SPINACH AND BREAD BAKE

Of late, my chikoo's favourite veggie is spinach... And this is good and am happy for her.
So i made these spinach and bread bake for her lunch box today morning. And the good news it was all gone, hopefully into her stomach.

So here goes......

Ingredients-

Spinach- 1/2 bunch
Onion-1, small
Tomato-1, small
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
Oil- 1 tbsp
Bread slices- 6
Cheese-4 tbsp, grated
Butter- to grease
Egg-2
Cream- 1 cup
Oregano=1/2 tsp

Method-

* Cut the sides of the bread slices and apply buter on one side.
* Grease 6 steel bowls or muffin tray.
* Wash and shred the spinach and chop the onion and tomatoes.
* In a pan heat the oil and saute the onion.
* Add the spinach and tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Keep aside.
* In a bowl, mix the egg, cream and cheese and season with pepper and oregano.
* Place the slice of bread in a bowl with the unbuttered side towards thebowl and let it take the shape of the bowl.
* Place little of the mixture in the centre of the bread bowl.
* Do the same with the other slices.
* Pour in the cream and egg mixture into all the six bowls.
* Put the bowls in a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven for 10-12 minutes or till the cream and egg mixture becomes solid and forms a golden brown crust.
* You can use any combination of veggies, but the veggies should be cooked to remove all excess moisture.

CORN AND BELL PEPPER CAKES

These are corn and bell pepper cakes which i made for my chikoo's tiffin box. I used red bell pepper because she loves it and asks me to buy it every time we go veggies shopping.

Ingredients-
2 nos boiled potatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
1/2 cup corn kernels
1 onion
salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 tsp oil

Method-

* Chop the onion and bell peppers finely.
* Mash the potatoes without any lumps.
* In a pan heat the oil and add the onion and saute till translucent.
* Add the corn and saute till soft.
* Add the bell peppers and saute till bright in colour.
* Season with salt and pepper and add the oregano and mix well.
* Add the vegetable mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix well.
* Add little of the breadcrumbs in to hte mixture and mix well.
* Form walnut sized balls and flatten into small cakes or patties.
* Coat with the breadcrumbs.
* Shallow fry the cakes. Or they can be even grilled on a non-stick pan without any oil.

She loved them so much that her tiffin box was empty, no little crumbs even.

You can even try these with other veggies if you like.

ALPHABET PASTA AND SPINACH FRITTATA

Ingredients-

2 nos eggs
1 tbsp grated cheese
1/2 cup boiled alphabet pasta
1 small onion, chopped
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
10-12 spinch leaves, shredded
Salt to taste
Crushed black pepper to taste
1 tsp oil


Method-

* Beat the eggs with salt and pepper.
* In a non-stick pan, heat oil and saute all the vegetables for about 2-3 mins.
* Add the pasta and mix well.
* Then add the beaten egg and mix well.
* Let the frittata cook on the bottom on a low flame.
* When the bottom is cooked, sprinkle the cheese on top.
* Put the pan under the top heat of an oven and let the cheese brown and the rest of the frittata cook till done.
* If u dont have an oven , then just simply turn the frittata up-side down and let the other side also cook till done.
* Cut into wedges and serve with tomato ketchup.

NOTE- If u want , u can add any vegetables that u like. My angel likes spinach n red bell peppers and onions and tomatoes, hence have added these.
And the pasta can also change according to preference.

But for sure, the kids will love it.

CHEESE PARATHA

Today i gave cheese paratha to chikoo in her lunch box.

And it is very easy to make. And since kids love cheese and anything to do with cheese i'm sure there will be nothing in the lunch box when she returns.

Ingredients:

Cheese- 2 tbsp, grayed
Coriander-2 sprigs, chopped
Onion- 1 small, chopped
Salt- to taste
Pepper- to taste
Whole wheat dough- enough to make 1 paratha
Ghee- 1 tbsp


Method:

1. Mix the cheese, coriander and onion and season with salt and pepper.
2. Make a ball of the dough and flatten it out a little with your fingers and palm.
3. Stuff the cheese mixture into the flattened dough and make a ball again.
4. Roll the stuffed dough into a paratha.
5. Put on a tawa and apply ghee, cook till golden brown on both sides.
6. You can cut the paratha into triangles like a pizza and put in the lunch box.

Easy Grilled Cheese with Tomato

Today i gave my chikoo grilled cheese with tomato in her tiffin or lunch box.

It is very easy to make.

Ingredients:

Bread slice- 2 nos
Cheese slice - 2 nos
Tomato- 1 no, sliced thinly
Butter- 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Pepper powder- to taste

Method:

1. Heat a nonstick pan or even a tawa will do.
2. On one slice of bread apply the cheese slice and top with 5-6 slices of tomato.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper powder.
4. Cover the sandwich with the other slice of bread.
5. Put the sandwich on the pan or tawa and apply butter on both the sides and toast to a golden brown colour.
6. You can eat it with the sides on or withpout the sides.
7. I prefer to remove the slices for my chikoo as it gets cold in the lunch box and in turn the slices get harder to chew for the kids.

TIFFIN TIMES

Hello all!!!!!!

I know i have been back after a long time, as my kids, in the college that i teach in, were busy with their examinations.
And from today onwards i will be posting a Kid Friendly recipe almost every day for it the summer vacation but mothers are still thinking that when the school starts what should i be making for their tiffins.
So this post and all the next ones with tiffin or lunch box ideas are dedicated to my friend and ex-colleague from delhi, Rene.

So here goes......................

so we will start with green poori or green roti.........

GREEN POORI OR GREEN ROTI

Ingredients-

Spinach puree-1/2 cup
Salt- to taste
Whole wheat flour- 1 cups
Oil or ghee- for frying

Method-

1. Make a dough of the flour using the spinach puree and water as required.
2. Divide the dough into balls.
3. Roll out the dough into circles about 3 inch in diameter if making pooris or larger if making rotis.
4. Fry the pooris or make rotis or parathas depending on what you are making.
5. The pooris or rotis will be green in colour and it will something different for the kids.

Hope you have fun making them and the kids have fun eating them.

ALMOND CHOCOLATE COOKIES

This recipe is dedicated to my friend Hemali Shah.

I made it this sunday with my 3 yr old angel and had a great time making it from scratch.

My angel has all the traits for becoming a big chef one day and she has started really early.

So here goes...................

INGREDIENTS-

Butter, softened 1 cup

Icing sugar 1 cup

Egg 1 no

Almond powder 1 cup

Refined flour 1 cup

Baking powder 1 tsp

Chocolate chips or chopped 1/2 cup

METHOD-

* To make almond powder, take whole almonds and blitz in the food processor or in the mixer or grinder.

* Mix the baking powder into the flour and sift well.

* Preheat the oven to 180 C.

* In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

* Add the egg and mix well.

* Fold in the flour mixture very softly just till it all comes together. Do not overwork the dough.

* Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

* Take it out and mix the chocolate in to the dough.

* Make into walnut sized balls and place them 1 inch apart on a baking tray lined with butter paper.

* Bake for 12-15 minutes.

* Let them cool on the tray for at least 5 mins and then remove them from the tray and cool.

* Store in an air-tight container. And enjoy the goodness of home-made cookies.

NOTE-

* You can also make the cookies without the almond. Just add the same amount of regular flour instead of the almond powder into the dough.

* You can also add any other flavor that you want into the recipe for a different batch of cookies.

* You can also make the dough and freeze it and use it as and when you need to bake them. It will stay in the freezer for at least 1-2 months if properly stored before the butter starts to get a rancid flavor.

3 YEARS.............

Its been 3 years and still going on....................

nut really slow nowadays. As have work, home and my angel to take care of.

But have decided that from today onwards will do try and put up a post at least once a week.

Now isn't that such a great way to start the 3 year anniversary post.

And i have some more great news.

My angel has come FIRST in her class. Today i got her mid-term results from school.

And i felt on the top of the world.

I am sure that i would not have been so happy when my results of class 12th had come out.

This is what motherhood does to you.

You revel in the glory of your kids achievement and your happiness knows no bounds.

Need to celebrate with her and need to take her out for her favorite KFC crispy chicken strips................................

BANANA CAKE

Easy banana cake recipe for anyone to follow...........even my 3 year old daughter can make this. So you can imagine how easy it is.

Ingredients-

Eggs 2 nos

Sugar 1 cup

Oil 1 cup

Refined flour 1 cup

Bananas 3-4, mashed

Baking powder 1/2 tsp

Method-

*Grease the cake tin with oil and dust with flour.

*Pre-heat the oven to 150 C.

*Cream the eggs and sugar with the help of a hand blender or a whisk, until light and fluffy.

*Add the oil and mix well.

*Add the mashed bananas.

*Add the baking powder to the flour and sift it.

*Add the flour into the egg mixture and fold well with a spatula.

*Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin and put in the oven for baking.

*Bake for about 30-40 mins, till a toothpick put in the center of the cake comes out clean.

*Let it cool in the cake tin for 15 mins and then de-mould.

FRESH MANGO CAKE

I've used mangoes for this cake but you could use any seasonal fruits that are available in the season. Apples would also taste very good.

Ingredients-

Eggs - 2 nos
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Milk - 1/2 cup
Flour - 1 cup
Baking powder - 2 1/2 tsp
Mangoes - 2 nos

Method-

* Mix the eggs and sugar till light and fluffy (it should hold the shape of eight written on it with a whisk)
* Melt the butter and milk together in a pan on slow fire.
* Mix the butter mixture with the egg mixture well,
* Fold int he flour and the baking powder.
* Grease and line a cake tin with butter paper.
* Pour the batter the cake mixture into the tin.
* Arrange the sliced mangoes on top and and sprinkle some sugar on top for a crispy sugary crust.
* Put in pre-heated oven for baking.
* Bake at 200 C for 15-20 min and then reduce the temperature to 100 C and bake for another 10 mins or so, till a toothpick put in the cake comes out clean.