Tag: Vegan Options

Haalbai | Akki Haalbai | How to make haalbai?

Soft, fudgy rice and coconut milk barfis
9/05/2016 4:27:39 PM vindhyadesai

Ganesha Chaturthi is a 3 or 5 or 10 day long festival for some people. If you celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi for more than one day, it is mandatory to make at least one sweet dish as offering/naivedya to Lord Ganesha. After making sweets like holige (poli), kadubu or other traditional ones from sweets list one will need a recipe that is simple, easy and light on the stomach. Haalbai is one such recipe, soaked rice ground into a thick batter with coconut milk lightly flavoured with elaichi it is a super easy sweet to make. It does not need resting time after preparing. Just plan to soak rice a few hours before making this sweet. Only water can also be used in place of coconut milk but coconut milk adds a subtle taste and makes haalbai pliable because of the oils in it. If you want to keep this vegan use vegetable oil in place of desi ghee. ... “Haalbai | Akki Haalbai | How to make haalbai?”

Baked Gem Squash | Roasted Gem Squash – South African style roasted squash

Sweet roasted gem squash with creamy corn filling – A South African vegetarian delicacy
08/18/2016 9:56:16 PM vindhyadesai

Another recipe, Dish 5 of World Cuisine Series and this time it is from the beautiful country of South Africa. Like I mentioned in the 1st post of world cuisine series, it is always best to eat and source vegetables that are available locally in season. For this recipe use any kind of small squash/pumpkin. The sweet flesh of a squash is very fibrous and is very tasty. It just melts in the mouth when baked/roasted. It is used differently in different types of cuisines. I have adapted this recipe from this blog. There are so many resources out there to learn about new cuisines and new dishes. Make this with any type of squash you can get your hands on and enjoy the flavours. It is gluten free and it can be made vegan by adding a vegan cheese or even skipping it, just roasted will be just as nice! Here I have used gem squash which is a green skinned, yellow fleshed squash(picture below) and is ideal to share for two. Eat the pulp/flesh of the squash and discard the hard/tough skin of the squash ... “Baked Gem Squash | Roasted Gem Squash – South African style roasted squash”

Mango Milkshake

Super creamy and thick mango milkshake
07/09/2016 4:20:08 PM vindhyadesai

If you have a lot of ripe mangoes at home when in season, whip up this super easy mango milkshake. Thick, creamy and chilled mango milkshake is one of the best ways to enjoy mangoes. I usually do not add any sugar, add some sugar if you like it sweet or the mangoes are a little sour. Ensure not to use very sour mangoes. ... “Mango Milkshake”

Oats porridge with toasted nuts and raisins | Oatmeal with dry nuts

Healthy oats porridge with crunchy toasted dry nuts
07/02/2016 5:09:46 PM vindhyadesai

When people think of porridge they are not very excited about it and if it is made of oats it might further drive them away. Oat is a cereal grain rich in dietary and soluble fibre and is known to lower bad cholesterol. Oatmeal or porridge need not be boring or tasteless. If it is made the right way it can be very tasty.
Do not buy the microwaveable variety instead buy regular unrefined whole bran oatmeal. Make porridge in milk, it will be very tasty and creamy. Adding in a handful of toasted nuts spikes up the health quotient of you oatmeal. Oatmeal or porridge oats are best for making porridge whereas old fashioned rolled oats can be used for making oats upma, cereal bars, crisps etc. ... “Oats porridge with toasted nuts and raisins | Oatmeal with dry nuts”

Musk Melon Milkshake | Musk Melon Milkshake With Vanilla Icecream

Thick and cooling musk melon milkshake with vanilla icecream
06/13/2016 8:03:29 PM vindhyadesai

You have a nice and juicy musk melon (kharbooja/kharbooj) and do not know what to make with it? Try making a creamy milkshake and serve it chilled. It can also be made into a juice (panaka) generally made during Ram Navami festival. Musk melon is a species of melon with many varieties like cantaloupe, honey dew. These fruits are very flavourful and are very pulpy. They are a rich source of Vitamin A and very rich in natural juices because most of the melon is water. I had a Galia musk melon(scales like skin). In India, Cantaloupe variety is generally available (distinctive longitudinal lines). Both taste very similar ... “Musk Melon Milkshake | Musk Melon Milkshake With Vanilla Icecream”

Pasta Florentine

Colourful warm pasta on a bed of spinach
06/03/2016 10:03:33 PM vindhyadesai

Pasta can be be made for an early evening supper. It can be made in various ways with various types of ingredients and of course with different shapes and sizes of pasta. Pasta with loads of vegetables is my favourite way to eat it. Carbohydrates balanced with enough fibre. Cooking pasta is tricky business but very easy if you follow the instructions on the pack you have got. The most important thing to remember about cooking a pasta dish is to cook the pasta with the sauce you are making which makes the pasta non-sticky and all the flavours of the sauce enter into the pasta making your dish very tasty, just like how the Italians do it.
Pasta Florentine is a dish from the Florence region of Italy and it also means something served on a bed of spinach. ... “Pasta Florentine”

Red Grape Apple Smoothie

Easy to whip up, red grape, apple, banana smoothie, thick and smooth
04/28/2016 05:49:38 AM vindhyadesai

If you are in a hurry and you are looking for a quick breakfast light yet filling then a smoothie is the answer. Loaded with fibre and packed with nutrients, fruit smoothies require no added sugar and are absolutely delicious. Here I have used vanilla yogurt icecream and milk. You can substitute them with a non-dairy icecream and almond milk and skip honey to make it vegan. I have also added weetabix which is a high fibre high protein biscuit. Whip them all up till smooth and you will be set for a busy morning. ... “Red Grape Apple Smoothie”