It’s Spring Time!

“Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.” ~Doug Larson

Spring is being a real tease by giving us slight glimpses of it once in a while. The long days, warm glow from the sun, and the chirping of the birds are all hinting that it’s just round the corner somewhere. I simply can’t wait to see the bare trees turn green, frozen lakes come back to life again, the flowers to bloom and for the nature to unveil its myriad colors.

Spring is such a delight that it’s completely worth the wait.

Meanwhile, I’ve been trying to add some spring flair to my home by playing around with different settings and introducing color to perk up the mood. Without spending anything at all, I compiled together a few things lying around in the house to create a look. Here are a few of them :-

1. On my recent trip to India, I went to my grandmother’s place and she gave me this cotton sheet which had been with me during my college days. It’s a beautiful handmade block-printed sheet in a lovely blueish green color, which I had completely forgotten about. I decided to bring it back with me to the US.
2. Two beautiful hand painted gold-rimmed mugs which were a flea market find for an amazing bargain price.
3. This wooden plank which we recently got from Ikea to make extra storage space in the closet, but haven’t had the time to install it yet.
4. Coffee mug turned planter in deep blue color which got chipped while moving from California.
5. Wooden serving tray from TJ MAXX.
6. Ceramic birds Salt pepper shakers, gifted to me by a friend.

Makes for a cute informal setting if you have guests over for tea.

This weather reminds me of the spring flower festival I attended last year around the same time. Here are some pictures from the same.

My first project with illustrator!

Recently I took a skillshare class on Adobe Ilustrator and here is a look at my first attempt. It’s an illustrator version of my hand-drawn valentine card.
Here is the original card:-

Classic Homemade Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti

It’s been a while since I last posted but there is so much material I have stocked up that I hope it makes up for my absence.

After coming back from my 2 month long relaxing India trip, I am really pumped up to try new things at home. Both me and my husband are really fond of meatballs. It’s one of our staples that we like to have at least once a week. My husband generally avoids red meat so we mostly go for Aidell’s caramelized chicken meatballs from Costco. I always had the impression that meatballs are very complicated to make at home, but surprisingly they are pretty easy and I got them right on my first try (which is a very rare event..:P).

So here is the process-

Total time: 40-45mins

Makes 25-30 meatballs depending on the size.

Ingredients:-

Meatballs

• 3/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon ketchup, optional
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1.5 pound ground dark turkey meat
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Sauce

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4-5 cloves garlic minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to season
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to season
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 teaspoons finely ground fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1.5 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Recipe:-

For the meatballs:

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parmesan, basil, parsley, milk, ketchup, tomato paste, salt, pepper, eggs, garlic and onions. Mix well using a spatula. Add the ground turkey. Gently mix all the ingredients using your fingers until thoroughly combined.
2. Form the meat mixture into balls (25-30 meatballs approximately). Place the meatballs on a nonstick baking sheet, spacing apart. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until cooked through, 15-20 minutes.

For the tomato sauce:

1. Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onions, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the basil, the fennel, oregano and tomato puree. Bring to a simmer. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining basil. Adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired.
2. Add the meatballs to the tomato sauce and simmer until the meatballs are heated through. Thin the sauce with chicken stock, 1/4 cup at a time.
3. Serve with grated Parmesan alongside and some slices of freshly toasted french bread.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/classic-italian-turkey-meatballs-recipe.html

Hot and Spicy Sesame Noodles

I am a huge fan of sesame noodles and I invariably order it everytime I find it on the menu of a restaurant. It’s such a simple dish with very few ingredients yet packs a flavorful punch. So here is my take on it:-

Total Time – 10mins

Serves – 4

Ingredients:-

• 1 packet whole wheat spaghetti (cooked and drained as per the instructions on the packet)
• 4-5 garlic cloves minced or 1tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tbsp chilli flakes
• 2-3 tbsp Canola Oil
• 2 tbsp toasted Sesame Seeds (black or white or both)
• 3 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Method:-

1. Mix all the ingredients together except the noodles to make a dressing.
2. Pour the dressing over the warm noodles and toss to coat.
3. Finally sprinkle some sesame and cilantro on top. You can even add some freshly chopped scallions while serving.

ENJOY..:)

 

Thai Red Curry

One of the most popular Thai dishes which is really easy and quick to make. Spicy, healthy and light, it’s very rare that a dish fits in well in all these three categories which is what makes it so popular. So here you go:-

Serves – 4

Ingredients:

• Oil – 1 tbsp
• Red Curry Paste – 2-3 tbsp (you can follow this recipe to make it at home)
• Coconut Milk – 1 can (14oz/400ml each)
• Thai Chilies – 2 finely chopped
• Brown Sugar – 2 tbsp
• Soy Sauce or Fish Sauce – 1 tbsp
• Baby corn-1/2 cup
• Red Bell Pepper – 1/4, sliced
• Green Bell Pepper – 1/2, sliced
• Mushrooms – 1/4 cup
• Broccoli –  1/2 cup
• Tofu or Chicken Breasts- 1/2 cup
• lemon grass -1 stalk finely chopped
• Green Onions – 5 stalks finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves – 3-4 minced
• Basil Leaves – 1 bunch and some extra for garnishing

Method:

1. In a pan, heat the oil. Once hot, add garlic and chilies and sauté for a few seconds. Add in the red curry paste and mix well.
2. Add the coconut milk and mix again. Then add in the sugar, soy sauce or fish sauce.
3. If you are making a non-vegetarian dish, then add the chicken now, cover and allow chicken to cook partially.
4. If you are making it a vegetarian dish, skip steps 3 and add the vegetables to the gravy. Add baby corn, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, lemon grass and mushrooms. (Leave broccoli at this stage.)
5. Let it cook for a minutes and then add tofu.
6. Add the basil leaves and cook for another 3-5 minutes. And then add broccoli.
7. Cook till chicken / tofu is cooked.
8. Garnish with a few more Thai Basil Leaves and serve hot with some steamed rice.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage and Rosemary

This delicious snack is so quick and easy to make. You can serve it at parties or have it as a family meal.

All you’ll need is:

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 large mushrooms 
• 2 links of italian sausage (casing removed) (Replace with paneer for vegetarian version)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 6 scallions (chopped)
• Some grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Freshly chopped rosemary (keep some sprigs for garnishing)
• Salt and pepper as per taste

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems from the mushroom and keep aside.
3. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and add the minced garlic. Sauté it for a minute.
4. Add the sausage and crumble it using a wooden spoon. Cook it till it turns brown and then add the scallions.
5. Cook for another 2-3 minutes, add the chopped rosemary, mix well and finally turn off the heat.
6. Fill each mushroom generously with this sausage mixture and sprinkle some freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top. 
7. Season them with some salt and pepper and arrange them in a baking dish. 
8. Bake them for about 20-30 mins. Garnish with some fresh rosemary sprigs before serving.

Spicy Masala Chicken Curry (Dhabe wala Chicken)

 

Another one of my absolute favorites-Spicy Masala Chicken curry or Dhabe wala Chicken(as I prefer to call it). This amazing Indian Curry dish is spicy, full of flavor, has rich thick gravy and is mouthwateringly aromatic. Even though I’m always in favor of healthier and seemingly less fatty alternatives but there are certain dishes where I just don’t compromise on flavor and stick to its true original recipe and this dish is definitely one of those. So here is the recipe –

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or vegetable oil
• 1.5 lb chicken thighs or 3 lb chicken legs
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely grated
• 2 tablespoons finely grated peeled ginger
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri lal mirch or red chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 4-5 cups water or chicken broth(for more flavorful results)
• 1 cup canned tomato purée
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 2 small potatoes-quartered
• Plain yogurt, torn fresh mint, and naan, flatbread, or cooked rice (for serving)

METHOD

• Heat ghee in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat.
• Add onion, garlic, and ginger to pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Add tomato puree, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, coriander, red chili, salt, pepper and cardamom and cook, stirring often, until tomato puree is beginning to darken, about 5-6minutes.
• Add broth or water and cream to pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and add the chicken. Simmer, partially covered, skimming occasionally, until chicken is almost done and liquid is slightly thickened, approximately 1hr.
• Add potatoes to the pan and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are fork-tender, chicken is fully cooked, and liquid is thick enough to coat a spoon.
• Top with yogurt and mint, and serve with naan, flatbread, or rice.

(For best result, if you are using leg pieces you should saute the chicken for 7-8 mins in a separate pan before adding to the broth.)

Chicken with Tarragon and White Wine gravy (Poulet a L’estragon)

 

I’ve always wondered what exactly is French cuisine and what differentiates it from Italian cuisine as wine and cheese form a major part of both styles and both have a very rich and subtle pallet. After a little research, it turns out that during medieval times French cuisine was highly influenced by Italian cuisine and as centuries went by, it slowly got rid of its italian influence and developed its own unique style.

I wanted to try one of the classic french dishes called Poulet a L’estragon which is Chicken with Tarragon and White Wine sauce.

(Recipe taken from Nigella Kitchen)

Here is what you’ll need:

2 teaspoons garlic oil (or regular olive oil with 1tsp minced garlic)
2 fat scallions or 4 skinny ones, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon freeze-dried or fresh tarragon
2 chicken breast fillets, skinless and boneless
1/3 cup vermouth or white wine
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fresh white pepper, to grind over
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon, plus a pinch more for sprinkling

Method:

1. Heat the garlic oil in a frying pan or Dutch oven that has a lid and in which the chicken breasts will fit pretty snugly. Add the scallions, stir, then sprinkle in the freeze-dried tarragon, stir again and cook them in the garlic oil for a minute, stirring some more as they cook.
2. Put the chicken fillets into the pan, curved side down, and cook for 5 minutes, watching the scallions don’t burn. If they look like they’re beginning to, scrape them from the pan and let them sit on the chicken pieces.
3. Turn over the breasts, and add the white wine (or vermouth). Let the wine bubble up, then add the salt. Put the lid on, turn the heat down low and leave it to simmer gently for 10 minutes. Check the chicken is cooked through by making a small cut into the thickest part and ensuring the juices run clear – if not, simmer for a few minutes longer and check again.
4. Remove the chicken breasts to warmed plates. Bring the remaining liquid to a boil, add the cream and stir well, then sprinkle in the fresh tarragon, stir again and give a good grind of white pepper.
5. Pour the sauce over the chicken breasts, and give a final scattering of tarragon to serve.

Needless to say, the recipe turned out to be pretty awesome, my husband couldn’t believe I made this at home.;) The beauty of this recipe is that it has the perfect balance of flavors with such minimal ingredients and each playing a subtle role in bringing out its richness. And as Nigella suggests, relish the remaining gravy by scooping out every last bit of it with some nice fresh French Loaf, I loved it. This is definitely one of those dishes which makes me feel that I can never have enough of it. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did..:)

Couscous with Chickpeas and Spinach

Sometime back this recipe was featured in the New York Times. It looked so tempting that I had to give it a try, and I must admit it turned out to be pretty darn good. The combination of spinach and chickpeas is very unusual which made me all the more curious to test it myself. To my amazement, they blended so well and the addition of spinach added a flavorful punch to the overall recipe.

This recipe goes well with couscous but tastes equally good with naan or rice.  For all those health conscious people, this dish is a very good substitute for salads because not only it is so filling, it’s highly nutritious as well.

So here it goes:

Couscous with Italian Sausage and Fennel

I had never used fennel as a vegetable before, so I was eager to try it out in a recipe that would compliment it well. Couscous, by virtue of being adaptable to different flavours, was a perfect fit for this recipe. To satisfy our carnivorous souls and also to enhance the flavour, I decided to combine these with some fresh italian sausage.

For this recipe you’ll need:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• ½ cup sun dried tomatoes
• ½ cup diced olives
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8½ ounces mild italian sausage, cut into small chunks
• 1 large fennel bulb chopped (keep some fronds for garnishing and discard the rest)
• ½ teaspoon harissa paste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon chili flakes
• 1 cup couscous
• salt if needed (depends on the chicken stock you are using, low sodium one would require additional salt on top)
• freshly chopped basil or fennel fronds for garnishing

Method:

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet. Add the garlic. Saute for a few seconds and add the fennel.
2. Once the fennel turns soft, add the sausage and stir-fry on medium to high heat for a few minutes.
3. Add the harissa. When the sausage starts leaving oil and turns dark brown, add the olives, sundried tomatoes, oregano and chili flakes. Cook for a few seconds and then add the chicken stock and salt if required.
4. Once it comes to a boil, add the couscous, stir well, and turn off the heat. Cover the pot immediately and let the dish steam for 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Fluff the couscous with a fork. It should be soft and fluffy, if not, sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of boiling stock or water over it, cover, and steam for a few minutes. Be careful not to add too much water as it can easily overcook. Garnish with freshly chopped basil or fennel fronds

Serve hot with Tzatziki Sauce(optional). You can find the recipe for Tzatziki here.

 

American Sponge Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Both me and my husband do not have a sweet tooth at all (except for those days when we sit and empty half a bucket of vanilla ice-cream), but once in a while after having our spicy Indian meals we crave for something to soothe our simmering taste buds. I have tried a version of sponge cake before, but this recipe is just the thing that we were looking for since it is not overly sweet and uses no fat, which makes it amazingly light and moist. It is complemented perfectly by whipped cream and fresh fruits but for the health conscious, it tastes great as it is without any frosting. Here is my take on this classic recipe for a 9″ cake.

Ingredients:

• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup (100 grams) sifted cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water
• Zest of lemon or orange (outer skin)
• 3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar (or same amount of lemon juice)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.  Have an ungreased 9 inch round cake pan ready.
2. Separate the cold eggs, keeping the yolks in one bowl and the whites in another. Cover the bowls with plastic wrap and keep aside to bring them to room temperature. Meanwhile sift or whisk the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt.
3. Place the egg yolks and 2/3 cup (135 grams) of the sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment or use an electric hand beater. Beat on high speed until they are thick, fluffy and light colored. Then beat in the vanilla extract, water, and lemon zest and set aside. 
4. In a clean bowl beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar or lemon juice and continue beating until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup (65 grams) of sugar and continue beating until the egg whites are shiny and form stiff peaks. 
5. Next, sift the flour mixture over the beaten egg yolks (about one third at a time) and gently but quickly fold the flour into the egg yolk batter with a rubber spatula. Then gently fold the egg whites into the batter little by little, folding just until incorporated. Do not over mix the batter or it will deflate. Pour the batter into the pan smoothing the top. 
6. Bake in preheated oven for 28 -35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. 
7. Remove from oven and immediately invert the pan on a cake stand or a plate. Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding (about one hour). Run a flat metal spatula or sharp knife around the cake along the pan and unclip the pan rim. Invert the cake onto a greased wire rack. The cake can eaten plain or with fresh fruits and whipped cream. I tried mine with a chocolate frosting which turned out to be amazing.

HARISSA SAUCE

We learnt about this ‘magic wand'(Harissa) from our frequent visits to the Moroccan stall at the farmer’s market. Our staple brunch every Sunday would be lamb shawarma from this stall which were without doubt the best shawarmas we had ever had. Since we became its loyal customers, after a couple of friendly chats, the vendor told us about the sauces that make his shawarma so special. One of them was Harissa. This Moroccan sauce has various versions, depending upon how hot one wants it to be. The reason I called this sauce a ‘Magic Wand’ is that it adds a flavorful punch to almost any dish. However, it is typically used to marinate meats or as a spread for wraps and also as a flavouring agent in most couscous recipes.

Here is my version which is really HOT. You can use seeded chiles, and replace some chiles with charred and peeled bell peppers to make it less hot.

Ingredients:-

• 8-9 Thai Chili or Bird’s eye chili
• 4-5  cloves of garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 lemon juiced
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Soak the chiles in warm water for about 20-30 mins. Drain the chiles, reserving about  2-3 tablespoons of the soaking water and then stem the chiles. 
   
2. Stir coriander, caraway and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat until aromatic for about 30 seconds. Then crush them using a mortar-pestle until finely ground.
3. Finally, put all the ingredients in a blender, including coriander, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Puree until smooth. If the texture is thick, you can add a little olive oil and the reserved chili water.

Store it in a jar in the refrigerator with its top covered with olive oil.

 

DIY art for your home

This is an ode to all the art classes I took in my architecture school but never put them to use. I’ve been so excited with these brick walls ever since we moved in, and wanted to create something on my own and hopefully shock my husband, either way..:P. Now that I have my first attempt out of the way, hopefully this will be the start of a series of challenging paintings. Here are a couple of them and I’ll keep adding more as I go along. The colors I’ve used here are royal blue and matt gold.

 

Lemon and Herb Roasted Chicken

So this was our second valentine since we got married and I had planned a surprise meal for my husband. But as usual nothing went as planned. Just a day before valentine, there was a snowstorm here in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, so we couldn’t leave the house. I wanted some alone time so that I could prepare everything, but to make things more difficult, my husband was asked to work from home that day. Yes, I was excited to have him all to myself but I wanted my plan to somehow work too. I desperately wanted him out of the house for atleast an hour, but such a lazy bum he is, he refused to budge even after all my excuses. Luckily we ran out of milk and that is an emergency situation in our house as both of us are big Coffee freaks, so finally he had to step out.

I had some chicken breasts in the freezer so this was the quickest recipe that I could prepare in that time frame and with the things that were available in the house. Here it goes-

Ingredients:-

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, one juiced and one sliced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 6-7 pieces (about 2 lbs.) chicken breasts, pat dry
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme, or fresh chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary, or fresh chopped

 Method:-

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, garlic,  lemon juice, cornstarch, red wine vinegar, Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
3. Place the chicken in a rimmed 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Place the breasts and spread them out evenly in the pan. Pour olive oil mixture all over chicken, turning pieces to coat all sides.
4. Arrange slices of lemon over the chicken. Sprinkle the freshly chopped thyme and rosemary generously.
5. Bake uncovered for about 30-40 mins or until chicken is cooked.
6. Finally, garnish with additional chopped fresh herbs, if desired. Enjoy!

For best results, chicken can be marinated in an air-tight plastic container for a couple of hours or overnight in the olive oil mixture.

 

 

 

 

Living Room – Sneak Peeks

Ok, as I promised, here is a sneak peek into our living room. Since the work is in progress, I’ll update with an overall picture pretty soon. The idea behind this look was to have an uncluttered, clean and chic look. I wanted to have a neutral palate with subtle accents of gold.

If you live in an apartment, you have to add things carefully so that you don’t end up with unnecessary pieces of furniture. The clever way is to find things which are versatile. In our case, we had to have a bookshelf to accommodate 100’s of books which my husband owns, and I wanted a nice statement console where I could line my frames and artwork. The result is what you see in the picture. I also tried to color coordinate the books…(this is what happens when a designer marries a book freak..:P) The addition of lamps gave a nice face-lift to this simple ikea bookshelf.

1. Ikea EXPEDIT shelving unit in Brown-Black ($70)
   
2. Target Lamp-shade in White Linen ($17)
3. Threshold Lamp-base in clear glass from Target ($30)
4. I got my table runner from Tjmaxx for $8 which is no longer in stock, but I like this one too from Target.
5. Ikea Ribba picture frames ($5-$10);various sizes 

Quinoa salad with kidney beans and corn

This is our go-to recipe these days. Even though I’m not a salad freak, I relish this one so much that I can have it every other day. In addition to being a great source of protein, fibre, iron, calcium & magnesium, it has a very nice flavor too. No wonder they call it a ‘Super Food’.

So here is what you’ll need:

• 1½ cups quinoa(raw)
• 3 cups water
• 1½ cups cooked kidney beans
• 2 tbsp pine nuts(lightly toasted)
• 1 cup cooked corn
• ½ large onion finely chopped
• 1 finely chopped tomato (medium size)
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh coriander
• 1 finely chopped green chile (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp of grated feta

Dressing:

• 5-6 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1¼ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp chili flakes

Method:

1. Wash quinoa in a large bowl thoroughly, rubbing grains, changing the water a couple of times and letting them settle, until the water runs clear. Drain the water and transfer the quinoa to a medium saucepan. Boil the quinoa in salted water for about 10-12 minutes; till it absorbs all the water. Remove from heat and let it sit for another 5-7 mins. Drain the remaining water if any, and transfer to a large bowl. Fluff it with fork to help it cool more quickly.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the dressing by adding all the ingredients of the dressing in a small bowl and whisking it.
3. To the bowl of quinoa, add the rest of the ingredients including coriander, feta and nuts. If you are using canned beans, drain its water completely before adding it to the mix. Finally pour the dressing over the salad mix and toss well. Serve at room temperature.

Hope you enjoy this salad as much as I do..:)

 

 

 

 

Cauliflower Steak with Mushroom Gravy

The moment I came across this recipe online, I was eager to try it out myself. Both, me and my husband are always on a lookout for recipes which are ‘healthy and tasty’ at the same time. I used to believe that healthy and tasty don’t go together, but the notion was completely transformed by this amazing blog-http://loveandlentils.com/. It is full of great cooking ideas that force you to believe that vegan cooking can be interesting too…:)

I modified the recipe slightly to my taste. For the steak and kale you can follow this link. For the mushroom gravy, here’s my own recipe which is slightly spicy (the way I like it).

Ingredients:-

• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 1 medium sized onion sliced
• 2-3 dried red chiles
• 1 packet sliced white mushrooms (8 oz.)
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp red wine vinegar (optional)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup chopped coriander
•  ½ cup chicken stock (Vegetarians can use vegetable stock instead)
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Heat olive oil in a non-stick pan on low-medium heat.  When warm, add the garlic and dried chiles and saute for a few seconds.
2. Add the onions, saute for a minute and then add mushrooms turning the heat to high.
3. Meanwhile, mix the cornflour and milk and keep ready. Once the mushrooms start shrivelling and leaving water, turn the heat to medium again and add the cornflour mix and chicken stock.
4. Once the mix starts to thicken, add the red wine vinegar, salt, pepper ( I put a lot of pepper) and coriander.
5. Stir well for 2 minutes, turn off the heat and let it stand for a couple of minutes before serving.

Now, layer the cauliflower steak with kale and pour a generous amount of mushroom gravy over it. Pour yourself a glass of wine and savor the dish…:)

Glutton’s workshop..;)

Since the most important place in the house of every glutton is ‘The Kitchen‘, let’s start with that..:). For every new house one moves into, the kitchen has to be made functional as per the needs and requirements of its occupant. In some cases this might call for some major modifications but in a rental place it is just not possible. Thanks to Ikea and Home Depot, there are several inexpensive and easy solutions available, which won’t land you in trouble. In my particular case, all I needed was a couple of organizers to make things practical and easy. Since I use a lot of spices, I wanted them to be handy everytime I cook. So I made a list of items which could make that possible.

1.  Ikea Spice Rack – $4 each

2. Ikea Planter which could be used as a cutlery caddy or a condiment stand. – $8

3. Spice Jars – $3.5 per 4 pack

4. Cutlery Tray – $1 each

Overall cost- $34

As ‘Cutlery Caddy’

The colorful display of spices do make a pretty picture and add vibrancy to the kitchen decor.

My NEW home..:)

So, the reason I’ve been away for a while now, is that we moved to Connecticut. Anyone we tell this to, attacks us with the SAME question every-time..”from California to Connecticut..WHY?”. NO, we aren’t insane but sometimes you just have to go where life leads you. Who knows what’s in store for us but for now after having settled a bit, I’m more than happy getting back to doing what I absolutely love – Blogging..:D

Since we are doing up our place from scratch, you guys will be treated to whole lot of Decor related posts. To start with, let me show you around our new place.

This place has a lot of potential, and my mind is going crazy with ideas. Hope it comes together as I am imagining it to be.  

My experiments with Typography!

This is in addition to what I had posted earlier. I made these funny hand lettered coasters as a farewell gift for friends before moving to Connecticut.

There’s probably  nothing more special than a handmade gift. It was my husband’s 30th birthday this year, so I decided to put my creativity to use and make a gift for him myself.

Since he is such a COFFEE freak, I couldn’t think of a better quote than this one….

Since then, I’ve been fascinated with Handwritten typography and it’s how I’ve been utilizing my free time these days.