Whole-wheat almond oats cookies

I give my daughter oats and wheatbix everyday for the obvious reason of they being healthy and beneficial. Me and my husband however are very reluctant to have oats/cereal/wheat bix ourselves..so I was thinking of making something that would integrate this goodness and taste good too! came across this recipe and there it was..I had to try it! Made some minor tweaks and these did come out lovely, soft and chewy with nostalgic coconutty and honey taste. DH loved them and I was more than happy when he asked for a second helping :) (he usually is not a big fan of sweets)

This is now a favourite cookies for both me and my husband and a sure keep recipe in my kitchen ..it is all packed with nutrition...aka not less than an energy bar!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup instant oats, powdered them
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp Eno
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 cup sugar (little less also works fine)
2 tbsp honey
1/2 cup Milk
pinch of cinnamon powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder


Method:
In a mixing bowl add all of the ingredients. Gently fold in everything. Make small lemon size balls and flatten them. Place cookies little apart on a baking tray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until they begin to brown around the edges. Let them cool..they taste awesome hot too. Enjoy with cuppa tea or coffee. I find them excellent as a afternoon snack.

Sending it to cookie mela by Srivalli of Cooking 4 all seasons, Vardhini's Bake Fest hosted by Pumpkin Farm this month,  Fav Cookie Recipe by Zesty South Indian, Lets Party-Go Bake by Best of My kitchen

                                     

Healthy food for healthy kids event by Nithubala of Nithu's Kichen, guest hosted by Pari of Foodelicious

Baby book - Dream big!

Love this page of my baby book. I am enjoying making the layouts following a sketch.
Looking at these pictures of my daughter, I felt the theme should be dream big, explore type.
Used a scrunched crepe paper to highlight the pictures on the sides. The hot air baloon is a reused old gift tag, flying high in the sky! The background paper below the pictures is cut from magazine. Made little clouds from bubble wrap. Did little journalling on the snaps itself.

Sending this to

bird is the word challenge Reach

Creative Scrappers Sketch 215

LessologyBubble boy or girl
simply less is moore Sewing
boys rule scrapbook kits

Celebrating Teej Sinjara with Panchmeli Daal & Churma

Like so many festivals, Teej is a lovely festival for Hindu women, mainly amongst the Marwari community.It takes place on the third day of Shukla Paksha (bright moon fortnight) of the Shraavana or Saawan month of Hindu calendar that normally falls from late July to early September.

 It has great significance in Rajasthan as it is observed to provide relief from the scorching heat of summer. Thus, it is popularly called the Sawan Festival.

The significance of Teej comes from two main reasons, first, the advent of monsoons and second, the union of Shiva- Parvati.

Dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva, the festival is celebrated for marital bliss, well-being of spouse and children and purification of own body and soul. The festival is a three-day-long celebration that combines sumptuous feasts as well as rigid fasting. It also celebrates the arrival of monsoon after a season of oppressive heat. "Teej" is a small red insect that comes out of the soil during rains.

The women enjoy this break from heat and daily chores with swings and songs.

Married women generally visit their parents place and receive gifts from their in-laws and spouse.
On the day of Teej, women pay special attention to their appearance by wearing colorful Leheria Sarees and applying henna on their hands.

There are different yummy preparations for this festival like kheer, malpua, jalebi, gulgule..at our home we prepare daal churma. This is a yummy combination, the panchmeli daal with the ghee laden churma tastes just awesome!
Here in australia I could celebrate it by making this traditional recipe. Miss the days when I used to go to the Teej mela(fare) with my Mom. Loved shopping all the handmade stuff, we had a gala time on the swings tied to huge trees and enjoyed a hearty street food! We also used to buy our rakhis from this fare as after teej, rakhi is the next on the calender :)

Trying to apply mehendi/hena on the tiny hands of my sleeping beauty..

Now for the recipe..
Panchmeli dal

Ingredients :
1/2 cup toor dal ( arhar dal )
2 tbsp urad dal ( white split lentil )
2 tbsp moong dal ( yellow split moong lentils )
2 tbsp green chilke wali dal ( green split lentils )
2 tbsp chana dal ( yellow grams )
2 tbsp masoor daal
1/2 tsp turmeric pwd
salt to taste

For tempering 
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)

2 tbsp ghee
3-4 curry leaves
3-4 cloves
1-2 whole dry red chillies
1 green chilli,chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp red chilli pwd
1 tsp garam masala

corriander leaves for garnishing
lemon juice to taste

method :
Wash and soak the lentils together for atleast half an hour. Pressure cook them with little salt and turneric pwd on slow flame and cook till the daals are soft and tender(3-4 whistles) .Once the daal is cooked , prepare for the tadka. Heat ghee,add bay leaf,red chilli,clove,mustard seeds,cumin seeds,hing,curry leaves and green chillies.Turn off the heat and add red chilli pwd. Add this tempering to the daal ,add garam masala, lemon juice and corrinder leaves and simmer the daal for 5-7 mins.Serve hot with churma

Churma 

Ingredients
Wheat flour 200 gm
Ghee 400 gm
Semolina(rawa) 100 gm
salt 1 tsp
Sugar (grounded) 200 gm
Soaked almond (finely chopped) 50 gm
Cardamom (small) 4
Dalchini 1"

Method
In a bowl mix in the wheat flour, semolina, 150 gms. of ghee, salt . Make a stiff dough using very little water.  Make about 15-20 balls with the dough and roll it out into chapati. roast these on the girdle applying ghee generously on both sides(like parathas) (traditionally the round balls are deep fried in ghee, but i prefer this method to avoid the calories)
Churn these chapatis in grinder after it cools down. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in kadahi and add to this mixture along with cardamom seeds and dalchini. Add sugar and chopped almonds. Mix well. Serve in a plate. You can enjoy the taste of churma for 3-4 days.

Sending this to the lovely event, Celebrate - Monsoon of India, hosted by two of my favourite food bloggie friends. This is an event by Jagruti, guest hosted by Sayantani

and Celebrate - Month of Shravan again by Jagruti, guest hosted by Sangeetha.

Gate fold card - GD post for ICR

Hi Peeps..I made this gate fold card for the Guest designer entry for ICR challenge 19 - Fancy fold (no easel). 

Sending this to

ICR 19 - Fancy folds
Beyond grey - No stamping
365 cards - Delicate (flower)
cards for men - Christmas in july

Hello Precious!

Made a page of my baby's book after a long time.. didn't have the pictures developed earlier..

I really like the lovely layouts by Yvonne of Do more with less and this is inspired from her projects.

I have used lot of stickers and rub on, purposely avoiding dimensions, so that the baby book is manageable and the pages do not get spoiled. I love the princess crown and the magic wand, the lace, butterfly, title, Cinderella's carriage and sandals and my lovely daughters photos :) In short I love the way this has come out (which mom would'nt ;))! 

Do let me know how u like it.

Sending this to

Creative scrappers sketch-217

Beyond grey challenge No stamping

365 cards - Enchanted

Handmade & Quilled rakhis

Made these quilled rakhis for my daughters brothers, the little kids will be very happy to receive the rakhis from little S. 

The other rakhi is made using itsy bitsy flowers.

Sending it to

The Itsy Bitsy Craft Flowers Challenge

http://www.artsycraftsymom.com/artsy-craftsy-july-2014-challenge-rakhi-special/

South Indian Cuisine - Adai Dosa

I came across this version of dosa recently and fell in love with it! This was introduced to me by a dear friend Preethi who was our neighbour in our old apt in melb. She told me this tastes great with jaggery and ghee..it was a strange combination for me, but it really did taste amazing with this.
Adai dosa is considered to be the most nutritious among all dosas as it has the goodness of lentils along with rice. Lentils are a good source of protein and dietary fiber. These are quiet filling too.
Though I still like the normal dosa, but this being healthier take a special place in my kitchen now :) My daughter (1 year old) liked it too! I was trying to give small pieces in her mouth but she wanted to hold it in her hand and relish it slowly on her own :)
This dosa does not need any fermenting unlike the normal dosa. It is a all season dish and I can be relished hot with the rain pouring out of the window..


Here comes the recipe without much ado..


Ingredients:


To grind:
Rice - 1 cup
Urad dal - 1/4 cup
Chana dal - 1/4 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Green gram/moong - 1/4 cup
Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Green chillies - 3 or 4 ( I added 2 for keeping it less spicy for baby)
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1.5 tsp

To mix after grinding:
Salt
Water
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp or more (optional)
Onion - 1, finely chopped
Oil - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - a generous pinch
Hing - a generous pinch
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves- 2 tbsp finely chopped
Curry leaves - 1 small handful


Method:

Wash and clean the rice and the 4 dals and soak in water along with ,fenugreek seeds for a minimum of 4 hours. If you are planning to make it for breakfast, soak overnight. Grind it together with green chillies, ginger, cumin and fennel seeds to a coarse paste. Add salt, turmeric powder, hing mix well and set aside.
Add onion, garlic, salt,coriander leaves, curry leaves and enough water and mix well.  Add little water to make it to slightly running consistency slightly thicker than the dosa batter.
Heat the dosa tawa and grease it with a little oil, take one laddle full and spread the batter as we do for dosa. Drizzle little oil and once it is cooked turn to other side and cook till golden brown.


Serve it with sambhar and potato mix or if your taste buds agree, you can relish it with jaggery/brown sugar and a dollop of ghee(for that you should make the dosa a little thick) :)


Linking this to the following events:

Bookmarked recipes , Kids Delight - Wholesome

Healthy food for healthy kids event by Nithubala of Nithu's Kichen, guest hosted by Pari of Foodelicious

Quilled Heart shaped card

Posting after quiet a long time..missed my blog and the bloggy friends :(
so here i am back :))

Made this heart shaped CAS card with a sweet friend Shipra bhabhi for Anuj bhaiya's birthday (her husband)
We had fun making this card with quilled roses and design Highlighted the border with glitter. The card was supposed to be a surprise for bhaiya but alas! (sometimes it is difficult to hide things from men!!! ;))

Anyways he liked it and the effort went into it, and that is what matters :)

Entering in the following challenges
4 crafty chicks - Red and white, all sorts challenge - Flowers, crafty cardmakers - Create your own flowers, bizzy becs store - Flowers, crafty bloggers network - Anyhitng goes, paper take weekly - Anything goes, lej designs challenge blog, just some lines blog - CAS with glitter, do you stack up - Red, paper play challenges - Happy birthday