Banana Oats Almonds Sandwich

Sliced Bananas

Banana Oats Almonds Sandwich

Recipe:
Slice the banana vertically into half.
Apply fig butter or peanut butter
sprinkle oats or oats cereal, sliced almonds, dates, pumpkin seeds etc

Fig, almonds and blueberry sandwich

Fig, almonds and blueberry sandwich

Fresh figs are available and this is one of the ways of eating figs.

Ingredients:

Fresh figs sliced

Sliced almonds

Blueberries

Strawberry

Fig butter or cream cheese

Recipe for the sandwich:
Apply fig butter to the bread of your choice.
Put sliced figs
Put blueberry in the center of the fig
Arrange sliced almonds

Recipe for Mango Chutney

Mango Chutney

Qty : 3 Pint Jars                         Shelf life : About one year

Active time : 2 hours                Macerating time : 8 hours to overnight

Ingredients:

7 1/2 lbs (3.50 kg) ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and diced (5 cups)	1 cup (8oz, 225g) diced onions
2 Garlic cloves (peeled)	1/2 cup (4oz. 110 g) crystallized ginger
1/2 cup (4oz. 110 g) golden raisins	1/2 cup (4oz. 110 g) dried sour cherries
1 teaspoon mustard seeds	1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (8oz, 235 ml) cider vinegar	1 cup (7oz, 200g) light brown sugar
3 hot Thai bird chiles, pierced 2 times with a knife

Bell peppers, red green, yellow, makes the chutney colorful

1.  Combine all the ingredients in a glass or ceramic bowl, stir and cover. Refrigerate it overnight (about 8 hours).

2.  Pour the mixture into the preserving pot and on medium heat bring to boil, all the time constantly stirring.

3.  Turn down the heat to low, slow simmer and cook, uncovered until the chutney is thick and semi solid (like a jam or jelly).

4.  Constantly stir but be gentle on the mango pieces (making sure then are intact) and that they do not burn nor stick to the bottom of the bowl.

Ladle or Sauce pan for transferring chutney to jars

5.  Transfer into warm jars, leaving 1/2 inches head space. Clean the rim of the jars with paper towel and place the lids tightly on the jars.

     

Mango Chutney

Some ideas to use the chutney:

·      Serve it on a side as a condiment to poultry

·      Pour some chutney of a wheel of brie cheese, wrap it in a puff pastry and bake it to 325°F oven for about 15 minutes.

·      Serve with crackers, Saltine biscuits, salted biscuits

·      Use it as a barbeque sauce

·      With soft scrambled eggs

·      With yogurt

                           

Cappuccino Coffee

How to make a Cappuccino Coffee

Ingredients:

2 2/3 cup espresso coffee

1 1/3 cup steamed whole milk

·      In an espresso machine with an attachment for steamer, it is easy to make a cappuccino. In absence of a steamer, the milk can be froth in a frothing jar or a blender

·      Fill 1/3 of the cup with espresso coffee

·      Fill 1/3 cup with hot milk

Fill 1/3 cup with foam

Thick foam on Cappuccino Coffee

Cappuccino Coffee

Date, Walnut and apricot spread recipe

Recipe for Iced Mocha with Cashews

Chocolate Cashew Milk

1 cup raw, unsalted, whole cashews or broken cashew
3-4 cups water
1/4 cup finely chopped dark chocolate
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-2 Tablespoons cane syrup or sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1. Soak cashews in water on the counter for about four hours, but no longer than six.
2. Drain cashews and rinse until water runs clear (this step is important).
3. Melt dark chocolate in microwave for about 25 seconds and let cool slightly.
    Pour into blender with drained cashews, salt, 1T syrup, chocolate and one cup water.
4. Start blending on a low speed and gradually increase the speed to high.
    Blend until smooth.
5. Add water 1/2 cup at a time until the milk reaches a consistency of your taste. Taste

and adjust sweetening and salt to your liking.
Note: It will thicken further when cooled.
6. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

Iced Cashew Mocha

Shake cashew milk well. Pour equal parts chocolate cashew milk and coffee/espresso over

ice.
Stir well.

Recipe for Cucumber Sandwiches

Within 10 minutes, the sandwiches can be made.
Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

sliced white sandwich bread, about 16 slices

sprigs of dill for garnish

Directions:

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until completely

incorporated. Add garlic powder, salt, pepper, chopped dill, and diced cucumber. Spread on

8 slices of sandwich bread.
Top with sprigs of dill, then close sandwiches with remaining bread slices.
Cut crusts from bread, forming square sandwiches. Cut each sandwich into quarters on

the diagonal, creating 4 triangle mini-sandwiches each.
Serve with tea or coffee

Recipe for Apple Lemonade

Ingredients:
2 Peeled apples
4 Peeled lemons
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Cups water
1 Cup ice

Combine all the above ingredients in a blender until it is thoroughly mixed.

Calories: 71
Fat : 0
Protein: 1gm
Sugar : 14 g

Note on Honey:
Although Honey is sweeter than sugar, honey has minerals, vitamin B, magnesium,  Potassium and calcium.
Unfortunately table sugar does not have these.
Moreover Honey does not raise the blood sugar level, because it is absorbed in the bloodstream slower  than table sugar.
Honey also has a soothing effect on the throat.

Recipe for Bourbon Balls

Bourbon Balls
1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snap or vanilla wafer cookies (tip: use Mi-Del ginger snaps to make it gluten free)
 1 cup pecans (or walnuts)
 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for dusting
 1/4 cup bourbon (or rum)
 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
 2 tablespoons honey

Pulse the pecans in the bowl of a food processor until they are coarsely ground.
Add the crushed ginger snaps, along with the confectioner’s sugar, bourbon, cocoa powder and honey. Pulse until the ingredients are combined. Place in a bowl.
Chill until thoroughly cooled in the refrigerator, about two hours. (You can expedite this by chilling in the freezer for about 45 minutes.)
Remove the dough from the fridge.
Using a teaspoon as a measure, roll out small balls with your hands, about one inch in size.
Toss to coat in a bowl of powdered sugar.
Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Recipe for Bourbon Balls

Recipe for Bourbon Balls

1 1/2 cups crushed ginger snap or vanilla wafer cookies (tip: use Mi-Del ginger snaps to make it gluten free)
1 cup pecans (or walnuts)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar, plus more for dusting
1/4 cup bourbon (or rum)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey

Pulse the pecans in the bowl of a food processor until they are coarsely ground. ...
Add the crushed ginger snaps, along with the confectioner’s sugar, bourbon, cocoa powder and honey. Pulse until the ingredients

are combined. Place in a bowl.

Chill until thoroughly cooled in the refrigerator, about two hours. (You can expedite this by chilling in the freezer for about 45

minutes.)

Remove the dough from the fridge.
Using a teaspoon as a measure, roll out small balls with your hands, about one inch in size.
Toss to coat in a bowl of powdered sugar.

Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Almond Butter Recipe

Almond Butter Recipe
Time: Approximately 10 minutes
Ingredients
3 cups (440 g) unsalted roasted almonds
¼ cup (60 ml) canola oil

Directions
Place all ingredients into blender jar and secure lid.
Turn on blender and slowly increase speed to High.
Use the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.
Once the butter begins to flow freely through the blades, stop machine.
Store in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for longer storage.
Makes 420 grams of Almond butter

Recipe for saffron Tea

Saffron tea

Ingredients:
8 tsp black tea, loose
8 cups water
12 green cardamom pods
   sugar to taste
1/2 tsp saffron threads
Preparation:
Heat water with cardamom, sugar and saffron. Simmer until reduced by half. Add tea and steep for about 10 minutes. Strain out tea and spices, and serve hot.
Serves 8 

Recipe for Chicken Reshmi Kebab

Ingredients:
•1 kg boneless chicken cut into 2" cubes
•2 tbsps garlic paste
•1 tbsp ginger paste
•1cup fresh coriander leaves
•2 large onions chopped
•1/2 cup fresh yoghurt (should not be sour)
•1/2 cup almonds
•Juice of 1 lemon
•Salt to taste
•Butter or vegetable/ canola/ sunflower cooking oil for grilling kababs

Preparation:
•Soak the almonds in hot water for 10 minutes so that the skins loosen. Now press each one between your thumb and index finger so that the skin splits and can be removed. Do this for all the almonds.

•Mix the almonds, coriander, onion, ginger and garlic pastes and grind in the food processor to form a smooth paste. Add salt to taste, the lemon juice and mix well.

•Pour this paste and the yoghurt over the chicken and mix well to coat all the pieces. Cover and keep to marinate (in the refrigerator) for 24 hours.

•Put the marinated chicken pieces on skewers and grill. Lightly brush with oil to keep from sticking.

•When the chicken is cooked, remove from the skewers and serve with Mint-Coriander Chutney, thinly sliced onions and hot Naans (tandoor-baked Indian flatbread).

Recipe for Green Drink

Recipe for Chocolate Macarons

Ingredients:

Ganache
4 oz dark chocolate around 70% cocoa finely chopped
Half cup heavy cream

Macarons
1.1/3 cup powdered sugar (around 150 grams)
1 cup almonds
½ cup natural cocoa powder (about 45 gms)
3 egg whites
¾ cup granulated sugar (about 150 grams)
¼ cup water
Making Ganache:
• Transfer the chocolate in medium bowl.
• Put the cream in a saucepan and heat it till it bubbles around the edges (around 180°F, 82°C)
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and mix it until the chocolate melts.
• Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and blend it until smooth. Alternatively, heat some water in a metal bowl until the water simmers. Transfer the mixture and whisk it until smooth.
• Set aside the shiny ganache and let it cool for about 2 hours at room temperature. This way the ganache’s soft texture will be spreadable like butter.



Making Macarons:
• In a blender or food processor, mix almonds, powdered sugar and cocoa and blend them for about 5 minutes to powder. Make sure the almonds also are small granules or powder.
• Transfer the mixture in a large bowl.
• Put 2 egg whites in the bowl and whisk it with a stand alone mixer for about 2 minutes. Thereafter raise the speed and whisk it till the firm peaks form.
• While egg whites are being whisked, combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, occasionally stirring the solution. Once the sugar dissolves in water, cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 238°F (114°C), about 5 minutes.
• Add the sugar solution syrup to the mixture in the blender, spreading the syrup evenly all around the mixture. Aim to pour the syrup into the gaps between the mixture bowl and the whisk; the splatter of hot sugar solution onto the rotating whisk will result in stringy particles in macaron batter.
• Increase the whisking speed to high and whip until stiff, shiny peaks form and the mixture holds its shape at the end of the whisk. (About 5 minutes).
• Pour the remaining egg white over the almond mixture, then top with egg white mixture. With a spatula mix the whipped mixture with the almond mixture thoroughly, whereby the mixture is dark, shiny and no dry lumps. This is very important because it is easy to undermix or overmix the batter.
• Fit a pastry bag with ½ inch tip. Fill the pastry bag halfway with the batter.
• Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Position the piping tip about ¼ inch above the baking sheet and with a steady hand, pipe batter in a circle of one inch diameter and about ¼ inch thick. Release pressure on the bag and make a quick circular motion. Continue piping circles with the batter about one inch apart until the tray is filled. Continue piping  until all the batter is finished.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Bake one tray at a time for about 10 minutes. Let the pan cool for about ½ hour before removing.


Macaron assembly:
• Pair macarons of matching sizes. Using a pastry bag, pipe about 1 teaspoon of cooled chocolate ganache onto the bottom of one cookie. Set the 2nd cookie of the matched pair on top of the ganache.
• Gently press together to evenly distribute the ganache.

Recipe for Raspberry and Hazelnut Roll.

Ì Raspberry and Hazelnut Roll...

2 Cups Hazelnuts 13/4 cup Whipping cream  5 eggs (separate egg whites & yolk) 2 1/4 cup Raspberries 1/2 cup superfine sugar Mint leaves for Garnish (if desired) Preheat oven to 350F (180C) Line a Jelly roll pan with double layer of aluminum foil and oil thoroughly In a food processor , process the hazelnuts until finely ground In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and superfine sugar until thick and creamy. Add ground hazelnuts to egg yolks and sugar mixture. In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until firm, but not dry. Mix it with the nut mixture. Pour the nut mixture onto the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until risen & firm to the touch. Cover with a damp towel, and leave it overnight. Next day , transfer the cake out onto a sheet of aluminum foil thickly dusted with superfine sugar Peel off the foil In a bowl whip 1.1/4 cup of cream until stiff. In a separate bowl lightly crush 1/2 cup of Raspberries, then mix them into whipped cream Spread the Raspberry cream over the cake. For decoration dot the raspberries over raspberry cream. Then roll up the cake with the help of the foil. Thereafter transfer it to a plate. Whip the remaining cream until thick Slice roll and serve with Whipped cream. Garnish individual servings with additional raspberries and mint leaves if desired. Serves : 6

Recipe for Coffee Bananas

4 Small ripe bananas	2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tbsp Instant coffee granules or coffee powder	1 1/8 cup strained plain Yogurt
1 tbsp hot water	1 tbsp toasted silvered almonds

• Peel and slice one banana and mash the remaining three with a fork
• Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and stir into mashed bananas
• Spoon a little of the mashed banana mixture into 4 serving dishes & sprinkle with sugar.
• Top with a spoonful of yogurt, then repeat until all ingredients are finished.
• Swirl the last layer of yogurt for a marbled effect.
• Complete it with a few banana slices and silvered almonds.
• Serve cold.

Calories per portion about 200.
Serves 4.
Cooking time About 2 minutes

Variation:
You can sprinkle some cinnamon powder also.
For special occasions you can a tsp of brandy or Rum to the bananas (about 50 calories extra)

Recipe for Blueberry lemon cream tart

Ì Blueberry Lemon cream tarts...
	1 cup graham cracker crumbs 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1/4 cup sour cream 1/4 teaspoon vanilla 4 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest 1 1/3 cups blueberries (6 oz) Confectioners sugar for dusting Special equipment: 4 (3 3/4-inch) nonstick fluted tart pans or 4 (8-oz) ramekins    photo Preheat oven to 350°F with a baking sheet on middle rack. Stir together graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture with your fingers and back of a spoon evenly and firmly onto bottom and up side of each tart pan. (If using ramekins, press mixture 3/4 inch up sides.) Put tart pans on preheated baking sheet and bake crusts until slightly darker, about 10 minutes, then cool 10 minutes on a rack. (Ramekins will need to cool an additional 5 minutes in refrigerator.) Gently push bottom of each tart pan to loosen crust, then invert crust onto your hand and place on a serving plate. (If using ramekins, leave crusts in ramekins.) While crusts cool, whisk together brown sugar, sour cream, and vanilla in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Beat cream cheese in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth, then add sour cream mixture and zest, beating until just combined well. Divide cream cheese filling among tart shells, spreading evenly, then top with blueberries and dust with confectioners sugar. Makes 4 desserts.

Recipe for Sugarless Oatmeal raisin cookies

Sugarless Oatmeal raisin cookies...
	3 bananas 1/2 cup raisins 1/3 cup margarine, melted 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats 1/4 cup skim milk Preheat oven to 350. Mix together all ingredients in a bowl. Mix really well. Let stand about 5 minutes, until oats become wet. Heap teaspoons with dough and drop dough onto greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes.   Let stand 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Makes 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Recipe for Classic Cheesecake...

Recipe for Classic Cheesecake...
        
1 ½ cup Graham cracker crumbs
   

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened.

¾ cup sugar.   2 eggs.
   

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon
   

1 teaspoon Grand mariner

1/3 cup butter melted
   

Sour cream topping (see below)

 Place crumbs in mixing bowl and add ¼ cup sugar and cinnamon, then stir in butter. More butter, up to ¾ cup, may be added if needed.

Butter an 8 inch spring form pan on bottom and sides.

Sprinkle a thin layer of crumbs on bottom of pan and press down with metal ¼ cup measure. Work around sides with fingers to make crumbs of even height. Any remaining crumbs may be added to bottom crust.

Bake crust at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

To make filling, beat eggs until light. Then add ½ cup sugar and beat 5 minutes.

Add cream cheese, vanilla and grand mariner and mix well.

Turn into prepared crust and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes and then pour sour cream topping over filling and bake at 475 degrees for 5 minutes.

Cool cake and chill overnight before serving.

 Sour cream topping:

1 pint sour cream
   

1 teaspoon vanilla

6 tablespoons sugar
   

1 teaspoon grand mariner

 Blend sour cream, sugar, vanilla and grand mariner well. Then pour over filling and bake as directed above.