripe banana - 1

Raisins - 1/2 cup

Pecans - 1/2 cup (toasted and chopped roughly)

Flax seed powder - 1 Tb spoon (optional)

Plain flour - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Sugar - 1 - 1 1/4 cup (I have added 1 cup)

Baking powder - 3/4 tsp

Baking soda - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon powder -1/4 tsp

Milk - 1 cup

Butter - 3/4 cup

Lemon juice - 1/2 Tb spoon

Chocolate chips – 1 cup (Optional)

Method:

  • Toast pecans at 350 deg for few min, then cool and chop roughly.
  • Sieve dry ingredients together 2-3 times.
  • Melt butter in large bowl, add milk and gently fold in dry ingredients.
  • Smash banana, and sprinkle lemon juice over it to avoid it from turning black.
  • Peel the skin of apple and chop to very small pieces and sprinkle lemon juice.
  • Add raisins, banana and apples, mix very lightly.
  • Mix in chopped pecans and chocolate chips.
  • Keep mixture a bit lumpy, and do not mix too much.
  • A lumpy batter makes better muffins.
  • Pour spoonfuls of mixture greased in muffin trays, or in small cups.
  • Bake in preheated oven at 350 deg C for 20 minutes or till done.
  • Serve hot or cold. Makes: 18-20 cup sized muffins.

Thanks to all the bloggers, who love my blog and have passed on cute award. I love all of your blogs too. I am very honoured to receive it from you all. I have added it in my side bar along with the names. Thank You once again.

Bye Everybody

Have a great week !!

Egg less Chocolate – Praline Buttons

Eggless Chocolate - Praline Buttons, goes to Madhuram's "Egg substitute-Yogurt" event.

It also goes to Srilekha's "EFM-Cookies" event and also to Poornima Nair's "For the love of Chocolate" event. Thank You for hosting the events.

Ingredients: Pecans – ½ cup Unsalted Butter – ½ cup(1 stick) Sugar – ¾ cup Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp Milk – 1 Tb spoon Yogurt - ¼ cup (Egg Substitute) (Or Egg – 1)

Flax Seed powder - 1 Tb spoon (Optional) Flour – 1 ¼ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder – ¼ cup Salt – ¼ tsp Baking powder – ¼ cup Semisweet chocolate chips – 1 cup Pecans for decorating – ½ cup

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 350 deg F.
  • Spread ½ cup pecans evenly on a baking sheet .
  • Bake, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and fragrant, 5 – 10 min.
  • Remove from oven and let cool. Chop coarsely.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
  • Gradually add sugar, eating until light.
  • Add yogurt (Egg substitute), vanilla, and milk; beat thoroughly.
  • In a small bowl, blend flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
  • Add to the butter mixture and stir well to combine.
  • Stir in chocolate chips and toasted pecans.
  • Drop in teaspoons or table spoons (or a small ice cream scoop) onto a parchment sheet.(Don't worry about the shape, natural is just fine)
  • Top with pecans halves.
  • Bake for 8 – 10 min or until done. Let cool on a wire rack.
  • Enjoy soft and yummy cookies.

Have a wonderful weekend!!

Sprouted Pulses Rotti

I just realized that, it has been long since I have posted anything. So, am back with a simple and healthy rotti. All Kannadigas know about rotti usally made from rice flour. This is done without any flour in it. When I was speaking with my MIL, she told me that she had added pulses for the rotti. So, thought of trying it with my own twist to it. I just soaked all the pulses that I had, sprouted it and made rotti with it without adding any flour. Just added all the ingredients that you add for the plain rotti. You can also make dosa instead of rotti. I could not believe that it would taste that good. It is a must try...
Ingredients:

Hesarukalu / Green Moong dhal – 1 cup Bili Halasandi /Black Eyed peas – ½ cup Kadalekalu /Brown Channa Dal – ½ cup Red Kidney Beans – ¼ cup Onion – 1 big (Chopped finely) Green chili – 2 -3 (adjust according to your spice) Ginger – 1 tsp (grated) Cumin / Jeera – 1 tsp Dill leaves – ½ cup (chopped finely) (optional) Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup (chopped finely) Curry leaves – 2 Tb spoon Salt Method :

  • Soak all the pulses overnight with enough water.
  • Next day remove all the water and allow it to get sprouted for 1-2 days.
  • Grind all sprouted pulses with as little water as possible.
  • Add the chili too while grinding.
  • Mix onion, dill, coriander leaves, curry leaves, cumin, salt and ginger.
  • On a plastic paper apply little oil, then take a ball size of the dough, spread it evenly with hand till it is thin and the size of a chapati.

  • Keep dipping your hands in water while spreading to avoid any sticking.
  • Fry on a hot tava on both sides until brown.
  • Serve hot with any chutney or plain yogurt with pickle or just by itself.
Sprouted Pulses Rotti, goes to Cococooks who is guest hosting "MLLA-10th helping", an event which is started by Susan. PS:
  • You can add any pulses you have.
  • If it becomes too watery, don't worry. mix little rice flour to it or you can convert it to dosa.
  • You can either grind chillis along with piulses or you can just chop it up later.
  • You can add any veggies along with it.

Ugadi Feast

Finally, I found some time to post the recipes of Ugadi platter. These were the items my Mom used to prepare, so tried my best to do everything. Items are from left..Salt, Kossambhari(moong dhal salad), Hullikayi Palya (Beans fry). Thondekayi Palya, Aloo Fry, Halasandi Vade(Black Eyed Peas),Mosaru Pachadi(Raita), Payasa, Burfi, Obbattu(Puran Poli), Mavinakayi Chitaranna (Raw Mango rice), Rice and Obbattu Saru.
Kossambhari:
Ingredients: Moong dhal – 2 Tb sp Carrot – ¼ cup (grated) (optional) Cucumber – ¼ cup (chopped to small pieces) Chili – 1 Hing – 1 pinch Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp Coconut – 1 Tb spoon(optional) Coriader leaves Curry leaves Lemon juice – 1 tsp Oil Salt
Method:
  • Wash moong dhal and soak in water for 2-3 hours.
  • Then drain all the water, add grated carrot and cucumber.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, hing and chillies.
  • Fry for a minute and add to moong dhal.
  • Mix in coriander leaves, coconut and lemon juice.
  • Add salt just before serving. If you add before, it will become watery.
Thodekayi Palya: You can find the recipe for this here.

Hullikayi Palya:

Ingredients: Beans – 1 lb (chopped very small) Channa dhal – 1 tsp Urad dhal – 1 tsp Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp Onion – 1 medium (chopped finely) Coconut – Optional Sambar powder / Vangibath powder – 1tsp (adjust accordingly) Coriander leaves Salt Oil Method:
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds; when it splutters, add channa dhal, urad dhal.
  • When it turns to golden brown, add onion and curry leaf and fry till golden brown.
  • Then add beans, add sambar powder and salt.
  • Mix well, cover and allow it to cook on low flame.(do not add water)
  • Stir occationally.
  • When fully cooked, add coconut and sprinkle coriander leaves.
  • Serve hot or at room temperature.

Aloo Fry:

Ingredients: Potato – 2 big Onions – 1 big (chopped) Chilli powder – ½ - 1 tsp Coriander powder – 1tsp Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp Cumin powder – ¼ tsp Ginger paste – 1 tsp Garlic paste – 1tsp Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp Coriander leaves Oil Salt Method:
  • Cut potatoes into half, add little salt and boil it.
  • After it has boiled cut into medium pieces and keep aside.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add onions and fry till till golden brown.
  • Add ginger and garlic paste and fry for a minute.
  • In a small bowl, add all the powders, salt and mix with 3 Tb spoon water.
  • Add the powder water to the onions and fry for a min on low flame (Do not fry till dry).
  • Then add the cubed potatoes and mix well with the masala.
  • When it has mixed thoroughly, sprinkle coriander leaves and serve.

Mosaru Pachadi /Raita:

Ingredients:

Red onion – 1 small (chopped length wise) Tomato – 1 small (chopped to small pieces) Coriander leaves Yogurt – ½ cup (beaten by adding 2 Tb spoon water) Salt

Method:
  • Mix all the above ingredients and serve.

Halasandi Vade / Black Eyed Peas Vada:

Ingredients: White Halasandhi / Black Eyed Peas – 1 cup Onion – 1 medium (chopped finely) Dill – ¼ cup (finely chopped) Ginger – ½ inch Garlic – 4 -5 cloves Chilies – 2-3 (according to spice) Cloves – 2 Cinnamon – ½ inch Cumin seeds – 1 tsp Coriander leaves Salt Oil Method:
  • Soak Peas in water overnight.
  • Drain the water and grind peas along with ginger, garlic, chilies, cloves, cinnamon and cumin.
  • Do not add too much water.
  • After grinding, add dill, coriander, onions and salt to it and mix well.
  • Heat oil, take a little dough in your hands, flatten and drop in oil.
  • Fry till golden brown both sides.
  • After frying drain on paper towel and serve.

Semiya Payasa:

Ingredients:

Semiya – ½ cup Milk Sugar Cashew Raisins Cardamom -1 Ghee Saffron

Method:

  • Fry Vermicelli in ghee until it is golden brown.
  • Add milk and allow it to boil.
  • When it has boiled, add sugar, powdered cardamom and saffron.
  • Then heat ghee in a pan, fry cashew and raisin till brown and add it to semiya.
  • Serve hot or chilled.

PS: I have not used any measurements. You can adjust according to your taste. Adjust the milk and sugar accordingly.

Mavinakayi Chitaranna /Raw Mango Rice:

Ingredients: Rice – 2 cups (sona masuri - cooked) Raw Mango - 1 medium sized (grated) Green chilies - 3-4: For Tampering: Oil - 3 Tb spoon Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp Urad dhal – 1 Tb spoon Channa Dhal / Chickpeas – 1 tsp Ground Nuts - 1 Tb spoon Turmeric – ¼ tsp (accordingly) Asafetida - 1 pinch Curry leaves - 1 strand Gtampering:rated coconut - 1/4 cup (optional) Coriander Leaves / Cilantro Cashew – 1 Tb spoon Method:
  • Spread cooked rice and let it cool. This is very important as hot rice will break easily while mixing.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds.
  • When it splutters, add ground nuts, cashews, urad dhal, channa dhal & fry till golden brown.
  • Then add green chillies, curry leaves & sauté for few minutes.
  • Add the grated mango & sauté it for 20secs. (do not fry for too long).
  • Then add turmeric and asafetida.
  • Pour this tempering on the rice; add salt, grated coconut & coriander leaves.
  • Mix them thoroughly & gently. Ensure that there are no lumps.
  • Serve hot or at room temperature.

PS:

  • Make sure that the rice is not mushy.
  • Raw mangoes, which we find in India, are very sour, but the one which we find here are not too sour. So, this chitranna tastes good if mango is little sour.
  • If the mango is not too sour, either add little lemon juice or add one more grated mango.

Burfi:

You can find the recipe for this 'here'.

Obbattu / Puran Poli:

You can find the recipe for this 'here'.

Obbattu Saru:

This is a rasam made from the filtered water of dhal used for puran poli. It tastes delicious as the days goes by..

Ingredients:

Jeera / Cumin – 1 sp Methi seeds– ¼ tsp Pepper – ½ tsp Red chillis – 4-5 (according to your spice) Garlic – 7-8 Dry coconut – ¼ cup Curry leaves – 2 strands Mustard seeds – ½ tsp Coriander leaves Tamarind – lemon size Asafetida - pinch Ghee

Method:

  • After draining all the water of the boiled dhal for puran poli, add 2 strands of curry leaves to the water and allow it to boil on low flame.
  • Soak tamarind in hot water.
  • Fry jeera, pepper, garlic and methi separately by adding a little ghee till you can smell the aroma of each while frying.
  • Fry red chilies, then off the stove and then fry coconut just with the heat of the pan.
  • Then grind all the fried items.
  • Add the paste to the dhal water, then add tamarind water and add water according to the thickness.
  • Add a little hoorana to it; add salt and allow it to boil.
  • Heat ghee in a pan; add mustard seeds, when it splutters, add asafetida and 2 byadige chilies.
  • Mix the tampering to the liquid and boil.
  • The more you boil, more flavor it releases.
  • Serve with rice, ghee and vada.(this is my fav combination).
  • It tastes better everytime you boil for the next 2-3 days.

PS: Adjust the spices according to your taste and quantity.

Thondekayi Palya and Halasandi Vade goes to Cococooks who is guest hosting "MLLA-10th helping", an event which is started by Susan.

Mavinakayi Chitranna, goes to Smitha's "Colors of taste-Flavored Rice" event.

Thondekayi Palya, Hulli kayi Palya, Aloo Fry goes to "WYF-side dish" event hosted by EasyCrafts.

HAPPY SHREE RAM NAVAMI TO ALL OF YOU!!

Have a happy and healthy weekend..