An easy salad with lots of sautéed mushrooms, tomato, cucumber and lettuce, tosses in a garlic flavored dressing.

Ingredients:

7 ounces or 200 grams button mushrooms; sliced,

1 large tomato; deseeded and diced,

1 large cucumber; peeled and diced,

A small bunch of Romaine Lettuce leaves (or use any other variety of lettuce); torn with hands,

1 tbsp Olive oil,

Salt and Pepper to taste (optional).

For the dressing -

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive oil,

1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar,

2 garlic cloves; crushed,

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard,

1 tsp oregano,

1 tsp honey.

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and add sliced mushrooms to it. Sauté until they are nice brown in color (not burnt) and all the juices have dried. Remove from flame and let them cool. You can also use them when they are warm, if you like. I prefer to cool them, so that my lettuce does not wilt.

While the mushrooms cool down, combine the ingredients of the dressing (except cheese). In a salad bowl, arrange lettuce, diced tomato and cucumber, mushrooms and pour the dressing over them. Toss them up and serve immediately.

Christmas is almost here and that is why I baked these delicious little bundles of joy. Banana Strawberry Jam Muffins are flavorful banana muffins filled with liquid strawberry jam. And as you bite into the muffin, luscious melted strawberry jam oozes out…hmm…yum.

Prepare them for Christmas breakfast or give them as Christmas gifts.

Ingredients: (Makes 12)

4 large ripe bananas,

Strawberry Jam as required,

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour,

1/2 cup granulated sugar,

1/2 cup salted butter; melted at room temperature (or place it in the Microwave oven for 20 seconds),

1 egg; lightly beaten,

1 tsp baking powder,

1 tsp baking soda (soda bicarbonate),

1 tsp vanilla extract/essence,

Other -

Muffin baking tray and disposable muffin cups.

Method:

Sift together flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar, with a whisk, until smooth and soft. Then add beaten egg, vanilla extract and whisk the mixture for around 5 minutes. Mash the bananas in another bowl and add them to the butter and sugar mixture.

Lightly fold in the mixture until mashed bananas are evenly mixed. Add half of the sifted flour mixture to the bowl. Lightly fold the mixture until well mixed.

Repeat for the remaining flour and mix the batter until even. At this point, you may feel the batter is thicker than usual. But that is the perfect consistency.

Preheat the oven at 180° C (350° F). Line up the muffin cups in the tray. Scoop out a spoonful of mixture and fill the cup to 1/3rd of its capacity.

Spread some strawberry jam over it.

And then spread little more muffin batter over the layer of jam. Do not fill the cups till the rim, as they will expand when they bake.

Place in the preheated oven at 180° C (350° F) on the low rack for 20 minutes. Let them rest on the rack for few minutes before you take them out.

NOTE: I prepared this recipe using my Microwave Oven.

TIPS: Top it with some fine granulated sugar, if you like.

Since its Christmas time, I got into a mood of baking cookies. Baked these simple butter cookies with raisins.

Ingredients: (Makes a dozen)

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (I have used whole wheat flour),

1/3 cup powdered sugar,

2/3 cup butter; softened,

1 tsp baking powder,

1/2 tsp vanilla extract,

1/4 cup milk; if required,

1/4 cup raisins.

Method:

Sift together flour and baking powder. In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar and whisk until soft and creamy. You can use a blender, which will quicken and simplify the process.

Then add sifted flour + baking powder to the butter + sugar mixture. Slowly combine the mixture. It will resemble of bread crumbs. At this stage you can add raisins and milk, only as much required to knead a dough.

Preheat the oven at 180° C (approx 350° F). Make equal size small balls from the dough.

Place them on a baking tray. I did not grease the tray. You can also use a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies into the oven at the same temperature for around 15-20 minutes. Let them rest in the oven for a while before you take them out.

Cool them at room temperature and then store in an airtight container.

Its holiday season and that time of the year where celebrations begin with good food and best wishes for your family and friends. Yes its Christmas time! Celebrate this year’s Christmas with Foodatarian, by trying out our Christmas recipes.

Here is a recipe for Chocolate Walnut cake, not a traditional one, but a quick one and simple irresistible.

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour,

1/4 cup cocoa powder,

1/2 tin (around 200ml) sweetened condensed milk,

1/2 cup powdered or fine granule sugar,

1/2 cup refined oil,

1/2 – 3/4 cup milk,

1 tsp vanilla extract/essence,

1 1/2 tsp baking powder,

1/2 tsp baking soda,

1/2 cup crushed walnuts,

Vanilla Icing or Chocolate sauce (optional)

Cooking spray or butter to grease the baking tray,

5-6” baking tray lined with butter paper.

Method:

Preheat the oven at 180° C (approx 350° F).

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. In a blender or a mixing bowl, blend together condensed milk and sugar until the mixture is thick and cream in color. Then add oil and beat until the mixture smooth and light. Then add vanilla essence and 1/2 cup milk, again beat until smooth. Now fold in the half quantity of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the remaining dry ingredients and blend well until the batter is even and smooth. Mix in some of the walnuts at this stage.

Grease the lined baking tray with cooking spray or melted butter. Pour the batter into the tray and sprinkle some walnuts on the top.

Bake the cake in the preheated oven at 180° C (approx 350° F) for 35-40 minutes. Let it stand in the oven for few minutes before you take it out.

Top it with vanilla icing or chocolate sauce and crushed walnuts.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 kg doodhi (bottlegourd),

250 gms khoya; crumbled,

300 gms sugar,

1/2 cup ghee,

8-10 elaichi (green cardamom) powdered,

A handful of dry fruits as per your choice,

Few drops of green food color (optional).

Method:

Peel and grate doodhi, then hold between your palms and press to drain out excess liquid. (Use this liquid is any vegetable or dal recipes as a replacement of water). Melt ghee in a pan and then add the grated doodhi and roast for few minutes on low flame. Cover and cook on low-medium flame till it is soft. Stir occasionally. Then add sugar and keep stirring till the mixture thickens.
Heat another pan and roast the khoya till it is fragrant and light brown in color. Then add to the dudhi mixture. Also add elaichi powder, green food color and dry fruits. Mix well, cover and cook for a minute and serve hot or chilled.