Friday, August 31, 2012

Portabella stuffed with Hash browns. Vegan Glutenfree recipe



You know this is going to be a hit right. Juicy bellas topped with herbs and crisp shredded cheesy potato. Add as little or as much olive oil and load as much or as little potato on the bellas, with your preferred herbs and you got your weekend lunch!

Before I could say summer, Fall is already here! Labor day, short days. pfft. Its already getting dark at 7:30. Its a long weekend, so lets not put a damper on things:). It is sunny today. What are your plans for the weekend? There are 4 big events in the Seattle this weekend. Bumbershoot, PAX expo, mariners game, Huskies game. Lets just say, travel in and around main Seattle area is going to be interesting.


So, the only person in this house who eats large bellas is hubbs. I am fine with well cooked smaller mushrooms, but the large ones always get me or dont get me. But since he loves them so much, I decided to make some for him.
These are quick to put together, with a few ingredients. Marinate the mushrooms, top with grated russet, herbs, salt and evoo and bake! done. Serve as is or with a side of potato chips or hashbrowns, mashed potatoes and/or your favorite gravy. As you guessed it right, I ate only potato chips and hash browns for that meal ;).



Another fun read by Dreena on her vegan kids series, tips and tricks for picky eaters. I bet I can apply some tips to myself.

On another note, I am thinking of opening an Etsy store( just a random thought) with assortment of things offered, like
- Jumpstart Indian spices kit(whole spices and blends to make most common indian veggie stir fries and bean curries),
- Ebook with recipes using the jumpstart kit,
- Maybe a small printed book too(hellooo any publishers out there ;)
- maybe some edibles like Indian cookies and crackers(baked versions), since there are already the regular cookie stores out there.

Any other ideas on what you would like to see in the store? Let me know in the comments.:)
Have a fun long weekend!


Steps:
Marinate the shrooms. Brush with oil, prick the up side with fork and top with salt, spice and herbs. I added some more parsley than are visible. There are a few strategically placed for the picture ;)
You can remove the gills of the mushrooms if you like, hubbs likes them. Oh yes, and we love our chili powder:). Feel free to add spice to taste.


Grate a russet on a paper towel. Add salt, pepper, nutritional yeast and mix. Let sit for 2 minutes, so some of the excess moisture will get absorbed in the towel, then top the bellas. Sprinkle more salt, peppa, nutritonal yeast.


Bake for 30 minutes. Check the center of the mushroom for softness by pricking with a toothpick.


Serve hot as is, or with a side of extra hash browns, potato chips, mashed potatoes n gravy or salad.


Portobello mushrooms, herbed and stuffed with cheesy Hash browns.
Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, yeast, corn free recipe

Ingredients:
2 large portabellas
1 russet potato
1+ Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
1 teaspoon each herbs of choice. I used dried basil
2-3 Tablespoons fresh parsley
chili powder to taste
2-3 teaspoons nutritional yeast

Method:
Brush oil on the portabella mushrooms. Prick the gills with a fork or toothpick lightly.
Place on parchment and sprinkle herbs, parsley, salt and chili powder/black pepper(and oil if you like). Let sit for 15 minutes.
Grate a medium sized russet potato on a paper towel. Mix salt, nutritional yeast and pepper in it. Let sit for a minute, then top the portabellas with it.
Add chopped parley, sprinkle some salt, pepper, nutritional yeast to taste and a little oil on top the potato shreds.
Use as much or as little oil as you prefer.
Bake at pre-heated 365 degrees F for 30-35 minutes until the top of the potatoes brown well.
For crispier topping, broil on low for 2 minutes.
Serve hot with side salad , baked potato chips, Sriracha or ketchup.

Stove top potato chips:
Slice a Russet potato on a paper napkin.
Brush the slices lightly with extra virgin olive oil on one side. I used very little oil this way.
Place the oiled slice on a heated large pan on medium heat. Cook until browned and crisp. Flip to crisp up the other side for a few minutes.
Toss with salt, pepper, spices of choice. Serve.



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Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Dark Chocolate Cookies. Vegan Eggless recipe



Some days I get stuck at what to post and keep postponing the work after looking at the number of pictures to edit. 160 pictures for a post are not fun. Not this post, but another one. Basically, when I am not happy with the setting or cannot figure out the composition, I keep changing it and hence a boat load of pictures. I get obsessed I tell ya.
Some of my best pictures though have been when I took the pictures of the food right before the meal like the Hummus pizza. I took like 10 pictures and since there was no other options I had to go with what I had, and luckily it worked:) I need to hire a part time photographer whose perks will include being able to sample all the food ;)


Today's total was 65 pictures. You would think that by now I would have nailed the cookie setting. But I decided to change it a bit. bad idea:)

These cookies can be easily made glutenfree. Substitute the Spelt with glutenfree Oats or sorghum flour. Add more flour or substitute half the spelt with coarse Oat flour for crinklier cookies. I didnt add any extra refined oil/fat. There is fat/cocoa butter from the chocolate and the nut fat from the almonds. Theo's 85% cacao has only cocoa beans, cocoa butter and mild sugar.
For variations, Add mini chocolate chips to amp up the chocolate. Add a teaspoon of instant coffee powder for a bitter mocha version.

Cailtin made a glutenfree version with 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoons brown rice flour instead of spelt. check the picture out on facebook here!


Above batch is with Spelt, Oat and almond flours. Crinkles!
For more Cookies, glutenfree too, see Collection here.

Steps:

Dark chocolate chunks. Try not to eat them

Eggless dark chocolate cookies

Heat coconut milk, add chocolate, cocoa, raw sugar, salt


Whisk


Add flours, baking powder. Mix well and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.


Shape and bake


Baked. Cool, eat!


mmmmm.. White stoneware glass in this post, grey pot and black plate in the previous Tomato chutney post, made by me.


Easy and delicious Dark Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Dairy, egg, soy free. Makes 16-18 small cookies.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut milk(So Delicious unsweetened) or non dairy milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate or chocolate chips (I used Theo's 85% cacao)
2 Tablespoons Cocoa powder
2.5 Tablespoons raw sugar (3 for sweeter, 2 if using semi-sweet chocolate chips)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup Spelt flour (or Whole wheat flour, or Spelt+Oat flour)
1/2 cup Almond flour( ground raw almond)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Method:
Heat the coconut milk in a pan or microwave till it feels hot to touch(not boiling hot).
Add the dark chocolate chunks, cocoa powder, salt and sugar and mix well.
In a bowl, mix the flour, almond and baking powder.
For more crinkles/cracks in the cookies, substitute half the spelt with coarse Oat flour.
Add the dry to the wet and mix using a spoon to get a stiff dry dough.( add more flour if needed, depends on the fat content in the chocolate and milk used. Keep the dough almost dry/non sticky to touch, but not overly crumbly)
Chill in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. (This will make the dough less sticky and firm it up. You can skip this step if in a hurry)
Make small flat balls and place on parchment lined baking sheet.
Bake in preheated 350 degrees F for 16 minutes.
Cool, eat.
(To make gluten-free, substitute the spelt with gf oats, sorghum or brown rice flour. You might need a few teaspoons more or less. The sticky chocolate will keep them together)




The below picture has been making the rounds on facebook. I dont have any proof that this is a volunteer taking pictures of death row dogs, but it is powerful picture, which captures the emotion and turmoil of the job.


Washington shelters might have low kill rate, but lots of others do not. Very adoptable, healthy dogs, pure breeds, even puppies are put down in several shelters, with some kill rates as high as 60%. That means, every other dog or cat going into the shelter might not survive tomorrow.
A good picture increases the chances of adoption by several folds. It is heartbreaking to take sweet and happy pictures of dumped pets, whose last day, might be the day with you.

Please Adopt! from shelters and rescues.
Please dont "Buy" a puppy from a breeder however reputable they claim they are. Find a pet on petfinder.com

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Monday, August 27, 2012

My Mom's Tomato Chutney - Sweet, sour and spicy. Vegan glutenfree recipe



Its Monday! Yeah, I know, but lets beat them Monday blues with this delicious, simple red Tomato Chutney.

My mom and my husbands Mom both make a similar chutney, as a side on days when not preparing an elaborate meal. Hubbs tells me that they would eat up loads of the chutney with Parathas(stuffed flat bread) or rotis. Since, I was not too fond of sour stuff growing up, I ate sour chutneys sparingly.
But as we all know how my taste buds have gone all hormonal on me, for no (hormonal or any known) reason. Last year I was gobbling up loads of sour Indian pickles and sour chutneys like this tomato chutney. There was no meal which did not have some or the other kind of sour served with it. This year, that baton has been passed on to chocolate. Though it does not appear in my meals, it surely appears in almost all of my snacks hence ensuring that not one day goes chocolate free.


The past weekend was an interesting one with so many baby adventures. In our extended friend circle, we currently have 5 kiddos ranging from a few weeks to 3 years and in the next 8 months, we will have added another 5.

According to Ma, we have now had enough practice with all age kids to pop a few of our own. There goes the pressure again:). Luckily I have 2 siblings I can deflect that to.


I am also following a couple of vegan mommie bloggers to see how everything is working out for them. For tips on what to feed Vegan babies, toddlers and kids, check out Dreena's series on vegan foods for kids at all ages.

This chutney is flexible and editable to taste. Use any spices you have at hand. Cherry/grape tomatoes will make the chutney more sweet and sour. Adjust sweet and heat to taste. Serve it with Parathas, Roti, Rice, or snack dip with pakoras, pita, crackers, or use as spicy sauce base for a Pizza.



Tomato Chutney
Gluten, soy, nut, dairy, egg free

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon organic canola oil or coconut oil or mustard oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
a generous pinch of asafoetida(hing, optional)
1 Tablespoon finely chopped ginger
2 Tablespoons finely chopped garlic, 3-4 cloves
1 green chili chopped
1/3 medium onion chopped
3 medium tomatoes, chopped or 1.5-2 cups grape/cherry tomatoes
1-2 teaspoon raw sugar or jaggery
1/3 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/4 teaspoon black salt(kala namak) for additional sour flavor. optional
red chili powder to taste( a teaspoon for my mom)

Method:
In a medium pan, add the oil and heat on medium.
Once hot, add mustard seeds and let them crackle.
Add asafoetida, fennel seeds(optional) and mix for a few seconds.
Add ginger, garlic, chili and onions and cook on medium, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden.
Add turmeric and coriander powder and mix well.
Add tomatoes, salt, sugar/jaggery and cook on low-medium heat, covered, for 5-7 minutes until tomatoes are mushy.
Adjust salt and spice. If using cherry or grape tomatoes you might not need to add black salt. Add red chili powder to taste and mix.
You can continue to cook this chutney down to a thicker consistency or add a few Tablespoons of water and bring to a boil for thinner. It depends on what you are serving the chutney with.
Serve this chutney as a side with snacks, or a part of a Roti, sabji, daal thali, or with Rice.



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Friday, August 24, 2012

Strawberry Doughnuts with Chocolate Rum ganache glaze. Vegan recipe



Whaaa. I bought a doughnut pan, made a few doughnuts and forgot to post. Pfft. :) I mislabeled the pictures and they were sitting away in a folder when I happened to see them today.
Now I wish I had a few donuts to munch on right now.

Its Friday! And its so cold out here already.Hello summer gods. Please feel free to tell me if you are bored of all the weather talk. We Seattle-lites are obsessed with it:)


Eat me! What are your fave doughnuts!


I couldnt eat too many doughnuts ever. They always gave me a toothache because of the super sweet glaze. The only donuts I like are from Mighty-O. So now the ones I bake up at home are just about lightly sweet which can be eaten with or without the glaze. These doughnuts are baked, and cake style. The next batch will be yeasty, but since I donated my deep fryer earlier this year, everything gets baked.

I can hear mom telling me that I can still fry in a pan/kadhai and that she will want pakoras when she visits. Darn, Right now, in the middle of the night, while writing about doughnuts, I actually want some deep fried Kachori. uh! salt trumps again.


Puree the strawberries into a smooth puree and take 1/4 cup puree. Add a little beet and puree for a deeper color. I have used strawberry raspberry puree for a batch of doughnuts too. The raspberry gives it a gritty texture though.

I'd love to make these with some blueberries, with a blueberry glaze, the color will be awesome!




Add dry ingredients and mix into a thick-ish batter.


Pour into doughnut pan. I used a spoon as you can tell(me=lazy). Doughnuts will be eaten in whichever shape:)


Bake until done. Cool slightly and dip in warm ganache. Take pictures before someone eats them all.


Berry Doughnuts with Chocolate Rum ganache glaze
Dairy, egg, soy, nut free recipe

Ingredients:
Makes 6 regular size baked donuts
Wet:
1/4 cup ground raw sugar
1/4 cup organic canola oil or virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup berry puree
2 teaspoons flaxmeal
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Dry:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
spices of choice - vanilla extract or cinnamon

Method:
Mix all the wet ingredients in a bowl. (You can add a little raw beet and puree with the strawberries for a deeper color)
Mix the baking powder in wheat flour and add to the wet.
Mix till just about combined.
Pour/spoon into a greased doughnut pan using spoon or pour into ziploc bag, cut one end and pipe into pan.
Bake at preheated 350 degrees F for 17-20 minutes.

Chocolate rum ganache:
In a small pan, add 1 Tablespoon coconut creamer/full-fat coconut milk, and 1 Tablespoon Maple syrup, and bring to a almost a boil. Take off heat.
Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips , whisk to mix well.
Add a few drops of rum extract or vanilla extract( or some real rum). Mix well.
Drizzle over doughnuts, or dip the doughnuts in the mix for a liberal glaze.

Change up the spices or the liqueur in the glaze for variations. If you dont have a Donut pan, bake the batter in a cake pan.

These below are Chocolate doughnuts topped with salted caramel sauce. I have been eating waaay too much chocolate, so I just make a small batch when baking bread.


For 3 Chocolate doughnuts:
Mix 1 Tablespoon flaxmeal, 2 Tablespoon hot water, 2 Tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate, until well combined.
Add 1 Tablespoon oil, 1.5 Tablespoon non dairy yogurt or coconut milk, 2 Tablespoons raw sugar. Mix well.
Mix 1/4 cup wheat flour, 1 Tbsp ground raw cashew/nuts, and 1/2 tsp baking powder, mix well and add to wet. Mix to get smooth thick batter. Drop in well greased pan, bake for 15-16 mins. done.:)
Salted Caramel sauce here. Drizzle liberally before serving/eating.




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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Kala Chana masala - Sprouted Black chickpea curry. vegan glutenfree recipe



Garbanzo beans/chickpeas/ kabuli chana is usually the favored bean/chana when making a bean masala. Chana masala is almost a household name now. There is an abundance of other types of Chana/beans/grams in India though and some of those never end up in the limelight.
Kala Chana/Desi chana/Kadala/Black chickpea/Bengal gram is one of them.(yeah i know, lotsa names). Kala literally translates to Black.
Kala chana/desi chickpeas is darker, nuttier with a rougher texture. It takes longer to cook, holds it shape and does not get as soft and mushy. Desi chickpeas have a markedly higher fiber content than Kabulis/garbanzo beans and a very low glycemic index. As with garbanzos, I prefer to sprout these and make a curry. The same curry can be made with the kala chana soaked overnight as well.



A similar kala chana/kadala curry recipe from southern India has slightly different spices, has shredded coconut or coconut milk and tastes divine. Recipes like this or this.



One of the star spices in this curry is Cumin/Jeera. Cumin seeds are relatively easily available because of their use in many cuisines. The nutty flavor works well in spicy chile blends and roasted smoky food preparations. Read more about the nutrition profile of Cumin and history here

Cumin seeds can be stored in an airtight container in a dry, cool and dark place for years. Roasted cumin powder however loses its aroma within months. I usually buy roasted cumin powder, but then most days I use a good lot, so the small open spice bottle does not last for more than a few weeks.


Roasted Cumin powder:
If you dont use the powdered cumin as much, then consider buying whole cumin seeds as they store for longer. Roast a few Tablespoons on a dry pan on low heat until fragrant and slightly darker in color. Cool, blend coarsely, store and use within the month. Nothing can beat some fresh roasted cumin.


Roast some cumin in a little oil on medium heat, and add to Basmati rice for a cumin scented delicious side, to cauliflower and roast(just salt, pepper and cumin in cauli, yum), to any daal tadka/tempering. Roasted cumin powder to crunchy fresh salads with salt, pepper and lemon juice, to non dairy yogurt for raita, to marinades and more.

Do you like cumin? and what are your fave cumin powered dishes?


Sprouted Bengal Gram curry. Kala chana masala
Gluten, soy, nut -free, vegan recipe

Ingredients:
1-1.5 cup sprouted kala chana(1/2 cup dried kala chana, soaked and sprouted will yield a bit more than 1 cup)
2 teaspoons organic canola oil
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 green chili/Serrano finely chopped or chili powder to taste
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
2 Tablespoons chopped garlic
2 teaspoons coriander powder (sukha dhania)
½ teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
1 teaspoon garam masala or chana masala spice blend or to taste
1/2 medium onion chopped
2 medium tomatoes chopped
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
a few Tablespoons of chopped cilantro for garnish

Method
Wash and soak the chickpeas in 2 cups of water overnight. Drain and rinse. You can use these soaked chickpeas to make the curry too.
For Sprouting, sprinkle a little water on the rinsed chickpeas, cover with a damp thin kitchen towel, or dam paper towel and then keep a light lid. Drain and rinse every 6-8 hour for 1-2 days until sprouted.
Heat oil in a pressure cooker over medium high heat.
Add cumin seeds and as they sputter and get fragrant, add asafoetida, onion, ginger, garlic and chili.
Cook for 5-7 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally until onions are golden.
Add turmeric, coriander powder, garam masala and mix for a few seconds.
Add the tomatoes and cook for another 5-7 minutes until tomatoes are mushy.
Add sprouted chickpeas, 3 cups of water, salt and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles and then on low-medium heat for another 2-3 whistles. 15-20 minutes.
Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro with Rice or Roti flat bread.

(Alternate method: Blend the onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and spices into a smooth puree with a little water if needed.
Add to pan once the cumin seeds crackle and cook on low heat until the puree darkens, thickens and leaves the sides of the pan. 15-18 minutes depending on the water content.
Add chickpeas and pressure cook for 4 whistles as above.

No Pressure Cooker: Add an extra cup of water and cook the sprouted chickpeas on low-medium heat, covered for 40-50 minutes.
Or add slow cooker cooked chickpeas, cook partially covered on low-medium for 20-25 minutes or desired curry consistency.)

Notes:
Sprouted chickpeas are softer and already more edible, so they can take less cooking time. You can also use slow cooker to cook the chickpeas and keep ready. Because of the hardy nature of this chana however, it takes longer for the chickpeas in any form to pick up the spices. Taste in between and adjust cooking time to your preference.
You can also use these chickpeas in your fave chana masala recipe. The end result will be a darker curry with nuttier chickpeas!



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Sunday, August 19, 2012

Quinoa Bowl with Bell Peppers, Chickpeas, dried Oyster mushrooms. vegan glutenfree recipe



I wish some day food photography will come to me intuitively enough, that I will be able to take the perfect shot within just a few. Hopefully some day. Life would be so much simpler if I did not take 60 shots of the same bowl:)

So on our grocery shopping trips(usually at whole foods), hubbs will wander off, and pick up some random thing that catches his eye. Most days he knows the name of the thing, like its star fruit, some unpronounceable greens, colorful carrots, or something and he will either eat as is or ask me to make something out of it. Yes, some days I do look at him like.. really, I am too busy with making regular food to experiment right now and he will look back at me like oh come on you are a food blogger, you can experiment any time. (rolls eyes)


Some days though like one this week, I discovered a brown bag with funny looking dried things in the refrigerator. I asked him about it and he did not remember what it was. I figured they were some kind of dried mushrooms and proceeded to look up similar pictures on the interwebz and find out what to do with it. After a few minutes I knew they were oyster shrooms and I decided to use them in a brothy veggie concoction. This is one simple bowl of goodness. High protein and delicious. Me thinks, I should take pictures of more of our quick one pot meals and post about them. More Pastas, soup bowls here.

This event also tells you about how hubbs shops. He picks up anything without looking at the cost.:) For eg, If there are 2 similar tomatoes and one of them is on sale, the information that anything is lower priced is irrelevant. I dont know how we women always catch all these nuances while shopping. I think there should be more women in the budget/finance etc areas of the government ;)

Steps:
In a pan, add oil, bell peppers, jalapenos, cook for a bit.


Add chickpeas


Add parsley and thyme. Mix and cook for a minute.


Look at the mystery ingredient and decide to toss the whole thing in.


Add water or broth. I used water to keep the mushroom flavor the highlight of the bowl. Cook covered for 10 minutes and then uncovered till the sauce is reduced.


Add to cooked quinoa.
Lots of green already, so for the pictures I garnished it with red bell pepper.


Quinoa Protein bowl with Chickpeas, veggies, mushrooms
Gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nut free. Oil free option

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon organic canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
1/2 jalapeno chopped(optional, to taste)
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1/2 cup cooked/canned/Sprouted Chickpeas
2-3 Tablespoons herbs of choice( I used fresh Parsley and a teaspoon of thyme)
a few dried oyster mushrooms
1/3 teaspoon salt or to taste
1.5-2 cups cooked quinoa
Additions: Add almond slivers,sunflower seeds, hemp seeds for an even more protein/nutritious punch

Method:
In a medium pan, add oil and heat on medium.
Add the bell pepper and Jalapeno and cook for 2-3 minutes, uncovered, until slightly golden on the edges.
Add chickpeas, herbs and mix for a few seconds. You can add some greens at this point and mix in.
Add dried mushrooms, water, salt just enough to cover most of the veggies. (You can use vegetable broth instead of water for a thicker sauce)
Cover and cook on low-medium for 10 minutes.
The mushrooms will be soft by now, Break the mushrooms a bit and cook on low, uncovered, until the sauce simmers down to a few Tablespoons. (10-15 minutes). Taste and adjust salt and spice. Add black pepper if needed.
Add the veggies and sauce to the quinoa bowl.
Top with fresh parsley, optionally with seeds and nuts and serve.

Oil-free: Add everything except quinoa to a pan and add water to almost cover the veggies. Simmer on low-medium ,covered, for 15 minutes and then uncovered for 10-15 minutes till it simmers down to a few Tablespoons. Add to Quinoa

Fresh mushrooms: Add the mushrooms to the pan with the bell peppers and jalapeno and cook for 5-7 minutes, uncovered, on medium heat. until golden. Stir every 1-2 minutes.
Add a few Tablespoons of water or broth, herbs, chickpeas and bring to a boil, uncovered. Simmer if needed to reduce.
Add to quinoa. and serve.



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