Introducing Saffron Trail Kitchen - Baking & Healthy Cooking Classes in Bangalore

There's news to share with you. Because here's where it all started. Over 7 years ago. Cooking, writing about it, sharing recipes and the love for food. Teaching how to cook would seem like a natural progression after soaking myself in cooking and baking for over a decade and yet somehow it's taken me this long to finally take the plunge into this joyous role of being a food teacher. I started with a few sessions for the women and kids in my residence complex and driven by their encouragement and suggestions, I've finally started Saffron Trail Kitchen. 

Last month, we had a most fulfilling session on Baking Basics with a crowd of most enthusiastic and fun girls. The baked goodies were tasted over cups of tea and coffee. And my first batch of students have been bombarding me with pics of their baked stuff on Whatsapp, that they've tried at home and it brings me so much joy.

The next class I've scheduled is on Salads. My friend, Nandini says, this class is right up my alley and I can't help but grin. Moving to Bangalore, growing some little herbs and greens on my terrace garden has been the inspiration for many a salad. Friends who've tasted my salads (pardon me if this sounds like gloating) have always had a good word to say about them. It's all about the combination of fresh ingredients, paired with dressings and some glamourous components and you have a wow-inducing salad. 

My salad class, called 'Zesty Salads' makes its debut this Saturday. I want to show you that salads are anything but boring, can make a whole meal and can be put together using absolutely any ingredients you have on hand. My recipe notes are typed out, ingredients' shopping list written down and orders placed. The rocket and the different kinds of lettuce are waiting to be plucked on the morning of the class, so that they are at their freshest best. 

This is a beautiful and exciting world I'm stepping into, where I can share my love for cooking, my knowledge of food and nutrition with those who share my passion. This blog which started off as a personal food diary slowly reached out to a food loving audience, over the years garnered a large readership, finally in its 8th year of existence, connects directly with the people who love to cook, face to face.

I'm planning to do repeat sessions of the salads class, because of the demand and it's sort of the need of the hour, to eat healthy, eat fresh and keep it exciting. The classes will be held at Whitefield, Bangalore. If you are interested in learning to make the most amazing salads, do mail me at saffrontrail AT gmail DOT com - so I can schedule the further classes. I do have a few other classes in mind, but so unlike me to let all the cats out of the bag at once, right?

Also mail me with your suggestions on what you'd like to learn from me, given that you know my style of cooking & baking, I'd be thrilled to hear from you.

Introducing Saffron Trail Kitchen - Baking & Healthy Cooking Classes in Bangalore

Posted by admin

There's news to share with you. Because here's where it all started. Over 7 years ago. Cooking, writing about it, sharing recipes and the love for food. Teaching how to cook would seem like a natural progression after soaking myself in cooking and baking for over a decade and yet somehow it's taken me this long to finally take the plunge into this joyous role of being a food teacher. I started with a few sessions for the women and kids in my residence complex and driven by their encouragement and suggestions, I've finally started Saffron Trail Kitchen. 

Last month, we had a most fulfilling session on Baking Basics with a crowd of most enthusiastic and fun girls. The baked goodies were tasted over cups of tea and coffee. And my first batch of students have been bombarding me with pics of their baked stuff on Whatsapp, that they've tried at home and it brings me so much joy.

The next class I've scheduled is on Salads. My friend, Nandini says, this class is right up my alley and I can't help but grin. Moving to Bangalore, growing some little herbs and greens on my terrace garden has been the inspiration for many a salad. Friends who've tasted my salads (pardon me if this sounds like gloating) have always had a good word to say about them. It's all about the combination of fresh ingredients, paired with dressings and some glamourous components and you have a wow-inducing salad. 

My salad class, called 'Zesty Salads' makes its debut this Saturday. I want to show you that salads are anything but boring, can make a whole meal and can be put together using absolutely any ingredients you have on hand. My recipe notes are typed out, ingredients' shopping list written down and orders placed. The rocket and the different kinds of lettuce are waiting to be plucked on the morning of the class, so that they are at their freshest best. 

This is a beautiful and exciting world I'm stepping into, where I can share my love for cooking, my knowledge of food and nutrition with those who share my passion. This blog which started off as a personal food diary slowly reached out to a food loving audience, over the years garnered a large readership, finally in its 8th year of existence, connects directly with the people who love to cook, face to face.

I'm planning to do repeat sessions of the salads class, because of the demand and it's sort of the need of the hour, to eat healthy, eat fresh and keep it exciting. The classes will be held at Whitefield, Bangalore. If you are interested in learning to make the most amazing salads, do mail me at saffrontrail AT gmail DOT com - so I can schedule the further classes. I do have a few other classes in mind, but so unlike me to let all the cats out of the bag at once, right?

Also mail me with your suggestions on what you'd like to learn from me, given that you know my style of cooking & baking, I'd be thrilled to hear from you.

Perfect Potato Salad with Quinoa

I had a wonderful time with my family over spring break, but it sure is good to be back home and back to normal life and a regular schedule again. One of the things I missed the most was eating healthy, home cooked meals. It gets harder and harder to eat processed-white-flour-packed-foods when your body is used to the flavor and nutrition of grains. But even after just three days of home cooked meals again I'm starting to feel back to my normal self.

One thing that I've discovered that I love about cooking from scratch is that you can change a recipe up to make it healthier with very little effort and without sacrificing any of the original recipe's deliciousness. This potato salad is a great example of this. I added cooked white quinoa to the salad, thus upping the nutrition by a lot because white quinoa is a perfect protein and very healthy (If you're interested in learning more about it, I devoted a whole post to white quinoa last year). White quinoa is the perfect grain to disguise in potato salad because it blends in so well and no one will even know it's there.

I'm excited to share with you this recipe that you can make in your pressure cooker. I wrote this recipe up for the pressure cooker, but don't worry if you don't have one, you can still cook all the ingredients on the stove and combine them to make a very delicious potato salad. Spring is here (despite the snow I woke up to this morning) and summer is close on it's way! This is a delicious recipe that you can serve with a barbecue or picnic this spring or summer. I brought it to a barbecue my family had over Easter weekend and everyone loved it. Enjoy.

Perfect Potato Salad with Quinoa
Printable Recipe

*Serves 10-12

*This is a pressure cooker version of the recipe, but you can easily make it without a pressure cooker by cooking the white quinoa, potatoes and hard boiled eggs on the stove. 

INGREDIENTS:
Salad:
10 eggs
1/2 Cup white quinoa
5 lbs. potatoes (I used about 10 large Russets, but you can use other varieties)
1 Cup sliced olives

Dressing:
2 Cups mayonnaise (Light mayo works fine)
2/3 Cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. minced dried onions
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Hard boiled eggs (this step can be done ahead of time):

I like to hard boil my eggs according to this method in the pressure cooker because the eggs are easy to peel and come out perfect every time. Place the metal trivet that comes with the pressure cooker on the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add about a cup of water and place a few canning lids on the trivet (this is to keep the eggs from bumping into each other, but you may not need very many since you will be cooking 10 eggs). Arrange the eggs in and around the lids. Heat up the pressure cooker until it reaches low pressure and then cook for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to go down naturally and then immediately remove the eggs and cool them in ice water to stop the cooking process. Let pressure release naturally and then cool and refrigerate the eggs. 

Cooked Quinoa (this step can be done ahead of time):

Add 1/2 Cup white quinoa to the pressure cooker along with 1 Cup of water. Pressure on high for 6 minutes, then do a quick release. Cool and refrigerate. 

Potatoes (this step can be done ahead of time):

Peel the potatoes and place on top of metal trivet in pressure cooker. Add 2 Cups of water to cooker, lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Naturally release the pressure, then cool and refrigerate potatoes.

For the salad, dice the cooked potatoes into bite sized pieces and add to a large serving bowl. Dice the hard boiled eggs and combine with the potatoes. Add to the bowl the chopped olives and the cooked and cooled quinoa. Then toss potato salad ingredients together until evenly distributed. Combine the dressing ingredients in a quart sized canning jar or a blender and shake or blend until combined. Pour dressing onto potato salad until the correct consistency is found. Refrigerate potato salad at least 2 hours to combine flavors or until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

This week I'll be linking to some of these link parties.

Perfect Potato Salad with Quinoa

Posted by admin

I had a wonderful time with my family over spring break, but it sure is good to be back home and back to normal life and a regular schedule again. One of the things I missed the most was eating healthy, home cooked meals. It gets harder and harder to eat processed-white-flour-packed-foods when your body is used to the flavor and nutrition of grains. But even after just three days of home cooked meals again I'm starting to feel back to my normal self.

One thing that I've discovered that I love about cooking from scratch is that you can change a recipe up to make it healthier with very little effort and without sacrificing any of the original recipe's deliciousness. This potato salad is a great example of this. I added cooked white quinoa to the salad, thus upping the nutrition by a lot because white quinoa is a perfect protein and very healthy (If you're interested in learning more about it, I devoted a whole post to white quinoa last year). White quinoa is the perfect grain to disguise in potato salad because it blends in so well and no one will even know it's there.

I'm excited to share with you this recipe that you can make in your pressure cooker. I wrote this recipe up for the pressure cooker, but don't worry if you don't have one, you can still cook all the ingredients on the stove and combine them to make a very delicious potato salad. Spring is here (despite the snow I woke up to this morning) and summer is close on it's way! This is a delicious recipe that you can serve with a barbecue or picnic this spring or summer. I brought it to a barbecue my family had over Easter weekend and everyone loved it. Enjoy.

Perfect Potato Salad with Quinoa
Printable Recipe

*Serves 10-12

*This is a pressure cooker version of the recipe, but you can easily make it without a pressure cooker by cooking the white quinoa, potatoes and hard boiled eggs on the stove. 

INGREDIENTS:
Salad:
10 eggs
1/2 Cup white quinoa
5 lbs. potatoes (I used about 10 large Russets, but you can use other varieties)
1 Cup sliced olives

Dressing:
2 Cups mayonnaise (Light mayo works fine)
2/3 Cup buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. minced dried onions
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. yellow mustard

DIRECTIONS:

Hard boiled eggs (this step can be done ahead of time):

I like to hard boil my eggs according to this method in the pressure cooker because the eggs are easy to peel and come out perfect every time. Place the metal trivet that comes with the pressure cooker on the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add about a cup of water and place a few canning lids on the trivet (this is to keep the eggs from bumping into each other, but you may not need very many since you will be cooking 10 eggs). Arrange the eggs in and around the lids. Heat up the pressure cooker until it reaches low pressure and then cook for 6 minutes. Allow the pressure to go down naturally and then immediately remove the eggs and cool them in ice water to stop the cooking process. Let pressure release naturally and then cool and refrigerate the eggs. 

Cooked Quinoa (this step can be done ahead of time):

Add 1/2 Cup white quinoa to the pressure cooker along with 1 Cup of water. Pressure on high for 6 minutes, then do a quick release. Cool and refrigerate. 

Potatoes (this step can be done ahead of time):

Peel the potatoes and place on top of metal trivet in pressure cooker. Add 2 Cups of water to cooker, lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Naturally release the pressure, then cool and refrigerate potatoes.

For the salad, dice the cooked potatoes into bite sized pieces and add to a large serving bowl. Dice the hard boiled eggs and combine with the potatoes. Add to the bowl the chopped olives and the cooked and cooled quinoa. Then toss potato salad ingredients together until evenly distributed. Combine the dressing ingredients in a quart sized canning jar or a blender and shake or blend until combined. Pour dressing onto potato salad until the correct consistency is found. Refrigerate potato salad at least 2 hours to combine flavors or until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

This week I'll be linking to some of these link parties.

Black Bean Mango Salad

We're still talking about black beans this week and today I'm going to share with you a recipe that combines black beans with white quinoa in a wonderful, fresh, and delicious salad. Perfect for a light lunch or a BBQ or other side dish. 

Black Bean Mango Salad
Printable Recipe

*Note: Red quinoa would be delicious in this recipe too!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup white quinoa, uncooked (or use 2 cups cooked and chilled quinoa)
2 Cups cooked and chilled black beans (or 1 14 oz. can, drained and rinsed)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro, or more to taste

Dressing:
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Put 1/2 Cup quinoa in saucepan and add 1 cup water (or chicken broth). Heat on medium high until water starts to boil. Turn down heat to medium low, put a lid loosely on the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is dissolved and quinoa is cooked. Remove quinoa to a large bowl and put in the refrigerator for an hour or two until quinoa is chilled.

When quinoa is chilled add to the bowl black beans, chopped mango, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk together until it reaches a smooth consistency, then pour in the large bowl on top of the salad ingredients. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Delicious for a BBQ side dish or serve with bread or rolls for a lunch. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: adapted from ourbestbites.com

Black Bean Mango Salad

Posted by admin

We're still talking about black beans this week and today I'm going to share with you a recipe that combines black beans with white quinoa in a wonderful, fresh, and delicious salad. Perfect for a light lunch or a BBQ or other side dish. 

Black Bean Mango Salad
Printable Recipe

*Note: Red quinoa would be delicious in this recipe too!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cup white quinoa, uncooked (or use 2 cups cooked and chilled quinoa)
2 Cups cooked and chilled black beans (or 1 14 oz. can, drained and rinsed)
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 green onions, chopped
1/2 Cup chopped cilantro, or more to taste

Dressing:
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1-2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Put 1/2 Cup quinoa in saucepan and add 1 cup water (or chicken broth). Heat on medium high until water starts to boil. Turn down heat to medium low, put a lid loosely on the pan and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is dissolved and quinoa is cooked. Remove quinoa to a large bowl and put in the refrigerator for an hour or two until quinoa is chilled.

When quinoa is chilled add to the bowl black beans, chopped mango, red pepper, green onions, and cilantro. In a separate bowl, combine red wine vinegar, olive oil, and lime juice. Whisk together until it reaches a smooth consistency, then pour in the large bowl on top of the salad ingredients. Toss to combine and add salt and pepper to taste. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Delicious for a BBQ side dish or serve with bread or rolls for a lunch. Enjoy!

Recipe Source: adapted from ourbestbites.com

Etiquette Dinner

We had quite a fun experience last night teaching three teenage boys to cook. My husband works with the young men in our church group ages 12 - 18. Last night they were having an etiquette dinner at 6 p.m. with the young women where they learned manners, etc. The young men were in charge of cooking dinner so they met at our house at 4 p.m. to make this dinner:

- A spinach salad (with roasted almonds) - see recipe below
- Bread sticks
- Chocolate Lush Dessert

Some of the other boys were making chicken stroganoff at another home for the main dish. They made enough food to feed 36 people with some leftovers. I was so impressed with the boys and what they were able to accomplish in only 2 hours. The food was beautiful and tasty and they had a lot of fun doing it. We only had one mishap with a pan of roasted almonds, but I was so impressed with how they cleaned it right up and we still had plenty of almonds for the salad.

These recipes are really simple and perfect for cooking with your kids!

Roasted Almond Spinach Salad 
Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

1 10-oz. package fresh spinach
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 Cup dried cranberries
1 Cup roasted, slivered almonds
raspberry vinaigrette dressing (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Isn't it colorful? This picture is taken without the roasted almonds and the dressing. They added those just before serving.

We made three batches of this Chocolate Lush dessert:

Chocolate Lush

Printable Recipe

*Serves 12-15

*Note: This dessert is put together in 4 layers.

2 Cups Flour

3/4 Cups butter

1 Cup chopped walnuts

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 8-oz. Carton Cool Whip, divided

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

3 Cup milk (whole is best)

Crust Layer:

Mix together 2 Cups flour, 3/4 Cup butter and 1 Cup walnuts with a fork. Spread in a 9 x 13" ungreased pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool completely before adding the next two layers.

Cream Cheese Layer:

Mix together 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, 1 Cup powdered sugar and 1 Cup Cool Whip in a bowl with an electric mixer. Spread layer of cooled crust.

Pudding layer:

Put 1 small package chocolate pudding, 1 small package vanilla pudding and 3 Cup milk in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Then spread pudding mix on top of cream cheese layer.

Cool Whip Layer:

Spread the remaining Cool Whip onto the top of the pudding layer. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired, chocolate sprinkles, or a grated chocolate bar.

Then chill until serving.

Variations:

You can also use another kind of pudding in place of the chocolate. For example Lemon Lush would use 1 pkg. Lemon Pudding, Butterscotch Lush would use 1 pkg. butterscotch pudding, Pistachio Lush would use 1 pkg. pistachio pudding.

Finally, we made three batches of bread sticks. Here's the recipe. Make LOTS! Nobody can eat just one! *Note: Sometimes for our family I make them whole wheat. Click here for the whole wheat recipe. 

Bread Sticks after Raising

Bread Sticks
Printable Recipe

*Makes about 24 breadsticks

1 1/2 Cups Water
1 tsp. salt 
1 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
1-1/2 Cups Freshly-ground Wheat flour
3-4 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tbsp. SAF instant yeast 

1/4 Cup melted butter

Heat water in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes or until hotter than 110 F. Then add water, salt, milk, and sugar in Bosch mixer. Add 1-1/2 Cup wheat flour. Then add the yeast on top. Set mixer at 2nd speed and mix adding the white flour until barely begins to pull from sides (you may not need all of it). Mix to let gluten work in for about 6 min.

Roll the dough into "snakes" to the size that you desire. Brush tops with 1/4 Cup melted butter, and sprinkle with any topping such as garlic or onion salt, parmesan cheese, sesame or poppy seeds, or seasoned salt. Allow to rise 15-20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees about 10-15 minutes. They are great dipped or spread with butter as you eat them.

*Note: People eat a lot of these so always make more than you think!

Cooked Bread Sticks - Don't they look professional?

Here they are doing the dishes afterwards! What a fun evening and what a great bunch of kids!

Etiquette Dinner

Posted by admin

We had quite a fun experience last night teaching three teenage boys to cook. My husband works with the young men in our church group ages 12 - 18. Last night they were having an etiquette dinner at 6 p.m. with the young women where they learned manners, etc. The young men were in charge of cooking dinner so they met at our house at 4 p.m. to make this dinner:

- A spinach salad (with roasted almonds) - see recipe below
- Bread sticks
- Chocolate Lush Dessert

Some of the other boys were making chicken stroganoff at another home for the main dish. They made enough food to feed 36 people with some leftovers. I was so impressed with the boys and what they were able to accomplish in only 2 hours. The food was beautiful and tasty and they had a lot of fun doing it. We only had one mishap with a pan of roasted almonds, but I was so impressed with how they cleaned it right up and we still had plenty of almonds for the salad.

These recipes are really simple and perfect for cooking with your kids!

Roasted Almond Spinach Salad 
Printable Recipe

*Serves 8-10

1 10-oz. package fresh spinach
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3/4 Cup dried cranberries
1 Cup roasted, slivered almonds
raspberry vinaigrette dressing (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and toss. Serve immediately.

Isn't it colorful? This picture is taken without the roasted almonds and the dressing. They added those just before serving.

We made three batches of this Chocolate Lush dessert:

Chocolate Lush

Printable Recipe

*Serves 12-15

*Note: This dessert is put together in 4 layers.

2 Cups Flour

3/4 Cups butter

1 Cup chopped walnuts

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 8-oz. Carton Cool Whip, divided

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1 small package instant vanilla pudding

3 Cup milk (whole is best)

Crust Layer:

Mix together 2 Cups flour, 3/4 Cup butter and 1 Cup walnuts with a fork. Spread in a 9 x 13" ungreased pan. Bake 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool completely before adding the next two layers.

Cream Cheese Layer:

Mix together 1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, 1 Cup powdered sugar and 1 Cup Cool Whip in a bowl with an electric mixer. Spread layer of cooled crust.

Pudding layer:

Put 1 small package chocolate pudding, 1 small package vanilla pudding and 3 Cup milk in a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat on high for 3 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Then spread pudding mix on top of cream cheese layer.

Cool Whip Layer:

Spread the remaining Cool Whip onto the top of the pudding layer. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, if desired, chocolate sprinkles, or a grated chocolate bar.

Then chill until serving.

Variations:

You can also use another kind of pudding in place of the chocolate. For example Lemon Lush would use 1 pkg. Lemon Pudding, Butterscotch Lush would use 1 pkg. butterscotch pudding, Pistachio Lush would use 1 pkg. pistachio pudding.

Finally, we made three batches of bread sticks. Here's the recipe. Make LOTS! Nobody can eat just one! *Note: Sometimes for our family I make them whole wheat. Click here for the whole wheat recipe. 

Bread Sticks after Raising

Bread Sticks
Printable Recipe

*Makes about 24 breadsticks

1 1/2 Cups Water
1 tsp. salt 
1 Tbsp. powdered milk
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
1-1/2 Cups Freshly-ground Wheat flour
3-4 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 Tbsp. SAF instant yeast 

1/4 Cup melted butter

Heat water in the microwave for 1-1/2 minutes or until hotter than 110 F. Then add water, salt, milk, and sugar in Bosch mixer. Add 1-1/2 Cup wheat flour. Then add the yeast on top. Set mixer at 2nd speed and mix adding the white flour until barely begins to pull from sides (you may not need all of it). Mix to let gluten work in for about 6 min.

Roll the dough into "snakes" to the size that you desire. Brush tops with 1/4 Cup melted butter, and sprinkle with any topping such as garlic or onion salt, parmesan cheese, sesame or poppy seeds, or seasoned salt. Allow to rise 15-20 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees about 10-15 minutes. They are great dipped or spread with butter as you eat them.

*Note: People eat a lot of these so always make more than you think!

Cooked Bread Sticks - Don't they look professional?

Here they are doing the dishes afterwards! What a fun evening and what a great bunch of kids!

Asian Rice Salad with Broiled Tilapia

Well I've been cooking a lot lately, but haven't had much time to blog about the finds I've made. Here's an asian rice salad that I found on this site that is great!

Sorry my picture is a bit blurry...We served the rice salad on a bed of lettuce fresh from our garden (don't mix the lettuce in - just put on plate and scoop salad on top and broiled tilapia. Yum.

Broiled Almond-Crusted Tilapia
Printable Recipe

*4 light servings

INGREDIENTS:
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets
1/4 Cup butter, melted
Seasoning salt
1/2 Cup ground almonds (pulsed in a blender)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat Broiler. Place tilipia fillets on a broiling pan or cookie sheet. Spread with melted butter. Sprinkle with seasoning salt, to taste and ground up almonds. Broil for 6 minutes or until tilipia is tender and flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

Asian Rice Salad with Broiled Tilapia

Posted by admin

Well I've been cooking a lot lately, but haven't had much time to blog about the finds I've made. Here's an asian rice salad that I found on this site that is great!

Sorry my picture is a bit blurry...We served the rice salad on a bed of lettuce fresh from our garden (don't mix the lettuce in - just put on plate and scoop salad on top and broiled tilapia. Yum.

Broiled Almond-Crusted Tilapia
Printable Recipe

*4 light servings

INGREDIENTS:
4 4-oz. tilapia fillets
1/4 Cup butter, melted
Seasoning salt
1/2 Cup ground almonds (pulsed in a blender)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat Broiler. Place tilipia fillets on a broiling pan or cookie sheet. Spread with melted butter. Sprinkle with seasoning salt, to taste and ground up almonds. Broil for 6 minutes or until tilipia is tender and flakes easily with a fork.

Recipe Source: healthyfamilycookin.blogspot.com

The BEST Mexican Black Bean Taco Salad

Oh my goodness! I have eaten this dish 3 times this week and it is soooo good! I think it just get's better and better. I made it one night for dinner and have had leftovers for lunch twice. I've made the black beans before, but with this combination, wow - this is an out-of-this world dinner - one of my most favorites of all time. The nice thing about it is it is vegetarian, easily vegan, gluten-free, and....tasty!

I'm posting this as a surprise for my Dad for Father's day. My Dad's diet is gluten-free, low-fat, low sodium, and a ton of other restrictions that I probably missed. As you can probably guess, he eats pretty bland food. For my Dad, I'm having him try the recipe below with a few changes: leaving out the salt, using fat-free or low fat mayo in the dressing and using the healthier tortilla chips with little or no salt or leaving out the chips all together.

Mexican Black Bean Taco Salad
Mexican Black Beans
Corn (canned or frozen), warmed
Lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, diced
Avacados, chopped (optional)
Tortilla Chips
Cheese (optional)
Other salad veggies as desired (Cabbage, green onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, etc)
fresh limes, sliced into wedges (You've GOT TO USE FRESH LIMES!! A MUST!!)
Cilantro-lime buttermilk dressing (see recipe below, leave off for vegan or make a variation using vegan substitutes)

Prepare the ingredients and place in individual serving bowls on the table. Each person can prepare their own salad as desired. I like to layer chips, black beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, avacadoes, cheese and other veggies on my plate. Then I squeeze the lime juice all over and pour on the dressing. I like to either eat as a salad or dip chips into it for a dip.

Cilantro-lime Buttermilk Dressing
¾ C. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
¾ tsp. fresh oregano, minced or ¼ tsp. dried
½ tsp. salt
½ C. buttermilk
2-3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced (or more, as desired)
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
½ tsp. onion, minced

Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Use immediately or store in a tightly covered container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Shake well before using.

The BEST Mexican Black Bean Taco Salad

Posted by admin

Oh my goodness! I have eaten this dish 3 times this week and it is soooo good! I think it just get's better and better. I made it one night for dinner and have had leftovers for lunch twice. I've made the black beans before, but with this combination, wow - this is an out-of-this world dinner - one of my most favorites of all time. The nice thing about it is it is vegetarian, easily vegan, gluten-free, and....tasty!

I'm posting this as a surprise for my Dad for Father's day. My Dad's diet is gluten-free, low-fat, low sodium, and a ton of other restrictions that I probably missed. As you can probably guess, he eats pretty bland food. For my Dad, I'm having him try the recipe below with a few changes: leaving out the salt, using fat-free or low fat mayo in the dressing and using the healthier tortilla chips with little or no salt or leaving out the chips all together.

Mexican Black Bean Taco Salad
Mexican Black Beans
Corn (canned or frozen), warmed
Lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, diced
Avacados, chopped (optional)
Tortilla Chips
Cheese (optional)
Other salad veggies as desired (Cabbage, green onions, cucumbers, bell peppers, etc)
fresh limes, sliced into wedges (You've GOT TO USE FRESH LIMES!! A MUST!!)
Cilantro-lime buttermilk dressing (see recipe below, leave off for vegan or make a variation using vegan substitutes)

Prepare the ingredients and place in individual serving bowls on the table. Each person can prepare their own salad as desired. I like to layer chips, black beans, corn, lettuce, tomatoes, avacadoes, cheese and other veggies on my plate. Then I squeeze the lime juice all over and pour on the dressing. I like to either eat as a salad or dip chips into it for a dip.

Cilantro-lime Buttermilk Dressing
¾ C. Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. Freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp. Ground black pepper
¾ tsp. fresh oregano, minced or ¼ tsp. dried
½ tsp. salt
½ C. buttermilk
2-3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced (or more, as desired)
1 tsp. fresh garlic, minced
½ tsp. onion, minced

Mix all the ingredients in a blender. Use immediately or store in a tightly covered container and refrigerate up to 1 week. Shake well before using.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

This recipe for Pita Bread is delicious! Enjoy...

Whole-Wheat Pita Bread

Servings: Makes 8 (6-inch) pita loaves.

1 tsp. honey
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F)
3 cups whole wheat flour (can use a mixture of milled flax, bran)
3 Tbsp. vital wheat Gluten
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
Could add thyme, or sesame to dough
Cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheet.

Here's what I do:

Put in the first 7 ingredients in bosch mixer in order. Note this is very important - and make sure your water is very warm (put it in the microwave for a bit). Add any additional flour if needed. Mix with mixer for about 6 mins.

Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round to 1 of 2 baking sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with 2 clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining 4 pitas in same manner. Serve warm.

Here's a couple of great filling ideas:

#1: Chicken Salad
2 1/2 cups, cubed, cooked chicken breast (about 1 lb)
1 c matchstick cut carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dill
1 8oz can crushed pineapple drained
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Cook chicken. Combine all ingredients, except lettuce. Fill a half Pita with mixture add lettuce and enjoy.

#2: Falafel Tacos - This recipes comes from a great friend who is a vegetarian - for some reason it wouldn't let me link the exact recipe, but you can do a search for vegetarian recipes and find it and a lot of other great ones. We had these the other night and they were really good!

#3 Rice Salad - this or another rice salad would make a great filling for these pita pockets.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Posted by admin

This recipe for Pita Bread is delicious! Enjoy...

Whole-Wheat Pita Bread

Servings: Makes 8 (6-inch) pita loaves.

1 tsp. honey
1/4 C. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups warm water (105–115°F)
3 cups whole wheat flour (can use a mixture of milled flax, bran)
3 Tbsp. vital wheat Gluten
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
Could add thyme, or sesame to dough
Cornmeal for sprinkling baking sheet.

Here's what I do:

Put in the first 7 ingredients in bosch mixer in order. Note this is very important - and make sure your water is very warm (put it in the microwave for a bit). Add any additional flour if needed. Mix with mixer for about 6 mins.

Form dough into a ball and put in an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch down dough and cut into 8 pieces. Form each piece into a ball. Flatten 1 ball, then roll out into a 6 1/2- to 7-inch round on floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Transfer round to 1 of 2 baking sheets lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Make 7 more rounds in same manner, arranging them on baking sheets. Loosely cover pitas with 2 clean kitchen towels (not terry cloth) and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and remove other racks. Preheat oven to 500°F.

Transfer 4 pitas, 1 at a time, directly onto oven rack. Bake until just puffed and pale golden, about 2 minutes. Turn over with tongs and bake 1 minute more. Cool pitas on a cooling rack 2 minutes, then stack and wrap loosely in a kitchen towel to keep pitas warm. Bake remaining 4 pitas in same manner. Serve warm.

Here's a couple of great filling ideas:

#1: Chicken Salad
2 1/2 cups, cubed, cooked chicken breast (about 1 lb)
1 c matchstick cut carrots
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp dill
1 8oz can crushed pineapple drained
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Cook chicken. Combine all ingredients, except lettuce. Fill a half Pita with mixture add lettuce and enjoy.

#2: Falafel Tacos - This recipes comes from a great friend who is a vegetarian - for some reason it wouldn't let me link the exact recipe, but you can do a search for vegetarian recipes and find it and a lot of other great ones. We had these the other night and they were really good!

#3 Rice Salad - this or another rice salad would make a great filling for these pita pockets.

Delicious, Delicious, Delicious Rice Salad

I read about Josey's Rice salad a while ago, but today I made it for lunch. Oh my - I'll definitely be making it again - Ssoooooo Yummmy!!! It's very filling and has simple ingredients. My kind of recipe. We're trying to eat healthier - more veggies, less sweets, more whole-grains. This kind of salad is perfect for that kind of diet because it add interesting flavor and texture to a basic grain and veggies.


Josey’s Rice Salade

Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked brown rice, cooked and chilled)
1 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen, unthawed)
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
2 green onions, sliced thinly or 1/4 cup red onion, diced
3 boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
5 small tomatoes, chopped or 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
5 leaves of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

French Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine French dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl. Stir in chilled rice, corn, celery, onions and egg slices. Refrigerate until serving (best chilled for at least an hour). Serve salad on a bed of romaine lettuce and sprinkle tomatoes on top.

Recipe Source: Adapted from homeschooling.net

Delicious, Delicious, Delicious Rice Salad

Posted by admin

I read about Josey's Rice salad a while ago, but today I made it for lunch. Oh my - I'll definitely be making it again - Ssoooooo Yummmy!!! It's very filling and has simple ingredients. My kind of recipe. We're trying to eat healthier - more veggies, less sweets, more whole-grains. This kind of salad is perfect for that kind of diet because it add interesting flavor and texture to a basic grain and veggies.


Josey’s Rice Salade

Printable Recipe

*Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked and chilled brown rice (about 1 cup uncooked brown rice, cooked and chilled)
1 cup corn kernels (canned or frozen, unthawed)
1/4 cup black olives, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced thinly
2 green onions, sliced thinly or 1/4 cup red onion, diced
3 boiled eggs, peeled and sliced
5 small tomatoes, chopped or 1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
5 leaves of romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

French Dressing
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Combine French dressing ingredients in a large salad bowl. Stir in chilled rice, corn, celery, onions and egg slices. Refrigerate until serving (best chilled for at least an hour). Serve salad on a bed of romaine lettuce and sprinkle tomatoes on top.

Recipe Source: Adapted from homeschooling.net

The Taste of Summer

I don't know about you, but I love to eat light foods in the summer. We love to grow a garden and eat the vegetables from it all summer long. Our garden is just starting to produce the summer vegetables. We've had a few summer squash and zucchini, a couple of cucumbers, some beans and plenty of fresh chard. Usually the chard is the hardest to stay on top of in the summer. When it's not regularly picked, it grows large and tastes rather bitter. I know a lot of people love fresh chard cooked with butter and salt on it. We actually prefer it raw and we use it exclusively in our salads in the summer (when the spinach and leaf lettuce has gone to seed). The nice thing about swiss chard is that it will produce even in the heat of summer. It's a great vegetable to grow and very healthy! As long as it's kept young and tender chard is a great substitute for spinach in salad recipes. Here's a delicious recipe with chard that I adapted from this recipe I found.

Spinach or Chard Rice Salad

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used half of a package of dry Italian dressing and the ingredients to make it)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 large green bell pepper*

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups thinly sliced fresh spinach

5 bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled (optional - I didn't use)

*This recipe would also be very good with other vegetables. A few ideas are: sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, celery or olives.

We had this for dinner tonight with crescent rolls and fruit salad. Yum! The taste of summer really doesn't get much better than that! Here's the crescent roll recipe I adapted it from this blog recipe - these were AMAZING! Mine didn't poof up as much as hers probably because I got impatient and didn't let them rise quite as long, but they were still really really good.

Crescent Rolls
(makes 2 cookie sheets, 48 rolls, 24 on each pan)

4 T. yeast
½ c. + 2 T. warm Water
6 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 c. warm milk (not scalding)
2 T. salt
4 C. of wonder flour
4 Tbsp. of Gluten flour

Mix together in large bosch mixer (I halved this recipe for my compact Bosch) and add:

6-7 c. white flour a cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl

Continue to mix/knead for 5 minutes on med-high speed. Allow to raise 2-3 hours.

Separate dough into 6 even balls. Roll out each ball until the size of a dinner plate on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 8 pizza wedge slices. With each wedge, roll down ward wrapping bottom skinny bottom piece down and around to make pretty crescent shape. Place 3 rolls across and 8 down, 24 on each cookie sheet.

Allow to double in size while covered with clean dish towel (about 15 minutes). While raising on top of oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake one sheet at a time. Bake 6 minutes on bottom rack and then 5 minutes on middle shelf until light golden brown. (Before you take them out, double check the bottom to make sure they are golden brown, not too light they could be doughy). Once they are perfectly golden brown, brush tops with melted butter once removed.

The Taste of Summer

Posted by admin

I don't know about you, but I love to eat light foods in the summer. We love to grow a garden and eat the vegetables from it all summer long. Our garden is just starting to produce the summer vegetables. We've had a few summer squash and zucchini, a couple of cucumbers, some beans and plenty of fresh chard. Usually the chard is the hardest to stay on top of in the summer. When it's not regularly picked, it grows large and tastes rather bitter. I know a lot of people love fresh chard cooked with butter and salt on it. We actually prefer it raw and we use it exclusively in our salads in the summer (when the spinach and leaf lettuce has gone to seed). The nice thing about swiss chard is that it will produce even in the heat of summer. It's a great vegetable to grow and very healthy! As long as it's kept young and tender chard is a great substitute for spinach in salad recipes. Here's a delicious recipe with chard that I adapted from this recipe I found.

Spinach or Chard Rice Salad

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing (I used half of a package of dry Italian dressing and the ingredients to make it)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 large green bell pepper*

4 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups thinly sliced fresh spinach

5 bacon strips, cooked crisp and crumbled (optional - I didn't use)

*This recipe would also be very good with other vegetables. A few ideas are: sugar snap peas, red bell pepper, celery or olives.

We had this for dinner tonight with crescent rolls and fruit salad. Yum! The taste of summer really doesn't get much better than that! Here's the crescent roll recipe I adapted it from this blog recipe - these were AMAZING! Mine didn't poof up as much as hers probably because I got impatient and didn't let them rise quite as long, but they were still really really good.

Crescent Rolls
(makes 2 cookie sheets, 48 rolls, 24 on each pan)

4 T. yeast
½ c. + 2 T. warm Water
6 eggs
1 c. oil
1 c. sugar
2 c. warm milk (not scalding)
2 T. salt
4 C. of wonder flour
4 Tbsp. of Gluten flour

Mix together in large bosch mixer (I halved this recipe for my compact Bosch) and add:

6-7 c. white flour a cup at a time until dough pulls away from sides of bowl

Continue to mix/knead for 5 minutes on med-high speed. Allow to raise 2-3 hours.

Separate dough into 6 even balls. Roll out each ball until the size of a dinner plate on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 8 pizza wedge slices. With each wedge, roll down ward wrapping bottom skinny bottom piece down and around to make pretty crescent shape. Place 3 rolls across and 8 down, 24 on each cookie sheet.

Allow to double in size while covered with clean dish towel (about 15 minutes). While raising on top of oven, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake one sheet at a time. Bake 6 minutes on bottom rack and then 5 minutes on middle shelf until light golden brown. (Before you take them out, double check the bottom to make sure they are golden brown, not too light they could be doughy). Once they are perfectly golden brown, brush tops with melted butter once removed.

Oriental Green Rice Salad

Joanna asked for this one. I made it and brought it to a dinner a few months ago. My husband, Brandon, told me the ingredients that would go well together and they did! It's really good for you too - especially if you use the chard! We grow the chard in our garden and we pick it when it's young and tender. It is really good as a spinach substitute in salads when picked that way. Another gluten free recipe for the gluten intolerant (other than the chow-mein noodles)!

Oriental Green Rice Salad
3-4 C. Swiss chard (or spinach), chopped fresh
1-1/4 C. brown rice, cooked and cooled (2- 3 C. cooked)
½-3/4 C. Chopped peanuts
¼ - ½ C. Green onions, chopped
1 15-oz. can mandarin oranges

Toss above ingredients together

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4-5 tsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix dressing together in saucepan until thickens and cool. Toss with salad. Chill until serving. Just before serving, mix salad and then add topping.

Topping:
½ - ¾ C. chow mien noodles

Oriental Green Rice Salad

Posted by admin

Joanna asked for this one. I made it and brought it to a dinner a few months ago. My husband, Brandon, told me the ingredients that would go well together and they did! It's really good for you too - especially if you use the chard! We grow the chard in our garden and we pick it when it's young and tender. It is really good as a spinach substitute in salads when picked that way. Another gluten free recipe for the gluten intolerant (other than the chow-mein noodles)!

Oriental Green Rice Salad
3-4 C. Swiss chard (or spinach), chopped fresh
1-1/4 C. brown rice, cooked and cooled (2- 3 C. cooked)
½-3/4 C. Chopped peanuts
¼ - ½ C. Green onions, chopped
1 15-oz. can mandarin oranges

Toss above ingredients together

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 tsp. canola oil
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
4-5 tsp. brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced

Mix dressing together in saucepan until thickens and cool. Toss with salad. Chill until serving. Just before serving, mix salad and then add topping.

Topping:
½ - ¾ C. chow mien noodles