Ingredients
 quick cooking oats  1 vup
flour  1/2 cup
whole wheat flour  1/2 cup
sugar   1 tbsp
baking powder   1 tsp
baking soda   1/2 tsp
salt  1/4 tsp
egg   1
buttermilk   2 cups
oil   2 tbsp
vanilla extract   1 tsp




method
Place the oats, both types of flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a bowl and toss to combine.
Break the egg into a mixing bowl and beat lightly with a fork.
Whisk in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients until just moistened through.
Heat a griddle over medium high heat.
Pour 1/4 C of the batter onto the hot griddle.
Cook 3 minutes or until bubbles begin to appear around the edges.
Turn and cook 2 additional minutes or until nicely browned. 
Serve at once with fruits than with syrup/ honey.

Baked Vegetables

Ingredients
1 yellow squash, sliced thin
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1 onion, chopped
1 C of low fat mozzarella cheese
1 tomato, sliced
1/4 C feta cheese, crumbled
4 eggs
1 C of skim milk
1/4 tsp basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper pdr.
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated




Method
Pre-heat the oven to 375deg F.
Grease a 9 inch pie plate well 
Place the squash, zucchini and onion into a microwave safe bowl.
Cover and microwave on high for 7 minutes or until tender.
Drain well and place in the prepared pie plate.
Top the vegetables with the mozzarella cheese and then the tomatoes.
Spread the feta cheese over the tomatoes.
Whisk the eggs, milk, basil, garlic, salt and pepper together well.
Pour the mixture over the top.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

Crispy Baked Toast

• 1/2 C of egg substitute( I think one can make a batter with corn flour or a mixture of flour & cornflour so it will give the crispness to anything that you fry/toast)
• 1/2 C of skim milk
• 1/4 C of orange juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 12 sliced of French bread
• 1 1/2 C cornflakes, crushed

How to Make It:

1. Set the oven to 425 degrees and preheat.
2. Place the coated slices of bread into a casserole dish being sure they don’t overlap.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, turn and continue baking for 5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy.

Makes 6 servings

The cornflakes give this toast a nice little crunch. The orange juice, vanilla and nutmeg give it a wonderful good morning taste.

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Soaking Time: approximately 5 minutes
Cooking Time: approximately 15 minutes
Total Time: approximately 35 minutes

This recipe isn't mine, but as it was healthy, baked, thought that I'ld share with all.

pl. note those interested in cancer & health related topics, feel free to view my blog-

http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

Bottle Gourd Gravy

Ingredients:

Bottle Gourd 1 cup cut in small pieces
Onion 1 Small
Tomato 2 Medium
Green Chiles 1 – 2
Raw Peanuts 1/8 Cup
Garlic 1 – 2 Cloves
Whole Red Chiles 2 – 3
Coriander Powder 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder a Pinch
Fresh coriander leaves 
Salt to Taste
Oil 1 tsp (app.)

Tempering

Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds 1/4 tsp
Urad Dal 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves 2
Oil 2 tsps

preparation:

Peel, wash and chop the bottle gourd into small pieces.
slice the green chillies finely.

 finely chop the onion and  the tomatoes.
Peel and crush the garlic clove.
finely chop the coriander leaves.

Boil around 2 cups of water in a  pot, add chopped bottle gourd and salt.
Cook till bottle gourd is just soft and strain the bottle gourd.

Heat few drops of oil in a pan, add bottle gourd pieces and salt.
Fry till bottle gourd pieces turn light golden brown and remove from heat.

Heat a tsp of  oil in a pan on low heat, add peanuts and roast them till they turn light golden brown.
Remove the peanuts onto a bowl, add red chillies and garlic in the same pan.
Fry till red chillies change color and remove from heat.
Cool the fried ingredients to room temperature and grind peanuts, red chillies, garlic into fine powder.

Heat oil in a pan, add all tempering ingredients in order.
When mustard seeds start spluttering, add green chiles and chopped onion.
Fry till onion changes color and starts to brown around the edges.
Stir in chopped tomato and salt.
Cook till tomatoes soften, add bottle gourd pieces, ground peanut powder, coriander powder, red chili powder and salt.

Cook on low flame (around 5 minutes) till the curry comes together and the bottle gourd absorbs all the flavors.
Stir in cilantro and remove the bottle gourd gravy curry from heat.
Garnish with cilantro and serve bottle gourd gravy curry with steamed rice or with roti etc…

Oven Baked Onion Rings

Onion Rings

soak time: 2 hours
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 10-14 minutes
servings: 3-4

Ingredients

1. 1 large Vidalia Onion, sliced into ⅓ - ½ inch rings
2. 3 cups buttermilk
3. ½ tsp salt
4. ½ tsp seasoned salt
5. ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
6. 1 egg
7. 10 saltines
8. 3 large handfuls kettle cooked potato chips
9. ½ cup bread crumbs
10. ¾ cup flour
11. ½ cup oil

Directions

• Soak the sliced onions in buttermilk, salt, cayenne pepper, and seasoned salt for at least 2 hours.
• Drain onions, reserving buttermilk. Mix one beaten egg with the buttermilk. In a separate bowl, place flour and set aside. Crush the saltines and potato chips into a medium crumb. Combine with panko in a separate bowl
• Preheat oven to 375 and add oil into a cookie sheet with sides. Place cookie sheet into oven to let oil heat.
• Bread rings by first placing into flour, then into buttermilk/egg mixture, then into crumb mixture. Set onto a clean platter.
• When all rings are breaded, place into hot cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown. Check frequently as the cooking time will depend on your particular oven.
• Flip over and cook on other side until browned.
• Remove and serve immediately.

This recipe being healthy, I saw in a site.

Trifle Puding

Ingredients

sponge cake  1

strawberry jelly packet  1

milk  2 cups

cream  1 cup

chopped frut  1 cup

sugar 12 tbsp

custard pdr 2 level tbsp

powdered sugar 2 tbsp

strawberry jam  2 tbsp

vanilla essence 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix custard pdr with a little milk & 8 tbsp of sugar. Add the remaining milk & cook on moderate heat, stirring all the time till thick, remove cool. Heat the remaining 4 tbsp of sugar with 1/2 cup of water, till the sugar dissolves. This is called soaking syrup to which may be added 2 tsp of rum. allow it to cool.

Make jelly & chill it sets. Beat cream with powdered sugar & essence. If apple or bananas are used, add a few drops of lime juice to avoid the fruits getting discoloured.

to make the pudding, cut half the cake into medium-sized cubes & arrange in a bowl. Sprinkle half the soaking syrup all over the pieces.Dilute the jam with one tablespoon of hot water & sprinkle over the cake. Stir the set jelly with a spoon & spread half over the cake & top it with fruits, Cut the remaining cake into cubes & place over the fruits & sprinkle the remaining syrup. Pour custard on it & make the surface even. Spread whipped cream on top. use the remaining jelly to make a border on the inside rim of the pudding. serve well chilled.

eggless cake

ingredients


maida( all purpose flour)  1  1/4 cups
butter 1/2 cup
condensed milk 1 tin or 400 gm
Limca/ Thum Up 3/4 bottle- 150 ml
baking pdr  1 level tsp
vanilla essence 3/4 tsp
baking soda 1/2 tsp


Method
melt butter in a pan. Sieve maida, soda & baking pdr. together. Empty contents of the condensed milk tin into a vessel. stir in butter, essence &  1/4 bottle of the soft drink. stir in a 1/4 of the flour mixture gently. repeat till both liquid & the flour mixture make a smooth batter. pour into a greased cake tin & bake in a moderate pre-heated oven till it is golden & the knife comes out clean.

Sponge cake with eggs

Ingredients

maida ( all purpose flour)  1 1/2 cups 

powdered sugar  1 cup

butter 1/2 cup

eggs 2

baking pdr    1 3/4 level tsp

vanilla essence 1/2 tsp

salt a pinch

milk as needed

Method

cream butter & sugar nicely. Add the eggs one at a time, beat well. Sieve flour with baking pdr. Mix everything together with enough cold milk to a smooth batter. Pour into a greased cake tin & bake in a pre-heated moderate oven till the cake turns golden brown. A knife when inserted should come out clean, which means the cake is done. 

Mocha Bombe with Butterscotch cream

Ingredients

sponge cake 1

milk 1 1/2 cups

sugar 8 tbsp

jam 2 tbsp

cocoa pdr 2 tbsp

rum 2 tbsp

instant coffee pdr 1 1/2 tsp

Method

cut the cake into half, spread jam on both the halves & cut into 2 cm cubes. Mix coffee pdr, cocoa, sugar, rum & milk, heat in a vessel, simmer for a minute. remove from heat, gently stir in the cake pieces & at once pour into a basin. Press gently & chill overnight. Next day, invert the cake on to a plate & pour butterscotch cream on top.

Butterscotch cream

Ingredients

cream  1 cup

sugar  3/4 cup

butter   1/4 cup

chopped cashew nuts  1/2 cup

cocoa pdr 2 tbsp

honey  2 tbsp

Method

male butter, add cashew nuts & fry till golden. reduce the heat, add cream, sugar, cocoa pdr, mix well & simmer. Remove from heat, stir in honey. Allow it to cool & pour over the inverted cake. Decorate with beaten cream & cherries. Serve well chilled.

Middel East Wrap

brinjal  1 large purple one cut into 1"cubes

green chillies 2 chopped

cheese slices 250 gm

oil for frying

salt

Method

sprinkle salt on the brinjal pieces & leave for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the water, pat dry & deep fry till golden. Drain on paper. Make 6 large rotis. Put some of the cubes of brinjals in the center. Add the chillies & cheese, roll the sides, then over, like a wrap sandwich. Wrap it while brinjal is still warm.

Provencale Salad

Ingredients for salad
brinjal (   Aubergine)  750 gm
cheddar cheese 300 gm
tomatoes blanched & skinned 500 gm
zucchini sliced thick & sauteed in olive oil


Dressing
garlic crushed  1 tsp
oregano  1 tsp
olive oil   2 tbsp
Balsamic vinegar  or any natural vinegar 2 tbsp
 fresh basil chopped roughly
black pepper pdr   1/2 tsp
parsley chopped   1/2 cup
salt to taste
honey   1 tbsp


Method
cut the brinjal into 1"cubes. Sprinkle a little salt & keep aside for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, heat vinegar& whisk while warm with the other ingredients. Squeeze all the water out of the brinjal & deep fry until crisp. Drain on a paper & mix with the other salad ingredients.

Puranpoli

 the filling ingredients
tuvar/arhar dal  1cup
chana dal  1 cup
sugar 1 cup
jaggery 1cu[
ghee 3 tbsp
cardamom pdr 1 tsp


For the covering
atta 2 cups
oil 2 tsp
pinch of salt




ghee for roasting


For the filling
wash & soak the dals together for 1/2 hour.Pressure cook with just enough water to cover the surface. Mix the sugar & jaggery with the dals & cook them. Make a paste in the mixer, add half the ghee. Cook in a non-stick vessel till thick & it leaves the sides of the vessel, remember to stir while cooking. It can be cooked in the microwave too. Mix the cardamom pdr. Cool the filling.


For the poli- make a soft dough. Knead with the oil & make small balls. Roll each one with flour, place the filling, over & roll out again as this as possible. Roast the polis on both sides till there are light spots on the surface. Remove, spread ghee, serve hot.

Paneer- cottage cheese Paranthas

For the filling
paneer crumbs 1 cup
grated cocounut 1/2 cup
cardamom pdr 1/2 tsp


For the covering
wheat flr 1 cup
flour 1/2 cup
ghee 2 tbsp
oil 1 tsp


ghee for shallow frying


For the filling
take the paneer, coconut & sugar in a non-stick pan, cook on medium heat, stir till dry, leaving the sides of the pan. add cardamom pdr, mix well, remove & cool.


For the covering & paranthas, make small balls of the dough. Roll each ball with a little flour. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the centre, seal, toll it out as this as possible. Roast on hot tawa on both sides till there are light brown spots. Remove & apply ghee, serve hot.

Coconut & cashewnut shahi paranthas

For the filling
dessicated coconut 1cup
cashewnut coarsely powdered 1/4 cup
mawa  1/2 cup
powdered sugar 3/4 cup
cardamom pdr 1/2 tsp
chopped raisins 2 tbsp
melted saffron 1 tsp


For the covering
flour 1 cup
wheat flour 1/2 cup
ghee 2 tbsp
powder sugar 2 tbsp
Make a soft dough with the above ingredients.


ghee for shallow frying


Method-filling
roast the coconut lightly till crisp. roast the cashewnut & mawa lightly. mix all the ingredients to make the filling.


Paranthas
Roll the dough well again. Make small balls, roll out each , put a tablespoon of the filling, seal, roll out as this as possible. roast it, shallow fry till there are light brown spots, add ghee, serve hot.

Sweet Mawa paranthas

For the filling


mawa/ khoya   1 1/2 cups
almonds & pistachios coarsely powdered 1/4 cup
powdered sugar 3/4 cup


For the covering
flour  1 1/2 cups
ghee 2 tbsp
pinch of salt
make a soft dough with these adding enough water & keep aside for 30 minutes.


Method for filling
cook mawa on low heat until it forms a ball. remove, cool, add est of the ingredients.


Paranthas
Knead the dough, make small balls, roll each , put a tablespoon of filling. Seal, roll out into small rotis, making sure that the filling doesn't come out. Roast on a hot tawa, till brown spots appear on both sides, apply ghee, Remove, serve hot.

Sweet Potato Parantha

For the filling
boiled & mashed sweet potatoes 1 cup
boiled & mashed potatoes 1/2 cup
corn flour 1 tbsp
sugar 1 cup
cardamom pdr 1/2 tsp
mace pdr 1/4 tsp
ghee 2 tbsp


For the covering
wheat flour 1 1/2 cups
oil 2 tsp
ghee
Make a soft dough with the ingredients, adding water as needed.


Filling
melt ghee & add the potatoes, corn flour, sugar in a non-stick vessel. Cook on medium heat, stir till the mixture becomes thick & leaves the sides of the vessel. Add the cardamom & mace powders, mix, remove, cool.


Paranthas
Roll out small roti, put stuffing, seal, roll out as thin as possible, making sure that the filling doesn't come out. Roast on both sides, until there are brown spots, remove, apply ghee.

Banana stem pickle

Banana stem should be finely chopped, by putting in water with little buttermilk, or else it turns dark.
Then drain it, add salt & lime juice to taste. Heat 2 tsp oil, add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, once it crackles, add finely chopped green chillies to taste, ginger to taste, saute, add turmeric pdr 1/2 tsp, hing pdr 1/2 tsp. Mix well, add it to banana stem. Keep it in the fridge, it will last up to 10 days.

Health benefits- banana stem has lots of fiber. When anyone has stone, eating it regularly, or drinking its juice helps to get rid of stones.

Apple- Oats Pudding

Water 1 cup
apple juice 1/2 cup
oats 1/2- 3/4 cup
boiled & cooled milk 1 cup
apple sliced 1
cinnamon pdr 1/2 tsp or those who don't like its smell, may use a piece of cinnamon while boiling water, then remove it.
sugar 1 tbsp or to taste

In a heavy pan, boil water with cinnamon piece, then add oats, cook it, add apple juice, finely chopped apple pieces, with skin preferably or may remove the skin for little kids. Add sugar to taste for those who need it. Remove, add milk. Once this mixture cools, or when kept in the fridge, it thickens.
You may serve with some apple pieces & nuts.

Health tips-
as apple has so many minerals, fibre, low in calories, has anti-cancer properties.
oats has fibre, it is good for those who want to add weight, as with milk, if you make porridge, one gains weight. For those who want to lose weight, have it with buttermilk.
cinnamon pdr. has the quality of reducing blood sugar !
On the whole this is a very healthy dessert.

Cabbage Paranthas

Wheat flour 1 cup, make dough like for roti adding water, salt, little oil.

For stuffing
cabbage finely chopped 1 cup
coriander pdr. 1/2 tsp
cumin pdr 1/2 tsp
turmeric pdr 1/4 tsp
chilli pdr to taste
garam masala pdr 1/4 tsp
green chili finely chopped 1/2
ginger finely chopped 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil  2 tsp

In a pan, heat oil, add ginger & chillies, saute for 1 minute, add cabbage, keep on high flame for a minute, then reduce flame, cover for 2 minutes, Then add all the powders, salt, mix well, keep it covered till it gets cooked. Remove, cool, add some finely chopped coriander leaves.

To make paranthas- take dough, roll it out, put stuffing as needed, then roll it again, you may not be able to roll it thin. Heat a tawa, add wee bit oil, put the parantha, cover the tawa for it get cooked well, once it gets cooked, turn it over, let it cook on the other side, keep it covered till done.

You can serve it with any raita, dal, or if the stuffing is left over, add it to curds to use it as a raita.

Health tips- cabbage as anti-oxidants, anti-cancer properties. It is rich in many minerals, Vitamin  K. eating cabbage at least 2-3 times a week, helps for those suffering from digestive problems, flatulence, ulcer. Eating raw cabbage as salad daily 1 cup 3-4 times is helpful to get over the ulcer problem.

Easy Thengulal

Unlike the usual thengulal, where we've to roast, powder the udal dal, for this one, I used powdered pottukadalai, i.e., roasted chana dal, which we use for chutneys, along with rice flour, ghee , salt to taste, hing pdr.,  cumin seeds. It came out nice & crisp.

Pista Barfi

This barfi, I made soaking pista in hot water, peeling them, then grinding it, added sugar, mixed well, cooked in the microwave, without adding any ghee/ butter. It came out softer than the almond barfi, may be as I kept that longer in the microwave than this one. This also lasted me for more than a month in the fridge.  As I made these barfis more than 2 months ago, as we're shifting, don't remember the proportion of sugar I used, it should have been roughly double the quantity of the paste.

Almond Barfi

, 

This is almond barfi, which I made in the microwave, after soaking almonds in hot water, peeling them, then ground it in the mixie, then added sugar almost double of the almond paste. This lasted me for more than a month in the fridge.

Crochet Purse

This is a small crochet purse with a small flap, with a handle to carry on my shoulder. This is made with multi-coloured cotton thread, using single crochet, half double crochet & slip stitch. So, I got like a cross stitch pattern, sorry which isn't quite visible, as I'm a poor photographer !

Chocolate Truffle Eggs

cooking chocolate  100 gm
butter 50 gm
icing sugar 100 gm
semi-sweet fine biscuit crumbs  100 gm
milk   2-3 tbsp
chocolate vermicelli ( optional)


keep chocolate, butter on high power in microwave for 1 minute ( or cook over double boiler till chocolate melts)
Add sieved icing sugar & biscuit crumbs, mix well, adding little milk.
Roll this mixture into small walnut size balls, if too soft, leave it aside for some time to harden.
Then shape like eggs, roll in sieved chocolate powder or chocolate vermicelli & leave it to harden.

Kheer Mohan

make paneer with 1 l. milk
maida 1 tsp
khoya  50 gm
powdered sugar 3 tsp
edible yellow colour 3 drops
rose essence 1/2 tsp
sugar 3 cups
water 7 1/2 cups


Make a thin syrup with sugar & water. Knead paneer soft & add 1 tsp maida. Knead again.
Divide into 10 equal size balls.
Flatten them.
Put  syrup on fire. Carefully drop the balls, cover & boil for 8 minutes.
Remove cover, sprinkle 1 tbsp of hot water. partially cover the pan & boil for another 10 minutes.
They're done when they rise to the surface.
Take off fire & keep them for 4 hours.
In the mean time, make the filling.Mash khoya, add rose essence, 3 drops of yellow colour & powdered sugar. Mix well.
Divide this into 10 portions.
take the balls out of the syrup & drain well.
Now take each ball, cut horizontally in half, spread 1 portion of the filling on one half & sandwich with the other.
Serve adding some syrup & sprinkling some crushed nuts on top.

Indian Doughnuts-- Badushah/ Balushahi

Maida/ all purpose flr   500 gm
ghee 100 gm
thick fresh curd   200 gm
baking soda a pinch
baking pdr  1/2 tsp
sugar 500 gm
ghee / oil for frying


Sieve the flour, baking pdr. & baking soda together. Cream the curd & 100 gm ghee together.
Knead the flour with this mixture.
do not knead vigorously. Use a light hand.
Keep the dough aside for an hour.
Make a syrup with sugar & 6 cups water to a 2 string consistency.
Now knead the dough lightly once.
Divide into small lime-size lumps.
Roll each into round balls, press lightly & make a slight depression with the finger tip in the middle.
Make all balushahis/badushah in the same way.
Heat oil/ ghee, remove from fire when hot, put in 6 badushahs at a time, splash oil. ghee in them, place the pan again on low heat, the badushahs will bloat in size.
fry to a light golden colour, drain & keep aside.
Soak the badushahs in sugar syrup, carefully stir them so that they get coated well.
When soaked, take out & keep aside to cool.
When cold, they'll form a white coating of syrup/. Cool & store in air tight containers.

Besan Laddoos

besan  300 gm
rice flr  75 gm
raisins  25 gm
khoya/ mawa 100 gm
rose water  1 tbsp
sugar  400 gm\oil/ ghee for frying
little saffron color
few drops of edible red color ( optional)

Prepare a syrup of 2 thread consistency with sugar & 1 1/2 cups water.
Grind the khoya to a powder.
Mix besan & rice flour. Add enough water to make a thick batter, like that of pakoda. Beat well.
Drop a little batter in a cupful of water. if it floats to the top, it means the batter is ready.
if not, beat some more.
Mix the saffron colour with 3/4 of the batter & red colour with the rest.
Keep the 2 separate.
Heat oil. ghee, drop the batter through a perforated spoon, it will form droplets.
Fry for a minute, strain & keep. Fry both batters in the same way.
Mix the fried boondis & soak in warm syrup for 15 minutes. Drain.
Add raisins & rose water. Form laddoos.

Ruhani Kababs

yam cubed fine 200 gm
besan   100 gm
cheese grated  50 gm
cottage cheese ( paneer) crumbled   50 gm
cream  30 gm
potatoes cubed fine  30 gm
desiccated coconut  20 gm
coriander leaves finely chopped  1 tbsp
chilli pdr to taste
 salt to taste
oil for frying


Cook the yam & potato with salt & 1 cup water. When cool, mash well.
Add paneer & cheese & mash again.
Mix cream, salt, besan, chilli pdr. & coriander leaves.
Divide the mixture into small portions & roll into desired shapes.
Heat oil till hot, lower the heat & fry the kababs till golden.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

Besan Squares

bread slices 6 cut into quarter
oil for frying


grind to a paste
grated coconut   50 gm
coriander leaves   2 tbsp
green chillies    3 or to taste
salt to taste


for the batter
besan/ gram flr  120 gm
amchur pdr  1/2 tsp
turmeric pdr   1/4 tsp
chilli pdr  1/4 tsp
6 peppercorns coarsely pounded
salt 1/4 tsp


Apply the ground paste thickly on one side of the bread piece. Mix all the ingredients for the batter & add enough water to make a thick batter. Dip the bread pieces in it & deep fry in hot oil till golden brown. Serve hot.

Coconut Kababs

grated coconut 200 gm
besan/ gram flour   2 tbsp
egg 1(optional) 
coriander pdr.  1 tsp
cumin pdr     1/2 tsp
salt to taste
oil for frying


grind to a paste
coriander leaves  1 tbsp
green chilies 6 or to taste
garlic flakes  4( optional)
ginger  1cm


Mix all the ingredients well. Divide the mixture into small portions & roll into small kababs. Fry in hot oil till golden brown.

General Tips

Nails- if your nails break easily, massage them with warm olive oil before going to bed.

Shoe Polish- if the polish dries, no problem, add a few drips of olive oil to soften it. it'll be as good as new !

Perfume-  apply perfume at least 20 minutes before you leave for an outing & not just before you leave the house. That way, it'll have time to be absorbed in your body.

Grater- brush a little oil over your grater before grating cheese. it will be easier to clean.

Wrinkles, pimples, black-heads, dry skin- apply a paste of fenugreek leaves ( methi) every night & wash it off with warm water in the morning.

Eyebrow pencil- put them in the fridge overnight, it will sharpen more easily.

Hair- sprinkle a little cologne on your hairbrush for the scent to linger in your hair.

Puffiness under the eyes- to reduce puffiness, when you get up in the morning, cover them with pads dipped in a mixture of one pint of hot water & one tablespoon of salt.

Cooking/ Kitchen Tips

Eggs-  while boiling eggs, if one of them cracks, don't panic. Just add a few drops of vinegar to the water to prevent the whites from leaking out.


Raw bananas/ yams- while cutting raw bananas/ yam, if your hands are stained, wash them in sour buttermilk.


Stainless steel & silver wares-  wash them with coffee residue for that extra sparkle.


Almonds-  can be skinned easily if they're immersed in boiling water for 5 minutes.


Insects in grains-  add some neem leaves in the tin. It is an effective & safe insect repellent.


Fridge-  When you defrost your fridge & clean it, apply glycerine to the floor & sides of the freezer. This will help you to lift the ice that is formed more easily the next time you defrost.


Glass vessels- if 2 of them are stuck together, one way to pull them apart is to let a little glycerine drip into the edges of the outer vessel. Then slowly pull out the first.


Butter- cutting a pat of butter is easy if you use a wet knife.


Sink- to have them sparkle, use a solution of turpentine & salt.


Silverware-  store them in wheat flour to prevent them from tarnishing.


Jugs & bottles with narrow necks, add some raw rice & shake vigorously. Then rinse with warm water.

Plum Nectar

plums   6 ripe big ones
sugar   8 tbsp
roasted cumin seed powdered   1/2 tsp
black pepper pdr.   1/4 tsp
water  4 glasses
crushed ice


Method
cook plums with sugar & water till soft.
remove skin & stones on cooling, strain juice.
ass & mix cumin pdr. & pepper pdr.
add crushed ice & chill before serving.

Crisp Peach Butterscotch

peaches    4 large
sugar      1/2 cup
juice of 1/2 lemon
butter      2 tsp
breadcrumbs    1 cup
dessicated coconut   1/2 cup
brown sugar   1/4 cup
cinnamon pdr   1/4 tsp


for the sauce
peach syrup  1/2 cup
brown sugar   1/4 cup
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
butter    1 tbsp
corn flour    1/2 tbsp


Method
select ripe large peaches. 
cut them into halves.
put them in a vessel with sugar & lemon juice.
cook on slow heat till cooked but firm.
remove from the syrup ( preserve syrup for the sauce)
peal off the skin & arrange these pieces in a buttered baking dish upside down.
heat butter, add breadcrumbs, coconut, brown sugar & cinnamon pdr.
mix well & continue stirring still sugar starts melting.
remove from gas & spread the mixture in the peach pieces.
bake at moderately heated oven 200 deg C for about 10 minutes till crisp toasted & bubbling.
serve warm with hot peach sauce. 


To prepare sauce-
mix all ingredients & stir on the gas till thick.
remove from the gas & sightly cool.

Paneer Puri or Cottage cheese puris

wheat flour  2 cups
salt 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds/ ajwain 1 tsp
make a thick dough with the above.

for stuffing
cottage cheese/paneer grated 1 cup
green chillies cut fine 1 tbsp
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves finely chopped 1 tbsp
garam masala 1/2 tsp

Make puris, put stuffing, roll out thick & fry in hot oil. This can be eaten plain or with any gravy or dal.

ps- wheat flr. gives carbs, fiber, Vit. B
green chillies & coriander leaves give Vit C
cottage cheese gives protein & calcium
it is healthy, though fried, if it doesn't take too much oil. So, always fry when the oil is quite hot & make dough just before frying, as then it won't absorb too much oil. This will satiety for a long time, as it is fried.

Sweet corn gravy

sweet corn 1/2 cup, keep aside 1 tbsp, rest slightly crush in the mixie.
roasted & powdered peanuts 1/4 cup
ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp
green chilli paste 1 -2 tsp
sesame seeds roasted & powdered 1 tbsp
mustard seeds 1 tsp
milk not boiled 1 cup
garam masala 1tsp
fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp
oil 1 tbsp
turmeric pdr 1/2 tsp
salt to taste
sugar 1/2 tsp
butter 1 tbsp

Method
1) In a heavy pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it crackles, add ginger-garlic paste & chilli paste, fry well till the raw smell goes.
2) Add peanut pdr. fry little, add turmeric pdr. , then milk.
3) Once the milk comes to a boil, add the corn( both crushed & full), let it cook well.
4) Once the corn is cooked, add salt & sugar to taste, let it boil adding garam masala pdr. & some coriander leaves. Add butter.
5) Remove, serve garnished with more butter if desired & coriander leaves.

This will go well with rice, roti, puris, paranthas.

ps- this gives enough fiber, protein, calcium, minerals, Vit. C