Marble/Zebra Cake, Vegan. 2 versions, And baking with whole wheat flours. A guest Post for Sudha, the Green Crusader.

Thank you Sudha for sharing your space with me today! Sudha has 3 different blogs to showcase many of per passions. If you are into unique items, vintage, design and gorgeous finds, head on over to The Design Enthusiast. She chronicles Indian comfort food and her experiments at Avial and Rasam.

And the best of the lot, her constant efforts to keep this world greener and pollutant free at The Green Crusader. For eg, check out her post on Starbucks and how what they tell you is not always the pretty and perfect picture. Keep on with your green efforts Sudha, and hopefully we all will slowly bring about the needed change.

Today I am taking over Sudha's space and talking about baking with different types of flours. I made 2 versions of this marbled Zebra cake. One had been sitting in my drafts waiting for the second version. The first version has all purpose flour and whole wheat pastry flour, pantry items easily available in the US. The second version uses freshly milled soft white wheat berries flour. The lighter pictures are the AP version, and the deeper light brown layers are whole wheat version. Dont let the write up scare you, the recipe is short and sweet.:) If you dont want to ladle the batters to make perfect rings, just pour both the batters in the pan, and run a knife in swirling motion to create a marble effect!

For a long time I was always confused about all the different types of wheat flours(Its not like I am completely sure right now :), but I figured it out enough to know what I like where after trials and errors. We have a whole bunch of options with Whole Wheat flour, Whole Wheat pastry flour, Cake flour, Bread flour, Atta(Indian wheat flour), maida(Indian all purpose flour) and more! What to you use where?

Cake flour has the lowest gluten, soft wheat and finely milled.

Bread flour is a blend of high gluten hard wheat varieties and is coarser than all purpose flour,

Whole wheat flour is high gluten hard wheat.

Whole wheat pastry flour is soft wheat, low gluten.

All purpose flour is processed fine and a mix of low gluten soft wheat and high gluten hard wheat

Atta(Indian whole wheat flour used for roti/chapati) is hard wheat, milled finer than whole wheat flour and has higher gluten than all purpose flour. Atta can be used in yeast breads but tends to make cakes, quick breads, muffins etc harder and coarse because of the gluten formation while mixing.

To get a complete picture, check out this article on Indiacurry. and some more wheat flours on wiki here

For cakes, quick breads, muffins, the best option usually is Cake flour or all purpose flour.(lower gluten)

For healthier versions, use Whole wheat pastry flour or any other whole grain flour which is low in gluten or mix in some glutenfree flours. You can use whichever flour is available really, and figure out how the flour works best. Like with Atta, I would mix it as lightly as possible.

If you can find soft wheat and mill it or make flour yourself, then you can mill a finer version and use that too. I got a Blendtec and made my own flour with organic soft white wheat berries and made wheat only version of this cake which didnt make a stiff batter or a tough cake! The flour when milled was somewhere between AP flour and whole wheat pastry flour in terms of texture and the batter was actually more flowy and predictable than the one with the pastry flour. And I like the whole grain so much better. (certified by me, since I saw the whole wheat berries go from grain to flour! and I like this cake more, maybe because I am just excited about being able to mill at home:))

You can find more Cakes and bakes on my collection here.

For both the Recipes, head on over to Sudha's space or scroll below..

This cake is being shared at Ricki's wellness weekend, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays. Srav's Cooking Concepts for the Vegan Diet - Only Plant Based event, Hearth and soul blog hop.

Marble Zebra cake. makes 1 8 inch cake pan
Allergy Information: Dairy, egg, corn, soy, yeast free.

Ingredients: For half Whole wheat.

1 Tablespoon flax meal

2 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil, melted

3 Tablespoons organic canola oil

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons orange juice

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

8 Tablespoons raw sugar

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1.25 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Spices: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder, 1/8 teaspoon cloves powder

3+ Tablespoons cocoa powder

Ingredients for all Whole Wheat (with home milled soft white Whole wheat flour)

1/2 cup water

7 Tablespoons raw Sugar(scant 1/2 cup. Use 1/2 cup for sweeter)

1 Tablespoon light agave

1 Tablespoon coconut milk

1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar or 1 teaspoon vinegar

1/4 cup organic canola oil (or half virgin coconut and half organic canola oil)

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/4 cup soft white whole wheat flour

1.25 teaspoon baking powder

2-3 Tbsp cocoa powder

Spices: 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder, 1/8 teaspoon cloves powder or add vanilla extract

Method:

In a bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients, salt and sugar until well combined. (Add flaxmeal to the wet for AP version)

In another bowl, whisk the flours, baking powder and spices and add to the wet ingredients.

Whisk until just about combined into a flowy batter. Use a few teaspoons more water or flour if needed, since the water absorption depends on the flours.

Transfer half of the cake mix to another bowl and add cocoa powder to it. Mix till combined.

The cocoa powder will thicken the batter a little, Add 2-3 teaspoons water to the cocoa batter to get it to the same consistency as the white batter.

Take 2 ladles or small bowls of the same size and pour a ladle of the white cake mix onto parchment lined or well greased cake pan.

Then pour a ladle of cocoa mix on top of the white mix.

Continue till all mix gets used up.

Bake in preheated 360 degrees F for 35-40 minutes until toothpick from the center comes out clean.

Serve as is, or topped with melted chocolate.
Cool for a bit before slicing for less crumbly slices.

No Bake Chocolate Almond Zesty snack bars, 2 ways. vegan glutenfree

I have these bunch of amazing almond milk ice creams sitting to be eaten.. And if you know anything about Seattle, you know that is has been crazy cold and random snow since the past 2 weeks! Can you blame me for not touching them ice creams. So I decided to use some of those up in other ways, like making a melted ice cream cake. I looked at the Almond Mocha fudge and cherry amaretto and picked the Almond mocha that day.

For a melted ice cream cake, a major part of the wet is substituted with the melted ice cream. I dint add much oil or spices. The cake was half whole wheat, half almond flour with a good load of melted Almond mocha Ice-cream! The cake came out fabulous and was so soft and smelled amazing.. A small slice was cut and tasted and .. eh.. I had forgotten to add any Sugar! Yes, mishaps do happen in this kitchen. You just dont know about them, because there is a filter on what ends up on the blog ;) Maybe I should let hubbs post once in a while about some of those.. Almost none of the stuff gets thrown away though. I was planning on making some no bake snack bars for hubbs, and made half the batch with the cake crumbs instead. The cake ones can be rolled up into balls and covered with nuts, spices, coconut flakes or cocoa powder.. but really I am quite lazy when it comes to making small individual ball things.. so bars they are...

The bars on the blue purple board are the cake ones. The cake crumbs absorb the flowy chocolate a little, so you get a crumbly texture. I plan to make a Cherry amaretto or butter pecan cake with the So Delicious Ice creams again. So keep an eye out for those.:)

You can still enter to win Kathy Freston's book The Lean on yesterday's Giveaway post.! Leave a comment on the post.

The almond bars have a few ingredients. Crushed almonds and rice krispies, spices and zest for a hint of interesting tastes in each bite, and melted chocolate! You can add any thing to this recipe really. More nuts, Seeds, coconut flakes, Protein powder, candied ginger(yumm), Oats, (endless list..:))

More Sweet snack/breakfast collection here.

Ingredients:

To melt:

1/4 cup chocolate(chips, chopped bar, dark. I use enjoy life semi sweet or whole foods vegan)

2-3 Tablespoons raw sugar or other sweetener(depends on sweetness of the chocolate)

2 Tablespoons Coconut milk or non dairy milk/creamer(I used SoDelicious plain coconut milk),

1 Tablespoon agave syrup

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

Dry:

1/2 cup coarsely ground almonds

1/2 + 1/4 cup coarsely crushed rice krispies

1 teaspoon lemon zest

a generous pinch of spices of choice(I am currently on a ginger and clove binge)

a generous pinch of salt

Method:

Keep all the dry ingredients ready, mix 1/2 cup almonds and 1/2 cup rice krispies, spices, salt and zest and keep aside. Keep additional 1/4 cup crushed rice krispies in a bowl too

In a pan, add the coconut milk, agave and sugar/sweetener and coconut oil.

Heat on low and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

Add the chocolate and mix continuously for a few seconds and switch off heat.

Keep stirring till all of it is melted into a nice flowy glaze.

Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add more krispies if needed to make a stiff doughy mix.

Oil hands and pat this mix down on parchment into thickness desired. I made a 1/2 inch thick, 8 by 8 inch somewhat square.

Refrigerate for an hour, cut, eat!

For the Cake version:

Crumble up the cake into fine crumbs (Used a little more than 1 cup crumbs) instead of the dry ingredients. If the cake is already sweet enough, skip the sugar in the melted chocolate mix. Add dry to wet, spread, cool, cut, eat.

These bars are headed to Glutenfree Wednesdays, Ricki's wellness weekend , Allergy Free Wednesdays, Sadhana's Cook Eat Delicious Desserts, originally at CookEatDelicious.com, Hearth and Soul blog hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, and Potluck at Lifeologia.

Feature of the week. Narayana Hrudayalaya Hospitals in Bangalore, India started by the amazing Dr Devi Shetty, for bringing healthcare to the ones who cannot afford it.

Narayana Hrudayalaya headquartered in the city of Bengaluru, India, is one of India's largest multi-specialty hospital chains. The Bangalore cardiac unit of Narayana Hrudayalaya is one of the world's largest pediatric heart hospitals. It is the brainchild of the renowned cardiac surgeon, Dr. Devi Shetty. Narayana Hrudayalaya also receives patients from outside India, and it has created a record of performing nearly 15,000 surgeries on patients from 25 foreign countries.It is also a renowned centre for telemedicine and it offers this service free of cost.

From the recent Fastcompany article-" Before becoming one of India’s best-known health-care entrepreneurs, Shetty was its best-known heart surgeon. He was interrupted in surgery one day during the 1990s by a request to make a house call. "I said, 'I don’t make home visits,' " Shetty says, "and the caller said, 'If you see this patient, the experience may transform your life.' " Which is exactly what happened. The request was from Mother Teresa. Inspired by the iconic nun’s work with the poor, he then set out to create a hospital to deliver care based on need, not wealth. No doubt she would be pleased by the results. "One lesson she taught me," he says, quoting a saying he keeps framed in his office, "is 'Hands that sew are holier than lips that pray.' "

To find out more about his journey and how the hospital works, read This article on Wharton, this on FastCompany, and this on WSJ on how it is bringing healthcare to the masses.

Interview with Kathy Freston about her new Book "The Lean" Also, a Book Giveaway!

Kathy Freston is a bestselling author with a focus on healthy eating and conscious living. Her instant New York Times bestsellers include Veganist, Quantum Wellness, and The One. She has appeared frequently on national television, including Oprah, The Dr. Oz Show, Ellen and more. I cant imagine how it would be to be in the spotlight and be ready with answers which appeal to all people.

Kathy was also named the 2011 Person of the Year by VegNews Magazine. She also writes on The Huffington Post. Read her posts here.

The Lean: A Revolutionary (and Simple!) 30-Day Plan for Healthy, Lasting Weight Loss is her new book in which she helps you lean into small and effective dietary and lifestyle changes to achieve a healthy weight. You can find a picture overview of the book and badges to share on her website here.

I got a wonderful opportunity to talk to Kathy via OpenSky. Open Sky is a social network for shopping where experts and trendsetters in health, food, style and design share insider advice, tips and their favorite things for you.

You can find more of Kathy's tips and suggestions for living a healthier lifestyle on her OpenSky profile here. Also, Kathy is offering signed copies of her book starting today, March 27th, on OpenSky! Track all the happenings on the Opensky Facebook Page.

Thank you Kathy and Open Sky for this interview! It is raining Giveaways this week.

For the Giveaway. Opensky is offering The Lean to one reader! Enter by Saturday March 31st midnight PST. To enter.

1. Mandatory entry: Leave me a comment on this post, with a way to get in touch with you.(email/blog). If you have read her books, do share your experiences and thoughts in the comments!

Additional Entries:

2. Like the blog on Facebook or share about the giveaway on Facebook/Twitter, and leave a comment on this post.

3. Follow me on Pinterest, and leave a comment on this post.

4. Like Opensky on Facebook , and leave a comment on this post.

The Interview!

Hi Richa,

So great to meet you, and very cool that you are spreading the word... bravo you! Here you go, the answers to your questions! Sending warmest your way!

1. How did The Lean book idea come about.

I kept seeing really lovely people struggle mightily with their weight, and it broke my heart. People shouldn’t have to suffer like they do. They should be able to enjoy their lives AND enjoy good health and esteem. So I wanted to come up with a plan that would make weight loss easy and do-able, something effective and science based.

2. What is The Lean about and how is this plan different from the usual diets in the market.

It’s different in 2 ways: 1. Most diets would have you cutting things out from your diet; they are about deprivation and discipline. The Lean is focused on “crowding out” which means you are going to ADD things in to your daily routine, thus leaving little room for the bad stuff. You won’t have to white knuckle your way through it; you’ll just gradually not have the belly space to fit the old foods you are used to! 2. Most popular diets are animal protein based; The Lean will have you gradually moving away from animal food and more into delicious whole grains, black beans and lentils and the like, fruits and veggies, and all kinds of wonderful alternatives to meat and dairy.

3. What should someone expect at the end of the 30 days and after.

The way you eat and feel is going to totally shift (but it will happen gradually, with ease). The cravings you have are going to change. Your body’s chemistry is going to adjust in a way that makes your physical transformation happen easily. The weight will be dropping off, and your health will turn around. You’ll also have clearer skin, better digestion, and tons of energy!

4. Would you share an example of a breakfast and lunch, of someone who is following the book.

For breakfast, you might enjoy a bowl of brown rice (I make a big pot of it twice a week and keep it in the fridge) with chopped dates and raw almonds, with agave and warmed soy or rice milk poured atop. Oatmeal is certainly great too; I just like to change it up with different grains. If you are on the run, you can have whole grain toast and peanut butter. For lunch, you could enjoy a black bean burrito with salsa and avocados along with a salad or some quinoa with veggies and chickpeas along with a thick butternut squash soup. There are 40 recipes and lots of meal plans to choose from! I love this Soy Milk Maker because you can make fresh soy milk, almond milk, rice milk and cashew milk AND porridges and pureed soups!

5. What is the main problem with usual dieting techniques. Be it cutting down on certain things, talking about moderation, carb counting, more protein etc.

Granted, you will probably lose weight on a high-protein, low-carb diet. But the weight loss comes partly from eating fewer calories, because you are knocking out so much of what you normally would consume, and partly because these days eliminating carbohydrates means doing away with calorie-dense, highly processed foods (most of which contain HFCS). Ofcourse you lose weight when you give up cookies and cakes and doughnuts, which erroneously get lumped together with good carbs like those from brown rice and quinoa. But eating a high-protein, low-carb diet doesn’t work long term (most people gain it all back and then an extra 5% !) . Not only that, it wreaks serious damage to your kidneys and heart.

6. Why do you think this plan will work in the long run.

The Lean works long term because you will feel FULL AND SATISFIED. No white knuckling. It’s all about the fiber (in whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fruits, etc) – fiber is the one dietary component that has consistently been the key factor in lasting weight loss. It fills you up, stabilizes your blood sugar, cleans out the fat, and lowers your cholesterol.

7. What would you tell someone wanting to do things in moderation or wanting other substitutes rather than vegan options.

Leaning in is very different than moderation. Leaning in means you set your intention to go in the direction of health, and you take small, interconnected steps in that direction. A momentum builds, and before you know it, you are dropping pounds. Moderation, on the other hand, means you try and reduce the amount of something you know is bad for you. I like to keep things positive – adding things in, rather than taking things away!

8. What about eating out and entertaining people while you are following the plan or after.

I like to think of eating out as a sport! I love finding restaurants that have good healthy options, like Mexican (black bean tostadas) or Thai (tofu curry) or Greek (hummus and salads). I also check HappyCow.org to see where there are good options in whatever town I’m headed to. If I go to someone’s house, I bring a favorite dish along with me to make it easy on the host; inevitably the other guests always want to try what I have. I love being an ambassador for eating well, because most people these days are super interested in either slimming down or getting more energy!

9. Soy has lots of controversies around it, positive or negative, and not necessarily all true. Why is there a lot of focus on soy during the transition. And is there a way to find other options.

The science is pretty strong in support of the healthfulness of soy (it’s high in protein and fiber), but it certainly isn’t necessary if you don’t like it. Other excellent sources of protein are quinoa, any kind of bean or legume, seitan (wheat protein), nuts and seeds. I stress including plant protein at every meal because the science shows that protein makes you feel satiated. And being satiated is important so that cravings and hunger doesn’t get the best of you! You just want to be sure it’s clean protein, not the fatty, cholesterol laden protein from animals.

10. Similarly, why so many processed food options during the transition. Isnt it like jumping from one bad wagon to the other in terms of health.

Oh no; transitional foods are wonderful! Veggie sausage may be “processed”, but it’s minimally so. And it’s far lower in fat and calories than the “real” stuff, with zero cholesterol. As an important aside, no animals were harmed in the making of it! It’s a good step in the right direction. For the vast majority of people, moving from steak and chicken to a bowl of rice and beans is just not going to happen, so meat alternatives are an excellent way to “crowd out” the really harmful stuff. It’s all about progress, not perfection!

11. Would you recommend this book to nursing mothers who are trying to lose the pregnancy weight or other age groups like children and seniors.

The Lean is medically sound for any and all age groups; in fact, it’s far healthier than the Standard American Diet. It has the endorsements of Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Dean Ornish, and Dr. Neal Barnard, so anyone should feel very safe in doing it. You couldn’t say that for diets like Atkins.

12. On a topic not related to weight loss, In general what advice would you give to people recuperating from major illnesses like cancer. About a vegan diet, changes and additions to their meal plan for a healthier life ahead.

The more fiber rich, nutrient dense food you eat, and the more you stay away from meat and dairy, the better your health will thrive.

13. I come from a vegetarian background as most Indians. A good Indian diet is usually balanced and not too high on dairy and hence it is always a tough task to convince anyone into cutting dairy out, if they are already consuming limited amounts of dairy. What would you say about replacing dairy completely from the daily diet.

Cow milk is perfectly designed by nature to make a little tiny calf put on 1000 pounds super quickly. The calf will grow to be fat, docile, and slow. We don’t want to be fat, docile, and slow; we want to be lean and quick on our feet! Plus, the main reason we would drink milk is for the calcium, but many of the nondairy milks on the market have 50% more calcium than dairy milk anyway, so why wouldn’t you opt for them?

14. What are some of the amazing stories or events that have happened recently, because someone made some changes because of you, or your books.

People tell me there lives are completely changed after they have “leaned in”. One guy lost 100 pounds, another gal lost 200. It’s really wonderful to see!

15. Message to the readers of the blog and everyone.

Just set your intention to lose weight, nudge yourself forward a little, and then keep leaning!

Connect with Kathy on

Twitter
Facebook
Website
Kathy on OpenSky

Tempeh Chili Roast - Kerala Style. vegan glutenfree. And Winners of the SoDelicious coupon Giveaway!

A spicy Tempeh curry for a Meatless Monday. This is one spiced up onion based dry curry, usually made with meat. I used Tempeh(fermented Soybean Patty). You can use any sturdy meat substitute of choice. Like for Tofu, add just a little water to the marinade. Adjust the spice to taste:) Serve this as side with Indian flat bread (Roti, Paratha, Laccha Parotta, Naan) or Rice! or Serve as a snack with Crackers, a cool dill cashew dip and a Hot cup of Indian Chai! Yummm!

This is not the authentic version of a Kerala Chili roast, I saw a couple of versions by so many bloggers and chefs, found a common base recipe and adjusted it to my taste. For variations, Puree the onions and shallots and roast them for a smoother masala paste, Or add a little water or coconut milk for a gravy version, Or add a couple of dry red chilies or red chili powder to amp up the spice.

Check out the pictorial Curry, Daals, stews and other Indian side collection here.

And now for the Winner!

Susan gets 2 coupons for 2 free products from So Delicious Dairy Free!

And Aimee (bittofraw) who is the 2000th fan on my Facebook Page will get some %off coupons too!

Congratulations! I will get in touch with you for your addresses:)

If you all try any of the recipes, do send me pictures so I can post them on the Facebook Page!

Kerala is a state on the coast in South west India, a popular destination for its backwaters, beaches, Ayurvedic tourism and tropical greenery. The Cuisine of the state is influenced by a lot of cultures. Coconut, Rice, Fish, tropical vegetables and rich and hot spice are just some of the highlights.

Tempeh Chili Roast - Kerala Style
Allergen Information: Dairy, egg, corn, gluten free.

Ingredients:

Dry roast:

1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

3-4 black peppercorns ( or to taste)

Marinade:

4 oz Tempeh chopped into small cubes.

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste

a generous pinch of cardamom powder

1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

Curry:

1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil or organic canola oil

1/3 cup chopped white or red onion

2-3 shallots chopped

2 green chilies slit lengthwise or to taste

1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped or paste

1 teaspoon garlic finely chopped or paste

5-6 curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder or to taste

1-2 teaspoons soy sauce

scallions/green onion for garnish

Method:

Dry roast the spices under Dry-roast for 2-3 minutes on low-medium in a pan. Grind and keep

Mix everything under Marinade in a medium pan, and add the dry roasted spice mix to it. (You can let the tempeh marinate in this mix for an hour before cooking if you like.)

Cook the Tempeh, covered, on low until all the liquid is absorbed and just about dry(20+ minutes). Stir 2-3 times in between.

Meanwhile, in a medium pan, add oil and heat on medium.

Add chopped onions and shallots to the oil and cook until brown (12-15 minutes)

Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, green chili. Mix and cook for 2 minutes.

Add chili powder(or add this later to taste), and soy sauce.

Mix and add the Tempeh coated with the spices to this mix.

Mix well and cook until dry.(4-6 minutes).

Taste and adjust salt and spice level.

Serve sizzling hot garnished with chopped scallions.

For variations: add 1/2 cup coconut milk or 2 Tablespoons Coconut milk yogurt and water as needed, salt and bring to a boil for a curry.

Serve as a snack on plain crackers topped with any cool creamy topping.

This Tempeh is heading to Hearth and Soul blog hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy free Wednesdays, Ricki's wellness weekend

Indian Chai Tea and Coffee. Vegan Gluten-free. And Awards and Tags!

One of the things which took the longest to find a substitute for when we were transitioning into a Vegan diet, was the creamy morning Indian Chai. The Indian Chai is very very different than the Chai tea versions you get in stores here. If you know hubbs, you will know that one of the things that he is extremely fab at in the kitchen, is making the very desi creamy spicy Indian Chai tea. Usually made with a good amount of whole milk, boiled with my home made chai spice blend and fresh ginger to perfection. Almond Milk and lots of other non dairy milks cannot really be boiled without changing the taste or texture. But eventually we did settle on this particular way of Chai which we both like.

With the thick Coconut milk creamer to make it creamy, the chai spice, and some delicious almond milk.

Method: Serves 2

Mix the following and bring to a boil on medium heat
3/4 cup water
1.5-2 tsps favorite good quality tea(we use loose leaf tea like Jivraj )
1.5 Tbsps raw Sugar or to taste or use any other sweetener of choice
1/2 tsp Chai spice blend
1-2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
Once it comes to a boil, reduce to a low simmer.

Add a few drops of cold or room temp water to reduce the temperature of the boiling water, then add 1.5-3 Tablespoons non dairy creamer(We use plain SoDelicious Coconut milk creamer).

Then add 1/2 cup almond milk. Let the tea get heated on low to a temperature that you like your tea at, then take off heat(We usually keep it on low for about 2 minutes).

Do not boil ! The almond milk consistency and taste changes a bit at high heat.

Strain and Serve immediately.

Chai Spice/Masala blend:

Grind 3/4-1 cup green cardamom pods, 1/4 cup cinnamon sticks or 2 Tablespoons cinnamon powder, 2 Tablespoons cloves, 2 Tablespoons whole black pepper, 2 Tablespoons ground ginger powder. 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds(optional). Store in airtight container!

If you are wondering about the daily Coffee, We hardly drink coffee and when we do, it is usually instant, with some plain coconut milk(I use So delicious plain coconut milk, you can use light canned too). For the the Indian frothy Coffee version, whip instant coffee with sugar and a few drops of water till it gets mouse-y stiff peaks. Add hot non-dairy milk, mix and enjoy. Here's a video on how to whip it! :)

This Chai is being shared at Ricki's Wellness weekend, Sugar Free Sunday, Hearth and soul blog hop, Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays, Allergy Free Wednesdays, Allergy Friendly Friday.

Lots of Awards and a tag on this post.

Thank you to everyone for all the love!

Thank you RichGail at AstigVegan, and Chinmayie at LoveFoodEat for ‘Versatile Blogger Award'

Thank you Kayle at the Cooking Actress for the Liebster love!

And Heather at Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes for the know me better tag!

Rules for both the Awards and the tag.

1. Thank the person who passed on the award to you. - Done

2. Share some things about yourself - see below

4. Pass on the Award to 7 or 15 more bloggers

5. Let the bloggers know about the award/tag!

Combining everything together with Heather's questions, since that includes 7 things you dint know about me:)

1. Describe yourself in 3 words?
   Weird, will-not-trust-u-at-first, Sweet if you get past the anxious exterior!
2. What is your ultimate food weakness?
   Maybe some spicy garlicky Daal.
3. What is your favorite book of all time?
   None. I dont read much except going through cook books or food magazines.
4. What is the most exotic place you have travelled to or through?
   Melghat- Tiger reserve in Maharashtra, India. A lot of the population there is from different Tribes ,who live in houses/huts of grass and wood which are short, and half under the ground. I was 15 or 16 when I went on a trip there. We went for short hikes through the forest and visited homes of these sweet and very welcoming people.
5. What is your favorite aspect of blogging?
   Meeting people from all places bursting with different types of creativity!
6. Would you describe yourself as a control freak, perfectionist or laid back & why?
   Somewhat of a control freak.:) But I can let go of some things now.
7. Favorite Cocktail or Mocktail- please share!
   Lemon juice, water, with rock salt, sugar, cumin and mint.
8. How do you celebrate your birthday
   It depends on hubbs:)
9. Do you sing in the car; if so, at the top of your lungs or do you lip sync?
   At the Top of my voice!!
10. What is the one goal you set for yourself in 2012 that seems the most attainable?
    Hmmm.. To be able to take a flight somewhere.. wait maybe just sit in a plane first.
11. Who are the bloggers that most inspire you to be a better blogger, writer, photographer or all around person?
    There are too many to mention. A few are listed below.
12. What is your favorite thing about yourself; anything goes, personality trait, feature or benefit
    I am thankful that my brain and heart has the compassion to be able to understand the pain around and am thankful that I was able to make some changes in my own life and hopefully affect others while doing so. Want more.. read the About Me page on the blog.

People I am passing on the tag(same 12 questions) and the Versatile Blogger Award to

Susan at FatFreeVegan. Who doesnt know Susan really. Theres a huge collection of vegan recipes on her site.

Janet at Tastespace: Her experiments with Indian food take it to a whole new level. So many cuisines and amazing fusion creations. Ginger lime Wasabi edamame hummus! Need I say more.

Dassana at Veg Recipes of India : Dassana has a beautiful vegetarian blog and an amazing collection of regional recipes. A lot of them are naturally vegan and some easily made vegan. There are so many different styles of cooking, spices and specialties of different regions in India.

Sonnet at For the Love of Food blog I have been lacking at visiting Sonnet lately, but she has newly landed right in the middle of my yum radar.

Ricki at Diet Dessert and dogs If you need to find out about certain types of diets, all the new substitutes in the market, dont know what Stevia or coconut sugar is?, head on over to Rickis.

Ella at Lifeologia Ella has a very beautiful blog about all things life, crafts, and food. I love her 'Happiness is' series. All the small and sweet things in life captured by her beautiful eye.

Champa At Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen: Champa indeed has a very versatile vegetarian blog. Lots of vegan options too. How-tos ,Dosa, Idli, spice mixes, baked goods and more.

Also, do check out the fabulous bloggers who passed on the awards to me and their lists and tags! Thank you all once again.

RichGail at AstigVegan, their travels and happenings and some amazing Filipino dishes you would have never heard of! Chinmayie's simple recipes and beautiful photography and her List which included faves like Scandifoodie, New roots and more. Heather's Irish whiskey chocolate bread pudding and Cottage pie.. aaah! and lots of faves on Her Tag including Caitlin, Cara and Genevieve!

Have an amazing weekend everyone.