A Mothers Delight

Tags

apple, baking, carrot, cocunut, dessert, egg, flax seeds, Friday Feast, fruit, muffins, recipe, walnuts

When I first saw this recipe at Meeta’s amazing blog I felt that the recipe has too much going around with it, too many flavours that may clash with each other but than I sat and looked hard at the recipe and as she mentions, the recipe is every mother’s delight… it has vegetables, fruits and nuts all rolled into one. I decided to give it a try and was very very pleasently surprised at the results. The flavours blend with each other so well that its hard to imagine that their are so many ingredients that went into it.

I did make some modifications to meeta’s recipe though… the major one being I used whole wheat flour instead of maida and yes I added a tsp of flax seeds powder to it

What I used

• 280g whole wheat flour
• 200g sugar
• 50g walnuts – toasted and coarsely chopped
• 270g carrots – grated
• 1 large apple – grated
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup desicated coconut
• 3 large eggs
• 180 ml vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp flax seed – roasted and grounded to a powder

How I made it

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Toast the walnuts till slightly brown, I roast them in the oven itself when it is getting heated
• Mix all the dry ingredients together i.e. flour, sugar, baking powder. salt and cinnamon, Add walnuts and coconut to it and mix a little
• In a large bowl whisk the eggs a little, add oil and vanilla essence
• Fold in the grated carrots and apple.
• Add this mixture to the dry mixture, stirring until the dough is moist.Dont overmix it which I think is the key to make good muffins
• Pour in greased and lined muffin moulds and bake for about 20 mins

Cool and bite into them, as I said before they were yummy… the carrots and apples keeping it moist, eggs adding softnes and walnuts and flax seeds adding the crunch… and very nutritous :)

Gajar Ka Halwa

Tags

carrot, dessert, Friday Feast, gajar, halwa, holi, indian, recipe, winter food

I had to start this post with that pic… I know I am a little late and summer is almost here but I somehow absolutely forgot about it but guys you are still getting those red carrots… make it one last time before they vanish from the market… I surely will and then how can I not have something sweet for holi :)

Gajar Ka Halwa (and I refuse to call it carrot halwa it just sounds something different also I am reminded of the carrot halwa that u get here made out of those orange carrots and that is just not my cup of tea :) ) is one of my all time favorite desserts. I remember how we would start waiting for red (those orange carrots were not available in delhi in those days.. carrot used to be only red and available only in winters) carrots to come right from October so that we get to eat halwa :D :D :D and that patterns continues still

Hope you too enjoy the recpie

Ingredients

• 2 kg red carrots
• 500 ml cold milk
• 250 gms khoya (if u dont have khoya available which is usually the case in Bangalore u this recpie to quickly make it. Its microwave recpie for palkhoa, just be careful to reduce the sugar u add later)
• sugar to taste (i usually like it less sweet so I put about 3 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 cup mixed dry fruits

Method

• Shred the carrots (take care to not make them too fine they become too soggy if u do that)
• Put the carrots and cold milk together on the stove in a big kadai (putting it together and the milk being cold is very important else there is a tendency for the milk to curdle)
• Simmer stirring often and let it cook till the carrots are about half done…
• Add sugar and ghee to it… this point of time carrots will leave a lot of water, let it dry. By the time water dries the carrot will be almost cooked
• Let it simmer for another 10 mins or so
• Add the khoya and dry fruits to it and roast for about 10 mins on low heat
• Serve hot

My mouth is watering seeing the picture and I so want to make it again… Also I was thinking of making gujiya for this holi I have never made them before so if any of you have a fool proof recipe or tips please to send :)

On the other hand gosh will  u all mommy bloggers specially the ones in US tell me how the hell do you manage the house, cooking, kid and a blog single handedly??? I have just been doing it since 2 days and I think I am dead, the brat is sleeping right now so I squeezed some time to write a post, I still haven’t opened the reader and replied to the comments…. and here atleast I have a housekeeping maid who comes and go.. I bow to u all :) apart from the work load we three are really enjoying this phase… this is the first time ever we have had as a family alone…. mil lives with us and the sometimes that she has gone visiting to sil’s house the maid has been there… It suddenly feels so nice to have the whole house to ourselves… (Disclaimer : My mil is nice I am not saying anything against her ;-) its just that the feeling of three as a family is very nice..)

and holi is here too… so here is wishing all u guys a very happy holi… keep the spirit of the festival and play sensibly… drink a lot of bhang ;-) Happy Holi

PS: the above pic is taken somewhere on the highway during our Delhi-Bangalore Drive

Carrot Muffins (post no 29)

Tags

apple, baking, carrot, muffins, NaBloPoMo, recipe

I tried making muffins for the first time, I have made cake multiple times but not muffins and I was very happy with the results, everyone at home loved them too :)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (50 grams) walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped
• 2 cups (270 grams) grated raw carrot (about 2-3 peeled carrots)
• 1 large apple, peeled and grated
• 2 cups (280 grams) flour
• 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3.5 grams) salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 cup grated coconut
• 3 large egg

Method

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. .
• Toast the walnuts for about 8 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely.
• Peel and finely grate the carrots and apple. Set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir in the nuts and coconut. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Fold the wet ingredients, along with the grated carrot and apple, into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.