Oats- flax seeds and dates balls

As my husband is suffering from diabetic neuropathy, I read that those in Arctic don't suffer from neurological problems due to their high fat diet. It made me think as to what I can do to help him in my own way. Then realised that being vegetarians, can't have the diets like the Nordic folks, so thought that flax seeds are very healthy ( for its health benefits see my cancersupportindia.blogspot.com site).

So, yesterday, made these nutty sweet balls using no added sugar !

Ingredients 
oats  2 heaped tbsp
flax seeds about 1 heaped tbsp
dates ( de-seeded) 10-12 finely chopped
ghee/ clarified butter  2 tsp

Method
roast oats till you get a nice aroma in medium flame stirring continuously for about 3 minutes, remove, in the same pan, add flax seeds, roast till it starts spluttering, remove, cool both of them.
Add the cooled oats and flax seeds in your mixer jar, run the mixer for a minute, then add the chopped dates and powder well. Add ghee, as then it helps you to roll into small balls. One a day should be helpful.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com

Time-saving kitchen hacks

1) Slicing soft food like cheese and cake with ease
Cutting into cake or cheese with a knife can get messy. Avoid all that hassle by using dental floss to make quick and clean cuts.

2) Soften brown sugar
Brown sugar tends to form hard and unappetizing lumps over time. If you wish to prevent it, simply place a piece of bread or slice of apple inside the jar.

3) De-stalk strawberries with a straw
De-stalking strawberries was never so easy- just push a straw from the bottom to the top, where it removes the stem. Remaining leaves can be removed by hand.

4) Keep tomatoes fresh for long
To keep tomatoes fresh, don't detach the stem. Instead, store them, with their stems, at room temperature, ensuring you keep the stem upside down. This is because that part of the fruit is least ripe, firmest and perfect to bear the weight.

5) De-seeding pomegranates
If you want some fresh pomegranate juice but don't want to create a mess de-seeding the fruit, try removing the cone with a knife and then slice along the ridges. Now the seeds can be removed easily, without crushing them or staining your fingers.

6) Remove pit stones easily
To remove the pits from fruits like plums, nectarines, cut them in two and twist in opposite directions. Use your thumb or a paring knife to pop out the pit.

7) Scoop frozen ice-cream
dip the  serving soon into warm water and dry it thoroughly. The warm spoon will softenn the ice-cream enough to be scooped out easily.

8) De-skin boiled potatoes
Transferred the freshly boiled potatoes to an ice bath. After a few minutes, the skin will start to peel off at places, allowing you to skin the vegetable with ease.
There is another trick too- after washing the potatoes, right in the centre, with a sharp knife make a slight cut, only till the skin deep, not too much. After cooking the potatoes, once cool, you can easily remove the skins as 2 parts by slightly pressing it.

9) Keep bananas fresh
Tie a cellophane or plastic wrap around the stems of the bananas. This prevents ethylene emission which is what speeds up the ripening process.

10) Quicken the ripening process of bananas
If you want the bananas to ripen quickly, wrap the fruit in a paper bag- the concentrated ethylene levels will speed up the process.

11) Peel garlic cloves easily
Once you remove the cloves from the bulb, thump each piece with the broad side of a knife to loosen the skin and help peel it off easily. Or after removing the cloves, spread about 15-20 on your microwave plate, micro high for 10-15 seconds, you can peel it very easily. you can store them in an air-tight container in the fridge and use as many cloves as you need each time easily.

12) Soften butter quickly
If you don't have time to let a frozen chunk of butter thaw naturally, try slicing it into small cubes and place it near the stove. Alternately, keep as much as you need in a micro safe plate and micro for 10-15 seconds, depending on the quantity.

13) Keep potatoes from discolouring
Prevent peeled or sliced potatoes from turning brown or grey, soak them in cold water. This stops the release of a starch that causes oxidation.

14) Pit and peel avocados
Pit an avocado by cutting it lengthwise into 4 quarters. Now, peel, the fruit by gently running a knife under the tip of skin showing in each section.

15)  Extra-juicy citrus fruits
Extract every drop of those delicious flavours by first refrigerating and them microwaving the fruit for a maximum of 20 seconds. Then, make sure you use a pair of tongs to squeeze the juice, as the fruit will be hot, if you try to do by your hand.

16) Crumbs free brownies
Coat the pan and parchment paper with cooking oil or butter to stop the brownies from sticking to the sides when you cut into the mix. Greasing the pan and paper also makes removing the brownies a lot easier.

17)  No tears while cutting onion !
Refrigerate the onion whole ( without peeling) before slicing it up. 

18) Skin ginger pieces without a peeler
Don't have a knife? that 's fine- simply scrape with a spoon. Be careful though, you don't want to scrape off too much of the flesh.

19) Prevent apples from browning
To stop apple slices or any cut part of the fruit from browning on contact with air, squeeze some lemon juice over the cut pieces. You can also try soaking the pieces in a solution of honey- 2 tbsp and a cup of water for 30 seconds. In case, you like to take an apple to eat in your school/ office/ picnic, best is to cut the fruit like how how you'll play tic-tac-toe, then put a rubber band around the cut fruit. It will easier for you to take pieces and eat, as the core and seeds are in the centre.

20) De-crystallize honey
simply place the jar containing crystallized honey in a vessel filled with hot water, until it liquefies and the honey is ready to be used again.

21) easy way to separate yolks from whites of eggs
gently break an egg in a bowl. Take  plastic bottle, remove the lid, press the bottle over the yolk, the air pressure created inside the bottle will promptly suck in the yolk, separating from the white !

22) How fresh are the eggs?
Place the egg in a bowl of cold water. If it sinks and lies on its side, it is fresh. If it floats or even dawdles on the way to the bottom of the bowl, toss it in the bin.

23) De-kernel a con of corn
After peeling the leaves, stand the cob on a flat and stable surface and run a knife down the sides in a downward motion, being sure to push the knife away from your body.

24)  To grate cheese with ease
Although they taste yummy, soft cheese like fontima and fresh mozzarella  create a mess when we grate it. To avoid this problem, place them in the freezer for 15-30 minutes before grating.

25) Deal with hard-to-open jars
Clip a rubber band around the lid and second on the jar. Hold these while opening the jar- they offer the hands extra grip. If this still doesn't work, wrap the band with a cloth and try again. In case, you've to open  a sealed bottle, best is to show it over flame for 2-4 seconds, then put a cloth over the lid ( as the lid will be hot, so don't burn your hand, please) and voila ! it opens with ease.

26)  Measure sticky substances with ease
Dip the measuring spoon into hot water or coat it with cooking oil before measuring viscous stuff like molasses or honey. The oil / water, helps the mixture to slide off without leaving a mess.

27) Cool your drinks quickly
Got surprise guests and no chilled soda or drink in the fridge? Don't fret. Simply grab your favourite drink, wrap a wet paper towel around it and stick the bottle in the freezer. 15 minutes later, you've a chilled drink !

28) No liners for muffins?
Baking muffins and forgot the liners? Don't worry- simply use parchment paper instead. Coat each paper with cooking spray and press the squares into each hold, folding the sides as needed to crate flat walls.

29) Identify a ripe avocado
Is it ripe or not? Simple- if the part under the stem is green, the avocado is tipe. If it is brown, the fruit is past its peak.

30) Pit cherries with ease
Place each cherry on top of an empty beer/ wine bottle. Use a chopstick to push the pit into the bottle, leaving a juicy and pit-free cherry for you to enjoy.

31) Keep an eye on boiling liquids
Keep a boiling pot of water or milk from overflowing by placing a wooden spoon on top, this pops the bubbles and prevents the liquid from running over.

32) Make the perfect iced coffee
Freeze coffee into cubes. The next time you want iced coffee 9 without excess water) toss a couple of the cubes into your glass, let them melt and sip.

33) Keep knives sharp
Always store knives blade-side down in a knife block to prevent them from dulling. Also, after chopping, use the back of a knife, rather than the blade side, to transfer food to a container.

34) Use shower caps creatively
You can use a shower cap to protect food from contamination and flies instead of plastic wraps or tin foil. What's more, the caps are reusable and environmentally friendly. 

35) Remove excess salt
Did your soup or curry turn out too salty? Peel a whole potato and put it in the boiling soup. It will absorb the extra salt. Fish out the potato once you turn off the heat. In case, you don't have potato, you've wheat flour, take little flour, add water and knead like for roti/ bread, make small balls, drop into the soup/ curry, it will absorb extra salt, you can discard the balls before serving.

36) Keep your cutting board from slipping
If your cutting board wriggles around under you knife, as you're cutting into something, place a damp hand towel under the board. This helps to keep it in place.

37)  Keep guacamole green and fresh
Prevent guacamole from turning brown and losing its freshness by topping it with a layer of water and covering with plastic. Pour out the water before serving. Adding water does not affect the guacamole's flavour, as it is neither acidic nor basic in nature.

38) Remove excess fat from soup / gravy
Wrap a few ice cubes in a paper towel or a fine cloth and move it lightly over the surface of the soup or gravy or stew. The ice- cubes attract and solidify fat, leaving you free to simply scoop out the solidified remains.

39) Reheat pizza without drying it out
Pop the left-over pizza slices into a microwave with a cup of water ( filled 2/3rd) for less than a minute. The water provides moisture that keeps the pizza fresh.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com 

15 food scraps everyone throws out — but are actually super useful

It's human nature- by the time a recipe is finished, we can't wait to toss the leftover mess into the garbage.

Things like pumpkin guts, coffee grounds, and pickle juice are usually throwaways , as a result.

But coffee grounds can actually be used to fertilize plants and carrot tops can add flavour to tons of different  recipes. Even though they seems " gross", there are ways in which we can use our scraps for good- and ways in which we can recycle them to create even more great meals.

1) Chop up those leafy green carrot tops to add flavour to many recipes. We often forget about vegetable stems- but they're actually filled with valuable nutrients and flavour.

The same is true for carrot tops. Making the most of your carrot is as simple as chopping the leafy part into fine pieces, which you can then add to a bunch of recipes- rice pilaf/ pulao, pesto sauce, salad etc for added flavour.

2) Cook your peeled potato skins and turn them into chips
It's not required to peel the skins of potatoes- in fact, they're included in a lot of great recipes.
But if you're making something like mashed potatoes, you're going to have a lot of leftover peels, which you can roast to make delicious chips, and season with your favourite spices.

3) Use unwanted bread ends to make croutons.
The ends of a loaf of bread are the parts people typically toss into the garbage.
But if you save and freeze them, you can make croutons or breadcrumbs. When you're ready to cook them, just let them thaw a bit- then, after they're out of the oven, season them however you want.

4) Orange peels can be made into a vinegar-based cleaner.
Citrus fruits have a naturally crisp smell- and this can be put to amazing use when cleaning your home.

After you're done peeling an orange, throw the skin into a jar of vinegar. If you let it sit for about a week, you'll have a great vinegar-based cleaner without that terrible vinegar smell.

You can dilute the mixture with water to clean your floors, or put it into a spray bottle to make an all-purpose cleaner. Swap it with vinegar in a cooking recipe, too, for a sweeter taste.

5) Toss leftover coffee grounds into the soil of your plants- they make a great fertilizer.
Caffeine is how many humans survive. But plants can benefit from coffee, too- their soil gets a boost in nitrogen from coffee grounds.
It's as easy as placing the grounds right into the soil of any plotted plant. Doing so adds organic material to the soil, which improves water retention, drainage and airflow.
The coffee grounds will also attract earthworms and other microorganisms, and these little guys are beneficial to growth.

6) Steam leftover beets greens and eat them on their own.
Like other vegetable stems, beet greens are good for you and able to be incorporated into the recipes, like salad and pasta.
But they're also good enough to eat on their own- steamed with a little butter, salt, pepper powder, they make a great side dish to any main course.

7) There are few things you can do with your leftover pumpkin this Halloween.
After you're done carving a face into your pumpkin this fall, don't throw away any leftovers.
Pumpkin guts can be blended into a yummy puree- which in turn, can be used for pumpkin pies, bagels, pancakes, oatmeal, soup etc.
You can also bake the seeds in the oven to make a healthy snack.

8) The seeds from some of your favourite fruits and vegetables can be used to grow your own.
Many of your favourite fruits and vegetables can be grown in your own backyard- so the next time you're chopping be sure to check  before you throw away your seeds.
Pits of plums, peaches and avocados can be planted . You can also grow from lemon seeds and surprisingly- the tops of pineapple, though they might take a while to rear a full fruit.

9) A lot of fruit peels can be used to make flavoured  water.
Skip the Vitamin water- make your own healthy infusion at home with leftover fruit and vegetable peels.
If you've a hankering for some refreshing cucumber or lemon drink ( or any kind of fruit, really) just drop the peels into a bottle of plain water. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavour will be.

10) Mushy brown bananas can be used to make banana bread and other baked goods.
No one likes overly ripe, overly sweet bananas, but they make excellent baked goods. Mash them before mixing them into batter for recipes like banana bread.

11) The tough outer greens from kale can be ground into a healthy powder- and you can add it to your shakes.
Kale, though nutritious, is not always delicious- but you can use the tough bits of it in other recipes.
Dehydrate the leaves you don't want and grind them into a powder. You can add a dash of that to your protein shake in the morning- or whenever you want a little boost of nutrients.

12) Down to the last pickle in the jar? Don't pour the juice out- pickle other vegetables with it.
If you're not one of those people who likes to drink the pickle juice, or add it to cocktails, save it and use it to become a pickling master.
You can throw canned green beans into the leftover brine or even onions, artichokes and cucumbers for more pickles.

13) Old wine can be used for cooking months after being opened.
When your bottle of wine gets a little too foul-smelling to drink, you can still use it to cook.
Recipes that call for wine reductions or braised for instance, can be great ways to use every last but of the bottle- and add that delicious wine flavour to the dish.
Just make sure you cook it, unless you're doing DIY vinegar or marinating fruit.

14) Banana peels can be used to shine on shoes and tenderize meat.
Bananas really are the wonder fruit- in addition to being a great source of potassium, their peels are extremely versatile.
Are your leather shoes looking dull? Simply rub the inside of a banana peel onto your shoe, and it'll be shiny in no time. You can also place a ripe banana peel on the bottom of a roasting pan to moisten whatever meat you're cooking.

15) The options for leftover tea bags are endless.
In addition to recycling tea bags to make more tea, you can use them as DIY deodorizers for your home and carpets, as fertilizer for plants or as hand and foot scrubs.

https://www.msn.com/en-in/foodanddrink/foodnews/15-food-scraps-everyone-throws-out-%e2%80%94-but-are-actually-super-useful/ss-BBNMZVz
those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com 

Mango milk shake- storage tip

When you want to make mango milk shake, best is to make it yourself, as no preservative is added.

I bought some mangoes, found it was juicy, so after washing, I cut one corner, squeezed to get the pulp, I took out pulp from 4 mangoes, then pureed in the mixer.

I kept the puree in a vessel in the fridge, when hubby wants milkshake, I take 1/3 rd glass of mango puree, add milk, if he wants sweeter, add sugar free and give it to him. He says it is good , very thick.

Earlier, I used to add milk in the fridge to the puree and keep, then realised that if it isn't consumed in 2 days, it gets bad, now keeping mango puree separate, adding milk in the glass, it didn't get spoiled for 4 days too !

You can use any type of mango to make puree and store in similar way. In case, you want to store for longer time, then best is to put the puree in the ice tray, once it is frozen, put the cubes in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer, as and when required, you can take as many pieces as you need to make milk shake or for cakes or halwa.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com  

Jack-fruit seeds+ Nuts+ Dal Halwa in Microwave

Ingredients
jack-fruit seeds 6
chana dal a handful
almond, cashew and walnut together a handful
jaggery 1/2 cup or to taste
suji/ semolina 1-2 tbsp
ghee 1 tsp

Method
wash the seeds, and dal, I added little water and microwaved on high power covered with a lid for total 8 minutes, but stirring after every 2 minutes
Then I added the nuts, but I removed the jack-fruit seed now to peel the skin, chopped into 1/2 and cooked for another 6 minutes, stirring after every 2 minutes. ( add more water if needed to cook)
I cooled it, then ground it in a mixer to a fine paste, with the cooked water, in case, the water is less, you may add little more water but not much, add the jaggery pieces while grinding.
I put the ground paste in a micro-safe vessel with a lid, cooked for 2 minutes, removed, mixed well, again another 2 minutes, as I found it was too sweet, I added about 2 tbsp roasted suji, mixed well, cooked for 4 minutes, but after every 2 minutes, remove and stir well. 
I added ghee, cooked for another minute.
Hubby also liked it. After keeping in the same vessel, realised it had become quite thick, in case, I had added more ghee and spread it on a greased plate, it would have come as a barfi !

It is a very healthy halwa, as hardly any fat, most fats are natural from nuts, which are again omega 3 and other good fats, protein rich from nuts and dal, jaggery gives you iron healthier than white sugar. 

Notes-
1) the quantity can be increased, as for the ingredients, there is no hard and fast rule. As earlier I used to make with jack-fruit seeds and moong dal with sugar, but no nuts
2) You can add sugar free instead of jaggery or can add molasses or brown sugar.
3) adding suji isn't compulsory, if you add you get more volume !

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com  

Some simple hacks to help you around the house.

1. Take your bananas apart when you get home from the store. If you leave them connected at the stem, they ripen faster.

2. Store your opened chunks of cheese in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh much longer and not mold!

3.  How to choose peppers for eating  / cooking. Peppers with 3 bumps on the bottom are sweeter and better for eating. Peppers with 4 bumps on the bottom are firmer and better for cooking.

4. Add a teaspoon of water when frying ground beef. It will help pull the grease away from the meat while cooking.

5. To really make scrambled eggs or omelets rich add a couple of spoonfuls of sour cream, cream cheese, or heavy cream in and then beat them up.

 

6. For a cool brownie treat, make brownies as directed. Melt Andes mints in double broiler and pour over warm brownies. Let set for a wonderful minty frosting.

7. To peel garlic quickly, especially when you're using a lot, spread it evenly on the microwave plate, heat for 15 seconds only if there are many, if less, then 7-10 seconds. it will be easy to peel, you can use or store in a glass bottle with a lid in the fridge.

Add garlic immediately to a recipe, if you want a light taste of garlic. For a strong taste, add at the end of the recipe.  

8. Leftover snickers bars from Halloween make a delicious dessert. Simply chop them up with the food chopper. Peel, core and slice a few apples. Place them in a baking dish and sprinkle the chopped candy bars over the apples. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes!!! Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream. !

9. Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

10. Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw the bag away when done easy clean up.

11. Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar and calories per serving.

12. Reheating refrigerated bread

Wrap bread in a moist paper towel before microwaving, it will become soft and fresh.

13. To warm biscuits, pancakes or muffins

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

14. Broken Glass

Use a wet cotton ball or Q-tip to pick up the small shards of glass you can’t see easily.

15. No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

16. Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn’t hurt the plant and the squirrels won’t come near it.

17. Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gift wrap roll to your vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

18. Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and … guess what! … static is gone.

19. Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don’t dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out. (Or spray the measuring cup or spoon with Pam before using)

20. Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

21. Re-opening envelopes

If you seal an envelope and then realise you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

22. Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It’s cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It’s also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn’t like when you tried it in your hair.

23. Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2′ with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

24. Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it ‘home,’ can’t digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, especially if it rains, but it works and you don’t have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

25. Dryer Filter

Even if you are very diligent about cleaning the lint filter in your dryer it still may be causing you a problem. If you use dryer sheets a waxy build up could be accumulating on the filter causing your dryer to over heat. The solution is to clean your filter with a toothbrush and hot soapy water every 6 months.

26. Mosquito repellant
Mosquitoes hate citronella, cloves, eucalyptus, geranium and lavender
Mix 5 drops of lemon essential oil,
10 drops of eucalyptus essential oil and
20 drops of citronella essential oil in 2 cups of water.
Pour it in a spray bottle and squirt around you.
Or slice 3 limes and press in them 15 cloves, place in a plate near you to ward off mosquitoes.
Plant fresh lavender or geranium around the foundation of the house.

27. Fly repellents
Flies hate bay leaves, lavender, mint and rosemary
Put bay leaves and rosemary in a bowl and place it on kitchen counters, around garbage and wherever you've flies.
Mix 25 drops of mint essential oil in 1 cup of water and spray in your house.
Plant fresh lavender around the foundation of the house.

28. Best Spider repellent
spiders hate peppermint
Add 10-15 drops of peppermint essential oil into a spray bottle with 8-12 ounces of water.
Spray around door frames, windows, small cracks, corners of the ceilings and bathrooms.
Note use peppermint essential oil without water for a more potent version.

29. Ant repellents
Ants hate cinnamon, garlic and mint
Ants have a strong sense of smell, place cinnamon sticks and peeled garlic cloves around window tracks ot holes.
Replace the cloves every 3rd day until ants disappear
Plant fresh mint around the foundation of the hosue.
Did you know?
Ants leave a scented trail so they can easily find their way bak to the food source in your house.
Wash away the trails with equal parts of water and white vinegar to confuse them.

30. Bug repellent
Bugs hate the smell of basil
\mix 20 drops of basil essential oil in 2 cups of water.
Pour into a sprayer and squirt around you, wondow frames and doors.
Plant fresh basil around the house foundation, inside your window sills and front patio. 

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com   

Semolina / Rava-onion adai

 the batter ready to make

Adai ready to eat

Adai is something like a pancake ! We make with different ingredients.

INGREDIENTS
rava/ semolina as needed
buttermilk / curd + water as needed
salt to taste
onion finely chopped 1 big ( optional)
green chilies finely chopped to taste
curry leaves a sprig finely chopped
oil for shallow frying

METHOD
mix rava, buttermilk, salt, onion, chilies, curry leaves, mix well, keep aside for 20-30 minutes
mix again, if the batter is too thick, add more buttermilk or water to get the correct consistency, it should not be too thick, nor like dosa batter.
Heat a tawa, smear little oil, pour a big ladle of batter, spread not too thin, put little oil on top and in the sides, cook on medium heat, once brown, turn over and cook till done, adding more oil if needed.
Serve hot with milagai podi / gum powder or any chutney of your choice.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com   

Idli- onion pakora

 small 5 idlis crumbled, 2 medium size onions chopped

 crumbled idlis + onion+ chilies 2+ ajwain 1 tsp + besan roughly 1/2 cup + salt

ready to eat, crispy pakoras

INGREDIENTS
idlis small 5
onion 2 medium size finely chopped
green chilies 2 or to taste finely chopped
besan / gram flour roughly 1/2 cup
salt to taste
little water if needed
oil for frying

METHOD
crumble the idlis, but don't over mash it
add chopped onion, chilies, ajwain, salt, besan and mix well
if you find it too dry, sprinkle little water
heat oil, once hot, make small pakoras, fry till brown and crisp
drain well and serve hot. It tasted good without any chutney.
Hubby also said that it tasted good.

those interested in cancer & health related topics are free to see my blog-
http://cancersupportindia.blogspot.com/

for crochet designs, my blog, those who like a particular design are free to mail me
http://gscrochet designs.blogspot.com

For info. about knee replacement, be free to view my blog-
http://knee replacement-stick club.blogspot.com